King Incubus: A New Reign - Chapter 1 & 2

Chapter 1: A Natural

Tony

The ringer on Tony’s phone sent it vibrating across the nightstand. The phone danced and buzzed angrily to get his attention. He cracked an eye. Just an alarm. Over a month had passed, but Lillith hadn’t been back since the night they… I can still taste her, feel her orgasm lingering from where I felt it at my core. Tony sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with the palms of his hands. His body hadn’t felt normal after that moment. Contractors had repaired the damage they’d done together to the bathroom: the vanity broken, and the mirror scattered into a million shards. In all his promiscuous years, he had never had sex so… volatile? Explosive? Meeting my match in prowess? The chemistry between us was easily something on another plane, but was that her power being a succubus? 

Since Lillith hadn’t returned a call or text, he had occasionally visited the Lion’s Den to make sure it was still in working order. The bartenders he once thought were incompetent and bubbly were showing their real age and experience. At this rate, the place had been running without a manager to spearhead day-to-day operations for almost half the year.

Wonder if it’s because they’re afraid Cedric or Lillith will be pissed if they let the business go to shit while I deal with my curse? Granted, maybe they were bubbly around me for other reasons.

Regardless, both vampires seemed relieved to see he’d finally gained control over the incubine cravings. A pang of guilt struck a nerve at their reaction during his recent visits. That wild night in the bathroom had magically put the urges under lock and key, but he’d let every part of his humanity fade. Is it the fact I’m no longer human, or the idea there’s only one person I want? Flashes of Lillith arching as her thighs shook made him groan in frustration. These haunting hot flashes are killing me. Where the hell did she go? 

“Besides, my regulars weren’t human to begin with, so what does it matter that I’m a…” Tony covered his mouth, every muscle in his body tensing. King Incubus. What does that title even mean? Technically, it’s Cedric’s title, isn’t it? Or is it a creature type? Who the hell do I even ask to know which it is?

Shaking off the thought, he finished buttoning his shirt and rolled the sleeves up. “Did my clothes get tighter, or did I get more muscle?” he scoffed, having to unbutton a few on the top to make more room. “Shit, maybe I gained weight moping around here in sweats for weeks.”

Tony tugged at his clothes as he rode the elevator down. As he crossed the lobby, the desk attendant flagged him down. He had barely noticed the staff working in the high-rise luxury apartments, let alone glanced their way. In tandem, they hadn’t seemed to acknowledge him coming and going either. Slowing, he eyed the door, debating whether to pretend he hadn’t heard her shout at him.

Did they finally notice it’s just me living here now? Oof, this aura coming out of her. Coming in hot!

“Mister McCarthy!” The petite woman waved at him from behind the concierge desk, and thanks to his newfound abilities, he knew she found him extremely attractive. “I, uh, I have this for you.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and batted her lashes at him. “How are you doing this evening, sir?”

“Better.” She’s ready to rip my shirt off. His face reddened, feeling guilty as his power slipped just then, like ripples in a tub, the arousal bouncing between them for a moment. “R-right. Thanks. Got to go.” This thing I can do and feel now is going to get me in so much trouble. How awkward life’s going to be now that I know when and how sexually attracted people are to me and others in the room.

“Well,” she looked around the empty lobby before biting her lip. Her eyes dipped over him, and she finally whispered, “If you’re not busy and alone tonight, I would love to…”

Nope. “Dating Lillith,” Tony blurted, swallowing. “Have a nice day, lady.”

He grabbed the envelope from her and fled outside, the frigid air blowing snow between the buildings. What the fuck am I thinking?! Dating Lillith? Is that even a thing? She’s going to choke me if that gets back to her! Ripping open the envelope, he found a handwritten note and business card. Flipping the card around, his jaw muscles twitched. It read, “White Ram Law Associates, Nomius Panes Silvan, President,” with an address reading, “Room One on Avalon.” Tony was still furious over the nonconsensual kiss from the god of mischief. To think, of all the careers he could have chosen, of course, he’d be a slimy lawyer. Changing his focus to the letter, he read it, coming to a stop on the sidewalk where his feet slid on an icy patch for a second.

Dear Boy-Toy, Lillith and I have discussed your current status after the deed was done. Needless to say, I’ve hired someone to prepare and teach you for what’s coming next. Hope you’re ready, big guy! You do realize as a king incubus, you’re now in the top ranks of the demon caste system and will need to defend your throne. Congratulations on your worldly promotion! Sadly, you’re too young to have enough experience and our initial plan won’t work (casting a spell to fill your gaps). Indeed, a huge gap, dear me! It must be humiliating for you. Please call me when you’re ready for me to start your training, my beloved and most admired bartender. Always waiting for you, Pan

Tony crumpled the paper into a ball, veins bulging at his temples. He tossed it to the ground, but it burst into a flurry of rose petals and scattered in the falling snow. Typical Pan: an obnoxious, unwelcome romantic. Snorting, Tony tucked the card into his back pocket and kept moving. Nearing his destination, he realized the stares and mutters of the passing pedestrians had been aimed at him.

Shit, didn’t grab a coat and I didn’t even notice, even with this wind and snow.

Pushing through the door at the Lion’s Den, he found Lisa and Becca baring their fangs at a mohawked brute. The assaulter was shifting, tusks appearing with two halves of a broken pool stick in each hand as his clothes ripped under the pressure. A roar escaped him, and the vampires hissed in reply. In Tony’s eyes, the scene looked like a bulldog cornering two cats. Tony’s skin crawled with the excitement of an oncoming fight. Sucking on his cheek, he paused a moment to collect himself.

Is it normal for an incubus to feel aroused at the idea of a fight, or is this something else I haven’t felt in a long time? Tony paled. Regardless, I have to do something about this. I mean, I can actually do something for a change: monster versus monster now, assholes.

“What’s going on?” Tony demanded, letting the door slam shut behind him.

“This asshole-of-a-troll is a sore loser,” Lisa hissed, retracting her fangs in embarrassment at letting Tony see her vampiric nature. “He lost his money in a game of pool and now he’s breaking shit. This is the third time this month.”

“I asked him to leave, but he threatened me,” Becca added, also pulling back her own fangs and covering her mouth. “Sorry you had to walk into this and see us—”

“Shut up, bitch!” The troll lifted one arm, threatening to skewer her with the broken pool stick. “Not so tough without the damn wolf lurking in the back booth, now are you?”

“Romasanta. He has a name.” Tony pulled at his shirt collar as he dared to get closer, aiming to force his way between the opposing forces. “You shouldn’t talk so ill about a good friend and regular to my bar. Walk away now and I might still serve you drinks in the future.”

“And who the fuck do you think you are, human?” A great roar of laughter erupted from the once human-looking brute. “I hear the owners are away in the Otherworld.” The troll pointed the stick at Tony, saliva dangling from his chin. “So, who died and left your puny ass in charge?”

Man, the nerve of this guy. And how powerful is Romasanta to keep a monster like this under control by just being here? Holy hell.

The whole time, the man continued to shift into his troll form. Growing in bulk and height, he had lost the last of his human features. His skin looked as if made from cobblestones and bark, his face large and square, with tusks bigger than Tony’s legs in width and length. The top of his head was scraping the drop-down ceiling tiles now, and his hair fell in a wild crest atop his head like a razorback boar. Tony looked up at the giant and cringed at the smell rolling from him, reminding him of the subway on sweltering summer days. Other patrons were grumbling to one another and holding their noses, eyes all watching to see what their bartender could even attempt to do without the powerful patrons present.

“I’m the owner.” Not a total lie; she did sign it over to me. Tony began to roll up his sleeves farther off his elbows and unbuttoned a few more buttons on his shirt as it grew tighter. Try to mimic how Cedric handles this and I might at least buy myself some time. His green eyes were glowing with anticipation and excitement for a possible brawl. “And I’ll ask you once more: get the fuck out of my bar and I might serve you again later.”

The whole place seemed to be holding its breath. Becca launched herself over the bar top and ran for the manager’s office. Lisa slid in behind Tony, gripping the back of his shirt, her knuckles digging into his back muscles. Tony’s body was on fire with the desire to fight, and he was losing his ability to remain calm. This isn’t good. I feel like a kid again, ready to throw punches just to taste a bloody lip. He’d never been the sort to want to fight immediately, without purpose. He’d always resorted to breaking up fights or defending himself under heated situations. Something inside him was boiling his blood in a way that reminded him of his past mistakes.

Old habits are hard to break … if you lose it here now, he warned himself.

Tony slowed his breathing, calming the eagerness stirring within him, refusing to cave to the desires clawing at his core. “I’m not looking for a fight,” he offered the troll.

“Be careful,” Lisa whispered from behind him. “You might be stronger in this new form, but you have no idea how to handle yourself. It can get dangerous for all of us. Trolls aren’t an easy opponent in any scenario.”

“Yes, I want a fight!” roared the troll, panting.

“If things get out of hand, you know how to call her, right?” Tony whispered to Lisa, his heart racing. Lillith can put me in my place, and I prefer it that way. They might be worried about the troll, but I’m not sure how out of control I might become to satisfy this itch.

“Y-yes, we’re instructed to call her if matters get out of hand.” Lisa gasped, taking a wide step back as a wave of arousal escaped him and hit her. “Please, Tony. I don’t think this is going to go the way you think.”

Crap, I didn’t mean for that, but just thinking about Lillith makes me slip up. Dammit, focus Tony. Monster troll in front of you. “Look, this isn’t the place to be fighting,” reassured Tony.

“Oh, I don’t care who I fight, even if it’s against you, human.” The troll grinned; a growling sound escaped him before turning into a snarl of bubbling spit.

The troll’s solid black eyes reminded Tony of a great white shark, purely predatory and instinctual in nature. Chuckling at Tony, the troll dropped the pool stick pieces and cracked his stony knuckles together. There were shouts from other patrons, all jeering the troll to leave, that “this isn’t worth the trouble” he would make for them all. Tony glared across the Lion’s Den, and for the first time, he could sense how supernatural they were under their human facades. They were begging for the brute to stop, and Tony realized this was truly one of the few places they could feel like themselves or simply be human for a while. The bar had been doing them a great service, and even in this moment, they would all back Tony in this fight if it went horribly wrong.

“Look, if you want a fight, let’s take it out back.” Tony swallowed, conflicted between his own desires, of which he wanted more: to fight or to be the dominant entity. Is that the king incubus in me? The need to defend my throne. What fucking throne am I defending? “Let’s not ruin everyone’s night over this.”

The troll grinned wide with sharp yellow and green teeth; his eyes widened, jeering, “You afraid of letting your pals watch you die?”

“No.” Anger filled Tony, horns rising and his tone deepening as a button popped on his shirt. “But you already look like a fool for thinking I’m human.” A sense of satisfaction filled Tony as he let this much of himself show; he would be spending the rest of his life decoding it. Embarrassment. That always works as a good deflection. He’ll back down if he looks like a moron on some level. Fortunately, I’m very aware I’m not human anymore. “Are you sure you’re the one who has the upper hand between us?”

“W-wait.” Blinking, confused by the shift, the troll acknowledged, “What do we have here? Another incubus? This place is full of surprises. Fine, I’ll let you off this time, half-breed, but I’ll be back. You’ll owe me a proper fight.” Turning away, the troll shrank back into his human form and shoved out the door.

As the door closed, the brute flipped Tony the bird and shoved a pedestrian, making them slip on the icy sidewalk before landing in a pile of snow. Everyone in the bar could breathe again. Tony was choking on the exhilaration building within him, his skin pimpling with the provocation of a fight. To break skin and feel a fist knocking into a cheekbone. Tony was thankful the bluff was enough to make the troll walk away. What would have happened in the back alley?

I used to square off with plenty of people in an alley, but with these kinds of instincts and power? I’m going to kill someone and enjoy it at this rate! I can’t fight! I haven’t been in a proper fight in years, let alone with a troll or with this body. What’s wrong with me? Was I really lusting after a fight? Tony glared at his fists as he sat on a bar stool in awe, claws digging into his palm, healing as he continued to claw into his flesh. What else did you not tell me about this form, Lillith? I think Cedric and Romasanta would have given me a better sense of what this meant. Shit, what all did Cedric tell me in his stories? Ugh, I should have taken notes!

“You okay?” Lisa caught his attention, pouring him a shot of tequila. “Here, this’ll cut the edge some.”

“I’ve never had to throw a punch in this bar, and especially not because I wanted to be hurt by someone,” he confessed to her, downing the shot. “I’m glad I wasn’t starting with a troll to find out what that sensation was all about.”

Lisa smiled, patting his arm. “Glad to see you got this whole thing under control, but your aura was a beast just now. Granted, the troll will be back after he decides how he wants to face a demon of your level. They’ve lived a long time, so I’m sure seeing a human aura reveal itself as something else is intimidating for even his kind.”

“Wait.” Tony grabbed her wrist, confused by her words. “What are you talking about? A human aura revealing to be something else? I’m pretty sure what human I had left is gone after—wait, do incubi have the ability to pass as human when they want to?”

“Oh, you don’t know you’re even doing that?” Lisa started laughing and he let her go. She sighed, starting again, “Tony, you’re a natural at this. Most demons have to work hard to mask themselves as human, and you do this like it’s breathing. Maybe it has to do with the fact you started off human? I imagine it’s easy to fall back into wanting to feel normal, but even I have a tough time passing myself off as a human. Normally, someone has to train and show you how to do this after your initial change. I mean, your aura was right there at the same level as Cedric and Romasanta when you slightly shifted just now. Keeping that under wraps means hardcore training. Did Lillith show you that?”

“No.” Tony pondered the information, still feeling lost. “Let me get this straight: you can look like a human all you want, but there’s some invisible sense, or aura, that says otherwise?”

Lisa digested his words and, at last, nodded. “In short, yes. Not unless you’ve got the skill to change your aura. But we’re talking about a creature that has epic sorcery skills and can numb the senses of gods and titans. Normally, that’s another god or titan fucking around with one another like a twisted game of hide and seek. Hence why Zeus went full animal mode because it’s easier to mask his aura.”

“Is that why, when Cedric sat here, I couldn’t tell he wasn’t human, but you could?” He furrowed his brow, trying to apply the new knowledge where he could. “And why Lillith felt so intimidating in an instant when she came through the door that first time?”

“Exactly.” Lisa poured him another shot, and he drank it down, flicking his fingers for another. “See, some of us can smell it in the scent; others have the ability to see auras or sense them. At the end of the day, always follow your gut now that … well, you’re one of us, essentially.” She cast a glare across the bar, but none dared to pry in their conversation.

The tequila burned, but he took the bottle from her and poured himself another. “Oh, that I can’t do anymore. Following my gut is a terrible idea right now.”

“Oh?” Lisa lifted an eyebrow. “Why is that?”

Frowning, he took the shot and shoved the bottle back to her. “Every part of me wanted that fight. It was a desire I didn’t even know I had deep down anymore. All I could feel was this urge to rile him up, let him think he was winning before I let loose. I don’t fight! I’ve broken up a fight or two since I’ve been here and even let my ass get kicked when I first got hired! I don’t want to fight anyone or thing.”

“You okay?” Becca came out of the office as Tony grew louder. “I called for backup, just in case.”

“Backup?” Tony’s eyes bounced between the two vampire bartenders. “Who is backup for a troll needing to be kicked out of the bar? Everyone is gone or in the Otherworld.”

Becca bit her lip and answered, “Badbh.”

“Badbh,” repeated Tony, and his eyes grew wide. “Battle Goddess Badbh?”

“Yeah, she’s the only one left willing to do the job of being the bar bouncer. Volunteered, in fact.” Becca shrugged.

“She leveled this place once already without a fight to be found.” Tony pulled the bottle back and downed another shot. “My floor is still sticky from all the smashed bottles. Not even magic could undo that shit.”

The bell on the front door chimed and Tony spun on the bar stool. Coming through the door was the scar-covered, broad-shouldered woman warrior. She looked like a pro-wrestler with her build. The ripped-up jeans and men’s t-shirt with the sleeves cut-out didn’t help make her any less intimidating. Arms as big as Tony’s made it unclear who would win in an arm-wrestling match between them. Looking around, she turned back to the door and popped her head out, peering down the street both ways before coming up to the bar where Tony sat. Badbh flicked her fingers and Becca relinquished a bottle of Johnnie Walker to her.

“Where the hell is the troll?” Badbh peered over at the bar patrons, who all dodged eye contact with her in fear she would find a reason to fight them instead. “I thought you said he wasn’t leaving without a fight?”

“Tony spooked him off.” Dropping the information, Lisa then steered herself and Becca away, leaving Tony to Badbh’s grinning.

Dammit, I didn’t want her to know.

“You—of all people—scared off a troll without a fight?” Badbh glugged down the bottle and exhaled a drunken breath, laughing the words out, “Color me impressed.”

“He said he’ll be back.” Tony eyed the tequila but decided to pass on another shot, putting the bottle back down. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, and alcohol doesn’t seem to be numbing me at all. Inhaling deeply, Tony declared, “I’ve never been in a real fight like that.”

“That’s a lie,” Badbh snorted, leaning closer and nudging his arm with her own. “There’s more than one way of fighting, and there are different types of fights. It’s true, you’ve never been in a real fight with a monster, but you’ve always fought with your tongue first anyhow. Now you’ve got more brute force as support, making your words slice deeper before you need to throw your punches, no matter who or what the opponent is. A fight is a fight.”

“I never thought about that; different types, huh?” Tony mulled her concept around in his mind. At what cost to me, though? “This whole ordeal with my curse, accepting I wasn’t ever going to be human ever again, was a hell of a fight, don’t you think? I suppose it was wishful thinking that it would end there.”

“Life is a war in which we face battle after battle. They all serve to remind us we can still bleed and feel, that we still breathe and thrive, even if it’s just for one more day, hour, or minute.” Badbh sipped her Johnnie Walker, another grin filling her face as she reminisced in silence before clunking the bottle down. “Hell, let’s not sugarcoat it. The way you were keeping the incubine desires at bay shows you’ve got the willpower needed for greater things. Cedric couldn’t wrangle it into his control immediately without getting desperate or giving into it. I think you’ll surpass him in terms of control and talent as an incubus, though you’re still green as fuck right now.”

“I don’t know about that in regard to being better at being a sex demon,” Tony mused and took another shot of tequila. “Lillith had to come and bail me out on more than one occasion.” Tony paused a moment, his eyes gazing through the cracked office door as emotions swelled in his chest, his desperation filling him. “At least she always showed in time to stop me back then.”

“Or was it because you wanted her to come to you and you had a desire to submit to her the moment she appeared in the room with you?” Badbh threw a heavy arm over his shoulders, whispering, “I imagine you’re one of those guys who enjoys groveling at her feet and licking her toes.”

Tony choked on his drink.

Badbh’s breath hot against his ear, she whispered her taunt, “I know a secret.”

Tony glared down at the empty shot glass in his hands, his face flushed. “What kind of secret is that?” He poured another shot. Is it a secret that Lillith and I, that we…?

“When a lover of her liking even thinks about her sexually, wanting her to come to them,” she giggled, feeling the tension build across his shoulders, “she can hear it, feel it even. At that moment, she can locate them and manifest as she wishes. Granted, it’s meant to fulfill sexual desires. So, tell me, did she save you, or did you call her?”

Tony covered his face, recalling those moments of lustful struggles, seeing himself and the moment she manifested. Thinking her name, uttering it during… His pulse quickened. “Then I summoned her.” So why does it not work now? Is she refusing my call?

Patting his back with hearty slaps, Badbh cackled as she sat up straight. “You didn’t know? You’re too much! So innocent—it’s adorable!”

“I was a human. Why would I know that?” Tony quipped, the stinging from her slaps shifting to a wake of sensual warmth, stirring his incubine excitement. “And don’t slap me like that.”

Badbh’s laughter died down, and she finished off her bottle of Johnnie Walker. “What if I hit you over the back of the head with this bottle? How would that feel?”

Tony paled, her glare and tone serious. “Let’s not. I’m in no mood to experiment.”

“Why not?” She flipped it playfully in one hand, twirling it with skill in her fingers, daring for an honest answer from him. “What do you think it would feel like now that you’re not human?”

“I don’t think it would be pain. Well, pain and something else,” Tony corrected before pulling himself off the bar stool. “Look, I came to work today, not to talk about what happened to me. It’s done and over with.”

“Happening to you still,” Badbh rectified, putting the bottle down. “This isn’t the sort of work you can stay in without knowing how to properly defend yourself, Little Prince.”

“Ah, that’s right: the troll.” Scratching the side of his face, Tony turned back to face her, pleading, “I can call you when he comes back, right? You’ll take care of him when he comes here looking for that fight.”

“Nope.” Badbh stood and pushed a finger into his chest. “He’ll come to fight you—and only you. You stood your ground and now the troll wants to challenge you. They’re tacticians, and you should know that much from your silly nursery rhymes. Why do you think they attack and guard bridges? It’s a weak point, forces the units thin, and can make it easy to pick people off.”

Badbh’s words sent a chill through him. Nursery rhymes always creeped me out as a kid. “We’ve been over this. I can’t fight.” Tony tried to brush past her to get behind the bar, but she grabbed his arm. “Let go of me.”

“You need training to fight against monsters like the troll. That’s why you’re coming with me. Now.” Badbh’s fingers tightened, and he shuddered with the twisted sensation of pain and pleasure it sent tingling through him. “Didn’t you get Pan’s note?”

“They hired you.” Tony could feel the weight of the realization. “Hired you to teach me to fight. How much danger am I going to be in for the rest of my life because of this?”

“Ah, he didn’t tell you?” Badbh spun him around, shoving him toward the exit. “He’s always speaking in riddles, that fairy prick. Lies or half-spoken truths. Drives me batty. In short, it’s more like closing the gap in reflexes and experience. Then once you’re fit for a battle, I’ll cut you loose.”

“I don’t think this is a good idea. And you’re dodging my question. Is this my life now? A series of fights to prove I’m stronger?” Tony spun, scrambling to stop her from shoving him out the front door. “Not with how I am—what I’ve become. I’m not a fighter. I don’t want that life anymore, and I don’t know what being this even means.”

Stopping, she gave him an unamused glare. “What’s my name?”

“Excuse me?” Tony blinked and replied, “Badbh?”

She snorted and rubbed her nose like a football coach does. “My full name,” she demanded.

“Battle Goddess Badbh?” He felt like a child answering in a questioning tone.

“There’s your answer. Come on. We have work to do.” She yanked the door open and shoved him through it. “We’ve got to put a lot of battles in you before your life will no longer be in danger. There’s your answer.”

That’s not what I want to hear!

Chapter 2

Lillith’s Realm

Lillith

Lillith paced to-and-fro within her derelict castle. She hadn’t been inside her own domain in ages, not since her time with Romasanta centuries ago. 1400s or so, was it? In that timeframe, she had done nothing to maintain the castle she once called home. Claw marks across the stone walls brought back bittersweet memories of her and the secret lover she had let herself indulge in for a fleeting moment. But Romasanta’s heart belonged elsewhere, and we both knew that even then. 

A shudder brought her to a stop, and she groaned, holding her face as the weight of her emotions washed over her once more. She couldn’t pull her horns, wings, or tail back in with the events with Tony still ravaging her. Weeks alone with her thoughts only added to the ache of want. What’s wrong with me? Why am I so drawn to Tony? Plopping down on a dusty chair, she leaned on her knees, a leg shaking as she took it all in. I can still feel his power throbbing through me. What was that? Something different than before… and the way he looks at me… I… Her skin crawled and her heart fluttered.

She had found him attractive when he called her for the first time and decided to place her mark on him to serve as a means to keep tabs on him. Not many can catch my attention like that anymore. The curse he’d been served was indeed powerful. She could feel it loud and clear through her own spell after that. At first, she had mistaken her summoning for a reaction to the spike of lustful desires building in him as he undertook the change.

That last time in the office, though. He’s been calling me the whole time, not the curse and not my magic. Him. And I ran to him without delay like a complete love-struck puppy! Covering her mouth, she glanced around the musty remains of her once elaborate bedroom. Maybe I should have brought him here, but how would that have been any better? There’s no one to distract us here. Huffing, she played the night in the bathroom over and over in her mind. A wave of lust made her breath catch, and she struggled to swallow it down. My body wants him. I want him…

“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this,” Lillith muttered to herself, biting her thumbnail. “In fact, I didn’t know someone could just take the title and not need me to bestow it. I was…”

An ache filled her chest, thoughts flying. I was just going to fuck him to give him some relief, but I didn’t think he was ready to be King Incubus yet. He was struggling … and calling… fuck! What about the curse Gaea has me under? How does that come into play? Shouldn’t I be on the verge of death by now? It’s been a month now with no signs of reactions from the curse or having two kings in play. I’ve been isolated in this shithole trying to keep him—keep me from… 

Jerking back to her feet, she marched through the dark corridors, which seemed to be falling apart and overgrown with ivy and moss. Pressing against a door, she felt a shimmer of magic ripple, and the lock slid from the inside. It opened, and she walked in, the door slamming shut behind her as if intended to keep anyone from sneaking in or even peeking through the cracked door. Inside, it was cozy and dry, unlike the rest of the old castle. The library was scattered with scrolls and tomes from a time long forgotten. Magical flames kept the torches lit; a large desk awaited her, complete with a quill and ink bottle. Time had been frozen in this room for a long time. Pulling a scroll from the shelf by the door, she unraveled it and stretched it across the desk as she sat, knowing full well what she kept there and had last placed in it.

“Come on, Lillith. If this triggered the curse, then I would be feeling it by now,” she reassured herself. “So why do I feel like I’m about to incur Mother’s wrath at any moment? Did I find a loophole finally? Pan had a hard time coming up with one for it, but…”

Her eyes danced over the old language of the Oracles, who once had taken down Gaea’s prophecies before abandoning the mother of titans to worship the new king of Arcadia, Apollo. The memory made her smirk, and flashes of her time with Romasanta prompted heat to flow over her. Who wouldn’t worship a man with a heart and passion as deep as his? She sat slowly in her chair, reading the prophecy repeatedly.

For thee, Mother’s warning, no companion will be found Nor shall one come for thee. Lamentable tribal blood Of Father’s design, exhausted and much renowned, Shall make thee impudent and desolate cursed flood. Thou risk hot ashes to the wind, stretched, As thou heart didst not foresee an end nor kneel to pray, Thus, thou shalt not love the wretched. Be you forever the mother and nurse of beasts of prey. But when a sire of nameless birthright shall be born a man Beautiful, boastful, brilliant; lost in a forsaken city With a deep curse of thy forefather’s blood right of titan, By wondrous miracle, falling prone to lust and pity, Shall thou weep in silence no more, alas arriveth thy fated mate.

Lillith paused in thought. Mother Gaea cursed me to not be able to love any of the creations she and Father made. She was furious and jealous that he and the others had all stood up against her and Kronos in order to protect mankind. How did my birth go again? Ah! When she refused to give birth to mankind, creating those hecatoncheires instead, she eventually ripped me, her own heart and affection, from her chest to curse what little love she retained for mankind.

A shudder rolled through Lillith just remembering the last time she saw the hecatoncheires. It had been the door greeter, Gyges, and his smashed mass of pained souls with numerous layers of arms, heads, and legs. All grasping or carrying weapons and the overall mass holding enough weight to smack like a mountain crashing down on someone. Inhaling deeply, she held it and walked through her own creation slowly in her mind, goosebumps rolling over her.

I was born from Mother ripping her love free from her very being. Unlike Aphrodite’s creation when Father died, there was ill-intent in this act. She needed to make sure I would never love any creation they had made at that point, particularly mankind, or I would forfeit my own life. Wait, is that it?

“Is there really a prophecy and a chance that I would break free eventually?” She abandoned the current scroll and marched to another stack in a pot. “The Oracle did foresee a fated mate, but … Tony? Really? He’s clueless about this world… What kind of … bullshit have they seen? I hate oracles… always meddling.”

Opening a few scrolls, she finally found the one she was looking for and walked back, stretching it on top of the first. A grin grew on her face, a calm starting to take hold as she began to read over it again and again. No, she only cursed me of her other creations and mankind. Does that mean Tony isn’t…? Her cell phone buzzed, and she blinked, shocked it could even work within her domain at all in its current state. Tony flashed on the screen, and she ignored it, along with the other dozen texts, missed calls, and voicemails with his name attached.

Not yet, not until I know it’s safe. I imagine he’s caving and going into work by now. I’ll leave him to Pan and Badbh to get him trained and in shape. A war is coming, and he’s just one more ally we could use, or he’ll end up as another innocent who’ll get wrapped into the battle against Kronos and Gaea.

Squinting at the scroll, she mumbled to herself, “It’s always been about the wording when it comes to curses and prophecies, hasn’t it?” She found the excerpt and sat down, mulling it over. “It says I can’t love any of her creations, but…” Tapping her fingers on the desk a moment, she pondered, “Think about this, Lillith. You’ve been denying yourself love for so long, but it creeps up on you. She ripped me out because some part of her wanted to love all of Father’s creations, hence why I’m drawn to… let’s be honest. I can’t say that some part of me didn’t love Romasanta.” Biting her lip, the confession stung at her core. “But he is a titan, which is considered one of her creations, so I knew I could slide under the curse because the love couldn’t be fully reciprocated to me, but Tony… he’s…”

She gripped her horns, furious she couldn’t claw at her hair in frustration. Dammit, I need Romasanta or Cedric here to get more infortmation. They got into Avalon because he has… Kronos. Shit. Tony’s a descendant of a titan and a king incubus. Then, Cedric—he’s an abomination created with … Gaea’s magic. So, what the hell does that make Tony now?

King Incubus: A New Reign (The Cedric Series 05)

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