Page 9 of Sins of the Succubus

"I want to burn this whole fucking place to the ground," she whispers fiercely.

I can't help but grin. "Now that's more like it."

I've lived for eons, seen civilizations rise and fall, but I've never felt anything quite like this.

Neela seems equally affected. The suspicion in her eyes gradually gives way to curiosity, then to something warmer. She leans in, drinking in every word I say like a parched traveler at an oasis.

"I've never met anyone like you," she admits, a shy smile playing on her lips.

I lean back, smirking. "Of course you haven't."

I lean in closer, my eyes locked on Neela's. The fire in her gaze is intoxicating, a perfect match for the inferno raging inside me. "You know, darling, there's something about you that sets you apart from every other creature in this shithole."

Neela's lips curl into a smirk. "Oh? And what might that be?"

"You've got balls," I growl, a grin spreading across my face. "Most mortals would've pissed themselves by now, sitting across from someone like me."

She leans back, crossing her arms. "Maybe I'm not like most mortals."

"Fuck no, you're not," I agree, raising my glass in a mock toast. "To unique creatures in a world full of boring shit."

Neela laughs, a genuine sound that sends a shiver down my spine. "I'll drink to that," she says, clinking her glass against mine.

As we talk, I notice a change in Neela. The fear and hesitation that clouded her eyes earlier begin to fade, replaced by a growing confidence. She matches me quip for quip, her wit as sharp as a dagger.

"You know," she says, leaning forward conspiratorially, "Most men who come in here are all hands and no substance."

I snort. "Trust me, darling, I've got plenty of both."

Her eyes rake over me, lingering on my chest before meeting my gaze again. "I don't doubt it."

The air between us crackles with tension. I find myself leaning in, drawn to her like a moth to flame. "Tell me, Neela," I murmur, my voice low and husky, "what would you do if you could leave this place?"

She pauses, considering. "I'd see the world," she says finally. "I'd go wherever I wanted, do whatever I pleased. No one telling me what to do or how to act."

"Sounds like freedom," I muse.

"Freedom," she echoes, her eyes distant. "I wonder what that feels like."

I lean back, studying Neela with growing frustration. What the fuck is it about this woman? Her despair drew me here like a moth to flame, and her anger... fuck, it's intoxicating. But there's something else, something that's driving me mad trying to figure out.

"You're not what I expected," I growl, narrowing my eyes.

Neela raises an eyebrow. "Oh? And what did you expect?"

"A broken toy," I admit. "But you're... different."

She laughs, a bitter sound that sends a shiver down my spine. "Trust me, I'm plenty broken."

I lean forward, my voice low. "No. You're not. That's what's so fucking infuriating about you."

Her eyes widen, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. "You don't know me."

"I know enough," I counter. "I've seen countless souls crushed under the weight of their misery. But you? You're still fighting."

Neela's jaw clenches. "What choice do I have?" She stands, taking her last sip to show that she's done her part before excusing herself to get back to work.

Oh, everyone has a choice. And I'm more than ready to make mine.