by Lexi Blake
“How about when we wake up, you be the one who helps me break out,” I offered because he’d compromised. “It won’t be easy though. Taggart isn’t known for losing prisoners.”
“Taggart has not met me, bella.”
I was willing to bet if Marcus had survived a couple of millennia, that he had a few tricks up his sleeve. Maybe I wasn’t down for the count yet. And apparently we had a few hours to kill. This was as nice a place as I could think of. I was in Marcus’s head, and everything here was warm and inviting. I was more beautiful than I was in real life. I couldn’t imagine what else the male could enhance.
“You know, you’ve got me on the Earth plane now, or maybe as close as I’m going to get,” I said in a suggestive voice. He also had me in a slinky nightie, so he had to be thinking about it, too.
His lips curled up in the most delicious smirk. “Are you suggesting we pass the time in a more pleasurable fashion?”
“Unless you’re really going to make me wait until it can be special. I think doing it in your brain while mercenaries haul our sedated bodies onto another plane is pretty special. When you think about it, it’s kind of a defiance of our captors.”
“Yes, that is one way to think about it.” His hand reached out, finding the nape of my neck and palming it. “I will admit, losing a fight I should have been able to win has me rethinking a lot of my positions. Will they honor my rights to you?”
“He fully believes I’m your consort,” I promised. “I probably am still sporting a couple of fang marks on my throat, and that’s good enough of a claim for most vampires. His group is known for being honorable. I’m not in any danger of him hurting me. Once he figures out you’re not wanted for anything, he’ll likely let you go.”
“I will not leave you.”
Taggart was a royal so he would get that, too. Royals rarely allowed themselves to be separated from their consorts. It tended to be a mate for life kind of thing, which was why I knew damn well I was playing with fire when it came to Marcus. No matter what he told me, he was going to want to keep me. It wasn’t because I was perfect or anything. It was because I could give him what he needed.
But I needed, too.
“Will you kiss me again?”
The hand at my neck tightened and he leaned over. “I will do so with pleasure, bella.”
Those gorgeously sculpted lips met mine and I let go of all the stress and strain. I didn’t have to think about what was happening in reality. It would happen whether I worried over it or not. It would happen no matter what I did, so I chose to be here with Marcus. I chose to take something for myself.
I gave over to the vampire, letting him pull me into his embrace. His body was hard against mine, muscled and masculine. I let my hand drift up to touch the skin of his chest and it was soft as any silk. Soft and warm, like my brain got when he was around.
My breasts brushed against his chest and I felt my nipples get hard. I wanted him to touch me, needed his hands on me.
Some sweetness before the pain. Some affection to ease my way.
I deserved whatever they gave me. I’d done the crime, but I would take this, too. I would take it and store it away in my heart.
He leaned over and picked me up, cuddling me against his chest. “Even though this is all in my mind, I don’t want others to see us making love for the first time. I promise you, my Summer, it will not be the only time.”
He stopped for a moment and a strange look came over his face.
“What is it?” I didn’t want to lose him. I had no idea how long we had, and it suddenly seemed important that I get this time with him. Things were happening quickly now. I could feel the press of fate against me, and I didn’t particularly believe in fate. Maybe that wasn’t the term for it. Maybe it was more like justice. I would face it soon.
“They’re concerned about something,” he said. “Something is happening in the real world. I believe another…what did you call it? Convergence is occurring.”
My heart clenched. Two in one day? Yes, something was happening, and it felt like that void was stalking me. “Can we do anything about it?”
If the void took us… I didn’t even know what would happen.
His eyes shifted back to me. “No. I can’t move. I can’t make any contact with our captors. There’s nothing to do. We are trapped in this place. I think I could stay here with you.”
I could think of worse places to be. It was odd. Now that I’d been caught, I sort of relaxed. Somehow I knew Kelsey would take care of Dean. She would find a way to get him back to Erna, and Erna knew how important Dean’s path was. It’s what we called it. Dean was on a path and he would need a guide, but it couldn’t be me.
Marcus laid me on the bed, following me down and pressing me into the mattress. How long had it been since I had such luxury? Even when we’d hidden out at Dean’s father’s home, there had been a tension inside me no thousand thread count sheets and cloud-soft mattress could fix. But here there was nothing to worry about. The worst had happened, and I was still here. Still with him.
“There’s nothing to worry about, bella,” Marcus whispered against my ear right before he started to trail his lips down my neck. “I will take care of you. I will find a way to stay with you. Nothing is more important to me than you.”
A shiver of desire went through me as I felt his fangs drag lightly against my skin. This was what I needed, to be with him. It felt right to be here even though I knew it was wrong.
I held him close, offering him my body, my comfort, my blood. He would want more, and in that moment, I was willing to give it to him.
I didn’t care what was going on in the outside world. Maybe if the void took us, Marcus and I would be stuck right here forever.
As he kissed me again, I kind of hoped for that fate.
Marcus’s hands tangled in my hair and he seemed to commit himself to kissing me. His tongue surged in and I let him lead me in this dance.
“So long. I’ve waited so long,” he murmured. “I can feel how much you need me.”
I did. I was afraid I needed him for more than sex. Since that moment when he’d sunk his fangs in, a connection had opened between us and something had settled deep in my soul. I worried it was something false he was pushing at me, but there was a part of me that didn’t care. I felt better than I had in years, and that was in part his doing.
He gently rolled over, allowing me to be on top of him. I looked down and saw the hint of fangs from between his lips. “If things keep going that way, this will be over far too soon. Explore me, Summer. I meant what I said earlier. I’m yours. I can feel your curiosity. Touch me.”
My breath caught as I realized what he was offering. Himself. All of him. He wanted me, had wanted me from the moment he’d seen me. Vampires feed off of blood, but they also required sex from their companions. They fed off the sexual exchange of energy and from what I could tell, Marcus hadn’t fed either hunger. He should have been all over me, but he tempered his own needs in favor of mine. It was not at all what I’d expected from a vampire. I’d been prepared to be his toy for a while. I’d thought it would at least be a pleasurable way to bide the time.
This was something different.
I sighed contentedly and let my hands find his chest. “You’re a beautiful male. How do you not have a companion?”
I pushed back the lapels of his robe. They hadn’t done a great job of covering him up, but then I didn’t think that was my vampire’s point. He’d dressed to show himself off to spectacular advantage. I straddled him, the position placing me right over his erection, and it was also spectacular.
He was a magnificent beast and I was going to ride him.
“I’m yours, bella. Do with me as you please.” His hips shifted, pressing that cock of his against me, and I realized how ready I was for him.
“And if what pleased me was for you to be naked?” I didn’t want to get up and pull his pants off. I wanted to see him. I wanted it to be perfect, and p
erfect meant his naked body under mine. Normally I would let him take control, but I needed to see how far he would go for me, how much dominance he could cede. This was a man who liked control. That was easy to see, but he was giving it to me now.
“My darling, this is my mind. You can have anything you wish.”
The robe and pajama bottoms were gone. And so was my gown, but that didn’t actually bother me. I liked the way the sunshine streaming in from the window caressed my skin, the way I could feel the breeze coming from the ocean. For a moment I could imagine we truly were nothing more than lovers enjoying each other.
“Like I said, you’re a gorgeous male.”
“And you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my very long life.” His hands moved to find my thighs. I wasn’t sure how he did it, but I felt everything, felt the heat of his skin, the hard press of his cock, his fingers tight on my legs. “Enjoy this, bella. The next time we are together, I’m going to be in charge.”
I leaned over and breathed him in, kissing the sharp line of his jaw and loving how I could feel his cock practically pulsing. “And what will you do with your time?”
I kissed his neck, breathing him in. I wasn’t sure how all of this worked, what he was affecting and what was real, but the whole world seemed soft and gauzy, like I was caught in the best dream I’d ever had. I was whole here. I could handle anything that happened.
A low growl came from the vampire’s throat. “I will show you where you belong. Underneath me. Welcoming me inside you. I intend to bring you so much pleasure you won’t ever leave our bed again.”
Until I was dragged out in sonic cuffs. I quickly shoved that idea away, though I wondered what Marcus could do with the cuffs. Hopefully something creative. I ran my hands over the smooth skin of his chest. “Will you bite me again? I know you’re probably not hungry.”
“I’m always hungry for you.” He hissed lightly as I kissed my way down his torso to those perfect abs of his. “And, my darling, I’m interested in tasting far more than your blood. Give me permission and I’ll show you exactly what I mean. I’ll make a meal of you. Apparently our captors have the situation in hand. We don’t have to worry about being lost to the void again. Let’s celebrate.”
He’d apparently reached the end of his willingness to allow me control, but I was kind of okay with that because the thought of what he wanted to do to me made me breathless. We had hours and hours until we would wake, and this seemed like the perfect way to spend that time.
He lingered above me, his eyes having gone that pure dark that some vampires get when they’re hungry or horny, or more than likely both. I let my hands drift up to catch in the silk of his hair. “Summer, whatever happens when we wake up, know that I am with you. I am with you always.”
It was too much, too soon, but it didn’t seem to matter here. I let my head drift back as he kissed my neck and my chest. My back arched when he took a nipple between his lips and sucked. The sensation shot straight to my core and I could feel myself getting slick and ready.
I didn’t care if that was real or not. All that mattered was how this male could make me feel.
He moved down my body, lavishing me with his affection, kisses and licks and nips. He took his time, exploring my body in the most delicious ways.
It had been so long since I’d let myself go this way, felt my skin heating up, my mind forgetting everything except the pleasure I was receiving.
“I can feed from you here with no side effects.” He had eased down the bed and pressed my legs apart, his palms moving across my thighs and holding them open. He was so close to where I wanted him to be. He breathed me in and then rubbed his cheek against my inner thigh. “By side effects, I mean I can’t take too much from you here. But I promise you can feel what I do.”
He proved exactly what he meant by dragging his tongue over my pussy and sending shockwaves through me. He settled in, and I fisted my hands in the sheet to force myself not to move. I didn’t want to do anything that would stop him. It felt far too good and a pulse started deep inside me, something primal and fierce, something that connected me to him in a way I had never connected before. He speared me with his tongue and then moved up to suck my clitoris between his lips, sending me into an abyss of pleasure.
When he looked up at me, I could see my essence glistening on those sensual lips of his. “There’s a vein that runs right here. I’ll feed from here and be able to smell your pussy when you come for me.”
His fangs struck and I did exactly what he’d wanted. I came again. And again. And again. He was relentless, ruthless in binding us together.
By the time he released my vein, I was boneless and would have done anything he asked of me. He simply licked around those magnificent fangs of his and then settled his cock against me, pressing deep inside. “Know that though this isn’t happening in reality, it is real to me.”
His hips worked as he gave me his weight and kissed me again, his tongue thrusting in time with his cock. I managed to wrap myself around him, legs locking around his hips, arms around his neck. I held onto him even as we were surrounded by sunshine. It came from all angles, cocooning us in light. It was magical, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Marcus’s skin shone, making a gorgeous contrast to his dark hair and eyes. I held on to him as he made love to me, and I could have sworn in that moment that our bodies meshed and mingled and we were one. With each other. With the brilliant light that engulfed us.
Before I wanted it to end, the pleasure took me again and Marcus found his own. I could feel his deep satisfaction, his contentment in being here with me. He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay with me forever.
But he finally sank onto my body. I rested my head against his.
“Can we stay for a bit longer?”
His head came up and he kissed me. “Yes, a bit, cara mia.”
He shifted, taking me with him, and we lay in bed and talked for the longest time.
* * * *
Zoey
I looked down at the pixie in my hand and I couldn’t stop the cry of despair that came from me. We were trapped on another plane. We had no idea where Devinshea was. Our children were unprotected, and I had no idea how much time was passing as we sat here. And I couldn’t save my friend.
“Zoey, I’m so sorry.” Danny got to one knee beside me. “Can she drink vampire blood?”
I glanced up at him, and a bit of hope sparked through me. I wasn’t sure if it would bring her back. She was dead from the side effects of a spell. Would vampire blood work on it? The pixies normally stayed away from the vampires, but we should try. “Give her some.”
I held my hands up, offering him Arwyna’s tiny body. He would have to be careful or she could drown. We would only need a drop or two.
Daniel stared down, his expression oddly blank.
“What’s wrong?” I asked because we were running out of time. We were already risking bringing her back as a revenant, and I wasn’t sure what a revenant pixie would look like. I probably didn’t want to find out, but I couldn’t give up on her. I was the reason she’d been wandering the corridors of the Council headquarters. I’d asked her to spy for me. She knew I didn’t trust Myrddin and that was likely why she’d been around him and available for Liv to put the whammy on.
“Zoey, I…” Daniel began.
“Zoey!”
Whatever Danny had been ready to say got lost in the wake of Devinshea running toward us from the copse of trees. He was dressed as he’d been the night of the wedding. His long legs ate the distance between us, and I saw Kelsey running with him alongside a young man I’d never met.
He was here. Dev was here and he was safe. Tears clouded my eyes as he made it to me. He would have wrapped his arms around me, but I had Arwyna in my hands and she was his, too. She’d been his ambassador to the lesser Fae time and time again. Arwyna had adored her good priest, and when she wasn’t with me, she could be seen clinging to Dev’s clothes or ha
ir as he moved about our home. Dev would be devastated. I needed him. I needed some normalcy, and having them both with me would give a bit of that back.
“What?” Dev stared down at the small body in my hands. “Arwyna? What happened to her?”
Tears coursed down my face. “She’s the one who found you, and the spell they used killed her.”
“How long has she been gone?” Dev asked, holding his hands out for me to transfer her body to.
“Seconds,” Daniel replied. “I was going to try to give her blood.”
Dev shook his head and suddenly his eyes changed and I was in the presence of Bris. “No, Daniel. That won’t work on our little queen. She needs a breath of life.”
He brought his cupped hands up and breathed into them. Once and then again. His eyes glowed in what I assumed to be the afternoon light. I held my own breath and then her wings moved.
Arwyna flew from her priest’s hands and seemed more like an angry bee than her normal graceful pixie self. She buzzed around me and I caught sight of her shaking her fist.
That was one pissed-off pixie, but it looked like she was alive, and not some crazed revenant out for blood. Well, at least not ours. Liv might find out soon that pixies are good at revenge.
“My goddess, you are all right?” Bris stared down at me.
I nodded and let him pull me into his arms. “I am now that I know you’re all right. I was so worried.”
He enveloped me in his unique warmth even as I could still hear Arwyna cursing all witches. “My goddess, Daniel, it is good to see you. I’ve been worried as well. I give you back my host. He has much to tell you.” Lips kissed my forehead and it was Dev’s voice I heard. “Zoey. I missed you so much.”
“I missed you, too,” Kelsey said with a groan. “How do you do it, Your Highness? How do you deal with pissy men all day? I’m giving the babysitting duties right back to you. I’m the muscle. Let’s all remember that from here on out. Now, where’s the rest of the cavalry and how soon can we get home? I’ve got some planning to do. We’re going to need to figure out a way to keep that door open for a couple of days. Did you bring Trent?”
