“And yet you slept with him?”
“I did,” I admitted. I wouldn’t lie to my mother. Not any more than I already had. She deserved better from me. I bit my tongue, knowing that the lies I told protected her from Lucian and his men.
“It doesn’t sound like you enjoyed it,” she pointed out crassly. “Is he not pleasing in the bedroom?”
“Mother,” I groaned.
Was he not pleasing in bed?
She sounded like she just escaped from a Victorian novel. The man was a beast in bed, and probably some sort of sex God, but that was beside the point! “Who am I going to get from Portland, and why me?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Your grandmother said she’s from one of the original bloodlines, but her family broke ties years ago. There’s an address on that note I gave you a place where the witch lived; you should start your search there. If you can’t find her with the info we provided, scry for her. Be careful, daughter mine. Use whatever is necessary to bring her back, but not at the cost of your life. Spyder is out front, when you are ready,” she murmured, stepping closer to hug me tightly. “If he tries to stop you from reaching her, use the Siren’s hair to make him see things your way.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” I stated.
“No, you don’t. But you are my daughter. You’re the granddaughter to the highest-ranking member of this coven, and that makes you a target, whether we like it or not. Lucifer himself has tried to reach for you, so I’m glad you won’t be alone. Alden agreed that sending you out alone would be reckless, and you are the only one who can carry on this bloodline. I will take no chances with your life.”
“Then send someone else,” I grumbled.
“No; your grandmother chose you for this, and so you will do as she has requested.”
“Fine,” I groaned in irritation as I rubbed my temples. “How long are we scheduled to be gone for?”
“Until you find her and bring her back to us,” she answered softly as she pulled me in tight for yet another hug. “Pack quickly; there’s three thousand dollars on your credit card, use it if you need it. If anything happens, do what you must but try to conceal it, we do not need attention drawn to the coven.” With that, she left the room, leaving me to puzzle at her whirlwind of confusing words and emotions.
I packed quickly, stuffing the pouch and a few other things into my pack, along with extra clothes in case we were gone longer than necessary. My feet shuffled hesitantly towards the window, peering down into the driveway to find Spyder looking up at me with a lazy grin on his lips. Ice blue eyes held my gaze as frown tugged at my lips at the sudden burning in my shoulder. I shook my head as I moved away from the window and made my way out of my room and down the stairs.
This wasn’t a good idea, nor did I relish searching Portland for one single witch who might be in trouble. Talk about a needle in a haystack.
I exited the house and slowly approached the driveway as Spyder pushed off the hood of a sleek, black Audi R8. His smile was all teeth, which did very little to stop the wild tempo of my heart as I got closer to him. The last time I had seen him, I’d been on his lap, feeling his unmistakably hard cock against my ass.
“Hey, pretty kitty,” he purred smoothly, smirking as he moved to the car door, holding it open for me. “Be a good girl and make this trip easy on us, or you know what I will do to you. Lucian isn’t here to protect you this time. I take no shit, and if you fuck with me, keep in mind, I will fuck you back…hard.”
“Where is he?” I ignored his heated gaze. I pushed my bag into the car and climbed in, trying to disregard his choice of words and what they made me feel.
“That’s none of your fucking business. If he wanted you to know, he would have told you himself, and he didn’t. Instead, you got me here to hold your pretty little hand.”
“Whatever,” I growled as he climbed in the other side. I adjusted my skirt, wondering if I shouldn’t go back inside and change before we left. Portland was a long drive, and I needed a layer of protection against this man.
“You wearing panties, kitty?” he asked with a dark look, his eyes slowly moving to slide over my legs.
“Keep your eyes and your hands to yourself, asshole,” I warned. “This trip is business, only business.” I dismissed him as the countryside blurred past the passenger side window as we hit the highway.
“I claimed you, kitty cat, so sheath your fucking claws or I’ll show you what it means to be claimed by someone who doesn’t want you. That attraction you have to Lucian, I feel it for you now. I sure as shit didn’t want it, either. You, however, went and rode Lucifer’s cock, so here we are. Sometimes you have to do what is needed for the greater good, and other times, you help your friends out even if it is going to make them hate you. In this case, it’s a little of both. So get the fuck over it. I have.”
“You didn’t want to help him?” I questioned lamely. I slid my eyes from the passenger window to his cold face.
“Want to? No; you’re not worth the fucking trouble. I don’t want to crave that pretty pink pussy. Yet I do, and watching you get fucked the other night? I’m addicted to the idea of being the one fucking you. Everything about you is calling to me—your scent, the curve of your spine—but then, that’s the spell working, dark fucking magic. You’re not my type; I like to break my women and watch as they fight to put themselves back together. I like to tear them apart, to shatter their mind with nothing more than what the Gods gave me. Tell me, kitty, you ever feel torn apart until you no longer care who you are, and don’t care who is taking you as long as you get that next orgasm?” His eyes tore away from the road to stare me down.
“Only when you guys held me down,” I swallowed, turning away from him before he saw the need growing in my eyes.
“You wanted to fuck me, didn’t you?” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement.
“I don’t know what I wanted, or what you guys did to me,” I replied icily. “You drugged me, you let the Fae touch me, kiss me, feeding me his powers until I was mindless. So that wasn’t me in that bed, it was someone who couldn’t stop herself. The thing I don’t get is why anyone other than Lucian needed to claim me. And I sure as shit didn’t want that, either.” My voice had dropped to a throaty whisper, unable to hide the hunger in my timbre as I remembered the heat of his touch.
“There are two things Lucifer fears: me and Lucian. He isn’t wild about the rest of the guys, either. He knows what he is dealing with. You have our marks on your skin now; if he tries again with those marks on you, we’ll feel it before you even know he’s reaching for you. If he has the balls to make a go for you again, we may have to step up the claim on you. Lucian doesn’t like it, but you really need both of our scents on you.”
“And how do I get that?”
“You’re a smart girl, figure it out.”
“Indulge me, Spyder.” I waved my hand at him magnanimously.
“I’d fuck you, kitty, putting my scent with Lucian’s. Mixed together, Lucifer wouldn’t waste his precious time on you. He sure as fuck wouldn’t wait around to see who the baby daddy would be, now would he? He needs minions, but he wouldn’t wait nine months to see which one of our sons crawled out of your body.”
“That won’t happen,” I hissed as a shiver snaked through me. His hand moved to my thigh as he grabbed Lucian’s mark, pinching it until I gasped and leaned my head against the leather headrest. I struggled to push his hand away. He wasn’t even paying attention to the road or the cars on the other side of the highway. I grew flushed, excited as he held on to the mark. My eyes grew heavy and I moaned, spreading my legs even though I didn’t want to. My nipples turned to hard pebbles and he growled at my reaction.
“It’s that fucking easy,” he warned as he released me and moved his eyes back to the road. “I marked you; you’re mine now too. I can fuck you, a
nywhere, anytime I want you. The difference is, I don’t really want to, and Lucian does. Now, be good because this car isn’t big enough to fuck you in and my dick is already throbbing from being this close to you without being able to sate its fucking attraction.”
I grabbed for my bag and pulled out my iPod and earbuds, setting them on my lap. I looked away from him, ignoring his gaze I still felt burning my flesh. I hated that I’d been weak against his touch. Why had Lucian sent me with Spyder if he knew this would happen?
“Does Lucian even care that he sent us out together with this—condition?” I asked offhandedly.
“I don’t pretend to know what he is thinking. I do know that he’s busy or he’d be here himself. But yes, he does know that we are connected now; he’s fully aware of what happens when that spell is used—once the claiming has begun.”
“Has begun? It’s not over?” I perked up, staring him down.
“My claim is finalized when I fuck you. Until then, I’m in a perpetual state of need only you can fix—so fair warning, I’m hoping you fuck up, because after watching you fuck him, I’m needing a piece of you and I don’t really care which piece it is.”
“I’m not fucking you, so stop it already,” I muttered.
Chapter 13
The ride to Portland was uncomfortable. No matter how much I ignored it, I felt what Spyder had described. I had to force my mind to focus on other things, such as scanning the mental pages inside my head to try and find a spell that would erase the claiming spell. I doubted it would be as easy to erase as using a simple spell.
Lucian had fucked me so many times that I’d stopped keeping count that night. They had watched us every time, in every single position, and I hadn’t cared. Not that it had bothered them or me, not until I’d replayed it in my head. Then I’d been a little more than embarrassed, but they didn’t seem to mind watching what Lucian had done to me.
The Audi pulled up to the hotel and I stepped out, grabbing my bag, which I started to toss over my shoulder when Spyder grabbed and took it from me. He retrieved his own from the trunk before he moved to the valet and spoke to him as I waited.
Keys were handed off and then we were moving up the walk to the luxury hotel. The scent of roses hit me as the doors opened, revealing an impressive entryway in hues of white and blue. Large murals were painted on the walls and ceiling.
Once we reached the counter, Spyder handed the bleach-blonde concierge a card, which seemed to perk her demeanor up. I was praying that Lucian had had the foresight to know that I wouldn’t be able to afford the room service in this place, let alone a room.
“Is he joining you?” she murmured seductively. The husky undertone in her voice scraped against my nerves. “He was so—generous the last time he was here,” she giggled as she fanned her reddening cheeks.
“No, he’s busy, Ana. It’s just us,” he said in a bored tone.
“And will that be one room or two, Spyder? She doesn’t seem like your normal type.” She pointed her nose in my direction and didn’t seem to care that I was right fucking there hearing her.
“His suite, please, which of course you will charge to his card,” he grumbled, and I frowned as he stretched his neck as if he wasn’t enjoying this any more than I was.
“Two rooms,” I spoke up from behind him, frowning when he turned those icy eyes on me with an angry glare.
“One fucking room, kitty,” he snapped as he moved away from the desk. “Send up room service,” he called back over his shoulder.
“What would you like?” she shouted back.
“Two of everything on the menu,” he muttered just loud enough for her to hear.
I followed him, smothering a yawn as we hit the elevator. I leaned against the side, watching him as he studied me beneath his lashes.
“You should have gotten two rooms. We are not sleeping on the same bed,” I grumbled tiredly as I chewed my lip. No way in hell was I getting that close to him, not with these mixed emotions and the inability to prevent them.
“I call the shots here,” he muttered as he stepped closer, and a knowing grin quirked at the corner of his mouth. “Ever been fucked in an elevator?”
“No, and I don’t plan to start now,” I warned. “Besides, there are cameras.” I pointed at one with a raised brow.
“You like to be watched,” he smirked. “You like people to see what they can’t touch.”
“I don’t like to be watched,” I said confidently, but wasn’t really sure if that was the truth or a lie. I’d been turned on by them watching us, and it hadn’t had shit to do with what the Fae had done to me. “This is a bad idea.”
“Liar,” he taunted as the doors opened up and we stepped into a room that was decked out in expensive furnishings and crystals. It looked like a high rollers suite in Vegas instead of something you’d find in the Pacific Northwest.
From the entrance of the suite, I could see that the doors to the bedroom were open and the bed was huge. Sheer fabric with small crystals sewn throughout it hung from the square wooden frame above the bed. There were chandeliers in each room. Nothing in the suite deterred my eyes from slowly moving back to the bed with trepidation and fear as I noted it was the only bed in the suite.
He moved into the bedroom, dropping our bags beside the bed. He slowly turned around, looking at me as if he was contemplating saying something, and then thought better of it.
I walked deeper into the room and snuck a peek at the balcony and hot tub which waited invitingly outside, with steam spiraling up through the chilled air. Rose petals floated in it, probably having drifted from the trellised vines of roses that surrounded the balcony. I turned in a circle, taking it all in.
“This is a normal room here?” I mumbled.
“No, this is Lucian’s personal rooms when he’s in Portland. I found it fitting to use it, since I’m here with his girl. Might as well use his room with her,” he replied casually. As if he hadn’t just thrown a barb at me.
I rolled my eyes and then looked at the clock. Midnight; we’d made great timing, but it left little time to find the witch tonight and be able to turn around and head home, which sucked. It meant I’d be sleeping here, with him. Alone. I looked at the couch thoughtfully and started towards it, wondering if the room had extra blankets.
I’d no sooner reached it when the elevators opened, revealing two carts full of food trays and a bellboy, who peeked at Spyder sheepishly, as if he feared him.
“Put it in the entryway and get the fuck out,” Spyder snapped, sending the already timid kid scrambling to get away from him as fast as he could. He pushed the carts into the room and then pushed the button to close the elevator doors several times as he watched us with huge, cartoonish eyes.
I looked longingly at the silver platters as my belly growled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten in hours. The aroma was inviting, and my mouth watered in response.
As soon as he was gone, I spun around to find Spyder watching me thoughtfully. He nodded towards the food as he brought his phone out of his pocket and spoke into it. He’d dismissed me with nothing more than a nod of his head.
I strode to the trays, finding an array of delicious smelling meals. I decided on a plate of lamb and rosemary potatoes, along with a plate of what looked like chocolate silk pie. I set it down at the table and went to the mini-bar, pulled out a bottle of champagne, two flutes, and walked back to the table. With a defiant glare at the door Spyder must have disappeared behind, I popped the cork with a sharp twist and poured the bubbly into one of the flutes.
I had just finished polishing off most of the meal, along with a third glass of champagne when Spyder entered the room again. I swiped my finger into the pie and scooped a dollop of chocolate and whipped cream up, licking it off my finger, and moaned at the heavenly taste that exploded on my taste buds.
A
masculine growl brought my gaze up to lock with his as I swallowed the creamy goodness, slowly pulled my finger out, and hated the guilty flush that spread over my cheeks.
“Gods, what the fuck was he thinking?” he groaned as he rubbed his hand over his face and turned away from me, making his way to the couch.
I slid the champagne away from me and forced myself not to bang my forehead against the table. I stood up, pushing the chair away from the table, and wobbled on clumsy feet to the bed, pulling out a note from the pack and handing it off to Spyder.
“Take me here, please,” I pleaded, and then thought about how I sounded as I swayed, and started to giggle. “I’m drunk enough that I can break in without feeling guilty.”
“Fucking lightweight,” he grated as he looked at the address and then back at me suspiciously. “Why here?”
“It’s where the witch was or something, and no, I don’t know why or where it is. I only know my mother said to check it out while we were here. Maybe it holds a clue to where she is so we can get home faster.”
“Bloody hell,” he growled as he grabbed my jacket from my bag and tossed it to me. “Come on,” he muttered beneath his breath as he strode to the elevator and pushed the button. I followed behind him like a puppy dog as we exited the hotel. The car was waiting, as if they’d predicted he would need it.
I slid into the passenger seat and the car shuddered as he closed my door with more force than was needed. We drove in silence, with him looking at me oddly every few minutes. It took a lot longer to reach the address than I’d thought it would.
Of course, the address hadn’t been in Portland, which I would have realized had I looked before giving it to Spyder. The address was for a small apartment complex that was located in a small coastal town, which had a cozy vibe and was just a couple blocks away from the ocean.
I got out of the car and started forward, feeling Spyder’s immense presence behind me as we made our way down the sidewalk and past the little gate of the apartment. I double-checked the number before I tried the door, and found it locked.
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