by Ella Frank
Damn. One hundred years.
“Ahh, there’s your voice. Your thoughts,” the vampire said with much satisfaction. “For a minute there, I thought—wait a second.”
When a soft breeze ruffled his hair, Paris’s pulse thundered. The vampire was now back in front of him.
“What is your name?”
Paris raised his head, the voice having come from above where he was sitting, and suddenly, any feeling of safety vanished. He really wished he had stood. Instead, he reached for the glass, and it was pushed into his hand. He sucked a breath back and raised the glass to his lips with unsteady fingers.
After he’d downed the liquid courage, he said, “Why don’t you just look and find out?”
Before he knew it, he was caged in against the chair, two arms as solid as iron bars trapping him in place.
“Don’t you understand? I do not wish to take it from you. I recently had decisions made for me and it…altered my opinion on how to conduct certain things.”
Paris had no idea what he was talking about, but just like when he’d first entered the room and the male had pressed him to the wall, silky hair grazed his cheek and he wondered what the vampire looked like.
“Do not wish for that, glikie andra. I am not something you wish to ever see. Trust me.”
Sweet man? Interesting choice of words.
“I thought you said you wouldn’t do that,” Paris said. “Go inside my head.”
“No,” the voice said, now close to his ear. “I said I wouldn’t take answers. Not that I wouldn’t listen to things pertaining to me. Now tell me your name.”
Paris turned his head. Though he couldn’t see the shape or silhouette of anything, he did catch a glowing, blue glint of light and somehow knew that it was one of the vampire’s eyes.
“It’s Paris. Paris Antoniou. What’s yours?”
He wasn’t sure if he would get an answer, but as the light vanished, he sensed when the male’s presence left him. He’d gone back to his corner, once again putting distance between them. A distance Paris sensed the vampire did not necessarily want but felt he must keep.
“My name is Thanos.”
“Thanos,” Paris mused. “That means immortal.”
More ice was dropped into a glass, and then alcohol was poured.
“One of life’s many great ironies,” Thanos said. “Perhaps my mother knew something I did not.”
Paris nodded. Huh, despite knowing that the fear fueling his idiotic complacency should have him terrified at being held against his will, he was actually enjoying himself. He liked talking to this male.
“I told you not to think like that.”
“I can’t help it. You’re being very kind considering what you are and who I am.”
“I don’t care who you are,” Thanos announced. “I just care that we have never met before today. So sit with me here and drink the night away, Paris Antoniou.”
As Paris brought the glass to his mouth, he asked, “And where exactly are we?”
“Why, we are in hell, my friend, and I believe the devil himself sent you.”
Paris swallowed the fiery liquid and then a low sinister voice, not the male across the room, but an unfamiliar one entered his mind and said, He doesn’t know how very right he is. Welcome, Paris Antoniou. You don’t know how long I have been waiting for you.
WHEN ISADORA AND Diomêdês faded into her chambers, Alasdair got to his feet. He lowered his head in a gesture of age-old respect when one was in the presence of an Ancient, but it was also no doubt due to his being on the outs with her sire as of late. Something her kidnapping had led to.
“Alasdair,” Diomêdês said, and the signal that her cousin could raise his head was received.
Alasdair looked at both of them before speaking. “Diomêdês.”
“I see you have been keeping guard for my Isadora.”
“That is correct.”
“Quite a risk, is it not? The rest of the lair will not be happy when they learn who she has in her bedchambers.”
Isadora winced at the blunt declaration.
As Alasdair looked over his shoulder at the man still secured to her bedpost, he gave a shrug. “The way I see it, it is nobody’s business who an Ancient’s first-sired brings to their bed.”
“Even if he is a threat to the very existence of our kind?”
“Right now, he is handcuffed and knocked unconscious. He doesn’t seem that threatening to me. Perhaps the lair should trust their leaders to know what is best for them. You have not misled us yet. In fact, I would say you have led us quite well, considering we are well over two thousand years and thriving.”
“This is true.”
“Of course it is. These men, demigods if we are to believe this man, they were sent with one purpose. Thus far, they have failed or not followed through. Would it not be wise to see if we can alter their path? Sway their purpose? It is clear this one holds affection for Isadora. Why not use that?”
“As Vasilios has with your yielding?”
When Alasdair’s eyes narrowed, Isadora thought he was about to get himself in trouble by telling Diomêdês to fuck off. Instead, he bit back whatever thought he’d originally had and replied, “Yes.”
“You sound just like him, you know. Vasilios. He would be proud of you at this moment.”
As Alasdair preened under the praise, Diomêdês walked around him to inspect the man sprawled over her bed.
Isadora found Alasdair’s gaze and mouthed, “Thank you.”
“For once you may be right, Alasdair,” Diomêdês told him.
“Imagine that,” her cousin said as he shook his head. Then he flashed past her towards the door.
She couldn’t help but grin at his haughty response. It was so like the Alasdair she knew, a welcome relief after everything they’d recently been through.
She’d wondered if things would ever feel the same again, especially with Thanos absent and so despondent. So, before he left, she took his arm and murmured, “Thank you. Thank you for coming for me.”
Alasdair swung the door open and pushed into her mind, There is nothing to thank me for, Isa. You are of my blood. I will always come for you when you are in danger. Then he was gone.
She looked back to where Diomêdês was looming over Elias and let her gaze shift between the man and her sire. Both males were so incredibly different. The only thing they had in common was how bold and headstrong they were, and seeing them so close made her question how this would ever work.
As if she’d spoken aloud, Diomêdês asked her, “Do you want it to work, Isadora?”
“Yes,” she told him, sure of that at least. “But is this wise?”
As she made her way across the room to him, a spark entered her sire’s eyes.
“Are matters of the heart ever wise?” he asked.
“We do not possess a heart,” she pointed out.
He raised a hand to her. “Come.”
Her eyes never wavered from his as she walked closer. Whenever he showed this side to her, she knew she would follow him to the ends of the Earth should he ask. So she placed her hand in his.
When he drew her to him, he told her, “You have the kindest heart I have ever known, my Isadora.”
Her eyelids fluttered closed at his kind words.
“Just because it does not beat does not mean we don’t experience the same conflicts we once would have. We have just learned to push aside emotions that make us weak. But, for some, they are easier to find.”
“Because I am female?”
He cupped her cheek and frowned. “No. Because you are mine, and your heart is what first drew me to you. Why would I ever want you to deny what is inside it? I never wanted you to forget that, and because of you, I still possess the use of mine.”
As her eyes blurred with tears borne of joy, the sheets on the bed rustled, capturing her attention. She was surprised to find Elias wide awake and staring right at her.
AS ELIAS CAME to, he was stun
ned to find he was still alive. However, that was definitely the case considering the low voices floating all around him. Voices he recognized as Isadora and her sire’s. His arms were stretched over his head, and the metal of new cuffs was cool on his wrists. He struggled, trying to sit up, but it was no use.
When he opened his eyes, he saw who was standing with Isadora by the bed.
“I see you have finally awoken,” the vampire said, shocking Elias because he wasn’t even looking at him.
A smile spread across Isadora’s lips, and he was curious what the cause of it was.
The fact that he was cuffed to her bed? The way they’d rolled around down at the waterfall? Or maybe it was because she’d knocked him unconscious. Yeah, that’s probably it. Who knew when it came to this female? Hell, maybe it was the simple fact that her sire was about to help him meet a horrid death.
As the tall, silver-haired vampire turned to face him, Elias sucked in a breath. His blazing, blue eyes were as full of emotions as Isadora’s when they landed on him.
“My Isa has been waiting on you. We have much to discuss.”
Isadora sat on the mattress beside him, and as it dipped, his body pitched her way.
“Elias,” she said, never taking her eyes from him. “I want to formally introduce you to my sire, my Ancient, Diomêdês.”
She said it with such sincerity that he couldn’t help his slight hilarity.
“It is rather formal, isn’t it?” he asked. “Considering I’m in handcuffs?”
A frown marred her perfect features as she scowled at him, and as her mouth opened to no doubt snap at him, the male placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Forgive us the handcuffs. Isadora seems to believe you would behave, but I do not trust you just yet, and since your blood seems to be close to liquid silver, it’s best we keep you secure for now.”
Elias tugged on the chains and grit his teeth. “Why am I still alive?”
“Because that is how she prefers you. And what Isadora wants, I always try to give.”
“Isn’t that nice.”
“You have a foul temper, Mr. Fontana, when we are doing everything in our power to be, shall we say, polite?”
Elias slid his gaze back to Isadora. “Where is Paris? You know, the shy guy from my office. Remember him?”
“I do. As far as I am aware, he is still in the holding cell. Unharmed.”
“How reassuring. If anything has happened to him—”
“The only person in jeopardy of something happening to them is you.”
As Elias glared up at the male, the side of his mouth twitched. He realized he amused him. This bastard liked his defiance.
“Uncuff me,” he demanded of him.
Isadora gasped. Then the male removed his hand from Isadora’s shoulder and leaned over the bed so that his hair fell around Elias’s face. He’d never in his life been attracted to the same sex, but as this vampire’s mouth came within inches of his, Elias’s heart thudded.
“I will release you when I am ready and you promise to behave yourself.”
His eye twitched as he stared into the glowing ones and shook his head. “I make no promises.”
“Then you shall remain shackled.”
As the male made a move to leave, Elias said, “Wait.”
“Yes?” he inquired, tilting his head to the side. His inspection was clinical in nature, but when he stopped on his lips, the blue orbs flared to life again.
“Why am I still alive? What do you want from me?”
“I want to keep you close.”
As the male’s fangs appeared, Elias’s gaze shifted to the pointed tips. If possible, they seemed even sharper than Isadora’s. He swallowed, not sure he’d be able to fight the guy off if it came down to it.
“I can see what you are thinking in your eyes. Let me assure you, I do not wish for you and me to be that close.”
Elias squinted as his heart thundered. “Then—”
“It is my Isa who wants you, and I am of a mind to let her have you. With my permission comes my name and, therefore, my protection, which, let us be honest, you need right now to remain alive. There is only one condition to my granting this.”
Elias knew he shouldn’t ask, but what did he have left to lose? “And that is?”
“I get to watch.”
ISADORA WASN’T SURE what was going through Elias’s mind, and it was infuriating. With every other yielding she had brought to her bed or Diomêdês’s, she’d been able to tell if they were interested or not. Elias, the baffling man, had worked out a way to block her.
With Diomêdês only inches from the restrained Elias, she wondered what the proud human was thinking. She couldn’t see his face, so that was no indication. All she could feel was the tension in the air—and it was thick.
She had never thought Elias would be interested in this kind of relationship—a triad—which was one of the many reasons she had let him go all those years earlier. But, when he’d confessed to having a wild streak back at the waterfall, she had seen possibilities. Possibilities she’d only ever dreamed of. One she couldn’t walk away from without pursuing. All she had to do was convince the two males she wanted involved.
“You want to…watch?” Elias asked.
A rumble of anticipation left Diomêdês at the thought, and she could see what he was imagining clear in his mind as if it were already happening. Yes, her Ancient was on board even if he had some lingering apprehension about how wise this was. Now she just needed Elias to wrap his mind around what he’d just been asked.
“That is right, Mr. Fontana. Surely you are not naïve to some people’s predilection when it comes to watching one engage in sexual acts.”
The way Diomêdês spoke of his sexual preference so confidently had Isadora’s body heating as if he were already witnessing her perform for him. Only she and Vasilios knew of the horrid torture he’d endured due to his nature and the years after which he’d spent denying that side of him. It wasn’t until he had found her that he’d confided in another. He’d shared with her his past and found that she was more than willing to bond with him in this intimate way. And they’d searched for years for a third who would fit them both.
Could they be so lucky that Elias would be that one? Or was it crazy to even imagine?
The distinct sound of metal jangled as the cuffs were released, and when Diomêdês moved aside and resumed his position behind her, one hand on her shoulder, Elias sat up and rubbed his wrists.
“Do not make me regret freeing you,” Diomêdês advised.
Elias frowned before he looked to her. “Is this what you want?” he asked.
Diomêdês’s fingers squeezed her shoulder, urging her to be honest.
“It is.”
Elias raised his eyes back to her sire. “I assume this is my only option?”
“You would be correct. Unless the idea of the members of this lair having their way with you is more appealing.”
Annoyance flickered in Elias’s eyes, but he wasn’t a fool. He’d seen their reaction to him when he’d entered the Assembly Hall. He knew that, the second he stepped foot out of this room, he was as good as dead unless he agreed to this.
“I know why I would agree to this,” Elias said. “But why would you willingly deny yourself her body? It’s clear she loves you, so why watch her with someone else?”
She waited for Diomêdês to respond, wondering what he would say.
“Isadora is mine. I know this, as does she. She wants you to be hers, and the only way that shall happen is if you agree to these terms.”
“And what happens while I’m not fucking her for your entertainment?”
Diomêdês grabbed Elias by the arm and hauled him to the edge of the bed. “Do not speak of her like a common whore. You should be grateful she feels as she does for you, or you would be dead where you currently kneel.”
“Diomêdês,” Isadora said, finally speaking. She placed her hand on the arm that held Elias in place. As
she glanced between the two males, she whispered, “I have dreamed of such a meeting over and over, but never were you two quite so angry at one another. Please release him.”
As Diomêdês loosened his grip, she turned to Elias, who sat back on the bed.
“Let us show you who we are, Elias. I do not believe you would hold such hatred if you truly understood our kind.”
Elias’s eyes were full of confusion and regret as he asked, “Why are you doing this when one word would secure my death? I tried to kill you.”
“As I have you,” she stressed. “We both failed. There is a reason for that. One that I believe is quite simple.” She looked to Diomêdês and then back to the one who seemed completely mystified before whispering, “Love.”
LOVE? NO, IT isn’t possible. But as he stared at the beautiful face studying his every move, it sure as fuck felt possible.
“It can’t work, Isadora,” he said under his breath.
Before he could blink, she was kneeling in front of him on the bed. She had his hands in hers, and her eyes were wide and guileless as she peered up at him.
“Don’t say no,” she pleaded, bringing her fingers to his lips. “I can’t bear to hear you say no.”
His eyes flicked to the one watching them from the side of the bed, and he was shocked to see such a soft expression on the male’s face.
“I can’t do it again, Elias,” she whispered.
Before thinking about it, he put his arms around her shoulders, and the fierce, stunning vampire crawled into his lap.
“What can’t you do?” he asked.
“I can’t let you go. Not again.”
He swallowed the anguish back as she placed her hand over his chest, where his heart thumped. “Isadora, this is not—”
“Just as I could not end you,” she confessed, resting her ear to his chest. “Because, even if you are not with me, even if you are dead or gone, you are still here.” She touched her fingers to her throat, where the rose lay. “I do not have a beating heart, but I know how to love. This is my heart,” she told him. “These feelings for our kind? They are so hard to find, but with you, I found them. I love you as I have only loved two before. Please stay. Please stay with me and let me show you.”
