Desdemona Arnez hurried under the long white fangs poised in perpetual bite that marked the entrance to the Fifth Annual ParaPleasure Expo. She skirted a group of people who seemed to be watching an a couple writhing on the floor. She wasn’t sure but she thought they might be attempting to demonstrate how to have sex with their clothes on. It wasn’t an easy feat, but it wasn’t impossible either, she’d done it before. She heard someone say, ‘Mom!’ and winced. She’d never done it with her parents watching though.
Sparing a smile for Amanda Bast, the well-dressed hostess of DunVegas Hotel's casino, she kept walking. She didn’t have time to stop and gab with the other woman about who had gotten more catcalls that week. Bast always won, because she whistled at herself.
She spotted her booth, which was unfortunately still in sight of the fanged entryway, but there was no help for that because she’d picked this spot. Thinking of what she’d done to snag such a plum location made her right eyelid twitch. An even more annoying side effect was that she now had a new number one fan, who was gazing at her from across the crowded room.
Andre, gave her his best randy goat grin, while smoothing his hands down his long black coat and her eyes involuntary followed the same path. Unfortunately, the coat wasn’t quite long enough to hide the fact that he was indeed a horny little satyr, in more ways than one.
She jerked her gaze away and concentrated on lining up her stock according to size, color, speed, and flexibility, hoping that if she didn’t look up again, he’d get the picture and leave her alone. She couldn’t get that lucky Sure enough, the clatter of his shiny black hooves on the floor warned her that he wasn’t going to give up that easily. “Desi, how long will you make me suffer?” When he whined, his voice sounded like the bleating of a goat.
With an irritated sigh, she tossed her long black hair over her shoulder and gave him a glare designed to wither even the most stalwart of men. However, Andre was made of sterner stuff and simply stared back out of a pair of bright golden eyes that reminded her of a goat. He’d lived up to the randy part the night before. “But Desi, I love you.”
She slapped a whip down on the counter and he flinched. “Look Andre, I told you, I don’t do love, I do sex. That’s it.”
“I could live with that.”
With a low growl, she came out from behind the counter, standing toe to hoof with him. “Go away before I hurt you.”
Instead of running away, Andre took her hands in his, and took a deep breath, his eyes bright with lust. “Ooh, really?”
Sighing, her anger cooled and her shoulders slumped. “No.”
“Aw.”
“Is there a problem?” A sexy rumble vibrated along her spine, heading straight into the crotch of her panties with unerring precision. Desi went on her toes to see over Andre’s shoulder and locked gazes with one of the handsomest men she’d ever seen. Her stomach clenched and her knees went weak. Andre mistook her reaction and tightened his hold, but she was glad for it, because she needed help standing up right then.
A pair of green eyes stood out in stark contrast against dark lashes so thick they gave her a pang of envy. His hair reminded her of autumn leaves, in every color of red brown and gold together in a longish shaggy cut that almost reached his shoulders. His mouth was a shade too full, and the lower half of his jaw covered in stubble. Combined with the long lean body packed into the untucked black t-shirt and faded Levi’s, he looked like he’d just rolled out of bed. She wouldn’t mind rolling him right into hers.
“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” Mr. Sex on a Stick asked and her hormones, which had been on full alert, came to a screeching halt. Even as handsome as he was, that line wasn’t going to cut it with her.
With as icy a tone as she could muster, she replied, “I doubt it.” and shook free of Andre’s hold. It was the truth; she’d have remembered this man. Unless... Frantically, she searched her memory. Talk about an awkward moment. Well, only for her. After all, none of her victims knew her real identity.
As a succubus, Desi invaded men’s dreams, granting their wildest fantasies, in return, she fed off the energy they generated. She’d survived for three centuries because unlike some of her greedier sisters, she didn’t take too much, which meant she’d visited a whole bunch of men.
However, when she was in the waking world, she preferred wear the face she’d had as a mortal. So, while it was possible that she’d mad a sex pit stop at Sir Studly’s, she wasn’t too worried about him recognizing her, because she’d bet anything that he’d chosen blonde and brainless to be his dream girl. Though she’d never had any complaints in the breast department, she wasn’t blonde and she definitely wasn’t brainless.
~*~Lucian stared at the woman standing beside the counter covered with an array of sex toys, whips and other things he couldn’t even begin to figure out a use for and wondered why he'd gotten a tip about this woman. Those toys didn’t really look very dangerous and she couldn’t be hiding anything in the red leather bustier, because there simply wasn’t room for anything else.
He knew he shouldn’t have asked about seeing her somewhere before, because the moment the words left his mouth, her black eyes went flat and hard. Damn she thought he was trying to pick her up. Not that he’d mind if she said yes.
Her hair was pulled up in a shiny ribbon of inky black, long enough to bounce off her ass when she turned and hurried back to her booth as if someone were chasing her. He stared and a grin stretched across his mouth all by itself. He remembered that ass. Round, soft and firm, he’d had his hands on that, using it to hold her in place as he’d thrust inside...
“Who are you?” The angry question jerked him back to the present. He blinked at the sight before him. The creature had furred legs and hooves and tiny horns, so it had to be a satyr. He wore a long black coat, and on that coat was a tag that read Andre, more importantly it said he was an employee of the expo.
Lucian jerked his head to one side and Andre followed. Thankfully, the woman was distracted. Off to their left, a vampire jumped off a massage table, transforming into a bat in mid-leap. Apparently frightened, his quarry squeaked and ducked beneath the counter, watching as the bat flapped off into the night sky. “My name’s Lucian Ballantine, I work for Paranormal and Magical Security.”
“PMS?” Andre laughed so hard he could barely speak.
“That’s Paranormal Magical Security.” Lucian gritted out, trying to keep his voice down.
“Yeah, but we call it PMS because everyone who works there is so bitchy.” Andre smirked.
“Whatever.” He shrugged, acting as though he didn’t hate the initials. “Look, maybe you can help me.” Lucian nodded in the woman’s direction. “Who is she?”
Andre narrowed his eyes. “Why do you want to know?”
“Someone sent me a note, said I was supposed to watch this booth and the person in it.”
All traces of amusement fled the satyr’s face. “Is she contagious?” He leaned forward, gasping for breath, his naturally golden skin ashen. “We, uh, you know.” Andre bit his lip and danced around on his hooves.
“What’s her name?” Lucian asked.
“Desi, at least that’s what she told me,” He glanced back at Desi, who seemed to be unaware that they were talking about her, then gave Lucian a pleading stare. “Look, just give it to me straight. How long do I got?”
Lucian had been staring at Desi too, taking in the way the light turned her skin the color of caramels. It made him hungry.
“Hey! Will you answer me! I’m dyin’ here and you’re communing with Richard and his two brothers down in pantsville!” Andre snapped his fingers in front of Lucian’s face.
“What in the hell are you talking about?”
“I know you're dazed by the way she looks. She’s hot but watch it or you’ll get burned!” Andre paused for a breath, but before Lucian could correct him, he was off again, “I was once like you until I woke up and smelled the danger.” The satyr gave him a piteous look that lasted a split second before changing to fear once more. “Now, tell me what’s wrong with her or I’ll—” As if a suddenly thought occurred to him, he stopped in mid-sentence, and gagged. Lucian obligingly slapped him on the back until he held up a hand for him to stop. Swallowing hard, Andre took a deep breath and started babbling. “She
is a she, right? I haven’t suddenly started playin’ for the other team without knowing it have I?”
Lucian let him wriggle on the hook for a second or two before he set him free. “Naw, she’s a she,” Then, “As far as I know.”
“Ack!” At that, Andre scuttled off with a quick, “See you later, Desi!” over his shoulder.
“Not if I see you first.” She muttered, then gave Lucian another glare. He wondered if she had another expression, and found out a second later, when her eyes lit with a smile. For the first time, he noticed that they weren’t really black, but a deep blue, like the sky right before dawn. She also had a dimple in each cheek, not something he thought a dangerous creatures had. Her smile got wider and his dick stood up straight and took notice. Tingles slid along his skin, starting at the top of his head, getting very friendly at all the good spots on the way to his toes.
“Hello, welcome to the ParaPleasure Expo. Oh, wait.” She stopped and pulled a lanyard out from under the counter, looping it over her head. “Sorry, I forgot my nametag. I’m Desdemona, but you can call me Desi. How can I help you?” She touched the man’s arm and an arc of blue fire visible only to Lucian, and more than likely Desi herself slid from her hand onto the man's fingers. Almost immediately, red came from his hand and melded with the blue, tinting it a deep violet shade. Ah, shit, his anonymous tip was good, however, it didn’t seem to be harming the old dude, on the contrary, he looked mighty happy to be there, so Lucian got just close enough to watch, and stop it, if necessary.
The little bald man stared up at Desi in adoration. “I’m looking for something for uh..”
She fluttered her lashes at him. “Let me guess, your wife?”
“Oh, ah, how did you know?”
The man’s question made Lucian roll his eyes toward the ceiling.
How about that ring on your finger, you old fool? “I can tell when a man is in a satisfying relationship.” Desi leaned on the counter and the man’s eyes almost popped out of his head at the view. “You have this glow about you,” She cooed.
“I do?” Beads of sweat popped on baldy's head, so she was half right. “I mean I do! Yes, of course I do.”
“What’s your name?”
“Fred.”
“Well, Fred, I think you and your wife need this.” She picked up a small purple device that had a little rabbit ears on the end. “And this and oh, yes, this.” Now here’s what you do. She leaned close and whispered in his ear.
Fred jerked back and stared at her with wide eyes. “I don’t think Jackie would like that.”
“Trust me, Fred. I’m a woman and I like that, a lot.” Desi smothered a giggle behind her hand. Lucian wanted to gag at her little act, but he wasn’t too surprised when Fred walked away with a black bag with pink hearts and
Turn Me On written in red.
With married men, she got them to buy a toy for themselves or their partners. The single guys, she sold a DVD with promises that they’d be satisfied. With the women, she was either a confidant, a co-conspirator against a man who didn’t understand their needs, or just a girlfriend who knew they didn’t need a man if they had batteries. Almost every customer walked away with a bag. But more importantly, they left a tiny bit of their aura behind with Desi. Each time her aura flared, he smelled something that made him crazy! His psi-talent was visions but he'd never had scents become involved before. Yet, when she’d started using her magic, the teasing smell of jasmine, roses and some indefinable sweet scent wafted past his nose. It was addictive, making him feel hungry, horny and pissed off all at the same time.
Desi laughed with one of her female clients and he inhaled sharply. The was so strong it fogged his senses breaking down his shields, triggering a vision that was more vivid than he'd ever had before.
~*~He lay on a bed in a strange room with plain white walls. He thought he was alone, then he noticed a woman standing in the shadows. The light was dim, but her blonde hair and bright blue eyes seemed to glow, as did the long red robe she wore. “Did you call me?”
“Yes.”
Apparently, this was the right answer, because she let the robe fall to reveal soft white flesh and crawled up his body. Once astraddle him, she braced her arms on either side of his head, leaning down to kiss him softly on the mouth. He shivered when her long silky hair tickled his bare skin. She laughed and shook her head, her lips curving into a mysterious smile. “Don’t you recognize me?” Her blonde hair darkened until it was raven black, and her eyes turned a familiar midnight shade.
Desi!~*~It took effort, but he thrust himself out of the vision. Cold rage filled him, killing every bit of lust he’d been feeling for her. She’d been inside his head. He’d seen enough. He walked over to her so he could catch her in case she ran. “You’re good,” He told her once he reached her side.
“What can I say?” She leaned against the counter with a weary sigh. “Sex sells.”
“Too bad I’m going to have to haul you in for magical mischief.”
“What?” Her eyes went wide when he pulled out a pair of magically enforced cuffs. “I did no such thing! How dare …” She stopped talking when he snapped the first one in place and pulled her other arm behind her back, securing them in place.
“Desi, you've got some explaining to do.”
Jenna Leigh
