LITMIR.BIZ

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that’s why he was finally speaking to me. Tommy had an uncanny connection to the supernatural world. For one thing, he could read auras. He’d also known that there had been something different about me after I’d become a succubus. It didn’t surprise me that he’d picked up on Jasmine’s psychic distress signals.

      For a moment, I thought about keeping Karl a secret. If Jasmine wasn’t speaking to Tommy, there wasn’t much he could do about the bad boyfriend. But it had been a hell of a day. Ariel, Grace, Jas…I was worried about all of them, and I desperately needed to share my burden. I bit my lip and typed: J got back together with Karl.

      There was a long, long pause. So long, in fact, that I was sure the Internet had cut out on Tommy’s end. Realizing that my glass was empty, I refilled it, gulping down the chardonnay like a sports drink after a hard workout. Still, no new message appeared on my computer. I swore to myself that, no matter what, I wouldn’t contact Tommy again. I would let him go and live his life in peace, just as he deserved. This time, I really meant it.

      Then my phone rang.

      Of course, I knew who it was. I picked it up on the second ring. “Tommy!” His name came out more like a sob.

      “Tell me what’s going on, Lil.”

      I began crying as I gave him the drunken version of my conversation with Jasmine. “Karl was at my dad’s house,” I said. “I tried to talk to Jas about it, but she hung up on me.”

      “Karl.” Tommy spoke the name like a curse word. “That bastard!”

      “Believe me, I know. I just wish I could make her believe it.”

      “He’s being investigated by the IRS, did you know that?”

      I did, actually.

      Tommy, furious, continued, “And one time he convinced her to – ” His voice dropped off.

      “Convinced her to what?”

      “Nothing. Never mind.”

      “Tell me,” I insisted.

      He sighed. “He convinced her to pose nude for him. I think some of those photos ended up on the Internet.”

      Furious, I slammed my hands down on the desk. Jas thought that she was good for one thing only: looking beautiful. Karl, predator that he was, knew exactly how to exploit that.

      “This is all my fault,” Tommy said. “God! How could I have been so stupid?” He didn’t get angry very often, but he certainly was now. I pictured him with the phone pressed against his ear, pacing circles in a cheap hotel room. “How could I have hurt her like that?”

      Tears stung my eyes. He hated himself when I was the one who had caused the entire mess. “It was me,” I said. “I seduced you.”

      He laughed harshly. “I knew what I was doing. You didn’t rape me.” Something fell over with a bang. Then something else shattered.

      “Tommy!” I said, alarmed. “Are you okay?”

      “No! I’m pissed!” He spoke so loudly that I had to pull the phone from my ear. “I’ve been over it in my mind a thousand times, and it still doesn’t make sense. I loved Jasmine, but then all at once, I was in love with you. How did that happen?”

      I couldn’t answer that, of course. Not without explaining that I now housed a demon and worked for the Devil.

      “I’m sorry, Lil.” His voice softened. “I can’t blame you when I’m just as guilty.”

      “Don’t worry,” I begged him. “I promise to take care of Jasmine and keep Karl away from her. I’ll keep you posted, okay?”

      “Yeah. Okay.”

      We said goodbye and hung up. If nothing else, it had been good to talk to him. I only hoped it wouldn’t be another six months before we spoke again.

      As it turned out, it wasn’t even six minutes.

      When the phone rang, I immediately picked it up.

      Tommy didn’t even bother with ‘hello’. “I can’t stand it. I’m coming home.”

      I didn’t try to talk him out of it. “I’ll pay for your ticket,” I said and gave him my credit card number.

      “I’m still in Aurangabad, and I’ll have to hitchhike to get to Mumbai. It might take a while, but I’m on my way.” He paused for a heartbeat. “Tell Jas I’m coming, okay? Tell her I love her.”

      “I will.”

      “And Lil, would you do me another favor?”

      “Anything!”

      “It would be best if we didn’t see each other. I don’t know what happened before, but I don’t want it to happen again.”

      The thought of not seeing him made my chest ache. “Of course.” I blinked back tears. “I understand.” Not seeing Tommy was a cruel punishment, but one I surely deserved.

      After Tommy hung up, my succubus suggested that we do something to cheer me up. “Agreed,” I told her and poured more wine.

      Not that, she said.

      Shuddering, I took a second shot of bourbon to shut her up.

      That wasn’t what she meant, either. She told me I needed to do something fun. Something nice. When I asked her what that something was, she delivered a voiceless, inner scream that sliced my brain in half like a sharp knife cleaving through a ripe cantaloupe.

       WILLIAM!!!

      My eyes popped wide at her betrayal. “Oh, you evil little bitch!” I cried even as William strolled from the otherworld into my kitchen.

      “You called?” The corners of his mouth curled in a suggestive smile, and his eyes burned when they touched mine. Lust, hot and sudden, consumed me.

      As if reading my thoughts, he headed towards me. My succubus hopped in mad glee, desperate to be united with his incubus demon. But halfway across the room, he stopped and picked up the nearly empty wine bottle. His eyebrows knitted. “Did you drink all of this tonight?”

      I gave a guilty shrug.

      His concerned frown deepened. “Is something wrong?”

      “It’s been a long day,” I said, not wanting to go into details. Especially not with him.

      “That’s no excuse. I’ve had plenty of long days, and I never…”

      “…you never let it bother you. Yes, I get it. You’re perfect,” I said sourly. I reached for my wineglass, but he moved it out of reach.

      “What I was going to say is that I never drink alone. It’s too dangerous. Drinking lowers your inhibitions and gives your demon more control.”

      “I’m in control!” I argued.

      He crossed his arms over his chest. “Really. So why are you undressing?”

      To my horror, I realized my demon had taken over my body and stripped off my shirt. My cheeks flaming, I snatched it from the floor and yanked it over my head.

      William poured a shot of whiskey into the glass I’d been using. He knocked it back and smiled. “There. Now you’re not drinking alone.” He took a seat on the couch next to me. “Talk to me, Lil. What made this day so wretched?”

      Once again, his demon had fled, leaving the real William behind. The one I wished would stick around more often. I sighed, deciding to trust him. “I keep thinking of all the people I’ve hurt since becoming part demon. I’ve done so much harm to my family!”

      He shook his head. “Stop wallowing in your guilt, Lil. Wallowing is never good for the likes of us.”

      “That’s easy for you to say,”

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