'Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 26\r'

'New Years Eve.\r\nWarren, Emerald Citys owner, had thrown a swank troupe at his house and invited the whole round, along with approximately fifty others. His house was enormous, and hed sp ared no expense. Waiters worked the crowd. A b ramificationan made drinks with vast flourish. A DJ spun medicine in the corner. It was probably the most elaborate party Id been to altogether year. Every integrity was having a great period.\r\nWell, except me, naturally.\r\nMaddie and exercise set were there. To motorher. It was strange to see them fall out as a couple so openly, after all the time he and I had spent hiding our relationship. besides when shed arrived grit in Seattle a hardly a(prenominal) geezerhood ago, shed made no attempts at secrecy. Every ane at the lineage had known within twenty-four hours, and it was po illumeic a source of often buzzing and speculation. The general consensus was that they were cute.\r\nAnd, ceremonial occasion them, I supposed that if I werent so solid involved, Id see they were cute too. Mostly they made me compliments to go throw up the caviar Id dear eaten. They stood together with a few other staff across the room, h ageding hands. Maddie glowed wish a succubus, talking animatedly to Beth around something. exercise set, cliped up for a change and looking gorgeous, listened with a small grin †though there was something solemn in his look. He looked uncomfort able, and I strongly suspected hed been brought here at Maddies urging. I didnt think he was the type whod dress and gag their relationship in my face, but thus, Id nalways thought hed break up with me either.\r\nJust then, he glanced up to s bear the room and met my gaze. By hap or on purpose, I couldnt say. We held each others eyes for a act. His expression grew vexationd, wistful. I dont know what tap looked like. A moment later, he turned his direction back to the others. further the small smiling was gone.\r\nâ€Å"Makes you regard to brush your teeth, doesnt it?”\r\nDoug approached me, holding what I believed to be his one-fifth rum and coke. I pointed to it.\r\nâ€Å"What, all that sugar youre deglutition?”\r\nHe grinned. â€Å"I mean my sister and Mortensen, as well you know.”\r\nI gave them one more glance, then turned back to him. â€Å"Everyone thinks theyre cute.”\r\nâ€Å"I guess. I cant limit how to feel.” He knocked back his drink. â€Å"I mean, hes sleeping with my sister, redden out? Im supposed to be, like, outraged and compulsion to defend her honor. Or something. moreover now part of mes thinking maybe theyll lay pop up it off so well that shell move in with him. And that kind of makes me… joyous.”\r\nUgh. Bad nice they were dating at all. Moving in together? I couldnt even think that off the beaten track(predicate) ahead. Theyd only been an item for a week. I silently counted to five and attempt non to say something Id regret. \r\nâ€Å"Who can say?” I murmured vaguely.\r\nDoug tip his head as he regarded me. â€Å"Always reckon youd be the one going after him, what with your ace worship and his erotic stories just about you.” He was refer make noise to a short story of Seths that had appeared in a cartridge clip non too long ago. The kinky heroine gauge an uncanny †and completely coincidental †resemblance to me.\r\nI could redact by his voice and face that Doug was joking. Hed never believed there had been anything mingled with Seth and me. Little did he know how close to main office his joke hit.\r\nâ€Å"Well,” I told him. â€Å"Looks like your sisters going to be the one in the erotic stories now.”\r\nDoug paled. â€Å"Oh my God. I never thought of that.” He glanced at his empty glass. â€Å"I gotta get other one.”\r\nI watched him go and felt a smile tug at my lips, despite my resolution to be miserable.\r\nAnd I was definitely doing a g ood cable at the miserable part. I didnt approach anyone at the party and only spoke a few words to those who tried to engage me in conversation. Id already turned down several men whod tried to fetch me a drink or get me to dance. I just wanted to be unaccompanied. Really, I shouldnt have come.\r\nâ€Å"Never thought Id see you alone at an event like this.”\r\nId felt his comportment behind me before I perceive him. â€Å"Carter, you party crasher. I know you didnt get an invitation.”\r\nâ€Å"Hey, I heard this was the place to be.”\r\nâ€Å"Isnt crashing one of the sevener deadly †consecrated shit.”\r\nThe angel had stepped in front of me. His chin-length blond tomentum cerebri was washed and brushed, and he wore khakis and a blue polo shirt. The supporting players was utterly casual and also the nicest thing Id ever seen him in.\r\nHe laughed, knowing what had surprised me. â€Å"I couldnt bitoeuvre up like I usually do. Im calm underd ressed compared to you.” I had on a form-fitting satin dress with a collar that went all the way up to my neck. Black. the likes of my mood.\r\nâ€Å"Yeah,” I state, â€Å"but if were measuring par to our normal ware, youre the best-dressed person in here.”\r\nâ€Å"This is a great party,” he said, eyeing the room. He had a drink in his hand that I swore he hadnt had a moment ago. â€Å"You dont look like youre having a very good time.”\r\nI wasnt ready to talk about that yet, not to him. Averting my eyes, I stared absentmindedly to where Doug was hitting on some woman about twenty days older than he was. The DJs current song ended, and the guitar notes of a vernal one kicked up. â€Å"Sweet Home Alabama.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh, fuck,” I said.\r\nâ€Å"What?” supplicateed Carter.\r\nâ€Å"I hate this song.”\r\nâ€Å"Really? Ive always desire it.”\r\nI sighed. â€Å"What happened to Yasmine?”\r\nHis mocking humor faded. â€Å"You know what happened to her. She belongs to nether region now. Im sure theyll make good use of her.”\r\nâ€Å"But will she do it?” I asked. â€Å"Will she genuinely turn her back on Heaven and squeeze?”\r\nâ€Å"They always do.” It was exactly what Vincent had said. â€Å"Once shes spent enough time shunned by other angels and denied the face of the inspired…well, shell want to fight against Heaven.”\r\nâ€Å"Thats stupid. Its like shes…I dont know. Like shes being forced to go bad.”\r\nâ€Å"She made the decision to fall.”\r\nâ€Å"She did it out of come! Youre always telling me that love is the most wonderful thing in the universe.”\r\nâ€Å"It is. But an angels love must be given to the queen above first, then to humanity as a whole second. It cant be bestowed on just one person †human or nephilim.”\r\nâ€Å"Thats stupid. I think the nephilim have it right thinking all of us are messed up.” I handed my glass to a passing waitress. It had been empty for a while. Hesitantly, I brought up something that was still troubling me, something this song wouldnt let me forget. â€Å"Carter…about Nyx. Her visions…are they always true?”\r\nâ€Å"As far as I know. They dont always play out like people think, though. wherefore do you ask?”\r\nâ€Å"No reason. Well, I mean, just curious about what she showed me.”\r\nâ€Å"Ah. Yeah, thats tricky.” He frowned. â€Å"Since she was actually manipulating you, its hard to say…I dont know everything about her. Whatd she show you?”\r\nâ€Å"Its not impor †â€Å"\r\n The medical specialty abruptly stopped, and from across the room, I heard person shouting numbers. â€Å"Ten…nine…”\r\nI looked at a nearby clock. Nearly midnight.\r\nâ€Å"Eight…seven…”\r\nPeople were get out noise makers and drinks. Couples were getting close. \r\nâ€Å"Six…five…”\r\nMaddie drew close to Seth. He leaned down toward her, looking nervous.\r\nâ€Å"Four…three…”\r\nI clutched Carters arm. I couldnt watch this. I couldnt watch Seth and Maddie kiss. â€Å"Get me out of here,” I gasped, suddenly having trouble breathing.\r\nâ€Å"Two…”\r\nâ€Å"Carter! Get me †â€Å"\r\nThe world exploded in color around me. Cold night ship blasted my face. Disoriented, I staggered and felt Carter catch my arm to steady me. We stood on top of a roof, straightaway facing the blank shell Needle. Fireworks burst around it in showers of rainbow sparks. The accompanying noise startled me, and I gasped. further away, other fireworks sparkled on the horizon.\r\nâ€Å"Best view in the city,” joked Carter.\r\nI stared around, still conf utilize, until I was finally able to triangulate our position. â€Å"Were on top of the bookstore.”\r\nHe released my arm, and we stood the re watching the fireworks for several minutes. We were so close to the Space Needle that I could soon smell the pile as the wind blew over us. I started to rub my arms, then remembered to shape-shift on a coat.\r\nâ€Å"A new year has all sorts of possibilities, Georgina,” Carter finally said, eyes still on the show.\r\nâ€Å"Not for me. Ive wooly all mine. Ive lost Seth. I screwed up.”\r\nâ€Å"Its not all your fault. Relationships are symbiotic. Takes 2 to make them work, two to make them fall apart. Seths got vision of blame in this.”\r\nI shook my head. â€Å"No…the things he did. It was my fault.”\r\nâ€Å"Youre missing the big picture, Daughter of Lilith. Youre forgetting Niphons role. What was he trying to do?”\r\nâ€Å"Ruin my life,” I said bitterly. â€Å"He had a part, yeah, but he complex what Id already messed up.”\r\nâ€Å"Why? Whyd he do it?”\r\nâ€Å"Because he hates me.”\r\nCarter sighed.  "Youre not getting it.”\r\nI turned toward him. â€Å"What do you mean? What more is there to get?”\r\nâ€Å" save so much I can tell you. Only so much I can interfere.” He fell silent as a particularly showy burst of silver sparkles lit the night sky.\r\nThe deli conversation with Hugh came back to me. â€Å"Did…did he really mess something up with my contract? Is it damage?”\r\nâ€Å"Thats your sides business. I cant tell you anything about that.” He sighed erstwhile more. â€Å"I can tell you that eternity is an awfully long time to keep accruing and carrying around guilt.”\r\nâ€Å"Why do you care so much?” I demanded. â€Å"Why do you care so much about what happens to me and Seth?”\r\nHe looked back down at me. â€Å"I like happy endings. I like helping make them happen.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, well. You kind of fucked this one up.”\r\nHis old, cynical smile returned. â€Å"You want to go home?”\r\nI turned toward the Space Needle. â€Å"I want to finish the show.”\r\nâ€Å"Okay.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh, hey. Wait.” I reached into my purse and pulled out a cashmere knit hat. I handed it to him. â€Å"Merry Christmas. dreary I didnt wrap it.”\r\nCarter examined his Secret Santa present, then put it on. â€Å"Neat.”\r\nWhen he did finally take me home, he used the same angelic teleportation that always made me or so nauseous. Aubrey greeted my entrance, rubbing against my legs as I fumbled for the lights. Beneath the floor, it sounded like my neighbors were having a party.\r\nI kicked my heels off in the nerve centre of the living room floor and walked toward my bedroom, unbuttoning my dress as I went. I let it fall to the floor, happy to be free of the tight fabric. Opening my imperativeness door, I knelt down and began rummaging through it until I unearthed the old shoe case again.\r\nReaching up to the gunpoint just above my breastbone, I found Set hs ring on its chain. I unfastened it and held the ring in one hand for a long time, double-dyed(a) at its smooth, shining surface and winking sapphires. I took out the old worn ring from the box and held it in my other hand. For a while, I just sat there, looking back and forth between the two. They were different…and yet so alike. You were destined for heartache. And are going to repeat that forever. You arent learning. You arent changing.\r\nWith a sigh, I rigid both rings into the box, next to a threatening gold cross. I closed the lid and shoved it all back into the closet.\r\nIt was over. It was all over.\r\nStill half-naked, I walked back to where Id dropped my purse and found my cell phone. I dialed a number and waited.\r\nâ€Å"Hello?”\r\nâ€Å"Dante? This is Georgina.”\r\nâ€Å"Who?”\r\nWith a start, I realised Id never actually told him my name. â€Å"The succubus.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh.” I had a mental picture hed already recognized m y voice. â€Å"Happy New Year.”\r\nI took a deep breath. â€Å"Are you free this evening?”\r\n at that place was a long, pregnant pause. â€Å"What about the man in the dream?” he finally asked. â€Å"There is no man in the dream.”\r\n'