Of all the things to get turned into, I seriously had to get turned into a succubus? I found myself thinking this on the daily since my transformation. Zella claimed I would learn to love it in due time. I think she miscalculated.
I've been going on 8 months since my life as a normal teenage girl ended. I should be 19 years old now and enjoying my first semester of college with my best friends by my side. Instead, I am now dropped out of said college, on a bus, and heading to a small town just a few hours away from home called Willows Wood. It was the last one on a list of small towns I researched in my college library before deciding it was time to pack up what I could fit in my duffle bag and head out. I had no plans on where I would stay and had no idea how I was going to support myself. I gave myself the bus ride to try and figure it out.
I couldn't find any places for rent as I searched the internet on my phone, but I did find a small inn. I'm not sure what separates an inn from a hotel but I called them anyway. Luckily they said they had a room open. There was no luck in trying to find job openings while searching through my phone. That was something I'd have to try and figure out once I got to town I guess.
I decided to stop wasting my phone battery and put it up for the time being. I looked around the bus. It was basically empty with the exception of a few people. I received a few glances from the residents of the bus, but no one approached me. Hopefully, it would stay this way for at least a few weeks. According to Zella, my natural allure would always cause people to be drawn to me, but as long as I was able to keep myself in check it wouldn't cause any problems. Too bad she didn't stick around long enough to teach me how exactly to do that.
The bus came to a stop. I never saw any signs that welcomed us to Willows Wood. I made my way towards the driver and asked him if we were in town.
"Oh not sweetie", the man chuckled, "There isn't a bus station in Willows Wood, you'll have to call a cab or find some other way to make it the rest of the way there".
"How much further is it?" I questioned slightly aggravated that I was just now finding out the bus wouldn't take me directly to the town.
"It's probably another 30 minutes or so, there's a waiting area inside the station for you. There should also be a phone you can use there to call a cab".
"Thanks" I murmured as I took my exit from the bus.
I grabbed a map inside the station to figure out which direction Willows Wood was in. I noticed there was a large forest between where I currently was that stretched all the way to my destination. It was perfect.
I looked around, the station was pretty dead. A few people looked at me but I inconspicuously snuck back outside. I could see the forest a few miles in the distance from the station. I began to walk towards it not running yet in case anyone was still watching. Thankfully no one tried to stop and ask me what I was doing. When I felt I was distant enough from the bus station, I took off in my sprint.
Zella would have yelled at me for not running as my mode of transportation in the first place. She told me very clearly succubi were given many gifts and we needed to use them to our full advantage. One of those gifts was very much inhuman speed. I never got many chances to use it back at home, but it did come in handy a few times. I chose not to run the entire way to Willows Wood to avoid being noticed by anyone, but with the promise of being covered by the woods, I felt safe enough to do so.
I ran through the forest, with the wind piercing my skin and my hair flowing behind me. I leaped over tree trunks and started woodland creatures. In about 15 minutes I could hear the noise of civilization and halted myself. As much as I hated my state of being, running like that was kind of fun. It was especially nice to not feel like I was going to throw up blood as I used to every time I ran for longer than 30 seconds.
I made my way through the last bit of trees and found myself finally at my destination. There in front of me was the single strip of buildings that made up downtown Willows Wood. I scanned the different businesses but didn't see the inn I had made my reservation at. It must not be in the main part of town. What did catch my eye was a small diner at the corner of the road. Restaurants were always looking for help and you never needed experience since it was so easy to learn. Lacey worked as a waitress before we started college and she said you could make some good money with tips. That was where I was going to get a job. I made my way to the diner, happy that I was about to make some progress.
"I'm sorry miss, but we're not looking to hire anyone right now".
Crap.
The manager, Eric, seemed like a nice enough guy. He was middle-aged, balding, and slightly plump. He did seem genuinely apologetic when he told me they were all staffed up.
I sighed, "I understand, do you happen to know if anyone around town is hiring? I could really use a job?"
Eric gave a contemplative look, "It's a small town, there aren't usually many job openings in general. Most kids end up getting a job out of town unless their parents own one of the businesses".
"But I was really hoping to find a job in town", I interjected.
Eric really did look concerned, he seemed to falter a bit, "Do you have a resume?"
I shifted in the stool I sat at where he spoke to me from across the counter, "No... I don't".
"Have you ever worked in a restaurant before?"
"No... but I had a friend who did and I would sometimes go sit in her section at the restaurant and wait for her to get off work so I'm sure I picked up.. a thing or 2" I laughed nervously understanding how ridiculous that leap in logic was.
"I'm sorry, I just can't hire anyone right now, especially someone who would require each labor to train".
He began to walk away. I couldn't let him turn me down, a diner seemed like the only place I could actually work in this town.
"Wait", I pleaded.
Eric turned around and looked at me. It was time to put my newfound abilities to work.
"You should give me a job here," I commanded, "please". I locked eyes with Eric and willed him to follow my sheepish orders.
"Of course! You can start tomorrow!" Eric agreed with an eager look on his face. His smile faltered after a few seconds like he couldn't believe he had just agreed with me.
He didn't have a choice but to agree. A succubus has the ability to use its allure to command people. According to Zella, our charm made it impossible for people to say no to us when we demanded it.
"Thank you so much", I was appreciative but felt bad for forcing the guy to hire me. I could have tried looking at other places first. I guess it's better to be underqualified and working at a diner than to have demanded to work at the police station down the road and be underqualified there.
"Would you be okay with coming in at 7? We open at 8 but staff usually come in then to set up for the morning. Plus it'll be easier to show you around before we open".
"Of course, I will be here at 7 AM sharp".
"Perfect. For your uniform, you can just wear jeans and a black shirt. Oh, and you'll need this", he stepped away for a second and returned with a dark red apron, "this is required to wear for all shifts. After a few weeks we can order you a couple more but you'll just get the one for right now".
I took the apron in my hand and smiled, "Thanks again, I'll see you tomorrow". I then took my leave feeling slightly guilty but also slightly relieved. Now it was time to check in to where I'd be staying for the time being.
The inn where I was staying was luckily only a few blocks away from the diner. I was able to easily find my way there in only a short 10-minute walk. It was cute. It looked like a larger house that had been repurposed to serve those passing through the town who needed a place to stay.
I checked in without any issues. When I told the woman in the front I was planning on staying until I could find a place to live, she seemed surprised. Perhaps not many people chose to move to a small town like this. Nevertheless, she told me I was welcome to stay as long as I like.
I made my way to my room on the second floor. It was a small and quaint room with some outdated décor. It had a queen-sized bed, one-night-stand, a closet, and a TV so old it had a VCR playing attached to it. The most appealing part was that it had a small balcony with a set of chairs placed on them. It was cute. The rest of the room, not so much, but it would do until I could a more permanent housing solution.
I unpacked what luggage I had to kill some time. When I packed my duffel bag I threw in an assortment of clothes and didn't take the time to plan out any outfits. I looked through them all and thankfully I had a pair of dark jeans and a black t-shirt to wear to my new job. The only other items in my bag were a few toiletries and my cellphone charger.
I should have brought some books or literally anything else to try and keep myself entertained. I doubt the TV in my room had the best selection of channels and I could only scroll on my phone for so long. Thankfully I blocked everyone that would try and call me to figure out where I am so I wouldn't have to see all the messages and voicemails left for me. Not having contact with anyone felt lonely though.
There's no reason to dwell on that right now though.
Once I was done unpacking, I made my way to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror to examine myself. I still had my glow. I wasn't hungry at all thankfully, but it's only a matter of time before I'll need to eat again. Eating human food should help suffice me somewhat once I start to get hungry but it won't help much.
I took a shower until the hot water ran out to help pass the time then I laid down in bed. What I would give to be able to just go to sleep early. Unfortunately, I didn't have much of a need to sleep right now. I could probably force myself but it would only last maybe a couple of hours if I'm lucky. Once the effects of my last meal start to wear off, I'd be able to sleep a bit more, but it's unlikely that I would ever get the pleasure of sleeping a full 8 hours ever again.
I decided to try and watch some TV and hoped tomorrow would come soon so I'd have something more productive to do.
I was there at 7 AM exactly. I think I was the first person there because I saw no cars in the parking lot and all the lights were off inside the restaurant. I peeked through the large glass windows to see if there was any sign of life but I didn't see anything. I stood awkwardly by the front door waiting for anyone to show up. I wasn't told much other than to show up in uniform.
Before I could spiral too much the sound of a car turning into the parking gave me a sign of hope. A woman who looked to be about in her 30s got out of the car. She wore the same outfit as me so I knew she was the one for me to cling to for the moment.
"You must be the new hire Eric told me about", she said while eyeing me up and down before flashing a smile once our eyes locked.
I smiled back and gave a nod.
"He told you to be here at 7 didn't he?"
"Was I not supposed to be here already?" I checked my phone, the time was 7:15.
The woman walked closer to me while pulling out some keys from her purse, "The openers are technically supposed to get here at 7, but it doesn't take us a full hour to set everything up so no one ever shows up on time. Follow me, we have to enter through the back".
I followed the woman as she led the way to the back entrance.
"I'm Macy by the way", she introduced herself.
"Zoey" I replied back as we entered through the back door leading to the kitchen. There was a row of lockers on the back wall. Macy put her purse into one then began to turn on the lights.
"Is this your first job?"
"Is it that obvious?" I suddenly felt self-conscious.
"Oh don't take it the wrong way. I don't think you look incompetent or anything. You just look too eager for it to not be your first job".
I guess I was a bit excited. I was always envious of Lacey and Cassie for being able to get jobs and having their own money to spend.
"My mom wanted me to focus on school so she didn't let me get a job while I was in high school".
"Well I guess that's understandable, might as well enjoy not having to work while you can. Would you hit that light switch over there too?" She asked while pointing to one a few feet behind me. I nodded in response and turned it on.
"Okay, so before we open we have to do some basic prep stuff. Just making sure everything is stocked and having some food set up for when the cooks come in. Another opener should be coming in soon, so they'll be able to help when they get here".
I spent the majority of the time before opening working on chopping up various vegetables and stocking up containers of food for the cooks to have easy access to. Macy showed me how to do each thing then left me to complete the task on my own until its completion.
"Jeez, you're pretty quick at all this. I know it's not rocket science, but you've been done everything in at least half the time I thought it would take you", Macy commented.
I was never used to being the type to pick up on things quickly. With heightened senses, speed, and strength, medial tasks like these took almost nothing for me to complete.
I shrugged my shoulders and smiled in response to Macy's comment, "Am I doing everything right at least?"
"It looks perfect. There really isn't much left to do now", she said as she looked around the kitchen, "I guess you can go make sure the salt and pepper shakers are full. You just need to go check each table and bring any of them that are less than half-empty back here and you can fill them up".
I followed my orders with a nod and made my way to the front of the diner. I might have been slightly nervous about starting my first job, but so far it was a breeze. If only this was the only part of the job I had to do. Soon the restaurant would be open and I would have to start dealing with the patrons.
A small town like this probably had its regular customers and surely it couldn't be that many who came. It wouldn't be super crowded and there would be just enough people for me to make a living off of. At least that's what I hoped for.
Just before the diner opened, I got to meet a few more coworkers as they filtered minutes before the doors were to be unlocked. There were a few cooks and only 4 waitresses including Macy and myself. I shadowed Macy around for the first 2 hours before she determined it was time for me to try on my own.
I may have been great at the simple tasks of stocking and preparing food, but my ability to write down orders was not one which was enhanced by my newfound succubus powers. I had messed up a few orders causing a few looks from the cooks that made me apologize to them profusely. The looks did not last long and usually, they softened if they met my eyes.
The customers never go that mad either. There were a few who initially looked slightly ticked off but it always disappeared with a moment of eye contact. It was always my eyes that caused the greatest effect on people. Even when I recently fed, people would always act differently if they looked into my eyes. But thankfully they never acted too differently towards me, at least not while I was still full.
Before I knew it, it was the end of my shift. I had been working for almost eight hours and then Macy told me I was good to go.
"How'd you make out today?" Macy asked curiously as she saw me counting my tips for the day in the back of the kitchen.
"I think pretty good", I said while pulling more money out of my pocket.
"Holy crap," another voice said from the lockers next to us.
It was another waitress who I had briefly said hello to when she came in earlier. Her name was Sarah. She looked closer to my age maybe a few years younger.
"We weren't even that busy. You must have over a hundred bucks just from one shift. That's impressive", she seemed genuinely impressed.
"I can't believe people tipped you that good even after messing up so many orders today", Macy teased me.
"I'm sorry about that, I'll do better tomorrow", I told her eagerly.
"Zoey it was your first day. Plus you said this is your first job. Don't be too hard on yourself".
"I guess you're right".
"Trust me I still mess up orders almost daily. Stuff happens" Sarah said as she closed her locker, "Oh no, here comes Eric, he looks pissed".
Sure enough, there was the manager Eric coming up to us and he did look a little upset.
"Jackie called in for her evening shift", he said when he approached us, I noticed both girls next to me turned their bodies away slightly from him as if they were trying to dismiss the encounter.
"Don't look at me, I already work a double today", Macy told him.
"Don't put me on the spot" Sarah hissed at a low volume even though I was pretty sure Eric could still hear, "I'm sorry Eric but I have school in the morning, I can't work till closing".
Sarah must still be in high school, that explains why she came in only a few hours ago.
"I can do it if you're okay with it", I chimed in to try and help Sarah escape being guilted into having to cover the shift.
Eric looked surprised at my offer but didn't seem like he wanted to pass it up, "Are you sure you'd be okay with that? It is your first day after all".
"Plus you just worked an 8-hour shift, don't overwork yourself so soon" Macy spoke up too. She was giving me a look that reminded me of my mom. She must be one too.
"Trust me, I'm not even remotely tired", I began to explain, and it was true. I could still feel all the energy I last fed off of flowing through my body, there was no way I was going to feel even the least bit tired for another few days.
"Also the more money I make, the faster I can move out of the inn and into a real place".
"Only if you're 100% comfortable with working another 7 hours", Eric looked at me for the final confirmation.
I nodded with a smile to reassure him.
"Alright, get back out there then" he directed while smiling back, "Also thank you for helping out. I think we all appreciate it" he added while glancing at Sarah who avoided his look.
Sarah mouthed "thank you" to me before we all went back onto the floor.
Waitressing got easier and I think I was messing up fewer orders. I also was able to take some breaks from that part of the job during slow hours by stocking up supplies, bussing tables, and helping with some more food prep in the kitchen. I felt like I would enjoy working in the kitchen more since my skills seemed more suited for it. However, the amount of money I was accumulating through the tips was enough of a factor to keep me motivated as I continued to take orders and make countless amounts of small talk with people.
I was actually surprised by the number of customers the diner got. Sarah explained that a lot of people tend to drive through Willows Wood to get to the next town over and this diner was the only place to stop for food for the next 30 miles.
Luckily it never felt like it was too much. It never got as crowded as the halls of my high school got or how some of the areas at college were either. I shuddered at the memories and chose to not open that or worms at the moment. Instead, I chose to look out the window to admire some of the scenery. The town was pretty, and it especially looked great now as the sun was beginning to set.
I was pulled out of my thought by Macy asking me to go to the kitchen to help with some more prep since I currently had no tables. I made my way to the back and followed the orders of the head cook.
"Theodore is late again", I heard a cook exasperate from another as I was cutting some onions and tomatoes near him.
"Well, he better get here soon, because I'm not staying more than 10 minutes to cover his ass" the other responded.
I finished the onion I was on and filled up the container before deciding I needed a few more to fill it up all the way. I turned around ready to head to the cooler to grab some more.
As I turned I ran smack dab into something hard. I quickly realized it was another person. I felt confused that I didn't hear them walk behind but didn't think much of it and instead focused on the embarrassment of bumping into them.
"I am so sorry" I began to apologize.
I looked up at the person to see a tall man with wavy, unkempt brown hair looking back at me. He looked just as confused as I probably did just a few ago. He had deep green eyes that reminded me of the lush forest that surrounded this town and skin so pale and creamy, unlike anything I had ever seen before. He wore jeans, a black shirt, and had a dark red apron hanging over his shoulder, which indicated he was also an employee.
"I was only 2 minutes late, no need to complain" the man spoke while still looking at me baffled. I stared back at him beginning to look confused again too.
Why the hell was he staring at me. We did lock eyes, but there's no way he should be this mesmerized by me without me trying to lure him in. And I wasn't hungry so that shouldn't be playing a factor either.
As I stared at him I could feel his energy pulsating around him. It was strong. Much stronger than those I normally sensed. I felt the hair on my body start to rise and I began to feel uneasy with his presence. Something was off about him and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. It wasn't just his energy, there was something else. He didn't have the same glow that Zella or I exhibited, but I still felt like he had a similarly alluring presence just not nearly as strong.
"Whatever. Just stop staring at the new girl and put your apron on so you can come to take my spot" the cook interrupted our stare-off.
He was the one to break contact and walked past me without ever saying anything directly to me. I turned to watch him walk away still trying to figure out what hell was up with him. He just didn't seem human.
For the rest of my shift, I couldn't help by keep staring at him. I felt super creepy at first but then I realized he was doing the same. We were trying to read each other, and I don't think either one of us was getting anywhere.
I don't know how to explain it, but he felt different. He reminded me a bit of Zella and I guess in turn that meant he reminded me of me. Maybe he really wasn't human. There's no way he could be a succubus, or in this case, an incubus, too could he? He didn't have the same eyes as Zella or me, but maybe it's different with men. No, that still didn't fit. If he was anything, it wasn't what I was.
Soon the diner had closed and we had begun closing. It wasn't too difficult just a lot of cleaning, but I was able to get everything done pretty quickly.
"Zoey, will you run this last bag of trash out for me?" Macy asked as we finished up the last bit of closing.
I grabbed the bag and headed through the back doors to walk it out to the dumpster. Of course, I ran into him again, but thankfully this time I didn't bump into him. He seemed like he was coming back from the dumpster himself.
"Do you want me to take it for you?" It was the first words he had ever spoken to me.
"Um no, I got it don't worry", I responded to him, but I hadn't moved forward to continue to the dumpster.
"I'm Zoey by the way. I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself earlier" I decided to say.
He looked me in the eyes again and squinted them slightly.
"Theodore", he said back to me.
We looked at each other for several more seconds without saying anything.
"Are you-" we both began to say at the same time but stopped when we realized we were talking in unison. This only added to our confusion about each other.
What was he about to say? Was he going to ask the same thing I was?
Theodore cleared his throat to bring my attention away from my thoughts and back to him, "What were you saying?"
"Oh nothing, I was just going to thank you for offering to take the trash for me is all!" I exclaimed nervously to him while fighting the urge to plant my hand over my face.
"There's no way that's what you were going to say", he called my bluff, "You didn't begin to say anything like that".
"Well you must have misheard me", I committed to the lie. What could I have said? That I was going to ask if he was human or not? I should have come up with a better lie. Or better yet, he shouldn't have asked.
I laughed uncomfortably at Theodore's silence.
"What were you going to say?" I decided to redirect the question to him.
"Well you weren't honest with me, so I think I'll do the same", he said as he began to walk off.
I gasped in annoyance at him. He stopped for a second to look back at.
"Don't be mad that I didn't come up with a stupid lie like you", was his final sentiment to me before going back inside the restaurant.
I rolled my eyes and continued to take the trash out.
What a jerk.
It was about 10:00 at night when we all made our way out of the diner. It was a successful first day of work and I made plenty of money to keep me motivated to come back tomorrow. If I could keep picking up extra shifts, I would be able to afford my own place in no time.
Macy offered me a ride back to the inn and gave me a concerned look when I denied it and told her I could walk. I assured her I would be fine, but she made me save her number on my phone in case I found myself in trouble and needed help.
I made my way back to the inn and climbed up the stairs to retreat to my room for the night. Another reason I needed to pick up extra shifts was to cease my boredom. Once I had enough money saved up, I should invest in buying some books or a laptop so I have something to do in my free time.
Macy and Sarah seemed really nice, maybe we could all eventually be friends with each other. It might seem a little bit of a weird group with Macy being in her early 30s and Sarah who was still only 17, but we could make it work.
Maybe I was just trying to replace the friends I left behind. Cassie and Lacey were better off without me in their lives at least for right now. One day, once I get my powers under control, we might be able to reconcile and catch up. I doubt it would ever be the same again though.
I needed some fresh air. Dwelling on the life I decided to move away from was bound to bring up one too many pieces of emotional baggage, and there were some I was not ready to cope with.
I decided to enjoy the balcony that was attached to my room. I went out the doors and leaned onto the railing while taking in the vast array of trees my room overlooked. I cleared my mind and suddenly felt a lot better.
After several minutes I heard what sounded like footsteps and maybe some of the trees rustling. An animal perhaps? I scanned the woods seeing what I could make out but found nothing. Whatever it was it must have run off.
Except I would have heard it run off obviously. Whatever it was, it was standing very still and I doubt any animal would do that. I went back into my room grabbed a small empty bottle of water I had drunk earlier. I threw the bottle in the direction I heard the footsteps and rustling. As I suspected no movement.
But what did this mean? Was someone in the trees spying on me? I guess they could be spying on someone on the lower floor but my gut told me something was out there and watching me right now.
I could jump off this balcony and confront them right now. I couldn't do that though. Even if the person is a creepy stalker, I couldn't leap from the second story and charge at them. They would see I'm not human and according to Zella, it's best to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Which meant I shouldn't draw any unnecessary attention to myself.
I decided against confrontation and made my way back inside the room. As I closed the door I could still feel the presence of someone watching me, but chose to ignore it. Whoever was out there, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle if I needed to.