“He’s an accountant at my office,” Michelle breathed out dreamily. “Nice. A little younger. Sexy. I don’t think he knows how sexy.”
“Those are the best kinds of men. Do you think of him often?”
“Yes. I think he might like me, but…I haven’t done anything about him…”
“I’ll make you a deal,” Lorelei offered.
“Mmhh?”
“I can make you beautiful, Michelle. Hot like a movie star. Confident. Sexy. All Eddie could dream of. I only need one thing.”
“Wh…what?”
“You have to promise me to keep this our secret,” Lorelei said, “from everyone. From your friends, from your family… from your son. We must be a secret even from yourself.”
“I promise,” Michelle whispered. “I promise.”
“So if you see me or hear me, promise me you will understand you are only imagining it… no matter what you see. Unless I speak to you.”
“I promise,” Michelle nodded softly, “I promise.” She all but began to sway. Michelle was soon scarcely capable of standing upright, but Lorelei easily kept her on her feet.
“There’s more.”
“Mnh?”
“Your son.”
Michelle’s eyes fluttered partially open at that. Lorelei was unsurprised. Naturally the strongest point of resistance for a mother would be with regards to her only son. Michelle almost regained her senses, but Lorelei’s whispers at her ear calmed her again.
“He’s a young man now,” Lorelei continued. “You know that, right?”
“I do. I know.”
“He’s a fine young man. Decent. You raised him well. Alex is a good man,” Lorelei repeated. “A good, young man…thinking about women, as young men do. That’s good, isn’t it, Michelle? Isn’t it natural?”
She shook her head softly. The topic threatened to break the trance. “What’s that…got to do…with this?”
“Nothing at all,” Lorelei said, “save that he has needs just as you do. It’s natural, Michelle. Nothing to be ashamed of. Your son is interested in women. Wouldn’t you want him to be happy?”
“Yes.”
“If he found a woman and didn’t tell you right away, would you ask him?”
“Mnh,” Michelle moaned noncommittally.
“Even if you saw clues in your home? Would you ask him, or wait for him to tell you?”
“I don’t…I don’t know. I want him to be happy.”
“He might not be comfortable talking about it in front of you. Would you press him on it if you suspected?”
“I guess I shouldn’t…”
“If Alex has a lover, he might want to keep it quiet. Shouldn’t you respect his privacy?”
“Yes,” Michelle nodded. “Yes. I don’t want to think about that now.”
Lorelei heard the shower stop running. “You must promise to respect your son’s privacy. He needs that, just as you do. He needs space. Will you look the other way for him?”
“I will…I will.”
“Sssshhhh,” Lorelei said, softly bringing Michelle closer to full consciousness. “You have to get ready for work now.”
“Yes. Okay.”
“It’s nearly time to leave, Michelle,” Lorelei whispered as she slipped away. Closing the door, she beckoned, “Wake up, Michelle. Wake up.”
Michelle’s eyes fluttered open in the mirror. Lorelei saw lucidity return to Michelle just as she exited.
Lorelei’s efforts took almost the last of her power, but the investment stood to eliminate a possible barrier between succubus and prey… and at least some of what she had done was just what had been asked of her. Lorelei returned to Alex’s bed, sitting upright and taking care to brush her hair over her breasts. She folded her hands neatly in her lap and waited.
Alex returned from the shower, neatly shaved and already wearing a fresh pair of jeans that did little to conceal his stubborn arousal. “Hi,” he managed awkwardly. Lorelei only nodded in response, never taking her eyes off of him. “You’re not, um. You know I don’t expect you to just sit there all day, right?”
“I know,” she said. “I have woven the enchantment over your mother. We need not fear her discovery.”
“Okay,” he said. He found a black t-shirt and threw it on. “I’m only supposed to be gone about nine hours. Eight if I skip breaks and stuff.”
“Do not feel you have to rush for me. I have been alive for centuries. I can wait through a work day, mas-Alex.”
He looked at her for a moment, fumbling to put on his shoes and entirely forgetting to wear socks. “Okay,” Alex managed. “Guess I’m headed out, then.”
“Alexander?” she asked. “May I…Alex, you saved me from an awful fate last night. I would have been tormented and humiliated, perhaps for decades or more,” Lorelei explained. “You risked your life. For all you knew, you could have been arrested or killed or worse…for a pair of strangers. You were told what I am, yet you took me in with compassion. I have rarely witnessed such kindness, let alone received it. All this, even when you have every reason to think I’m something… foul.”
“I don’t think you’re foul.”
“Please,” she shook her head. “You risked everything for me. I think you understood how dangerous those men were. Didn’t you?” She stood and stepped forward to him. “I cannot lie to you. I cannot bring you harm. Regardless of our bond…I sincerely wish to thank you, and reward you as best I can.”
Alex was once again completely at a loss for words.
“May I kiss you?” she asked. Seeing his hesitation, she said, “I was made to seduce. I am well aware of my charms. My desire is sincere. If it makes you uncomfortable I ask your forgiveness. But, seduction aside…Alex, may I kiss you?”
He all but melted. “Yes,” he nodded. For once, he had no difficulty looking only into her eyes as this supernaturally beautiful woman rose to slip her hands around his neck. Their eyes closed as they kissed, softly at first but then with increasing passion.
He wanted to drown in those lips. She felt so unbelievably good, and tasted so intoxicating, and-
She broke it off gently, looking down and stepping away. “I will await your return, Alex. You’ll have time to think, and then we can talk.”
Breathing heavily, wanting nothing more than to continue inhaling her scent and tasting that kiss, Alex shook and finally got control of himself. “Okay,” he said. “Okay.” He turned, stepped out, and almost got to the stairs before returning for his wallet, keys and phone. She didn’t look up when he returned. He very nearly kissed her again before his willpower overcame the urge and he turned to go.
At his mother’s bedroom door, he knocked. “Mom? Are you awake?”
“Just getting dressed!”
“Okay, I’m leaving for work, I guess…are you late?”
“Yeah, I’ve just got a late morning meeting, honey. Go to work! Don’t be late yourself!”
“Gotcha. I love you, Mom!”
“I love you, too!”
Alex looked one last time at the succubus in his bedroom before he headed downstairs and out the door.
Lorelei waited by the window to see him leave on his motorcycle. With him gone, there was no need to hide her amazement. She had never tasted its like; regardless of his inexperience, he was pleasant, but something much greater than technique left her dazzled. The succubus raised her fingers to her lips and found her thoughts bending in strange directions.
* * *
Alex blew through the lobby of Keating amp; Rose with a simple “good morning” to the firm’s grandmotherly receptionist. He headed straight for the file room, where he sat down at his countertop “desk” against one wall amid the metal racks of file folders and got right to work. Alex logged on to his computer and promptly grabbed the overnight files out of the in-basket nearby. He was fixed on getting his mind off of naked demons and angels and freaky rituals.
It wasn’t working, but then Kat came in. His co-worker was a lithe, tanned fitness freak whom he had crushed on ever since he started at his job six months ago, but she was both older and in a committed relationship. She wore a pair of jeans and a zipped-up North Face sweater along with her perpetual smile. “Morning!” she said.