Joshua made a face.

“I don't know why we bother with the dogs," he said. "No one ever eats them."

"Daddy," she protested. "It's traditional to eat leftover cow bits stuffed into a tube." She poured minced onions over the hamburger and cracked in an egg, then opened a bottle of Worcestershire Sauce to give the meat a kick.

He snorted.

“Lots of things are traditional, honey. Living in trees.

Dying of cholera. Burning people for witchcraft. Doesn't mean they're good ideas." The doorbell rang and her mother called out that she would answer it.

She giggled at her father's dark humor and thrust her hands into the burger, mixing it thoroughly.

“Can you get me the big cutting board out of the cabinet, Daddy? I need someplace to put these until you boys are ready to start grilling.”

Her mother came into the kitchen trailed by a tall figure.

“Hey guys,

I'd like you to meet Jeremy Edwards. He was my intern for the last few months at the firm."

Sarah turned to give a polite greeting, then froze as the man stepped into view. Suddenly she wished she had worn better clothes, that she wasn't wearing a ratty old Cubs hat, that her hands weren't greasy with fat and flecked with bits of raw hamburger. Wished that a previously undiscovered trapdoor would open in the floor and drop her into the basement.

Oh my fucking Christ he's gorgeous.

This concludes Book Three of ‘The Succubus.’ Please keep an eye out for

Book Four, "Bright Shadows," where Rachel and Althea visit Althea's body and make a new friend. But a terrifying enemy will appear. One that will put the future of Rachel and all her Loved ones in danger.

“Well, Mr. Fontein, what do you have for me today?"

Lloyd Fontein swallowed nervously, the stink of his own terrified sweat surrounding him in a fetid reek.

What happened to me? he thought miserably. I was a man once. Maybe not a good man. But still a man. Now I'm working for a damned monster.

“Mr. Fontein?" The voice was lower, coated with honeyed menace.

“Yes, Mr. Kincaid," he said, the necessity of keeping his body and soul together outweighing his terror. He had only needed one example of what

Kincaid did to those who displeased him. Only one example of what happened when he let his inner demon Loose, an unholy terror which was only matched by his outer hideousness.

Sometimes, he managed not to scream when he thought about that night.

“I'LL e-mail you the transcripts of the conversations my devices have recorded in the Wainwright household, sir," he said, covering his fear in a thin veneer of professionalism. "But there have been several changes in the last several days."

“Go on."

“First of all, it seems that Rachel Wainwright has reconciled with her husband. Joshua Sunderman arrived at the residence Friday afternoon. He brought a trailer with him, so it appears he is preparing to stay for several days at least, perhaps Longer. Audio pickups around the house indicate a great deal of affection between Mr. Sunderman and Ms.