The common rooms were located on the ground level of the château. Prisoners of status were held up top. At the moment, the dungeon held several of Aleron’s high-ranking soldiers. The rest of his in-residence nest were confined to their personal chambers. Overtaking them had been almost too easy. He had expected a bloody battle but his pack had caught them undermanned and completely unaware.
Démon stretched out his legs and let his eyes drift closed. He needed sleep but hesitated to retire to the enormous bed. Too much occupied his mind. Too many uncertainties for a deep sleep. Perhaps once the security of dawn arrived and after his belly was full, he would feel more settled and better able to rest.
Perhaps he would even summon a she-wolf to join him. He enjoyed the feel of a female body next to him, whether they fucked or not. Inside, he was not as much of a loner as he often outwardly projected.
This duty, leadership over the bane, had fallen to him and he would not turn his back on any wolf, kindred or not. He had already sent word to the other packs in Europe to stand ready for a fight. A sympathetic shifter from the Of the Sorceress Society had been dispatched to deliver the message quickly.
Those trained in the mystic arts could shift into a variety of animals, even birds, which proved quite useful. As such, he would be able to more easily call for the other European packs to join him when he needed their help.
As he inhaled deeply and then slowly let out the breath, he felt the power of his ancestors flow through his body. The fact that he was deemed worthy to channel the power of the ancients gave him an added sense of pride.
From here, he and his pack would rule and see to the growth of all the packs in Europe and possibly even beyond. They would no longer serve in status below the Of the Blood Underworlders.
A new kingdom would soon be formed. Un Royaume de Loups.
* * * * *
Atop the bed, Starr jolted awake. She had heard a grating sound against the door lock. Her gaze snapped to Aleron, who had fallen asleep in one of the chairs. He immediately awoke too and his gaze homed in on the door.
She sat up, prepared for just about anything. Aleron remained still but appeared ready to leap if necessary.
After a tense moment, the door opened and a petite woman entered with an armful of clothing. She kept her eyes averted, staring down at the rug. Starr wondered what was afoot until a huge man followed, dragging a large, wooden tub behind him as if it weighed nothing. He too did not make eye contact. Several guards and two high-ranking soldiers entered behind them with buckets of water.
Starr could not help but notice that the soldiers were twins. She could tell they were archers and Of the Bane by their weapons and by the way they moved.
Of the Bane possessed a barely contained wildness that she had always admired. Those who were Of the Blood, in contrast, maintained a deadly calm that served them well but lacked a certain freedom of soul.
The man who dropped the tub had obviously been turned. As were the guards in the room. They were now Of the Undead—creatures who rarely felt fear or desire. Little life existed in their eyes. They retained limited intelligence and were easily defeated one on one. Their strength lay in numbers and they were sometimes used as lower-level soldiers if an army was lacking in mass.
They must have served Aleron at one time, but had now been captured by Démon. She could not imagine Les Loups keeping undead soldiers or even servants of their own. Their lumbering movements would slow a traveling pack too much.
Aleron rose to his feet. “Malay.”
Starr’s gaze moved between him and the woman. He knew her?
The woman looked up. She appeared scared but started toward Aleron with the clothing.
“No.” One of the bane soldiers stopped her with a light hand to her shoulder.
Starr was surprised by his gentleness with her. Without a word, he took the garments from her arms and set them in a nearby chair.
“Finish,” the soldier ordered, gesturing toward the tub.
The woman turned to take a large piece of linen from the pile. She unfolded the cloth and lined the tub to protect from splinters.
From her complexion, Starr assumed Malay was a Sun-Lifer. She must be part of Aleron’s nest, since he knew her. Viper controlled a few Sun-Lifers himself. She had never mastered the technique, which proved elusive to many fem-vamps for some unknown reason.
Underworlders often used Sun-Lifers to perform tasks during the day, when the elements were too harsh for them to move around comfortably. The sun sapped their energy so they did not function at full capacity during daylight hours. Of the Bane were not as adversely affected as Of the Blood. But they too preferred to move around after dark.
The sun would not kill Of the Blood directly, as was often rumored, but they could fall ill if not properly covered and exposed to too much. They burned easily and if they developed a severe enough infection, the affliction could be fatal.
“Malay,” Aleron said again. But the woman did not look up this time.
The soldier who had stopped her earlier stepped between her and Aleron. “She has been treated well. You need not worry.”
“And the rest of my people?”
“Your people are presently contained but are also well. There were no fatalities. Your soldiers fought admirably. However, they were greatly outnumbered. If you cooperate, this unpleasant matter will be settled soon.”
“Only as long as it is settled to Démon’s satisfaction. Is that not the truth?”
The soldier hesitated before responding. “Enjoy your bath. Until food is brought in, you will not be disturbed.”
Starr saw the wariness in Aleron’s eyes as Malay, the stoic men and the two bane soldiers left the room. Aleron obviously did not trust the soldier who had spoken, nor did he believe his words. She did believe the archer however. His eyes had shone with sincerity and even a bit of compassion, which she would remember in case that knowledge proved useful to them later.
She wondered what would happen if they were not cooperative. The soldier had neglected to say. She imagined their fate hung on their future actions. Visions of being locked up in a dungeon for the rest of her life flashed through her head.
No. She need not worry about such a thing happening. Viper would never allow it. They would be freed. Soon.
In silence, Aleron poured the water into the tub. Starr doubted the buckets would fill the tub to capacity but the water provided would still do nicely.
When he set down the last bucket and looked up, tension hung heavily in the air. Starr’s gaze locked with his. “What is on your mind, lord?”
“Many things that are best left unsaid.” He cleared his throat. “You may bathe first. I will turn my back.”
She smiled slightly. His attempt to be gentlemanly touched her. “No need. We can share.” After what had happened between them in the alley, she saw no point in pretending shyness. Slowly she began to remove her clothing.
Without embarrassment or shame, she allowed her dust-covered and torn dress to fall to the floor. Naked beneath, she stood bare before him in the candlelight. Though not at her best, she still felt confident of her effect on him.
His gaze immediately dropped to the star tattoo around her navel. She had been exceedingly pleased by its artistic look. Done by a cousin. The same cousin who had fashioned the viper tattoo on her brother’s body.
“You are beautiful,” Aleron whispered in a tight voice, his gaze slowly rising to her face.
Smiling, Starr stepped into the tub and lowered herself into the slightly warm water. “Ahh…nice.” Her sore muscles immediately began to relax. She leaned back then sloshed some of the water over her arms and the scratches there.
Soap had not been provided, which would have been a real luxury, but just to bathe and wash away the grime on her body felt wonderful. When Aleron made no move toward her, she looked up at him. “My lord?” Certainly he was not simply going to stand there and watch her.
Aleron’s manner and attitude, so different from her br
other’s in all ways, continued to interest her greatly. She had been aware of him for years before they had been formally introduced. He supposedly kept to a small circle of friends but was greatly respected by all his people. He was rumored to be fair but not overly tolerant in stressful situations. When the atmosphere was calm, he became quiet and assessing. And he had only kept company with a few females over the years, according to the local gossip. The mysterious aura he exuded made her want to know more. She wanted to know everything about him, inside and out.
Aleron said nothing to her inquiry but a small smile tugged at his lips.
Fascinated, she watched as he slowly removed each piece of his clothing. His boots, his shirt, his trousers. He had already discarded his coat shortly after they had woken up here and placed it with her cape. All his garments were of fine quality but not as fine as his bare body. She gulped at the sight of his naked flesh, so boldly displayed to her in the candlelight.
His fit form, muscular but not grotesquely so, made her mouth water. Each limb displayed his strength and power without looking unnatural like some soldiers who built themselves up so much that they appeared more like a mountain than a man. His semi-hard cock, long and thick, even though not fully aroused, made her cunt ache. If he knew how to use that thing, she was in for an unforgettable fuck.
He sported several bruises. The one on his side looked particularly nasty. She saw several bite marks too. They would all heal quickly and not slow him down much.
Underworlders healed at an accelerated rate and only scarred if wounded in a particularly vicious manner. It angered her that he had been injured at all. And from someone in her own family line.
Somehow Démon would pay. Though she was sympathetic with his cause, up to a point, she did not agree with his heavy-handed methods.
She would take Aleron’s mind off his pain and her own mind off their circumstances. They both could use a distraction.
Aleron’s heart pounded. Starr’s silent assessment of his body pleased him. The tattoo around her navel had taken him by surprise. Not many females had such body markings. Just another element of her uniqueness. He found it incredibly sexy.
When she lightly circled her nipples with her wet fingers while staring at his cock, he almost lost control. Nothing could stop him from taking her now.
Still, he worked hard to calm himself, so he would not end up ravaging her in the savage manner that the small amount of his bane blood was urging him to do right now. He crouched beside the tub and tested the water next to her thigh, careful not to touch her bare flesh. Yet.
“You are not getting in?” she asked.
“I do not think we both can fit.” He stared at a droplet of water dangling off one of her nipples. Ah, to taste that drop and her rosy nipple at the same time…
“Then help bathe me. I shall wash your wounds in return if you wish.”
At her words, his cock grew harder. He was not about to turn down an invitation to touch her. “Where should I start, my lady?”
“Help me cleanse my hair. I cannot stand the uncomely feel of it since the fight in the alley.”
Her hair would not have been his first choice, unless it involved the strands covering her cunt. But when she bent her knees and slipped down into the water, his fingers slid into her hair, getting every strand wet. He tenderly washed away the dust from her black tresses and massaged her scalp, until her hair felt feathery light.
As she lay there with her eyes closed, the water teased her nipples and navel, drawing his attention from her full breasts down her slim body. He would trace the star on her skin with his tongue soon and suck her nipples until she screamed from the pleasure of his mouth. He vowed this to himself. And so much more.
When she sighed in pleasure, his gaze returned to her face and he smiled. Sharing such an intimate moment like this with Starr warmed his heart more than he thought it ever could. “Your hair is as soft as silk,” he whispered, then grumbled slightly when he realized he had spoken the thought aloud. That had not been his intent. Something about this woman turned his emotions, and even his reactions, upside down.
Starr opened her eyes and a softness entered her face. She sat upright and swiped her hands over her hair to push the excess water from the strands. “Thank you for helping me. And for the compliment.”
The black strands shone in the candlelight. When she turned her head to look into his eyes, he felt transfixed by her beauty and her sensuality.
He had followed Starr’s movements through France for some time. He had wanted to fuck her, even enslave her if she would not have him, and now… Now, he wanted her very soul.
With a look of interest on her face, she cocked her head. “You are hesitating to take me. Do you not want to?” A look of confusion, then concern formed on her features.
Not want to? She was an interesting flower to be sure. She could not possibly think that he did not want her. “You know better, my lady.” When a small smile crossed her lips, he reached out and stroked her cheek. “I am simply trying to figure out how you grabbed hold of more than just the physical part of me so quickly.” His need raged inside him. But his feelings were tempered by a softness unfamiliar to him. He had never given his heart to a woman before. He had never wanted to.
Her eyes widened and a blush actually stained her cheeks.
No other man would touch her from this time forward. Ever. He lowered his head and kissed her gently, brushing her lips with his own. His hand slipped from her cheek, down to her throat where he felt her pulse—her blood. Warm, delicious, waiting to be sucked.
His hunger grew for her. His hand drifted down to the softest breast he could ever remember touching. As his tongue began to tease the seam of her mouth, needing to be let in, she pushed him away.
He groaned his disappointment.
“You must wash first, my lord.” She stood and water rolled down her body.
With a gulp, Aleron also stood and helped to pat her body and hair dry with a white cloth that Malay had laid atop their change of clothing. He marveled at the beauty of her skin. Every inch of Starr enticed him. Even her fresh scent drew and excited him.
He spotted a bruise here and there from their ordeal in the alley and it angered him. How dare anyone mar her perfection! The wolves would pay. Démon would pay.
Gently he touched each spot. She would heal quickly. That knowledge was the only thing that kept him calm. He felt a definite shift inside himself.
He had wanted to enslave Starr but somehow he had become her slave.
The thought struck him suddenly and did not disturb him as much as he thought it should. He extended his hand and helped her step from the tub. She made no move to dress, which pleased him greatly. She wanted him. He could smell her need.
He stepped into the tub and lowered himself into the water. It felt better than he had anticipated and he leaned his head back to rest on the rim. He let his eyes drift closed and relaxed his body. His mind was not as cooperative. Erotic images of Starr filled his thoughts.
When she knelt beside him, he sensed the movement along with her feelings of desire. She did not hesitate, but immediately began to slosh water over his limbs and chest. Ah yes.
She carefully cleansed his wounds. He flinched a couple of times, but when her hand slid lower and her fingers half-circled his cock, all thoughts of pain disappeared and he sucked in a sharp breath. Other than that, he did not move, too intrigued by what his lady would do next.
Starr began to slowly stroke his shaft from base to tip and back again. She leaned down and grazed his ear with her tongue.
“Is it your intent to torture me?” he asked in a low rumble.
“No. I just want a long, hard ride from you, my lord,” she whispered in his ear. “Are you able and ready to fuck me? If so, do it now, lest I change my mind.”
Before she even finished her plea, Aleron rose from the water. Starr gasped at his look of intensity. She had not been certain he was up to fucking after everything that had
happened to them. When he stepped from the tub, water splashed everywhere.
Immediately he set upon her. She shrieked in delight as he forced her down to the rug and spread her legs with his knees. His need was obviously as great as her own.
Her heart raced as moisture from the ends of his long hair dripped onto her body. She felt wild and decadent. At his mercy. The tip of his engorged cock settled at the entrance to her cunt. She raised her hips in silent longing.
He stared down at her, his pupils dilating. His nostrils flared. A true soldier, ready to conquer.
She raised her hips again. “Fuck me, Aleron. Hard.”
He groaned. “As you wish, my beauty.” He entered her in one swift stroke. All the way in. Hard and deep.
She gasped and arched her back.
He pulled his cock almost completely out of her, then shoved himself back in to the hilt.
“Oh!” As he settled atop her, the weight of his body pushed down on hers. She felt his heavy breath against her ear, as if he was trying to hold himself back. She rubbed her hardened nipples against his chest, sending shivers of delight along her spine.
“Damn it, Starr! I cannot control myself with you.” Aleron went wild and thrust into her cunt with short, fast strokes.
“Yes!” She dug her fingernails into his ass. “More!” She needed him so desperately. His cock filled her like no other, each stroke bringing her closer to completion. She wrapped her legs around his hips and held on tightly.
“I will satisfy my thirst for you,” he said in a rough voice.
“Oh yes, do it,” she encouraged. She felt his teeth scraping her neck and she lost whatever control remained inside her. “Yes, yes!” Like a savage she-cat, she clawed at him, fighting him—not for physical release, but for sexual release. To sate her need. She had never known such passion.
He grabbed her arms and held her down as he fucked her like some feral animal.
The feel of his cock pounding into her without any signs of stopping made her body tremble. She whimpered at the feel of her nerves tingling inside her, building to a point of no return.
That was when she felt Aleron’s fangs sink into her neck. “Ah!” He sucked her blood like a starving man. “Oh…ohh!” She came so hard that she neither heard nor saw anything. Her reality had collapsed into one unending swirl of ecstasy.
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