Succubus Heat CHAPTER 14

Instinct made me drive back to Queen Anne. I operated on au overtakeilot, my oral sex blank. It was only when Id parked and gotten out of the car that my senses slowly began to return to me. relieve, I tried my best to stay numb, to non figure rough anything skilful a elbow room. My live was growling, so I decided to focus on basic needs. I walked over to a Thai restaurant between my apartment and the bookstore, seeking the babys dummy of a corner table and green curry. Once I was settled, there was no avoiding it.What had happened back there? Part of me could still feel Gregs hands on me, still feel the sickening sensation of being utterly and completely helpless. further the rest of me was slowly starting to analyze the stove exploding.Id noticed the gasconade stove upon my initial inspection, still Id noticed no smell until right in front it caught on fire. With gas leaks, didnt a place usu on the wholey fill up over time? This had been sudden. An out-of-the-blue surge of gas, and BAM No warning, no anything. I supposed it could hire been coincidence. Lucky timing. But in my world, coincidences didnt happen. They were usu eachy guided by a stronger force-out. The question was who or what was responsible? I had similarly much to worry about now without both(prenominal) unseen arsonist on the scene.Why so pensive, Daughter of Li illumineh?I facial gestureed up from my half-eaten food. CarterI was pretty sure Id never been so happy to see the angel in my life, except for whitethornbe when hed pull through me from Helena the crazy nephilim last fall. He wore the same clothes hed had on in Vancouver. They appe atomic number 18d to stay in a perpetually consistent state of dishevelment-never getting worse, never getting better.He slid into the chair opposite me. You gonna finish that? he asked, pointing at my p slowly.I shook my head and slid the curry over to him. He promptly dug in, practically inhaling it. Whats going on? he asked between mo uthfuls of rice.You know whats going on. Seattles gone to hell. Literally.Yeah, Ive noticed. Hows it feel to be footloose and devoteecy free?It sucks. For some reason, my hairs always frizzy. I used to style it myself before this happened, and it never did that.Carter grinned. I doubt you were doing it all yourself. You may have still done all the labor, but some subconscious part of you was probably tweaking it just a little bit to keep it perfect.I pulled a face. Well, even if thats true, Ive got a few larger problems.I gave him a brief recap of my adventures this morning and what had happened with Greg. Even speaking about it still sent a chill grim my spine. I evaluate Carter to laugh and operate some quip at my expense, but his face stayed serious.You need to be careful, he utter gravely. Everythings different now. Itll only be for a short time, true, but even if you ejectt die, youre still locked in a insecurityous game.We have to envision Jerome. Do you know where he s at?Carter shook his head. Nope. He disappeared bump off our radars too. I dont know anything more(prenominal) than than than you do.You probably know more about behemoth summoning than I do, I pointed out.Depends, he said. What do you know? passably much what I already told you. Dante didnt have much more to offer than who he thought could do it. And those other losers didnt give up anything at all-except attitude.Carter flagged gobble up a waitress and ordered a plate of panang curry and Thai iced coffee. Afterward, he tapped the table lightly with his finger, face drawn and thoughtful. I can class you how its done, he said at last. But I cant do much more. This is your sides business, not ours. Were not supposed to interpose.Dispensing information isnt the same as interfering, I said.He smiled. Depends on your definitions. And your people are great at finding loopholes and technicalities.Yeah, butCarter I sighed. I dont unfeignedly have anyone else.Even if Id had full s uccubus charisma going, I dont theorise it would have worked on him. But I still had some sort of Georgina charisma that he was susceptible to. He equivalentd me and was refer about my life, even if he had a funny way of showing it sometimes.The Thai iced coffee appeared, and he paused to take a drink. Okay. Heres how it works. Basically, a demon gets summoned into an object, and with sufficient magic, the demon becomes bound to that and is trapped. Youve heard stories about genies, right? Well, theyre kind of variations on this principle. Humans who summon demons into objects can indeed occasionally release the demon and make them run errands.But this ones keeping Jerome locked up.Right. Which makes it unmanageableer. What makes it harder still is that if this human has any sense at all, theyve got the object hidden in a place of power. He took other sip and waited for me to process this.I knew what he was talking about. The earth was covered in places of power-sacred sites , ley lines, magic-infused spots. Anyone sifting through mythology would come across countless references to them and the roles theyd played in human history. There was just one problem with it.There are dozens of those in Seattle, I said slowly.Carter nodded. Yup. And even if you find the right one, the power in that place is going to help mask the power coming from the bound demon. For you? Gonna be roughly impossible without your usual senses. You need another theology to help, the stronger the better. Or possibly a human psychic.I groaned. But you cant help, and none of the demons will. The panang curry arrived, and Carter devoured it with enthusiasm. Putting that aside, lets suppose I find this object, whatever it is. Then what?Mmm, thats hard too, he said. A great immortal could just break it open.But not me. I was beginning to see how this worked, and it wasnt encouraging.No, not even if you were in your recipe state. The summoner probably put a lock on it-a seal. Thatll keep a lesser immortal out. The seals used in the binding, then its broken into two pieces that are kept separated for safekeeping. The practitioner most certainly keeps one. If he or she had a demons help, Im gaugeing the demon has the other. Or else the practitioner would hide it.Do you think another demon was involved?He swallowed. Most definitely. If you can recover the pieces of the seal, though, then you could unlock the object and set Jerome free.When Id starting time seen Carter standing over my table, Id been change with hope, convinced this miserable situation was going to resolve soon and wed get Jerome back. Now? I was more pessimistic than before.So, let me get this straight. All I have to do is find this mystical object that Jeromes locked in, an object I have no way of even signal detection. Once I have it, I then simply have to force the pieces of the lock away from the summoner and a demon .Yup, said Carter, licking his fork. That pretty much sums it up.Fuck.Yup .Well, the infos good, but I cant do anything. I have no leads on any part of this, nowhere to start.His gray eyes twinkled. The seal has to be made of quartz.OkayHand- form by human hands.I raised an eyebrow, curious as to where this was going.By someone familiar with magic and runes. He looked at me conceptualiseantly.So?How many people do you think that describes in the Seattle area? He didnt wait for me to finish. Not many.Carter and his riddles. Youre articulateing I should find who made the seal, in the hopes they can tell me who commissioned it.Right. And they can as well as tell you what the seals specifics are. Its almost always a disc about this big. He used the fingers of one hand to make a circle about the size of a quarter. But the color and designs will be different and provide clues as to what kind of place its been hidden in.God, this is complicated.Youre trying to find a demon thats been captured and bound as part of a larger political power play, Georgina, Cart er said. What do you expect?Fair point, I murmured. I have one more question, though. It has nothing to do with the seal, though.Shoot.Whyd the stove at Gregs blow up?Because of a gas leak.One that came on out of nowhere?He shrugged. Compared to what we see each sidereal day? A lot stranger things happen.I eyed him for a moment, wondering if I should press him with my real question. Hed said he couldnt directly interfere in this, but Carter had saved my life once before. His showing up here now was awfully coincidentalWas it possible hed been following me all day? Had he helped expedite the stoves incineration to save me? One might argue that touching Greg would have been direct interferencebut harming the stove wouldnt be, if you wanted to use demon-worthy technicalities. And, in a typically angelic way, Carter hadnt actually denied his involvement.I decided to let the matter go. If Carter was keeping his help a secret, there was a good reason. With a sigh, I glanced at the clock to my right. Well, Im still technically on leave, so I should probably take advantage of that and hunt overpower this seal maker. reasoned luck, said Carter. But joking aside, I meant what I said earlier. Youve got to be careful. At the very least, dont do this coerce alone.You sure you cant break the rules and come with me, then? I asked a bit wistfully.Nope, but why do you need me when there are plenty of other candidates? With a grin, he nodded at something beyond me.I glanced back and saw solidification standing at the take-out counter. I jerked my head back toward Carter.Hey Howd-Carter was gone.Just then, the waitress set down the bill, which included Carters meal. ass angels, I muttered, fumbling for my credit card.Turning back around, I studied Seth, feeling my stomach twist in that usual way. As though sensing me, he suddenly turned and made eye contact. Surprise registered on his face, and then he held up his hand in a hang on a second kind of way.A few agonizing minu tes later, he walked over to my table holding a take-out bag.Hey, I said.Hey. Is that lunch? I was suddenly embarrassed by the fact that I had two plates in front of me.Yeah, Im actually heading home to work. The caf? at the stores too crowded and noisy.I thought you could work through anything.He shook his head. These days Im moredistractible than usual. His eyes studied me for a moment, and then he looked away. But in that moment, Id mat a tingle run through my skin. Seth cleared his throat. Sowhat about you? He forced himself to look back at me. You lookI dont know. Uneasy. Not as bad as yesterday but still troubled. More immortal intrigue?A good portion of my present anxiousness was simply due to his proximity. Yeah, afraid so.So, you havent found Jerome yet, and youre stillNow it was my turn to look away. Yeah. I followed some leads on Jerome this morning, and it was kind ofum, well, its not important. Lets just say it wasnt a pleasant experience, and I didnt find out anythin g anyway. I glanced back in his direction, making sure I kept my eyes on his Blondie island of Jersey and not his face. Ive got one more thing to check into, then I guess I can call it a day.Well, thats good, I guess. He shifted uncomfortably, and that feckless tension that was so characteristic for us multiplied. I tried to think of something to say, but nothing came. So he began at last. I know what you said beforebut I still have to ask. Is there anythinganything I can do?The retort was on my lips, to tell him I didnt need him, not anymore. But an image of Greg flashed into my mind, and I hated myself for the fear it invoked. I didnt want to be a damsel in distress. I didnt want to live in fear and need a man to watch over me. Gregs weight and element of surprise had shown that self-defense wouldnt always work. Sometimes it was hard to face danger alone. Carters words repeated in my head Why do you need me when there are plenty of other candidates?I blurted out my question befo re I had time to reconsider. Would you go with me?It was hard to say which of us was more surprised by this. Onyour errand? he asked.I nodded. Yeah. But I mean, if youve got stuff to doIll go, he said quickly. He held up his take-out bag. Can I eat in your car?You can eat right now, I said. visual perception as I dont know where were going yet.Leaving Seth to eat at the table, I stepped outside to make a couple of phone calls. The first was to Dante. He answered, fortunately, but had no clue about what I needed.Someone who carves crystal? he asked incredulously. I dont do fluffy New Age stuff.Yeah. I found out more about demon summoning. Apparently theres some kind of seal involved that only a master artisan can make.I dont know anyone like that, he said. As much as it pains me to admit a lack of knowledge about anything.Well, I guess even you have limits.You are so in trouble for that the next time I see you, succubus.After we hung up, I tried Erik. He too answered, and in his usua l way, he never bothered to ask why I needed the information. There is someone, he mused. Ive necessitated crystal jewelry from her before, carved into motley sacred symbols-ankhs and crosses. I dont know if she works with the arcane or spellcraft, but shes the only one I know in the area who comes close.I took down her name and address and went back deep down. Seth had nearly finished his meal, rivaling Carter for speed. Do we have a mission objective yet?I nodded. Yup. Out to the hinterlands, even.Okay, chromatic wasnt exactly the hinterlands, but it was well outside the Seattle urban and even suburban sprawl. It was one of several small rural communities that clung to western Washingtons edge before better-looking way to the wilderness of the Cascade Mountains and the desert on the other side.I made a Starbucks stop along the way so that I could acquire some caffeine. It seemed requisite to get through this. When Seth asked me to order him a mocha Frappuccino, I nearly crash ed into the drive-thru window.Thats got caffeine in it, I said.I know. But theyre genuinely good. Maddie got me hooked on them.We drove in utter silence for ten minutes after that. If not for Jeromes summoning, I would have said this was the most astonishing thing to happen to me in the last twenty-four hours. Seth was drinking caffeine. It was unheard of. Hed abstained from it for years, and despite my clear addiction and coaxing throughout our relationship, hed never shown any interest of cracking. Yet, Maddie- Maddie -had somehow gotten him to change?I dont know why I took such offense at that. Honestly, it was an inconsequential thing in the greater scheme of the universe. StillI couldnt help feeling hurt. Well, maybe hurt wasnt the right word. Inadequate, perhaps. Shed gotten him to do something I couldnt. Why? Why her and not me? Was she more inspire? Did he care about her more?Is something wrong? Seth finally asked. My silence and death grip on the steering wheel had probabl y reorient him off.Nope, I lied. Just worried about all of this.You are not.Im not worried about all this?Okay, you are. But thats not why youre upset right now. Youre upset about this. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him wave the Frappuccino. After all this time, he still knew me.Thats stupid. Why would I care about that?He sighed. Because I know you. Youre irritated that I did something I never said Id do.Why should I care? I replied stiffly. Im happy youre expanding your horizons. The look he shot me told me he knew better.We reached the address Erik had given me without further argument, largely because we didnt talk. The house was an older rambler set on a huge yard that would have held an holy subdivision back in Seattle. Lawn ornaments-a deer and a gnome, to name a few-cluttered the grass, and wind chimes dangled on the porch.We knocked on the door, and several moments later, a woman in her late forties or early fifties answered. She had hair dyed an unnatural shade of r ed that put me in mind of Tawnys current hue. Her tight-fitting top pressed a lot of cleavage into her scoop neckline and was also not that far off from something Tawny might wear, albeit a little less tacky. The look the woman gave us wasnt unfriendly so much as curious.Yes?Hi, I said. Are you bloody shame Wilt- Oh my God she squealed. She had just done a double-take on Seth. Youre Seth MortensenSeth stiffened and exchanged looks with me. Well, yeahHer blue-shadowed eyes bugged as she practically drooled over him. I cant believe it. I cant believe it Seth Mortensens on my porch I recognize you from your website. I look at it every day. Every day . Oh my God. Oh my God Im your biggest fan. Come inSeth looked like he wanted to bolt of lightning then and there, but I nudged him forward. This turn of events was a bit unexpected-and creepy-but could possibly work to our advantage.We stepped through the doorway. There was nothing particularly extraordinary about the inside of her hous e. The d?cor was more modern than the outside suggested, all done in neutral shades. There was a bit of normal lived-in clutter and far more figurines than I found tasteful, but overall, it was a nice place. Some of the figurines were carved out of crystal, which I took as a good sign.Come in, come in, Mary gushed, beckoning toward the living room. Sit, sit Can I get you anything? Iced tea? Coffee? Tequila?Er, no. Im fine, said Seth, who was clearly becoming more and more uncomfortable with all of this. Thank you.He and I sat down on the couch, and Mary sat in an armchair across from us, leaning forward in a way that afforded an ample view of her breasts. What can I do for you? she asked. Are you here to buy something? Id do anything for you. Anything . She grinned at Seth, making her anything intentions obvious. Youre so much cuter than I expected. forget you sign my books while youre here? I own all of them.She gestured toward a set of shelves on the wall, and sure enough, Seths books stood out prominently. I had been a longtime fan girl of Seths before we started going out, and I wondered uneasily if Id sounded this crazed and desperate way back when. She probably would have passed out if shed known about the innovational copy Seth gave me.Sure, said Seth. Id, um, be happy to. He elbowed me, no doubt in an effort to get me to state our business and save him. Still a little irritated from our car argument, I almost enjoyed watching him in her clutches.Were actually not here to buy anything, I told her. We wanted to find out about a piece you might have recently made for someone.Mary turned toward me, seeming to notice me for the first time. Her gleeful, ravenous observation dimmed and even turned a little suspicious. Who are you again?Georgina. Were wondering if you recently made a piece for a client. A carved disc about this big with some sort of arcane symbol on it. I approximated the size Carter had shown me.Her face grew more wary and pinched. I cant say.I frowned. You dont remember?She shook her head. I keep records of all my pieces. But thats confidential. I cant give that kind of information away.This is really important, I said. We thinkthere may be a crime involved.Sorry, Giselle. I cant tell you about that. Not unless youre with the police or something.Georgina, I corrected. Her adherence to client confidentiality was perfectly understandable-but well, I wasnt really concerned with what was morally correct right now. Giving Seth an elbow poke of my own, I hoped hed jump in and use his author god power. It took him a few moments, but he did.It would help us so much, Mary. Wed- Id -really appreciate it. He stumbled over the words a little, but from the way her face lit up, youd think hed just murmured the sexiest thing in her ear.Oh, Seth, she sighed. I really would do anything for youbut, well, I do try to respect my clients privacy. Surely a man like you understands that.Well, yeah, of course I- I elbowed him again. He sho t me a quick glare and then returned his gaze to her. That is, I do understand, but like I said, this is really important.Indecision warred on her face, and I kind of admired her principles. She actually looked uncrackable, and I had a feeling Seth wasnt going to be too much more assertive. Glancing beyond her, I noticed a hallway leading off to another part of the house. I keep records of all my pieces .Youre right, I said abruptly. We cant expect her to give out that kind of information. Right, Seth?He turned to me again, giving me a curious glance. Right? It was more of a question than an agreement.Mary nearly melted in relief, her eyes all over Seth. Oh, I knew youd understand. I could tell right away that we think just alike. Kindred spirits and all that, you know? Just from the way you write I-Hey, Mary? I interrupted.She looked over at me, again seeming astonished that I was still there.Do you have a bathroom I could use?Bathroom? she repeated, like it was a crazy concept.It was a long drive, I explained sweetly. Besides, thatll give you and Seth a fortune to get to know each other while he signs your books.Her face brightened again, and she turned to Seth without another glance for me. Oh, sure Thats a great idea, Georgia. Its down the hall.I stood up. Thanks.Seth and I made brief eye contact. There was a look of both panic and wariness. He didnt want to be unexpended alone. And he also knew I wouldnt give up the fight so easily. He suspected that I was up to something.He was right. I was about to go break into Marys records.