Kiss Me Deadly

Chapter Ten

A few hours later, I walk the dark city streets all alone. The night air is freezing and the dark blue and white striped dress I'm wearing does little to nothing to shield me from the chill. The sleeves are long but that doesn't make up for the fact that the dress only reaches my mid-thigh, leaving my legs exposed.

After Dax and Archer had agreed to let me do my best to save Leilani, I'd rushed back to my room to prepare. I showered, washing the blood from my face and residual apple juice from my hands, and watched in the mirror as my succubus powers awoke and healed the gash below my eye. Not stopping there, the power had added a glow to my skin and a shine to my previously bedraggled hair. The fully succubus look isn't one I've often used, but it has it's perks -even if it does make me look like my mother's daughter.

Looking out into the darkness, I smile, remembering Archer's expression when I'd walked out in the clingy dress, long curls spilling over my shoulder like a dark waterfall. His green eyes had widened as he took me in, swallowing nervously. He bit his lip and shook his head, as if to force himself to concentrate and said, "are you sure about this, Viridian? You could get hurt."

I'd forced a confident, flashing smile. "I'm sure."

Thoughts returning to the present, I wander the night, hoping that I was right about this. I look down uncertainly. What if I'm wrong about this? If the incubus has already moved on from this hunting ground, this whole rescue mission could just be a waste of time that ends up costing Leilani her life. I don't know if I could take it if-

A loud crash resounds through the alley to my left, interrupting my worried thoughts. I jump in fright, clutching my throat, then frown. Get a hold of yourself, Viridian, I chastise myself. What are you afraid of? You're probably the most monstrous creature in this city. Whatever's in that alley should be afraid of you. Forcing myself to get a grip, I peer into the alley but it's too dark to see anything. Every instinct I have tells me to turn around and run, but I push past it. If this is the incubi trying to scare me, I have to play along. Visibly trembling, I slowly walk into the darkness.

"Hello?" I call out. The cold night air swallows up my words, spitting them back at me.

I hear scratching behind a grimey, foul-smelling dumpster and imagine the incubi crouching behind it, raking his claws against the pavement with a sinister grin full of bloody teeth. I shudder and make myself continue, despite the fact that my mind is throwing discouraging thoughts at me. You've never been on a rescue mission in your life. You're the one innocents need rescuing from. You don't save. You kill, the pessimistic voice says, but I force myself to ignore it. Leilani is depending on me.

I move towards the sound, heart hammering with every step. My cold, clammy, shaking hands clench into fists. Nearing the edge of the dumpster, I let out a shuddering breath. I take in another breath to replace the last and round the corner.

The dog jumps away from the fast food bag it'd been digging in and runs away. I let out the breath I'd been holding, shoulders sagging. I give a short, humorless laugh, actually quite relieved. A dog, I think to myself amusedly, it's just a dog.

I spin around on my heels to resume my search and my throat closes up with fear.

"Well, well, well," the incubi says with a sneer, "Viridian Steel."

He lunges at me with a promise of blood and pain in his dark eyes and my scream echoes in the night.

I wake up to near darkness. Lanterns hanging along the stone walls cast a flickering light on the room, but the light is barely enough to see by. Groaning, I roll my aching head to the side. The pounding doesn't lessen and I find myself wondering why I ever thought this solo rescue mission was a good idea. I swallow down a wave of nausea and try to figure out the damage.