“Roy, you don’t have to explain yourself.” I took a deep breath, trying to give him a smile of comfort, of understanding, even if I found it insanely impossible. All I wanted to do was run away and hide, to lick my wounds alone. “It was my fault and I shouldn’t have… done what I did.”

  “It’s okay,” he replied softly.

  Then there was silence—long, uncomfortable and heavy silence. We both just stood there, looking at each other, as if hoping the other would break it.

  “Fifi,” Roy said at last. “I want you to know that… my pulling away… it had nothing to do with you.”

  “It’s okay,” I almost interrupted. The last thing I needed right now was the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ talk.

  “Of course, I find you beautiful—I mean, how could I not?” he continued as I withered even more on the inside. “I can’t say I haven’t had an idle thought here or there.”

  “Roy…”

  “I just… I’m not ready to even think about anything with anyone after what happened with Poppy.”

  Poppy… Oh, demons below. How would I live with the guilt of what I’d just done—forcing myself on Roy, on Poppy’s ex! And Poppy was my friend! She was the reason I was living a semi-normal life for the first time ever. And look how I’d repaid her! By throwing myself at her ex!

  He inhaled and then exhaled. “I’ve been really focusing on myself and trying to make sense of everything that happened between Poppy and me.”

  I just stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say in response. He took a deep breath, seeming to try to recenter himself, and then continued while I maintained my slack-jawed silence.

  “I just want to clarify what I was offering,” he continued.

  “You really don’t need to.”

  “I’m happy to provide whatever sustenance you need because I hate seeing you denying your own true nature. I just… I figured that sustenance could be given in a… friendly way.”

  “It can,” I started, although I wasn’t sure just how friendly it could really be. I mean, a succubus by nature was a sex demoness, so what was Roy thinking my feeding from him would really look like?

  “And… like I said, I just got out of a relationship,” he continued awkwardly. “You know all about that so I don’t need to get into it.” He took a deep breath and then looked out the window behind me, as if he were lost in a memory. “I have a lot of thoughts about what happened between Poppy and me, but I’m still not sure how to feel about any of it,” he continued, more to himself than to me.

  “Roy,” I started, wanting to spare us both this total embarrassment. “It’s okay. You don’t need to say anything more—I get it.”

  “We’re friends and as your friend, I’m simply offering you something you need. You can feed on me without worry but, can we do so as… friends?”

  “Yes,” I answered, even though I had no intention of ever feeding on him again. Everything that had just happened was just way too… humiliating. Regardless, I had a feeling this awful conversation was finally over and maybe I could make my escape sometime soon. “Anyway, I really need to get going.”

  “I understand,” he answered and moved aside so I could walk to the door. I didn’t waste any time and practically ran for it, reaching for the doorknob as something occurred to me and I turned to face him.

  “Um,” I started as we both stood there, looking awkwardly at each other for a moment, until I finally gathered my wits enough to speak. “I don’t know how Poppy would react to what… just happened, especially so soon after you’ve broken up… even knowing that this… is just a means to an end for me.”

  “I won’t say anything to her.”

  I nodded. “I don’t want to feel like I’m keeping something from her, but I also don’t want to upset her. She’s my friend…”

  And, besides, this is never going to happen again, I told myself, so it can be a thing of the past, the exact place where it’s going to stay.

  He sighed, long and hard. “She’s my friend too,” he said and then shook his head and appeared like he had a lot on his mind. “Though I’m not sure how true that is. I still have feelings for her, and I don’t know when or if they’ll subside. And… there’s a part of me that wonders if maybe the two of us… could still work things out.”

  “I hope you both can.” There was nothing but truth in my statement, even if the succubus warred against it.

  “I’m not so sure… maybe it’s a stupid idea…” His voice trailed off and his gaze was drawn toward the fire as he said something that cut me to the quick.

  “I’m pretty sure Marty is using our breakup as his chance to move in on her, anyway.”

  “What?” I asked, even as my stomach dropped down to my toes. “What do you mean?”

  He shrugged. “Just that the few times I’ve run into her since the split, he’s always with her.”

  My heart started to calm down. “They’re just really close friends, Roy.”

  He chuckled but the sound was sour. “Sure, because that’s all she’s allowed them to be. Everyone knows he’s crazy about her and always has been.”

  The words landed like a pile of stones in the pit of my stomach. Sadness washed over me like a cold stream, causing a contradicting sensation of pain and numbness and envy to take turns attacking me.

  “Oh,” I said and didn’t mean to sound so crestfallen, but there it was.

  “Not that it’s any of my business anymore,” Roy continued, again more to himself than to me.

  And suddenly, it was all too much—Marty and Poppy, Roy and me, Roy and Poppy… “Anyway, like I said, I’ve really got to get going,” I said, suffocating on my need to escape. “Thanks for what you did for me today.” I put on my shoes and gathered my things.

  “Are you sure you feel well enough?”

  “Yes, I feel great,” I lied.

  I didn’t wait any longer, but hurried out the door before I found myself saying something else to make things even more awkward between us. When I stepped outside, I breathed a sigh of relief and took stock of my surroundings.

  On this side of the woods, it looked like I was smack dab in the middle of a forest, but as soon as I exited the tree line, I’d find myself standing on the sidewalk, opposite the town square. The path leading through the trees was almost non-existent, but I was still able to make my way without getting snagged on too many bushes. On the other side of Roy’s house were more trees. They surrounded the house so that it was completely hidden from the town in front and the river that flowed in back.

  I moved through the woods toward town quickly, buzzing with Roy’s energy flowing through me, even as I couldn’t get memories of what had just passed between us out of my head. I couldn’t believe I’d come onto him! I couldn’t believe I’d been so callous about our friendship and so selfish. And then there was Poppy to think about—had I broken the girl code? I was sure I had.

  It will never happen again! I promised myself. You lost control of yourself momentarily and that was it. Roy is just your friend and he’ll remain your friend. Poppy never needs to know and hopefully, they’ll get back together and live happily ever after!

  Yet, the burn of his refusal stung like all hell. And no matter how mortifying my thoughts, I could still feel his mouth on mine. And I could still taste him. Neither memory was quite as bad as it should have been.

  Chapter Nine

  The next morning I found myself sitting in my office and though I tried to pay attention to the day ahead of me, my thoughts kept returning to the day before and the kiss I’d stolen from Roy. The kiss had left me full of energy, but completely deflated in the confidence department. If I disliked the succubus within me before, I hated her now.

  “You’ve got a visitor!” Libby said as she poked her head into my office and nearly gave me an apoplexy.

  “A visitor?” I repeated, once I was able to catch my breath.

  I was barely able to get the words out before Marty Zach walked through my office door, nearly giving me another heart attack.

  “Hope I’m not interrupting,” he said, and I noticed his hands were behind his back and he was wearing a big, goofy grin, looking like a giant twelve-year-old boy even though he was in his forties.

  “No… no… you’re not interrupting.” I stood up and walked into the center of the room to greet him as Libby closed the door behind us. My heart was pounding in my chest the whole time and I suddenly wished I’d worn something a little more daring than the black slacks and navy turtleneck. “What can I help you with?” I asked, surprised because we didn’t have the sort of friendship where he’d just show up at my office randomly. “I don’t suppose you’re interested in buying or selling a house?”

  He chuckled and shook his head, and his longish hair fell into his eyes. Usually his hair was short, but this look suited him as well. It seemed any look would suit him—he was just that handsome. He was also tall—not as tall as Roy and nowhere near as broad—but Marty was still well over six feet and, as such, I had to look up at him. And his little gut didn’t bother me either—it almost added to his boyishness.

  We both just stood there, about five feet from each other, as I wondered if I should have given him a hug to say hello. Marty and I didn’t know each other well, but we were friendly enough. Thinking I should have given him a hug, I suddenly lunged forward at the same time he did, bringing his hands from around his back and shoving a wrapped present in front of me. My chest slammed into the gift at the same time he brought it forward and we both gasped.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” I said as Marty said, “I brought you a present.”

  I immediately took a step back, feeling heat claiming my cheeks. “I was… trying to give you a hug to say hello,” I explained, not wanting him to think I’d just tried to attack him or something.

  “Oh,” he answered and then stepped forward, wrapping one of his arms awkwardly around me as he held the other one with the gift straight out the opposite way. I patted him on the back like he was a trusted dog and then separated myself, taking a step back as I wished the floor would rip open and swallow me whole.

  Marty cleared his throat. “I’ve been meaning to come by to bring you a housewarming,” he started, then looked around my office before correcting himself, “a business-warming gift.”

  “You brought me a business-warming gift?” I asked, touched, even though I’d never heard of a business-warming gift. Furthermore, it was wrapped in bright red Christmas paper with little Santas on Harley motorcycles.

  “Sure did,” Marty answered and held the parcel out to me with both hands. He smiled again and his blue eyes sparkled with excitement.

  All the while, I wondered how I could have thrown myself at Roy when my feelings for Marty were just as strong, if not stronger, than they always had been? Damn the succubus within me!

  I accepted the gift, which was maybe two feet tall and one foot wide, and looked down at it before looking back up at him. “Should I open it now?”

  “Yes, please!” He cleared his throat. “Sorry about the paper, but it was all I had.”

  “Oh, that’s okay,” I answered, and when I looked up at him, I found his big, blue eyes focused on the gift in my hands. Excited anticipation dripped off him as he looked from the gift to me and I found myself admiring the expression on his face. There was just something so innocent about him—something that seemed untainted by the trials and tribulations of adulthood. It made being around him feel… good. Really good. I took the package over to my desk and carefully slipped my index finger beneath the wrapping.

  “I hope you like it,” he said, almost sounding shy.

  “I’m sure I will,” I answered as I freed one side of the paper and started on the other. “And I’m really touched you thought of me.”

  “What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t?” he asked and the word ‘friend’ slightly rubbed me the wrong way. But, I decided to let go of the feeling because I wasn’t sure whether or not ‘friend’ really described the way Marty felt towards me. I mean, it had to mean something that he’d brought me a gift, right? As far as I could tell, men in general weren’t the most thoughtful—anyway, they were nowhere near as thoughtful as women were. And yet, here was Marty, with a gift he’d not only wrapped (albeit not very well—it looked like he’d used a whole roll of tape) but he’d also put some thought into picking it out for me. Yes, that had to mean something.

  Hmm, maybe my thoughts about Marty only having friendly feelings towards me were completely wrong? It wouldn’t have surprised me if such were the case because I was pretty dense when it came to reading men and their interest. Sure, I could tell when a man wanted to have sex with me (which was pretty much always the case when I wasn’t using my repelling potion) but as far as a man wanting something more serious with me? It had happened so rarely, I wasn’t really sure what it looked like.

  Maybe… it looked like this?

  I finally managed to remove all the wrapping paper and the tape. And I was rewarded with a brown, cardboard box.

  “Open it!” Marty nearly sang from behind me.

  I laughed and then grabbing some scissors nearby, slit the tape down the seam of the box and opened it up, noticing green and red tissue paper crammed within. Reaching inside the box, I felt something cold and gripping it with both hands, yanked it out of the tissue paper. And then I was a bit… perplexed.

  “Do you like it?” Marty asked, his crooked smile broad and his expression expectant.

  “Um, yes!” I said, though I was still trying to figure out what it was. As far as I could tell, it was a ceramic statue from the Wizard of Oz—the scene where Dorothy lands her house on the Wicked Witch of the East.

  “Do you get it?” Marty continued as I looked over at him, still completely puzzled. I mean, I knew what it was, but I still wasn’t sure what it had to do with me or why he’d given it to me.

  “Get it?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, you’re just like Dorothy.”

  “I am?”

  He nodded even more rapidly this time. “Dorothy killed the Wicked Witch with her house, right?”

  “Right.”

  “And you and Wanda got rid of Ophelia and now you’ve got yourself a new business!”

  “Oh,” I answered as I looked back at the statue and wasn’t sure what to think of it or the reasoning behind it. Yes, I understood the similarity (sort of, but it was also a bit of a stretch. It wasn’t like Wanda and I had dropped a house on Ophelia) but no, I wasn’t sure I liked the reminder.

  I looked back up at Marty and found his expression faltering. “Thank you so much!” I said, beaming broadly because I didn’t want to appear ungrateful and I really didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Especially because he’d put so much thought into this very odd gift.

  “Pops warned me that it might be a bit too weird,” he admitted with a shrug and a sigh, his shoulders slumping a little. ‘Pops’ was his nickname for Poppy and I was fairly sure he was the only one who called her that.

  “No, it’s not too weird,” I said immediately, not wanting him to think I didn’t appreciate it. Because I did. “In fact, I love it and I’m going to put it right here on my desk, where everyone can see it!” I said as I placed the statue down on my desk and then took the steps that separated us, looping my arms around his chest as I thanked him again.

  This time, he hugged me properly, and we just stood there, holding each other for a few seconds too long. And that had to mean something too—I mean, neither of us pulled away. He finally separated himself, clearing his throat, and then gave me another boyish smile.

  “I’m really glad you like it.”

  “I love it!” I answered, which wasn’t exactly the truth, but I appreciated the gesture all the same. And the fact that Marty had thought about me—it was enough to make my whole day.

  “I’m so glad to hear that!” he said and beamed. “But, wait… there’s more.”

  “More?” I asked a little hesitantly, wondering if he was about to produce more strange statues that were in somewhat bad taste.

  He nodded. “I also wanted to let you know I’d happily exorcise any ghosts that might be hanging around this place and I’ll do it for half-off—just a hundred bucks–it’s my friends and family rate.”

  “Oh,” I started, frowning as I wondered if maybe I would have liked a statue of the cowardly lion or the tin man better. “I don’t think Hallowed Homes is haunted.”

  “Well, just in case you find it is, or a ghost decides to move in or something, the offer is always there.”

  I nodded as he nodded and then we both just stood there, not saying anything but just nodding like two awkward high-school kids at their first dance.

  “I appreciate it, Marty,” I said finally as he gave me another winning smile and then turned towards the door as if he were headed out.

  “Well, I better get going because Lorcan’s in the back of the hearse and he doesn’t like it when I stay in one place too long.”

  I frowned and watched as he paused at the threshold of the door, turning around to face me again. “Isn’t Lorcan asleep?”

  Marty nodded. “Yeah, but I think he’s got video cameras wired in the hearse somehow because he always seems to know what’s going on, even when he’s supposed to be asleep in his coffin, dead to the world.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh, yet at the prospect of Marty walking out my door, I suddenly jumped forward and gripped his hand, not even realizing what I was doing. He glanced down at our joined fingers before looking back at me in surprise. I was just as surprised.

  “Oh, um,” I started and then patted his hand as my cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. What was wrong with me? “Could I, um… take you out… for dinner one of these nights?” I nearly choked on the words as I realized what I was doing. I was asking him out? Me? I was asking a man out? Demons below, but I’d never done anything like this before and the anxiety within me was at an all-time high. “I mean… to properly thank you for the gift?”

  “You don’t have to thank me for the gift, silly.”