The Hunger Read online

  “Huh. Yeah, I remember you mentioned something about being too tempting as a newly mated couple.” She patted my cheeks a bit forcefully. “And yet, here I am in your mom’s living room, completely unmolested.” She glanced at Oanen. “You still unmolested, bird-boy?”

  “Megan, leave her alone.”

  “Oh no. Not this time.”

  She turned to my mom, who was still studying her hands.

  “I already yelled at Eliana for keeping me away, but I think you need to hear what happened, too. You’re as much to blame for keeping me from helping your daughter as she is. I wanted to come home weeks ago, Nicolette. But Eliana told me that we needed to stay away because you wouldn’t be able to help yourself around us. She didn’t trust you. And given our first meeting, it was easy to understand why.”

  “I apologize, Fury. There was so much I didn’t understand at the time.”

  Megan glanced at me.

  “Why isn’t she making eye contact? I hate when there’s no eye contact. It makes me feel weird.”

  I met Megan’s gaze, and that dark thing resettled inside of me.

  “She’s acknowledging you’re mine. She won’t try to steal my meal from me.”

  “Your meal? Anywhere, anytime, cupcake. You know that.”

  Oanen sighed behind her.

  “Megan, you’re not helping Eliana. Eliana, I’ll go find your father. Send Megan when you’re ready. And, Megan, I’m trusting you to keep your word. Stay out of it, or we leave.”

  I closed my eyes and listened to his steps retreat. Slowly, most of the lust cleared.

  “You’re really struggling with us around, aren’t you?” Megan asked, sounding devastated.

  I opened my eyes, knowing they were still full succubus, and gave her a sad smile.

  “It’s easier when it’s just one of you in the room.”

  “If you’re hungry, you know I wouldn’t mind if—”

  “Don’t even go there.”

  “All right. Fair enough. But your mom is right. Not about you being hungry but about you not being a horrible person. I’m standing right next to you, Eliana, and I don’t even feel a blip of wickedness in you.”

  “How is that possible after everything I’ve done?”

  “Bad things happened, but you never set out intending to do wicked things. You never broke any rules or laws.”

  I shook my head slowly and sank to the couch. Megan sat beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

  “Fine. You have no problem with everything that’s happened as a result of my bad choices, but I do. I didn’t know I was feeding on Fenris. Or maybe I didn’t want to know. How could I do that to him? And he’s too blinded by need for me to even care. How am I supposed to live with this?”

  “You find a way to make it right.”

  “I’ve been trying.”

  “I know you have. But you’ve been trying alone. Now you have me.”

  “And me,” Mom said.

  “And me,” Oanen called from the back of the house.

  “Stupid bird hearing,” Megan mumbled before taking my hand. “Okay. Tell me what we need to make right besides Fenris and Ashlyn.”

  I took a deep, calming breath.

  “Dewy attempted to trick Piepen into believing he was the father of her child so she could talk him into selling his wings. That backfired. Given how little Dewy seemed to care for the baby, I suggested Piepen take the child to his guardians. Adira overheard everything and said the Council didn’t support my idea and didn’t care what happened to any of their wings. So Piepen stole the baby to keep Dewy from selling its wings.”

  I could feel Megan’s surprise and confusion.

  “Not you, too. We’re supposed to be better. Children of the gods. Why is it so hard for us to be considerate of the creatures who can’t fend for themselves? The baby is no bigger than your thumbnail, Megan.”

  “It’s not that. I’m just surprised you’re still talking to any brownies after everything Piepen’s done to you.” She made a face. “And talking to me, come to think of it. I am the one who sent him to you. Forgive me?”

  “Always.”

  “Same. Now let’s make a plan to right some wrongs and kick some asses. You with me?”

  I opened my mouth to reply at the same time Megan’s phone buzzed with a message. She looked at the screen, and her eyes began to glow orange.

  Chapter Two

  I could feel the depth of Megan’s anger before she looked up at me.

  “How can she possibly know I’m here? I portaled directly into this house. Are there cameras? Is this place bugged?”

  Mom gave a throaty chuckle.

  “My lovely fury, if you mean that menace, Adira, it’s not because of cameras. She knows the danger of watching a succubus feed. It’s not a spectator sport. Participation is always required.”

  That last sentence was laced with a sensual purr, and Megan glanced at me.

  “Is she hitting on me? I can’t tell.”

  I gave a teary laugh. “She’s not. Speaking in innuendos is second nature.”

  “Eliana’s correct. I apologize and will attempt to speak with more care. As for Adira, she’s alerted any time someone enters the boundary. Most she ignores. There are a few worthy of her notice…and fear.”

  Some of the anger left Megan, and a slow grin tugged at her lips.

  “Adira’s fear is something I can embrace. She wants to know why I’m here. I think it’s time to make her pee herself.”

  Rather than text a reply like I would have done, Megan dialed Adira and put the call on speaker.

  “Fury,” Adira answered respectfully. “Thank you for calling me so quickly.”

  “Yeah, this isn’t a courtesy call. This is a ‘what in the hell do you want now’ call.”

  “On behalf of the Council and the residents of Uttira, I’m inquiring about the purpose and duration of your stay.”

  “Of my stay? I live here.”

  “Of course, your family home is here. However, most furies choose to use the money they acquire from their predecessor to establish homes elsewhere.”

  Megan’s brows rose.

  “You’re making me feel very unwelcome, Adira, which makes me suspicious. Is there a reason you’re trying to get rid of me?”

  There was a moment’s pause.

  “Of course not, Fury.”

  “Good. Since I just arrived, I’m far from ready to leave. Oanen is going to want to visit his parents. I’m hoping that Eliana will take me to the library that’s being built. Then, I want to visit with Ashlyn, Eugene, Kelsey, and Zoey to see how they’ve been treated in my absence.”

  Megan grinned at me, and I couldn’t help but return the smile. It was about darn time someone turned the tables on the woman.

  “With regret, Fury, we have not been able to achieve significant progress on the library you requested. At the time of Nicolette’s arrival, we shifted our focus to building a club suitable for feeding Nicolette and Eliana. We believed, and still do believe, that providing them with access to humans outside of Uttira would keep those in Uttira safer. Were we wrong to assume you would prioritize the humans’ safety over their entertainment?”

  I could feel Megan’s anger pooling.

  “You aren’t wrong. However, my priority for safety isn’t only for the humans inside Uttira. Those outside of Uttira are just as important.”

  “Which is why we’re also ensuring that no human can come to harm in Club Blayz. We’ve warded the building heavily and have separate entrances to ensure that no human can enter Uttira and no Mantirian can enter the human world within fifty miles of the club.”

  I glanced at Mom. If not for a quick flicker of black, nothing in her expression would have given away her annoyance.

  “As for visiting the humans, I would recommend against doing so. As you know, the Banshees have sung their songs. For the safety of the humans, we’ve asked them to remain in their warded homes. And since we don’t know what thre
at we face but do know the level of destruction a fury can unleash given cause, it would be in everyone’s best interest if you refrain from contacting them.”

  Megan opened her mouth, but I set a hand on her arm.

  “If you’re keeping the humans in their homes for their safety, then why is Eugene at the club right now?” I asked.

  This time the silence was much longer, and her telling hesitation created a heavy ball of realization in my middle. Eugene had told me that Adira had a druid ward him to keep him safe, but I’d overpowered a druid ward before. Their wards weren’t foolproof. How could she be sure no human would come to harm? She couldn’t unless she tested it first.

  “Eugene is your guinea pig to make sure the wards work before you open the club to the public, isn’t he?” I demanded.

  “Is Megan at the club, or did you leave, Eliana?” she asked instead of answering.

  “Don’t deflect, Adira,” Megan said. “Answer her question. Are you using Eugene to test the wards?”

  “How else can I ensure human safety? Spells are as faulty as the caster. Would you have me place blind faith in a spell and risk countless lives? Of course not. And it’s not as if I’m truly risking a human to test the wards. It’s in Nicolette’s best interest to protect the boy if the ward should fail. So you see? Nothing will happen to him.”

  Megan snarled.

  “Your disregard for those in your care is noted and begs for action on my part. I’ll retrieve Eugene and visit the others.”

  A sudden burst of music filled the line for a few seconds before it disappeared again.

  “Come on, Adira. What gives? You said I could stay until closing if I wanted,” we heard Eugene complain.

  “Megan is on the phone. She felt you were in danger and wanted you returned to your home. Goodnight, Eugene.”

  Megan’s flame-lit gaze met mine. She looked two seconds from combusting, and I wondered if I’d be strong enough to drain her anger now that she’d claimed her true power.

  “There,” Adira said, once again speaking into the phone. “He’s safely returned to his home. I’ll let Anwen know you and Oanen would like to see her and Lander. I’m sure she can have a late dinner ready within the hour. She missed you both terribly and is hoping for a chance to make amends for past misunderstandings. Eliana, you should invite your mother to dinner. I’m sure she’d like a chance to say hello to Megan again.”

  “Cut the bullshit, Adira. I know Ashlyn is missing, and your attempt to cover that up sits like a lie to me. So I have a better idea than waiting for dinner. It’s time you and I had a face-to-face discussion. Marco.” With that last word, Megan disappeared.

  I could have sworn I heard a faint “Polo” from the phone she’d left behind before the call ended.

  “I hope the fury catches her,” Mom said.

  Megan’s phone buzzed with a message, which I managed to read before it disappeared.

  Oanen: You gave your word. Together. Always. You have one minute. Then I’m coming for you.

  I bit my lip and glanced toward the back of the house. By nature, a griffin was overprotective of his mate. Add to that the fact he’d almost lost Megan once already, and he was probably beside himself with worry. I imagined allowing her even a minute was a stretch of his endurance.

  “Looks like we’re not the only ones with the gift for innuendos,” Mom said, having also read his message.

  “Ew, Mom. Oanen’s like my brother.”

  Megan reappeared as suddenly as she’d left, but twice as angry.

  “Adira, where are you?” she demanded, glaring at her phone.

  “She already hung up,” I said. “And Oanen sent you a text.”

  The anger left Megan.

  “You left without your phone?” Oanen asked, emerging from the back of the house.

  “I got caught up in the moment. With Adira’s ability to portal, I knew I had to move fast.”

  Oanen said nothing as he held her gaze.

  Megan made a face. “I’m sorry. I’ll try harder not to get caught up in the anger. But you know it’s not easy.”

  “No more leaving without me.”

  She nodded, and he left again.

  “So what happened?” I asked. “Where did you look for her?”

  “I was doing my hell gate thing to find where she was. But once I entered hell, I wasn’t drawn anywhere. It was like she disappeared.”

  “She does have access to places you can’t visit,” Mom said.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Megan is a daughter of Hades, bound to his service to reap the wicked from their mortal lives. That means she’s meant for Earth and the Underworld. Adira is descended from Ymir, descended from Oden himself. She can return to her home world or any of the realms connected to the world tree.” Mom looked at Megan. “You’re not really meant to reap our kind. However, since we exist on Earth, if we veer toward wickedness, you can.”

  “In other words, she hid where I can’t find her.”

  “Most likely.”

  Megan’s ability impressed the heck out of me. But it also gave me an obvious answer.

  “If all you need to do is think about someone to find them, you can find Ashlyn.”

  The last bit of orange glow faded from Megan’s eyes.

  “As soon as you told me she was missing, that’s what I tried. Just like with Adira, I went to hell but wasn’t drawn anywhere except to the stupid tower where I stash wicked souls. I talked to Gran about it. She reminded me that I’m new at this and have a lot to learn about using my gifts. She says I need to be patient and give myself time. It’s like she doesn’t even know me. Am I patient?”

  I grinned at Megan’s indignation and sarcasm. Given that she and her Great Grandma had only met a few weeks ago, likely they really didn’t know each other well at all.

  Mom sniffled, drawing my attention.

  “I think that’s the first real smile I’ve seen out of Eliana since I arrived. I’m so glad you’re here, Megan.”

  “Thanks. I am too.”

  My humor faded as I thought of Ashlyn.

  “How are we going to find her? Did Zayn get back to you yet?”

  “Not yet,” Megan said.

  “Can you use your whatever you call it to find him?” I asked hopefully.

  “I call it hellgating. And it should work on him, but I don’t think I should try. Zayn’s off doing something that even his sister can’t talk about. If I pop in on him before he has a chance to make up for whatever bad he might be doing, I’d probably be compelled to take him to hell, which would screw us over in the long run. I suck at patience. But, in this case, we need to wait.”

  “How exactly does waiting fit into our plans for righting wrongs and kicking behinds?”

  “I understand your frustration, baby, and I know you’re driven to find Ashlyn. But aren’t we going to address what Adira tried to do?” Mom looked at Megan. “She hinted that I was the cause of their delay in finding Ashlyn then suggested a dinner together.”

  “She’s hoping you’ll feed from Megan and Oanen,” I said in understanding.

  “Which won’t ever happen. My hunger is nothing compared to my love for you. However, Adira’s miscalculation doesn’t absolve that meddling pain in the ass.” Mom shrugged elegantly at me. “That word’s in your father’s Bible, so I’m allowed.”

  She then turned to meet Megan’s gaze.

  “Adira’s misguided efforts to help Eliana have done nothing but cause more misery. Attempting to use me to distract you from righting those wrongs is unforgivable, Megan. I propose you continue your efforts to find Adira since you need to wait for whoever this Zayn is to find Ashlyn. Make Adira answer for the pain she’s caused.”

  Megan glanced at me.

  “Your mom has a valid point, Eliana. While we’re in a holding pattern for Ashlyn, we should continue to put pressure on Adira. I can’t think of a better bigger wrong to right than her.”

  “But Adira typically figh
ts pressure with more pressure. Since she doesn’t run from me like she does for you and Mom, who do you think she’ll go after?”

  “Not you. Not with both your mom and me in town. Even Adira isn’t that reckless.”

  The response I was about to give died when Oanen and Dad emerged from the back of the house. Dad was wearing gym shorts, and that was it. From his sweat-soaked hair to his only attire, he barely resembled the man I knew. He wasn’t as wasted as I remembered.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked.

  “Just finished my workout,” he said. “Oanen said your mother needed some time with you. Was that long enough?”

  “It was plenty, Jason,” Mom said smoothly.

  “Since when do you work out at night?” I asked.

  “Eliana, don’t be judgmental,” Mom said sharply.

  I looked at her in surprise.

  “It’s okay, my love,” Dad said, coming to rest a hand on Mom’s shoulder before looking at me. “I’m trying to undo all the damage I’ve done. And it gives me something else to do besides cook for your mother.”

  “I think it’s time Oanen and I head home.” Megan grabbed her phone and playfully grinned at me. “Tomorrow’s ass-kickings are going to start early. When she least expects it.”

  “She?” Dad asked.

  “Adira,” Mom said, covering his hand with hers. “This is Megan, Eliana’s best friend.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Megan.”

  Megan smiled at my dad then gave me a look.

  “No more avoiding me, got it? My house is your house.”

  I nodded then remembered her resident goblin.

  “What are you going to do with Elbner? He hasn’t gotten any more pleasant since he arrived here, and his pandering for wings at the brownie marshes has probably made him even less endearing.”

  “His what?” Megan’s eyes flickered orange.

  “According to Merrifolds, Glistening Dewcup’s little sister, Elbner’s been showing up at the marshes around dawn, asking to buy brownie wings. That’s why Dewy tried passing off the baby as Piepen’s. She wanted to guilt him into selling his wings for the money. And she still has her wings.” I shook my head. “I can’t decide what’s worse. The fact that Adira doesn’t care or the fact that it’s socially acceptable for the brownies to sell each other out like that.”