Succubus Dreams Page 0,99

of the world that was unseen to most humans. She had been powerful, but he was even stronger. It hadn't been enough, though. He'd wanted more than to simply control his power - he'd wanted to enhance it. But as Hugh and Vincent had told me, few humans were born with the magnitude of power that he'd craved.

So, he'd taken it. Ripped it out.

From her.

I saw his face when he killed her, felt his pain as the dagger touched her throat. She was half-mother and half-sister to him, but he stole her life anyway. And with that act, his power had grown by magnitudes - both because he'd gained hers and because of the spell involved. The blood of the innocent always brings power, and the black magic intertwined in this death brought it in spades. It had left him feeling like a god.

And wishing he were dead.

He'd damned himself. He still loved the power, still loved wielding it...but after killing his sister, he'd hated himself. He'd withdrawn from the world, trying to bury his memories in drugs and alcohol, only occasionally using his powers for small, nickel-and-dime con jobs.

I broke the kiss, not wanting to see or feel anymore. If we went further, I'd probably see what he had to do to make the charm. It wouldn't be as bad as what he'd done to his sister, but I was through with all this. Wide-eyed, I scooted away from him on the floor.

"She was Erik's lover," I said softly. I'd had a brief glimpse of Tanya - that was her name - and Erik together. "She was the woman in the picture. That's why he hates you."

Dante nodded. "The three of us...we were going to do great things. We were all so fucking talented, you know?" He rested a hand on his head, eyes full of grief. "Unsurprisingly, Erik chose to end our friendship after this. He wanted to kill me...he should have. He really should have. But, well. He's not that kind of guy."

"No," I agreed, voice cold. "He's not." I stood up and backed away from Dante, who was still sitting on the floor.

He looked up and realized what I was doing. The miserable face turned angry. "Leaving so soon?"

"Yes."

"Well. Thanks for stopping by. And thanks for proving me right."

"About...?"

He threw his hands in the air. "This. I told you you'd hate me."

"I don't - " I stopped. I did hate him. I couldn't help it, not after seeing how much he and his sister had loved each other. Not after realizing how much this must have hurt Erik. "Dante...what you did..."

"Was a mistake. One I would take back if I could. One mistake to damn me forever. Just like your angel friend. Just like you."

"No," I said. "It's not the same. Yasmine fell because of love."

"She fell because of selfishness," he argued. "But I won't challenge that point. Tell me about you. Did you fall because of love?"

I didn't say anything. I'd fallen because of lust. I'd cheated on my husband because I was hurt and lonely and bored and...well, because I could.

Dante regarded me sharply. "You see? I get it. You fucked up too. I understand you - you're not going to find too many people who do. I bet your boyfriend doesn't."

"He accepts me."

"But does he understand? Have you ever told him in painstaking detail what you did?"

"No, but it doesn't matter."

Dante stood up and approached me. "It does matter! Being with him is a joke. It can't work. I'm not saying you have some great romantic future with me either, but at the very least, you should stick with people who know where you've come from."

"Right. Hanging out with you means I'd just drink and hate life."

"Your point?"

"Seth makes me hope for better things. Makes me want to be better."

"But there's no point!" exclaimed Dante. "Why don't you get that? Things can't change for you. Even your own fucking palms say so."

"No...Nyx said...Nyx said the dream could come true. The man in the dream - "

" - was her scamming you. You would have fallen for it, too, if your angel hadn't fallen first."

I clenched my teeth. "Her dreams are true. Seth and I - "

" - are going to get married? Run off into the sunset? Have babies? Succubus! Wake up!" Dante was shouting, his face inches from mine. "It can't happen. Not for you. Maybe it can for him - but not with you. Every day you spend with him just