Succubus Lost (Files from the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, #2) by Tiffany Allee Read Free Book Online
Authors: Tiffany Allee
Tags: Someone is kidnapping and incinerating otherworlders beyond recognition, and detective Marisol Whitman, a succubus, races to find the murderer before he claims another victim. But her pursuit is derailed when her responsible younger sister vanishes. Marisol suspects foul play and enlists support from an unlikely source: an agent from the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, Valerio Costa.
When the trail pointing to everyone from vampires to witches dries up, Agent Costa admits to knowing more than he’s shared. Marisol’s sister’s kidnapper harnesses more magic than she can imagine—and they’re running out of time. To find her sister before her powers are drained and twisted beyond recognition, Marisol must connect the dots between cases and put her trust in Costa, a salamander who may burn her before she can solve either case.
wall and crossed his arms. After a few minutes, I calmed down enough to stop pacing. Donovan approached, his arms and head pulled close to his body like a dog expecting to be hit, and Costa pushed away from the wall.
“I’m sorry, Detective, but it’ll be a while before I have any information for you.” He glanced around. “I could call you,” he said, hopeful.
I opened my mouth to tell him that I would wait, but my cell phone rang before I could get the words out.
I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the number.
Astrid.
I touched my phone’s screen. “Hello?” I took my wallet out. Astrid’s voice came over the line as I handed the head of security my card.
“Hey, Marisol. It’s Astrid. I’m so sorry about your sister.”
“Thanks,” I whispered. I cleared my throat and shoved my wallet back into my jacket. “We’ll find her, so there’s nothing to be sorry about.”
“I hate to ask this, but are you busy right now?” she asked, voice tentative. “I need your help with something, if you have time.”
I covered the phone’s microphone. “Can you wait here for the footage? I have something I need to do on that other case.”
Costa nodded curtly, and I lifted the phone back to my ear. “What do you need?”
“So tell me again why you need me to talk to the witch?” I asked. Astrid and I stood in front of Natalie Leigh’s high-rise office building, and its shiny walls glittered even when surrounded by dark gray skies.
Astrid frowned. “I don’t need you, exactly. I just don’t really care for witches, okay?”
I raised an eyebrow but didn’t press her. Covenant witches were a secretive lot, and I couldn’t blame her for not liking them. Only the vampires compared to the Covenant for political power in the otherworlder arena.
Witches and vampires were powerful, and more plentiful than most other species. And more importantly, they were two species that were drawn to power. They sought it, fought for it, and generally got it.
“I’ll just wait for you out here. Let me know if you absolutely need me to come up and I will,” Astrid said, her face creased with worry.
“All right.”
I walked into the lobby. A large man stood as I entered, and boy, did he stand. He was at least as tall as Costa, putting him several inches above six feet. Where Costa was lean, this man was wide—built like a football player who did nothing but go to the gym. He wore a suit but had the guarded look of professional muscle. He wasn’t exactly my type, but I paused to appreciate the view anyway.
He watched me as I flashed my badge at the receptionist, and then he took a step toward me, his face strangely intense, no doubt drawn by my succubus allure.
I didn’t have time to deal with an admirer, so I frowned at him sternly and then broke eye contact and turned to the receptionist. The woman was shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but Ms. Leigh is otherwise occupied.”
“It’s important police business,” I said. “She’s just going to have to spare me a few minutes.” Not waiting for her reply, I strode toward the elevator, shooting a quick look over my shoulder to make sure the big man wasn’t following me.
I glanced at the directory. Natalie Leigh, Witch was listed in suite 1400. I stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the fourteenth floor.
Astrid’s partner, Claude, was a vampire, and in addition to working for the police department, he was the unofficial attaché between the local vampire leader, the Magister, and the local cops. Between Astrid’s dislike for witches and Claude’s vampire status—vampires and witches didn’t get alone well—they probably avoided Natalie like the plague. Lieutenant Vasquez probably loved them for it. Witches were tough on the department’s budget.
The doors dinged open and a plush hallway revealed itself. I walked to Natalie Leigh’s office door. Voices murmured inside, and I heard the click of a telephone being replaced on its
“I’m sorry, Detective, but it’ll be a while before I have any information for you.” He glanced around. “I could call you,” he said, hopeful.
I opened my mouth to tell him that I would wait, but my cell phone rang before I could get the words out.
I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the number.
Astrid.
I touched my phone’s screen. “Hello?” I took my wallet out. Astrid’s voice came over the line as I handed the head of security my card.
“Hey, Marisol. It’s Astrid. I’m so sorry about your sister.”
“Thanks,” I whispered. I cleared my throat and shoved my wallet back into my jacket. “We’ll find her, so there’s nothing to be sorry about.”
“I hate to ask this, but are you busy right now?” she asked, voice tentative. “I need your help with something, if you have time.”
I covered the phone’s microphone. “Can you wait here for the footage? I have something I need to do on that other case.”
Costa nodded curtly, and I lifted the phone back to my ear. “What do you need?”
“So tell me again why you need me to talk to the witch?” I asked. Astrid and I stood in front of Natalie Leigh’s high-rise office building, and its shiny walls glittered even when surrounded by dark gray skies.
Astrid frowned. “I don’t need you, exactly. I just don’t really care for witches, okay?”
I raised an eyebrow but didn’t press her. Covenant witches were a secretive lot, and I couldn’t blame her for not liking them. Only the vampires compared to the Covenant for political power in the otherworlder arena.
Witches and vampires were powerful, and more plentiful than most other species. And more importantly, they were two species that were drawn to power. They sought it, fought for it, and generally got it.
“I’ll just wait for you out here. Let me know if you absolutely need me to come up and I will,” Astrid said, her face creased with worry.
“All right.”
I walked into the lobby. A large man stood as I entered, and boy, did he stand. He was at least as tall as Costa, putting him several inches above six feet. Where Costa was lean, this man was wide—built like a football player who did nothing but go to the gym. He wore a suit but had the guarded look of professional muscle. He wasn’t exactly my type, but I paused to appreciate the view anyway.
He watched me as I flashed my badge at the receptionist, and then he took a step toward me, his face strangely intense, no doubt drawn by my succubus allure.
I didn’t have time to deal with an admirer, so I frowned at him sternly and then broke eye contact and turned to the receptionist. The woman was shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but Ms. Leigh is otherwise occupied.”
“It’s important police business,” I said. “She’s just going to have to spare me a few minutes.” Not waiting for her reply, I strode toward the elevator, shooting a quick look over my shoulder to make sure the big man wasn’t following me.
I glanced at the directory. Natalie Leigh, Witch was listed in suite 1400. I stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the fourteenth floor.
Astrid’s partner, Claude, was a vampire, and in addition to working for the police department, he was the unofficial attaché between the local vampire leader, the Magister, and the local cops. Between Astrid’s dislike for witches and Claude’s vampire status—vampires and witches didn’t get alone well—they probably avoided Natalie like the plague. Lieutenant Vasquez probably loved them for it. Witches were tough on the department’s budget.
The doors dinged open and a plush hallway revealed itself. I walked to Natalie Leigh’s office door. Voices murmured inside, and I heard the click of a telephone being replaced on its
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