If you didn't know how to pet an incubus, then it was petting denied. But still, I lay on that desk, and undid my shirt with shaking fingers.
One button, two, three...
The scent of the wild wood cocooned me. It was stronger now. Magenta was here with me, and her magic thrummed hard and bright. Her fury chilled the air, and painted snowflake patterns across the glass. Outside, a storm battered the window.
I drew in my breath. Did she mean to curse the academy for a second time because of me? I thought that I was the obsessively romantic lover here. I almost pouted.
The Duchess stilled my hand, narrowing her eyes like she'd noticed that she didn't have my full attention. Then she slipped her fingers teasingly inside my shirt and across my collarbone. I jumped, shaking. Her fingers were hot and invasive.
I didn't want this. My skin crawled. Too much...
The Duchess gave a cool smile. "How sensitive. Perhaps, you're perfect to be retrained, after all. You'll be fun to play with. This is what I'd hoped to achieve with your touch deprivation as a Not There, if only you hadn't been so weak as to break." When she swiped her finger across my nipple, I arched. Just try and twist and reshape me, snaky tail. I was no longer hers. She thought that she could retrain me, when I had the Immortals’ rebel spirit inside me…? Cute. Her eyes narrowed. "Why aren't you breaking?"
"You never loved me," I replied, flatly. "But I'm loved now."
The Duchess' eyes glowed with a fire that I'd always desired to see burning through her cool. This mighty incubus had the power to destroy a Frost Bitch’s indifference.
I'd add that to my talents along with knotting cherry stems with my tongue and eyebrow dancing.
Seriously, don't knock it until you've seen it.
The Duchess bared her teeth. Ruby sparkles glittered around her like she could no longer contain them. When she crushed me against the desk, I shuddered. The press of her body against mine was too much all at once. I scrabbled against the piles of books, knocking them to the floor with a crash.
"Why would I love you?" The Duchess drew her tail down my cheek, and I flinched. "I already care for my harem favorites. You're just an amusing oddity. You always were dangerously naive. Don't you see that you're no more than a toy? I didn't bond with you out of love."
"And now we're not bonded at all." When I batted away her tail, her eyes widened in shock. "So, don't touch me."
I glowed with as much predator strength as the Duchess. I was an oddity because I was as powerful as any succubus.
She wanted a challenge, right? Then she'd found one because I wouldn't be pushed around anymore.
When I shoved the Duchess away with more strength than I knew I had in me, she stumbled back, falling on her arse.
The Duchess on her arse with wide startled eyes was a fine sight.
My grin was wicked, as I straightened my tie and crossed my arms; Magenta wound around me in icy gusts, thrilling at my victory. "Do you wish this inspection to be over? What a shame that I failed."
In careful movements that set my teeth on edge, the Duchess pushed herself to her feet, brushing down her dress. "What I wish is that you think hard about how much you've displeased me and how you can do better."
Now that was a punch to the dick.
I swayed, before falling to my knees. Waves of pain washed over me, as my own nature betrayed me.
Bad...failure...need to please... What can I do to bring her pleasure?
I clutched my hands over my ears, trying to force away the looping thoughts as well as the pain. I didn't mean them, and they weren't mine. But incubus training was effective. If my bonded had been kind and loved me, then I'd never even have questioned if my slinky self should've followed their rules.
Being sent to the Rebel Academy, even if I was taken back, had freed my mind. Ma had raised me with the right to think and scheme like a woman, but that'd broken me. Yet I didn't blame her now because the Duchess could return me to the Court, but my mind would always remain with my lovers.
Free, even within these prison walls.
Whoosh — the Duchess exploded a magical fire on the floor in front of me.
I froze. This was too like all those times in the palace, when she'd trained me. She wouldn't try that here?
Yep, she would.
"Beg me to let you burn yourself." The Duchess towered over me; her face was a shuttered mask, but her eyes studied me with hungry intensity.
She craved to feed off my pain.
Obey...obey...obey...
The flames appeared enticing like they'd kiss, rather than burn me. They were the reward and not the punishment.
Please, let me burn myself and prove my love.
My mind was hazy, and the room shimmered.
Where was I? I didn't understand. Hadn't the Duchess rejected me?
My bonded would never reject a beautiful incubus from the Night Lineage. If only I could grant her pleasure...
"Please may I burn myself?" I begged.
The Duchess’ lips curled into a smile. But why were her eyes dancing with such malicious amusement? Had my hair lost its shine? "Oh, you can do better than that."
My heart raced, and I quivered in dismay that I'd disappointed her. I could do better than this. I would. I clenched my jaw. "I desire to bring you pleasure. So, please let me serve you. I’ve no greater wish than to burn myself for you. Please, I'll do anything, just let me do this."
"Was that a command?" Her voice was dangerous.
I lifted my shaky hand towards the fire. "Never."
Her smile broadened. "Then please me."
I sighed in relief. Yet why was something deep inside screaming at me to stop, you silly incubus? Why was the scent of the wild woods so powerful that it was like I was back hugging Hecate's Tree?
Wait, Hecate's Tree... This was the Rebel Academy... and I wasn't bonded to the Duchess...
The Duchess watched me with dark eyes, as the fire seared my palm.
All of a sudden, the study windows cracked. The winter storm blasted through them, shattering the glass. I ducked from the shards, as the Duchess screamed. Snowflakes like tears rained on the fire, putting it out.
I clutched my palm to myself, as it cooled. Once again, my mind was clear. I knew where I was and that I shouldn't be kneeling at a succubus' feet.
Furious, I leaped up, before prowling around the Duchess, who struggled to pull out the glass from her arms, which had shielded her face. The wind followed me; Magenta was at my back.
She'd saved my pettable arse (and petted it with icy nips).
"I don't think that the academy is pleased with you," I hissed. "You should leave. It's dangerous here."
That wasn't a lie.
The Duchess flicked out the final piece of glass, ignoring the way that her white dress had been stained with red. "Empty-headed incubi are always superstitious. It's nothing more than a storm and an old building. A school (unlike a succubus), can't be displeased with you."
I shivered at the threat beneath her words, but I still smiled.
Wrong, bitch.
A flurry of files, books, and potions flew across the room to crash and shatter against the wall. The Duchess jumped.
"Just the storm," she muttered.