The Hunter: A Sinful Supes Novel (Red Crescent Book 3) Read online

  “What’s your name?” I asked the naked man.

  He sent me a flirtatious look, “Whatever you desire it to be, Mistress.”

  I raised an eyebrow. Clyde the Manservant it was.

  He pushed a large oak door aside and bowed while gesturing his hand to the scene before me. “After you.”

  My mouth went dry as I made sense of what lay on the other side of the door. A couple days ago, when I was under the influence of my own fervor, I’d hallucinated about an abstract sponge painting on my wall turning into countless forms writhing and fucking.

  This was a lot like that.

  My inner succubus purred. Seeing all these different flavors of humanity was like standing before a delicious cupcake buffet. I wanted to sample them all. And not in the carnal way. I simply wanted to eat them. I frowned at my reaction.

  Ever since that night in Fort Lawrence, it was like I’d flipped on a switch. I could no longer fool myself into believing I was human anymore. Now that I’d opened the door to a whole new side of me, there was no closing it.

  “Oh good, you’ve arrived!” A man sitting on a throne-like chair grinned. I didn’t know what was more shocking, the fact that a woman was sucking his cock like a hoover vacuum as countless hands roamed his body or that I recognized him. Gabriel Benson. He was a seriously rich and famous movie star.

  This was my trainer?

  I wanted to pinch myself, but I couldn’t find the energy to care. Despite my numb mental state, I was shocked. Everyone and their grandma salivated over Gabriel Benson. And now I knew why. Like me, he was a Supe. An incubus.

  And unlike me, the man was stunning. Regardless of what role he played. Today he had chocolate brown hair, a five o’clock shadow, and a lazy smirk, but he’d graced the covers of movies and magazines sporting all sorts of different styles. The features that always stayed the same were his strong jawline, straight nose, and almond shaped eyes. The longer you looked into his dark eyes, the more you half expected him to jump off the screen and lure you to bed.

  Women weren’t the only ones affected. If you asked any guy who they’d go gay for, nine times out of ten, they’d say Benson.

  It was a wonder that he and I were the same flavor of Supernatural.

  “You,” he pointed to Clyde the manservant. “Don’t just stand there, fuck her in the ass.”

  What the fuck?

  I immediately stepped aside, and angled my rump away from Clyde. Not happening.

  Wearing a salacious smile, Clyde glided through the throngs of writhing bodies and away from me. He planted himself behind the girl who was still servicing Gabriel with her mouth. I averted my gaze as he inserted himself and she squealed with muffled delight.

  Turns out looking away wasn’t much better since I ended up staring at a short woman with a pink strap-on, who was drilling a man who looked like he could be a runner-up for Mr. Olympia.

  What a weird day. And yet, I wasn’t freaked out like I should’ve been. Despite being a virgin seventy-two hours ago, all this felt perfectly natural. Mundane, even.

  “One second, I’m almost done with lunch.” Gabriel stated. As if he were a businessman who was merely at a meeting. On cue everyone closed in on him, or if they could not reach, groped someone who was already touching him. All while maintaining their amorous tasks. You’d expect the maneuvering to become awkward, but these people seemed to be well practiced in the sensual arts. It was like they’d turned into one large, writhing, breathing organism.

  My skin itched as blue sparks danced across their bodies. Their moans grew in volume along with their thrusts and gyrations.

  The sexual tension in the room heightened and I could barely stand it. I salivated thinking about how much energy I could feed off this. I tingled all over.

  Suddenly, in a great crescendo, Gabriel threw his head back and groaned. Blue lightning surged forward, passing from individual to individual until it all fed directly into him. Gabriel’s mouth fell open in unmitigated pleasure. Then slowly he lowered his gaze to me. His eyes burned neon blue.

  I swallowed, unnerved, and yet, in awe of the control and power he exerted. Was this what I was meant to become? I felt like I’d just watched the World Cup of seduction. Obviously, I was still in little league.

  My eyes widened as I noticed the members of the orgy had collapsed in an unceremonious heap. I’d been so focused on Gabriel feeding, I hadn’t noticed them dropping like flies.

  After a few deep breaths, the blue flickered out of Gabriel’s gaze. In its place were hooded eyes and a sated smile. He licked his lips. “Delicious.”

  I stared at the bodies, finally registering what had happened. Flashbacks of the crime scene photos littered my vision. Bodies strewn about. Limp and unmoving like all these humans. Shit. Shit. Shit.

  All the red…

  I wanted it out of my head. My stomach clenched with nausea.

  “Are they dead?” I whispered, my pulse pounding. Not again. Never again…

  Gabriel’s satisfied smile shifted into a smirk. “Are you calling me a glutton?”

  “I don’t know, are you?” I countered. I walked forward and checked for a pulse on the Asian man wearing crotchless leather pants. Thankfully, his heart still thumped away. Relief tore through me.

  “My control is superb,” Gabriel Benson replied. He looked me up and down in a scrutinizing fashion. “The same cannot be said for you. You made quite a mess of things in Colorado. It’s all over the media and internet. The vampires will be hunting you, no doubt.”

  I tightened my fists. “It was an accident.” It wasn’t exactly news to me; Lucas had told me as much. Though, worries about vampire assassins had fallen to the back burner with everything that had happened.

  “A big one,” he replied, analyzing my style. “You realize you can do something about your body, right?”

  I frowned, not comprehending.

  “All that,” he said as he gestured toward me. “Has no one taught you that you can change your appearance to be more attractive? The least you could do is control that wild lion’s mane you call hair.”

  I wanted to roll my eyes. This guy and Camilla would get along. In fact, Gabriel Benson was the type of man my best friend would claim had the “perfect aesthetic.” His almond shaped eyes were cat-like. His features were perfectly symmetrical, and his lips were made for kissing.

  But he’s not Lucas, something inside me whispered. I shoved that thought away. It hurt too much to think about him.

  I wanted to reply with a snappy comeback, but it didn’t seem like there was any malice behind Gabriel’s words. Rather, he simply couldn’t fathom why I’d go for the deliberate bushy-haired, wallflower look.

  Benson stood. A few of his “lunch’s” heads shifted and inelegantly flopped to the side as he pushed them off his lap. What a dick. If someone fed me I wouldn’t treat their unconscious body like a ragdoll’s. The incubus slipped on a black silk robe with practiced ease. He did not bother closing it to cover his front as he walked toward me.

  It billowed behind him in a cheesy, overly dramatic vampire move. Well, the vampires from B-movies — I doubted real vamps acted like that either. I had the impression that Gabriel Benson wanted to impress me. While I had a grudging respect for his not-killing-people skills, I found these little flourishes like the robe and the whole walking toward me with his genitals exposed, to be nonsense. Lucas hadn’t needed to try this hard.

  I was almost embarrassed for this clown.

  “Oh, where are my manners? I guess I’m not used to entertaining my own kind. Are you hungry?” He waved toward the spent lot of exhausted orgy enthusiasts. “Well maybe not this batch, but I could send for early dinner?”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Um, no thanks…”

  He smiled down at me with his movie star face. “Forgive me. I should’ve introduced myself properly. I’m Gabriel Benson, but you can call me Gabe.”

  He bent to kiss me.

  The closer his lips got to mine, the more
repulsed I felt.

  I put my hand over his face and pushed. “Hi Gabe. I’m Claire. I like long walks on the beach, and I especially love personal space.”

  He looked bewildered. The old Claire would have been appalled, too. But I’d gone through some shit, and I wasn’t the same person anymore. I honestly didn’t care that I just put hands on a stranger’s face.

  “You realize it’s customary for our kind to share a kiss upon greeting?”

  “No thanks,” I said flatly. Even if it were true, the thought sent creepy crawlies shooting down my spine. I looked at his lips and swallowed. Although, there probably was some residual energy left on them. My stomach rumbled. I was craving a fix…

  He frowned, looking confused. He gestured at his perfectly sculpted abs, “Are you not attracted to me?”

  I bit back a laugh and raised my brow as if to say: What do you think, dumbass?

  Suddenly, he grabbed my shirt collar and pulled it away from my neck.

  “Hey!” I yelled pushing him off.

  “You were claimed by a feral?” He sounded horrified. Like I’d admitted to undergoing female genital mutilation or something.

  I tugged my shirt back into place, and covered the bite wound that was still healing. It was going to make for a nasty scar, courtesy of one insane night. I’d come to terms with it, but Gabe’s reaction made me feel dirty and tainted.

  My hackles rose. “Yeah, what’s your point?”

  Gabe’s eyes searched mine. “Oh, you poor thing, everything is going to be alright. We can fix this.” He pulled me into his chest and hugged me tight.

  I screwed up my face and grimaced against his smooth pectoral. I shuddered in revulsion as I literally felt his dick harden against me.

  Disgust crawled across my skin. “Get. The fuck. Off me.”

  Gabe pulled away, looking sympathetic. “The monster who marked you must be a strong one. To feel such a repulsion toward your own kind is unheard of. We’ll have to start reversing this right away.”

  “What are you saying? You can reverse the mate bond?” My voice lifted in hope. I could feel whole again? Was it possible to break out of this horrible fog?

  Gabe shook his head, “Of course not, a feral’s mate bond is permanent.”

  My sudden excitement took a flying leap off a cliff and dashed itself on the rocks below.

  Gabe stared at my neck, sympathy and disgust still warring in his features. “But I can help you lessen the effects.”

  “What effects?” I asked. Up till now, melancholy and moodiness were my only ailments.

  “You truly do not know?” His almond-shaped eyes softened. “You’ve been neutered.”

  “Neutered.” I repeated flatly, not understanding.

  “Well spayed might be more appropriate, but Claire, if we can’t fix this or if you can’t feed directly from your mate, you’ll die.”

  “Excuse me,” I asked. “Where’s your bathroom?”

  Gabe eyed me curiously. “Did you hear what I said?”

  Oh, I heard him loud and clear. Neutered. Death. Got it.

  “Where’s your bathroom?” I painted on a stiff, polite smile. I felt like an insane person. He looked at me like I was one, too.

  Frowning, he pointed out the door I’d originally entered. “In the hall. First door on the right.”

  “Thank you.” I turned and walked out of the room.

  As the door closed I heard him mutter, “OK. I’ll just be here then…”

  Clearly, Gabe Benson wasn’t used to rejection. His ulterior motives meant I had to question everything that came out of his mouth, but when he said that I’d die, well, I knew he was telling the truth. I could feel it like a shadow looming over me. I hadn’t succubus-fed since that night and I was already starting to feel leeched of strength. If I couldn’t replenish that supply… I shook my head.

  I was going to waste away.

  Shutting the bathroom door behind me, I leaned against it, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. When I next opened my eyes, I took in my surroundings. The bathroom was spotless. Organized. Perfect.

  I walked over to the bathtub, plugged the stopper, then turned the cold water tap. I stood slowly and faced the wall. It was adorned with silver wallpaper. I stared at the minimalist black flourishes contained within the artistic pattern.

  I slammed my fist into it.

  I gritted my teeth against the pain and ripped the pristine hand towels off their hooks. I rushed up to the sink counter, grabbed the decorative rose-colored bar of soap. It had a flower suspended in the center. The soap was beautiful. Delicate.

  I chucked it at the door with all my might. It made a nice thunk, before bouncing to the ground. I kicked the sink cabinets. And pulled my foot back with a yelp. I fell in a heap.

  My breathing came in harsh bursts, but what I really wanted to do was scream, and scream, and scream.

  How the fuck had my life turned out this way? I pressed my fists to my eyes. First, all of my health issues. Then, I find out I’m a Supe, and my fucking fervor comes along and ruins countless lives. People fucking died.

  I stomped toward the tub and roughly turned off the faucet. Feeling resolute, I lurched forward and dunked my head under water and screamed my lungs out — my muted rage echoed in my eardrums like whiny mosquitoes. I lifted my head out and gasped for air. Then, I threw my head underwater again, restarting the process.

  I pulled up for breath and rubbed the water out of my eyes. I glared at the fancy French shampoo bottle. I didn’t know much of the language but I could guess what those three bold words meant.

  Rinse and repeat.

  “Fuck you,” I whispered before shoving my head underwater once more.

  ***

  When I opened the bathroom door a member of the staff was waiting for me. This time the uniform included black slacks along with the bow-tie. It would have been classier had he worn a shirt, but to his credit, Clyde 2.0 did not acknowledge the mess I’d left behind or the fact that I looked like a drowned rat. I tucked a wet strand of hair behind my ear, feeling slightly mollified. I didn’t know what got into me. I’d never freaked out like that before.

  “This way, Mistress,” the attractive man said. He was tall and swarthy with even darker eyes. Apparently, in order to work here you had to be freakishly good-looking.

  Silently, I followed his lean frame. As we walked, I decided to call him Giles, rather than deal with the my name is whatever you want it to be bullshit.

  “Master is waiting for you in the dining room.” He opened a door and lowered his eyes. I caught a slight smile on his lips.

  “Thanks,” I murmured. I brushed by him and ignored the way he lightly traced a knuckle across my arm. A slight shiver of disgust rolled through me before I focused on my host.

  Gabriel Benson leaned against the long dining table, his arms folded. I could practically see the waves of tension wafting off of him. At least he had the decency to wear clothes this time.

  Gabe looked as if he wanted to say something, but was at a loss for words. Instead he settled for, “I hope you like Chinese.”

  “I do,” I said feeling suspicious. I wasn’t sure if we were talking about kung pao chicken or rolling out some actual Asians to feed on.

  Gabe moved aside to reveal a silver room service lid. He lifted it, and steam wafted upward. My stomach grumbled at the delicious sights and scents of chow mein, potstickers, hot and sour soup, prawns in lobster sauce, and more. It was a feast, and I was starving.

  “It was a long flight. I figured you weren’t fed adequately given your situation.” He set the lid down and pulled out a chair for me. “If one hunger is denied, it’s all the more important to indulge in others.”

  He sent me a heated look that belied exactly what he hungered for.

  I pushed a lock of wet hair behind my ear and sat down. “Thank you.”

  He nodded and stared as I brought a potsticker to my mouth. Unnerved by his attention, I put my fork down. “Yes..?”

>   He gave his signature bad boy smirk I’d seen in many of his films. “Nothing.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I can’t eat if you’re staring at me like that.”

  “Sorry, I’m just not used to hosting a succubus.” He didn’t sound sorry at all. He grabbed a chair and straddled it, folding his arms on the backrest and settled his chin on top. “There’s so much I want to teach you. I could show you the world.”

  Ha! Settle down, Aladdin.

  I took a large bite and chewed in a rather unattractive fashion. Gabe simply smirked. The fucker knew I was trying to turn him off on purpose.

  I swallowed my mouthful, “I’ve been thinking about what you said.”

  A mischievous gleam entered his eye. “Oh?”

  “About rectifying my situation,” I continued, awkwardly pushing a water chestnut around with my fork. “What exactly would that entail?”

  “I guess you could call it… exposure therapy.” His eyes grew heated.

  I didn’t like the sound of that at all. “Exposure to what?”

  “Me, of course. Right now, your body is rejecting its most base needs because a mate bond was forced on you.” He chuckled, “You’re a succubus, you’re not meant to be monogamous. It goes against your very nature.” He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “We can start with something small. Perhaps you should undress and we will go from there?”

  A week ago being seduced by the equivalent of a young Brad Pitt would’ve been my fantasy. Today, it was my nightmare.

  “Undress? That’s how you’re going to ‘cure’ me? By giving me a dose of your magic dick?” I seethed.

  Gabe sighed. “I’m only trying to help you, Claire. Yes, I’ve dreamed about being with one of my own, but this isn’t about pleasure.” His gaze grew serious. “It’s about survival.” Gabe rested his cheek against his arms. “Besides, without your mate, I’m the best hope you’ve got.”

  “Not interested,” I said flatly. Everything inside me rejected him. I just couldn’t. If I had to choose, it would be Lucas. Every time. My heart ached at the thought. I closed my eyes and visualized pressing my ear against the brick wall blocking our bond. I felt nothing from his side.