AURORA
Snow drags me back to our apartments.
Panic, confusion, and fear swirl inside me, twisting tighter with every breath until I can’t tell where one begins and another ends.
I was right, they wanted Talon all along.
“We need to get Ariel,” Snow says, coding into the front door of our apartment building. The lock opens with a click and a gasp.
“What were you doing, out in a catsuit, in the dead of night?” I ask, taking a closer look at the tight-fitting, black matte outfit that has nothing to do with clubbing or the Poison Apple.
“Err, new workout routine?” she says, blinking those big blue eyes at me.
I cross my arms. “With daggers?”
A lopsided grin blooms on her face as she unlocks the door to her and Ariel’s apartment. “Okay yeah, maybe not the Zumba class everyone else is taking. Let’s just say, you aren’t the only one who’s been keeping secrets.”
Ariel is dead asleep until Snow crashes the door open and flings on the lights. “Wake up girl, our friend needs us,” Snow announces loudly.
“What the hell, Snow,” Ariel says groggily as she shields her eyes from the overhead attack of light.
“Talon has been taken,” she says.
“Wh-what?” Ariel asks, still waking up.
“Talon has been kidnapped by vampires. Keep up,” Snow claps. “We need to get Rap and figure what the hell is going on and save his big broody ass.”
Ariel throws back the sheets and transitions into her chair faster than I thought anyone capable. She rolls to the chest of drawers and pulls out a black band tee shirt.
“Aren’t vampires only hanging in the Midnight Realm?” Ariel asks.
With her back to us, she throws off the silk camisole and tugs on the shirt before going about changing her pants next.
“I’ve been seeing more and more crop over the last couple months. Not from Midnight, regular Boston people turned into suckheads.” Snow whips around to me. “Do you know who’s turning them? Who took Talon?”
I freeze, both Ariel and Snow watching me, waiting for an answer.
“Wh-why would you help me?”
Ariel’s brow furrows. “Because we’re friends.”
“Duh,” Snow adds.
“But—” My brain short circuits as I try to wrap my mind around this. “But I’m a Succubus. I accidentally hurt you guys, I—” My voice chokes from emotion tightening around my throat.
Snow steps closer, putting a hand on my arm. “Hey, so you’re a Succubus. Who the fuck cares?”
“You should. Everyone else will.”
“I mean, I don’t think you want to fuck either of us to death,” Ariel adds.
“Which I find slightly insulting,” Snow sniffs, then playfully squeezes my arm.
“We all got baggage,” Ariel says. “I mean, look at Catwoman here.”
“Hey,” Snow snaps at Ariel. Then looking down at her own attire, she smirks. “Okay, yeah, I have some very well-dressed issues going on myself.”
Snow turns back to me. “But we need to deal with yours first. Tell us everything.”
