Grim Echoes

Chapter 29 - Will

Will pressed on the gas, impatient to get to Knoxville. Mason had given him the details on the succubus they were going to destroy. Succubi were just another type of demon, but these gorgeous ones didn't look or function like their counterparts. They weren't channeled into a human and wore it as a meat suit. They weren't summoned like more powerful ones were. These demons walked freely among the unknowing population. A much bigger threat than a lot of Soldiers of Night would admit. For the most part, they were easier to take out, because they were a lot closer to humans than others that traveled from hell. Their physical bodies were on this plane and made them vulnerable to injuries or death.

Even taking that into consideration, they were still tough bitches. Will knew that Incubuses existed but had never met or destroyed one. He'd only been exposed to the females and fuck, there were a lot of 'em. It made sense, considering they'd learned how to curb their appetites and get most of what they needed by fucking a lot of people on a regular basis. Course it meant they were pregnant often. A whole slew of half breeds existed. Made Will sick to his stomach when he thought about the future.

"Why'd you bring that girl to my keep?" Mason managed to get out before she launched into another fit of coughing.

Will's chest constricted. He didn't like her question, and he didn't like that cough. It was worse than the last time they'd been to her keep. "You call about that cough yet?" he asked after she stopped. In his peripheral, he caught her glare.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Neither did you." he kept his eyes forward and forced his face to keep the impassive expression. He didn't know what her cough meant, but he knew it'd been months, shit maybe years, it'd been around. But recently it was all the time, not spread apart and random like before.

"I asked you first Will,"

"I brought her there because I didn't know what else to do with her. I'd just taken out the angel." he smiled despite the eventual drama that'd bring. It was still bad ass. "She was passed out. I figured she wouldn't know where she was. We could knock her back out when we leave. She won't ever know where she is,"

"We have safe houses for that kinda shit with built in security so she couldn't leave and she wouldn't need a babysitter. You've never brought someone to my keep without my approval."

Silence filled the vehicle. Fuck. What could he say now? Everything she'd said was true. Why in the hell hadn't, he thought about that. Until she'd mentioned it, it hadn't occurred to him. What the fuck was wrong with him? He gripped the steering wheel.

"You went against code, Will. I've been more than accommodating and you know the only reason I'm not booting you boys out." she paused to cough again. "You're taking advantage of your Aunt Mason, you little shit." she took another drink from her flask.

He glanced at her and saw her smile and let go of the breath he'd held. "I wasn't thinking. I guess I got too caught up in killing the angel and when she did what ever that was. I don't know. I fucked up." he tried to sound casual.

"Yeah, you did. But I also get that Ander ain't a hundred percent right now, so maybe it was for the best. Least this way we know they're both protected and safe while we deal with this."

"Funny thing about that. Since she's been around, he's been... better. More stable; calmer,"

"Explains why he let her use my bathroom," she grumbled.

"Because he felt better?"

"No dumbass, he's probably sweet on her."

Will felt even more stupid. How could've he missed that? Great, now he'd have to deal with Ander's crush on a mission. Because that's what Maeve was. A mission, not their companion, friend or whatever Ander wanted to call it.