Chapter Eighteen #3
His grin only widens. “Definitely not.”
“Bliss!” I hear a deep voice call. I swivel in the barstool and look at Grim as he saunters over.
“I thought you were going to come back to me, and here you are surrounded by men who aren’t me.
” He pouts a little and grins, slinging an arm around me and nodding to the other guys.
“Evan, nice to see you again. Simon.” He nods, tipping his beer bottle at them.
Pinkie, Bell, and Casper have followed Grim over to us and they easily fall into conversation with Simon and Evan.
Grim shifts a bit closer to me, nuzzling me around the neck. “You’re quite popular, aren’t you?”
I let out a giggle and clamp my hand over my mouth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Hmm, seems like young Simon there is quite smitten with you.” He winds an arm around my waist, turning me around on the stool so that I’m facing him better. He leans in close with a grin. “I’m not scared of a little competition, just so you know.”
“Oh well, that’s very good to know, but I think you’re mistaken. He’s just a nice guy.”
“Do nice guys often look at you like they want to fuck you?” Grim asks, his hands moving to my waist. He looks down at his hands, which rest right where my torso naturally dips in.
A blush creeps into my cheeks and a warmth is settling in around my center.
His words are definitely rousing the ball of lust inside me that is my succubus power.
“He’s not looking at me like that.” Well, he might be.
I did use up the majority of my magic on him.
I stifle a groan as I realize just how empty my reserves now feel and that what I used before is now probably going to waste after being interrupted.
The lust Simon was feeling will dissipate very quickly, since I’m not very powerful or adept at using my power.
I can’t help but glance over at Simon. He eyes flit over to me but then away as soon as he sees Grim’s hands on me. “Hasn’t he been? Hasn’t he been looking at you the same way I’m looking at you?”
My eyes snap to Grim’s and I take a shallow breath, like my lungs have forgotten their damn job.
He flashes me a toothy grin and takes another step forward, my thighs parting on the stool for him to stand between.
He still stands taller than me and angles his head down like he’s going to kiss me.
I put my hand on his chest, not sure if I want to pull him closer or push him away.
He pauses and waits, but before I can make a decision I feel someone watching me. Us.
I peer over Grim’s shoulder as best I can manage and stop short.
Jordan.
He’s taken off his mask and his eyes rake over me.
He sneers. “Well, Bliss, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
Always knew you were just a groupie gold digger.
” My blood chills as I take in his unfortunately still familiar appearance.
His dark hair has grown out a bit and he has it pushed back from his face, away from hazel eyes that darken under a prominent brow.
Grim stiffens and turns around. “What the fuck did you just say to her?” I reach out and grab his forearm.
“Don’t,” I try to say, but it comes out in a whisper no one else but me hears.
Amelia’s somehow already coming around to stand beside me, as if she saw Jordan coming this way and intercepted him. Dericia creeps forward, putting herself in between me and Jordan, as Grim takes a step away from the table.
I glance up at Amelia and shake my head. Don’t do anything rash, I try to communicate to her.
Jordan holds up a hand, the one he used to help me to my feet earlier. There’s blood on it. He brings it to his mouth and licks it clean. “I knew it was you once I got a taste of this. Succubus blood; there’s nothing else like it.”
Jordan stalks forward, ignoring the warning growl from Taser, who also appeared by my side while I was preoccupied with Jordan’s arrival.
“So what’s the deal, Bliss? Did you miss me and want to come back? Probably to beg me to fuck you again? You miss this?” he asks, his hand trailing over the obvious bulge in his pants.
Stars, how was I ever into him?
Shame threatens to consume me. I stand up from the stool, my legs wobbly, ripping my mask off so I can breathe better.
I need to get out of here. Nothing good will come from this.
Jordan laughs, the cruel peal of it causing its usual reaction. He looks over at Amelia. “She’s gotten her bond activated, hasn’t she? Shame I don’t see a rune in your eyes, Bliss. Then you’d never be able to get rid of me.”
Taser steps forward. “That’s enough, back the fuck off.” He snarls at Jordan, who just looks at him like he’s a piece of disgusting trash, his lip curling up in offense.
“You didn’t bond with her either.” Jordan laughs. “That’s too bad. I always knew you were after her cunt.”
“Jordan, I swear to the stars if you don’t fucking back off, I’ll—” Amelia starts, but Jordan cuts her off.
“You’ll what? Sleep with me to death?” The rest of his bandmates snigger behind him.
This is just going to keep going, I think to myself. Unless…
“Everyone stop.” I push past everyone and head towards the staircase to leave.
“Where are you running away to, Bliss?” Jordan calls after me.
I hear a few more people talking back to him, but I just let the music and chatter from the party drown it all out.
With me out of there, everyone will eventually cool down.
Jordan won’t have a reason to keep pushing and my friends won’t need to defend me.
I find my way along the mezzanine floor to a set of wide double doors.
The glass doors open out onto a stone balcony with carved steps leading down into a beautiful garden.
I stomp my way down to it, hoping the beauty and quiet of the space will calm me.
Tears prick behind my eyes, threatening to spill.
I find a seat along a fountain’s edge in the center of the garden.
The sound of the water cascading over each tier of the stone bowls of the fountain seems to wash away just a fraction of the agitation and panic that try to root themselves in me.
I take deep breaths, one after another, even as my skin erupts in goose bumps. It’s chilly out here. Amelia talked me out of wearing anything over my dress. It might cover my cleavage, she argued. Seems really stupid right about now.
The garden is partially illuminated with patio lighting, washing it in a warm romantic glow.
I’m surprised more people aren’t out here, stealing quick kisses with their partners.
It seems ironic I’m using such a beautiful space to hide from my ex.
Maybe I should have headed straight back to the townhome.
That inner part of me that is all primal succubus and zero percent concerned with consequences is pouting that I didn’t drag Grim out here with me. We could have made use of some of the shadows here. I mentally shush her.
Leaves rustle, interrupting me from scolding myself yet again. I look to my right, trying to pinpoint where the noise came from. I peer closer, but I can’t make out anything. “Hello?” I ask.
It’s probably just a bird or something. But I wonder if I did indeed interrupt a couple making use of the space.
I would be too embarrassed to come out if I were them.
I should leave, go back to the house and get a good night’s sleep.
Or stay up over-analyzing if coming here was a mistake.
If making a deal with a wraith was a mistake. Obviously, my inner critic sneers.
I’m about to get up and look for a direct way out of this garden to the street when again leaves rustle. But this time, instead of looking and finding nothing, I see a figure emerge from the shadowy corner of the garden to my left.
Not eerily, or creepily. He just walks out into the glow of the lights, and he doesn’t slow when he sees me. I can’t help but freeze and take in his appearance.
It’s Wrath.
His mask is beautiful and even more intricate in person.
But it still slightly creeps me out.
I can’t tell where he’s looking. Like all of the Voracious Maw masks, it has no eye holes, giving the illusion he can’t see out of it.
He seems like he’s about to walk right past me, but at the last second he pauses, almost parallel with me, looking over at me. The tilt to his head seems questioning.
“The party sucks, just so you know.” I don’t know why I say it. He’s wearing plain clothes now, a black hoodie and black jeans, instead of his earlier costume. He must have left the party to change.
I glance behind him in the direction that he came, and even though it’s not illuminated well, I can now make out a little gate that lets out to the side of the building. I wonder why he’s coming in this way. Maybe to avoid large crowds? I don’t blame him.
“I met your bassist,” I say, again not sure why I’m word-vomiting all over the place.
I don’t mention that Eerie—Evan—wasn’t wearing his mask.
A shiver runs up my arms as I wait for him to say something, anything.
I rub my hands over my bare arms. It’s already much colder now than five minutes ago and I think again how I should stop listening to Amelia when it comes to my cleavage.
Or maybe I can use it to my advantage. Isn’t this exactly the opportunity I need to make good on my bargain with the wraith?
I let out the last little remnants of my power. I’m definitely going to need to feed soon, in the next day or so. All the power I got from feeding off Taser is already gone.
Wrath still doesn’t say anything. But I watch as he slowly unzips his hoodie, taking it off and wordlessly offering it to me.
He has on a long-sleeved shirt, but his hands are still covered in paint.
I just look at him, and he reaches the hoodie closer to me, urging me to take it. I wrap my hands around it and he lets go. When I don’t immediately put it on, he tilts his head again. Is this all my power is able to coax him to do?