Richelle Mead - Succubus Shadows

For my brother Scott, who always let his little sister

watch Flash Gordon and Star Wars with him

I was drunk.

I wasnt entirely sure when it had happened, but I suspected it had occurred around the time my friend Doug had bet me I couldnt take down three vodka gimlets faster than he could. Hed promised to take my weekend shift at work if I won, and I was going to do his stock duty for a week if he won.

When wed finished, it looked like I wasnt going to be working next weekend.

How did you out-drink him? my friend Hugh wanted to know. Hes twice your size.

Through the crowd of people crammed into my condo, I peered at the closed bathroom door, behind which Doug had disappeared. He had stomach flu this week. Im guessing that doesnt go so well with vodka.

Hugh raised an eyebrow. Why the fuck would anyone take a bet like that after having the flu?

I shrugged. Because hes Doug.

Hoping Doug would be okay, I scanned the rest of my party with the pleased air of a queen sizing up her kingdom. Id moved into this place back in July and had been long overdue for a housewarming party. When Halloween had finally rolled around, combining the two events had seemed like a pretty reasonable solution. Consequently, my guests tonight were clad in an array of costumes, everything from elaborate Renaissance fair quality garb to the slackers whod simply thrown on a witchs hat.

Me, I was dressed as Little Bo Peepwell, that is, I was dressed the way Little Bo Peep would if she was a stripper and/or a shameless strumpet. My frilly blue skirt stopped just above the halfway point on my thighs, and my puff-sleeved white blouse was so low-cut that I had to be careful when leaning over. The crowning achievementliterallywas my curly mane of flaxen blond hair, neatly arranged into two pigtails tied with little blue bows. It looked perfect, absolutely indistinguishable from the real thing becausewell, it was real.

Shape-shifting always came in handy as a succubus, but for Halloween, it was golden. I always had the best costumes because I really could turn into anything I wanted. Of course, I had to keep it within reason. Too much of a change would raise the suspicions of the humans around me. But for a hair change? Yeah. Shape-shifting was pretty convenient.

Someone touched my elbow. I turned, and my smug enthusiasm dimmed a little when I saw who it was: Roman, my sociopathic roommate.

I think someones getting sick in the bathroom, he told me. Roman was a nephilim, half-angel and half-human, with soft black hair and sea-green eyes. If not for the fact he occasionally went on immortal killing sprees and had me on his hit list, he would have been a pretty good catch.

Yeah, I said. Its Doug. He lost a vodka challenge.

Roman grimaced. He wore devil horns and a red cape. The irony wasnt lost on me. Hope hes got good aim. I dont want to clean that up.

What, you dont do housework either? asked Hugh. Hed recently learned Roman wasnt paying me rent because he was between jobs. Seems like you should pull your weight around here somehow.

Roman gave Hugh a warning look. Stay out of this, Spiro Agnew.

Im Calvin Coolidge! exclaimed Hugh, highly offended. This is the same suit he wore at his inauguration.

I sighed. Hugh, nobody here remembers that. That was one of the downsides of being immortal. Our memories became obsolete as more time passed. Hugh, an imp who bought souls for Hell, was much younger than Roman and me, but he had a lot more years than any human here.

Slipping away from Roman and Hughs argument, I headed across the room to mingle with my guests. Some of my coworkers from the bookstore Doug and I worked at were huddled around the punch bowl, and I stopped to chat. Immediately, I was bombarded with compliments.

Your hair is amazing!

Did you dye it?

It doesnt even look like a wig!

I assured them it was a very good wig and dealt out praise for them in return. One person, however, earned a rueful head-shake from me.

You have more creativity than all of us put together, and thats the best you could do? I asked.

Best-selling author Seth Mortensen turned to look at me with one of his trademark, slightly scattered smiles. Even when I was dizzy with vodka, that smile never failed to make my heart speed up. Seth and I had dated for a while, plunging me into the depths of a love Id never imagined possible. Part of being a succubus was an eternity of seducing men and stealing the energy of their soulsa real relationship had seemed out of the question. And in the end, it had been. Seth and I had broken uptwiceand while I usually accepted that he had moved on, I knew that I would love him forever. For me, forever was a serious matter.

I cant waste it on a costume, he said. His amber-brown eyes regarded me fondly. I no longer knew if he loved me too; I only knew for sure that he still cared about me as a friend. I kept trying to portray the same image. Gotta save it for the next book.

Lame excuse, I said. His shirt depicted Freddy Krueger, which might have been acceptable if not for the fact I suspected he had owned it long before Halloween.

Seth shook his head. Nobody cares what guys wear at Halloween anyway. Its all about the women. Look around. I did and saw that he was right. All the elaborate, sexy costumes were on my female guests. With a few exceptions, the mens dulled by comparison.

Peters dressed up, I pointed out. Seth followed my gaze to another of my immortal friends. Peter was a vampire, a very fastidious and obsessive-compulsive one. He was clad in pre-Revolutionary French garb, complete with brocade coat and a powdered wig over what was normally thin brown hair.

Peter doesnt count, said Seth.

Recalling how Peter had painstakingly stenciled swans around his bathrooms baseboards last week, I couldnt help but agree. Fair point.

Whats Hugh supposed to be? Jimmy Carter?

Calvin Coolidge.

How can you tell?

I was saved from answering when Seths fianceand one of my best friendsMaddie Sato appeared. She was dressed as a fairy, complete with wings and a gauzy dress nowhere near as slutty as mine. Fake flowers wreathed black hair that had been pulled into a bun. Her being with Seth was something else Id more or less come to accept, though I suspected the sting of it would never leave. Maddie didnt know Seth and I had dated and had no clue about the discomfiture I felt over their whole relationship.

I expected her to slip her arm around Seth, but it was me she grabbed hold of and jerked away. I stumbled a bit. Five-inch heels werent normally a problem for me, but the vodka complicated things a bit.

Georgina, she exclaimed, once we were far enough away from Seth. I need your help. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out two pages torn from magazines.

With whaoh. My stomach twisted uncomfortably, and I hoped I wouldnt be joining Doug in the bathroom. The pages showed photos of wedding dresses.

Ive almost narrowed it down, she explained. What do you think?

Grudgingly accepting the man I loved was going to marry one of my best friends was one thing. Helping them plan their wedding was an entirely different matter. I swallowed.

Oh, gee, Maddie. Im not very good at this stuff.

Her dark eyes widened. Are you kidding? Youre the one who taught me how to dress right in the first place.

She apparently hadnt taken the lessons to heart. The dresses, while beautiful on the anorexic models wearing them, would look terrible on Maddie. I dont know, I said lamely, dragging my eyes away. The dresses were conjuring mental images of Maddie and Seth walking down the aisle together.