Dark Awakenings (Danse Macabre Book 2)

by Christina Quinn

  He idly twirled the paddle in his hand and I felt something low in my body twitch and clench. My teeth closed over my bottom lip as I attempted to keep my composure; but my chest was heaving visibly with every breath.

  “Because someone has been very naughty.” He growled darkly. Smack. I jumped as he brought the paddle down hard against his hand, his lips twitching into a lusty smirk as he watched my reaction. My knees rubbed together as I swallowed and fought to keep myself in check. There’s no hiding your arousal from him; he can smell it, remember? A soft little half gasp broke my lips as I felt the folds of my sex slicken. Nikolai’s back twitched as Aleksi’s lips slowly parted. “So, Autumn my very own darling, you have a choice. Either you strip and lay across my knee, or you leave and go sleep in the bed Nikolai made for you.”

  Oh, there was no contest. I yearned to be at his feet again, to feel his strong guiding hand on me, to be the center of his world once more. But I was titillated by the prospect of the spanking as much as I was terrified of it. My hazel gaze drifted to Nikolai. Part of me didn’t like that Aleksi was ignoring him completely.

  “What…what about Nikolai?” I asked straining to keep the nervous warble from my voice. Aleksi raised his brows in surprise at me, but my question gained a smile.

  “Nikolai is mine, and yours. We are both bound to him, my power is what turned him.”

  “But how?”

  “When I fell ill Vlad saw an opening and took it. At first he was angry, as weak as I was I could feel his anger. But once he essentially decided I was going to die anyway he started feeding on me in a way that only he can. He did it before, there were three of us originally. The third was Sigismund, and no one talks about him anymore. Vlad fears the Sun Cross, without cannibalizing Sigi he wouldn’t have destroyed them last time. He was mostly my power when he first awoke, so it was my power that he used to turn Nikolai. But… that is neither here nor there.”

  “How did…how did Estella know how to wake you?” I furrowed my brows, and Aleksi sighed.

  “Decide and then I’ll answer.” His voice was tight with irritation. My eyes danced between him and Nikolai before I settled on him again. I pulled the sash on the robe open and shrugged off that slick dark satin from my shoulders. My hands were trembling violently as I seized the hem of the lace nightie and pulled it over my head. “She was Sigi’s lover, and J.J. Renfield’s daughter. The Renfield family had served as a broker for most Vampiric investments since the early seventeen hundreds.” As he spoke I walked over to him. “She knew most of our secrets because of her father. Feeding while in mist form does something, I don’t even know what exactly but I think it allows us to draw more strength from the blood.” I leaned over his lap and a happy purr broke his lips. “Good girl.” He half groaned as he lowered his open palm slowly to my bottom and started massaging my naked cheeks. “She tried to wake Sigi in the same way, but he was too far gone by then…and he attacked her. Being a Renfield and a Matriarch means if there is something obscure that has to deal with vampires Estella probably knows about it. And how to do it or reverse it… You’re so wet.” He groaned the last bit, as he slipped a finger inside of me. I arched back and a moan fell from my lips. “Your body already knows you need this…give me your hands.”

  Obeying his instruction, I moved my hands behind me as he continued to probe at my sex with a single finger. My hips wagged, eager for more of him. My body missed his touch and I craved him with that simple reminder. He knew the right depth, angle, and pace to melt my brain into a pile of slush. A dark decadent little chuckle left his lips with every mewling little moan that broke from mine. Right when that warmth and pleasure started to build, he abruptly withdrew his finger and grabbed my wrists, pinning them at the small of my back.

  “Do you know why you’re being punished?” That simple question rolled over my body like a caress of silk, my back arched and my hips rolled.

  “N-no, Master.” I struggled a little in his arms and glanced over my shoulder at Nikolai who was just staring at me.

  “Nikolai, do you know why your Mistress is being punished?”

  “She abandoned me,” Nikolai answered without missing a beat.

  “Mhm… Autumn, praise Nikolai. Call him Kolen’ka and tell him how good and obedient he’s being, tell him he may kiss you, if you think he deserves it.”

  “I’d rather she call me Niki.” Nikolai retorted. There wasn’t even a second’s lapse between Niki leaving Nikolai’s lips and the paddle smacking across his jaw with a loud whoosh followed by an almost sickening crack. He yelped as he was knocked over with the force. Part of me delighted in watching Nikolai’s lithe tattooed form punished.

  Aleksi sucked his teeth. “You should know better than to speak out of turn, Kolen’ka,” he practically snickered out. Nikolai stayed with his cheek to the floor for a few moments before returning to kneeling. He was trembling, and blood dripped down from his lip. “You got to pick what Autumn called you when you were her dom. She’s your Mistress now, you serve her, not the other way around.”

  “Yes…” Nikolai trailed off and his brows furrowed. He didn’t know how to address Aleksi.

  “You call me by my name.” Even as he spoke to Nikolai his attention was clearly on me as he rubbed that wooden paddle against the curve of my bottom. “How does ten swats sound, beautiful Autumn?” I couldn’t stop a smile from slipping over my lips as I recalled the exchange between Byron and Estella the night before.

  “Wonderful. If that is what pleases you, Master.” My smile was practically audible and gained a soft groan from Aleksi’s lips. I could feel his hard length start to press against my stomach as I dangled across his powerful thighs. Smack. I screamed as he brought the paddle down without warning across my bottom. A sob choked from my lips and tears blurred my vision from the abrupt pain. I struggled, twisting as the sting lingered, not moving away from the blow to come but rather attempting to find a way to bear it.

  “Autumn.” His voice was stern, but far from cold. “I know you know what’s expected of you.” He brought the paddle down again. Crack. I kicked and squealed against the brutal sting.

  “Thank you, Master,” I sobbed out panting trying to catch my breath. It was confusing, my body was literally confused. I was extraordinarily aroused and in pain all at the same time. The tears that left my eyes were more psychological ones than anything else, he hadn’t hit me exceptionally hard.

  “One. Shh.” He soothed as he rubbed my bottom. “We’ll go slow. Okay, my love?” Hearing him call me ‘my love’ made a shiver roll down my spine. He kissed my shoulder and lingered for a moment as he continued to rub my stinging flesh. He placed another soft lingering kiss on my shoulder blade before he sat back up again. “The safe word is…juice box, say it.”

  Four swallows and a few breaths later I found my voice.

  “Juice box.” I warbled out.

  “Good girl.” Smack. He brought the paddle down again, and I yelped the noise wasn’t as extreme but the tears wouldn’t stop.

  “Thank you, M-master.”

  “Two. You look so beautiful accepting your punishment. You’re not even twisting away. Isn’t she remarkable, Nikolai?”

  “Beyond remarkable.” Nikolai practically groaned out.

  By the end, my face was tear soaked, but I only hissed with each blow of the paddle. My face wasn’t the only thing soaked, however. I was almost embarrassed by the slick wetness that coated my inner thighs. My backside burned and tingled but the rest of my body was singing with arousal. Yet I was supremely exhausted, as Aleksi picked me up I felt utterly boneless.

  “Mm, you’re so exquisite.” Aleksi purred to me as kissed along my jaw.

  “Thank you, Master.”

  “How do you feel?” He inquired in a warm careful voice as he wiped the tears, and ruined make up from my eyes.

  “Horny…sore.” He chuckled at my response and dipped low as he turned a faucet on. The sound of running water made me look around the room. We were in a b
athroom now, from the door I could make out the white room with the golden accents. The bathroom was similarly decorated, all white and cream granite and marble with what I was hoping to be fake ivy climbing the walls behind the bathtub which was almost the size of a small pool.

  “You looked like you needed a good cry.” He asserted as he knelt on the side of the tub with me in his arms.

  “I…I think I did.” A smile blossomed across my lips, Nikolai came in with three towels and a scowl across his face.

  “She wasn’t ready for that, Aleksi. We didn’t do anything near that hard." Nikolai practically growled. Oh look, he cares.

  “She didn’t use the safe word, and she’s dripping wet.” And once again you’re an auxiliary character in your own life story. “You have your ways of doing things, and I have mine, Kolka.” Aleksi smirked a big shit eating grin at Nikolai. The tattooed male’s body tensed completely but he didn’t do anything about that tension. Instead his shoulders sagged and he leaned back against that pristine white counter. Aleksi lowered me into the water in triumph.

  The minute that water hit my abused flesh a cry clawed its way from my throat. Aleksi held me and stroked my hair until my body relaxed, but those burning blue eyes were fixed on Nikolai.

  “Into the bath.” Aleksi ordered snapping at him as I leaned against the slick golden veined marble. Once my ass stopped feeling like it was being boiled alive I raised my gaze to Nikolai. Our eyes locked, there was some reason he didn’t like the names Aleksi wanted him called. Judging by his past I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. I did know that I wanted to be embraced by both of them. Nikolai has every reason to not want to be by you. Taking a deep breath I gathered up all of my bravery. Don’t you say it! You just got him back don’t piss him off.

  “Niki, if you don’t want to be here it’s fine if you go elsewhere.” I offered him a reassuring smile.

  “Unfortunately, Autumn, it’s not up to you. He needs to learn to follow me. You, lovely Autumn, hold the bond but it was my essence that brought him back.” Aleksi lectured as he stood and stripped off those jeans and the white t-shirt he wore. Just like that, my brain turned to mush. It had been a while since I had seen Aleksi naked, oh I had seen Nikolai naked and the canvas was similar but there was one distinct difference of about three and a half inches. I unconsciously bit my bottom lip as my eyes climbed and devoured every inch of Aleksi’s nude fatless body. Oh the cocky bastard knew the effect he had on me. “Whether you want it to be or not, this is the reality of your situation, Kolka. This is the reality of our situation. The bond between you and Autumn needs to be nurtured; the same as the bond between us, and the bond between Autumn and I.” As he exposited he lowered himself into the water. “This isn’t ideal. I’d much rather have Autumn all to myself… but I’m a pragmatist at heart. I’d have Evan in here as well if I didn’t think the reality of the situation would depress him. He has a very gentle heart, and I don’t think the reality would sit well with him.” Evan? Yes, Evan. That would be the other vampire you’ve bound to you. Or did you forget that obsession with you that began after he tasted you.

  Nikolai shook his head but relented, slipping the tights from his hips and joining us in the tub. Neither of us knew what to do exactly, there was a clear level of discomfort. We had all hurt each other in some way or another, and in non-entertaining ways. Maybe my mind was still foggy from being so turned on during the spanking but I was suddenly hyper aware of the fact that I was naked… and they were naked. I crossed my ankles in the water and slid my hands down my thighs.

  “Niki, I’m…I’m sorry about…everything. I just… I didn’t know what I was doing, I couldn’t shake my grief”—I looked at Aleksi for a second—“and when I did, I didn’t recognize myself. I mean… I was sleeping with two guys at once while a third slept at the foot of the bed. That wasn’t me…I mean I don’t think it’s me.” Says the woman naked in a tub with two naked males. I see your point. How do you feel now? What does that have to do with anything? Does this feel wrong? You’re just being cooperative because Aleksi’s naked. Yeaaaaaaah. I sighed. But Miss Manners did have a point, even if it was brought on by her deep desire to have Aleksi do naughty things to me. It didn’t feel wrong. “Maybe it is me and I’ve been fighting it because I’ve been told my entire life that things are supposed to be one way…only to find out that they aren’t. I don’t want to force you to be here, Niki.”

  “He wants to be here, he told me. Maybe not with words, but the way he looks at you; the tattoo on his back.” Aleksi leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “He loves you, Autumn. Like you love me. You could make him crawl naked over broken glass and he would still kiss your feet and sing your praises.” Aleksi’s words made Nikolai’s eyes drop to the water and that small mouth twist. Was he right? Of course he’s right. “He’s a good little sub; so our Kolka followed Elizabeta’s instructions to the letter. And you did not endear yourself to Elizabeta by mangling the poor boy’s heart again. I said I didn’t want you to top him for a reason, and it was only partially selfish. This is why. But now that the horse is out of the barn and the gate is unlocked so to speak… I might as well instruct you on how to be good to him. I am his immortal father as well as his biological one, I don’t want him destroyed… no matter how my vindictive little heart is inclined.” Aleksi shifted and his back popped like popcorn. “Wrap your arms around him, let him know that you care for him… I know you do. It might not be anywhere near what you feel for me. But before he attempted to end my life dare I say he was your second favorite person in the whole wide world.” That tidbit of information brought Nikolai’s eyes to mine. I had nothing to offer in return so I waded my way over to Nikolai and wrapped my arms around him.

  The déjà vu sent a chill down my spine, but I still snuggled against him as his arms wrapped around me. My fingertips traced the raised flesh of one of his scars. I could feel his contentment just from having me show him such a simple form of affection, but I wasn’t half as contented. My mind meandered morosely to what Aleksi had said. Nikolai loved me like I loved him. But did Aleksi love me the same way back? My brows knit, and Aleksi’s attention snapped to me. That’s a stupid question.

  With everyone finally settled down and washed, the three of us collapsed into bed when it was growing dark out. Nikolai, as always, was the first to fall asleep. It didn’t even occur to me that we were all still nude until Aleksi yanked me back against his hard cooling body and buried his face in my wet hair. Then I heard a sound that seemed so absolutely, abhorrently alien to my ears that I almost thought I was hallucinating. Aleksi sobbed. His body shook with his sorrow as he clung to me and nuzzled against my damp dark tresses. He held me impossibly tight, so tight I could hardly breathe.

  “Aleksi?” I hushed out into the darkness and he stilled. I heard his swallow as his grip on me tightened. However, he didn’t respond to me at first. I laced my fingers with his and hugged his arms to me.

  “I’m fine, go to sleep.” He whispered into my hair tightening his grip a little more.

  “You were resurrected a handful of hours ago. No one expects you to be fine, Aleksi.”

  “One spanking and you’re suddenly so sure of yourself.” He chucked through his sniffles. I turned and looked at him, in the darkness of the room those eyes were still neon blue. “My Autumn.” He purred with sad eyes as his cold fingers stroked my cheek. His face was a patchwork of emotions, his eyes were sad with little diamond sparkles of tears threatening in the corners. But his lips were pulled into a genuine smile. This was Aleksi laid bare like he had been in that video. Those tears broke and trailed slowly down his cheeks. Poor Aleksi. Yes, Poor Aleksi. His whole life he’s been used and shit on by everyone. What did he say once? That Vlad was the only father figure he had that didn’t use him? Well he just did. I wiped the tears from his cheek as our legs intertwined. “I’m never letting you go ever again. I was…” His voice fell into nothingness. “I was being a moron. And Charlotte”—He shook his head—“wel
l that was a mistake.”

  “M-more than you know. She outed me.” I fought the frown that threatened by pursing my lips.

  “She what?” Aleksi and the shadows around us snapped. Nikolai sat up startled; he fanatically looked around. Without even thinking I held my hand out to him; he then pulled himself flush against my back his hand wrapping around my waist as he pressed his forehead against the crook of my neck.

  “She’s written a tell-all memoir, The Danseur’s Slave. It’s about how you loved her more than anyone else in the world and made her sign a contract to date her. Oh, and you apparently gave me to Nikolai when you found her, and I’m stalking you.”

  “Of course she did.” He rolled his eyes. “Well we’ll just have to prove her wrong.” He gruffly whispered into my mouth before kissing me roughly. His lips on mine returned my mind back into a pile of jell-o. I didn’t care about anything but his tongue probing my mouth as he explored every inch of it with his searching tongue. The kiss seemed to last forever, and I twisted and writhed my hips between Aleksi and Nikolai. “You’re exhausted.” He purred as he pulled away from me. Oddly enough I felt more than a little light headed from the kiss, could I resonate with two people? Maybe? You seem to be all sorts of weird so I wouldn’t be surprised if you could. “We will have all the time in the world for everything else.”

  “You just like…knowing I’m needy for you.”

  “Mhm.” He kissed my forehead. “Now sleep.” It was like a command, like his voice gave permission for my body to give in to the exhaustion settled deep in my bones. Sleep took me, wrapping me in its velvety warmth. But even through that sensuous seductive sleepy haze I could still hear Aleksi sniffling as he cried to himself in the darkness.