The Incubus's Heart Ch. 08

She bit down on his tail, as gently as she could, then flicked her tongue over the tip. He groaned her name and she felt his cock tense between her lower lips. Seconds later his warm passion splashed against his belly and onto her. It smelled so different that she had to taste it, she couldn't stop if she wanted to. His tail slipped from her lips and she caught the next gush of ejaculate as it came out, sucking it off her fingertips before she could think it through.

His taste was what she'd been missing her whole life. "You taste good," she murmured, falling into his body. He pulled them both down so that she was laying on top of him, sweaty and spent, taking care to favor her broken arm. She noticed his wings and tail were gone.

"You probably should not have consumed that," he mumbled.

"Why not?" she asked, suddenly ridiculously tired.

"There is probably a reason," he replied, sounding just as sleepy.

"Mmm-hmmm," she hummed, pushing him further onto the bed. Somehow the two of them found the covers and slipped under them. She curled up against him, skin to skin, and fell asleep almost immediately, feeling completely sated and safe.

***

Godwin was gone when she woke up, but the bed was still warm. What should she do? She snuggled into the covers and assessed her situation. Her arm still hurt, and it itched now, too. She frowned, knowing it would probably take a few days to fully heal. She would need blood again, too, and not from Godwin, to keep it to just a few days and not a whole week.

Godwin was right, they couldn't just feed from each other. His blood had been charged with power, but she had given half of it back when they had sex.

Oh, god, she had sex with Godwin! She blushed, glad he wasn't here to see it, curling up into a gleeful ball under the covers, which still smelled of vanilla and desert and male musk. She giggled, her happiness temporarily overpowering the pain from her makeshift cast.

Her sex ached, too, though it wasn't bad. It was a pleasant reminder of their activities the night before. Love welled up in her chest.

She sobered instantly as other memories of the night before refused to be ignored.

The sound of her phone chirping from somewhere in the dim room distracted her. She followed the sound, picking it up carefully with her good hand. A spiderweb-shatter covered the whole front of her phone and she frowned. She hated getting new phones, moving into them and getting used to them, and she definitely didn't have the money to pay for a brand new phone right now, anyway. The call was from Olivia.

Carefully she slid over to green, but she missed answering it. Holding the phone delicately, she called her back. Olivia picked up on the first ring.

"Shit, Seneca!" her best friend swore harshly. "Where are you? Kennedy is going crazy!"

Seneca sat up, forgetting her broken arm for only a second, but it was long enough for to send a bolt of pain through her entire body as she put her weight on it. She hissed, trying not to scream out with the pain. How did it still hurt so bad?

"What's going on?" she replied, trying and failing at not sounding strained.

"What's going on?!" Olivia barked. "What's going on? OMJesus, Seneca! Are you serious? Where are you?"

"I'm, ah, with a friend," she hedged.

"OMJesus, Seneca, where are you? Chip called me and Kennedy like ten times last night! I finally answered because I couldn't stand it anymore. He said you were, oh, god this is... I think he's lost his mind, but none of us could find you! You wouldn't answer your phone, and he was being all crazy." Olivia sounded a little frantic.

"What'd he say?" she asked, suddenly nervous and stressed out all over again.

"I think you broke him, for reals. He was going on and on, saying you were kidnapped by the devil," she replied, the disbelief heavy in her voice. "Where are you? What actually happened last night? I was so worried when I couldn't get a hold of you!"

Seneca sighed. "Last night was kinda crazy..."

"Wait a minute, you said you're with a friend? You have other friends than me?"

"Okay, maybe not that kind of friend..." Seneca admitted.

"OMJesus! You're with the dark horse! You spent the night!" She could hear it as Olivia covered her mouth with her hand and whispered, "Are you in his bed right now?!"

"Why are you whispering, Liv?" she asked instead of answering.

"You are!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled. "You are, you are! OMJesus, Seneca, you hooked up with the dark horse! What was his name, Gordon?"

Seneca sighed again. "Godwin," she corrected. "I have to go, Liv. I'll call you later, I promise."

"No, no, don't you dare hang up on me!" she snapped. "You need to talk to Kennedy before the 24 hours is up and she files a missing person report. I think she half believed Chip. She's absolutely terrified, and nothing, I repeat, nothing I say is going to calm her down. Call your mother, Seneca!"

Seneca bit the inside of her cheek. Kennedy... Shit, she had to call her. She was probably out of her mind with worry. But first, she needed to know what Chip told them. "What else did Chip say?" she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral. She failed.

"Why?" Olivia said, and Seneca could hear her eyes narrow.

"Because he was crazy last night," she replied. She shifted in bed, sitting up with her back against the warm wooden headrest. The room was comfortable but cool enough that she needed the comforter.

"Tell me, Seneca, what happened last night," Olivia demanded.

"No, you tell me what he said first. I want to know what he thinks happened," she insisted.

"You're, shit, Seneca, something bad did happen. You're getting all stubborn. Fine," she relented. "Chip called me, said you were abducted by, don't laugh, said you were taken by a demon. Wings, horns, tail, all of it. That the demon just swooped in and grabbed you, then both of you disappeared."

"A demon?" She tried to sound exasperated, and succeeded this time. "Did he happen to say why he was with me in the first place?"

"Ah, something about him trying to get you back. He was real vague about it, and after Kennedy got involved it was hard to get him to talk about anything but the devil that took you straight to hell, probably for breaking his heart or something else just as stupid. He's such a..." Olivia growled in lieu of words here, "I hate him, Seneca. That whole 'I'm a nice guy, why don't people love me' bullshit he pulls. He's so self entitled, just, gah!" Olivia took a deep breath before she continued "Anyway, your turn, spill it, tell me about what actually happened last night."

"I should call Kennedy first," she hedged. "You did say I needed to call her as soon as possible." She felt something, like, she knew Godwin was close, could feel him through his blood in her veins. It was weird and distracting.

Momentarily forgetting about her broken arm, she went to touch his collar, then winced in pain. She dropped it back into her lap then put her phone on speaker and touched it with her good hand. She felt better just touching it, more connected to him, even if with her arm throbbing again.

"Seneca!" Olivia complained. "Unfair!"

"I'll meet up with you later and fill you in. I need me some bestie time," she compromised. "I'd rather tell you in person, my phone is actively shattering in my hand. I'm not even sure how it's still working, truth told."

"Are you okay?"

"I am now, but last night was rough. I promise, I'll fill you in."

"When?" Olivia demanded. "I'm not done harassing you until I have a date and time."

Seneca sighed, smiling softly as she laid back down. "What time is it now?" she asked.

"You dog!" Olivia said, scandalized. "Your dark horse kept you up all night!"

"Not exactly," she replied. "Like I said, last night was rough. But, maybe a little. What time is it?"

"Ah, eleven thirty-ish, no, closer to twelve now. You'd better call Kennedy. Can you meet me for dinner tonight?" Olivia pressed.

"Not tonight, I've gotta get my phone fixed. Unless you wanna drive me around..."

"Sold!" Olivia agreed easily. "What time and where?"

"Ah, I dunno, it's Saturday, right? So...four-ish? I don't know. Let me get my shit together first. I need to go home and change first."

"Yeah, um, about that... Please don't kill the messenger..." Olivia begged.

"What?" she demanded, instantly on edge.

"So, ah..." her friend hedged.

"Tell me, Liv!"

"Chip broke into your apartment last night. Looking for you."

"Liv, you have got to be... Are you kidding me?!"

"I'm sorry! I asked you not to kill the messenger!"

"I never told him where I lived, Liv. What do you mean when you say that he broke into my apartment? Like how?"

"He knew, Seneca, me and Kennedy didn't tell him. And, he picked your lock. It was crazy, he watched this video online and then he did it, like MacGyver style."

Seneca felt her temper begin to simmer. "You were there?!"

"I was doing damage control, Seneca!" Olivia defended. "I'm sorry! Call Kennedy, then call me later. Seneca?"

She sighed, wishing her arm wasn't broken as she tried to pinch the bridge of her nose and failed. "What, Olivia?"

"I'm glad you weren't kidnapped by a demon and dragged to hell," she teased.

"Oh yeah?" she asked, chuckling despite herself. "Who knows, it'd probably still be better than being harassed by Chip."

"Sure, whatever," Olivia agreed without agreeing. "Call me later, Seneca!"

She hung up the phone, then noticed she had thirty seven missed calls and nineteen texts, all from Chip, Kennedy, or Olivia. Well, all of those and two texts from Josh of blue satin ribbons with descriptions of where he saw them.

She smelled something good... Chinese food? Her stomach tightened, reminding her she hadn't eaten food in a while. She was so hungry that she was halfway to the door before she realized she was quite naked. She hurried back to the bed, finding her towel from the night before on the floor. It was dry, thankfully, as she tucked it around her torso.

"Godwin?" she whisper-called, leaning out into the hall.

She needed a bathroom more urgently than food. She turned around and headed towards it on cat's paws, her need to pee suddenly amping up to kidney destroying levels. She sat down and sighed in relief as she took care of her most pressing need. As she went she closed her eyes and she focused on Godwin, trying to feel his general location. He was close.

Attempting, and struggling, to successfully wash her hands almost had her in tears. On both of her hands her nails were cracked, broken and dark with dried blood. They looked so foreign that she almost didn't recognize them.

Turning the sink to full blast she cried, letting herself go, the terror and stress of the previous night leaking violently from her face. When the tears subsided, and after figuring out how to wash up with one semi-broken arm, she was as ready as she could be without clothes. She pulled the towel tight and followed the smell of take out.

Godwin sat on the cushions on the floor, Chinese takeout spread in front of him on the small table. "How is your arm, hansa? Are you hungry?" he asked. She could tell he was feeling self conscious.

"Arm hurts but it's healing. I'm starving!" she exclaimed. "What's on the menu?"

He smiled as she ran to the table in just his white towel. "Vegetable fried rice, broccoli in brown sauce, Buddha's delight and tofu hot and sour soup. I was unsure which meal you might choose, so I procured an assortment. I hope you can find something to your tastes..."

She dug in without hesitation, putting a little bit of everything on top of fried rice on her plate. He handed her a plastic container of soup and she opened it, breathing deeply.

The room was quiet as they ate. Godwin watched her, eating as well, but much more slowly than her. She would have felt bad about it any other time, but she was so hungry she couldn't be bothered.

Once her stomach was full the weight of everything came back all at once.

"What troubles you?" Godwin asked, putting down his fork.

"I don't have any clothes, and I need to call my mother," she explained between bites. "She's freaking out that I'm 'missing'."

"Are the two connected?" he asked.

"Yes. No," she replied with a heavy sigh. "Just... both are urgent."

"Understood. Clothing I have procured for you, so I can remedy that problem immediately. I had planned to bring them to you, but I heard you speaking on the telephone and did not wish to disturb, or eavesdrop." He turned and leaned over the cushions to retrieve a large paper department store bag. He handed it to her and she was surprised at how heavy it felt.

"What's this?" she asked as she looked inside.

"I procured some clothing, I believe I have your measurements approximate. I am not entirely sure if the styles will be to your liking, though."

She scrutinized him. "Where did you get these?"

He snorted. "A store. Where else would one procure new garments?"

She wanted to ask him where he got money, and if he had a job, or if he had charmed someone for these items, but thought better of it. He probably wouldn't tell her, anyway.

She would be gracious. "Thank you, Godwin. I really, really owe you, not just for this, but for everything. I, I don't even know how to begin to repay you. Maybe when I go home, except I can't go home..."

Her blood turned cold. What if he was still there, in her apartment? She couldn't risk going back.

Godwin's eyes narrowed, but his tone was still gentle. "Why are you unable to return to your home?"

"Why? Are you kicking me out already?" she asked, trying to play it off like she wasn't as freaked out about it as she was. Instead of being silly, it came out more accusative.

He frowned. "Of course not, you are welcome here, and you are free to stay as you wish. I never meant to imply you were a nuisance."

"I didn't mean it that way, I just. I don't wanna overstay my welcome.'' She couldn't meet Godwin's eyes.

There was no way Chip would be in her apartment, not if Kennedy had her say. She was just being emotional, and she'd already relied on Godwin's good graces too much, she needed to get herself in check.

He tilted his head, clearly unhappy with her response. "You are always welcome here, Seneca. You have not overstayed your welcome."

She was remembering how she took from Godwin time after time last night, even after he'd asked her not to every time. "I'm sorry I pushed it too far last night. I, it wasn't cool, what I did."

"I do not understand."

She avoided his gaze. "You told me not to drink from you, but I did. You told me not to feed you, but I did, and I went farther than you probably wanted, and I-"

"Hansa, you are safe, and you chose my arms. I regret nothing from last night, with the exception that I was unable to attend you sooner," he insisted.

"Still, I'm sorry," she said, feeling extremely guilty.

Godwin frowned and she really didn't like that she was the reason it was there, it just added to her guilt. "Stop this," he demanded. "The fault is in no way your own."

How did he not see it was entirely her fault? "If I'd broken it off with Chip before I met you, or maybe if I stopped after the first date. I let this get out of hand and now-"

"Seneca," he cut in, his voice low and serious. "You are not at fault. In no way are Chester Gibson's actions any responsibility of yours. No," he continued when she tried to interject, "I feel what you are planning to say, and I completely disagree. You are innocent, a victim in this, and you will not convince me otherwise."

She shifted, uncomfortable at the truth in his words, yet unable to believe them. She realized she was still naked, so she grabbed the bag and ran towards his room, using it as an excuse to escape.

Her phone stared at her, accusing and broken, and her guilt somehow compounded. She picked it up carefully, still holding the bag of clothing, then realized she could only hold one thing at a time, so she put the bag down.

"Seneca, oh my girl, where are you? Are you okay?" Kennedy exclaimed. The phone only rang once.

"I'm fine. I'm sorry, I..." She didn't know what to say.

"Where are you, Seneca?" her mother demanded. "Chip insisted you were abducted by a demon. My heart, Seneca, I'm not as young as I used to be. Please, tell me you're fine. Where are you? I need to see you, need to know you're okay."

"Kennedy, I'm fine. I promise. Well, almost fine. Chip broke my arm last night. But I'm okay, everything is-"

"He WHAT?!" Kennedy barked. "That son of a bitch broke your arm?! And he had the gall to tell me you were kidnapped! Where are you hiding? Let me come pick you up. How's your arm? Do you need blood? Is your lust close?"

"I wanna clarify something," she snapped, instantly pissed but not at Kennedy. "I was not kidnapped by a demon last night. I was kidnapped by Chip. He tied me up and... my demon saved me," she declared. She wasn't sure if now was a good time to introduce Godwin to her mother, but she knew it would just get harder if she didn't do it now.

There was silence on the other end of the phone. After a few of her deep breaths, Kennedy finally replied. "Your demon?"

She shifted uncomfortably on the bed. As if he knew they were talking about him, Godwin came into the room, nearly silently. Their eyes locked for a moment. "Hold on Kennedy, just a second," she said, pulling the phone away from her ear. She could hear Kennedy's protests for her not to go anywhere but she hit the mute button anyway.

"Hansa?" Godwin asked, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Can I tell her about you?" she asked, biting the inside of her cheek. "Chip told them about you, he saw you last night, Win." She bit down harder, embarrassed that she had given him a nickname in the spur of the moment, worried that he would hate it.

He smiled at her use of a nickname for him and her heart relaxed just a shred. "Win?" he teased.

"I'm sorry!" she squeaked. "I-"

"No one has ever given me a pet name. I find I quite like it."

"Olivia calls you the dark horse," she said, studying the grain of the wood floor.

He chuckled. "Does she now?" he paused for a breath. "What are you going to tell your mother? And why do you call her Kennedy? Most do not call their mother by name."

"She's my adopted mother, and she insisted I never had to call her 'mom' if I didn't want to, you know, because of, ah..." she trailed off, not ready to tell him of her rocky past.

He nodded, seeming to understand her hesitation, or at least respect her privacy. "Very well. You make the call on who to tell of my nature and we will navigate the outcome together. Perhaps you should tell her in person, though."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, I mean it, for everything," she insisted.

Godwin smiled warmly as she returned her attention to the phone. He kneeled on the floor next to the bag, digging around the contents.

Seneca returned her attention to her mother. "Kennedy?" she asked, taking the phone off mute.

"Seneca, my heart! You're going to give me a heart attack!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, I'm coming over. I have some stuff to tell you," she said, ignoring the heart attack comment. "Are you home?"

"No, I'm not, but I can be. How long 'til you're there? You're arm's broke, how you getting here? I'll come pick you up. Do you need blood?"

"Too many questions!" she exclaimed. "Yes, arm's broke, yes I need blood, I'll take the train."

"No, let me come get you, Seneca. Give me an address!"

She thought about arguing, but she recognized the tone in Kennedy's voice. "Fine, I'm..." She hit mute again and turned to Godwin, who was laying clothing out on the dresser. "Where should I have her pick me up? She wants to come get me and I'm not gonna be able to convince her otherwise," she whispered.