Starved for Love Read online

  I sat up straighter, unable to pry my gaze from his six-pack abs. A golden happy trail of hair led from his belly button, disappearing under his waistband. Naturally blond, oh my. What I would do to have Rose’s talent right now. My sex grew wetter.

  He knelt in front of me. “To feed, you only have to orgasm, right?”

  Only? I nodded. My ability to speak had vanished when he’d undressed.

  He gave me a small, devilish grin and it melted me to the seat. “I think I can manage that.” Guiding my legs apart, he slipped my damp panties off.

  A shiver ran over my skin where his fingertips ran over my legs. I had an idea where he wanted to head and I prayed I was right.

  Bending my knees, he set my feet on the edge of the chair, exposing my lady parts for his viewing pleasure. His gaze met mine and carnal desire ignited in his expression. Gone was the professional personal assistant. A hungry male knelt before me, ready to worship my body by satisfying my insatiable appetite. He slid a finger along my labia, separating the folds.

  I moaned and lifted my hips to give him better access.

  “You’re so beautiful. I can’t wait to taste you.”

  Taste me already, I wanted to cry, but held my tongue. Hoel was risking his job for me. The least I could do was let him take his time.

  He dipped his fingers deeper, circling my entrance. “So wet for me.” He brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked.

  “Oh, my.” The words slipped out. I never noticed how soft his lips appeared until now. “Kiss me?”

  The devilish smile I’d enjoyed not long ago returned. I liked this playful side of Hoel. “Your wish is my command.” He leaned forward, setting his mouth to my pussy. His hot tongue boldly licked between my folds.

  I grunted at the sudden solid sensation and arched in the chair, hoping not to tip it.

  He grabbed my ass and held me still as he kissed my most intimate parts. Using his tongue, he left no flesh unexplored. Slow and easy, he licked me with loving strokes.

  “Hoel!” I tried to rock my hips but his strength kept me prisoner. “Oh God.” The need flashed inside my gut. It roared for completion. I entwined my fingers in his hair and rested my feet on his broad shoulders.

  Ignoring me, he continued to lap and kiss as if we had all night.

  “Please.” I writhed in his hands and lifted the hem of my dress to watch him devote his attention to my pleasure.

  A deep chuckle came from his throat, purely male and self-satisfied. He found my clitoris and began to suck.

  My vision narrowed as the sensation assaulted my overeager libido. “Yes. That’s it.”

  Softly at first, he played with my bud, but soon he sucked harder until I could only pant and hang on the armrests for dear life. He brought me into a state of sheer ecstasy where I couldn’t even remember my own name. Each exhale came out a moan until the pleasure grew too much as it crashed over me.

  Rocking my hips in his strong hold, I cried out. What? I’d never remember. I only knew his mouth upon me as he sucked me to completion. My need exploded, combined with my orgasm, and created the energy my body consumed to survive. Hoel’s flavor imbued it. Airy and thin, it slid into the place where I stored what we’d created, tasting like smoothest of whipped creams. The power throbbed though me, a mixture of me and my lover.

  With a shuddering cry, I collapsed. Limp and lifeless, my body molded to the form of the chair. If not for Hoel’s hands and the armrests, I might have pooled onto the carpeted floor.

  He passed a few more licks as if savoring my flavor, then placed a gentle kiss to my inner thigh. “Good?”

  “Very.”

  He climbed to his feet. “We should keep this between us for now.” His lips were glossy with my juices.

  A dark foreboding sank into my bones at his suggestion. “For now. Secrets have a tendency to burn me.” And they did. Pierre had been my dirty secret. I didn’t want to be Hoel’s. The thought made me sick. However, I reached for his pants and undid the button.

  He removed my hands and kissed each palm.

  “I give when I receive, Hoel. It’s only polite.”

  He laughed. “Maybe another day.” Turning, he retrieved his shirt from the couch.

  I leaned forward in my chair and examined his back. Each shoulder blade bore deep scars. Rising to my feet, I approached him and ran a finger lightly over the rough tissue.

  With a hiss, he flinched. “Don’t. They’re painful.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean—it’s just—you’re not a nephilim are you?”

  “Why would you think that?” He swung his shirt over his shoulders and dressed.

  “Rumors.” Not a nephilim then. The scars on his shoulder blades, the ones I’d touched and made him flinch—I cringed—had there been wings? Oh my flipping God. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “What?” He glanced up from dressing.

  Two plus two always equaled four. If I added Hoel’s scars, rumors and the power surrounding him together, they equaled only one thing. “You’re a fallen angel, aren’t you?”

  “Pia—”

  “I’m so sorry.” I covered my mouth with my hand. Pacing the room, I tried not to panic. I’d fed from him. He’d gone down on me.

  “Easy.” Hoel caught me by the shoulders. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop.”

  “I’m going to hell when I die because of this.” I gestured between us.

  He chuckled. “Angels haven’t any more connection to heaven than demons have to hell. We’re just rare magical beings and I’d like to keep my existence quiet. Do you understand?”

  I nodded. “If you’re not from heaven then how come you lost your wings?”

  “I didn’t say there weren’t laws to be broken. It’s my punishment.” He set the tie around his neck and straightened it. “You might wish to shower and change. Valerio wants me to bring you home for dinner.”

  I took a shaky breath. “I’ve already fed him once today. He has five wives. Let them take care of him.” I smoothed my dress back over my hips. The nerve of the incubus to order me around, after we’d only met this afternoon.

  “As a guest, not a meal.”

  “Oh.” I scratched my chin. “Well, then, I’ll get ready.” Before exiting the room, I glanced back, mischief rising. “Would you like me to send my sister Rose in to keep you company?” I wasn’t going to tell her a thing. It would be a lot more fun to watch her find out on her own.

  He shook his head vigorously, a charming blush coloring his cheeks. “I doubt I would survive her.”

  Opening the study door, I ran into my father. “Dad!” How much had he heard?

  He pointed back to the study. “We haven’t finished our discussion.” His scowl foretold my grim future. What did I do now? Every time I thought I was doing the right thing it turned out wrong.

  Without another word, I scurried back in and hovered by the fireplace.

  Hoel finished setting his tie with shaky fingers, a dark blush coloring his face right to the tip of his ears. He cleared his throat.

  “My wives have informed me they agree with Pia’s decision.” My father crossed his arms over his chest; though not much taller than Hoel, he loomed over both of us. Not as head incubus of Lake City, but worse, as my daddy. “I don’t think it would be a good match. If I wanted Val to court her, she would have been introduced yesterday. Pia’s not on the market.”

  “But Da—”

  He shot me such an intense glare it burned. “We already discussed this today. This subject is closed. Please, extend my regret to your master and I look forward to seeing him at lunch tomorrow where I’m sure there will be more suitable succubi for him to meet.”

  Chapter Six

  Woohoo! Back to day one of my cycle

  Kneading bread
kept idle hands busy and overactive minds calm, or so claimed my mother Margie. I punched the newly risen dough within an inch of its life and gave it a couple more for good measure.

  A long-fingered hand gently landed on mine. “I think it’s dead, honey. You can divide it into rolls now.” Margie’s soft voice still carried in the chaos of the kitchen. We were having lots of guests over for lunch in our greenhouse and my mothers always did the cooking. “Once you do that, you can set the tray by the others to rise. Don’t forget to cover them with a cloth.” She eyed me. “A clean one.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” I saluted her with a floury hand, a casualty of today’s baking battles.

  The kitchen was divided in three sectors. Margie and I were the baking department, Estelle and Rose worked on hors d’oeuvres, and Sam, my birth mom, and Adele made the main course. I say we helped but Adele was the only one of us daughters who could cook worth a damn. Rose was relegated to assembly only and I was set as a gopher and dough-kneading fool.

  “Check the oven and see if the cake is cooked.” Margie waved me away.

  “Yes, ma’am.” I did as I was told. How could I tell if it was done? It appeared golden and the scent of vanilla filled the kitchen when I opened the oven door. “It’s done?” I pulled it out and glanced at Margie.

  She sighed. “Stick a butter knife in it and see if it comes out clean.” Shaking her head, she poured more flour in her bowl. “How will we ever marry any of you off if you can’t make a simple cake?”

  “It’s the twenty-first century. I’ll go buy one at the store.” I set the cake by the rising bread.

  Margie gasped. “Pia Marie, take that back.” She winked at me. “Don’t leave the cake there. It will make the bread on that side of tray rise faster.”

  Rose met my gaze from across the room and rolled her eyes. Estelle nattered at her too. Something about what kind of crackers to use with oysters. We were serving those? I made mental note to steer clear of the hors d’oeuvres.

  I peered over at their table filled with trays of canapés. How many types of crackers could there be? I learned at a young age not to ask unless prepared to listen to the answer. My mind was too flighty to make any sense of the art of cooking.

  On top of everything else, my stomach wouldn’t stop fluttering. I thought it was the energy I’d created with Hoel. I’d never had an angel go down on me before. Who knew what the consequences were when our kind met? But I noticed the flutters only grew worse as the luncheon drew nearer.

  Valerio Hunan was coming today.

  I’d see him again with his soft, demanding lips, firm hands and skilled fingers.

  “Earth to Pia.” Adele stood in front of me with a roast in her arms. “I need to use the oven. Can you park your useless ass somewhere else?”

  I shuffled over. “Useless?”

  “Girls, not now. We’ve—” Sam set a salad in the fridge as she spoke.

  Adele put her hands on her hips as she spun to confront me. “This would go much easier if you and Rose would apply a little effort in learning to help out in the kitchen. The moms have been slaving in here for two days. They shouldn’t have to do all the work.”

  I poked her in the chest. “I had feeding issues yesterday.” She knew better. I never said no when they asked for help.

  “You always have feeding issues.” She pointed to Rose. “She has to feed today, yet she’s still helping.”

  Rose’s eyes went wide as she tried to lead Adele away from me. “Don’t drag me into this. I have plans to feed tonight. I’m also older and more experienced than Pia.”

  I grabbed her arm. “What does that mean? You don’t think I can take care of myself?”

  The kitchen went quiet.

  I stared at each of my family member one at a time. “You don’t.” I blinked. “You gave me the impression last night that you trusted me.”

  The door to the main house swung open and my father strolled in with six strange males. “These are my lovely wives and…” He regarded everyone, taking everything in at a glance—Adele glaring daggers at me, Rose inspecting the tiles on the floor and my mothers studiously cooking without a comment.

  “This—this is the help I hired.” He pointed at the men.

  I stared hard at them. Not men, shifters. They radiated a wild power much like my suitor Cooper. My father believed in keeping the money within the supernatural community.

  My father stuck his hands in his pockets and avoided any direct eye contact. Smart man. “Rose, why don’t you show them around the greenhouse so they know the layout of the tables and the bar?”

  I brushed pass Adele, heading outside. “I’ll do it. Rose might eat them. Come on, boys. We’ll start with the bar.”

  * * *

  One of the shifters proved he could make a killer Long Island Iced Tea. I was on my third and checking out the throng of ass-kissers coming to snoop around my parents’ estate. They were throwing this luncheon to welcome Valerio to Lake City and assess him for permanent residence, but really, who was going to kick him out?

  If he was powerful enough for my father to offer him two of his more deserving daughters for marriage, then none of these bottom-feeders would complain about his presence in the city. Welcome, my ass. It was more of a let’s-check-out-the-most-eligible-incubus-in-town party. My parents were playing matchmaker, hoping he’d find one of the daughters of the other families more appealing.

  I took a big gulp. He’d found me interesting. God knows why.

  Rose swayed through the crowd, her long red hair a beacon I could spot in any crowd. She approached me with a sandwich and placed it in my hand. “It’s peanut butter. Your favorite.”

  “It’s not my favorite.” I smelled it. Rose was the worst cook this country ever produced. There should be laws banning her from the kitchen, but I could detect a peanutty scent from the bread.

  “Look, it’s the only thing I can make that won’t kill you. Eat and soak up some of that alcohol so you don’t puke on Ms. Renway like last time.” She watched as I took a big bite. “Adele didn’t mean what she said. I know she feels horrid—” A bright, loud laugh interrupted Rose.

  Rising on tiptoe, I glanced over Rose’s shoulder at Adele entertaining some of the guests. “She looks heartbroken.”

  “It’s an act and you know it. She’s always been the practical one.” She motioned for me to eat. “Hurry up. You’re drawing stares. The moms will come check us out to see what’s wrong.”

  I crammed a huge bite in my mouth before a mom confiscated it. Drinking wouldn’t make me feel better. It took the edge off but I’d regret it later or in a few days, depending on how much I drank. Maybe I should call Sin and see what he was up to tonight? He could be a douche but he was never boring, and staying home just didn’t appeal to me.

  Rose watched as one of the shifter boys bowed low to a guest and referred to her as Mistress Succubus. “Why do they keep doing that? One of your suitors is a shifter. Is it a wolfy thing?”

  I shrugged and hid my smirk behind another bite. Somebody had to entertain me tonight. The boys would figure out my little joke eventually though. Shifters were so cute.

  Rose drifted back into the throng and I moved farther away until my back hit the glass wall of the greenhouse. I never fit in this crowd. The males gathered to one side and observed their wives as they meandered with their champagne glasses and nibbled on oysters. My people’s beauty came from an evolutionary development for hunting. Only the beautiful survived among succubi and only the powerful among incubi.

  “I didn’t see sandwiches being served.” A smooth voice spoke into my ear from behind.

  I twirled around. “Valerio. I—I didn’t see you come in.”

  “You were too busy flirting with the bartender to notice.”

  I swallowed the bite of food in my mouth and tried to
calm the flight of butterflies in my chest. Wait, that meant he spotted me when he arrived. Warmth spread around my heart like a thick warm blanket.

  “Are shifters more to your tastes?” He took the glass from my numb hand and sniffed. “This isn’t iced tea.” A small smile played on his lips as he took a sip. “Some succubi prefer one race over another.”

  “Oh? I don’t have a favorite.” Not that I ever paid attention. I mean, why would I care? “I’m not picky. Well, that’s not true, I’m very picky, but it hasn’t anything to do about species. More of a personality thing than any other trait, they have to make me feel comfortable, you know. I mean the shifter boys here have been nice but they’re a little too young and…”

  He raised his eyebrow as he sipped my drink and listened.

  “And I’m rambling.”

  “Do I make you feel comfortable?”

  “Dude, are you kidding me? No way.” I grabbed my drink from his hand and just about ran away, skipping over the large patio stones so my heels wouldn’t get caught. I’d been drinking way too much to deal with the likes of him. What the hell was he doing anyway? He had a party full of succubi with fathers more than willing to give them up. I spotted my mother Sam sitting at one of the tables among the greenery with a couple I barely knew. I plopped down in the chair next to her. “Hey.”

  “Pia.” My mom beamed at our guests. “You haven’t seen her since she was a baby.” Hugging me close to her side, she whispered close to my ear. “Get me out of here.”

  I blinked at the stiff couple across from me. They sat far apart, backs slightly turned to each other. “I’m not feeling well.”

  The wife appeared to have a stick up her ass and the husband must have sucked on a lemon.

  “Maybe you should take it easy on those drinks, honey. They’re killer on your hips,” wifey commented.

  “Pia’s hips seem fine to me.” Valerio eased into the seat next to me. “Herman.” He nodded to the male. “Though she is a little too quick on her feet for my taste.” He gave me a meaningful grin. “I guess I should work out more so I can keep up.”