Free Succubi Are Forever by Jill Myles Page A

bitch,” the man grated, holding the stump of his arm. “You’ll pay for this.”
    “Behind me,” Sophie said in that same cool voice, ignoring the man.
    I didn’t have to be told twice. I skidded to a stop behind her, keeping out of reach of one of her longer blades. If Sophie wanted to do all the fighting, I was totally okay with that.
    Remy ran to my side. “Are you sure this is wise?” I called to Sophie.
    “They will not take the vampire on my watch,” she proclaimed, and began to do another little spin that marked the throwing of another star.
    “Stop!” A hard, authoritative voice rose above the crowd.
    I groaned. I knew that voice.
    Remy gasped with delight.
    “Put down your weapons,” the man said, striding forward down the long driveway. The Serim parted to allow him a look at our party, and I got my first look at the newcomer, confirming my suspicions.
    Noah. Goddamn it.
    “Noah,” Remy cried in delight, running forward to hug him. “It’s so good to see you!”
    He accepted Remy’s hug, but his gaze remained locked on me.
    Noah Gideon, my other master. Zane’s rival. And he did not look pleased to see me.
    The feeling was mutual. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Noah, it was that Noah wanted me to fall in love with him, and I couldn’t.
    I was in love with Zane. I cared about Noah, but in a friends-with-benefits sort of way. Noah wanted it to be more, and when I’d chosen Zane over him, he’d been furious and abandoned me. Delilah—my fellow succubus—had followed him, but I didn’t see her around.
    Noah seemed different. Hard. Gone was the warmth and understanding in his eyes. Though his thick, collar-brushing blond hair was the same, his tan looked deeper, his clothing a bit less crisp. As he moved forward, I gasped. His clothing shifted, displaying tattoos. They covered his skin at his collar, and I saw the hint of more at the cuffs of his long sleeves.
    One hundred tasks of servitude,
Ariel had told me with a smug smile on his face.
    In exchange for the “sin” of creating me, Noah had been found guilty by the Serim council and sentenced to one hundred tasks to be meted out by his Serim brothers. Did Noah wear their promises like the one I wore on my wrist? I’d promised the Archangel Gabriel that I’d retrieve two haloes for him, and he’d tattooed his name on my wrist as a reminder of my promise.
    Noah was… covered. I swallowed hard. I was guessing he regretted ever seeing me right about now. His hard gaze swept over Remy, who was still bouncing with excitement at the sight of him. Over Sophie, her tall, strong form bristling with blades, poised to strike. Over me, standing in front of the car as if that might somehow protect Zane. His cool, hard gaze didn’t speak of friendship or kinship at all. He looked at me like a jilted lover.
    “Is the vampire with you?” His words were clipped. Furious.
    “He is,” I said softly.
    “Then why do you come to me?”
    He thought we’d come to him for protection? “Remy’s here to pick up Ethan,” I began lamely. “And we thought since we were in the area…”
    His gaze flicked over me. “So you did not know I was here?”
    Boy, did I
not
know. If I had, I’d have suggested going anywhere but here. Old boyfriends made things a little awkward, especially when those old boyfriends could command me with a word. And since Noah was my master, I had to obey his slightest command. He wasn’t shy about giving them, either.
    “Why are you here?” He approached me, his voice going soft, his gray-blue eyes scanning me as if he hadn’t seen me in years, instead of mere months.
    “Remy and Sophie are in need,” I blurted.
    His gaze went to my bleached eyes. I was most definitely
not
in need. “I see,” he said brusquely. “You are welcome here, but the vampire will not be allowed into the monastery proper.”
    “Will he be hurt?”
    Noah gave me a hard look. “I would not wound you like that, Jackie.”
    And he turned and