relieved to have an outlet for her restlessness rather than worried about fitting in. The alternatives – that she went into the diplomatic, business or public service corps – had been like an axe over her head, prior to her transfer here. She wasn’t cut out to deal with people and loved the life of defending innocent humans, clubbing, and killing bad guys.
“Anyway, just accept that you did something to get put on our team and move on. Don’t be like Zoey. She’s been in denial for years,” Vikki teased.
“Not denial,” Zoey retorted. “I want to be as normal as possible. I live in an apartment off this godforsaken compound for that reason. I have a boyfriend. I have a car and plants. This is a day job. Or, I guess a night job. That’s it.”
“Speaking of night job. You up for the club tonight?” Vikki asked. “I got a lead on a few Cambions.”
“Cambion,” Lydia repeated. “Incubus father, human mother. Unlike us, who are genetically made in a laboratory. They’re the ones we’re supposed to kill, because they kill humans to collect sex energy, right?”
“Good girl,” Vikki patted her on the head.
“Yeah, I’m there,” Zoey said. “It’s been like, a week since I’ve been out drinking. I’m going crazy. I have to stay ahead of your record.”
“No way in hell! You have to beat my record first!”
“It’s on, sistah!” Zoey grinned.
“Wow. Maybe I can-” Lydia started.
“Kay. Bye guys.” Zoey slung on her backpack and walked away. She didn’t want to be friends with the new girl or to spend more time on the damn compound than she had to. Pretending to be normal was hard work, and she wasn’t going to waste time here, especially if she was going out on a mission this evening.
She emerged from the locker room and crossed through the upscale gym, where a couple dozen girls still worked out or sparred with the weapons of their trade: pewter knives, short swords, and throwing knives. Stepping into the spring afternoon, she was irritated to see it was raining again. They’d had nothing but thunderstorms for a week solid. The sidewalk was flooded, which meant her feet would be soaked and half-frozen by the time she walked the mile to her apartment.
Zoey exited the campus through the wrought iron gates surrounding the pristinely kept lawns and modern buildings. The campus grew too fast the past few years, and the Halflings’ dorms were moved to the external side of the campus wall.
Dwelling on the missing night, Zoey felt worse for abandoning her friend last night, especially after standing up Eric, too. If that’s what happened. She really didn’t know. It wasn’t the first time she was missing an entire night.
The cold rain felt good against her heated skin at first. The sex magic trapped in her body left her feeling more fevered than usual. It took half a mile for the cold rain to sink into her skin and for her to start shivering. She plodded past the apartment buildings belonging to the humans she desperately wanted to be like and up the stairs to the place she shared with her boyfriend. Her phone rang as she opened the door. She reached for it and slung her backpack down before checking the ID.
“Hey Professor,” she grunted. “What’s up?”
“What’s up. What every polished young lady should be saying,” the male voice chided.
Zoey smiled. The Professor was the most ancient Incubus alive, but his voice carried the warmth of youth and the huskiness of a full-blooded Incubus. It slid across her skin like silk and tickled the sensitive area at the back of her neck.
One of five Incubuses that broke away from the Incubatti during the War that severed the Succubus and Incubus societies, the Professor was revered for the histories and records he kept. The Sucubatti rewarded the rebel Incubuses by giving them a special place in their society as scholars and the title of Benefactors, who helped rear young, full-blooded Succubae and the half-breeds, the girls who
“Anyway, just accept that you did something to get put on our team and move on. Don’t be like Zoey. She’s been in denial for years,” Vikki teased.
“Not denial,” Zoey retorted. “I want to be as normal as possible. I live in an apartment off this godforsaken compound for that reason. I have a boyfriend. I have a car and plants. This is a day job. Or, I guess a night job. That’s it.”
“Speaking of night job. You up for the club tonight?” Vikki asked. “I got a lead on a few Cambions.”
“Cambion,” Lydia repeated. “Incubus father, human mother. Unlike us, who are genetically made in a laboratory. They’re the ones we’re supposed to kill, because they kill humans to collect sex energy, right?”
“Good girl,” Vikki patted her on the head.
“Yeah, I’m there,” Zoey said. “It’s been like, a week since I’ve been out drinking. I’m going crazy. I have to stay ahead of your record.”
“No way in hell! You have to beat my record first!”
“It’s on, sistah!” Zoey grinned.
“Wow. Maybe I can-” Lydia started.
“Kay. Bye guys.” Zoey slung on her backpack and walked away. She didn’t want to be friends with the new girl or to spend more time on the damn compound than she had to. Pretending to be normal was hard work, and she wasn’t going to waste time here, especially if she was going out on a mission this evening.
She emerged from the locker room and crossed through the upscale gym, where a couple dozen girls still worked out or sparred with the weapons of their trade: pewter knives, short swords, and throwing knives. Stepping into the spring afternoon, she was irritated to see it was raining again. They’d had nothing but thunderstorms for a week solid. The sidewalk was flooded, which meant her feet would be soaked and half-frozen by the time she walked the mile to her apartment.
Zoey exited the campus through the wrought iron gates surrounding the pristinely kept lawns and modern buildings. The campus grew too fast the past few years, and the Halflings’ dorms were moved to the external side of the campus wall.
Dwelling on the missing night, Zoey felt worse for abandoning her friend last night, especially after standing up Eric, too. If that’s what happened. She really didn’t know. It wasn’t the first time she was missing an entire night.
The cold rain felt good against her heated skin at first. The sex magic trapped in her body left her feeling more fevered than usual. It took half a mile for the cold rain to sink into her skin and for her to start shivering. She plodded past the apartment buildings belonging to the humans she desperately wanted to be like and up the stairs to the place she shared with her boyfriend. Her phone rang as she opened the door. She reached for it and slung her backpack down before checking the ID.
“Hey Professor,” she grunted. “What’s up?”
“What’s up. What every polished young lady should be saying,” the male voice chided.
Zoey smiled. The Professor was the most ancient Incubus alive, but his voice carried the warmth of youth and the huskiness of a full-blooded Incubus. It slid across her skin like silk and tickled the sensitive area at the back of her neck.
One of five Incubuses that broke away from the Incubatti during the War that severed the Succubus and Incubus societies, the Professor was revered for the histories and records he kept. The Sucubatti rewarded the rebel Incubuses by giving them a special place in their society as scholars and the title of Benefactors, who helped rear young, full-blooded Succubae and the half-breeds, the girls who
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