by Pace, Pepper
“Are they human?”
The blood ran cold in my veins. I watched him fighting not to show my alarm at the question—at his interest in my husband and child.
I didn’t know what to say. I did not want to discuss my family with this maniac.
Frank spoke suddenly. “With all due respect, Master, are we now to provide you with an accounting of every human we take blood from, and every human that we interact with?”
“Yeah,” Tony frowned, “I’m curious about that too. Are you going to start asking us to place surveillance around our territories?”
I looked at Frank and Tony in gratitude for diverting the attention from me and from Alexis who was radiated fury.
Malarias did not look pleased at having the questions turned back on him. “You were told that you would now be more accountable for the activities in your various sectors-“
“Why?” Cyrene asked, “Why are we being asked all of these questions?”
Kaniji’s expression must have mirrored mine. It was as if she thought we were all about to be imploded. And then I realized something. We’ve been too careful in the way we’ve been handling Malarias.
Yes, we are careful around him because he is powerful and impatient which is what makes him dangerous. But we have been acting out of the norm by not voicing our complaints or even questioning these changes.
If he weren’t such an arrogant bastard he would have figured out that we knew more than we were letting on.
“What’s really going on, Malarias?” I spoke. “Why all the changes?”
The air seemed to thicken with an electrical energy that felt as if it cloaked the entire room. The normally wrinkled and saggy face of the elder became etched in pure rage. His eyes turned into red orbs and his teeth gleamed not like Vampire teeth but a mouthful of pointed, sharp, fangs.
“You will speak no more!” Malarias growled, his voice more like a demonic moan. “Do not ever question my authority. No one on this Council is indispensible! You will do well to remember that your existence is only determined by your usefulness. If you can not control, maintain, or provide a reporting of each of your sectors than you can burn!”
I began to tremble at that word, at the memory and then I felt Alexis’ hand on my shoulder and I remembered that he was here and nothing would happen to me as long as he was here.
I heard a loud crack, which caused me to jump and then Malarias disappeared, a stench of ozone in his wake.
No one moved for a long time. Kaniji was the one to break the silence. When I looked at her I saw that her alabaster face was even more pale than normal. And though she tried to conceal it, I could tell that she was scared.
“How much longer before the Wolf Pack is ready?”
~***~
Silently we communicated our need for another meeting and I let them know that it would have to be after the full moon. Only then would we know the status of the Wolf Pack.
The meeting adjourned and Alexis and I returned home. BJ and Sam had already turned in for the night and we ended up in the family room. I plopped back on the sectional.
“Shit. Shit. Shit.”
Alexis sat down across from me. “Malarias is terrible at presiding over a Council! That absurd face he donned was ridiculous.”
I squinted at him and then sat up. “It was pretty scary to me.”
“Theatrics.” He rolled his eyes. “He has ruined my Council.”
I frowned. Was Alexis sulking?
“Well, you’ll get it back, right? Once you’re released from your prison?”
“If there is anything to get back,” he muttered.
“Uh …”
His lips curled upward into a slight smile and I knew that he was joking with me. I appreciated that.
“He asked about Paul and BJ.” I said solemnly.
“He will ask again. And what will you say?”
“What should I say?”
“You will need to tell him about the three members of the Wolf Pack.” I nodded. There was no getting around that. “But you will reveal nothing about BJ.” I met his eyes.
“Do not worry.” His words soothed me.
~***~
The next evening I called Paul. “Can I see you?”
“It’s difficult right now. I’m a bloody mess and it seems as if I’ll never get to the end of biting and ripping flesh.”
I could hear the exhaustion in his voice and it caused me to worry about him.
He continued. “The Wolf … it’s showing me what to do, but it’s anxious. When I think it’s time to stop it pushes me.”
“Oh Paul. Is it terrible?”
He sighed. “No. It’s wonderful.”
The succubus twirled inside of me and I squashed her back down, promising silently that she would have her time to play.
“And how is Ran?”
“He’s handling the pain better than anyone. He never screams.”
I swallowed back the lump that was forming in my throat.
Technically I knew how Paul had been turned into a Werewolf. He had been bitten repeatedly over the course of two months—two months because the virus didn’t take the first time. And with Jason and Tyler … well they had been partially devoured.
My stomach flip-flopped and I began to understand what the humans would need to endure in order to change. However the flip-flopping had little to do with the plight of the humans.
I desired to join him in the ripping and shredding.
“The full moon is tomorrow.” He said and his voice sounded distant, almost dreamy. “After, I’ll let you know how many have changed.”
I decided then not to tell him about Malarias and yesterday’s meeting. There was nothing that he could do, not until the Wolf Pack was ready.
Later that evening I felt the familiar sensation of someone tracing my connection. Telepathically I turned and felt Monica. She rarely contacted me these days and I remembered the odd look of annoyance that had crossed her face when she had seen me arrive at the Council meeting with Alexis.
“Monica? Is everything okay?”
“I would like to see you.”
“Okay.” It wasn’t an exact answer to my question but … maybe it was.
I thought about telling Alexis that I was going to pay a visit to Monica, but he was using the laptop, watching CNN International, and it was the first time that I’d seen him absorbed in something other than Teletubbies in days.
I flashed myself to her home, an expansive mansion that resembled an Italian Villa. I looked around. I was in the living room with its marble floors and tall pillars. Monica stood in the dimly lit room with only the glow of the fireplace as illumination. She wore a long white dressing gown that swept the floor. Her hair fell in lose curls around her shoulders. She was stunning. In the old days I would have told her so, but now things were different between us.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Tony and I are no more.”
I hid my desire to scream ‘what the fuck happened?!’ Because, eek! She wanted girl talk time and unfortunately it had been a long time since we’d been that close.
“I-I’m sorry to hear that.”
Her eyes roamed my face. “Are you?”
I sighed. “Monica I promise you that I have no interest in ever being with Tony again.”
“I know that!” Her brow gathered. “I don’t care about Tony.”
“Okay … Then what is this about?”
Her chin began to tremble and then I saw a spot of blood appear in the corner of her eyes. “You used to love me.”
What the-?
“Monica. I still love you,” I said honestly.
“No you don’t!” Her hands clenched into fists and the bloody tears began to stream down her cheeks. I closed the space between us, feeling her anguish even at the same time that I was confused and alarmed.
I pulled her into my arms and hugged her. “Monica, I know things have changed but you are still my liege. You will always be
my child.”
After a few moments I felt her relax and she looked up and searched my face, blood red tears smudged her pale skin.
“Paul is bound to you and Tony is still in your heart. But now there is Alexis! He’s returned and I will never find a place between these powerful loves!”
She lifted her face and kissed me. It was so swift and forceful that it caused me to take a step back, but she was right there, her lips never leaving mine. She cupped my face.
“Love me, Kim.”
Her eyes swam with bloody tears as she stared at me, silently pleading.
Oh no. No … I placed my hand on her face, and gently prevented her from kissing me again.
“Monica … “ I shook my head not completely understanding how this was happening. One always loved their Sire, but like this? “Honey, I love you, too. But it’s never been in that way.”
“But I don’t understand. You have the succubus in you too. No one can withstand the pull of the succubus.” she shook her head in denial. “When I turned the succubus on to my humans they worshipped me as a Goddess. When I turned it on Tony he couldn’t resist the pull.” Her face broke into a scowl. “But then he told you! He was never supposed to tell you!”
And suddenly I felt her succubus call for mine. I’d never felt anything like it, had never felt the pull from another’s succubus. One moment my succubus was dormant, and the next she was rising from me and fighting to get to Monica and hers.
Before I knew it, my hands clawed into her hair and dragged her face to mine until our lips crushed together. Monica growled in animalistic pleasure and our demons came together as if by magnetic attraction. They were two halves of the same coin and they wanted each other.
My teeth dropped and I prepared to sink them into her neck when I felt, more than heard Alexis in my head.
“No!”
I ignored him and bit, giving into a primitive desire to fuck and eat and to drink. Monica roughly gripped my hair and she sank her teeth into my shoulder and like a steel band our succubus joined in an erotic way that I had never known was possible. Desire coursed through my body, setting my core to molten lava. I wanted to shred away her clothes and latch onto her core, which had to be throbbing with unspent need just as mine-
Suddenly rough hands jerked me back, breaking the contact between my teeth and Monica’s neck—but worse, ending the contact between our succubus.
Monica screamed in anguish and I reached for her but the hands holding me would not release me. Monica leaped to my rescue and then I heard Alexis’ firm voice.
“Sleep.”
She didn’t hesitate. Monica just dropped.
I watched this as if outside of my body. The succubus within me writhed in need of release. I saw Alexis gripping me around my waist, preventing me from reaching what I most desired. I turned on him, preparing to attack but the look on his face attracted the succubus much more than Monica had.
His eyes were gold and swimming in desire of his own.
My succubus was like a snake that reached out and coiled around him. His eyes narrowed, whether in anger or desire I didn’t know and didn’t care. I flung my arms around his neck and clung to him, gyrating my need against his body. His hands came up and clutched my ass, holding me firmly in place.
“Sleep,” he whispered.
What?!
But the next moment there was nothing but blackness.
CHAPTER 16
I sat up with a jolt, looking around. I was on a pristine white sofa in a strange room. The pale, dusky light of dawn seeped through windows and a French door that did not obstruct the light with sheers or blinds.
I saw Alexis standing at one of the windows, gazing out, his back to me. And then I saw that Monica lay opposite me on a hunter green velvet chaise. We were in her home. She slept and although the sun crept over her porcelain skin she did not burn. As my child she also had the ability to withstand the sun.
“She will awaken soon. This one is very strong.” Alexis said.
I rubbed my head feeling as if I had a helafied hangover. It had been a long time since I’d felt that way.
“Ugh. BJ-“
“Samantha is awake and tending to her needs.” Alexis turned and joined me in the living room where he stood with his hands clasped behind him.
I shook my head. “Oh Alexis, this is trouble.” I stated as I watched my progeny, my child, my friend. I looked at him in confusion. “Why me? Why is my Vampire so different than everyone else’s?” I draw others to me like I was a pot of honey swarmed by bees.
“You have unintentionally bonded with a great many people. Bonds represent the type of love that is … difficult to disregard. Creating a Vampire child is among the biggest.”
“These are not just bonds, Alexis! These are individuals pledging their undying love to me!”
“Yes. I cannot be certain but I believe the answer is within your blood. You taste different, better than most.” His brow furrowed. “It is natural to form ties with those that you have given blood to. But when it comes to you … nothing is natural.”
I had to agree with that.
“My Kim is an anomaly.” His eyes moved to Monica. “But I believe there are two of you now.”
I looked at Monica too. “What happened between us? I couldn’t control the succubus-“
“You are not supposed to be able to at your age.” Alexis stated. “You are very strong. Much of it has to do with our bond but not all of it.” I thought about how I could push my succubus out of my body into others.
“You exhibit more control of your demons and Vampires than most. You will fight to the death for that which you believe. Your human comes forward when it benefits you to think differently than Neratomay. Your succubus needs to be fed and when your human sensibilities prevent it than it will rise out of you—but you have even found a way to control that. You have a Beast that protects you when you most need it. And now you see that those which have received large amounts of your blood have formed sexual bonds to you.
“It appears that even an Elder is without defenses when it comes to you.”
I looked at him in awe. “Is that what Athena sees?”
He shrugged. “That I do not know. But she sees something powerful in you. And so do I.”
He frowned and looked off into the distance.
“What? Alexis?”
He shook his head. “Secrets and politics.”
I hated secrets and mysteries. “What are you talking about?”
“You will come to know of those secrets that I cannot speak on. You will know them without me having to tell you. Which is the safest way for you to learn them.”
I sighed, knowing that he was right. When it came time for someone to explore my memories – and I knew that it would happen, they would not see that Alexis was guilty of revealing secrets that carried death sentences to even the most powerful Vampires.
Monica gasped and sat bolt upright on the chaise. She looked at me and then at Alexis. For him she barely hid a look of dislike.
“Alexis.” She said coldly. “What are you doing here?”
“Rape between Vampires is not a crime,” he said in a low, dangerous voice. “But it is bad manners.”
I looked from one to the other in confusion.
“You should have asked before you attempted to take,” He concluded flatly.
“I did no such thing! Our succubus desire each other-“
“Shut up.” Alexis said, and his voice barely sounded angry.
Monica glared at him but wisely kept her mouth closed.
“As I was saying, your Master may not understand the world to which she has been forced into, but you do. You were born with your Vampire memories intact. You know how to use your demons for your own benefit, something she has yet to learn.”
What?
“Monica … did you use your succubus seduce Tony and then me?”
She met my eyes. “It wasn’t like that. I’ve wanted you. Can’t you see h
ow right we would be together? I was your human and now I’m like you. I got on the Council so that we could be equals.”
My mouth parted. She wasn’t trying to be me.
“You never felt the pull and I didn’t know why. I tried it with Tony because I know he is very strong. He came to me immediately. But then, he ruined it by telling you. He was never supposed to tell you.” She looked annoyed, “If he couldn’t resist the pull of my succubus then how are you able to?”
I frowned. “Well obviously I wasn’t. But you don’t really think that you can just … force me to love you, do you? Answer me, damnit!”
“No.” She said while looking down.
“I’m disappointed in you Monica.” I stood up. “Don’t ever try that with me or anybody else I love and care about.”
She nodded.
My anger began to fade although it would probably be a long time before it completely disappeared.
“My … love for you has no boundaries.” I said sternly. She looked at me in surprise. “Except for that one. You and I will never be lovers. You can either deal with that or not, but it won’t change. It’s not the man … or men I love. It’s simply that I don’t choose to love you in that way. And I never do what I don’t want to do. You, above all, should know that.”
“Yes, Master,” she whispered.
“Let’s go, Alexis.” I reached for his hand so that we could leave together.
He was staring at Monica. “No. You go. I intend to stay.”
Monica looked up quickly, and there was fear in her eyes.
“What - ?” I began but he turned empty black eyes on me.
“I will join you later. For now you will leave Monica and me to our own … devices.”
“Don’t you hurt her-”
“Why do you only think that I only bring pain? Do you not remember that I can also bring pleasure?”
Monica shuddered and then whimpered as if some invisible force had her. Her eyes no longer held a look of fear—quite the opposite.
He was pushing his succubus through her – the hands free way that Elder Vampires made love!
