Chapter 12
Prax
What type of place was this? Back when I’d been a free incubus, there hadn’t been anything like this. There’d been rowdy taverns where folks, both locals and travelers alike, danced and made merry with mead in their blood and music in their ears. And the rich had thrown parties with plenty of good food and expensive wine. This place—Delerium, it was called—was neither of those.
It reminded me of nights eons ago with witches gyrating to the beat of the drums by the bonfire under the full moon. Except there was no bonfire here, and it was not a full moon, and instead of the witches of old and their demons and incubi making magic with their bodies, there were all types here. I’d been to a modern bar in Darlington with some of the creatures who also worked with Desmon, but this wasn’t the same. Here, humans and monsters danced under the flashing lights.
Music had come a long way since way back when, and I was glad to hear that some of the ancient tribal drum beats had made it back into vogue. There were so many musical styles now, and it was one of the things about this century I was eager to explore. That, and the rumbling steel horses. Technically, all the cars I’d been driving belonged to Desmon or the Redrock brothers. A nice car was one of the first purchases I planned on making.
The music being played here, with its primal driving beat and soaring melodic lines, made me want a good sound system too.
The man at the door, whom Penny had called a bouncer, hadn’t even tried to hide the fact that he was a fire demon and allowed his eyes to glow with supernatural flames. In fact, no one hid what they were here. Judging by the surprise on Penny’s face, this shocked her as well.
She wasn’t surprised by the scenes inside the club, however. Only by the fact that monsters didn’t try to hide themselves here. Which told me she’d been to places like this before.
Why would my sweet little witch be in a place like this? What was she hiding behind that proper fa?ade?
Penny and her friends were making their way to a long counter that had to be a bar. The three females had already imbibed before coming here. I’d known the moment Gigi had opened the door. Tipsy Penny was totally adorable, especially when she grabbed onto me to keep her balance.
I scanned the crowd, taking in all the sights. There were monsters of every kind gyrating to the music. Some wore glamour, but most were in their natural forms.
Two women danced together, their bodies undulating sensually to the music. Their focus was completely on each other, and they were oblivious to everyone else around them. Two wolf shifters moved to the beat with a woman between them, their bodies hinting at what would happen later tonight. Sexual energy poured from these couples and throuples, and it beckoned me to bask in it.
Most of the revellers here were either drunk or intoxicated by some other substances, and those who weren’t were well on the way there. I was surrounded by lust, sin, and decadence. It was a little slice of heaven for an incubus. Why had no one shown me this place before? I could have stayed here forever and luxuriated in the very essence that filled the air.
How was a place like this operating so openly and brazenly? In the past, the church would have shut this down the moment they caught wind of it. How different this century was.
As I scanned the crowd, a woman with wild red hair and equally red lips made eye contact with me. She stood by the speakers and wore a short dress that barely covered her ass paired with thigh-high boots. Her form was slim, yet she still had generous hips and breasts. Her eyes lit up with interest, and her lips quirked up in a smile.
I quickly looked away before she could mistake my interest in my surroundings for interest in her. She was beautiful and exactly the type of female I would’ve been delighted to add to my conquests in the past. But tonight I was here with Penny, and the only woman I wanted in my bed later was her.
A cursory glance over at the bar saw that my little witch and her friends had disappeared into the crowd. I searched the room for them but couldn’t see them in the throng of people. I resisted the urge to find her through our bond, not wanting to draw attention to it in such a public place.
Instead, I headed over to the bar, squeezing by the moving bodies. She was still nowhere to be seen.
I decided to grab a drink while I was here. I was glad I’d physically joined them in the vehicle they’d called instead of popping over. It meant I had my wallet with me. I doubted I’d be able to get away with cheating the establishment with “money” made from my soul stuff, not with so many demon patrons here.
I’d already learned that asking for mead usually got me strange looks, so I asked for a beer instead. Amber brew in hand, I scanned the crowd for my little witch and her friends. Eventually, I spotted them at the edge of the dance floor next to a small table, their bodies moving to the beat.
They weren’t alone. Their presence had attracted several males. Humans and monsters alike danced around them, edging closer. One was even speaking with the red-haired friend who owned the coffee shop. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it was clear she was rejecting his advances.
I felt a sudden need to hide Penny away, claiming her so others couldn’t do the same. What an irrational thought. No matter how ludicrous it was, I started toward them, only to be stopped after just a single step.
The woman I had noticed before by the speakers stood in front of me. She batted her eyelashes with practiced ease.
“Hello there, stranger. You look like you’re a lot of fun. I’m Gina. You must be new around here. What’s your name?”
I’d been around long enough to know exactly what she wanted, especially since seduction was my preferred game of choice as well. Sexual appeal oozed from her every pore, and beneath it all, there was an undercurrent of something otherworldly. I recognized her as one of my own kind: a succubus. They were fun, and normally, I’d have loved to dabble with her for a night or two or even three.
For some reason, people thought that incubi only seduced mortal women and succubi only seduced mortal men. That wasn’t true at all. We dallied with each other all the time.
The female did a double take. “Wait. I know you. At least, I think I do. Long ago, a little town at the foot of the Alps.”
There had only been one succubus who’d called that town home. “Gwendolyn?”
“Prax?” Gwen’s eyes lit up. “My old hunting partner! You’re free! That’s amazing! Wait till you meet the owner of Delerium.”
Was it someone I knew?
“We can pull in so much more together.” She made to hook her arm through mine, but I stopped her.
“I am not here to hunt tonight. I’m here with someone.”
She arched a brow.
Before she could ask who it was and if we could tag team them, I added firmly, “And I’m not sharing.”
“I see. Must be a special lady. Or is it a man?”
“Lady.” And I wasn’t going to introduce Gwen to Penny and give myself competition. Gwen could be very persuasive when she wanted to be.
“Well, if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me. I’m here every Saturday. Delerium is the perfect hunting ground.”
“I’ll bet.” But I wasn’t on the hunt right now. I already had my sights on one little witch.
As Gwen returned to her spot by the speaker, I realized she hadn’t told me who owned the club.
But that question flew out of my head when I turned my attention back to Penny. What I saw had my blood boiling. I stomped over, red in my vision, ready to rip the arms off the stupid human who dared touch my witch.