Chapter 6

"Hello? Monica?"

Hearing no response, Julie hung up and picked up the phone again, this time no dial tone answered her.

"So, misbehaving, are we?"

Julie jumped at the sound of that voice, and turned around to see Minara staring at her angrily. Minara seemed somehow more substantial than she did when they first met, as if she had become more powerful.

"I was just..." Julie stopped as she realized just how stupid that was going to sound as an excuse. Minara responded only by taking Julie's head in her hands and giving her a long, sensual kiss, her tongue once again slipping deep down Julie's throat. Despite herself, Julie felt her body responding once again.

Minara reached down with her other hand and began to gently stroke Julie's nether region, causing more juices to trickle down to lubricate the way. Julie sighed and began to relax and lean up against the wall, the phone handset now forgotten and dangling by its cord near the floor.

So lost was Julie in the sensations that the demon was unleashing on her that she didn't realize until too late that Minara had placed a hand over Julie's throat. Her eyes bugged out as the blood flow was cut off to her brain. Darkness came as she passed out and her body went limp in Minara's arms.

Monica paced back and forth in the office of Father "Padre" Vega. For his part, Padre sat relaxed in his chair behind his desk, patiently awaiting the arrival of the others.

"You might as well sit down, Monica; it will be at least 20 minutes before the rest get here."

"My friends might not have 20 minutes! I can't believe we're sitting here twiddling our thumbs, when we should be--"

"What? When we should be rushing blindly into a house controlled by a Succubus, so that we may fall to her spell as well? Your motives are admirable, but they will get you in trouble this time. Just sit and wait.

Twenty minutes of frustrated pacing later, three more people came in. Two of them, Sarah and Eric, she knew. The third, a tall slender man with his hair tied in a ponytail, was a mystery to her.

"Monica, this is Brother Hadrian, of the Order of Gabriel. He is an expert in Succubae, Incubi, and various other demons of that nature. He will help us help your friends."

Monica looked at Gabriel again, noting the black tunic and coat.

"You a priest?"

"No, I am just a soldier in the employ of the Church, just as you are. But a specialist, as Father Vega has mentioned. I was in town visiting some friends when I was called to help you. Let's get down to business.

Hadrian and Monica spoke for a few minutes, Monica describing the layout of the house and its occupants, Hadrian filling her in on what she needed to know about dealing with Succubae. After about 10 minutes, they had a plan in place.

"You three will form a perimeter around the house. If the Succubus tries to escape, do what you can to kill her, but do not let her come in contact with you. She will taint you with just her touch." Hadrian reached into an inner pocket of his jacket and produced several vials of a green liquid. "Drink this; it will suppress those instincts which the Succubus preys on. Let's go."

They all piled into Hadrian's car and Monica's pickup and headed to John's house.