Page 100 of Succubus

No tricks.”

I reach inside the bag. Take out the cloth. I wad it, stuff it in my mouth. I pull out the tape, break off a piece. I tape my mouth shut. Next the zip tie.

“Hold the tie. Now put the bag over your head.”

Oh, nope. First the bag. Every step is accounted for.

I take a breath through my nose and the air is heavy, tepid—I can’t seem to get enough. I look up, toward the place where the voice is coming from. An enormous column blocks its owner. I want to see Ella. I feel for a second as though this is my last chance to see her face.

I put the bag over my head.

“Turn around, hands behind your back.”

I turn around.

“Keep them behind your back.”

I fumble with the zip tie, sweating, the plastic slipping.

“Faster, demon.”

I blink.

“No tricks. Do it now or she dies!”

Demon.

I understand. I know who it is.

It takes a couple tries before I secure my hands. And now I am totally helpless.

Now there is no way for me to escape.

CHAPTER 32

The world constricts, muffled. I resist the urge to spin in place, to flail for something—some weapon, some help. I hear movement, vague scrabbling.

“Oh no,” Ella whimpers. “Oh no, Titi.” I can feel her reaching for me, I can hear it in her voice, but she’s being held back.

“Walk to the middle of the field, girl,” says the voice. “Then sit down and cover your eyes.”

I won’t lie, there was a second when I thought it might be him. I didn’t really think that, not completely. But a little.

He wouldn’t actually harm Ella. I know that. But maybe he would have some other plan. Maybe he would try to convince me he would.

“Don’t hurt her!” Ella begs. “Please don’t hurt her!”

“I’ll come get you and bring you back to your mom soon,” says the voice. “I promise. I’ll take you back to your mom.”

“I want to stay with my aunt,” Ella says. “I want to stay.” She rarely refers to me as her aunt. “You can keep me if you don’t hurt my aunt.”

Her courage throbs in my chest, hurts me.

The voice smiles. “You’re a brave girl.” The first time someone has said this and really meant it about Ella? “But you need to go right now. You’ll be okay.”

There it is again. Ella will not be okay after I am killed in front of her.

“But— ” says Ella, and I can hear what it takes for her to disobey, even for a few seconds longer. “You don’t understand. She isn’t just an aunt like a regular aunt. I need her and my mom! I need them both!”