© ItalRT4u, 2012

     Half an hour later, I was in bed – alone.  Cane had respectfully pulled away as things began to get quite heated.  Something made me want to simply let myself get lost in him but not in the same way as with Gage.  He was different somehow.  As I lay here in bed, thoughts of him being something other than human began to roam through my head.  After all, how could I stand to kiss him on the mouth and it didn't seem to faze him one bit?  How do you approach a subject like that without ousting yourself?  I can't simply say “Hey!  By the way, how come you didn't suffocate to death while we made out last night?” or “By the way, I'm an empathic succubus, what are you?”  Just when I thought I would be able to handle this new lifestyleof mine, Cane changed the playing field all over again for me.  Overwhelmed by all thoughts Cane, I drifted off to sleep.

     The following morning, I had decided to give contacting Carly another try.  She hadn't returned my calls all week long and my continuing hypothesis that something was amiss was only getting stronger.  Instead of giving her a call, I decided to head over to her house and see if I could find any trace of her.  At least I'd be able to let myself in and make sure everything is as it should be.

     Nothing was out of place.  The dishes were washed, her fridge was fully stocked, her bed was made as though someone was still here yet, everything seemed like it was left untouched somehow.  I was pondering why my aunt would leave me high and dry and without a word when I heard some movement above my head. 

     The attic? 

     Being ever so quiet, I find the release for the access hatch and slowly climb up.  I never expected to find Carly so easily, nor did I expect to find her in the state that she was in.

     Deep into some kind of delirium, Carly was hunched, shaking in a cowering position in the far corner of the attic, storage boxes surrounding her.

     “You can't have her!”  She shouted, her voice not holding any power.

     “Have who, Carly?”  I asked her softly.

     “She's gone.”  Carly states firmly.

     “Gone where?”

     The conversation went back and forth for the next few minutes until I realized that the she Carly was referring to was me.

     “Carly, it's me.”  I attempted to crawl my way to her and stopped as she pushed herself further into her corner, seemingly wanting to melt into its walls.  “It's Payton.”

     “Payton?”  She said in a removed tone, making it seem like she was in some faraway world.  Her body relaxed ever so slightly but I could tell she was still petrified.

     “That's right Auntie Carly.  It's me.”  I told her softly and finally started seeing more obvious signs that she was starting to lull even more; calming that internal panic that had struck her, who knows how long ago.

     I will kill those bastards! 

     I was screaming inside my head as I left Carly's house.  She had insisted that she'd be fine now that she was back out from her proverbial dark mental place.  It turns out that my attempts at letting her know I was being followed last week, however valiant they might have been, had come too little, too late.  Hunters had come to her house, looking for information; they wanted confirmation on if I had come into my powers.  Carly had managed to make them think that she had escaped and run away from the house when she indeed only made her way up to her attic and hid there; fearing that if she didn't do that and at least try and get away from them, that she'd lose me like she had my mother and father.  The hunters had come back later that first night and the next few days following her disappearance but when they hadn't seen any sign of life within the house, they had enough of an answer to keep them away suspecting that she'd run off on them.  I knew that this would only work temporarily.

     By the time I had arrived home, I had vowed to myself that I would find this faction of hunters and be rid of them; that is, before they ever got to me.  For whatever reason they chose to steel others' abilities, they would never succeed – not if I could help it.  Because of this army of hunters, we've all been predominantly in hiding and therefore we knew nothing about what was really going on in the Fae world.  To me, it seemed like we were prisoners within an upcoming battle between good versus evil.

     I opted for a sexy figure hugging black tank dress and covered my shoulders up with a white short sleeved cardigan when my doorbell rang.  I cursed the owner who's finger had pushed that button.  Heading to the door to see who it was, I was more than vexed when I saw that Gage was standing there.

     “What is it Gage?”  I asked him exasperated.

     “I wanted to talk to you about that guy you were with last night.”  He said.

     “Gage, what goes on between Cane and I isn't your business.”  I tell him.  “Listen, if you're looking for something to happen between us again, you're sadly mistaken.”

     “Why?”  He seemed sad.  “We were great together.”

     “Until you ruined it.”  I told him simply, holding his gaze.  “I don't regret what happened last weekend but it's not going to happen again, nor am I going to come back to you, Gage.”

     “I need you, Payton.”  He says.  “I've been miserable without you.”  Taking a few steps toward me, he hugged me to him.  I pushed him back, away from my door and looked at his sad face.  Part of me wished I could simply forgive and forget and be as happy as we once had been but too much had happened with me between now and then.  I was altogether a different person now.  One with more secrets than she ever imagined and I couldn't help the fact that Cane was on my mind incessantly since the day I had come into my succubus powers; actually, more like from the moment we had laid eyes on each other in the club.

      “This is goodbye Gage.”  I tell him moving toward him, sure of my decision, confidence in my spoken words.  I took his face into my hands and moved in to kiss him on the lips.  As soon as I felt his knees becoming weak, I pulled away and looked at his bulging eyes; he was in that trance-like state, much like that first guy at the club a week ago but I could tell he was still coherent.  “You need to go.”  And I closed the front door, leaving him to recover from my assault, on my front porch.  I let myself slide down with my back against the door, wrapping my arms around my knees only to finally hear him drive off in his car five minutes later – now, time for work…

     I was less than enthusiastic to find myself surrounded by so many people.  I knew that tonight would at least be a slower night than last night.  I was thankful that live bands only played one Friday a month.  Holly was back behind the bar when I got there.

     “Hey!”  Joe greeted me when I walked into his office to drop my stuff off in one of the empty lockers.  “Great job last night, by the way.”

     “Thanks.”

     “It's just you and Holly tonight.  Let me know if you girls need any help or if you run into trouble.”  He tells me.  I told him that we'd keep him updated but that I was sure we'd be just fine tonight.  I couldn't have been more right – for once.

     The night had flown by and aside from my succubus charms that continuously attracted all kinds of men my way, enticing them with my looks only to turn them away disappointed, I found myself actually having fun.  Holly and I had found our rhythm and everything seemed to flow, rightly so.  Tonight had been slightly more bearable from an empath standpoint, as well.  I had been able to keep my block up which could explain my calm collective feelings deep within.  The one thing that bothered me was the feeling of disappointment that increased as the night went on, realizing that Cane hadn't come in.  After last night, that kiss, I was hoping to see him again.  I needed to know why he wasn't affected in the same way as everyone else by my charms – or was that perception a figment of my imagination?  Those bright sapphire eyes of his did manage to make me feel like my troubles melted away when he was around.  The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that he was Fae; I just didn't know for sure nor did I intend on bringing up the subject until I had further justification to my suspicions, but it was simply just that – an inkling.

     “Hey Reid!  Turn it up, will ya?”  Holly ordered him.  Reid was one of the clubs most infamous D.J.'s.  After everyone had left, it was simply him, Holly, Joe and I left for cleanup.  Dancing to the rhythm as we mopped the floors, washed the glassware and restocked the fridges with the necessary liquor, we had loads of fun, not to mention, a few laughs.  It was hard to believe that it was now nearing three in the morning.

     I was glad when Holly offered me a ride home.  My feet were killing me tonight and my bed beckoned my undivided attention.  After thanking her for the ride, I let myself into the house.  I hadn't made it halfway to the stairwell when I felt arms around my neck, restraining me into a choke-hold; my hands clutching at the large arm that held me with no regard for the discomfort I was in.

     “Come with us and you'll be fine.”  I hear his boisterous voice in my ear.  I refused to go down without a fight.  Stomping on my assailant’s foot and shoving an elbow strategically in his gut, I wanted to bet he'd rue the day he decided to try and take me for his own, in my own house no less.  As I turned to face my intruder, I realized that this dude was quite large and I was surprised that I had that much of an effect on him physically.

     “Good.  I was hoping you'd put up a fight.”  He smirked at me and that's when I saw the glint of a switchblade in his hand.  Suddenly, I began regretting my decision to fight back.  With one swipe of his bladed hand, I knew this wasn't going to end well – he slashed a mark on my left forearm.  Clutching at my burning wound, eyeing the crimson blade I somehow remembered something my father used to tell me about size and agility. 

     Remember that the smallest are quickest and that the larger fall harder, Payton. 

     He might have been blocking my path to the front door but I knew this house like the back of my hands.  Despite now being injured slightly, I knew I was able to get myself out of this situation; as long as I kept my head.  For once, I was thankful my father had taught me some self-defense and basic martial arts.  He had thought it wise that since I was in the know about my fate and what I might have to do eventually, that I be thoroughly prepared.  I know what you're going to say.  This comes off like something out a Lara Croft movie.  No – I'm no treasure seeking, tomb raiding vixen but her outfits did rock in those movies. 

     Snap out of it!

     After dodging him quickly for a few more advances, I had managed to trip the bastard up with a floor round-house kick and made a rush for the front door; only to find myself face to face with some other hunter moron.  This guy was slightly smaller than the first.

     “How many of you are there?”  I asked sarcastically as I kicked him backwards in the gut with a smirk on my face.  I must have been too slow or perhaps, a little overly cocky  about my abilities because he grabbed and twisted my ankle, pulling up as my already unstable footing was lost and I ended up flat on my back on the floor, my head throbbing from the hard contact it made with the ceramic tile of the foyer.  Before my eyes began to roll into the back of my head, I witnessed the guy who had caused my fall, take a tumble down and smiled as the darkness took me.

     My head felt like it was about to explode, the smell of the air was sweet, and the feeling beneath my body was soft; not like that of a cold ceramic tiled floor.  That's when my eyes snapped open and I took in a very unfamiliar room. 

     This isn't much of a hostage situation.  I thought to myself as I sat up on the rather comfortable sofa, noticing my bandaged arm.

     “Oh good!  You're up!”  I hear him say as Cane comes up to kneel down in front of me after putting a glass of water down on the coffee table next to him.

     “Where am I?”  I asked him quietly, clutching at the back of my head finding a slight bump.

     “Here.”  He gave me a couple ibuprofens and I popped them in my mouth and gladly accepted the glass of water he handed me seconds later to wash the pills down.

     “What the hell happened?”  I asked him.

     “I got rid of two goons for you, that's what.”  He tells me, grabbing my face in his hands.  “I brought you to my place because I knew they wouldn't bother us here.”

     “What do you mean they?”  I asked him, eyeing him attentively.  He shrugged his shoulders.

     “They knew where you lived.  Your place was trashed so I locked it up and brought you where I knew you'd be safe.”  He tells me and I nodded in comprehension.  Feeling guilty for thinking he knew more than he was letting on, I averted my eyes from him.  “Look at me.”  He told me softly as he studied my eyes.  “It doesn't look like a concussion but I think you should try and stay awake.”

      “Oh.  You're a doctor now?  And how do you suppose that happens?  It's got to be four o'clock in the morning by now.  I don't think...”  I tell him and noticed his eyes twinkling and my voice trailed off.

     “I can think of something.”  He smirked.  I couldn't help but blush at his comment, the memory of last night still lingering fresh in my mind.

     “So you'll talk me out of the danger zone huh?”  I said with an uneasy laugh.

     “If that's what you want, sure.”  He said breathlessly against the skin of my cheek, next to my ear, causing an exciting shiver to run down the front of my body.  “But I think you know what I mean.”  He pulled away to look at me as I gulped back the sudden abundance of saliva that had deliciously filled my mouth in anticipation.  My emotions were in overdrive and I'm sure it was all thanks to the old succubus powers that be. 

     Oh help me, God!  I thought as he softly pressed his lips against mine and a rush of heat seeped through my body. 

     How does he do that?

                                          *************************************

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