S and Murder (Hannah Graves Spin-off One)

Two

Two:

Every girl runs across individuals who make it worth trying to do the human normal monogamous thing. Sara had been one of those to me. Frankie did not give details, but he hedged that he found my number in Sara’s phone, and she had been trying to dial me during her final moments. I am not sure how I managed to get him to tilt that much over the phone, considering my real persuasion lies in personal contact or at least within range of my pheromones.

On the other hand, I have been known to talk my way around a matter or two in my very short life. The reason the Hidden King assigned a Nix male with an eternal mate and a child, is because I would never be able to break his connection to his loved ones—not that I even want to try. That said, I am usually very persuasive with men.

My local barista worked at a mom-n-pop run café, I came for the great and affordable espresso, and the eye candy. Behind the counter was one of God’s finest creations. She was five-six, and she had dark-brown hair and icy blue eyes. She also had an exceptionally tight ass and other bits were even tighter still!

Her gaze lit up upon seeing me. She was one of those girls who believed one very long off-again-on-again dalliances did not make her at least part gay or Bi. Since I was mainly interested in her mutual exchange of s****l services, and the fact that her chi regenerated a lot faster than most humans, I did not complain. I was not looking to put a ring on her finger or anything, just to share her bed as often as possible, until she suddenly decided she was over flings and grew up a bit more. I hear that is supposed to be the next stage in the average mortal behavioral transformation.

“Spencer! I was beginning to wonder if you forgot me this morning!”

She joked, but I could tell she was looking forward to my little visit. Not just in the way she shuffled slightly self-consciously or wet her top lip as if in case I decided to kiss her right here and now. I could actually feel and see her s****l aura and how it flowed through the chakras of her body. Most immortals just know that expressive power and alchemy work, they do not actually visualize the chakra points as I do. My sight seems to slide slightly into a spectrum that earth-born and adjacently born beings do not have access. Ok, I stand corrected, there is one other being on earth, born here, who is said to have “true-sight.” Hannah Graves, the shade daughter, first and only of her kind to be born. So, another freaky outcast like me.

“You know me, I can’t not see my fave barista in all of NYC.”

I said flirtatiously, and she flushed pink at the long list of memories I have given her over the past five-and-some-change months. My wicked grin and my saunter make it look as if I am just dressed like this for kicks, and not having woken in another random bed.

“Well, glad you always make time for me.”

Megan said, and she seemed to forget her perceptions about what is supposed to be “normal” very quickly around me. I could blame the succubus in me, but I knew this was just human nature.

“Certainly, besides, you control the tap for which my heart pumps.”

I said in a syrupy tone, and she sniggered and playfully bat her eyelashes at me.

“What are you in the mood for today?”

She asked, and I resisted the urge to throw in the “besides you,” joke. I could play cheesy when flirting, but even I had my limits.

“Hum, still have the spinach wrap, the one with the low-fat cheese, beans, and the salsa I liked?”

I asked her, and she looked down at her screen and then bobbed her head swiftly and her ponytail of brown locks swished with her.

“Still have that, and the owner might be putting it on the menu full-time, so I can totes put in a word for you if you think you are going to keep ordering it?”

I nodded vigorously and said, “Aye, do that Luv, and I will take my usual large espresso with skim-milk and honey.”

She gave me a look that said I still perplexed her. Not nearly as much now, like the time I ordered milky tea, forgetting this was not Hidden—or the UK for that matter. There is a simple reason why a girl would grow up with an English accent but have been raised in the US—mainly New York City.

The woman who instructed me since I was a toddler was formerly a proper British Au Pair. She taught me many things, some of them hardly relevant to this culture or time, but I learned all her rigorous courses on courtly and “lady-like” behavior. I also picked up her accent, if not as thick as her staunchly more Victorian version. I could have forced myself to drop the accent by the time she dumped me on my ear at fifteen, but I had already noticed that American flowers tended to like being plucked by what seemed to be more mysterious and cultured hands.

It’s not unlike the popular trope in erotica about the hot Latin co-worker or whatever. People are people, and anything not exactly “normal” to them, is exotic, most of the time. However, for a lithe, short, and ethereal raven and green colored headed seemingly Caucasian girl, it was the allure of being born across the pond that attracted as much as my s*x appeal. And, the green is natural, not dyed, they are highlights. My eyes are also crimson, which sounds scary, until I entrance you with my seductive wiles, at least.

Best I can discover, many of my kind were persecuted on earth. We are visibly different than most human conventional concepts of “normal.” Being different can also make humans fear you as well. So, either you get the hot exotic treatment, or the pitchforks and torches come out of the closet!

Megan has never really mentioned my freaky eyes, not even once after we are in a haze of post-s*x bliss. That at least spares me lying to her about them. Usually, I have to convince people they are not my real eyes if the topic is broached. The number one priority is that mortals do not realize there are several cultures of ancient long-lived species who are not only physically and metaphysically more capable, but also more technologically advanced. Succubae and Incubi can fold space and travel the stars via FTL spaceship travel. I only know crumbs about my people and our abilities as a species, but many of the older immortals remember the visiting spacecraft my ancestors used. Personally, I believe some used it as an all-you-can-eat food bar.

“That will be twelve-sixty-three.”

Megan said, snapping my mind back from the spacey reveries of my mysterious and absent people. I gave her a slightly more sheepish smile at spacing on her like that.

“Would blame the blonde hair, if I had any.”

I joked, and she laughed at the ridiculous joke.

“You could always do blonde next time?”

She offered, and I felt sad not being able to tell a girl who has been inside me that I have never dyed my hair. That might sound so trite and unimportant to you, but it means something significant to me.

I paid her, and I did my best to avoid letting anything less than flirty and bubbly present itself to her. It was not her fault it was against our laws to bring in mortals. It’s not fair to expose them to a culture they cannot possibly live long enough to appreciate or enjoy. Besides, even the so-called good guys, the Hidden, are hardly all fluffy bunnies when it comes to humans. Sometimes mortals get broken in the crossfire between the Hidden and the Architects. As much as the Hidden King pisses me off, I prefer his bullshit to the insanity and g******e of the Architects.

Megan chirped for me when my order was up, and she even wrote me a little love note on the side of my cup.

‘You better come over tonight, my bed is so cold.’

Who could resist a request like that? Besides, she usually could handle a feed once every two-or-three days. Heck, sometimes I do see her just to make love with her, she is everything a succubus could ever want in a girl!

I Gave her a playful wink after reading the cup, and I smiled wider, she visibly shivered in response to the unspoken promises my love would unleash on the sweet nectar that was her s*x tonight. Assuming I was not murdered for a crime I didn’t commit first. I was going to have to work in some time for my kitties, they were missing me by now.

I was even considering inviting Megan to my place. My chore unit Rita could look as human as she wanted to. I say she, and wanted, because Rita is very self-aware. She is a true AI, and she does have her quirks. She is also more like a roommate than my robotic humanoid servant.

“I’ll text you my address.”

I said, and I sashayed out the door leaving her to try to fool herself into believing she was not staring at my perfect bubble butt. I am not stuck-up, I am just a very attractive creature, so don’t be confused. It is literally what my people do, besides dump orphans on strange worlds with prickly British Au Pairs. Yeah, I may have a smidge of damage here and there!

I could feel the wake of smoldering looks and lust as I walked past a series of different passers-by on my way to my car. It’s annoying to maintain a car in this city, but I would go crazy if my hormone-amped self was stuck on subway cars with a bunch of horny young men for more than a few minutes. I have literally seen fights break out around me. Some males do not handle the s****l amplification well. It is a natural expression I radiate because my species will die without regular chi through s****l feeding.

We can pull out chi without the s*x, but that is like meta-physically raping someone. There are all types of reasons I would never do that, beyond the most obvious ones. Not to mention, if you leave a string of broken individuals, someone might notice a pattern, and track me down. (Yes, I have put considerable thought into this. I have no other recourse because my survival depends on feeding.)

My car was parked five whole blocks from my last fling’s building. That was hardly a terrible distance considering, but it was a lot of time for me to chew over Sara’s death. I ate my spinach wrap and I drank my espresso, and I brooded to myself. I was wondering what could cause her death in such a manner that Ren had thought of me. I may seem all flirtatious about my meal tonight, but honestly, if I don’t keep up appearances, I might lose my s**t for a hot minute!

Sex and chi are my comforts, and right now I knew I was going to need plenty of both.