Free Succubi Are Forever by Jill Myles

into the driveway, another car zoomed by and I frowned. Had I caught a glimpse of peach-colored hair in the Mustang that had just rolled past? Was Phryne on to us, even now? I shuddered at the thought.
    “Yup, this is the right place,” Remy said, dragging my attention back to her. She pointed out the car window to a privacy fence that ran through the thick trees and ended in an open gate. She revved the engine, frowned, and then revved it again. Our wheels spun in place.
    My skin began to tingle with awareness even as Remy swore, pressing on the pedal.
    “Sensor wards,” Sophie said in a soft voice. “They know we are here, and they know we have arrived with a vampire. You will need to park here and continue on foot. Our car cannot move forward as long as the vampire’s in it.”
    “Well, then we stop here,” I said, my fingers clutching into Zane’s coat protectively.
    I waited for someone to protest, but Remy only sighed and shut off the car. “Come on, then. Let’s go get my man.”
    “I don’t know if we should go in,” I said after a moment. “If this place is warded against vampires, I don’t know that succubi are particularly welcome.”
    “I don’t care,” Remy said stubbornly. “Ethan won’t let them hurt us.”
    The look Sophie gave her worried me. And I worried anew when Sophie glanced back at Zane. Damn it. Why couldn’t it be late afternoon so he’d awaken? I stared at the distant monastery. Farther down the drive, a large, stately stone manor sat surrounded by trees. As I stared from the gates, the front door opened and several men stepped out and my hackles rose. They wore the monastic robes I’d seen on Enforcers, but these carried crossbows and the flasks strapped to their waists were not, I guessed, for wine. More like holy water.
    In other words, they were expecting a fight.
    I slid out of the car, shutting the door carefully to protect the still-sleeping Zane, and moved forward. Sophie did the same, though for once I was glad to see that she’d drawn her blades. Remy trotted behind us.
    A man approached, his skin golden, his hair a dark shock of curls set off by a well-trimmed goatee. He wore one of the pure white monastic robes, but his belt was full of armaments. As he strode forward, he gestured for the others to stay back. He looked at me, then at Sophie. “You are not welcome here.”
    “Bullshit,” Remy said, pushing forward. “Where is Ethan?”
    “The Enforcer is being detained,” the man said in a cool, detached voice. “Drop your weapons, and give the vampire over to us.”
    “Detained?” Remy said, her voice rising. “Oh
hell
no. Do you not see how horny I am right now?”
    The Serim continued to stare at her impassively. “You may only enter the monastery if you are unarmed and the vampire is given to our keeping.”
    “Those terms are not acceptable,” Sophie said in a calm voice. She drew her sword and brandished it.
    Behind the front Serim, the other three drew up their crossbows, aiming at us.
    “Look, we don’t want any trouble,” Remy said. “We just came here to pick up my man and hide out for a night or two.”
    “Ethan will not be joining you.”
    Remy’s lips curled into a snarl. “You are kidding me.”
    “Hand over the vampire,” the Serim said, “and you shall be our guests.”
    “No,” I said, stepping in front of the car protectively. “You can’t have him. We’ll go.”
    “You’re not going anywhere,” the man began. He reached out to grab Remy.
    Sophie danced forward, her blade slicing through the air.
    The man’s hand landed on the ground.
    “Oh shit!” Remy said, just as I turned to stare at Sophie in surprise. The other three Serim approached, weapons ready, as the first one backed up and hissed, clutching his bleeding stump.
    Sophie spun, tossing a throwing star at the first one and slamming it into his chest. He groaned and paused, digging the blade out of his chest. The other two continued to advance.
    “You