Chapter 14 ∣  You Smell Like Him

-Eris

How dare he?

He had no right to sift through my past. Of course...it would have been transferred to him through my blood. I can't believe how easily I had forgotten he could see my memories.

I could see it in his eyes...passing judgment on me.

The full moon cast its iridescent beams, shimmering on the stray puddles of water in the gutters of the street. The rain had been pouring down hard since I had left my apartment, closing myself off from the world that day. I didn't want to see anyone...speak to anyone, but now that the sun had set, I moved through the front doors of the Dv8 Strip Club.

If he's wise, he'll stay away from me.

The anger that had built up within me had slowly dissipated, replaced by sorrow. I didn't even give him a chance...but he couldn't blame me.

Maybe it's better this way...then I don't have to explain my past. But what's worse? My telling him, or Maverick seeing it for himself?

My boots echoed as I stepped down the staircase to the lower changing room, removing my jacket and lazily throwing it to the ground.

Wow...look at that, you're starting to rub off on me.

After quickly changing out of my street clothes and replacing my attire with my usual tight black booty shorts and a midriff top, I strapped my feet into my heels. Gazing back at my reflection in the mirror, the lights flickering gently, I just wished for a second chance.

I can't handle being put through the shit those two had made me endure...trusting in another dominate persona, was something I was a little uneasy about. Maverick did tell me he wouldn't hurt me...and I had been willing to surrender my control over to him with his promise.

"I have to apologize...yes, I was mad...but he didn't deserve the way I lashed out at him," I brushed my long black hair back, turning away from the mirror and climbing the stairs to the upper level of the club. "It's my own insecurities I need to work on...and I had offered him to feed on me."

**

It didn't really surprise me that I hadn't seen Maverick all night. Usually, I'm trying to use vampire repellant to keep him away, which never seemed to work. Except for now. It's my fault for telling him to go away...

"You..." I heard a somewhat familiar voice come from behind me, and rather close I might add.

Spinning around on the bar stool that I had been occupying, I held onto the top of it as I came face to face with Tristan.

What the fuck is he doing in a strip club? He looks...barely older than 18...This was a 21 and older club, so why is he in here and what motherfucking bouncer allowed him in?

If it's you, Mason, I swear I'll get your ass fired.

I tilted my head to the side, trying to figure out what Tristan was looking at.

Why...is he staring at me that way?

In his eyes, held hatred...if I didn't know any better, it seemed as though he wanted to...he has those same eyes Maverick had when he wanted to kill me. What the hell did I do?!

"Excuse me?" I asked, Tristan, taking a step closer to me as he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Is he smelling the air...or me?

Tristan's eyes snapped open and in the next moment he let out a low, threatening growl from the back of his throat.

What the fuck? Seriously?

"You smell like him," Tristan stated, his brown eyes darkening ever so slightly, slow becoming void of emotion.

I smell like who?

Could he be vaguer?

Sighing with irritation, I pushed myself off the bar stool, and what took me by surprise, Tristan stood his ground and didn't back off away from me. We stood just a foot apart from each other, tension rising. He clenched his hands into fists, and I wasn't sure if he was going to lash out here, right in the middle of the strip club.

Mason...I'm not just going to get you fired...I'll take your god damn soul!

I moved sideways, ignoring the very angry teenager, "Look, I've no idea what you are talking about. I met you once, now ju-"

Before I could say another word, Tristan had wrapped his right hand around my upper left arm. Though he appeared weaker in stature, he had strength behind his actions. "You're not going anywhere."

"Fuck off," I glared at him and managed to pry his fingers from my arm.

He growled once more, this time snatching my left wrist and pulling me towards him. Almost losing my balanced I yelled, "BRICE!"

You wouldn't believe the power I have over these men as Brice, Mason, and Teddy, our veteran bouncer appeared out of nowhere, surrounding Tristan and myself.

"The hell you think you're doing kid?" Brice's anger was turning his face red at the thought of someone trying to harm his prized stripper.

Ha! Got ya asshat. I narrowed my eyes as Tristan slowly loosened his grip on my wrist until he had completely let go.

Yea...don't fuck with me in this place, you'll lose every time.

Teddy and Mason grabbed each of Tristan's upper arms and began to drag him out of the strip club. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and held the death glare that Tristan was giving me.

"Eris? Did he hurt you?" Brice asked, coming to stand beside me.

"No, he didn't..." I kept my arms crossed as I turned to my boss and asked, "Now, how did he get in here?"

Brice shook his head, Mason and Teddy coming back from throwing that little brat's ass out. I pointed my finger at Mason and asked, "You were at the door tonight...how did you let a teenager get in?"

Mason shook his head and replied, "I-I left for just a moment..."

Rolling my eyes, I scoffed at him. This is exactly why Teddy should always be at the door...he'd never let a little brat into this establishment. Oh well, it's almost time to go home anyways.

The night had flown by, but the only thing that had been on my mind...was Maverick.

The lights flickered on, the stray clients that had stayed to the end were now being ushered out the doors. Following the other girls down into the lower level to change into our street clothes and go home, Salana asked me gently, "Hey, are you okay?"

"Fine, why?" I was distracted, sliding on my jeans and throwing my leather jacket on over my dark blue and black long-sleeved shirt.

Salana arched an eyebrow at me and replied, "You...just seem different. You're not yourself and I wanted to make sure everything was alright..."

"I'm fine..." I flipped my hair out from under the jacket, the ebony locks blending in with the back of my jacket.

Salana seemed on edge as she whispered, "Are you...you know?"

"Know what?!" I was tired of people playing games with me, first Tristan, now Salana.

"T-t-the vampire who bit you," Salana started, but the look on my face made her wish she hadn't brought it up, "Are you h-his pet or-or slave now? Is that why you are so different?"

Seriously?

I threw my wrists out in front of me and stated, "Does it look like I'm in chains? No. I didn't think so. Stop asking stupid questions. I was bitten. That was the end of it. Nothing more."

"O-okay," Salana nodded as I let my arms fall to my sides, walking around her as I made my way back up the stairs to the main floor.

I'm nobody's pet, slave, play toy...whatever the fuck you want to call it.

"Have a good day, Eris," Teddy waved me out the door as the sun began to creep above the city buildings. The red hues that stained the sky had a shiver crawling from the base of my neck to the bottom of my spine.

Red at night, shepherd's delight. Red in the morning, shepherd's warning.

At least the rain had stopped. It was cold enough to see my breath form into a cloud in front of my mouth as I exhaled, starting to walk towards the apartment complex. People were just starting to wake up as my night had ended, sighing heavily as I was trying to figure out a way to get in touch with Maverick, but that thought was quickly cut short as I heard a growl from across the street.

I turned my head towards the other side of the street, Tristan leaning against the lamp post with his arms crossed rigidly against his chest as the light flickered off, the sun becoming bright enough to trigger the automatic response.

What the hell does he want?

"Why do you smell like him?" Tristan asked, his eyes narrowing on me as he crossed the street. I took a step sideways and away from him. I probably shouldn't have done that, as my display of weakness caused him to surge forward at a speed like Maverick's.

He slammed me onto the ground, pinning me down with all the strength he had. Shockingly, I was able to fight back, struggling beneath him. Tristan's surprise reflected my own as I managed to flip him beneath of me, straddling his waist.

"What the fuck do you keep yammering about?!" I was tired of being the victim. Although, the last time I got fed-up...I killed Prince Kalyn and was banished here. I wasn't sure what the consequences of my actions would be this time.

"He's going to kill you, then he's going to kill your beloved," Tristan fought back, snarling at me as something began to change in him.

I was confused...my beloved? What is he talking about? Succubi don't have beloveds...the only slightly "compatible" being would be an incubus.

Who is he talking about?

Tristan's bones began to make the most stomach-churning noise, the crunching and snapping startling me. The energy shift was like the one that was displayed back in the Starbucks, but this one wasn't just a momentary shift. No, this one was holding onto the power it had.

A slight fear began to creep through my body. I released Tristan and sprang to my feet, my boots echoing off the cement sidewalk. The snarls from behind me made my heart pound faster, desperately attempting to reach the apartment complex. I really wasn't sure how that was going to protect me, but maybe if I was around other people, he wouldn't try to kill me.

At the last second, I made it into the complex door, slamming the glass door behind me as I stared at a smaller than average gray wolf gazing back at me. Its lips were pulled back, showing its teeth as it snarled and growled at me through the glass. It took two steps towards the door and then decided to halt, lifting its chin to the sky and howling.

What. The. Fuck.

Why the hell was a werewolf chasing me?

I didn't do shit to him!

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To Seduce a Succubus by K. A. Young.

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