Outside the truck, an arctic cold blasted me—but the problem wasn’t the weather. The cold flowing off the creature before me crashed into my body. Only a succubus has the power to make someone feel smothered while fully conscious.
“Evan.” Rika held her hands out to me. Thick gloves covered the many jeweled rings I knew she wore on her fingers. “I heard you were back. I had to see for myself.”
The succubus wore a fur hat and a full-length fur coat. As I stepped closer, the face under the furry brim surprised me: the same Nordic appearance from years back greeted me. The glamour of a succubus only worked on men. Most likely Maddy, sitting inside the truck, saw a very different creature than I did.
I tried to convince myself that despite her lovely face, she was a monster. If she had worn her true face for men, enticing them into sex wouldn’t have been very successful. But Rika was a very powerful succubus. Her glamour was overwhelming. My eyes saw that she hadn’t aged in the last fifteen years, even if my brain knew otherwise.
“How did you know I was in town?” I dropped her hands quickly. The desire to hold them nearly brought me to my knees.
“You know how it is.” She batted her eyelashes at me. “Word gets around.”
Who was her spy? Gabe? Max? Someone I didn’t even suspect? But that could wait. Something more urgent needed dealing with.
“I’m repaying the loan.”
“Evan, dear! That was a gift.”
Riiight.
“All the same, I’d like to pay it back.” Once you’ve had sex with a succubus, her power over you is almost impossible to break. Even years later, I was drawn to Rika. But unlike my teenage self, now I understood the power of dark magic. Dread washed over me. I was overcome with the desire to please this creature even when I didn’t want to.
“If you insist.” She held out her hand.
“I don’t have the money with me but I can bring it to you.” The last thing I wanted was for her to show up at Jax’s cabin.
Her eyes narrowed under her hat’s brim. Her glance at the truck was curious. And calculating. “You’ve been a busy boy, Evan, for only just arriving in town.”
Maddy. She was talking about Maddy. I didn’t want this thing to even know Maddy existed, let alone link her to me.
“What are you up to, Rika?”
“You really have to ask?” She pouted. “I thought you’d be all caught up on the news. After all, your doggy little girlfriend had an unfortunate accident.”
“Leave Sleepy Briar alone. No one will bother you.”
“It’s not me I’m worried about.” She brushed the snow off one arm. “I’m going to be a mother soon. Like all mothers, I must protect my children. Sleepy Briar becoming a bustling town again is a risk to my offspring.”
A growl escaped me. “You can’t just threaten, maim, or kill whoever is in your way.”
“Of course I can. History is on my side regarding paranormal and human populations protecting their best interests. It is unfair if I cannot do the same.”
“What about the trolls and fae?”
“Their colonies are self-contained. And they aren’t looking to expand. You can’t blame me for protecting my family, can you?”
Nothing with Rika was ever simple. I had to talk to Jax. If she had a nest nearby, Sleepy Briar was in serious danger.
I ran my hand through my hair, dislodging the snow. “There must be a way to solve this.”
“There is. You and your brother stop trying to build up this town. I burned it down before the Silver Circle came rolling in and those witches started their magic crap. I’ll do it again.” She cocked her head at me. “I’m curious. You hate Sleepy Briar. I gave you the money to leave. Why rebuild? Is it because of the fox?”
“The fox means nothing to me.” My gut twisted when I denied Maddy, but I feared what would happen if Rika thought she was important to me. “I’m just giving a friend a ride home from work.”
“Interesting.” She tapped her gloved finger to her lip. “I look forward to receiving your visit. You do still know where I live, right?”
God help me. I did.
Chapter4