AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I don't need anyone to help me."
"I didn't ask!" I shouted, and she instantly flinched.
“You do as I say, when I say it, shifter.”
"Y-yes, Sir," she whispered.
When she looked up at me, those golden eyes held me captive, rendering me speechless. She was absolutely mesmerizing.
"You'll pay this off... tonight," I ordered. She nodded, and didn’t argue again as I turned and shut the door behind me.
Back in my office, I slammed the door with a force that echoed my frustration. The intensity of my reactions to her were unsettling to say the least. I shouldn't care about her well-being. I wasn't human; the witch had seen to that. No heart, no immortality. But the soul, this fucking soul was still intact, and that was a major problem for me. In more ways than one.
I had become trapped in this place, all because of one little rebellious act. All I’d done was try to get away from Lucifer, instead, I’d run into the arms of the witch, who was more than willing to tie me to her.
And then there was this damn raven. I paced the room, grappling with these feelings that I thought were long gone. I was an immortal, not a disgusting creature .There was no reason I had to show any care for anything, least of all a shifter whore.
I stared at the closed door, hating myself more than I hated her. She had stirred something within me, a dormant fire that threatened to ignite. The notion of caring, of feeling anything, gave me a vulnerability that I couldn't afford. Not in this life that I lead.
But in the end I knew, I was more like the raven than I thought I was. I was confined to a witch’s curse, a succubus that robbed me of my humanity, and yet left any essence of my soul intact. I chose the path of darkness, while the raven was pure light. A light I knew the devil wanted to extinguish. Just knowing I had something he wanted, made me crave her even more.
5
SPECTRE
The entrance to the strip club stood hidden in the heart of Seattle's underbelly, away from the prying eyes of the outside world. A flickering neon sign, once vibrant, now aged and dim, carried the club's name in twisted letters that seemed to writhe in the shadows.
"Lucifer's Embrace." I almost laughed at how obvious it was.
Stepping through the heavy velvet curtains that hid the entrance, I was immediately engulfed in a gothic atmosphere of blackness and sin. Dim red and purple lights cast a sickly glow over the space, creating an eerie undertone that veiled secrets that humans were too embarrassed to reveal.
The air was thick with the acrid scent of cigarette smoke and the sickly sweet aroma of exotic perfumes. Seductive beats of the bass throbbed like a heartbeat through the club. The floor was a labyrinth of polished black marble, reflecting the dimly lit stage where a dance of shadows and flesh played out.
I made my way to the bar where a lanky, pale faced man greeted me. “What’s your poison?”
“Whiskey. Neat.”
“Any Preference?”
“Johnny.”
“You got it, boss.”
I nodded, turning so my back was up against the bar and I could see my surroundings. Leather and lace, that’s all I could see among the throng of people. Collars, metal spikes, a bdsm club of sorts but there was an air of something else in here. I could smell it on them all. It was…supernatural.
My eyes wandered over the women on the stage, getting flogged by a man in a black mask, it was a dark altar of temptation. A temptation I had an urge to play in but never did. I had this feeling that might change as whatever this place held, these demons, played off my darkness.
Charlie was right, these people were intoxicated by some type of drug, a hallucinogen that glazed over their eyes, and took over their bodies. Their bodies contorted with the sway of the music, and their faces had this haunted look of pleasure on them. As if they were suspended in an ongoing orgasm that only fueled that lust and longing human beings sought after.
They were a motley crew of lost souls, used to satiate Serge Bastien’s desires. I wondered what type of demon I was about to meet, and Virgil’s words echoed in my head. I gripped the chain around my neck, one I’d bought right outside the doors of this seedy place. The silver cross glinted in the dim lighting as I fisted my hand around it.
Believe.I told myself. I had to believe it could offer some type of protection.
If you believe in the Devil, you believe in God.
I kept repeating those words in my head as I continued to take in my surroundings. People sat in shadowy corners, their faces obscured by the shadows. Some were transfixed by the show of bodies before them, their eyes wide, while others nursed their drinks in silent contemplation. Some women had a look of unease in their eyes, and the men with them only fed off it. Enjoying their discomfort.
A sense of anxiety hit me in the gut, a warning. I could feel the presence of evil permeating every corner of the club. A malevolent force watched quietly as it conducted the show. I could feel it crawl up my skin, trying to take a hold of me.
