Succubus On Top by Richelle Mead

no more to me after that, simply making and handing me the mocha. Taking it, I walked over to Seth and sat across from him. The barista continued watching us with interest, though she immediately turned away upon catching my eye.
    â€œHey,” Seth greeted me, eyes and fingers busy.
    â€œHey,” I returned. “Everyone’s acting really weird today.”
    He glanced up. “Are they?” I immediately recognized the thrall he fell into when his writing seized him. He became even more distracted and scattered than usual under such conditions. A succubus should be so lucky to have that kind of effect on a man.
    â€œYeah. Have you noticed anything? I feel like people are staring at me.”
    He shook his head, stifling a yawn before returning to typing. “Things seem the same to me. I like your sweater. Maybe it’s that.”
    â€œMaybe,” I conceded, slightly mollified by the compliment, even if I didn’t believe it. Not wanting to distract him further, I stood up and stretched. “I should get back to work.” Glancing over at the espresso bar, I noticed Andy, one of the cashiers, buying coffee. “There!” I hissed to Seth. “Did you see that?”
    â€œSee what?”
    â€œAndy just smirked.”
    â€œNo he didn’t.”
    â€œHe did . I swear it.”
    When I went downstairs, back to the main part of the store, I passed Warren. Mid-fifties and strikingly handsome, the store’s morally questionable owner had once been a regular for me before I’d promised Jerome I’d go back to seducing good men. Warren and I had not had sex in some time. Considering my current regimen of decent souls, I kind of missed having an occasional guilt-free one.
    â€œHello, Georgina.” I was relieved to see he at least didn’t give me any of those gaping looks. “Been up talking to Mortensen, I presume?”
    â€œYes,” I agreed, wondering if I was going to be chastised for not getting to work right away.
    â€œPity you had to take the stairs. We do have an elevator, you know.”
    Now I stared open-mouthed. Of course we had an elevator. It was key operated, there for handicapped customers and shipment transport, and was almost never used otherwise. “Yes. I know that.”
    Warren winked at me and continued on his way upstairs. “Just making sure.”
    Shaking my head, I went back to the main floor and took over a register, giving Andy his lunch break. Janice and Casey remained stiff with me at first, eventually warming somewhat as time progressed. Other staff, moving in and out around me, continued to give me wondering looks, occasionally whispering to each other when they thought I wouldn’t notice.
    When Seth passed by at one point to tell me he had to run errands but would see me later, I thought Beth—dropping off a book—might pass out.
    â€œAll right,” I exclaimed once Seth was gone, “what’s going on here?”
    Casey, Beth, and Janice all turned sheepish.
    â€œNothing, Georgina, honest.” Beth gave me what was apparently supposed to be a winning smile. The others remained silent, faces perfectly innocent, nigh angelic.
    I didn’t believe any of it, of course. Something weird was going on. Weirder than usual. I needed answers, and there was only one person in the store candid enough to give them to me. Shutting down my register, I stormed back to my office where Doug sat occupied by the computer.
    Bursting in, I opened my mouth, ready to rant and rave. He jumped about two feet in the air at my sudden arrival, reflexes kicking in with astonishing speed so as not to slosh coffee from the cup he had just raised to his lips. There was a funny look on his face, almost like guilt. No doubt another Tetris game was in progress.
    But it wasn’t that that delayed my tirade. A strange feeling was creeping along my flesh—a feeling that brushed my immortal senses, rather than the usual