Succubus Ascendant: An Urban Fantasy (The Telepathic Clans Saga Book 4) (9 page)

“Maureen O’Donnell. Brenna’s mother. It was before my time, but Seamus and Rory have told me she was the best operative the Clan ever had. But Maureen could take more chances than other people could. In addition to being a succubus, she was a Dominant with the O’Neill Gift and air shielding. She was almost invulnerable as well as being lethal.”

“So I have to be a little more cautious and subtle,” Irina said.

“Yeah,” Rebecca said. “But, Collin, I think it would work. As she says, Brenna can track her, so we can pull her out if things get too sticky.”

“You forget that these Irish fighters are far more familiar with Druids and their capabilities than other people. They all grew up around Druids.”

“Yes,” Irina said, “but intellectually understanding what a Druid can do and fitting that into their own experiences are two different things. Mostly they’ll just avoid having sex with me. They won’t think of other things I can do. I mean, how dangerous can a tiny little thing like me be?”

~~~

Most of the tactical groups Collin sent out with the Irish Druids had sixty to ninety Protectors. It was decided to send only fifteen men with Irina to make them a more attractive target. Rebecca, who was linked to the diminutive young succubus, would follow at a discrete distance.

“What’s the maximum distance you can track her?” Collin asked.

“About half a mile,” Rebecca said. “I’ll need a car available in case they escape that way, but I can follow them fine if they stay on foot.”

Collin didn’t say anything. He was a strong telepath, but his own range was half of hers, and she still hadn’t fully matured. He’d become so used to Brenna and Rebecca’s occasional matter-of-fact revelations concerning their abilities that he wasn’t even surprised anymore. He was just happy that he was on the same side as Seamus O’Donnell’s granddaughters.

The area chosen for the operation was north of the shipyard where a major set of underground electrical cables ran. The team drove to a neighborhood four blocks north of the yard and then set out on foot, with Irina tracing the cables through her electrokinetic ability.

Druids felt electricity without thinking about it. It was a constant background hum to them in an urban setting. Rebecca, who was also an electrokinetic but not a succubus, had to reach out and search for an electrical source. Irina simply needed to separate all the cables into individual sources in her mind.

Collin’s plan for the succubi was to follow the cables until all connections and subsidiary cables had branched off. At the point where there was no more branching, and the cables left ran only into the shipyard, Irina would block the current. Using utility company maps, the team would then call in a team with a backhoe to dig up the street and physically cut the cable or cables.

The team was less than a hundred yards from the fence surrounding the shipyard when Irina stopped, pointing at a spot in the street near a manhole. “Here,” she said to the Protectors.

She walked across the street, then came back. “Yeah, there aren’t any more branches. Only one cable running straight into the shipyard.”

Several men pried up the manhole and one of them dropped into the hole with an electric torch.

“We don’t even have to dig,” he shouted up from the hole. “There’s a large tunnel going right into the yard. Electrical, water and sewer lines, the whole works. We might even be able to send assault troops through here.”

“Shut it down,” the team leader said to Irina.

Almost immediately all the lights in that section of the shipyard went dark. The lights in the houses and businesses around and behind them stayed on.

The team leader smiled. “Nice job.”

“Mmmmm,” Irina replied. “I’ve never held this much electricity before. Kinda makes me feel ... horny.”

He laughed.

*Is there anything that
doesn’t
make you feel horny?*
Rebecca asked.

*I mean this makes me feel
really
horny,*
Irina told her.

The streetlights dimmed and a bolt of electrical energy splashed across the air shield covering Irina and the team leader. A large fireball followed.

*
Retreat!*
the team leader sent.
*Let the electrical line go. Execute the plan!*

A larger force was ready to come into the area and cut off the electricity into the shipyard if Irina’s plan worked. The important thing now was to get everyone out without injury.

The Protectors withdrew in good order. Irina lagged behind the team, as though she was having trouble keeping up with the larger men. When they were less than half a block away from the attack site, she stumbled and fell to the ground. Her team rounded the corner of a building and disappeared, apparently unaware she was no longer with them.

Several men swarmed her. One of them grabbed her and pulled her off the ground.

“Uh-oh. Shouldn’t have done that,” Irina said as the enormous reservoir of electricity she held discharged through him. A sound like a thunderclap accompanied the release of the electricity. She found herself sitting on the ground, dazed and looking at six still bodies lying in a circle around her.

*Are you okay?*
Rebecca asked. She had been hitchhiking in Irina’s mind.

*
I think so. The lights are back on.*

*You were still holding the electricity from the line?*

*Yeah. I forgot to let it go.*

*Shit. No wonder you fried everyone. You just channeled the power from a 400-volt main industrial line into them.*

A number of men ran up to her, some wearing Protector uniforms. That confused Irina at first, then their leader pointed a pistol at her face and she realized they were rebels.

“What happened here?” he asked in an Irish brogue.

“We were running after you attacked us,” Irina said. “I couldn’t keep up and then I tripped. Someone covered me in an air shield and then these guys showed up.” She waved her hand at the bodies. “Then there was an explosion. I guess the air shield protected me.”

He looked skeptical.

“Killed by electrical shock,” one of the other men said.

“Not Neural Disruption?” the leader asked.

“I don’t think so,” the other man said. “There are electrical burns.”

Another man approached and reported that Irina’s team had escaped.

“Come along, lassie,” the leader said. “Stand up and walk in front of me. I’ll have this pistol pointed at your head the whole time. You know what will happen if I twitch, don’t you?”

Irina nodded.

“Then be a good girl. It sure would be a pity for such a lovely lass as yourself to lose her head.”

They walked several blocks, winding their way through the streets and heading north from the shipyard. Turning a corner, Irina saw a white van with the back doors open.

*
They’re putting me in a van,*
Irina sent to Rebecca.

*That’s okay. I’m in the car already,*
Rebecca sent.

*
I won’t be able to see where we’re going.*

*
Look around. Can you see any street signs?*

*Yeah,*
Irina said, and gave Rebecca the names of the cross streets.

*
I have you located. You may not be able to see where you’re going, but you’ll be able to tell if the van turns right or left. Just tell me that, and I’ll be able to track you.*

Rebecca looked at the GPS map on the tablet in her lap, and marked Irina’s location with a stylus. She told her driver, “Head for this location, and I’ll give you directions from there. We’ll have to play it by ear and hope we stay close.”

~~~

They drove for twenty minutes, making a lot of turns, and the leader held his pistol to Irina’s head the whole time. When they stopped, another man tied a blindfold over her eyes and she was hustled out of the van. She could tell when they took her inside a building.

*
We’ve stopped,*
she sent to Rebecca.

*We’re still in range,*
Rebecca sent. *
We’re going to drive around and try to triangulate your exact position. Let me know if I start to fade out.*

“Take off your shirt,” a man’s voice said.

“Pervert,” Irina told him. “Men are all alike. You want to see my boobs? Fine.” She unbuttoned her shirt and took it off.

The barrel of a pistol pressed against her temple.

“Be very still,” the voice said, “and raise your hands straight up.”

She did as she was told, and a cold, round rod was pressed against her spine. Someone wrapped wide tape several times around her torso and the rod. Then the blindfold was taken off.

“You can put your shirt back on,” the rebel leader said. He still held the pistol.

Another man stepped into her line of vision. He held up a small plastic box.

“Do you see the button I’m holding with my thumb?” he asked her.

Irina nodded.

“This is a dead-man’s switch. It’s wired to set off the detonator on the stick of dynamite we just taped to you. Anything happens to me, and you’ll die a very messy death. Do you understand me, lass?”

Numbly, Irina nodded.

“I’m truly sorry to have to do this,” the leader said, “but you have to understand I can’t have a Druid here without some means to control her. I don’t want to hurt you, and if you’re a good girl, we’ll eventually set you free. The detonator has a range of about 75 feet. If you get farther than that from Walter, it will be the same as if he took his thumb off the switch.”

“So, I don’t have to go to the loo with him?” she asked.

“No, and he doesn’t have to go with you,” the leader chuckled. “Would you like something to eat or drink?”

“Yes, that would be nice. Thank you.”

To her surprise, they led her out of the room and through a large, rambling house to the kitchen.

She was finishing her sandwich when Rebecca contacted her again.

*
I’m pretty sure I know where you are. We drove by a large house with all the curtains drawn and saw a white van parked in the driveway. What can you tell us about the inside?*

Irina told her about the dynamite and went on to describe what she had seen inside the house. *
I’ve seen a couple of dozen men, and I can hear people moving around upstairs. I’ve also seen several laptop computers, and everyone seems to have a cell phone. As far as I can tell, they’re communicating with people outside.*

*You mean using the cell phones?*
Rebecca asked.

*The phones, but I also saw someone talking to a computer screen. And they’re also getting and sending emails.*

*You said they’re using laptops? What are they hooked to?*

*A wireless network, I guess. None of the ones I’ve seen has a cable.*

*Hold on,*
Rebecca sent and went quiet.

The rebel leader came into the dining room and sat down across from Irina.

“I need to ask you some questions, lass.”

“My name’s Irina. And yours?”

“Brian. What were you doing out there? You can’t tell me that Lady O’Donnell is sending wee lassies such as you out on patrol.”

“I’m an electrokinetic,” she started out.

He barked out a laugh. “You’re a damned bit more than that. Batting your eyes at me with the face of an angel and the body ...,” he trailed off. “Lass, I’ve known Druids all my life, but you’re in a class by yourself.”

He questioned her for over an hour, and Irina did her best to answer him honestly but without revealing any information that she figured he didn’t already have. During the interrogation, Rebecca contacted her, and then simply stayed in her mind.

Eventually, Irina asked to go to the bathroom and Walter led her to one on the second floor.

Once she was alone, Rebecca sent, *
We know where you are, and Collin has set up a monitoring station. They’re transmitting without encryption, and we’ve already connected to their wireless network. The question now is how to get you out of there in one piece.*

*I don’t think they have any intention to hurt me,*
Irina told her.
*They’re afraid of me, or at least their leader is. That’s why they taped the dynamite to me. If I can get hold of that switch, then I can zap all of them and just walk out.*

*Don’t do anything stupid,*
Rebecca sent. *
Just be patient.*

*Oh, I don’t mind spending the night.*

*What are you planning?*
Rebecca asked, catching a suspiciously gay tone in Irina’s mental voice.

*Well, I’ve been dribbling pheromones at a low level since I got here. They’re already starting to act a bit distracted. I’ll gradually increase the dose. When they give me a place to sleep, the guy with the switch is going to be cooped up in a closed room with me.*

*Be damned careful.*

*Oh, I will be. I have a constant reminder of my situation taped to my back.*

~~~

Things worked out better than Irina dared hope. They put her in a small room in the attic, away from all the activity in the house. There was a small bed, and a chair that her guardian sat in next to the door.

A young protector came to the room to relieve Walter just as she was ready to undress for bed. As covertly as she could, she watched them transfer the switch. The first man slid a small slide switch on the side of the box to another position and handed it to the new man. He in turn put his thumb on the big red button and then moved the slide switch back to its original location.

*
They lied to me,*
Irina told Rebecca. *
I’ll bet that if I’m more than seventy-five feet away from the box, it doesn’t go off when it loses connection with the detonator.*
She sent an image of the scene she’d just witnessed.

*Collin agrees with you,*
Rebecca sent a few moments later. *
If it worked the way they told you, it would have gone off when they turned it off. B
e
careful, girlfriend.*

Walter left, and the young man sat down in the chair.

Irina turned up the release of her pheromones, and turning to face him, took off her blouse.

“I’m Irina. What’s your name?”

“Harold.”

“Is there a way to dim the light?” Irina asked, taking off her bra. The duct tape was irritating her skin, and she wanted to nothing more than to rid herself of it so she could scratch.

“No, there isn’t,” he said.

She leaned down and skimmed her jeans down to her ankles. His eyes followed her breasts. She stood up straight and his eyes rose, never losing sight of his targets. Then he realized what she’d done, and she saw his eyes dart lower, to the neatly trimmed blonde hair between her legs.

She kicked off her pants, stood, and neatly folded her clothes. Turning away from him, she bent over at the waist, leaned across the bed, and put the clothes in a pile on the far end. She began projecting her Glamor at a low level before she turned around.

“Well, I guess I can sleep with the light on,” she said, yawning. She pulled back the covers and crawled into the bed, covering herself only with the sheet.

“Good night, Harold,” she said, smiling at him.

“Good night, Irina,” he whispered.

She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing to a steady pace. The dynamite made the pose wildly uncomfortable, but she lay on her back, inhaling deeply and pushing her chest up as she did. A bit of stimulation directed to her nipples contracted them to points. Harold’s breathing became louder and more ragged, indicating that he was anything but relaxed. Figuring that men like women who smile, she didn’t even try to control her facial muscles.

A soft knock at the door brought Harold to his feet. He answered it, and she heard Walter whisper, “Is everything all right?”

“Yes, she’s asleep.”

“We’ll have someone relieve you in three hours,” Walter said. “You’ll be okay that long? You’re not sleepy?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Call someone if you need to. Remember that in this small a space, that dynamite will kill you, too.”

“I know. Believe me, I won’t fall asleep,” Harold said, a bit of exasperation shading his tone. He closed the door and sat down again.

*
Rebecca,*
Irina sent, *
I have about three hours. What time is it?*

*Just past midnight,*
Rebecca answered.

*
Time to go to work,*
Irina said, kicking up her Glam a bit more and restlessly rolling onto her side, facing Harold. As she did so, the sheet slipped down, uncovering one of her breasts. She released more pheromones and watched him through her eyelashes as he squirmed in his chair.

Over the next hour, Harold became more and more restless as Irina saturated the room with pheromones. She was beginning to wonder what it would take to arouse him when finally he rose to his feet and approached the bed. He stood looking down at her, practically panting, the bulge in his pants prominently displayed.

She opened her eyes, blinking and feigning sleepiness.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, making an abortive effort to sit up, which caused the sheet to fall to her waist.

“Yes, everything’s fine,” he whispered. “You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she said with what she hoped was a sleepy-looking smile. “You’ve all been so nice to me here, but I’m still scared. I feel so alone. I just want someone to hold me and tell me everything’s going to be all right.” She punctuated her speech with a large pheromone burst and pull of her Influence.

Harold took a deep breath, which proved his undoing. She watched his eyes dilate and his breath quicken even more.

Giving him another burst, she said, “Could you hold me? Can you do that and still hold on to the switch?”

He sat beside her on the bed and reached out to her. She flowed into his arms, holding him and pushing her breasts against his chest.

“Thank you. Goddess, Harold, I’m so afraid. Hold me, please hold me.”

He looked down at her face, and she kissed him. He returned the kiss and she gave him a massive dose of pheromones. With a moan, he found her breast with his free hand. In response, she slid her hand down to his lap and stroked his erection through his pants.

During the awkward fumbling to get his cock out of his pants, she managed to move the slide switch on the dead man’s box to the off position. Irina pulled his pants down around his knees, pushed him back onto the bed, and mounted him.

“Oh, Goddess, Harold, you don’t know what this means to me. You’re the most incredible gentleman, to comfort me like this,” she said, leaning forward and kissing him as she began to ride him.

It was over quickly. When he spent in her, she drained him and watched his eyelids flutter and close. She took the box from his hand carefully, replacing his thumb with hers. She thought it was turned off, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

She searched his pockets and found a large folding knife. As she cut the tape, her hands shook so much that she nicked herself a couple of times, but the adrenaline was flowing strongly through her system and she didn’t feel it.

Beginning to dress, she sent,
*Rebecca? I’m free. Send in the cavalry.*

*Are you someplace safe? Someplace out of the way?*

*Don’t shoot anything into the attic and I’ll be okay.*

*
Hang on.*

Irina looked at the box in her hand and suddenly had a thought.

*
Rebecca, wait! If our people assault the house, some of them might get hurt. Are you physically here?*

*I’m about half a block away. Why?*

*There’s a dormer window in my room. I was thinking that there might be a way to lower me to the ground.*

*Not a bad idea. I think I can arrange a ride for you.*

Irina took the dynamite and taped it to the door of the room. Then she moved the chair in front of the door and tipped it up, gently setting one leg down on the red button on the box. Holding her breath, she moved the slide switch into the on position.

*
Rebecca?*
Irina sent, and followed her hail with an image of what she’d set up.

*
Got it,*
Rebecca replied.
*Give us one more minute, then go to the window.*

Irina counted the seconds. She was at one hundred fifty-six when she heard Collin’s mental voice in her head.

*
Go to the window and open it,*
he sent.

She couldn’t reach the latch. Cursing, she searched the room. She found a small stool in the closet and dragged it to the window. Standing on her tiptoes, she was able to open the latch and push the window open.

*
Okay,*
Collin sent.
*I see it. Can you crawl onto the windowsill?*

Silently thanking Rebecca and Brenna for harassing her into a regular exercise routine, she managed to pull herself up and knelt on the sill. Staring out into the night, she couldn’t see anyone. The residential neighborhood was quiet.

*
Time for a flying lesson,*
Collin sent. *
Put your hands together over your head, and when I lift you, hold your legs together.*

*That’s the first time a man ever told me that,*
she responded with a giggle.

She did as he said, and felt herself enveloped in an invisible force that lifted her into the air. Her heart in her throat, she felt a moment of disorientation and fear of falling. The next moment, she was flying through the air like Superman. She took a sharp right turn, and followed the street, gradually dropping and slowing until she slipped under the branches of a tree and found herself in Collin’s arms.

“Wow! That was great!” she said, throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a kiss that rocked him back on his heels. “You are a wonderful man!”