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"Guess you’re just not good enough to do anything other than bend nature, anyway," I called out, keeping rin firmly affixed to my face, but inside ht explode fro that your succubus power transfers are highly exaggerated"

"Oh, I don’t think so" He smirked and sauntered toward Leon Koslov reached up and touched the tallerthe salamander’s arm Leon shuddered, and a muscle in his jaitched Then Koslov stepped away and headed back toward his desk Leon reached out and grabbed ainst my skin

My mouth dropped open and the pieces in my mind fell into place No wonder the burned bodies had been left in such precarious places He was controlling the sala succubus thrall? Holy hell, I didn’t even want to know the lengths he’d had to go to in order to establish that control Succubi poere inseparably linked to sex Had he been abusing Leon in the same way he set up the succubi he sold to be abused? Was he sleeping with hi in my throat and looked at the salamander God, was that why he’d stared at me, so oddly intense? I should have seen it Should have noticed that he was trying to tell ic

I shook htly That’s why Koslov had seemed just a little more charismatic than normal when I met him in Natalie’s office He carried the unconscious powers of a succubus as well--a small amount, anyway

I should have picked up on that But there was no point in berating myself about it now I’d have all the time in the world to ht now I had to concentrate on freeing her

Across the roorin widened as he watched ured out what he was doing, hoas controlling his pet salarip loosened onfor orders or if he again struggled with Koslov’s influence

If Leon was already struggling against the witch’s control enough to leave hints for the police to find, could I free him with my own ability? I couldn’t reverse Koslov’s thrall, but maybe with a touch of h for Leon to break free All I had to do was drink in soy, and a small amount of thrall would naturally pass to him I’d never used it that way, but I knew that it was possible The closest I’d ever co to h school I’d kept his attention, all right But it hadn’t kept the jerk froirl

"Take her, Leon" Koslov ained its coolness, its calone

Leon released o ahead, down a hallway to the right of where I’d come in I stiffened my spine and walked past him

A loud crash sounded behind us, and I pivoted around just in time to see Leon do the same

"Police," Costa shouted as he entered the rooed until I saw Leon raise his hands I didn’t kno his power compared to Costa’s, but I knew Costa could be burned The OWEA agent’s attention was firmly focused on Koslov, and he wouldn’t even have a chance to defend hirabbed Leon’s ary and tried to pull, but failed I could feel it, but I couldn’t touch it Of course I couldn’t touch it Succubi poere heavily connected to sex and, barring that, desire Other strong eer succubus powers as well, but none so reliably as lust

Da a couple of stu steps toward Costa Koslov had a hand raised at Costa, and was speaking--spewing lies to get Costa to let his guard down, no doubt But Costa was having none of it He shouted at Koslov again to get on the ground

Grabbing energy was tricky business, especially for a succubus who never used that side of her power But I could do this; it was as natural for ht, when I had to force y from Costa My heart leaped into h the tears inthe salarunted in surprise, but didn’t move his focus from Costa He kneho the real threat was, or perhaps he was under specific orders frohtly, pain throbbing its way from my hand up my arm, and tried to think of Costa I pushed away the outside world where Costa shouted at Koslov and Leon tried to squirether Of how hemy skin while he made love to me All the while, I reached for Leon’s power After a few seconds, it clicked

A flash of worry shot through ? Would my actions confir for a fix? And e me?

Leon’s power ju all of my worries and fears aith its seductive power I could feel it, just a small drain on him, but it was there Spurred by my success, I kept Costa firmly in my er caressed, it burned with a slow pleasant heat

Flowing froh therip on the large y started to pour into hts of Costa heated my blood and made me suddenly ache to be back in his arhts Leon was there, too A h e so fierce it shook rowled and yankedme into the room with Costa and Koslov I landed hard on led up to my knees and looked back at Leon The sala th, fell to one knee and his head dropped He looked around, dazed

My hts-- stayed just outside of rasp I looked around dumbly