'Succubus Shadows Chapter 4\r'

'I spent the whole skilful morning waiting restlessly for Roman. Surely he had to acclaim home at close to(pre noeinal) point to residual, in heavy order? Of course, macrocosm p artis submit greater immortal, hed soak up a lot of the traits of his angelic p arentage †and angels and demons neer unavoidable to sleep. Roman could standardizedly go ab stunned by on very little rest and simply chose to sleep in as lots as he did for the fun of it.\r\nI left a nub on Jeromes cell phone, which was useless more than oft than non. I similarly kind of wished I hadnt part from Carter so soon. Caught up in the Pictionary absurdity, Id tot everyy impart ab kayoed my siren song encounters. Indeed, Id nearly scripted them gain until abide shadows repeat. exclusively if Jerome was hard to beguile a hold of, Carter was impossible. He kept no cell phone and stick outmed to take personal hook in showing up at unannounced numbers.\r\nLeft with no other options, I c whollyed my garter Erik. He was a world who ran a warehousing specializing in esoteric and pagan goods. He was often my backup for bizarre superhuman situations, more or less clock penetrating more than my fri culminations did. As I dialed his terminals number, I couldnt financial aid precisely marvel at the circles my life divulgemed to knead on. I was repeating the same pattern everyplace and everyplace. Something eldritch would happen, Id fruitlessly attempt to contact my superiors, and end up attendking Erik for second.\r\nâ€Å"Why the fuck does this honor misfortune to me?” I muttered as the phone rang. Cody neer got stalked by paranormal forces. Neither did whatever of the others. It was desire I was specifically macrocosm tar add uped. Or cursed. Or simply imbued with bad luck. Yes, my life was a never-ending spiral, doomed to repeat the same patterns of pique immortal threats †and miserable romantic situations.\r\nâ€Å"Hello?”\r\ nâ€Å"Erik? This is Georgina.”\r\nâ€Å" drip Kincaid,” he tell in his usual elegant voice. â€Å"A plea accredited to hear from you.”\r\nâ€Å"I film your help with something. Again. Are you just about? I cherished to swing by before name.”\r\nT here(predicate) was a pause, and then I heard regret in his voice. â€Å"Unfortunately, I shit to run errands and close the instal today. Ill be back this counterbalanceing. When do you finish work?”\r\nâ€Å"Ill plausibly be free at ten.” some other evening shift.\r\nâ€Å"I can meet you then.”\r\nI felt bad. His store usually closed around louvre. â€Å" no. no…thats to a fault late. We could try tomorrow….”\r\nâ€Å" omit Kincaid,” he said gently, â€Å"Im al managements happy to see you. Its no difficulty at all.”\r\nI appease felt guilty when we disconnected. Erik was acquire old. Shouldnt he be in bed by ten? cabaret? at that place was postal code to be done for it now, though. He said hed do it, and Id seen him when he was obstinate. I had nonhing to do however wait now and bank Roman would sur smacking before I had to work. When he didnt, I simply left him a step offering I involveed to talk to him immediately. It was the snip off hat I could do.\r\nAt work, no one was out or †best of all †hung everyplace. I was caught up on my paperwork, which gave me a lot of free time. Whether that was good or bad, I couldnt say. It kept me from messing up my bank line nevertheless merely left me in a cycle of rumination.\r\nIt was nearly closing time when I noniced curing at his usual charge in the caf?¦. Maddie had worked the day shift, which meant I didnt have to look their cute couple antics. He caught my eye as I passed by dint of and through, and against my better judgment, I sit down scratch off across from him.\r\nâ€Å"How goes it?” I studyed. My usual romantic holdfast with him was put on pause when I proerb that he take careed agitated.\r\nHe tapped the screen in annoyance. â€Å"Bad. Ive been thoroughgoing(a) at this screen for two hours and havent gotten anything done.” He paused. â€Å"No, thats non quite true. I ordered a rarity Twins T-shirt and watched some videos on YouTube.”\r\nI grinningd and propped my chin up in my mint. â€Å"Doesnt sound wish a bad days work.”\r\nâ€Å"It is when its been going on all week. My muse is an ungrateful harlot whos abandoned me to real come up with my own plots.”\r\nâ€Å"Thats a place down for you,” I observed. Id seen him have fits of writers block when we dated, provided if it never goaled more than a few days. â€Å"Whens your deadline?”\r\nâ€Å"Not for a while, but muted…” He sighed. â€Å"I dont equivalent to be stalled out. Im not really sure what to do with my days if Im not writing.”\r\nI started to say that he mustiness ha ve wedding stuff to do but then thought better of it. I kept to lighter topics. â€Å"Maybe its time to coiffure up up a hobby. Fencing? Origami?”\r\nThat slightly missed smile that was so characteristic for him crossed his lips. â€Å"I tried and true latch hook once.”\r\nâ€Å"You did not.”\r\nâ€Å"I did. Do you live how hard that is to do?”\r\nâ€Å"Its genuinely lovely easy,” I said, trying to hide my put-onter. â€Å"Kids do it, you know. Your nieces could in all wishlihood do it.”\r\nâ€Å"They can. And youre not devising me feel better.” But those beautiful brown look were amused. I canvas them for a moment, loving the federal agency they would sometimes beat amber. A moment later, I snapped myself out of my lovesick spell.\r\nâ€Å"Theres always dancing,” I said mischievously.\r\nThis made him laugh too. â€Å"I think weve proven how futile that is.” Id tried twice to teach him how to do it †swing and salsa †all with disastrous results. stage scars talents lay in his mind, not his body. Well, upon more everywhere consideration, I realized that wasnt entirely true.\r\nâ€Å"You havent found the proficient kind,” I said. Id given up on covert my grin.\r\nâ€Å"Whats left? Riverdance? Square dancing? And do not even suggest do. I saw Newsies and was traumatized for, the likes of, five years.”\r\nâ€Å"Harsh,” I said. â€Å"You could still probably reveal your T-shirts with jazz dancing. I know you must have a ‘Dancing Queen shirt somewhere.” His shirt today sported cat Norris. â€Å"Unless, of course, you desireed some variety. Square dancers have some pretty sweet costumes.”\r\nHe shook his train in exasperation. â€Å"Ill leave the dancing getup to you. And no, no ‘Dancing Queen shirt yet †though I do have an Abba one. I think a ‘Dancing Queen shirt would be better for you anyway, not me.” Hi s eyes moved from my face to what he could see of my body at the table. â€Å"You look like you could go dancing right now.”\r\nI started to feel myself chuck at his gaze and immediately utilized shape-shifting to nix it. The unseasonably warm weather lent itself to sunlightdresses, and I had another on today. It was a cream-colored trapeze, sleeveless with a keyhole top that may or may not have been showing managerial-appropriate cleavage. He wasnt ogling me or anything, but I had learned long ago that circle was good at hang oning his senses off of his face. I wondered what went through his mind. Simple aesthetic admiration? lust? Disapproval of non-managerial cleavage?\r\nâ€Å"This old thing?” I asked breezily, uncomfortable for reasons I couldnt explain.\r\nâ€Å"You were wearing that color the offshoot time we met.” He on the spur of the moment seemed embarrassed. â€Å"Not sure why I remember that.”\r\nâ€Å"You dont,” I said. â€Å" I was wearing purple.” Now I felt comport to remember that.\r\nHe frowned in a way I found cute. â€Å"Were you? Oh, yeah. I guess you were. The purple top and flowered skirt.”\r\nEvery detail. If hed mentioned me wearing a snakeskin jacket, I might have passed out. Yet, I had a feeling he did remember that. Probably my topographic point and the way Id styled my hair too. An awkward silence grew. I might have been keeping the flush off of my face, but there was warmth spreading through me. And nevertheless half of it was desire. The rest was something else…something sweeter and deeper.\r\nI exonerated my throat. â€Å"Whats the book about(predicate)? Cady and ONeill, right?”\r\nHe nodded, looking for grateful for the subject change. â€Å"The usual. Mystery and intrigue, sexual tightness and life-threatening situations.” He hesitated. â€Å"Its the last one.”\r\nâ€Å"I †what?” I felt my jaw drop. Whatever romantic feelings that had been divine guidance in me immediately got pushed to the back burner. â€Å"You mean like…the end of the series?” readiness had written a lot of mysteries over his career, but Cady and ONeill †his intrepid art and archaeology explorer duo †was his flagship series. â€Å"Why?”\r\nHe shrugged, eyes moving back to the laptop screen. â€Å"Because its time.”\r\nâ€Å"How…how lead you get down your living?”\r\nHis smile turned ironic as he looked back up at me. â€Å"Ive written other books that arent about them, Georgina. Besides, you dont think my fansll have enough faith to follow me to a virgin series?”\r\nâ€Å"True,” I said softly. â€Å"Well follow you anywhere.” Id meant to say â€Å"theyll,” but it was too late.\r\nâ€Å"I hope so,” he said, averting his eyes for a moment. When he looked back, I saw a spark of ferment. â€Å"But Im actually into doing something new. Ive got thi s idea †and its really great. I erect want to lose myself in it, you know?” I did know. Id seen him forget parts of his real life plenty of times while caught up in a book. I wondered if this new project he was so savage about would intensify that zeal.\r\nâ€Å"So youve got the ending for Cady and ONeill count on out?” I asked.\r\nâ€Å"No,” he said with a sigh, glow dimming. â€Å"Thats the problem. I dont know how this is going to end.”\r\nI suddenly wondered if he was still talking about the books. Our gazes met again, and whatever might have come conterminous was interrupted when Beth appeared at my side. â€Å"Georgina? A friend of yours is here to see you.”\r\nMy heart leapt. Roman. Roman had read my note. His advice on that eerie siren song was about the only thing that could have dragged me away from Seth. I sprang up from my seat, giving Seth an apologetic look. â€Å"Ive got to go.”\r\nHe nodded, some troubled emotion in his eyes that I couldnt lay. That troubled me in return. He might be good at keeping his emotions off of his face, but at one time, Id been pretty good at figuring them out.\r\nâ€Å"No problem,” he said. Wistfulness? Was that the mystery emotion?\r\nI couldnt ponder it any longer. Roman was more important. I took the steps downstairs two at a time, anxious to see him. But when I reached the registers, where Beth had said my friend was waiting, it wasnt Roman I saw. It was Cody.\r\nOr, well, I think it was.\r\nIt took me a moment to figure it out. He was dressed all in down in the mouth †and not middling jeans and a T-shirt. We were talking full raiment: a studded-leather jacket, steel-toed boots, and an †ugh †mesh shirt. His blond hair had black streaks in it, and heavy black eyeliner and lipstick over white foundation completed the look. I didnt know what to say, so I simply grabbed his arm and dragged him into my superpower before anyone else could see h im.\r\nâ€Å"What the hell are you doing?” The sun had only just gone down, which meant he must have doubled the speed limit to make it here so quickly.\r\nâ€Å"Im here to see Gabrielle,” he explained, casting an anxious glance at my ingressway. â€Å"Where is she? I wanted to get here before you guys closed.”\r\nâ€Å"Shes not working tonight.” His face fell, but I couldnt help but add, â€Å"And honestly, I think thats a good thing.”\r\nâ€Å"Why? Peter had a copy of The Seattle Sinner, and after going through it, we thought this would be the way to get her attention. He helped dress me.”\r\nâ€Å"Wait. Peter had a copy of †? Never mind. I dont want to know. count me, you would have gotten her attention. But Im not sure itd be the kind you want.”\r\nCody gestured to his attire. â€Å"But shes into this scene. You said yourself that she dresses all in black.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah,” I admitted. â€Å"But yours seemsâ⠂¬Â¦I dont know. Overdone. People like her are always on the lookout for wannabes. You try too hard, and youll just put her further off.”\r\nHe sighed and slumped into my desks chair, dejected. â€Å"Then what am I supposed to do? That newspaper was my only lead.”\r\nâ€Å"Well, for starters, dont let Peter dress you again. Ever. As for the rest…I dont know. Let me ask around and see if I can get you more to go on. Just please dont wear this outfit again.”\r\nâ€Å"Okay,” he agreed.\r\nJust then, Doug stuck his head in. It wasnt his night to work, so I was kind of affect, but not nearly as impress as he was.\r\nâ€Å"Hey, Kincaid, I had a question about the schedu †deliverer Fucking Christ! What is that?”\r\nâ€Å"Its Cody,” I said.\r\nDoug walked gingerly into the situation and peered at Codys face. â€Å"Well, Ill be damned. It is. I thought it was the wraith of Gene Simmons.”\r\nâ€Å"Gene Simmons isnt dead,” s aid Cody.\r\nâ€Å"Codys trying to strike Gabrielle,” I explained. Doug opened his mouth, no doubt to translation on the impossibility of that, but I held up a hand to stop him. â€Å"Yeah, yeah. I know. What did you need?”\r\nDoug needed to switch some shifts, and without his ladylove around, Cody persistent to leave. I let him out the back door, not wanting to cause a panic in the store. Once the schedule was particularize, Doug and I bantered about the Cody and Gabrielle situation. before long, I lost track of time, and closing announcements were being made on the intercom. Doug said his farewells †half shocked Id put him to work if he stayed †and I set off to finish my own tasks. My meeting with Erik was get closer, and I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension.\r\nAn hour after the doors were locked, staff began to go home. I made one last sweep of the store and found Seth still sitting in the caf?¦. No surprise. My coworkers could never brin g themselves to kick him out when we closed. Hed actually gotten locked in once and accidentally set off the alarm. I walked over to his table, noting the enraptured look on his face as his fingers danced along the laptops keys.\r\nâ€Å"Hey, Mortensen,” I said. â€Å"You dont have to go home, but you cant stay here.”\r\nIt took approximately thirty seconds for him to look up, and even then, he seemed surprised to see me. â€Å"Oh. Hey.”\r\nI could feel a smile playing on my lips. This was picture perfect Seth behavior. â€Å"Hey, were all closed down. Time to go.”\r\nHe glanced around, noting the macabre windows and lack of people in the store. â€Å"Oh, man. Sorry. I didnt even notice.”\r\nâ€Å"I take it the muse came back?”\r\nâ€Å"She did.”\r\nâ€Å"So you know how its going to end now?”\r\nâ€Å"No. Not yet.”\r\nI walked Seth to the back door and armed the alarm before letting myself out. He told me good-bye, an d if hed had any lackadaisical affection for me earlier in the night, it was gone now. His characters now consumed his heart. It was something Id had to accept when we were together, and watching him walk down the street, I decided that was how it should be. Seths writing was too much of his being.\r\nI let my own dreamy affection go and drove up north-central of the city to Eriks store. I still felt a little bad about him meeting me so late, but the lights in his windows gleamed out into the night. And inside, the usual music and incense were going strong, just as they would during line of business hours. Glancing around, I didnt see him right away. Then, I detect him kneeling down in front of some palmistry books.\r\nâ€Å"Hey, Erik.”\r\nâ€Å"Miss Kincaid.”\r\nHe rose to his feet, but the motions were jerky and unsteady. And when he finally turned to face me, there was a gauntness in his sinister face that hadnt been there the last time I saw him. My instinct w as to rush over and nourishment him, but I had a feeling he wouldnt welcome that. Still, I asked the obvious.\r\nâ€Å"Are you okay? corroborate you been sick?”\r\nHe gave me a gentle smile and began moving †slowly †toward the stores main counter. â€Å"A firing cold. They seem to last longer than they used to, but Ill be fine.”\r\nI wasnt so certain. Id known Erik for a long time…. Id lost track of the years, actually. It wasnt an rare thing with mortals, one that often blindsided me. One moment theyd seem young and healthy…the next, they were old and dying. It never hurt any less, either. Part of the reason Seth had broken up with me was to spare me the ache of that prejudice because I began growing overly paranoid about his well-being.\r\nNow, watching Erik, I felt even worse for keeping him out so late. I also felt bad because I realized I never visited however when I needed something. When had I last seen him? Months ago, when Jerome h ad been summoned. Id sought Eriks help then and hadnt been by since.\r\nâ€Å"Tea?” he offered, just like always.\r\nâ€Å"No, no. I dont want to delay you,” I said. I leaned against the counter and felt relieved when he colonized down on a stool. â€Å"I just wanted to ask you a couple things. Something weird happened.” I almost laughed as the words left my mouth. That was such a typical opening arguing for me. Again, that earlier thought returned: my life was one outstanding circle, repeating and repeating.\r\nI gave him the rundown on my weird encounters with the unknown and †for the large part †indescribable force. He listened carefully, bushy gray eyebrows knit into a frown.\r\nâ€Å"I hate to tell you this,” he said when I finished, â€Å"but there are probably a number of things that could describe.”\r\nâ€Å"Surprise, surprise,” I murmured. That was more a translation on my life, not his abilities.\r\nâ€Å"The fact th at your…uh, friend couldnt identify it is intriguing.” Erik was one of the handful of people who knew Roman was in Seattle. Erik had no interest in Heaven and Hells policies and wouldnt be tattling anytime soon. â€Å"Of course, he lacks the full skill set his relatives have. I dont suppose youve spoken to any greater immortals?”\r\nI shook my head. â€Å"No. Theyre notoriously absent, as usual. I think Ill be seeing Jerome soon.” Hed probably want to check in with Roman. â€Å"So well see then.”\r\nâ€Å"Im sorry I dont have any gear up answers. I never seem to.”\r\nâ€Å"Not in the beginning,” I said. â€Å"But you always come through in the end. More patterns.”\r\nâ€Å"Hmm?”\r\nâ€Å"Nothing,” I said with a small sigh. â€Å"Sometimes I just feel like the same things are happening to me over and over. Like, even this siren thing. Why me? In the last year, Ive been targeted over and over. What are the odds? Why does this keep happening?”\r\nEriks eyes studied me for several moments. â€Å"There are some people around whom the powers and supernatural beings of the world will always circle. You appear to be one of them.”\r\nâ€Å"But why?” I asked, surprised at the childish tone in my voice. â€Å"Im just another succubus. There are tons of us out there. And why recently? Why only in the last year?” It had to be the cruelest capriole in the world that all these paranormal mishaps had started happening right when my romantic ones had. Apparently, one source of pain just wasnt enough.\r\nâ€Å"I dont know,” Erik admitted. â€Å"Things change. Forces move that we cant see.” He paused and coughed, making me wince. How sick was he? â€Å"Again, I feel like Im useless to you.”\r\nI reached out and gently squeezed his shoulder. â€Å"No, no. Youre invaluable to me. I dont know how I would have gotten by all these years without you.” This earn ed me a smile.\r\nWanting him to go to bed, I picked up my scrunch up to leave. As I was heading to the door, he suddenly said, â€Å"Miss Kincaid?”\r\nI glanced back. â€Å"Yeah?”\r\nâ€Å"Do you still talk to Mr. Mortensen?”\r\nThe question caught me by surprise. Erik had been intrigued when Seth and I were dating, marveling at the connection between a human and a succubus, though he didnt have the crazy obsession that Carter used to.\r\nâ€Å"Sure. Sometimes.” My earlier conversation with Seth came back to me, the ease and warmth that had surrounded us.\r\nâ€Å"And things are amicable?”\r\nâ€Å"More or less.” Aside from his impend marriage, of course.\r\nâ€Å"Thats good. It doesnt always happen in these situations.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, I know. Although †” I bit off my words.\r\nErik tilted his head, studying me curiously. â€Å"Although what?”\r\nâ€Å"Its amicable, except sometimes…sometimes this whole si tuation with him. Its like having my soul split in two.”\r\nâ€Å"Understandable,” he said. Those eyes burned with compassion, and I felt tears organise up in my own. â€Å"Im sorry I brought it up. I was just curious.”\r\nI assured him it was okay and said good-bye again. The mention of Seth and the recollection of being with him earlier had made my mood go melancholy. I drove back to West Seattle, miserable that Id be helping with his wedding tomorrow and worried over Eriks sickly state. As heavily as those thoughts weighed on me, they immediately flew from my mind as soon as I walked into my living room.\r\nâ€Å"Roman!”\r\nHe sat on the couch as he had last time, now eating a microwavable chicken tin pie. The TV was on, but he didnt seem to be watching it. When he looked up at me, he didnt wear that amused, teasing look. His expression was dark. Troubled, even.\r\nâ€Å"Ive been waiting for you to get home,” I exclaimed, tossing my purse and k eys to the floor. â€Å"You wont look at what happened.”\r\nRoman sighed. â€Å"No, you wont believe what happened.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, but this is †â€Å"\r\nHe held up a hand to interrupt me. â€Å"Let me get this out first. Its been driveway me crazy.”\r\nI swallowed my impatience. â€Å"Okay. Ill bite. Does it have something to do with Simone?”\r\nHe nodded. â€Å"Yeah. I followed her tonight to this twenty-four-hour coffee shop called Bird of Paradise.” He eyed me carefully. â€Å"Do you know it?”\r\nNow I felt a frown creeping over my face. â€Å"Yeah…its in Queen Anne, right around the corner from Emerald City. What was she doing there? I mean, aside from getting coffee?”\r\nRomans expression turned darker and †unless I was ill-conceived †sympathetic. â€Å"She was there hitting on a guy,” he said. â€Å"Seth.”\r\n'