Lorelei smiled broadly. “It was a rough transition, but indisputably for the best.”
* * *
“The fuck’s keepin’ him?” Mike fumed.
“Fuck if I know,” J’Von shrugged.
“Maybe he really is in there shoppin’ for panties,” Tony scowled. “That shit’s complicated.”
Mike and J’Von slowly turned to look at Tony. “Seriously?” J’Von deadpanned.
* * *
It wasn’t like Taylor didn’t know how Alex got partly undressed, or aroused, or what he had done about it. She knew exactly why his skin was slick with sweat. Amazingly, she didn’t care. In the back of her mind, she knew this was insane, but it was suddenly easy to dismiss the details.
She devoured his lips and tongue with another kiss. She couldn’t get enough of him.
Alex’s longtime crush wrapped her now bare legs around his hips, doing everything she could to have as much of him inside her as possible as she sank down onto him.
Taylor felt every bit as good as Alex had ever dreamed. But it had always only ever been dreams. This wasn’t just sex. He cared about her. He had always cared about her.
“Taylor, this is…I don’t…”
“Sshhh,” Taylor said, putting a finger over his mouth as she continued to gyrate against him. “We both know we both want this right now. It’s just right now.”
“I don’t want to just use you.”
She giggled softly. “You’re not using me. We’re friends. Very close friends. I don’t expect anything more. We’re not being any naughtier than you were just two minutes ago.”
“I’m not, no. What about you?”
“You’re the one here supposedly shopping for your alleged girlfriend.” Her breath shook a little as she spoke, adding an odd, involuntary whine here and there in her voice. The stiff flesh within her clearly had an effect on her speech. “Won’t she be mad if she finds out?”
“She’ll know. She engineered that,” Alex said, nodding toward Audrey’s exit. “My ‘girlfriend’ will think this is hot.”
“Wow. Kinky. Never would’ve figured you for a relationship like that,” she smiled into his lips. “Just keep it to yourselves.”
“What about you?”
“Mmmmh. Well. If you see my Facebook blow up tomorrow, it’s been a long time coming and it isn’t about you at all. Don’t jump into it.”
“You know I’ve always been crazy about you,” Alex said. “I think everybody knew.”
Grinding slowly against him, Taylor nodded. “Are you okay if this isn’t more than it is?”
“It’s something.”
“Yeah, but…mnh…I have things to…sort out.”
“Still friends?” Alex didn’t feel disappointed. He still cared, but he was also over her now. His feelings just weren’t what they were in high school anymore.
Taylor nodded. “I might want a booty call now and again, if that’s okay.”
“I’d like that a lot.” His hands gently roamed underneath her shirt.
She had always found Alex adorable, but never realized just what he could deliver. “Definitely a booty call now and again,” Taylor groaned.
* * *
Rob remained in his seat, but he wanted to get up and run. The succubus had him cornered on his own turf. It didn’t matter that she looked so beat to shit; that predator’s grin said it all. She could tear him limb from limb and scatter him so far and wide that it would take years to get himself back together. After that, his masters would punish him for getting into such a predicament in the first place.
What had changed so suddenly? Maybe she had just been putting on an act? Were the scars all illusory? Could this all have been some ploy to lure him into conversation rather than immediate fight and flight?
“Whom do you serve?” Lorelei smiled.
He blinked. Perhaps that would ward her off? “Azazel,” he said bravely. “Lot of us here, not that you’d see us all coming.”
“Well, it’s smart for you boys and girls to stick to the shadows,” the succubus said patronizingly. “Wouldn’t want to get stepped on by the bigger players. On that note-is there anyone else here I would recognize?”
“Lydia’s here,” Rob began hesitantly, “and Harrow.”
One eyebrow rose up. “Lydia and Harrow? Together?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know why they’re here. It’s not like Baal ever showed an interest in this city. She only turned up recently. They’ve both approached me for material aid, which I gave, but that’s about it. And I told them I’d keep it quiet.”
“Good job on that,” Lorelei remarked dryly. “Who else?”
“Not too many of the others show themselves.”
“I am also curious of those who would fall in between. The interesting ones.”
Rob fumed. He didn’t like being bullied. “What do I get for all this? You said you would bargain?” She smiled again, and he stared at that smile. That mouth is made to be stuffed full of dick, he thought…but not his dick. That would definitely not be happening. Fucking dammit.
Lorelei glanced down at the table. “I’ll pick up your whole tab here.”
“This is an all-you-can-eat buffet!” Rob protested.
“So don’t hold back,” she said, gesturing at the buffet counters.
Arrogant fucking cunt, Rob fumed silently. It galled him that this only made him want her more, but even demons sometimes wanted what they couldn’t have.
“Others?” she asked.
He sighed. “About as many vampires in this town as you would expect.”
Lorelei made a disdainful face, as if he’d farted right in front of her. “They count as interesting?”
“Well, I guess not,” Rob had to concede. He pondered a moment. “Woods are full of all sorts of critters, but they keep to themselves. There’s, um…there are some Believers and Practitioners around here who do a little more than just pose and dabble…”
That caught her interest. “Tell me what you know,” she said flatly.
* * *
J’Von checked the time on his cell phone and cursed. “Nobody takes that long lookin’ at women’s undies ‘less they tryin’ the shit on.”
“Maybe he’s that way?” Tony shrugged. “Like, who are we to judge?”
“Yeah, don’t go all fuckin’ homophobe, J’Von,” Mike nodded.
“The fuck…? What’s wrong wit’choo?! Jesus! Look, we done waitin’. We gotta go in there an’ get his ass.” J’Von took off walking, with Tony and Mike quickly falling in line behind him.
“Could be he gettin’ a blowjob in the back room,” Mike suggested. “Girls workin’ in a lingerie store gotta be at least a little bit freaky.”
“Shit, that stuff only happens in porn,” Tony countered.
The store was mostly empty when the three entered. Only the closing crew and a few random customers remained. Not everyone noticed the three men as they arrived. Even then, nobody jumped to conclusions. Their thug life attire wasn’t that alarming, but the all-business expressions on their faces kept people out of the way.
It was J’Von who found the dressing rooms. Two were open; one was occupied. He glanced down at the bottom of the door and saw a man’s sneakers and crumpled pants. Frowning, he paused, and heard what sounded like kissing.
Shit, really? he wondered. This appeared to be the only guy in the store. It was worth checking. Worst case, they lost their guy and would have to leave the mall. J’Von had been thrown out of Pacific Place before. It wasn’t a thing.
He pulled his bank card out of his pocket and slipped it in under the latch.
Sure enough, there was a couple on the dressing room chair. One of the sales girls was on the dude’s lap, going at him slow but hard, and neither one heard J’Von enter until the door banged against the wall. Both looked up with a start.
J’Von already had his nine partially drawn from his coat. “Don’t say a fuckin’ thing,” he warned quietly but darkly. “I’ll be long gone ‘fore cops show up after I shoot both of you.”
Neither one panicked. The girl looked more afraid than the guy, but she wasn’t about to scream. For his part, the guy on the seat seemed to keep his cool. “What do you want?” he asked.