was way above my abilities. Still, someone else might replace her and that person might be easier to manipulate. I had powers, dammit. I just had to figure out how to use them.
Closing my eyes, I used my incubus senses to open myself up to the magical energy in the vicinity. I extended a wisp of essence toward a nebula of sparkling power and soaked it in. A tiny galaxy of magic whirled lazily overhead, mesmerizing me with its simple beauty. I wondered if it had magnetic properties causing it to coalesce like that. As I looked around the room with my sixth sense, I noticed darker strands of energy, some of them in similar patterns to the brighter energy.
Lines of magic pulsed up the walls and in the ceiling overhead as well. All in all, the energy patterns looked very similar to what I'd seen at Shelton's hideout. I wondered how it would look in the Grotto, Thunder Rock, or at another of the angel relics scattered around the planet. Bella had told me about the powerful ley lines running through those places. I'd felt the power rush against me after making a circle in El Dorado. Although some arteries of energy in the ceiling seemed wider than what I'd seen at Shelton's, none of them seemed large enough to be more than just a tributary to the great river of magic I imagined ran through the relics.
I tried to probe down the hallway with my senses. I felt the cold presence of other vampires nearby, and a smattering of normal humans, some female. But they were just out of reach. Even if I managed to lure a female nom down here, the vampire guarding the door would be sure to stop her.
Out of idle boredom, I tried creating magical sparks even though there was nothing to catch on fire. I managed a couple. I heard the guard outside talking on the phone, the other end of the conversation clearly audible to my super hearing. They talked about Maximus and how they'd like to get it on with him.
How could people be so stupid as to fall for someone like Maximus? It made no sense. He was obviously a power-hungry jackass like most politicians, and yet people believed in him and supported him. How could so many humans be so stupid? I growled as a sudden surge of anger exploded in me.
Idiots!
A white fireball the size of my head exploded in the air above. Spots danced in my eyes from the blinding flash of light.
Holy crap. Did I do that?
The door slammed open and the vampire rushed in. "What the hell was that noise?" she said.
I pretended to be asleep, hoping the rapid beat of my heart wouldn't give me away.
"Was it you?" she shouted. "What exploded in here?"
I didn't answer.
"I asked you a question, you nasty thing," she said, her footsteps fading away from me.
"This entity made no explosion," my roommate said in his calm, emotionless voice. "It does not know the source."
The vampire cursed and I heard the sound of a hand smacking flesh. "I don't know why Maximus keeps you around. He should just get it over and end you."
"This entity finds such a prospect undesirable."
"This entity finds such a prospect undesirable, oh, boo hoo hoo," the vampire said in a mocking voice. "Cry me a river, dumbass."
"It is not possible to produce such a quantity of moisture," he replied.
His statement was met with another smack. The vampire stomped toward me and stopped. I heard her breathing right next to me. She must have lowered her head because I felt her breath against my ear. Even worse, I smelled it.
"Are you asleep, snookums?" she cooed in my ear. She sniffed and it was all I could do not to cringe away.
She touched my face. Her skin felt room temperature and soft. Something moist touched my neck and I realized it had to be her tongue. I jerked, eyes opening as I tried to get away from her. She laughed.
"Not asleep anymore, are we, pookie bear?"
"Stay away from me," I said, voice trembling.
She leapt atop the table, straddling me. Her red eyes locked onto my chest. "Hmm, Maximus is so messy." She leaned over, eyes locked onto mine, and grinned with malicious intent. Extending her tongue, she licked the crusted blood from my chest.
I shuddered and writhed. "Get the hell off me!"
"Careful, incubus boy. You might turn me on." She ground against my boxers and moaned. "Maybe