Chapter 12
Lola
Marcus froze at the doorway between his room and the entrance, looking at me with a dropped jaw as I plunged my arm in his favorite brand of cereal box.
“Missed me?” I asked, chewing on the crunchy, overly sweet breakfast snack.
“Not gonna lie, I considered sleeping outside out of spite. I’m still mad at you for throwing me out of what you called my home.
I guess I get it, though. We’re friends and shit, but it still hurts to be once again, a victim of something I can’t control—wow, this is absolutely disgusting.
How do you even eat that every morning without getting a headache from all the sugar?
And why can’t I seem to stop munching on this atrocity? I mean—”
I gasped as his arms closed around my shoulders, holding me tight against his—very naked—chest. Good thing he remembered to put pants on.
“Huh…Marcus? What are you—”
“Thank Hell you don’t smell like sex-on-legs anymore. I swear, between the other guards talking about it and the damn pheromones invading the house, I wanted to kill myself.”
I frowned, patting his forearm. “That’s a bit extreme.”
“It’s not. I swore to you you were safe with us, so having even one slightly inappropriate thought messed with my mind. Please, don’t make me go through this again.”
His hold tightened as he released a breath of relief.
“You said you didn’t—”
“I lied, okay? And I don’t ever want to think of you that way, so let’s plan a schedule with whoever fucked the pheromones out of you because if it gets that bad again, I won’t forgive my damn brain.”
He dropped a hard, loud kiss on the top of my head before stepping back, snatching the box from between my hands, and casting me a narrowed-eyes glare.
“So, who was the lucky guy?” I rolled my eyes. “Or girl, I don’t judge. Wait, how would that even work? Aren’t there Succubi and Incubi? Are you like…I don’t know, forced to go with the opposite sex? Or is it an attraction thing?”
“It’s an attraction thing. Although, unlike most of my peers, I can turn into the opposite gender, so I guess I could get anyone I want.”
I shrugged but froze under his confused stare. Well, shit.
“What do you mean, unlike most of your peers? Like the incubus who fucked up and caused the war? Wasn’t he like one of the first or second generation? I didn’t meet many, but still, demons talk.”
“I—uh…” I stammered, bringing my fingers to my mouth to nibble on my nails.
“Oh…Please tell me there’s even more secrets and mysteries around you, because you’re walking drama and I’m living for it.”
“Sex-on-legs, walking drama…Leave my lower body parts alone, will you?”
“Come on, spill.” He sat on the closest stool, leaning into my space playfully. “You told me about that abandoned mate of yours,” he whispered, casting glances around us to ensure no one else was here. “You can talk to me about anything.”
“Drop it,” I groaned, bringing my hand to my hair in automatic response.
But the motion caught his eyes, and they widened in surprise.
“Oh no, you’re kidding me. You’re the first?
” I rolled my eyes, ignoring him, but he nudged my shoulder with his.
“You are aren’t you? Show me those pointy ears.
Oh my lord, does it mean that if Arc and you ever have kids, they’ll have tipped ears too? ”
I didn’t stop him when he reached for my hair, parting it in a way that revealed what he was trying to get a glimpse at.
“Succubi are infertile,” I pointed out, accepting my fate. I guess Marcus was in the loop too now. “And don’t go around blabbing about my damn ears. I’m trying not to advertise it.”
He scoffed. “Why? It’s not like people will—”
“Just don’t. I have my reasons, as dumb as they are. I’m fine with people underestimating and not expecting anything from me.”
He grabbed a handful of cereal, rolling his eyes. “Whatever, pointy. So, you didn’t answer. Who rocked your world last night? Must have been good, you’re glowing. A bit like when you first spent your first night cuddling with Arc.”
“Are you sure you want to discuss my sex life?” I stalled. “I thought your mind playing tricks on you had you traumatized for life.”
“I’m not asking for details. Kai and I have a bet going, I just want a name.”
My head snapped toward his, a shit-eating grin splitting his face. “A bet?” I seethed.
“Come on. Just a name. Unless you don’t know it, in that case a physical description might be in order.”
“Ugh, you’re impossible!” I stood up and walked to the coffee machine, grabbing a mug on the way.
Marcus snorted from his spot, pivoting on his stool. “I placed my bet on Carter. That guy is a ticking bomb filled with so much frustration he has to give in at some point. Plus, I sent you back there, didn’t I? I’m sure he was a fucking savage.”
Blood rushed to my cheeks.
“Who did Kai bet on?” I asked, ignoring the fluttering in my lower stomach at the memory of Carter’s eager look as he kissed me. Maybe he would have been savage, yes. If he actually had taken charge.
“Some random lower demon guy I’m not sure you ever met.” He shrugged. “Said that he heard his thoughts a few times. The guy has it hot for you.”
So, whoever this dude was, I should definitely stay away. I had no interest in another man joining the current pool I was juggling with. Three were hard enough to manage, even though two of them were actually missing.
One and a half weeks now. I needed to do something.
To go look for them. I had let Marcus distract me with his morning training sessions that left me too tired to even leave the apartment in the afternoons.
Then came the issue of my energy depleting.
There was nothing to prevent me from taking matters into my own hands now.
“So…Who?” Marcus asked again.
“None. I didn’t have sex with Carter, nor that random demon guy.”
Technically not a lie.
“You’re not telling me, huh?”
“Nope.”
“Fair.” I looked at him wince from the corner of my eyes and didn’t hold my chuckle. “But then how will Kai and I settle this damn bet?”
I rolled my eyes and focused back on my pouring coffee. “Just say none of you were right. And stop betting on my sex life, that’s creepy.”
“Wanna bet on mine and make it even?”
I arched a brow, turning slowly toward him with my fresh cup in hand.
“First, I didn’t know you even had a sex life. Second, what’s wrong with you?”
“That’s the thing,” Marcus said, tapping his finger to his temple with a mischievous grin. “I don’t. Easy bet.”
“Okay.” I walked to him and placed my hand on his shoulder. “I bet you’ll have sex before the end of the year.”
The scoff that came out of him was half strangled. “I told you it was an easy bet, woman. Why are you stepping in a damn hole?”
“I like the challenge of it. After all, aren’t you—”
Someone knocked on the door and I froze. Marcus and I stared at each other in silence, like waiting for the other to acknowledge if we were expecting someone. I didn’t. He obviously wasn’t either.
“Well, why are you waiting here staring at me like a deer caught in headlights?” he said. “You live here too and you’re closer to the door.”
And yet, as I made my way to the front door, Marcus was hot on my heels. He was still here when I opened it only to find Kai’s broad smile on the other side.
And a familiar man with auburn hair standing next to him.
My heart missed a few beats only to race the next second.
“Good! You’re both here. Let me introduce you to your new housemate! Lola, Marcus, here’s an old friend of mine. Vladimir Maartos, first of the Vampire’s kind.”
Our new companion’s grin widened, showing two long and sharp canines. He held his hand to me first as Marcus became utterly still behind me.
“You can call me Vlad.”
No.
No I couldn’t. Because his name wasn’t Vlad at all.
“Mate,” Marcus whispered behind me, so low I wondered if I’d hallucinated it.
And I swear I nearly fainted here and there.