Succubus Dreams Page 0,109

I ran a finger down his neck. "I can do it for you too. I could slit you from throat to stomach. I could rip you open, and you'd scream for death. You'd wish you weren't immortal. And I could do it over and over again."

That wiped the smirk off Niphon's face. Behind me, the rest of the room had come to life.

"For fuck's sake," yelled Jerome. "Get her off him."

Strong hands pulled me back, Cody and Hugh each grabbing one of my arms. I fought against them, struggling to get back to a cringing Niphon. My friends were too strong. I couldn't break free and didn't have the life left to shape-shift added bulk.

"Get rid of him, Jerome!" I yelled. "Get rid of him, or I swear to God, I really will rip him apart. He set me up to fail with Tawny. He brought Nyx here, for fuck's sake! Get rid of him!"

I saw my boss's face. He didn't like being yelled at or ordered around - particularly in front of others. His face was hard and angry. I could tell he was about to tell me to shut up, and then something in his expression shifted. He turned his attention back to Niphon.

"Get out," the demon said.

Niphon stared open-mouthed. Very fishlike, actually.

"Jerome! You can't just - "

"Get out. I know what you were trying to do, but you shouldn't have done it behind my back. Go back to your hotel, and be out of town by tomorrow."

Niphon still wanted to protest. But then, he looked at Jerome, looked at me, and then looked at Jerome again. Swallowing, the imp scrambled to his feet and grabbed a briefcase sitting on the couch. With one more glance back at me, he ran out the door.

Jerome's gaze fell on Tawny, who was pressing herself against the wall in a futile effort to disappear.

"It's not her fault," I said quickly. "Don't punish her."

Jerome studied her a few more moments before sighing impatiently. "Later. I'll deal with you later." I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but the fact that he hadn't smote her on the spot was a positive sign. Judging from the grateful look on her face, she agreed.

Cody and Hugh still had a death grip on me, but after several moments, they released me. I sagged with exhaustion, surprised to see I was breathing heavily.

Tension filled the room. Finally, Cody said, "Where did you learn to throw a right hook?"

"You don't live through the Dark Ages without learning stuff like that," mused Peter. He glanced at the spilled wine and sighed. "Club soda's not going to get that out."

"Georgie," said Jerome in a rumbling voice. "Do not ever speak to me like that."

I steadied my breathing and swallowed back the bloodlust coursing through me. I met Jerome's dark eyes defiantly.

"Noted," I said. Then, unable to handle my friends' looks of both astonishment and concern, I ran out of the apartment. I made it down one flight of stairs before collapsing and sitting on the landing. I buried my face in my hands and started sobbing. The grief had finally won.

A few minutes later, I heard footsteps on the stairs. Hugh sat down beside me and put his arms around me. I pressed my face to his chest and kept crying.

"You'll get over this," he said quietly.

"No. I will never get over this. I'm alone. I wish I was dead."

"No, you don't. You're too wonderful and have too many people who love you."

I lifted my head and looked at him. I'd never seen his face so compassionate, so serious - except when he'd yelled at Seth during poker. I sniffed and ran a hand over my wet eyes.

"We broke up. This is what you wanted. You didn't want me and Seth to be together."

Hugh shook his head. "I like Seth. I want you to be happy. If you could be together without all the heartache, I'd send you on with my blessing. But I don't think that's possible. I think this is best."

"You told him the only way I'd let him go is if he hurt me, if he was an asshole. Do you think that's why he did it? Slept with Maddie? Because only something drastic would drive me away?"

Hugh looked surprised at the reference to Maddie. "I don't know, sweetie. I don't know what he was thinking."

Sighing, I leaned back into him. "I will never get over this."

"You will."

"It's going to take a lot