Chapter 4 ∣  Stop Following Me!

-Eris

Considering I slept all night and worked for like what...two hours? I was fully awake for the day, the sun warming my skin as I stared out of the window.

Maverick.

Yea, he's trouble.

After discarding my dancing outfit and the jacket that I had stolen—I mean borrowed—from one of the clients at the strip club, I threw on a pair of dark denim jeans, a white and blue V-neck shirt, and a pair of low-heeled black boots. I could just pick my other clothes up tonight after my shift...if I was still residing in this city after last night.

I didn't have anywhere I could run to?

Where would I go?

He already had my scent, so what was the point in trying to run? And what the hell did he mean by I'm different, just like him? He's a rogue and kills for fun and pleasure...how am I just like him? I go out of my way to not take a soul...just barely getting by. This ass-hat had me so confused, I wasn't sure exactly what he wanted with me.

Walking into the bathroom, I pulled out a hair tie from the drawer and flipped the light switch. The light came on.

Figures it was him. I wasn't even sure of myself anymore and what this pureblood had the power to do.

Fuck it.

Hastily fastening my long black hair into a ponytail, clicking the light off and half jogging to my apartment door, I breathed in deeply. For so many years, I was able to evade and keep myself off the radar, and now I was the single target on his screen.

Reaching for the door handle, I pulled my hand back, the sound of my iPhone vibrating on the kitchen counter drew my attention away. Snatching the device quickly and throwing open the door, my eyes fixated on the now unlocked screen. I closed the door silently behind me, a text message flashing in the upper left corner.

'If you don't show up for work tonight, I'll consider it your resignation.'

Panic filled me. I had no idea what to do.

'Brice, please.'

'Eris, I can't keep doing this. Get your ass to work tonight or you're fired.'

Shit!

I gripped the phone tightly, raising it in my hand, but caught myself before I unleashed my fury and let the phone smash into the wall. Instead, I stuffed the phone into my back pocket and rubbed my forehead with irritation.

I have what, about twelve hours to sort out what I'm going to do? I had saved up and I could easily leave town, but there was no work lined up for me and no place for me to stay. Yea, getting a job would be the easy part, but if there were no places renting, I would be stuck on the streets. I could persuade someone or stay in a hotel...damn it!!! Everything was working just fine before he showed up!

"Eris?" Mrs. Carter, my next-door neighbor had emerged from her apartment, a concerned look on her tired face. "I heard something briefly, are you okay?"

"Yea," I responded, pushing away from my door and heading down the stairs, "I tripped in the dark, I thought I saw the bogeyman."

Mrs. Carter chuckled, "Well, good thing he's only a fairytale."

Too bad vampires weren't.

Too bad I wasn't.

I blinked my eyes, the sunshine blinding me as the door to the apartment complex shut behind me. My energy was spent, it had been now twenty-four hours since I had fed off the energy of a human. Just as one passed by me, it took every ounce of control I had to keep myself from letting the monster inside of me take over, restraining my eyes from shifting. The sweet old lady waved at me, a kind gesture, as she continued walking her poodle down the street.

I'm not going anywhere until I satisfy my craving.

My breathing became shallow, my vision crossing as I stumbled down the sidewalk. I managed to get a few blocks away from the apartment complex before turning down a side alley. I grimaced in pain, planting one of my hands against the brick wall of the building, steadying myself from collapsing on the ground. This worked for a whole of two minutes before my hand slipped and I fell sideways.

Instead of hitting the cold cement, I collided into a strong chest, arms catching me as my vision continued to drift in and out.

"Hey, hey, are you okay?" A male voice asked with concern.

"See! We should have stayed out of town today..." a female voice exclaimed, "We shouldn't be a part of this!"

"You'd rather I leave the human here and let her die?" The male asked, his voice holding little authority over the female.

The female responded, "No, not really...but we were just supposed to get food and restock supplies, besides...Declan didn't want me going into town without him."

"Willow, it's fine," the male responded.

"Is it really? Hendrix, we need to leave," Willow's voice was uneasy, "There's something about her that just doesn't sit right with me."

"At least let me take her to the hospital," Hendrix lifted me up into his arms. Yea...because a hospital is going to be able to fix me. Through my slitted eyes, I saw Willow walking quickly beside the one who was carrying me to safety. But, would I truly be safe? I didn't even know who these two were and why they were referring to me as a human. Considering the sun was out, I knew they weren't vampires and vampires wouldn't have been so kind as this man had been.

**

The sound of a faint beeping brought me out of my coma-like state. My eyes opening slowly, I found myself laying on a hospital bed in a white gown, an IV in my arm as my finger had a heart monitor locked around it. It began to beep quicker as I lifted up from the bed, the old fashion clock above the door reading that it was a quarter to six. I did feel slightly better, but my body was exhausted.

I pulled the IV from my arm, pressing where it had been in my vein as I slipped the heart monitor off my finger. The heart monitor flat-lined, a nurse immediately running into the room and clutching her heart in relief when she saw me sitting up on the bed.

Okay...you'll have to do.

As she walked briskly over to my side, I threw my hand out and caught her wrist firmly. The sound of the clipboard clattering to the floor in the nurse's surprise covered the gasp that left her lips. Gliding my hand up her arm, I watched as she melted into my touch.

Standing to my feet gingerly, I eyed her seductively, catching the side of her face in my hand as I leaned her against the wall. Her breathing quickened, a breathless moan leaving her lips as mine contacted hers. They were soft and sweet, inviting me to delve further as she parted them needful, allowing my tongue to dance with hers.

My free hand cascaded down her shoulder, over her left breast and grasping it firmly under her uniform. Her body was responding perfectly, my lips leaving hers.

"More...more...please," the nurse's chocolate brown eyes begged me, wanting me to fulfill her sexual desires. I would have met each one of her wants and needs, but I didn't know how far away from the Dv8 Strip Club I was, so I didn't have the time.

I smiled at her, my lips making contact once more. My hands slid down both of her arms, reaching her hands and lacing our fingers together. I brought her hands up and above her head, leaving her elbows bent. Her breath hitch as I felt her overwhelming sexual energy radiating from her body and I couldn't control myself any longer.

Pulling my lips an inch away from her luscious red ones, my eyes shifted to an electric blue, the exhilarating draining of her energy filled me with strength, revitalizing me.

I can't let myself go that long again...I can't...

It was almost too much for me. The nurse's soul was bubbling to the surface as I glimpsed it briefly in my eyes. I gasped, pulling myself away from her and glancing to the floor. My breathing was ragged, her eyes fluttering shut as I had almost stolen her very soul, threatening to send her to purgatory.

Her body slumped against the wall. I released her hands and caught her gently, lifting her weakened body and setting her down in the hospital bed.

Yea, you need this bed a whole hell of a lot more than I do.

My eyes caught sight of a bag hanging at the foot of the bed, Jane Doe written on it as well as every other identification item. At least they didn't know who I was. I sighed with relief at that thought. I pulled the bag away, peering inside and noticing it held my clothes that I had worn when I left the apartments.

Abruptly stopping, I narrowed my eyes as they slowly shifted back and whispered, "Who were they?"

As I undressed from the gown and adjusted my clothes back onto my body, my thoughts traveled to the two mysterious individuals who called me a human.

If I recall...Hendrix and Willow?

Vampires can't walk in the sunlight...well...whoever they were, at least the guy was nice and wanted to make sure I was alright.

"Fuck..." Lost in my thoughts, the glaring clock reminded me that I now only have five minutes to get to work.

Great...what else could possibly go wrong?!

No, wait...I don't want to know.

Don't tell me.

Please.

Walking towards the door to the hospital room, I took hold of the handle, slowly pulling the door inwards and wrapping around until I stood in the hallway. I brought the door to shut silently behind me, my hand behind my back as I noticed the staff was thinning out for the night shift to start.

Glancing from my left and then right, I saw the giant green neon sign labeled: EXIT on the right-hand side of the building. My steps were deliberate, trying to keep my head down and bring my hand to hide the side of my face as I moved past the security guard.

I have no idea who knows if I am a patient or not. Best be safe than sorry. The last thing I needed, is someone stopping me...I won't let anyone come in between me and my fight to survive. As of right now, my job was the one thing I had established, and I'd be damned if a fucking vampire was going to stand in my way.

Pureblood or not...

Well...okay maybe not.

I sighed with frustration, running down the sidewalk as the iridescent street lights illuminated my pathway.

'Where are you?'

While keeping my pace, I held my phone in my right hand, scrolling through the text message that Brice had just sent me, the bright light from the screen lighting up my face.

'I'll be ri'

I unconsciously slammed into something hard directly in front of me. Before a single thought could process, I landed hard on my ass while I lost my grip on my phone, sending it a few feet away from me. While my phone had been airborne, I threw my hands out behind me, hissing in slight pain for a moment. Luckily, the energy was still running through me, the pain immediately subsided as quickly as it came.

Okay...no driving and texting...maybe no running and texting either next time.

The fuck I just run int-

I lifted my chin up, my eyes meeting the tall figure before me, his dark trench coat blowing gently in the wind.

Oh hell no...

I froze, unsure if Maverick had come back to finish the job and kill me...what other possible reason did he have to seek me out?

He narrowed his eyes at me, the once hazel blue eyes shifted to those haunting black roses.

Fuck! Yep, back to finish the job.

I scrambled to my feet, snatching up my phone. He remained still, watching me with suspicious eyes.

What are you waiting for?

The screen lite up the cement from the sidewalk, the buzz notification almost had me dropping my phone once again. I knew it had to be Brice, but it really didn't matter if he was going to kill me for being late and fire me.

No, because this pure blood was going to do his job for him.

Darting to his left, I was hoping to duck under his arm as it suddenly lifted from his side. That thought never became a reality, his hand latching onto my upper arm and throwing me against the brick wall, my phone colliding with the sidewalk for the second time tonight.

Locking my muscles, I managed to avoid my head snapping back into the wall, keeping still as he searched my face with his eyes.

"You're still here," his deep voice was at my ear, his disbelief was evident, having thought my presence remaining on Earth had been a fluke, a trick.

"Where the fuck do you think I would go?!" I brought my free hand up, pressing against his chest and attempting to throw him off of me. Just like in my room, he held me still, grabbing my wrist with his other hand and placing it beside my head on the wall.

Maverick growled at me stating, "Back to where you came from."

"Well...obviously not. Note the woman you have pinned against the wall," I spat at him, my irritation growing with this vampire, "Oh, right. That would be me."

My cheek seared with pain, his hand that had been holding my wrist having backhanded me across the face faster than my eyes could track. My head tilted to the side from the sudden blow.

"Don't you speak to me that way again sweetheart," Maverick's voice was dangerous, daring me to talk back to him.

I slowly brought my face back, my eyes locking with his, "If you're not going to kill me...I'm about to lose my job..."

"That trashy strip club?" His eyebrows rose.

I glared at him and bit my tongue from lashing out. Instead, I nodded and replied, "It's all I have, and I-I need it."

Wow...am I really going to cry and break down in front of this ass-hat?

Apparently.

"I'm not going to kill you," Maverick replied, pausing as he released his hold of my upper arm. He reached down to the ground, picking my phone up and handing it to me. "Not yet anyway."

You're oh so kind...so you're putting me on death row. I just don't know when my execution is coming.

Great!

"Now," he continued, swiftly lifting me up into his arms. I thrashed for a moment, his muscles tensing as he kept my body in place against his chest, one arm under my legs and the other wrapped around my shoulder. "Let's get you to that pathetic "job" of yours."

Published on Amazon as an ebook and paperback.

To Seduce a Succubus by K. A. Young.

If you don't have a Kindle and can't purchase the book off Amazon, you are more than welcome to join my Patreon page and receive downloadable PDFs under the Pack Tracker Tier.

Please click on the link on my bio.

https://www.patreon.com/SerenityR0se