Sera's POV
Zaire's question hung in the air.
"I'm off to visit a friend," I said, trying to wiggle free from his grip.
His face twisted like he was in pain. "Are you okay?" I asked, instantly alarmed.
"Yes. Somewhat," he replied.
Then I felt something poking me. Oh. Ohhh. Realization hit—and something else did too. The ache deep inside me flared, sharp and greedy, like it knew it was close to a source of vitality. Traitor, I thought, mentally cursing my own body.
"Let us at least do our jobs and take you there," Zaire said.
"No, I'm fine—" The pain slammed back into me mid-sentence.
Liar.
"No, you're not," Kaiden cut in. He scooped me up like I weighed nothing. Seriously, what was it with these men and carrying me everywhere? Not that I should complain.
"Choose," Theo said from across the room. "You show us where to go… or we take you to a hospital."
I opened my mouth to protest, but another stab of pain gutted me. "Fine," I gritted out.
We piled into Theo's hummer—me in shotgun, Kaiden and Zaire in the back.
"Phinix Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Liora Castille," I said between spasms.
I stayed silent the rest of the drive, clinging to whatever shreds of composure I had left. Pain. Heat. Ache. Repeat. My body had apparently filed an official complaint against me and was now staging a full rebellion.
The air in the car was thick with tension—you could slice it and Chef Ramsay would call it "a stunning dish." I could feel their concern pressing in on me, but right now I didn't want to talk. I just wanted the pain gone. At this point, death was starting to sound like a reasonable option—if only so I could haunt Jack, Jill, and every last member of the Smallcock family.
By the time we reached the site, I'd texted Liora. Thank the gods for her staff—they took one look at me and had everything ready like it was an ER, not a research facility.
Liora was already at my side, worry sharp in her features. "What the fuck, Sera?"
I blinked at her from a wheelchair in her office. "I was just here to get some refills."
"I can't," Liora said flatly.
"Is it about the ingredients or something?"
"It's not that. I checked the labs—you're becoming dependent and immune to it."
"Can't we just make the pills stronger?"
"Any stronger and you're dead, Sera." She didn't sugarcoat it. "You're becoming an addict. What you're feeling—it's withdrawals."
"So… I'm a drug addict now?" The words tasted like acid.
Her voice cracked. "Fuck, Sera. I wish I never made those pills. You're one of the few people I treasure, and look what I've done to you."
"Hey, no." I stood, ignoring the pain long enough to wrap her in a hug. "Don't think that way. You helped me survive this far."
"I'm such a failure," she muttered.
"Hey, who's comforting who here?" I teased, wiping at her cheek. "This isn't the headstrong bitch boss I know."
That earned a snort from her—success.
Another stab of pain made me groan. "So, I can't take pills anymore, and I need to look and act decent for this stupid wedding in a few weeks. Pretty sure 'squirming fetal position' isn't trending yet."
"Gods, Sera, your humor is still shit even in agony," she jabbed.
"Effective, though," I countered. "Besides, it's not that bad. I just have PMS every day of my life. Thank you, Jack Smallcock, for nothing."
"Does he really live up to his name?" she asked.
"What is it with you and penises?" I laughed, then sighed. "But yes. And why do you think I'm so pissed half the time? A lifetime of agony for that. I make bad life choices."
"Doubt that. You've got three hot shifters who could solve that hunger of yours—probably world hunger—if you asked nicely."
"I think they said they like me," I admitted.
Liora froze.
"Well, what the fuck are you doing here then?!" she demanded. "You made me go through all that grief when there are literally one to three walking, breathing wet dreams out there in my lobby—making all my staff have fantasies and turning my waiting room into a testosterone sauna. Go fetch, bitch."
I was speechless. "…Man, that was a good pun."
"Shut up." She shoved a bottle of regular painkillers into my hand.
Then her tone softened. "Here's what's going on. The pills aren't working because you're nearly immune. You think you need them, because the pain's still there, but psychologically you're hooked. Since the hunger is magical, you won't have withdrawals if you just… feed it."
"Easy for you to say," I muttered.
"I know," she said. "I'm just stating facts."
Liora had a quick, whispered word with her assistant, then turned back to me.
"I need to grab something from the restricted vault," she said briskly. "Stay here. Don't move unless you want me to strap you to the chair."
She was gone before I could protest, the office door clicking shut behind her.
---
Zaire's POV
Outside in the hallway, the air was too still—too quiet. The hum of fluorescent lights was the only sound above the occasional muted footstep on polished tile.
Theo stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall like he was trying to look casual, but his jaw was locked tight. Kaiden was pacing—slow, deliberate steps that made the floor creak just enough to grate on my already frayed nerves.
Every now and then, I'd catch the faint murmur of voices from behind the closed door. None of it was clear—just tones, rises and falls—but every sound twisted something in my chest.
The scent in the hallway didn't help either. Sera's scent—warm, intoxicating, threaded with that marine-salt sweetness I could never ignore—still lingered from when we'd walked her in. It was driving me insane, like my instincts knew she was just meters away and hurting, and I couldn't do a damn thing.
The longer we waited, the heavier the tension got. It wasn't just worry. It was something sharper. Possessive. The kind of protective instinct that made my panther push against my skin, ready to bare teeth at the first threat.
---
The door opened.
Liora stepped out, her gaze scanning the three of us in one long, calculating sweep. There was nothing soft about her expression—it was the look of someone who had already decided whether you were a threat or an ally, and hadn't yet told you which one.
"Do you love her?" she asked, voice like cold steel.
Theo didn't even blink. "Yes."
It was too quick, too steady—pure truth—and it landed before Kaiden or I could say a word.
Liora's eyes narrowed, weighing us. "That better be true. If you end up like Jack, I swear to God I'm using each of your balls for my next breakthrough ingredient."
My spine went rigid. From the look on Kaiden's face, he'd mentally crossed his legs.
She turned to a passing staffer. "Make sure Sera has everything she needs." Then she jerked her head for us to follow. We trailed her into another room, the door closing behind us with a soft click that somehow felt like a verdict.
---
"What do you know about succubi?" she asked.
"Not much," we admitted in unison.
Liora crossed her arms. "Succubi are a proud race—and they should be. The world benefits from them in ways you probably can't imagine: negotiations, entertainment, even military strategy." She rested a hip against the counter, eyes scanning us like she was making sure we were actually listening. "Every succubus inherits abilities from their bloodline—no two are exactly alike. A daughter might inherit her mother's persuasion gift, or her father's empathic sense, or a mix of both, but never in identical measure. Persuaders can talk a senate into declaring peace with three well-placed smiles. Energy channelers can redirect hostile magic into fuel for their allies. Empaths can read an emotional state so precisely they can dismantle an assassination plot before the blade's even drawn. Some healers can knit bone and flesh in minutes, though it comes at the cost of their own reserves. And the purer the gene, the stronger—and more complex—their magic becomes."
Liora paused, her expression hardening. "There are even some who don't need to get vitality through… normal means. They extract it by force, killing the victim in the process. But for them, feeding that magical hunger is like an endless cycle—the more they kill, the more they crave. They burn themselves out or burn through everyone around them."
She gave us a pointed look. "But they aren't invincible. And despite all their achievements, some idiots still call them whores—just because of how their bodies recharge magic. It's biology, not morality." She muttered under her breath, "If I could get my hands on every last romance and porn writer who's mangled our lore, I'd wring their necks one by one."
"You know how humans get hunger pangs if they don't eat? For a succubus, it's the same… but on top of regular food, she also needs to feed on vitality. With normal hunger, the body can adapt. With magical hunger like hers? It just keeps growing, hurting, until it's fed. And the longer it's ignored, the more it drains her strength—especially her succubi powers.
"The hunger usually starts as soon as they… practice sexual activity. That's why some succubi keep their virginity until they find someone they love—or at least someone they trust to keep them fed regularly. Pure succubi?" Her mouth pressed into a thin line. "They have a far greater need."
"Is Sera pure succubi?" Kaiden asked.
"I can't divulge client information to anyone other than family," she said, blunt as a blade.
Zaire's brow furrowed. "So, what about diet? Anything they can't eat? Or foods that boost their magic?"
"Plenty," Liora said without missing a beat. "High-protein meals help recovery. Certain enchanted herbs can strengthen vitality reserves, others will mess with them. But I can't give specifics on your girl's chart." Her eyes narrowed. "I can't divulge client information to anyone other than family."
Theo stepped in next. "What about their environment? Are there places that weaken or strengthen them? Somewhere she should avoid?"
"Succubi thrive in magically saturated environments. Strong leylines, places of heightened emotion—crowds, concerts, festivals. They get sluggish in magically dead zones. But again—no details on your specific case." Her tone was firm enough to nail the point in place.
Kaiden tilted his head. "What about—"
Liora cut him off with a raised hand. "I can't divulge client information to anyone other than family," she repeated, sharp as a blade.
"You made the pills just for her?" Theo pressed.
"Yes. Because of… certain fucking circumstances."
"Jack?" Kaiden asked.
"I can't divulge any client information to anyone other than family," she repeated, venom sharpening the words.
The silence after that was heavy. Liora's gaze swept over us again, her tone softening only slightly. "General lore? I'll share. But anything specific to her stays locked unless you've got her blood in your veins or… you're something more to her than just—" she raised a brow, assessing us, "—friends or 'it's complicated.'"
Her gaze swept over all three of us. "The only way to get rid of that hunger is to feed it. If I could create a damn sex sandwich and serve it on a platter, I would—" Her eyes flicked over us, assessing, and it was suddenly clear we'd just been put on the menu. We all collectively gulped.
"Hey, we're trying," Kaiden said defensively.
Liora's brow arched.
"Fucking shut up, Kaiden," Theo muttered.
"Don't look at me for dating advice," Liora said, dismissing him with a wave.
"Any tips?" Kaiden tried anyway.
Her lips curved in the faintest smirk. "You want me to give away our girl secrets so you can get a shot with my best friend?"
"Worth a try," he shrugged.
"I can't divulge any bestie information to anyone other than us girls," she shot back. "Better figure her out yourselves."
Then her voice dropped, deadly serious. "And if any of you fuck her up, I will make sure you regret it."
"Yes, ma'am," we answered together.
---
Once she left, the room seemed smaller. The hum of the air vent was suddenly too loud. We traded glances, each of us processing the same thing:
We now knew why Sera hurt.
We knew how to help her.
And we knew it wasn't going to be simple.
---