The Pink Cat Ch. 02

"I've no problem, so long as you stop cockblocking Tank."

A pale skinned male slid towards the bar, leaning over me as if I didn't exist. Blonde hair. Asshole. Yeah, that must be Adam Shipman.

"Most people at least buy me dinner before getting that close," I said dourly.

"Most bitches move so a man can get a drink," replied the blonde.

Rose blanched, moving at near-light speed to pour a scotch on the rocks and handing it to Adam. The bartender flashed me a furtive glance before returning to shoo away the drunker biker again. Rollo's eyes followed her as she moved quickly and handled her bar.

Yeah, my companion had developed an instant crush on the human. Just like I'd developed one on the bouncer, Tank.

As I though of him, the talisman under my shirt pulsed with power and I gasped at the abrupt liquid heat that shot through me. I drank more beer, struggling to ignore the vivid image of Tank and I locked in a mating dance and screaming with pleasure.

Make him yours

I whipped my head around, searching for the owner of the smooth, feminine voice that had just whispered my darkest desire.

No one near me could have made that suggestion. More magic pulsed through the talisman and my heart began racing in time with the waves of magic that filled my breast and sex. Never had I experienced such a potent power boost. I loved it and hated it all at the same time. The club, with all its tinny music and peculiar odors, faded away as my body reacted to the power filling me.

I clenched my teeth together just so I didn't scream out as I orgasmed to the mere thought of rutting with Tank.

Fuck. Tank.

How could I possibly react so strongly to a human? Flashes of our tangled, naked bodies filled my vision. Me on my knees before him, belly round with a new life.

Not something possible.

Another wave of lust crushed my will and this time a small noise escaped me as my sex exploded, leaving me soaked and panting slightly.

Succubi, especially those of us tethered to a master, don't get to have children. Or mates of our choosing.

Disgusted, I pushed the vision of Tank from my head. As badly as I wanted the human, I could never truly enjoy him. I decided to forget the idea of sex with the muscle-bound human.

"Fuck," I snarled savagely.

"Sumthin' wrong, babe?"

I snapped my head up, ready to verbally repel the owner of that voice. Adam Shipman was staring at me with those cocky, loathsome eyes. Behind him, Rollo leaned against the bar. The half-demon's expression clearly told me that he'd seen whatever the hell happened to me and was worried.

"Yeah," I said, "damned beer is empty. And I'm bored as hell."

Adam turned towards the bar, snapping his fingers as though he was an important person. The more I stared at him, the more I hated every fiber of his being. This wasn't how I normally acted. Cool and calculating are the hallmarks of my working mode.

The talisman vibrated against my chest as I took the bottle offered by Adam. He met my gaze for a moment as if transfixed. His eyes glassy, the man shook his head and took an involuntary step back before one of his human guard dogs stepped forward and caught him.

A thought crept into my head as I sipped my beer. A theory, more precisely. I tipped the bottle as a salute to Adam and walked past, ignoring the suspicious stare of his more animated bodyguard. Grinning, I walked past Rollo and headed directly towards the drunken biker, who was once again trying to steal a bottle from behind the bar. I waved the obviously annoyed Rose away and hopped up on the stool next to him, studying the beer-bellied man with a critical eye. In the distance, I could see Tank forcing his way through the crowd with a very intent look on his face.

"Hey," I shouted over a terribly doctored version of a Bon Jovi hit, "you know you're about to get your ass thrown out of here, right?"

The biker blew out an astonishingly foul blast of beer-tainted air and reached for my chest.

Oh, this was going to be fun.

Tank was now actively throwing people out of the way, trying hard to reach the bar before things got worse. I wondered if the man was coming to throw out a problem drunk or save me. Or maybe a little of both. Rollo still leaned casually against the bar, though his worried expression had shifted into one of amusement.

"Yer 'bout to get fucked lady, know that?" the drunken man leered at me.

Rose was reaching under the bar, her eyes locked on the biker standing next to me.

Unconcerned, I sipped my beer.

The talisman hummed against my skin, pushing unimaginable power into my slender human body. I grinned viciously as I let the power build into something I'd never felt before. The power rose within me, pulsing like a living thing. I let it consume me, enjoying the sensation as I became one with something incredible. I sighed contently.

I was ready.

Smiling, I gently set my empty bottle on the bar top and turned to face the bearded man. He was several inches taller than me and most likely handsome before he spent several years drinking away his problems.

"Her name was Violet," I said quietly. "You met her at Sturges when you were both young." I opened myself more, pulling his history from his unprotected brain. "You loved her, more than anything, didn't you, Toby?"

The man pulled himself upright, towering over me as he finally comprehended what I'd said. I leaned against the bar, unconcerned and confident that my companion would protect me from all threats as I worked this new magic. I felt Rollo's presence as he worked his way around the room in order to flank my victim.

"You were great at first, weren't you Toby? Got a decent job. Took Violet on rides on the weekends," I leered. "But you couldn't stay away from that meth, could you?"

"Fucking bitch," Toby snarled as his massive fists clenched.

"You hid it at first, especially after she told you about the baby," I said quietly as I circled around and made the biker turn around. I could no longer see Tank, but I felt his approach. And his worry.

Toby's lip curled upwards, revealing his uneven, yellowed teeth as he growled angrily. Rose hovered on the edge of my vision holding up the business end of her baseball bat.

I smirked as I filtered through the biker's memories. Through his guilt. Oh yes, Toby had been a very bad boy.

"Did you mean to kill them when you kept punching her in the head, Toby?"

Toby bellowed, his fist arcing through the air and towards my unprotected head.

A hundred things happened around me and I could see them all. Rollo pushing himself off the bar, eyes bright with vicious intent. Rose pulling backwards into a respectable batter's position. Tank throwing a chair out of his way, massive hand open and reaching for the rampaging biker.

I smiled as I finally understood what the talisman truly meant.

"Stop," I whispered.

Toby's fist, dirty and cracked from lack of skin care, froze in the air before me. The biker honestly wanted to cause me harm, but he simply could not force his body to do it.

"Put your hands down and buy me another beer, Toby."

The biker dropped his hands and pulled out his wallet before turning towards Rose.

"The lady wants a beer."

I scowled at him. "Say please."

"Please, ma'am," Toby repeated faithfully.

"Don't forget a decent tip," I said casually as he handed me my drink. "That hundred hidden behind your expired driver's license will do."

Toby obeyed, pulling the folded bill from his time-beaten wallet and handing it to Rose. He turned towards me, eyes empty and body waiting for my next command.

Rollo pulled up just short of the biker. The half-demon immediately dropped back into a casual lean against the bar, though his eyes suggested he was anything but calm. Tank, unable to stop his forward momentum, crashed into the biker. Toby did nothing.

I walked forward, waving for the biker to lower his ear.

"You will go outside with my companion, you foul piece of shit. You will submit to the demon who awaits you and you will serve Shehazau for an eternity. Do you understand?"

Toby nodded before turning towards the exit door. Rollo stared at me for a second, and then followed the retreating biker.

Rose blew out a relieved sigh. I glanced at her, noting that her weapon of choice had already disappeared underneath the bar. I grinned and reclaimed the bar stool before turning towards Tank.

Our eyes locked and we exchanged the heated look of long-denied lovers. Tank heaved in a deep breath and his body reacted, quite obviously taken up with lust. I licked my lips and ran my hands along the taunt muscles of his abdomen.

"Uh, guys," said Rose. "Look, I'm all for instant attraction and all that, but fucking Adam is at the other end of the bar. Tank, get it together or you'll get fired, babe."

Tank didn't reply but took a very slow step backwards.

"I fucking want you," he growled as he turned away and disappeared back into the crowd.

Nearly panting with lust, I drained my beer and gave Rose a pleading look. She deposited another bottle in front of me, her eyes giving away her suspicion.

"What the hell was that?" she whispered as she worked at cleaning the bar.

"Which part?" I grunted as I drank the bottle down.

"The biker part," said Rose. "I got the part that you and Tank need to hook up."

"I'm good at reading people," I answered simply.

I glanced around, taking in the crowd as I cooled off with my drink. Tank was across the room, his eyes locked on me. I looked away before my stare brought him back over. No point in getting the man in trouble before I took things over.

Rollo returned, glaring at the thin man who'd sat down next to me. I grinned at my companion.

"Too dangerous, mistress," he said simply.

"No, my friend," I replied. "Not too dangerous at all. Our mistress has been most generous."

I laughed and propped my elbows up on the bar, letting my gaze settle on the blonde owner.

Tonight was about to get a hell of a lot more interesting.