Double Trouble Read online

  The angel shrugged. “That is the price of living as a free-willed being.”

  “I want to know.” I expected disaster would come in the wake of my decision, but I would choose the cage I stayed in. I would still paint, but I would paint because I wanted to. I would see what the world could offer me. Even if the answer changed everything, I’d spent all of my time in prison dreaming of a world beyond the walls meant to keep me in. I’d spent my entire life painting a world I couldn’t understand, especially without having a chance to live in it.

  “Your sweetness, as your unicorn thinks of it, is the product of an angel’s love for a human, but it was a very long time ago. Your mischief, such as it is, is the product of your darker heritage. But not all dark things are evil. You have wings to grow into, but they are not feathered for all they will be white.”

  “Can she be converted?” Dean asked, and his tone turned sharp.

  “While unnecessary, yes. You will have no difficulty with her conversion.”

  “It is necessary!”

  “Is this one of those overprotective stallion things, Xena?”

  “Yes.” Xena regarded the angel with narrowed eyes. “Can we stop dodging the issue here? What is she? Who are her parents? Was she actually stolen from her family when she was little? Are they still alive? What can you tell us about her? What sort of things will we need to do to protect her?”

  “Some of those questions are easier to answer than others.”

  “Okay. What’s the easiest of them to answer?”

  “What she is would be the easiest, but that leads to answering a great many questions about how it is possible for her to be what she is. Also, answering if she was stolen should be simple enough. Which would you like for me to start with?”

  “Start with if she was stolen. If so, Juan will have extra work on his plate.”

  “I already have a lot of extra work on my plate. Stop adding to my work, Xena.”

  “No. You’re the security specialist, so you have to do your security specialist duties. That means you have to do all the work for Layla. Dean might really try to kill you this time if you screw this up. He’s invested.”

  “Yes, he’s currently mentally impaired because of a mare he hasn’t convinced to stick around. I’m aware.”

  Dean grunted. “You just want a round on the mat, don’t you?”

  Raising a brow, Juan faced off with Dean. “As a matter of fact, yes. It’s been a few years since I’ve gotten to beat sense back into my little brother.”

  “Stop it, both of you,” Xena ordered. “Juan, we all know you’re going to work your best to protect her despite us all knowing she’s going to kick ass and take names if anyone steps into her space without her permission. I’m convinced she can turn anything into a weapon.”

  “I know why that is,” the angel announced. “Also, please think of me as Clarence. It is quite tiring being referred to as my species rather than my name. Right now, my name is Clarence. I am very aware I am an angel.”

  Oops. “I can’t help it, it’s your lack of a head. I see you are lacking a head, and I can’t help but remember you’re an angel, and then I forget you have a name. I do appreciate you putting up with me, though.”

  “This is fair. Humans are so preoccupied with the presence of heads. But you are not truly human. You have been raised to be human, and a devil has gone out of his way to hide what you are. I find this annoying, truth be told.”

  Dean frowned. “A devil?”

  “A minor one. It will be trivial enough for one of my brethren to remove the shroud and ensure it cannot be placed again. I cannot do it directly; I lack the finesse to leave her unharmed, but it will be done when she is ready. A few warnings, however.”

  If Clarence’s goal was to confuse me, he succeeded. “What warnings? Why does that sound ominous?”

  “It is not ominous. It would be best to prepare your unicorn for the reality of what removing the shroud will do.”

  “You are the most frustrating being I have ever met!” I gave my hair a yank. “It’s like you’re trying to be confusing and vague. Just say it!”

  “You’re a succubus.”

  Dean and Juan’s eyes widened, and Xena covered her mouth with her hands. I blinked.

  “A what?”

  “Succubus. It’s a type of demon who specializes in birth, reproduction, and pleasures of the flesh. Your stallion will enjoy many of the consequences of a relationship with you. Your heritage is coloring your existence in ways generally not seen in your ilk, however. You are strictly monogamous due to one of your grandmothers—well, several of them scattered throughout history. There are several divines playing a part in your existence, but I cannot see as clearly as other angels. I can sense your demonic energies even through the shroud. The shroud is suppressing most of your heritage, so only the strongest elements of your personality are currently shining through. Your temperament is a gift from a goddess who has long since left this coil, who loved one of the earliest humans. Their child is one of your grandfathers—if you added a few hundred generations between you and him. This emergence has brought many things long believed lost back to the surface. The shroud blocks some of my power, but the devil behind it lacked the foresight to shroud most of your ancestors. There is at least one triad in your ancestry. I can sense your angelic heritage as much as I can sense your demonic nature. I expect your demonic nature is leaking through the shroud because you are beginning to come into your power—and your power does wish to draw a suitable male. But your other ancestry would normally make it difficult for you to find a suitable male. I expect your reaching power influenced your unicorn to come to you without him being aware he was being lured.” The angel laughed. “A succubus ensnaring a unicorn. I have seen many things in my long life, but this is among the most amusing. A most unlikely partnership bound to bring chaos—and many new unicorns to the world. You will have to rein her in often, unicorn.”

  Dean scratched his head. “But she has aggressively defended herself from approaches from men.”

  “Yes. But I would not worry about her innocence. Her demonic nature will awaken when the shroud drops, and you will find yourself with a rather hungry and aggressive partner. You will want to give yourself several days of time to calm her, and even then, she will remain rather hungry and aggressive for several months until she is confident in binding you to her. It will be interesting for you.”

  Xena snickered. “You hear that, Dean? Clarence thinks you’re going to have an interesting time with her.”

  “I hate you, Xena.”

  “He lies.” Clarence laughed. “As for her love of art and her ability to paint, this is part of her demonic heritage. She is a creature of creation, and art is one of the ultimate forms of creation. I cannot tell you the why of that. I would have to examine the shroud closer, and I would rather my brethren do it in such a way as to not cause harm. When it is removed, it is possible to use our angelic influence to dampen the surge of demonic energy, but she will be on the hunt. She will need energy to sustain her lifeforce. Keeping her in a prison environment was likely chosen to give her energies she could harvest without being aware of it. Sexual tensions tend to be quite high.”

  “And she had to discourage men,” Dean said through clenched teeth.

  “Those very men she discouraged likely provided her with the energy she needed to survive. Once her powers awaken properly, she will need stronger energy to sustain her. Layla, the choice is yours on when the shroud should fall, but you will have much to learn. I would usually recommend another demon to teach you to control your powers, but you have a willing unicorn. He should suffice to calm your powers and meet your general demonic needs. After you have settled and staked your claim, a succubus could be requested to help you. You would be exceptionally young to grow your wings, but most would never restrain a fledgling demoness like you have been restrained. Should you have any surviving relatives, arrangements can be made. It’s entirely possible you’re
the child of a succubus and incubus and were stolen from your parents, and one of them was descended from a human who developed demonic powers later in life. All I can tell is that you were not converted into a demoness. You were born one. And yes, a human may be converted into a demon just like you can be converted into a unicorn. It is a far different process, and it is often unpleasant at best. How would you like for me to proceed?”

  Juan’s cheek twitched, and he flexed his hands. Straightening his shoulders, he drew in a deep breath before exhaling. “Dean, we have a few days before Mom and Dad will have the herd here and be ready to act. If you want her, you need to want her as she is. Completely, aware of what she is, and the consequences of that. Also, I don’t know if Mom is going to proud or horrified you want to cohort with a demon.”

  Dean flipped his middle finger at his brother. “But she’s an amazing demon.”

  I rolled my eyes at that. “You hardly know me.”

  “I know everything I need to know to decide I would rather gamble on you than walk away. I don’t even care if you lured me over. I want someone interesting, and that’s exactly what I’ll get with you. You have excellent taste in men, which is me.”

  “Are you crazy?”

  “I’m a unicorn. I’m not crazy. I’m perfect.”

  Clarence laughed. “He is being quite honest with you.”

  “I suppose it would take a special brand of crazy to deal with me.”

  “It might take me an entire lifetime, but I fully intend on working with you until you believe there’s nothing crazy about keeping you company, and that was before an angel told me you’re a succubus.”

  “He is telling the truth.”

  “Why are you telling me he’s telling the truth?”

  “I am telling you because you need to know it is the truth, and that he is not just another male interested in having a night with a succubus.”

  “I don’t want a night with a succubus. I want many nights with one very specific succubus, and if I need to be perfectly honest because there’s an angel in the room, I’m having doubts my stallion virility will be able to keep up with her, and this was not something I was worried about this morning.”

  “Affection, the promise of offspring, and ready access to energy will keep a succubus around happily. We angels have a long history of participating in triads and keeping a demon or demoness content does involve a great deal of attention and affection. Succubi are easier to keep content, as they can be coaxed into staying to help care for their offspring. There are a few pairs from broken triads still together long beyond the death of their human, as bonds do form between angels and demons.”

  Dean’s frown deepened. “That’s going to be an issue considering how defensive of her territory and space she is.”

  “I am certain you will have no problems infiltrating her territory. The removal of the shroud will aid with that. I will go ask one of my brethren to look deeper into the situation, as there are angels far better than I at piercing such shrouds and delving into the secrets of the past.”

  Clarence disappeared in a flash of silvery light.

  “Am I the only one completely weirded out by this whole thing?” I waved my hand to take in the hotel room, my excessive art supply question, and the questionable probability I’d landed in one hell of a mess. I struggled to come to terms with the reality I might be some form of demon.

  I’d done questionable things over the years, but I hadn’t thought I’d ranked anywhere close enough to be an evil minion of hell. Literally.

  “I’m okay with this.” Dean’s expression smoothed, and he rubbed his hands together. “Actually, the more I think about this, the happier I become. You won’t have any problems protecting yourself, and I don’t have any complaints about the various challenges I’ll face having my very own succubus. You can be converted, and that’s all I really care about.”

  Juan snickered. “You say that now, Dean. You haven’t had a run in with a succubus before. She’s going to wreck you. I’ve been with a friendly succubus who wanted to give a stallion a try. She wrecked me, and I did a good enough job she kept me company for a few weeks. The angel’s right, though. Affection will keep a succubus around. They love to be loved, and the more you love her, the harder it’ll be for her to wander off.”

  “I’m okay with this.”

  Xena grabbed a pillow and threw it at her brother. “You’re a sick pervert.”

  “What? I’m a stallion, Xena. You know how we are. I’m not going to be ashamed of this. I wanted someone interesting when I began my search, and the lottery of life gave me a succubus. I’m the luckiest man alive. Not only do I get a succubus, the succubus is Layla, and she was already perfect before finding out she’s a demoness.”

  “I’m hardly perfect.”

  “You are perfect. You just don’t know it yet. I’m going to enjoy proving I’m right. I hope we have some spectacular arguments over it. I’m looking forward to the kissing and making up portion of these arguments. Xena, go get your own damned room.”

  Xena laughed. “I guess Mom and Dad would be okay with me staying with Juan for limited periods of time. Go get us a room, Juan. Then you can start doing more of that security work to figure out how we’re going to make sure Layla is left alone. That ring goes down, and we’re going to make sure no demons encroach on our turf. We haven’t gone up against demons before. It’ll be fun.”

  “Fun is not the word I’d use,” Dean muttered.

  “Sure it is. It’s a challenge, and you get to show off for your lady in the process.”

  “He doesn’t have to show off for me, Xena.”

  “You say that now, but trust me, there’s nothing quite like a stallion showing off. When he does, enjoy yourself. He’ll be spectacular. You could do a lot worse.”

  Scowling, Dean pointed at the door. “Go away.”

  Xena laughed, but she went to door as ordered. “Come on, Juan. We do not want to be here when the angels are done with Layla. There are some things I don’t want to see, and my brother thoroughly losing his innocence to a succubus is one of them.”

  “Why aren’t you worried about her innocence? You know full well I’m not a virgin, Xena. Just because we ultimately mate for life doesn’t mean we start out that way. And don’t you act like Mom isn’t pressuring you to get some good experience, so you’ll be a match for the stallion you tame. If you want an incubus, go hunt one and tame him.”

  Juan snickered. “Incubi don’t tend to be loyal. Unless you’re lucky, really good at taming one, or in league with an angel, you’re not going to keep one around. Now, if you want to become a skilled lover for your stallion, hunt an incubus and present it that way. They love that sort of work. Hell, Mom’s told all of us we should ensnare ourselves a succubus for a while. That Dean’s going to keep his permanently will both please her and piss her off. It’ll be great.”

  “Why will it piss her off?” I asked.

  “It’s simple, Layla. You’re a demoness. We’re unicorns. We’re pretty much on the exact opposite spectrums. We’re beings of purity despite our flexibility. You’re anything but—although you’re a black sheep among succubi from the looks of it. Maybe a white sheep, really.”

  Clarence and two angels with brilliantly banded wings in the colors of the rainbow popped into the suite, and silvery light flooded the room. When it faded, an incubus joined them, and he lashed his tail. Unlike Westin, the incubus resembled Dean, a bronzed beauty of a man with dark hair that complemented his jet black, leathery wings. Something about the demon set me on edge, and I reached for the nearest object I could use as a weapon, one of the stacks of papers on the coffee table.

  Clarence caught my wrist. “Do not be alarmed, Layla. He is a friend. More than a friend, actually. His name is Emmanuel.”

  The angel’s words only made my urge to stab the incubus stronger, and I didn’t even care if the bastard had a nice name like Emmanuel.

  The demon laughed. “You weren’t joking about
her coming into her wings early, Clarence. I’m in her turf, and she’s ready to defend it. While I’ve enjoyed many a man, Layla, I have no interest in yours. But the pretty lady here is something special. I’ve never enjoyed a unicorn before. Might you know of an eligible mare who might want a few nights with me?”

  “No,” Dean and Juan snapped.

  Xena laughed. “That depends. Can I keep you for a period of at least a month with a sworn oath of no foals? We can reevaluate after a month.” Xena looked the incubus over. “I bet you’d breed on command, and you’d be able to encourage the formation of unicorn foals over humans.”

  “Indeed, I can. That said, I will have to decline your offer, only because it would make things somewhat awkward.”

  Xena scowled. “What do you mean by somewhat awkward?”

  The incubus pointed at me. “I am her relative. And while I have enjoyed siblings before, the territorial stallion would be upset. While I’m a demon, I am not a splitter of homes and families. This goes against everything my line believes.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “You’re a what of mine?”

  “Relative. We are bound by familial blood. Clarence requested help in repaying his debt, and Paul looked into the past through the shroud and traced your lineage to me. They felt I was the best choice of the available demons and devils to handle this matter. They’re probably right. You’ll need to be prepared to meet the rest of the family, and I’m the least… frightening.”

  One of the angels, likely the one named Paul, waved. Unlike Clarence, his wings were banded in the colors of the rainbow, although he had an extra band of blue in his pattern, unlike his fellow angel, who had an extra band of yellow.

  The incubus’s statement didn’t sound promising. “If you’re trying to piss me off, it’s working.”

  Dean laughed, came close, and peeled Clarence’s hand off my wrist. “Wait to attack him until after you hear what he has to say, and should you need to get violent, keep it non-lethal. Blowing off some steam would probably do you some good, but pick a better target. I understand why you’re frustrated, however. Everything’s been changed on you.”