The Coveted (The Unearthly) (6 page)

“I
smell
?”

A shadow of a smile crossed his face. “It’s a compliment, siren. I’d imagine all supernaturals with great olfactory senses have trouble around you. It’s not just your looks that draw others in.”

His eyes flicked to my lips, and my breath quickened at the thought of kissing him. I brought us back on topic. “So I smell
—
what of it?”

“Your scent would’ve been all over the crime scene. It wasn’t. Vampires, on the other hand, don’t have scents. They can only release pheromones when they’re turned on and when they captivate prey.”

“But you smell.”

He just looked at me.

And then it clicked. “I was smelling your pheromones. You were turned on.” As soon as I said it, I felt my cheeks heat. Why did I always have to put my foot in my mouth? “So, did you smell any pheromones on the bodies?” I asked, trying to move past my comment as quickly as possible.

He shook his head. “There were no pheromones on these victims, either because they diffused before I arrived, or
—
more likely
—
they never were secreted to begin with.”

“You know,” I said conversationally, “this is all kind of gross.”

He gave me a meaningful look. “I bet I could change your mind about that.”

My face flushed yet again. “Why didn’t you call me?” I asked. I wasn’t referring to the murders, and he knew it. I wanted to know why he’d never called to see if I was okay after the fire, why he’d never insisted that we restart my training.

He ran a hand through his hair, a sign that he was agitated. “I wanted you to come back to me on your own terms.”

“Why would that even matter?” I asked hotly.

“Do you want an honest answer?” he replied.

“Yes.”

“Fine
—
just remember you wanted to hear this.” I knew by his tone that he didn’t think I was going to believe him. He was probably right. “You run from things that scare you.”

“Thanks for the psychoanalysis Andre.” My voice was only a wee bit sarcastic.

He raised an eyebrow. “You wanted to hear the truth. You ran from Cinque Terre. You ran from me that night at Bishopcourt. Believe it or not, I’m a fairly quick learner.”

He looked at his hands. “I couldn’t keep chasing you. You needed your distance.”

“Andre, I didn’t need that much distance,” I said, my voice wavering.

He met my eyes. His were red. “That night at my party you looked at me like I was a monster. And that is what I am
—
a monster.” He came up to me and cupped my face. “You deserved
—
you still deserve
—
better than me, yet we are fated to be together. Soulmates.”

With him this close, none of it seemed important. So I did the only illogical thing there was to do: I wound my arms around his neck and kissed him.

Chapter 6

At first his
body froze beneath mine. He probably had no idea what hit him. Then his hands wrapped themselves around my back, and he lifted me so I wouldn’t have to stand on my tiptoes.

I locked my legs around him and he moved his hand to cup my butt. His lips parted my own, and I felt as though I were on fire.

Oh God, this is why people fall in love.

I ran my hands through his hair as I kissed him. This couldn’t be real. He couldn’t be real. Only a day ago this wasn’t possible. And now it was happening. I hoped that this didn’t slip through my fingers the same way his hair was. Because we were both real good at messing things up.

He set me on his desk, right next to a small Egyptian statue, and he broke off the kiss. He leaned his head against mine and placed his hands on either side of my hips. His breathing was just as ragged as mine and both of our fangs were out.

“We should . . . probably take this . . . slower,” he said between breaths.

“Yeah.”

I guess that was what happened when you suppressed your heart for a little too long. It got you back when you least expected it.

It was a vindictive little bastard like that.

***

I slipped off the desk and picked up my bag. “I think I should probably get back to Peel.”

Andre tried to take my bag from me. I resisted. “I don’t think so fang boy,” I said, holding onto my messenger bag. “I can carry my own bag.”

He let go of the strap he was holding and instead took my hand. “I am not a
boy
,” Andre said, brooding next to me.

“I guess you’re just going to have to prove that along with the perks of pheromones.” We left his study and began down the hall.

“There is nothing to prove, soulmate,” he said, affronted. Meanwhile, my stomach fluttered at the term he used. Soulmate. It was just a term, it didn’t mean anything. Yet it meant everything.

Andre was fun to tease, but I needed to stop. He was starting to look genuinely offended. I guess no one had ever questioned his masculinity before. “So when do you want to meet up again to work on the case?” I asked.

“Tomorrow,” he said darkly. “Make sure to wear warm clothing.”

“Oh, and why is that?” I asked.

“We have two crime scenes to visit.”

***

I watched the bright lights of Peel fly by as we drove through the city. We’d just finished discussing my training. Somewhere in between investigating the murders we’d work on controlling my vampiric abilities.

Just ahead of us, the castle loomed, looking deceptively dilapidated. Beyond it the ocean shimmered under the moon.

“So,” Andre said, “a naked man showed up in your bed?” His voice was even and controlled, which meant that he didn’t want me to know what he was thinking.

“So what?” I said, daring him to pull some of that possessive crap he was known for.

He sighed, as though my reaction was unjustified. “I’m guessing you didn’t invite him into your room through the door.”

“I didn’t.”

Andre’s mouth was grim. “Did you dream about him?”

I really didn’t want to have this conversation right now.

“I’m taking your silence for
yes
,” Andre said. As we drove onto campus, the lights that illuminated the grounds moved over his face. He was breaking about three school rules by dropping me off. And no one stopped him. Chickens.

“I think I know what he is.”

“And what’s that?” I asked.

Andre squeezed the wheel. He was brooding again, his expression dark and dangerous. “An incubus.”

***

“What is an incubus?” I asked.

The car crept past the men’s dorms. “Remember the doppelganger that attacked you two months ago?” I nodded. “It’s worse than that.” Fantastic.

He stopped the car in front of my dorm. Andre angled his body to face mine. “Promise me you’ll be careful,” he said.

“I promise I won’t munch on anyone before I see you next,” I said dutifully.

If eyes were windows to the soul, then his soul was vast and filled with so much pain. “I wasn’t talking about other people. I was talking about you.”

I studied Andre’s features. The concerned crease between his brows, his dark eyes that held so much emotion in them, his welcoming lips. So few people had cared about what happened to me that his expression almost undid me.

I breathed in sharply through my nose. “I promise I’ll be careful.”

He leaned forward and slid a hand to the back of my head. He pressed a kiss to my lips. It was warm, gentle, and filled with all sorts of longing.

I was already a goner.

***

I Googled the word
incubus
on my smartphone as I headed up to my room, partially so that I wouldn’t mope as the current between Andre and me slipped away. His goodbye kiss was still warm on my lips.

I clicked the first link I saw, which directed me to a Wikipedia article.

Incubus is an American rock band from Calabasas, California.

I wish that was what landed in my bed last night. I scrolled down and clicked a link to a second Wikipedia article.

An incubus is a male demon who slips into dreams in an attempt to have sexual intercourse with the sleeper, usually for the purpose of fathering a child. Repeated intercourse with an incubus can result in physical deterioration and death.

I was officially going to barf. Why didn’t Andre tell me
this
? This was problematic, considering that I had no idea why the demon appeared, which meant that I had no idea how to prevent it from appearing again.

“Sexy mama!” Oliver shouted as I opened the door to my room. As soon as I saw my favorite fairy clad only in a pair of hot pink boxer briefs, I forgot about the incubus.

“Guess who’s your new roommate?” he squealed.

“What?” I tried to keep the alarm out of my voice.

Behind him a mattress sat between my bed and Leanne’s, covered with furry throw pillows, silk sheets, and a fluffy crimson comforter. Hands down it was the gaudiest thing I’d seen in a while.

Oliver followed my gaze to his makeshift bed. “Isn’t it gorgeous?” he gushed.

“Uh huh.” If I formed actual words, I didn’t think I’d be able to lie as convincingly.

Leanne sat at her desk, typing away at the computer. “Gabrielle, don’t sugarcoat it. That’s got to be the most hideous piece of furniture I’ve seen in a long time.”

Oliver sniffed. “I’m not going to let that get to me since I know you’re just upset about the candy.”

“You ate an industrial sized bag of chocolates!” Leanne said, swiveling around in her computer chair to face him. “That candy should’ve satisfied a group of twenty.”

“Now you’re just exaggerating. That’s like two chocolates per person.”

“Yeah, normal people eat about that much.”

Oliver shook his head. “That’s not nearly enough
—
not even for a pixie. And do I need to remind you just how small pixies are?”

“Why exactly are you going to be living with us?” I asked. It’s not like the school okay-ed this. In fact, I’d bet heavy money that Oliver got his roommate Paul to conjure the mattress, sheets, and pillows into existence.

“Because he wants to catch a glimpse of the guy with the big man bits,” Leanne said.

Oliver huffed. “
No
. I’m here to protect you two from any naked guy who might just show up.”

“So,” I said, “you’re here to catch a glimpse of the guy with the big man bits.”

He folded his arms. “You two need to get your minds out of the gutter,” he said.

I had to bite my lip not to laugh. Oliver couldn’t pull off looking offended when all he wore was a pair of hot pink boxer briefs.

I dropped my belongings next to my desk. “In all seriousness, Andre mentioned that this thing might be an incubus.”

“Andre!” Oliver exclaimed, fanning himself. “Oh baby Jesus, please tell me you took advantage of that situation.”

I stared at him, then cast my gaze over to Leanne. “Do I have to answer that?”

She said no at the same time he said yes.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. “That’s beside the point. An incubus showed up last night. A demon. You guys might not be safe sleeping in the same room as me.”

Oliver cocked a hip. “You better not be kicking me out.”

“I’m not going anywhere either,” Leanne said. “If some naked dude comes, I’ll drop kick him.”

“Well, I might not do
that
,” Oliver said, “but I’ll happily take care of the problem.”

And then Oliver and Leanne went on as though I hadn’t just told them that a demon might show up tonight.

I seriously loved my friends.

***

The smell of seaweed and salt water woke me. I sat up in bed as the ocean’s surf licked the edge of my mattress. Above me the moon and the stars glowed in the night sky. I threw off the sheets and turned to get out of bed.

A hand wrapped around me. “Stay in bed,” a voice whispered in my ear.

I tugged against the hand, and the arm thrown around me tightened.

I looked over my shoulder. An angelic face peered back at me. He had long lashes, green eyes, tan skin, hair the color of wheat. “Stay with me,” he pleaded.

For a moment, I almost agreed with him. And then a feeling of déjà vu came over me.

This has happened before . . .

Dream. Incubus. Crap.

My eyes snapped open and sure enough, the man was still in my bed. Ugh, I was going to have to wash my sheets again.

“Get out of my bed!” I used my feet to push the incubus off of my mattress.

“Hey!” he shouted as he rolled off.

I heard skin smack skin. “Aaaiiieeeee!” Oliver yelped. Whoops, I forgot he was there.

“
No
,” Leanne groaned. “This is the third day in a row my sleep has been interrupted. Now I’m going to have to maim this dude.”

I got out of bed, picked up the man from where he lay next to Oliver, and threw him across the room. His body hit the wall, shaking the building and cracking the drywall.

Leanne watched this unfold. “Never mind.”

It was a good thing we lived on the third floor and our housemother lived on the first. Amazing what acoustics the extra floor muffled.

I heard the demon mutter to itself, “These wenches are crazy.”

“Ex
cuse
me?” Oliver said, getting up out of bed.

The two eyed each other.

When we didn’t immediately attack him, the demon straightened up and threw his shoulders back. I noticed now that he was a different man than the one who showed up the night before.

The incubus had now focused his attention on Oliver. He cocked his head. “You are remarkably handsome,” he said to Oliver, his voice husky.

Oliver put a hand to his chest. “Oh my!” Oliver said. One little compliment and he’d forgiven the incubus for calling us wenches. Fairies. “You’re not too hard on the eyes eith
—
”

“Listen Casanova,” I said to the incubus, not amused, “you have three seconds to get your ass out of here before I help you.”

His eyes became hooded. “I’d very much like you to help me out.” I wanted to puke at the sexual undertones of his statement.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Oliver interrupted. “I can do the escorting.”

I gave Oliver a look. “You’re not really trustworthy when it comes to these things.”

Oliver cocked a hip. “I’m extremely trustworthy.”

“That’s a demon!” I pointed to the naked man.

“I promise I don’t bite
—
much,” the incubus said. Considering Oliver’s hungry look and my penchant for blood, if anyone was getting a nibble tonight, it wasn’t going to be Birthday-Suit Boy.

“Why are you here?” I asked the incubus.

He smiled slyly. “I wanted to meet the devil’s consort.”

Goosebumps broke out along my skin. That name again.

“
That’s
what you call meeting someone?” I asked. If that was how people in hell introduced themselves, I was really going to have to worry about this whole “being damned” thing.

“It usually works.” He glanced at Oliver. “I’ll see
you
again soon.”

And then, just like the previous incubus, he disappeared.

***

“Cock blocker,” Oliver said to me the next morning as we got ready for school. He flipped through the sprays and balms resting on top of Leanne’s dresser.

“He was a demon.”

“Says the vampire,” Oliver huffed.

“Did he not give off rapey vibes?” I asked while I slipped on my boots. “You should be worried about your dreams. He’s coming for you next.”

“Yeah right, we probably scared him off for good.” Oliver said that like it was a bad thing. “I’ll be right back.” He sashayed out of our room, muttering something about our inferior hair products.

The door clicked shut. “The bed and Oliver need to go,” Leanne said. “I can’t take either of them in large doses.”

“Agreed,” I said. “What do we do with this thing?” I motioned to the mattress and Leanne shuddered.

“No idea. I think Paul conjured it, so he should be held responsible for un-conjuring it.”

As I tied a scarf around my neck, Leanne placed a hand on my arm. “We haven’t talked about all that’s been going on with you,” she said, “the media attention, the Politia, your nighttime visitors, Andre. Is it happening all over again?” She meant the attempts on my life.

“No, there have just been a lot of different events that have all happened at once. They have nothing to do with me.” All these events that were occurring at the same time made it appear as though I was the eye of a storm. But I wasn’t.

She studied me. “Can I give you a reading?” Leanne had recently acquired a deck of tarot cards to help channel her seer abilities. Without such an instrument it was hard for her to make sense of the chaotic images she received. But she’d never used it on me
—
she hadn’t offered to give me any readings since the fire.

“Sure,” I said, “but I doubt you’ll find much of interest.”

“You’re probably right,” she said, grabbing the stack of cards from off of her desk.

Because there was no other place, we sat on our floor. Leanne spread the cards out in front of me. “Choose three at random.”

I pulled the first card. “The high priestess,” Leanne said. She took the card with the image of a regal woman and laid it between us. “This represents your spirit
—
wise, introspective, otherworldly.” She smiled at this last word, since that could describe any Peel student.