She was right. Everything about her perfection, from the way she smiled to how talented she was at manipulating a situation. She was a succubus, though, which are known for their perfection, whether it be real or not.
Sometimes Mor wondered if she was manipulating him, if their secret relationship was nothing more than a con. After all, the two of them didn't really make any sense. He was an old, worn-out shapeshifter who had been stuck in the form of a storm angel for quite some time after his powers had weakened due to a spell cast upon him. Before that, he had been confident, strong, and nearly perfect. But now he felt withered and tired. He looked the part too.
“Yes, I know.” Mor sank back in his chair and lit up his pipe, watching Sage return her attention to the dew-kissed window.
She seemed distracted today, and it bothered him that he couldn’t figure out why.
“Tell me again why we’re doing this,” he said as he puffed on the pipe. “Why we brought a maddening here. This school was doing just fine without one living behind our walls.”
"This school was dying, Mor," she stated with her arms crossed. "We're getting less and less funding every year as more of our students are dropping out and attending academies that focus on less dangerous jobs. And that low graduation rate means we have fewer huntresses and hunters protecting our realms. The death rates have already spiked, and this coming year is supposed to be even worse unless we can recruit more students."
“I guess you’re right,” Mor muttered. “I still don’t quite understand, though, why having a ma
ddening at the academy will help more students graduate?”
“Because it’ll make the academy more appealing.” She ambled toward him, swaying her hips. “Imagine the reputation we’ll get if we can train her to become a huntress—if we can train a maddening?”
He guessed he could see her point. Still, he felt like there was more to it than what she was telling him. He knew she had been looking for a maddening for a while, and when she discovered Haven in the human realm, she had sent Annabella to collect her, but she didn’t want anyone knowing that part of the story.
“We need to pretend we found her by accident,” Sage had told Mor when she informed him of her plan.
He had agreed then without much hesitation. Now, though, he wished he had asked more questions. Maybe he would have if she hadn’t distracted him with her many… talents.
“Are you sure there’s not more to this than what you’re telling me?” he asked again, trying to focus on the conversation and past her wonderful succubus scent.
“Of course.” She smiled at him then straddled his waist, took the pipe from his hand, and set it down on the table. “Why would I lie to you?” She combed her fingers through his hair. “When I love you?”
Then she lowered her lips to his and Mor completely forgot about everything else. And that’s just how Sage wanted it.