Zoey Avenger (Incubatti Series Book 2) by Lizzy Ford

forehead. His pulse of sex magic made Zoey’s body warm from the inside out, her nipples growing hard in response and her lower belly burning.
    To her surprise, Wendy’s breathing grew deep and regular almost instantly. Her features relaxed into peaceful slumber.
    “What did you do?” Chrissy asked, the scientist side of her kicking in.
    Aiden shrugged.
    “Aiden, what exactly did you do?”
    “I don’t know,” he said. “Cambions do this thing sometimes where they get overheated or over-stimulated if they’ve been away from the society for too long. It feels like this.” He motioned to Wendy. “As soon as they’re near incubuses, it fades, and they’re okay. I don’t know why.”
    “I need your blood.” Chrissy bound to her feet and hurried towards the office.
    “Uh … no offense, but I’ve seen you draw blood,” Aiden said. “I think I’ll pass.”
    “It’s not a request!”
    “Get ready to feel my pain, Aiden,” Zoey said. “V, let’s get her into sick bay. Jess, go to training.”
    The lingering Halfling appeared torn between fear and concern. “Olivia wouldn’t let this happen,” she voiced quietly.
    “What the fuck did you say?” Vikki snapped.
    “Vikki.” Zoey nudged her friend. “Jess, Olivia would do worse. She’d kill Wendy for being weak. Out!”
    Jess nodded, unconvinced, and obeyed.
    Together, Zoey and Vikki carried Wendy to the sick bay. Another Halfling was unconscious in one bed, a third awake and quiet in another. Settling Wendy on the bed, they returned to Chrissy’s lab.
    Vikki shook her head, face flushed once more. Aiden was standing uncertainly on his feet, testing his body. Doubting he was a threat, Zoey ignored him, worried about the Halflings. Their episodes were getting worse, more frequent and more intense.
    “Those girls are right,” Vikki whispered to her. “We can’t live week-to-week. We can’t keep taking in everyone who needs a roof over their heads.”
    “We’re not turning anyone away!” Zoey snapped. “They’re like us – no different. If they stay with Olivia, they’ll get killed.”
    “Zoey, we have no money. What did Declan agree to give you for Aiden? A few weeks worth of supplies? Then what?” Vikki demanded.
    “Declan will give me whatever I tell him to,” Zoey said.
    “Just like that?”
    “Yeah.”
    Vikki’s eyes narrowed.
    “Guilty conscience,” Zoey explained with a twisted smile.
    “At some point, he’ll put a price tag on it,” Vikki warned. “It’s how the Enforcer boys work.”
    “He hasn’t yet.” Zoey moved way, unsettled by the reminder. She’d begun to belief that some of the politics the Incubatti and Sucubatti went through were necessary to ensure a cash flow.
    Protecting people was her goal. Somehow, the Incubatti and Sucubatti managed to profit from the mission, a mystery Zoey hadn’t yet been able to unravel.
    “And what happens when we have to sideline half the team because of the seizures?” Vikki continued. “We move at least every week. How do we keep our own people safe if they can’t hold a knife let alone fight off whoever is chasing us today?”
    “I don’t know!” Zoey rested her hands on a table. “We need money, a plan … fuck! Life was so much simpler when we were just raiding nightclubs!”
    “Simpler but less effective. We’ve already exceeded the past two years worth of kills and rescued over twenty women,” Vikki reminded her. “It comes at a price. We’re doing it, though, Zoey.”
    I’m not a strategic thinker. Declan was able to see the big picture and had tried to explain it to her once. Zoey had no interest in it and struggled to piece together a strategy for the long-term when they were barely keeping their heads above water. It worked to keep their adversaries guessing. If she didn’t know what was going to happen tomorrow, no one else could either.
    Vikki was right about needing a better plan to handle the ill Halflings, though. Zoey released a breath, grappling