Innocent Devil’s Harem Ch. 100 (Patreon)

September 18, 2022

NEXT WEEK (Oct 30): Will probably be a chapter of Combat Healer.

NOTE: Chapter 100. Wow.

I honestly wasn't sure if I'd ever write this much on this story. But you guys have made it possible for me to put so much effort into it.

Facebook Group Announcement:

In case you missed it, I made a post about some Facebook Groups you might be interested in joining.

Succubus Fiction

-- For discussing and sharing anything related to Succubi, whether that be pictures, anime, books, etc. (doesn't have to be harem, and can also include female vampires, devils, dragon girls, or anything else that might be relevant and has horns and/or wings).

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(So like, on Sunday it's sexy nuns and angels/fallen angels.)

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BOOK RELEASES:

>> Combat Healer Book 1 is available for $0.99 on Amazon. <<

Please leave a rating (just say you read it on Patreon, if you also leave a review).

The initial ratings are HUGE, especially for a book 1, so please leave one!

(It covers Chapters 1-14, and is 101,000 words.)

Innocent Devil’s Harem Book 6 is also now available, for anyone who prefers the kindle version.

ARTWORK: Both Miriam and Avery are available.

Mel is now available for the Demigod tier.

<< Chapter 99 | Ch 1 (Book 1) | Ch 16 (Book 2) | Ch 31 (Book 3) | Ch 46 (Book 4) | Ch 61 (Book 5) | Ch 76 (Book 6) | Ch 91 (Book 7)

- CHAPTER 100: Big Day -

After the unexpected event at dinner, where Gabriella went from feeling perfectly normal to suddenly sprouting wings and a tail that matched Miriam’s nonhuman appendages, we decided to celebrate a little by going out to fly, Serenity included.

However, what we hadn’t considered was their inexperience with these new appendages.

Miriam and I had zero problems flapping our wings and getting airborne, but Serenity and Gabriella both seemed awkward about it at first, flapping enough to get a foot or two off the ground, and then having the gentle breeze seem to mess with their balance.

In the end, both of them realized that using their tail helped in that department.

Which I knew nothing about, since I didn’t have a tail, and had always felt comfortable flying without one, though I realized I did sometimes tense my legs in various directions as I flew.

Not to mention, my wings were also objectively larger, which might have played some role.

But then, that just left only the fear of heights as their final issue. Or more specifically, not truly a fear of being high, but instead a fear of being high and having nothing beneath their feet.

Everyone else gave them encouragement though, all my women outside watching, and when they finally stopped focusing so much on the ground, and instead looked to the sky, they both managed to get it within half a minute of each other.

And then we were flying, all of us high above the trees, as the four of us circled far above the mansion -- still below the invisible dome of Miriam’s domain, but very high, nonetheless.

It was a great experience, although it was one in which I had to duck out early, since I still wanted to try to get some more practice in before bedtime. Thus, after informing them of my intentions, I landed and went back inside to finish eating dinner, most everyone else on the ground coming with me, and after another ten minutes or so, the other three joined too.

Then, as planned, I went back to the archery range to practice for another few hours, and eventually went back inside to shower, wish everyone a goodnight, and join Miriam in bed for one last evening before the big event tomorrow.

The day I met my biological father.

I felt like I slept alright, especially with having Miriam in my arms, but once I woke up, I couldn’t help but feel a little stressed. Something that was never good for my skin. I actually woke up transformed at about 6:00 AM, and Miriam sensing the anxiety in my aura was what woke her up too. However, she then proceeded to spend about half an hour kissing and loving on me, until I was thoroughly relaxed, before deciding it was time to get ready to leave, since the woman named Elizabeth Monroe said she’d be arriving at 8:00 AM sharp, and I didn’t want to be late to my own house.

No doubt, that would raise questions, all on its own.

Plus, I needed to ensure Serenity and I both thoroughly showered, to avoid showing up with the scent of a succubus clinging to the two of us. Unsurprisingly, Gwen was already awake, having pulled up the car she and Miriam would be taking, since they were going to drive with us about halfway, with Miriam wanting to use that defensive spell on the two of us as late as possible, to ensure it lasted for as long as possible.

That portion of the trip went much quicker than I would have preferred.

Thirty minutes felt like it went by in the blink of an eye.

We stopped in the field, said our goodbyes, and then Serenity and I left, our fancy clothes in the backseat, heading home with a newly applied defensive barrier guarding both of us. Miriam reiterated that it shouldn’t drain any magic unless it was defending against something, and that we shouldn’t hesitate to kill a target if we were under attack.

Specifically, she told me that she promised to handle it better if I came back with death clinging to me, and again apologized for how she’d reacted the first time.

But then, it was just the two of us, Serenity driving as I stared out the window, resting my hand on her thigh, enjoying the scent of her slowly strengthening arousal from the simple casual touch…

I supposed we were both a little stressed, and needed some relief, because when we got home, we fucked in the shower. At which point, she proceeded to check her phone to see how we were doing on time, and then just decided to set an alarm so we could keep fucking until we had about ten minutes left.

So that’s what we did.

Just me and her.

The older girl I’d crushed on for the last five years, the one I’d lived with for just as long. Alone in our house together, we made passionate love in the shower for as long as we were able, until we were almost pushing it too far.

We then finished rinsing and drying off, and promptly dressed in record time.

Serenity was in the bathroom applying cosmetics, mainly eyeliner and eyeshadow, when I heard a car pull into our driveway. Which Serenity also heard.

“Oh, that must be her. I’m almost done,” she commented.

“I’ll just open the door, so she at least knows we’re coming.”

“Sure,” Serenity agreed, capping her mascara and checking herself once more in the mirror.

Opening the front door, I glanced outside to see the same deeply tinted windows as I’d first seen on Wednesday after school in the parking lot. Of course, I couldn’t see the person inside at all, but I assumed it was her, likely waiting impatiently. I’d soon know for sure either way though.

Turning around when Serenity started walking down the stairs, looking hot as fuck in that tight black dress, adorned only with a simple small clutch purse, I gave her a confused look when I saw she also had a black pair of high-heels in her grasp too, flats already adorning her feet.

She spoke up in response to my thoughts. “Figured I’d bring them just in case. I don’t want to draw unnecessary attention to myself, and wearing flats might ironically do that.”

I shrugged, holding out my arm for her as she met me by the door. “That’s fine. I can’t imagine people will care though.”

“Hopefully not,” she agreed, stepping with me out the door, and then waiting as I quickly locked it.

We then proceeded to make our way to the black car, Serenity still holding onto my arm, followed by me opening the rear door for her on the passenger’s side. She ducked her head briefly to verify it was only the one woman inside at the wheel, and then carefully climbed in, setting the high-heels on the floor.

I then closed the door for her, and proceeded to open my own door, climbing into the passenger’s seat. The dash clock said 8:07 AM, which meant we were technically running a little late, but Ms. Monroe had been five minutes late herself.

Like last time, she was dressed in a very formal business suit that hugged her feminine figure tightly, as well as a pair of pitch-black sunglasses to hide her eyes, the sides actually wrapping around enough that I couldn’t even see her eyes when looking at her profile.

Her rich brown hair was mostly straight, being in large heavy curls only at the ends, giving her a mature, professional, put-together, but also kind of a maternal appearance. As if she was the CEO of a company who was also a hardass mother at home, having an overall figure that was more aligned with what I might expect of a famous actress or model.

She spoke up once I closed the door.

“Do you both…have everything you need?” she asked with surprising hesitation in her tone.

“Yes,” I replied simply.

“I’m good,” Serenity agreed.

The woman simply responded by putting the car in gear and then backing up behind Serenity’s car, using only the dashboard camera as she did so, before pulling forward and heading down our driveway to the road.

We were all then silent for several minutes, until we got off our main road and started to pass the occasional traffic.

I decided to break the silence, since we were going to be in the car with this woman for almost four hours.

“So, are we doing okay on time, or do you think we will be late?” I wondered casually.

Her tone was firm. “Assuming reasonable traffic, we should arrive at about a quarter to noon.” She paused for a long few seconds, almost as if she wasn’t going to continue, before doing so. “At which point, I will take you to meet your father, though you may have to wait as long as half-past noon, since he has certain obligations that he wasn’t able to escape today.”

“Work stuff?” I assumed, having no clue why else that would be the case.

She hesitated again, before sighing. “Yes, work stuff.”

Serenity decided to speak up. “What does he do, exactly?” she wondered. “Is he a lawyer or something?”

The woman pursed her lips. “He’s…a lot of things. An investor, a legal consultant, a businessman. He could choose to delegate a lot of his responsibilities, but enjoys the work.”

“Huh,” I said simply.

We were then silent again for a few minutes, with me beginning to wonder if I should risk probing for more information about her specifically, uncertain if that would be a bad idea, or not. However, after debating it briefly with Serenity, and even having Gwen confirm that Miriam -- who was planning on paying attention closely, through her maid, to everything that happened -- that it probably couldn’t hurt, I decided to ask.

Because worst case, and she’d probably just refuse to answer.

I kept my tone lighthearted. “So, can I ask what you are?” I wondered.

Her tone was instantly firm. “No. You may not.”

“Are you an Ifrit?” I blurted out anyway.

She stiffened at that. “Where did you hear such a word?” she demanded.

I shrugged, focusing out the window as if we were only speaking casually. “You shouldn’t be surprised that I tried looking it up, after that little fireworks display in the parking lot. Not sure what’s real or not, but figured that was at least one option. Or maybe some kind of witch or something.”

“Do you even know what an Ifrit is?” she demanded.

I frowned at that. “Umm, not exactly. I guess some kind of person who can use fire magic?”

She scoffed at that. “So you don’t know what it is, but you’re asking me if I am one?” she said seriously.

I mimicked her scoff. “Jeez, if you’re not an Ifrit, then just say so. I just figured that was more interesting than a regular witch, or something,” I lied.

She was quiet for a long few seconds, before sighing. “A true Ifrit is a type of demon, one that has long since gone extinct. They were also called Inferno Imps. Which is the kind of creature you would probably read about online in modern articles. However, the term has come to have another meaning in the last two thousand years, since their extinction. Sorcerers who have successfully tamed a fire spirit, and become one with the spirit, are sometimes referred to as Ifrits.”

I tried not to react to that unexpected revelation.

That meant that, technically, Gwen was an Ifrit.

The maid in question was surprised too, uncertain if that term, which originated in Arabic religions, really identified her kind, or if it was used for another kind of creature. Since, after all, it was possible this woman had her facts wrong. Nevertheless, the possibility was interesting. And potentially accurate, since Ms. Monroe at least was aware of the rough amount of time since Inferno Imps went extinct.

Thankfully, Serenity was quick with a response.

“And what exactly is a fire spirit?” she wondered casually.

“A consciousness formed from magic itself,” she said simply. “Specifically, from fire magic. A form of life that probably defies everything you know about the world. Almost like the manifestation of a new soul that lacks a body. And one that’s often born from someone using a fire spell that is too powerful for them to handle.”

I frowned at that. “So one person dies, and another tames the beast that’s created.”

She tensed at that, her knuckles white on the steering wheel, as she unexpectedly began almost yelling. “Sometimes taming the beast is the only way to prevent thousands of people from dying,” she snapped, growing even louder. “Not everyone who becomes an Ifrit did it to gain power!”

Both of us were silent after her outburst, with Serenity speaking up hesitantly after a few long seconds.

“Did you know the person who lost control?” she asked quietly.

“Enough questions,” Ms. Monroe snapped, looking visibly upset now.

I decided to change the subject instead.

“So are all my brothers assholes?” I wondered.

She hesitated at that, frowning deeply, almost as if she wasn’t going to respond, before sighing again.

“Most of them, yes.”

Damn. I was just trying to keep the conversation going, not expecting to discover that this little family reunion might actually be truly unpleasant.

“Oh,” I replied simply, only to frown. “Well, I’m not an asshole, just so you know.”

She scoffed at that, but didn’t respond.

“He’s really not,” Serenity agreed.

Ms. Monroe scoffed again. “Like I trust your judgment.”

Serenity scoffed this time. “Well you should. I’m not just property to him.”

She didn’t respond, her gaze focused straight ahead.

We were on an interstate now, heading east, though I still didn’t know for sure which direction we’d truly be going yet, since we could still end up taking several other roads going north or south. Clearing my throat, I spoke up again, deciding I really did want to know more about my makeshift family.

“So, since you seem to be ‘in the know.’ Which of my brothers should I watch out for? And which ones are okay? Or are they all truly assholes?”

She pursed her lips at that. “Joseph is…alright. Respectful.” She frowned. “But he’s technically only a fourth…incubus…” She hesitated on the word like she wasn’t sure if she should say it out loud, before continuing. “And also younger, like you. Only thirty-seven. He’s technically your nephew, but your father considers anyone with his power a son, so you should consider him a brother. Alternatively, I wouldn’t trust any of the other eleven as far as I can throw them.” She frowned. “They may be on their best behavior today, in particular, but that’s not saying much.”

My eyes widened slightly, realizing that meant I had twelve living brothers in total, with me being the thirteenth.

“They all respect him?” I then wondered. “My father?”

Her brow furrowed more. “He has always made sure to put the disrespectful one’s in their place.”

My eyebrows shot up at that. “In what way?”

She finally turned her head toward me briefly, her rich brown hair shifting on her shoulder slightly, though I couldn’t see her eyes due to the sunglasses. “Do you really need to ask?”

I considered that. “I guess I can imagine in what way, but just how severe? Like, I’m guessing he steals those they care about. Does he give them back?”

“Depends on the asshole,” she said seriously. “If they don’t show him the respect he deserves, and humbly plead with him to return what was taken, then no. He doesn’t give them back. A few of his sons were too stubborn to beg for his forgiveness, but they at least know he can and will do it again, if they show him disrespect.” She paused when I simply nodded, her tone becoming more firm. “So I’d highly recommend not crossing him. Otherwise, your arrogance will be your downfall.”

“I don’t anticipate having any problems with him,” I said casually.

She looked at me again, turning her head fully in my direction, as if she was trying to understand my lack of concern, before slowly focusing on the road again. Which I supposed kind of made sense. From her perspective, she was talking about a man who could take everything from me, and yet rather than feeling scared or nervous about him doing so, I seemed completely at ease, as if I hadn’t a concern in the world.

Another question then popped into my head, but I decided it might be best if it came from Serenity, so I silently asked her to bring it up instead.

“So…his father. Does he treat you well?” Serenity asked hesitantly.

Ms. Monroe tilted her head up slightly, clearly focusing on Serenity in the rearview mirror, before pursing her lips for a long few seconds.

She then sighed. “He respects me, and my power.”

“Oh,” Serenity responded. “So then, are you not actually with him?”

She scoffed. “I’m female, and an objectively attractive one, at that. Of course I’m with him. That’s nonnegotiable. Well…for all, except one.”

I frowned at that, wondering what she meant by that last part, knowing she couldn’t be referring to someone like my mother, since obviously she’d been with my father too. But then, who was exempt from being with him?

And what kind of person was she?

At the very least, I knew that Ms. Monroe’s high opinion of herself wasn’t just an opinion. Because, while I still hadn’t seen her without the sunglasses yet, I could tell she was very attractive. Between her high cheekbones, slender nose, chiseled jawline, and overall flawless pale skin, there was no doubt she could be a model.

Never mind her actual physique.

She was undeniably hot in that suit.

Filled it out very nicely.

Which was probably why she delivered my father’s letter the way she did, to avoid me trying to snag her as my own woman, and accidentally stepping on my biological father’s toes in a way he probably wouldn’t appreciate.

Like, probably not at all.

However, she seemed a little tense again, so I decided to try to lighten the mood a little.

“So does that sort of make you my step-mother?” I wondered playfully.

She hissed at that. “Hell no. And don’t ever use that word around me again,” she snapped. “I am no one’s mother, and I never will be.”

“Because you’re too hot?” I blurted out.

“Yes,” she said firmly, in no uncertain terms.

It was only then that I realized she meant that literally…

Because she was an Ifrit…

A sorceress who had unwillingly ‘become one’ with a fire spirit, a consciousness or soul conceived from magic itself, in order to protect thousands of others…

And her body was physically too hot to carry a child.

Damn.

I decided not to ask her any more questions after that, except for one.

Would I be seeing my mother today?

Her response left me a bit dismayed.

My father hadn’t been in contact with her for roughly eighteen years now, pretty much ever since I’d been taken away from her…which kind of left me feeling a bit somber. Not that I expected to see her today anyway, but just imagining it from her perspective, she hadn’t been allowed to raise me. I’d been taken from her at birth.

That must have really sucked.

Probably was even crushing, to have her child stolen like that.

Especially since she supposedly couldn’t be compelled.

Then again, maybe she knew what she was getting into. Maybe she was well aware she wouldn’t get to raise her own kid. Hard to say, but after that I decided to ride in silence, and stop trying to probe information from Ms. Monroe.

Serenity asked her a few more questions, just casual stuff like what all her job entailed, and if she had a life outside of work, but other than that the ride was mostly silent. Ms. Monroe did ask if we’d had breakfast about two hours into the trip, suggesting that lunch wouldn’t be served until after 2 PM, and then proceeded to stop at a convenience store so we could grab something quick -- really emphasizing that I be in-and-out in five minutes.

I just grabbed a granola yogurt parfait for Serenity, knowing she wouldn’t have any problem avoiding getting her dress messy, as well as a bunch of protein bars of various flavors, both for now and later.

Handing my sexy brunette the yogurt and a blueberry protein bar over my shoulder, I got my seatbelt back on and then decided to offer one to Ms. Monroe.

She hesitated briefly, only to accept it without saying anything, getting the packaging open, and then putting it in her lap briefly as she got back on the interstate, before eating it with one hand. She never thanked me, but as far as I was concerned, her even taking it was a ‘win’ in my book.

The ensuing hour was again silent, as I slowly devoured eight of the protein bars at a snail’s pace, feeling a little hungry since I had skipped breakfast, but also starting to feel a bit uneasy now too, as we got closer and closer to our destination.

It wasn’t until we started driving on some inner-city streets, nearly four hours later, that she spoke up again.

“I have a question.”

I looked at her in surprise. “Oh. Okay?”

“Why did you open the door for her?” she asked seriously.

“Huh?” I said in complete confusion, blindsided by the question.

“When I picked the two of you up, why did you open the door for her? Why didn’t she open the door for you?”

I just stared at her for a second, trying to process what she was saying, before scoffing. “Because she’s everything to me. She’s all I’ve had for a good portion of my life. And I love the fuck out of her, and want to wait on her.” I scoffed again. “Because even if I did everything she asked of me for the rest of my life, it would never repay everything she did for me when I otherwise had nothing.” I frowned. “And also because, that’s what gentlemen do anyway. I feel like it would take a real asshole to expect a woman to…” My voice trailed off as realization hit me. “Oh.”

“Oh what?” she said seriously.

“You said my brothers were assholes. Is that what you meant?”

“That they treat women like servants who only exist to serve them like they’re kings? Yeah, that’s what I meant. At least partly. They’re also conceited in general, and are not always pleasant toward each other. Especially not toward their younger brothers.”

“Fuck,” I hissed. “So what, I have a target on my back?”

“Undeniably,” she said in no uncertain terms.

I frowned at that, speaking hesitantly. “And how best would you recommend I avoid conflicts?”

She scoffed this time. “Honestly? If you want to avoid conflicts, then best you get comfortable with them fucking the woman you brought with you.”

I clenched my jaw, knowing getting upset wasn’t going to help anything right now. Especially not when I needed to be careful about what I said. Careful about what they discovered about me.

I cleared my throat. “And…let’s say that’s completely off the table. What other options are there?”

Her tone was firm. “You really want to prevent that from happening?”

I gave her a confused look, feeling like that was a dumb question.

“Well yeah.”

She turned her head toward me, her tone harsh. “Then have her gouge out her eyes.”

“What the fuck?!” I snapped.

“You heard me,” she snapped back. “Make her gouge out her eyes.”

“Are you fucking serious right now?”

“Couldn’t be more serious,” she replied in no uncertain terms. “In fact, some of your brothers have done just that, just to ensure that the one person they love most can’t be stolen away.”

“Fuck!” I exclaimed, unable to believe she was even serious right now. “That’s fucking insane!”

“No, what’s fucking insane is the power your brothers wield. Most of them have had at least a century to hone their skills. And they won’t hesitate to snag a woman they want to fuck.” She scoffed, sounding almost pissed now. “Remember what I said about Joseph? About how he was one of the only good ones? Well, the woman he cares about most, did get stolen from him, and afterward, she gouged her own eyes out. Because she truly loves him, and never wanted it to happen again.”

“That’s really true?” Serenity unexpectedly wondered, her tone much more calm, as if she was intentionally trying to reduce the tension in the air.

Ms. Monroe stiffened, almost as if she’d forgotten that ‘my woman’ was even listening, only to recline more in her seat with a heavy sigh. “Yeah, that’s true,” she said simply.

“And his father didn’t stop it from happening?” Serenity added.

She sighed heavily. “He has very few rules, and views getting involved in his sons’ drama as a complete waste of time.”

“So basically,” I nearly spat. “Respect him, and he’ll respect you. But he also won’t defend you from anyone else.”

“That’s fairly accurate,” she agreed. “Except for that first part. Your father doesn’t believe his sons deserve respect. It’s more like he just doesn’t have time to play games, like the others insist on doing. So it’s more like, ‘respect him, just because he deserves it,’ and then he’ll at least leave you alone.”

“Fuck. How long do we have to stay?” I asked seriously. “Without my father finding it disrespectful?”

She paused for a long few seconds before taking another deep breath.

“The moment I feel like I can take you home, I will.”

I was surprised by that response.

She must have glanced at me, because she groaned. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not going to get involved if something happens.”

I considered that for a second. “Okay, that’s understandable. But let me ask you this. You said my father doesn’t get involved in our drama. So then, let’s say I ended up having a fight with one of my brothers. Would that cause a problem with him?”

“As I said,” she said seriously. “Today is the one day when they might mind their behavior. It would be very unwise to openly get in a dispute with anyone.”

“And I certainly don’t plan on it. After all, I am only eighteen, and these guys have been honing their skills for at least a hundred years, right?”

She frowned, nodding once.

“So I’m just asking, if things did turn physical, he wouldn’t have an issue with that, right?”

Her brow furrowed. “What exactly do you mean by physical?” she asked hesitantly.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. If we got in a fist fight, or maybe if I stabbed someone.”

Unexpectedly she was alarmed. “Do you know nothing of incubi law?!”

My brow furrowed at that. “Umm, no of course not. How would I?”

“Because you were raised by one of his familiars! How could you not know?”

“You know my adoptive parents died in a car accident, right?”

She seemed flabbergasted. “I mean…I knew, but…fuck.”

“What?” I asked seriously.

“No!” she snapped. “No, you cannot stab anyone! If you even so much as draw blood, you’ll be severely punished! Stripped of everything that matters to you, and probably beaten on top of it! And heaven’s forbid that you actually kill one of your brothers, you’ll be put to death! And only after watching all your women violently murdered in front of your eyes!”

My eyes widened in shock.

Holy…fuck.

Definitely could never let him know that I’d actually killed another incubus.

She took a deep breath. “Shit.” She then sighed. “Anyway, we’re here,” she added, beginning to slow down as we pulled into a parking garage that went down under a tall building.

“Already?” I said in surprise, focusing on the dash clock to see it was 11:38 AM.

Right on time.

When she simply nodded, I quickly continued.

“Okay, seriously. If I can’t hurt them, then I assume that means they aren’t allowed to hurt me too, right?”

“Theoretically,” she agreed.

“So then, the only real risk is that someone might try to steal Serenity.”

“Technically,” she said simply.

“So then, what happens if my hold on her is stronger?”

She pursed her lips at that. “Then someone might just physically grab her instead.”

“And I can physically stop them, just not hurt them.”

“If you even can,” she said seriously.

Of course, I was somewhat muscular, so I assumed she was implying that at least some of my brothers were fairly strong too.

Serenity chimed in. “Who exactly punishes people for breaking incubi law anyway?” she wondered.

Ms. Monroe scoffed. “All other incubi, of course. It’s a law they created thousands of years ago, a law that they haven’t hesitated to enforce even to this day. Each incubus is responsible for ensuring the law is enforced, and each one will do so, without fail, including your father. In fact, he actually killed one of his sons once, by his own hand, a really long time ago. There are few rules, but the ones they have are absolute.” She grimaced. “Fuck, you should already know all this.”

“Mind telling my father that I don’t?” I wondered.

She frowned at that. “Yes, I suppose I should inform him.”

“Thanks,” I said sincerely as she parked.

She just shook her head, not responding at first.

She then cleared her throat, focusing back toward Serenity too. “Now, if you’ll follow me to the elevator, I’ll take you to Mr. Abram’s office. You are not to call him by any other name, unless he gives you permission to do so. I’ll inform his secretary that you’ve arrived, and she’ll let you know when he’s ready to see you.” She focused more on Serenity. “I shouldn’t have to tell you this, but just in case. You are to be seen, and not heard. Do not speak unless directly spoken too, understand? Women are not people here.”

Serenity simply nodded, popping open her door to get out, only to hesitate.

“Oh, are my flats okay?” she wondered.

“Yes, they’re fine. Leave your heels in the car if you want.”

She nodded, and finished getting out.

As I climbed out too, taking the protein bar wrappers with me, since I was sure there would be a trashcan somewhere down here, probably by the elevators, I decided to speak up again.

“So, you’re not his secretary?”

Damn, I couldn’t see her eyes behind those sunglasses, and yet I could still tell she was glaring at me.

“Do I look like a simple secretary to you?” she snapped.

“No, I suppose not.”

She scoffed, flicking some of her rich dark curls off her shoulder as she began to lead the way without responding further. But damn, she was kind of a hothead, which I assumed was just her personality, and had nothing to do with the fire spirit residing with in her. But then again, maybe that consciousness she’d merged with was a bit irritable about the fact it had been tamed.

Hard to say, since I had no idea what this woman had been like, prior to becoming an Ifrit.

Depositing my trash near the elevator as planned, we all climbed in and she hit the button for the tenth floor. Which got me wondering, since there were floors even higher than that.

“Does my father own this building?” I wondered.

“Indirectly.”

“Through a holding company or something?” I assumed.

“Basically.”

“Any reason why his office isn’t on the top floor?”

She sighed. “For the same reason why he currently goes by John Abrams. Too much unwanted attention can be problematic for those who never die.”

“Makes sense,” I replied simply, deciding not to ask any more questions, since we were already almost to the tenth floor.

When it opened up, with us now facing toward where her car was in the garage down below, I was greeted by a standard hallway which seemed to lead to a series of doors in either direction, nothing looking overly ostentatious or flashy, feeling like a very normal building in the middle of downtown. However, once she led us to the right and around a corner, we entered through a glass doorway into a space that was very nicely furnished, with a very obvious waiting area, coupled with a fancy reception desk with an incredibly gorgeous blonde typing on a computer.

The secretary spoke up the moment she noticed us walking through the glass doors.

“Oh, this must be Mr. Kai Ashworth. Wow, aren’t you a cutie? Please have a seat, and I’ll let Mr. Abrams know you’ve arrived.”

Briefly, I was surprised she called me ‘Kai’ instead of ‘Cairo,’ but then realized that of course she would call me that, since it was my legal name. And my biological father obviously didn’t care too much about ‘names,’ since it was clear he’d changed his multiple times. If anything, I’d probably be shocked if he did call me Cairo, despite that other incubus named Jonadab making a big deal out of my name, to make it seem like he had ‘insider information’ about me.

And then, I was also a little surprised by the flirty behavior from the secretary, with me focusing on Ms. Monroe when she spoke up.

“Please also inform him that I’m about to send him an email, if he would be so kind as to give it a read when the time suits him.”

“Of course Liz,” she replied warmly. “I’ll get right on that.”

Despite the sunglasses, I got the distinct impression that Ms. Elizabeth Monroe rolled her eyes, before giving me a stiff nod and then turning around to walk away.

Moving with Serenity to go sit down on one of the comfy leather couches, I barely got my rear in the seat, before the secretary was speaking up again.

“Oh, actually you can go in now, Mr. Ashworth.”

“You already told him I was here?” I said in surprise.

She shook her head, causing her blonde hair to bounce slightly, as she started typing on her computer again. “No, he just sent me a message saying that he was finished up, and to send you in when you arrived. I’m letting him know right now that you’re here.”

“Oh, okay,” I said simply, giving Serenity one last glance, before taking a deep breath.

This was it.

I was finally going to meet my biological father.

An immortal incubus.

FEEDBACK: So, thoughts on this chapter?

What did you think about Ms. Monroe, or the little revelations that came out, in the chapter?

NEXT WEEK: Either next week, or the one after that, will probably be chapter of Combat Healer. I know you guys are probably wanting to know what happens next after that mini-cliffhanger, so it might be Ch 101 next week. Not entirely sure yet (but if you have a preference, feel free to leave a comment below).

Chapter 101 >>

LIST OF STORIES >>

LIST OF ARTWORK >>