The Incubus's Secretary (Dark Council Series Book 2)

Chapter 27

Sanaya’s P.O.V

The kiss was just as electrifying as the first time I was kissed by Lancelin.

Lancelin pushed be back until I was lying on top of the counter. One of his hands was on my waist and the other holding mine on the counter top. I cold marble against my back was a pleasant shock against the heat of Lance’s body on top of mine.

As his lips moved on top of mine, demanding yet gentle, I could feel all my nerve endings come to roaring life. I felt alive like I had never felt before. My free hand that had been resting on his shoulder moved up his nape and wound in the silky softness of his hair.

A gasp escaped my lips as Lance bit them and then licked the sensual hurt with his tongue. I was-

“Are you really going to have s*x on that uncomfortable counter top?”

Lancelin and I parted immediately pulled away, both of us breathing heavily as Lance carefully pulled me to my feet, holding me still until I regained my balance and we both turned to look at the intruder. Acelin was standing only a few feet away with a frown on his face as he looked disapprovingly from me to Lancelin.

“How the hell did you get in?” Lancelin snapped at his brother.

“Spare keys,” he held his hand out with said keys in them. “You gave them to me remember?”

“You have the worst timing.” Lancelin snapped. “I’m taking those back.”

“I don’t care if you take back the b****y keys but are you trying to steal Sanaya away from me, brother?” Acelin’s voice was menacing. “I’ve let everything go because of you. I’ve sacrificed enough of my happiness, but I won’t let you take away the one thing that I care about the most.”

My jaw literally hit the ground. What the f**k was Acelin implying? And how did the situation get this bad this fast?

“Enough, Acelin!” Lancelin snapped at his brother. “I don’t care what you have lost or what you desired, but I won’t lose to you this time. I respect you as my older brother. Do not take my generosity for granted.”

“I don’t need your generosity!” Acelin pulled me to his side abruptly and slung his arm around my shoulder. “I only need Sanaya and I’m taking her with me.”

“Like hell you are!” Lancelin took my hand and pulled me to his side. “Sanaya isn’t going anywhere with you.”

“Why the hell-”

This time, I was prepared for the tug of war and just as Acelin tried to reach for me, I swiftly danced out of the way. “What the hell is going on?” I snapped at the brothers with my hands on my waist. “Lancelin, why on Earth are you acting like a child?”

Lancelin didn’t say anything except to glare at his brother. “And Acelin,” I turned to the troublemaker. “Why are you acting like you’re in love with me or something?”

“Acting?” Acelin frowned. “Why would I act, Sanaya? I am in love with you.”

“Oh, cut the crap!” I snapped at him. “You can’t love me!”

“Why?” Both brothers asked me at the same time.

“Because you’re gay!” I gasped as soon as the words were out of my mouth and I covered my lips with my hands immediately.

Damn it! Acelin had warned me not to spill the beans in front of anyone and now I’ve gone ahead and ruined everything. s**t!

But then I suddenly realized that the room was exceptionally quiet with no gasps or bickering whatsoever.

“Wait…” I blinked several times to grasp the situation before exploding. “You guys are horrible!”

Both Lance and Acelin burst out laughing as they fell back on the couch.

I balled my hands on my sides and gave them both my meanest glare but that just made them laugh harder. I tried to keep a straight face, I really did…but it was so hard not to smile as I noticed just how strong a bond the two brothers shared. I, just like a lot of other people thought that there was bad blood between the two of them. But it’s no doubt that they care deeply about each other.

Now that I think about it, it had always been obvious but I hadn’t noticed it. From the beginning, Acelin had urged me to work for Lance and be careful to observe him. How Lance and Acelin had defended me and each other in front of their mother and also how Lance had informed Acelin as soon as I was admitted to the hospital. They just don’t openly show their affection towards one another, as is the case with most siblings.

“How long have you know?” I asked Lance once their laughter had subsided and he patted the seat between them on the couch for me to join.

“I’ve known him for over five centuries, Sanaya.” Lancelin wrapped an arm around my shoulder as I joined them on the couch. “It became pretty obvious right from the start that whenever he wasn’t feeding, he liked the company of men.”

“But why not just ‘feed’ from men then?” I asked them both, pointing out an issue that was sure to come up between me and Lance soon enough.

“It’s an Incubus thing,” Acelin ruffled my hair with a kind smile. “Male Incubi can only get nutrition from female humans and vice versa. Some of us do develop meaningful relationships and stay with our human partners for a long time, but all of us need to feed.”

“Wow!” I gave Acelin a sideway glare. “I didn’t think I’d ever hear you say the words ‘feed’ and ‘nutrition’ while describing s*x with humans. Birds of a feather, I guess.”

“Sometimes, delicia, it’s the only way to explain things.” Acelin shrugged. “You have to understand one vital point, Sanaya; we are Incubi, s*x demons. It’s simply a method of feeding for us. But when we have serious relationships, we are faithful. Do you understand what I mean?”

I felt a heaviness settle in my stomach as Acelin mentioned feeding and relationships. Yes I understood what he was trying to say. They were demons that gained energy from s*x; it was just a method of feeding for them. But how could I tell my heart that? For humans, s*x wasn’t just satisfying the want of the stomach or body. For me at least, s*x meant expressing your feeling…especially love. Could I stay with Lance knowing that he would share his body with another woman…several women as I stood by and watched?

But it was too late to back out now. I had to admit to myself that I couldn’t think about backing away from Lance or cutting off all ties from him. Lance had become a part of my life I couldn’t live without and I hadn’t even noticed it. But now, even considering being away from him made me feel like an invisible hand had my heart in its icy grip.

“Acelin, why don’t we let that topic go for now?” Lancelin gave what sounded like a ‘polite warning’ to his older half brother.

“But Lance, you haven’t-”

“Just let it go, Ace.” From the corner of my eyes I saw Lancelin shake his head at his brother. “It’s bad enough that Sanaya has to deal with her ex returning. I don’t want to pressure her more.”

“Wait…Keith’s back?” Acelin’s voice held venom in it.

“Yes.” I told him timidly. “It’s why I got so stressed.”

“s**t! What happened?” Acelin asked, taking one of my hands in his.

“I would like to know that as well.” Lancelin chimed in, tightening his hold around me, cocooning me in his warmth.

“Honestly, even I don’t understand what happened.” I confessed to them while looking down on my lap. “I didn’t even recognize this Keith, it was like he had forgotten our entire eight year journey together or the fact that we had been friends all our lives. He acted so differently…it…felt like he was the Keith I knew at all. It’s like whatever we had been through together hadn’t mattered to him anymore. And guess what he told me? That maybe I can let the past stay in the past and become friends again!”

Even thinking about that encounter made me want to rip his eyes out and feed him to the dogs! But after the initial shock and the vasovagal, I realized that I hadn’t thought about Keith even once after the incident, only remembering him when I had narrated my story to Lancelin. It’s like my mind hadn’t thought of him as important anymore and pushed him right at the back where I wouldn’t accidentally end up remembering him.

Both Acelin and Lance were silent for a long time as if absorbing the news. “I’ll look into the matter.” Acelin finally told me, breaking the silence.

“Please don’t!” I turned to face him sharply. “I don’t want anything to do with him anymore. He left me when I needed him the most and you helped me to learn how to live without him. I’ve move on from him a long time ago, Acelin. I don’t want to go down that path ever again.”

“Are you sure about that?” It was Lancelin who asked that question.

“Yes.” I turned to look him directly in the eye.

Keith was my past, a past I desperately wanted to forget. Lancelin was my future. And I didn’t want my past to have any influence on the future I was planning to build with Lance.