Lethal Blow: (Succubus Hitwoman Book 2) by Eliza Hendrix (best motivational books to read TXT) 📗

thick round glasses, and behind them, blue eyes with sagging lower lids. They sag so much that pink flesh hangs around her eyeball.

“Hi,” I say plainly.

Who is this woman?

As she walks, her head bobbles. Is she nodding at me, or is this related to her old age? She places her lantern down on a yellow oak table, clears her throat, and slowly lowers herself onto a three-legged stool next to it.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” she says, her voice sounding like it’s being taken for a ride on a roller coaster.

“Um, hi,” I say.

Her head keeps bobbing and all I want to do is grab it and hold it straight.

She sucks in a wavering breath, taps her fingers on the table, and aims her gaze at me.

Somehow, I feel compelled to sit down next to her.

Shit. Maybe she is the witch from the story. Well, I’m here now, and there’s no going back. I pull out a stool and sit down.

“You acted selflessly,” she says.

I stare at her. What’s she talking about?

I keep expecting a smile to pull at the corner of her lips, but it’s like she’s too old to use those muscles.

“You have proven yourself worthy, child.”

Is this about me choosing to save the woman over feeding? It’s not like I was given much of a choice. And I didn’t put much thought into it. The lady was screaming. If anything, she would have distracted me while I was feeding. I don’t see how that makes me some hero. This lady’s delusional.

Finally, her lip twitches and her big blue eyes soften. “You still do not know who you are, do you, child?”

My eyes dart around the room. Okay, what is this? Some sort of prank? The words are coming out like she’s some mystical being about to tell me I’m destined to save the world.

I hold in a scoff.

“Listen,” I say, cutting her off before she can give me some cheesy speech. “I’m looking for Devania. A good friend of mine asked me to find her and told me we need her if we plan on getting rid of vampire corruption.”

The old woman lowers her head to stare at me from behind her glasses. “Why do you wish to eliminate such power?”

I’m taken aback by her question. Why else would I have come all this way? Veerka asked me to, and I’ll do whatever she wants if it means getting to have her as my own.

The woman must sense my reluctance to answer her question. She stiffens her back—well, as much as she physically can with that turtle posture of hers—and gazes intently at me. “You deny your heart.”

I’m not denying shit. I want Veerka. I want her in every way imaginable—on her back, on her stomach, between my legs—and if I have to take down a whole fucking Vampire Mafia to get her, I’ll do it.

A smirk creeps onto the woman’s face, and I can’t help but wonder if she can read my mind. I might want to lay off the naked thoughts until I get out of here. Otherwise, she might no longer see me as being worthy.

“Most living beings require several motivators to accomplish great things,” she says.

I don’t know what she’s getting at, but I’ll listen. She didn’t react when I said Devania, which means she knows who she is and knows how I can find her.

“While you might believe love to be your greatest motivator, something else is shining within you.”

She aims a trembling finger toward my chest. “Something destined for greatness.”

Oh God…

Don’t roll your eyes, don’t roll your eyes, don’t roll your eyes.

I’m tempted to tell her it’s the sex I want, not the love, but I’ll only be digging my own grave. Besides, if she can read my mind, she already knows what I’m thinking.

“This world has made you cold, Alexis, but the goodness within you cannot be drowned out.”

My eyes widen. How does she know my name?

“I don’t know what you’re trying to get at,” I say, getting a little impatient, “but I need to know how to find Devania. Can we please skip all this chitchat and get straight to the point?”

Without saying a word, the woman bows her head and extends a veiny hand toward a bright fireplace at the back of the cabin. The second I lay eyes on it, it makes a swooshing sound and lights up with dancing red flames.

I don’t get it.

What does a fireplace have to do with Devania? Is there a secret door behind that thing? It looks large enough to be a secret doorway.

“Admit your truth, Alexis, and the flames will lead you to where you need to go.”

I’m getting sick of these fucking riddles. Clenching my jaw, I stand up, but the woman’s ice-cold hand catches me by surprise.

“You cannot keep blaming yourself for the past.”

Our eyes lock.

What’s she talking about? How could she know anything about my past?

Using the oak table for support, she stands up, her head barely reaching my chest.

“You hide behind pain, child.”

I want to pull away, but I can’t. She knows things. I can’t explain how, but she does. It’s almost as if she’s spent her entire life following me, and as I stare into her eyes, I feel at home.

What? No… I can’t be. This doesn’t make any sense.

“Mother?” I breathe.

One of her hairless brows pops up and she pulls her wrinkled face back.

Guess not.

Okay, that was embarrassing. Why’d she give me mixed signals like that?

And what was I thinking? She couldn’t possibly by my mother—I’m not even sure why the thought popped into my head. I’m about to scold her for fucking with my emotions like that and allowing me to make a