IncuBUST

Identification

I fought for a moment trying to push him away. If he was human and I fed on him, I'd probably kill him. I couldn't murder another member of this family. I tried, but the Heat was too much. I couldn't stop myself. I felt his tongue cool inside my burning mouth and I latched onto the thread of his life. It wasn't like Barapha. Or Quetz. Or Sissy. Or like anyone I had ever fed on before and it definitely wasn't human. 

I climbed into his lap and clutched at the back of his head my fingers tangling in his hair. His life tasted like a million things at once, a delicious symphony of emotions and desires weaving in and out of each other filling me with light. It felt like feeding on a dozen different people at once the flavors were so varied, the power so immense. It was unlike anything I had experienced before and it set me on fire. I felt his hands frigid against my feverish skin sliding up the back of my shirt and holding me tight against his body. I could drown in this man. 

Suddenly the passenger side door wrenched open and we tumbled out onto the pavement breaking away from each other. I lay flat on my back watching the sky sparkle and swirl overhead. I could hear Nikolai's breath whooshing through his lungs, feel the heat of his body so temptingly close. I sat up, the world exploding in vibrant color and I reached for him. Whatever he was, I wanted more. He was abruptly removed from my grasp and I looked up to see a seething middle-aged blonde woman shoving my treat behind her. 

"First you kill my brother, then you seduce my niece and now you are attacking my son! I was beginning to think you weren't quite as awful as the rest of your kind, but I guess I was wrong!" she exclaimed her words resonating painfully in my head. 

"Mom!" Nikolai exclaimed, "He didn't attack me!" My gaze drifted to him and I saw that he did have an aura. It sparked and rippled, changing color and texture and feeling so quickly that it should've come with a seizure warning. It seemed to dissolve and rematerialize around him like so many minuscule droplets of water refracting the light of the sun and throwing rainbows across his skin. I was looking too closely before. I was within his aura so of course, I couldn't see it. I leaned back on my hands and stared at him in awe watching the shifting colors dancing around him. Their familial bickering faded into the background as I watched him glow. I thought Barapha was powerful...but this kid was...

"Wow," I murmured and they both looked at me. I began giggling uncontrollably and I covered my mouth trying to stop it. I saw Charlotte lean towards her son and ask, "Have you been smoking again? I thought you quit." He grimaced and replied, "It's medicinal. For my migraines. I have a card." 

"Great, Nikki. Really great. You were under the influence and he took advantage of you. How--" He groaned loudly and said, "I told you I initiated contact, mom. He didn't take advantage of anything. It's my fault." She fell silent and stared at him with wide eyes. He sighed and shook his head moving away from her and towards me. He held his hand out to help me up. I hesitated and then grasped his hand letting him pull me to my feet. When our skin touch it was like electricity shooting up my arm. Our eyes met and simultaneously we asked, "What are you?" 

He laughed and reached into his back pocket pulling out his wallet and flipping it open. He held it up and I saw his ID through the clear plastic slot. I blinked and removed my glasses trying to focus on the section detailing his species. Human. Clearly stated in plain English. No way.

"Can I have my hand back?" he asked.

"Huh?" I looked down at our hands still tangled together. "Oh, yeah. Sorry." I let go of his hand and looked away, my face going pink with embarrassment. He couldn't be human. It was impossible. But his ID looked legit. He put his wallet back in his pocket and grinned saying, "Your turn." I made to retrieve my ID but stopped. Some people didn't react so well when they learned what I was. 

He stepped forward and stuck his hand in my pocket. My skin warmed with shock and I bit down on my tongue. He removed my wallet and I exhaled in relief. He opened it and looked at my ID. His expression didn't change as he said, "Well that explains a lot." 

He handed me my wallet and then walked over to my car saying, "Pop the trunk and I'll help you with Octavia's stuff." I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what just happened, then went to unlock the trunk. We gathered up Octavia's things then started towards the house leaving a very confused Charlotte standing in the driveway.