Read Online Succubus Takes Manhattan by Nina Harper - Free Book Online Page A

and at least two designers whose bags I refused to show on the Accessories page. But trust me, the bags were horrible.”
    He turned pale. He might be a weak, puny mortal, but we couldn’t overlook him completely; whoever was feeding him the information about us, what we were and where we were, was the real demon we were after. And even that demon was likely in the service of someone else. Whoever had been stealing from Marduk’s Treasury.
    “You’re lying,” Branford said, clearly upset. “I know what you are.”
    Eros rolled her eyes. “Do you have any evidence?” she asked quite reasonably. “Or do you just accost random women in restaurants?”
    “You are of the devil,” Branford sputtered.
    Eros laughed heartily. “Oh, don’t you just wish. Your actions over the past month and a half would constitute stalking, and I think a judge wouldn’t think twice about issuing a restraining order. Demons aren’t real, and I would heartily recommend that you get yourself into therapy before you get into any more trouble.”
    Then she turned to me. “Come on, Lily. Let’s get out of here.”
    She rose and slid into her coat. I followed her out onto Elizabeth Street, and up the few feet to Houston where she flagged down a cab.
    “There,” she said. “That should take care of him.”
    “It was brilliant, Eros.” I had to admire what she’d done. “But I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to find out who was giving him the information. Because someone had to have told him who we are and where we go and where we live. He had all of our addresses. And there was someone following me in Venice. I think.”
    Eros shrugged under her pink and orange fake fur. “It doesn’t matter if he’s gone. And I think you’re just being paranoid about being followed. He’s just some little creep, that’s all.”
    I didn’t say anything, but I was angry. It did matter. She might have scared off Branford, but whoever had been feeding him information wouldn’t stop. And at least we knew about Branford, knew who he was and that he was dangerous.
    Downside of having a demigoddess for a friend. I couldn’t really blame Eros for being who she was. Nor had she been privy to my talks with Meph and Marduk; she had no reason to think Branford was anything more than an annoyance, a fanatic who had somehow decided we were his nemeses. She didn’t know how big it really was.
     
    The cab dropped me at home and then went on with Eros. I had only a few hours until I had to get ready for my date with Marten, and I wanted to look killer. After being jilted by the first guy I’d fallen for in three hundred years, I needed to shore up my self-esteem.
    But first, Meph. I needed something faster and more personal than e-mail. I called his cell.
    Yeah, Hell is wired, and Meph’s phone works anywhere—on Earth or elsewhere. Only about ten people or so have that number. He picked up on the second ring.
    “Lily, I’ve been waiting to hear from you,” he said without preamble.
    “I’ve got a lot for you and my phone isn’t secure. Is there someplace safe that we could meet face-to-face?” I asked.
    “Do you have my sigil?”
    I didn’t, at least not one that hadn’t been published in about a million books.
    “You’ve got photo capability on your cell, don’t you?” he asked. “I’ve got a picture on mine and I’ll send it to you. Work the sigil and you’ll be here, and this here should be secure.”
    “Okay,” I agreed. “It’ll take me a couple of minutes.”
    “The sooner the better,” he said, and hung up.
    The sigil displayed on the tiny phone screen was new to me. Meph must have changed his locks since the last time I’d had to do this.
    I hate porting by sigil. It’s uncomfortable and messy. I went into my bathroom because I needed a mirror, and the bathroom would be easier to clean up after than my bedroom. Besides, the bathroom is where I kept the lancets.
    Once upon a not very long time ago I had to use a knife or a