“About once a week,” she said. “We’re stuck between the two races. Hasn’t Noah explained to you? The Fallen-that’s the Serim, Noah’s kind-they crave sex as part of their curse. The Serim must bring pleasure to their partner-not themselves-or they get as wild as we do. They’re affected about once a month, usually near a full moon. Vamps must feed more frequently, and feed on blood. We’re some sort of bizarre blend in the middle, since we come from both.” She offered me a hairbrush without batting an eyelash. “We have the addiction to sex, like the angels-except ours is a more selfish version-and we have the feeding frenzy of vampires.”
“You’re kidding me.” I gaped at her. “I’m going to turn into a raving nymphomaniac because of angels and vampires?”
“It’s a really long story, and one better told over breakfast.” Remy cast a glare at Noah. “I can’t believe you didn’t explain any of this to her before. What were you thinking?”
It was Noah’s turn to look embarrassed. He tugged at his collar, straightening it, and I was secretly delighted to notice the sheen of sweat on his skin, sweat that I had caused. “She wasn’t listening the last time we talked.”
That was true; I hadn’t listened to a word he was saying. “Breakfast sounds good to me,” I said.
Noah glanced down at his watch. “I’m afraid I can’t go with you. I have to meet someone.”
Of all the embarrassing things, I felt tears prick my eyes. “You’re leaving me? Now? But we just got here.” He’d just screwed my brains out in the confessional and now was too busy to stick around? I swallowed past the humiliated knot in my throat.
He shook his head at me and gave my forehead a gentle kiss, his eyes bleached silver once more. “I wish I could stay.” His eyes stared into mine for a moment, his thumb caressing my cheek. “I’ll catch up with both of you tomorrow. Remy will take good care of you.”
“Promise?” Lord, I sounded needy.
Remy rolled her eyes at the two of us and grabbed me by the arm. “Save the foreplay for sex. We’ve got a lot to do, and I don’t feel like hanging around here and waiting for one of the you-know-who to find her.” She pointed at the ceiling and gave Noah a pointed look.
“One of what?” I stared up at the ceiling. “Roofers?”
This time, two snorts of laughter met my ears. “Come on.” Remy tugged at my arm. “Let’s get you something to eat. We can catch up with Noah some other time.”
“But …” I protested as she dragged me toward the thick wooden doors. I felt odd leaving the man I had just waited hours for. “I thought …” Hell, I didn’t know what I thought anymore. I just felt abandoned, used.
At least I did until Remy flashed me a brilliant white smile. “I’ve waited forever to have another Suck around. This is going to be so much fun!”
“Excuse me?”
She blew a kiss at Noah, who was pulling out a cell phone. “Suck, succubus, whatever you want to call it. I was the only one in New City before, and I’m glad that you’re here now.” She flashed me a wicked, exotic grin. “We’re going to paint this town red.”
“Great,” I echoed unenthusiastically, sparing a longing look back at Noah. He was whispering into his phone and a spurt of irritation flared through me. If I felt used, it was because he was acting like I was some sort of discarded piece of trash.
Remy was chatting my ear off as we left the cathedral. “First things first, girl. We have got to get you some serious clothes. You look like a bag lady.”
“Don’t we have more pressing matters to worry about?”
Remy gave me an incredulous look. “Nothing’s more important than appearances, sweetheart. Bite your tongue.”
Maybe this was Hell, after all.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Remy leaned against her car window and peered at the drive-thru menu. “You want a burger or a shake or something?”
I shook my head, feeling too self-conscious to think about food. Much. “No thanks.”
“I need a triple cheeseburger with fries,” Remy shouted at the speaker box. “Extra mayo, extra cheese, and a chocolate shake. Oh, and a side order of chicken nuggets. And an apple pie.” She looked over and grinned at me. “A snack.”
Good lord.
We rolled around to the front of the drive-thru and Remy handed her money over, taking the bags of food back from the pimply boy at the window. “So, did Noah tell you anything? I want to make sure I’m not recapping anything you’ve already heard.”
“He said he was an angel, and that I got bit by a vampire, but he skipped a few details,” I said dryly.
Remy turned a corner, sipping her shake, and pulled into an empty parking lot. “Okay, then I’ll start from the beginning. Have you ever heard of Enoch?”
My mouth watered as I watched her take a huge bite of her burger. It looked delicious. I hoped my stomach wouldn’t growl and embarrass me. “Enoch … isn’t he in the Bible?”
“He’s in Genesis, but the rest isn’t included anymore. Lost book of the Bible, I believe. Anyhow, if you read the Book of Enoch, it explains how the angels fell from Heaven.” She took another enormous bite of her burger.
“It does? I didn’t know that.”
She nodded, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “Yep, they fell in love with mortal women and had sex with them. God said that was a big no-no and told ’em to stop, but they didn’t, so he cast them out. When the Big Cheese speaks, it’s generally a good idea to listen,” she intoned sagely, then ruined it by cramming some fries into her mouth. “Sure you don’t want any?”
I shook my head. “So Noah’s been cast out from Heaven?”
“Him and a few thousand other guys, yeah. Gabriel and the rest that stayed behind were really angry, too, so they cursed the Serim. Since they were so hot for female flesh, they were cursed to crave it and to indulge themselves every full moon. Not so bad, you would think-but then the Archangels went and killed all their women and they were left with nothing. It’s a sad story, really. Some of the Serim turned to evil as a result, and that’s why we have vampires. They wanted their wings back, no matter the cost. Lucifer was willing to give them wings, but they had to sell their souls. At least, that’s the rumor. All you need to remember is that the Serim can only go out in the daytime, and the vamps can only go out at night. That’s what happens when you mess with the big guns.”
My eyes widened. “Jeezus, that’s a terrible story. All of their loved ones died?”
She shrugged. “Die now, die later; they’re all still screwed. All the women were mortal, so it’s not like they were going to have a really long life together. French fry?”
Disgusted by her callous attitude, I turned and stared out the window, hoping that the conversation would steer to more pleasant matters.
“You’re not much of a talker,” she complained. When I offered no rebuttal, she gave up and started the car again, the burger clutched against the steering wheel. “Come on, then. Let’s go to the mall!”
I stared up at the neon sign over the mall entrance with trepidation and wondered for the ninth time why I was heading to a shopping mecca with a supermodel. I must be sick.
Remy pulled into the parking lot in her tiny BMW and beamed at me. “Ready for some fun?”
I was actually ready for a bite to eat, but since I’d declined to eat at our pit stop, it seemed silly to ask for food now.