I lower Bell to the floor and subtly squeeze Alana’s hand before moving toward the door. My latest guests look like they rode straight from Quest without stopping to sleep or take a bath. I’m not used to such a rumpled appearance from Jac. She’s always so attentive to her looks. And her manners. It’s really saying something that she doesn’t even muster a smile as I approach.

Neither does Junior but I don’t expect anything from him. His expression says he doesn’t know quite what to make of me. He knows that the succubi that have served his family for generations all practically worship me but I’m sure, even after a year to think on it, that he can’t fathom why.

I’d bet every crown I have that he hasn’t even made the first connection, that I’ve contracted a stronger succbus than his father’s virtue, Belolial. Not the pathetic Lou he bullied all his life, daughter of the Tomes that his family had bullied for generations. There’s no way I could be a better summoner than any Grimoire. It must be some trick.

Which, to be fair, is true. There’s a trick. I just also happen to be a better summoner.

Fen is definitely happy to see me. With the presence of succubi being banned throughout the kingdom, she’s chosen to be subtle, taking on the guise of a fair-skinned woman with blond hair that could be mistaken for anyone in the capital. As I approach, that coloring changes, her skin becoming a bright scarlet while her hair darkens to the color of dried blood. A whip-like tail with a spade tip slides from underneath her dress and slowly waves through the air. There is a very clear invitation in her wide smile, but I ignore it in favor of family.

“Hey, Jac.”

“Lou,” my cousin says. She finally musters up a smile, though its thin and strained. Her eyes flick around the room, mostly at the dozen or so people still engrossed in the music. “Looks like I’m interrupting something.”

“Oh, you’re fine.” I look past her to Junior. “Hey.”

He grimaces before offering back a tired, “Hey.”

“Well, I’m sure there’s an interesting reason for the three of you appearing on my doorstep together, in the middle of the night, without any warning, but I only have one question. Is it bad news?”

“Yes,” the succubus says when the other two hesitate.

“Figured. You don’t look like that when you’re delivering good news. Follow-up question. Is it time-sensitive? And by that, I’m asking if my house is going to burn down and ruin my party if I don’t deal with this right now?”

“No,” the succubus answers, tail whipping faster.

“Good. Then don’t tell me.”

“Coo!”

I’m not surprised by Bell’s sudden appearance but the two humans with their dull senses and lack of experience with a servant that uses it ability to read surface thoughts to anticipate my desires certainly are. I chuckle at the way they jump, grabbing the two spicy smelling drinks off the silver tray she’s carrying. I hold them out, jostling them when both Jac and Junior hesitate. “They smell funny, but they’ll perk you up. Trust me.”

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“…guess you wouldn’t try to poison me,” Jac grumbles while taking the glass.

“Speak for yourself,” Junior sighs, Fen taking his glass and handing it to him.

“Whew!” Jac exclaims after knocking back her drink, treating it like medicine. Bet that kicked her in the heart. In fact, maybe I should be worried. Her eyes are a little too wide and her fingers are twitching. “Sainted tits, what was that?”

“You curse now?” I ask, amazed.

“Too many nights drinking with commoners. Lou, answer me. I feel great but too great. Is this going to kill me or knock me out for a week?”

“You’re perfectly fine. No side effects. The high will end and you might pass out for a day or two, but it’ll be the best sleep of your life.” Behind her, Junior slowly sips his own drink after hearing my reassurance. “For now, join the party. Bell can show you to my room where you can freshen up. I’m sure there’s something in your size around here. Junior…” My lips twist in distaste as I think about him in my bath. “You can hose down in the back.”

“Good to see you haven’t changed Lou,” he says while shaking his head. “And when did you contract an incompetent imp? And why? The mistake is right there in the name.”

Haha, his ignorance always amuses me. “Go, go. Get cleaned and make merry. Fen, I’m sure you’ve already mind-melded with my succubi so you should be able to take care of them. Mind the guests.”

“As you wish, Lou.”

I shoo them off with a smile that fades once they reach the stairs. Because there’s no need to pretend without witnesses. If they’re here, then something isn’t just wrong. It’s very, very wrong. Much worse than me being a wanted woman. Something so wrong that Fen, with all her otherworldly knowledge and power, cannot fix it. Something she is dreading telling me or she would have insisted.

Have to admit, I’m not eager to hear whatever the problem is. I’ve had nothing but problems lately. But that’s the point of tonight. No problems can touch me in my comfortable ball of denial, at least for a few hours.

I force down my worries as I return to Alana. “I don’t know those friends,” she mutters, still moving with the music.

“None of them are friends,” I correct with a little chuckle as I wrap my arms around her waist. “One’s family, another’s a pet, and the red-headed gorilla is my childhood tormentor turned whipping boy.”

Her brows furrow as she debates which part of that sentence to tackle first. To my surprise, her expression eases with a sigh and her hands move to cover mine. “More the merrier, I guess.”

“You’re really in the mood.”

“Probably because all I care about right now is having you in me.”

I gape at her, freezing. Her response is to subtly, but unmistakably, push her hips into me. Saints, when did she get so bold? “How much have you had to drink?”

“Of you? Not enough.” I see the corner of her lips turn up as I groan into her ear. “I don’t know what I’m saying and will probably bury myself in the garden to avoid looking anyone in the eye tomorrow. Right now, I’m just really hot, and I don’t know if it’s because I’m too drunk or too horny, or which one is making my mouth run. Ancestors. Where’s my sister?”

I blink, thoughts stalling as I try to follow the rapid change of subject. “Uh, didn’t she say she wanted to put down Allen before she joined the party?”

“Ah. Someone should get her. This is exactly the kind of thing she wants to leave the north for and Talia can’t sing all night.”

“Hm. Ge—no. When she comes back from maiming that idiot, we can ask Kierra to see about it.” If the little boy is still awake, I would prefer she put him down rather than Geneva. The succubus herself spoke against using the mental affinity on children, especially infants, but that’s no hard boundary she won’t cross.

Talia’s warning reminded me that while I understand the kind of creatures succubi are, I shouldn’t assume I know all there is to know about the individual members of their race. They are more than just balls of logic and ambition, logically pursuing their ambitions. As capable as they are, they are still mortal. They can fail like the rest of us.

They can overestimate themselves and have been plotting against their summoners for generations. Just because the most logical thing is for them to serve me and reap the benefits, doesn’t mean that’s what they’ll do. Not if Geneva thinks she can outwit me, which, admittedly, she has plenty of reason to think so.

“In the meantime…” I lace our fingers together and pull her with me, toward the kitchen. “Let’s get you taken care of, sweetie.”