WebNovels

Chapter 7 - First Blood

His expression dropped, just a flicker, but it was there. A crack in his perfect façade.

"What?"

"Sofia," I repeated, quieter now. "You knew her."

He went still. Then, too quickly, he laughed. A tight, humorless sound. "That's ancient history." He stood, setting his glass down on the table a little too hard. "She used to work for the company, right? Why are you bringing her up?"

"She went missing," I said. "You used to date."

He turned back toward the stove, pretending to check the pan. "Is that what people are saying about us? I can't control what people say. After all, isn't that your job as my PR firm?"

I stood too, my pulse racing. "I spoke with her sister."

He exhaled, slow and exaggerated. "Kassie… look. Sofia was…" He hesitated, then turned with that practiced calm again. "She was infatuated. It happens. People get caught up in fantasies. I tried to let down gently, but she was obsessive."

"And now she's missing. Kind of convenient, isn't it?"

His eyes hardened, then softened into something pitying. "You think I had something to do with it? Look, I tried to be kind to Sofia. She mistook professionalism for something else. She couldn't handle the rejection. She was embarrassed, she decided to leave town quietly. I think we should all just respect her privacy."

I stared at him. His voice was smooth, measured, the tone of someone who'd told this story before.

"So why haven't the police found her?"

He smiled faintly. "Come on Kassie, you and I both know the police don't take these things seriously. I don't think they ever even tried to find her."

My stomach twisted. The hunger felt sharper now, like a wire tightening in my gut. I turned away, pretending to smooth my hair. "Can I use your bathroom?"

"Down the hall, second door on the right," he said, already turning back to the stove.

I walked slowly, my steps echoing on the hardwood. The hallway was lined with more artwork, abstract shapes, expensive frames.

The bathroom light flicked on, too bright. I gripped the edge of the sink and looked at myself in the mirror. I felt another pang go through me, and I was certain I was about to snap the sink in half. When I finally managed to lift my head up, I saw the UI shimmering faintly in my reflection.

/////////////////////////

CRITICAL ALERT

[Hunger: 15%]

////////////////////////

I leaned against the counter, swallowing down panic. Fifteen percent.

My breath came out shaky. I splashed cold water onto my face, hoping it would clear my head. It didn't.

"I can't," I whispered to the mirror. "I can't do this..."

Because that was the truth of it all. The truth was, I had no idea if Warren Chen was innocent or not. And to make matters worse, it didn't even matter. If he was guilty, I knew I didn't have it in me to kill him. To consume him, as the demons liked to say. I had never hurt anyone in my life, and I couldn't picture myself doing that to a living being. I knew I wasn't going to be able to fill this hunger, that the bar would continue to tick down until it hit zero.

I knew I was going to die tonight.

On that somber thought, my reflection flickered. The bathroom lights dimmed slightly, just for a moment. Then, in the glass, a shape appeared behind me.

Tall, graceful, and almost glowing with warmth. The stranger I'd seen before, the one who appeared the night of the party. I turned over my shoulder, but he wasn't there. Shifting back to the mirror, his reflection remained.

He reached out until I could feel the phantom warmth of him touching my shoulder. I never noticed in the darkness of that alley, but he was shockingly beautiful. Those purple eyes were the kind of gaze one could get lost in. Dreamy, space-like, and celestial.

He was tall too, built like a Greek god. Or perhaps Greek gods were built like him. And when he smiled at me, I felt myself melt.

I couldn't move. "Are you real?"

He tilted his head. "I'm as real as you need me to be." His voice was silvery and perfect, and I felt myself react to it. I felt myself calm and loose in his presence.

His thumb brushed against my shoulder through the reflection. "You're starving, little love."

"I know, but I can't…" My voice broke. "I'm not a killer."

"He killed her, you know."

"How can I be sure."

"You simply have to see."

I saw it then, like a vision that hit as quickly as it faded.

At first, she was just a shape in the dark, a blur of soft brown hair, trembling shoulders, and the faint sound of crying. The room around her came into focus next: Warren's office, the same amber lamplight, the same decanter of whiskey sitting half-empty on the desk. She was pacing, phone in hand, muttering something about going to the press, about how she wasn't afraid anymore.

Then Warren stepped into view.

He smiled that familiar, disarming smile. "Sofia," he said, voice soft, coaxing. "You're upset. Let's just… talk."

She hesitated, lowering the phone.

"I trusted you," she said. "You used me. You lied. I can't-

He took a slow step closer, hands raised like a peace offering. "I love you," he whispered. "You know that, don't you?"

Something in her broke then. The anger turned to confusion, then fear. Her voice cracked. "You do?"

He reached out, fingers brushing her cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. It looked tender. Almost loving. Until his hand slid to the back of her neck.

The sound, a single muffled gasp, was all she was able to get out.

Her body hit the floor, the phone skittering away. Warren stood over her, breathing slow and steady, expression unreadable. Surprisingly calm for a man choking the life out of the woman he claimed to love.

I closed my eyes, blinking them open to see I was in front of the bathroom mirror again. "I know you want me to kill him, to avenge her. But I just can't do it. I'm not a monster."

The purple-eyed man smiled gently. "You're not a monster, Kassie. You're hunting monsters."

He leaned closer, lips almost brushing my ear, though he was still only in the mirror. "Lean into it. Your body will take care of the rest."

And then he was gone.

I was alone, water still dripping from the faucet as I tried to regain my composure. So that was the demon I made a deal with. That was my so-called patron.

I finished washing my hands, drying them off with a towel before exiting the bathroom and walking back down the hall.

Warren was waiting for me on the couch, the food plated, two glasses poured, candles flickering low. He smiled when he saw me, that slow, practiced smile again.

"There you are," he said. "Thought maybe you'd run off."

"I considered it," I said, and sat down.

He laughed softly. "You always have that edge, don't you? I like that about you."

He leaned forward, studying me. The candlelight picked out the lines of his jaw, the cut of his cheekbones, the easy charm that once made me feel small and flattered. God, he was handsome. Why was it always the handsome ones?

"You're beautiful, Kassie," he said.

"Am I?"

He grinned. "You should know that. You've been driving me crazy since I took one look at you."

I looked down at the table, at the delicate plates, the gleam of silverware. "You say that to a lot of women?"

"Only the ones who make me forget I shouldn't." He reached for one of the plates on the coffee table, dragging it closer to the edge. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Ravenous."

He smiled. "Good. I want you to eat your fill."

I met his eyes then, really met them, and the room seemed to quiet. The hunger roared up like a wave, drowning out everything else.

I sat up and crossed the small space between us. My fingers brushed his collar. He inhaled, surprised, then smiled, like he'd been waiting for this.

I kissed him. And the world went red.

. Warren was all too eager to give off the reins. Perhaps that was the thing about predators, the fact that they enjoy the novelty of being prey.

But this wasn't novelty or play. This was the real deal. And he wasn't the predator here.

The man in the mirror was right about one thing: my body was taking over. Once the clothes were off, I was sitting on top of him, running my hands down his hair before securing them around his neck. The kiss was tender for only a second before I was biting into his lips, before I was feeling that copper taste coat my tongue. He seemed to love it, his groans ebbing me on and on.

He tried to touch me, tightening one hand on my hips and brushing his other thumb against my lips, pulling my mouth open as we delved deeper into each other. He held my hips on him, grinding slowly into that place under my skirt. It was electric, and I could feel hot desire pulsing inside of me, desperate to feel full.

But my body had other plans, as I pulled away from the kiss, holding his hand to my face, letting his thumb slip into my mouth as I tasted it. Skin, flesh, salty, and warm.

And then I bit down.

And then the screaming began.

~

When the haze finally broke, I was lying on top of him, feeling surprisingly refreshed. Stronger. My heartbeat was steady again. The air around me felt normal, smelled normal, if not a bit copper-tinted. I sat up, feeling as if I had just come out of a haze.

Then I made the mistake of looking down at Warren.

And God, what a sight he was.

He was naked beneath me, chiseled and toned like I had expected. But there were small differences. For once, he was missing three fingers and a thumb, strewn flesh and dark blood marking the space they once took up. He was also scratched up, sets of red stripes marking his stomach, thighs, and back. His skin, which was so perfect and lively, was now a dull gray. His perfectly kissable lips were blue, and marked with red bruises and bite marks.

A sound tore from my throat, not a scream, not quite. I stumbled back, my body jerking with the motion.

Did I do that to him?

The air shimmered then, and the UI flickered across my vision.

/////////////////////////////////////////

Level Up!

Class: Initiate Succubus

Rank: D+

Patron: The Prince of Lust

Level: 2

Mana: 60

Hunger: 99% (stable)

NEW ABILITIES UNLOCKED:

• Allure II (Passive): Beauty amplified. Influence deepened.

• Suggestion (Active - 20 Mana): Whisper desires into mortal hearts. Cannot compel self-harm.

///////////////////////////////////////////////

I stared at it, numb.

Then I looked back at Warren. He was still, his eyes still open, staring at the ceiling.

My stomach twisted, not from hunger this time, but from the sick realization that it had been so easy.

I stood on unsteady legs and stumbled toward the door. I had to get out of here. Where was my bag? Where was my phone? I looked around, and when I didn't see it in the first few seconds, I gave up all hope on ever finding it. It didn't matter. I couldn't waste a second more.

I needed to get out.

So, I did just that, slipping back into my shoes, not even bothering to do the clasp as I threw the door open and stumbled out.

Right into Abbadon's chest.

I took a step back, staring at the golden-eyed demon standing before me.

He had his hands shoved in his coat pockets, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "Well," he said. "That took long enough."

I straightened up, his presence feeling like a gust of cold air. "What are you doing here?"

"Cleanup," he said dryly. "You make a mess, I get to handle the loose ends. Story of my afterlife."

I just stared at him, trembling. "I didn't mean to…"

He sighed, cutting me off. "Save it, kid. You're not the first one to panic after their first meal. You won't be the last." He jerked his hand toward the street. "Go on. Scram."

I hesitated, still staring at him. "Abbadon…"

He met my gaze, and for a second, I thought I saw something like sympathy. Then it was gone.

I wanted to linger here in this space between us. I wanted to stay far from that body and far from tomorrow. Because the truth was I had no idea what to do next. Still, I knew better than holding onto this sensation. So I let it go, let the feelings, stress, fear, and the fact that I had just killed a man, slide right off my back.

I took a step off the porch, making it down one step as I heard Abbadon shuffle through the door into Warren's house.

"Hey," I glanced over my shoulder.

He met my gaze, golden burning eyes waiting patiently.

"What happens next?"

"This is the first kill of many, Kassie. You'll get your next assignment soon enough."

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