Chapter 20
The Prey Fights Back
Dice walks down the stairs, looking refreshed and leathered up. I laugh as he squeaks with each step - his leather grinding together.
"Do you own anything in your wardrobe that isn't leather?" I tease while shutting the book in my lap.
"Nope. I'm too sexy, love. I have to show it off."
I laugh at his candor now, considering the oaf sort of grew on me after saving my life.
"Where's Kane and Zee?" he asks while sitting down across from me.
"I'm right here," Zee chirps while walking in from the kitchen, holding two steaming cups in his hands. "Kane is sleeping off his all-nighter."
He hands me a cup of hot tea, and I offer my gratitude by sipping it happily and greedily, reveling in the warmth it brings me.
"Did you cut down my heat?" I ask the incubus while narrowing my eyes at him.
"A little. It was blazing hot in here," he says while leaning back, sizing Zee up for some odd reason.
Perhaps he's into men as well as women?
"A little?" I chuckle out. "It's forty-two degrees in here. To a mortal, that's cold. It'll take my house at least an hour to warm back up."
"Forty-two is a feasible temperature. Thirty-two is freezing, so I'm not sure I understand the problem."
I just laugh while shaking my head, and Zee - someone who has been mortal recently - understands completely where I'm coming from.
"Dude, you're creeping me out looking at me like that," Zee adds with a freaked-out tone.
Dice just laughs while leaning back, and then his eyes shift to me. "I've got an idea. You trust this night stalker, don't you?"
I shrug, glancing toward Zee. "Sure. Why?"
"I want to test my theory. See if you can withstand his powers of subduing."
It seems harmless enough. I know it's not possible, but if it'll appease the annoying incubus, I'll do it to shut him up.
"I'm game. Zee?"
"Sure."
We both place our cups on the coffee table, and he turns to me. "I'm not that good at this yet. You'll have to lie down. It's the only way I can force the energy out. I promise I won't do anything."
"Don't say that," Dice grumbles while slapping his own forehead. "She has to fear some consequence or her instincts won't kick in."
"Dice, if my instincts play a part, they would havekicked inall the other times I've been attacked by night stalkers. As in last night - or this morning rather."
The sun has already hidden itself behind the horizon, and fortunately Kane has been too tired to confuse me further. Dice insisting I test my immunity to the powers my sworn enemy holds is just something to pass the time.
"I stepped in, Alyssa. All the times before, someone has stepped in. You haven't had the chance to reach the point of desperation you might need in order to make this work."
"And you think I'll make her desperate enough?" Zee chuckles while feigning insult.
"She's aware of the possibility now. It wouldn't take too much to shake things up."
I give Zee a small smile and I lie down, knowing this is pointless. Zee smirks as he comes to hold his body over mine, straddling me as he rests back on his heels, careful not to actually touch me.
