by Jo Carlisle
“No,” she assured him, taking one of his hands in hers. “This is my palace in the Otherworld that I share with my sisters. I healed you, and now you will remain here, with me.”
“I…” The vampire shook his head. “I don’t understand. If I’m not dead, I should be able to go home once I’ve recovered from the attack. What am I missing?”
She wanted to tell him the whole truth, but she just couldn’t. Not yet. Not until she figured out how to deal with Odin and her sisters, and what to do about the fact that she’d disobeyed an order, saving Luc instead. And oh yeah, that the vampire was her mate.
Rising from the cooling bathwater, she straightened her spine and stepped out, injecting a thread of steel into her voice. “Let the water out. Can you stand and walk now?”
“I think so.”
“Then fetch another towel, and join me.”
He obeyed, moving carefully, casting wary glances at her as he did. After they’d dried off, she led him into the bedroom and padded to her walk-in closet, searching for something for him to wear while he waited. Coming up with a pair of black silk lounging pants, she decided they’d work.
“Here,” she said, tossing them at him. “These belong to Taryn. You’re leaner than he is, but they’ll do for the time being. It’s not as though you’re going to need many clothes anyhow.”
That last bit got his full attention, and he paused in the act of inspecting them. “So, my role here is the same as Taryn’s?” he asked evenly.
She approached him, putting some sway into her hips. “Taryn’s role is to see to my every need and desire. To anticipate them at times, before I even know what I want, to take initiative within reason. To provide friendly counsel if I ask for his opinion.”
“And me?” His voice was low, husky.
“You’ll do exactly as I tell you and nothing more. No anticipation, no initiative, no counsel, friendly or otherwise—you haven’t yet earned those rights. Taryn has.”
He stared. She smirked.
“I’ll be your slave,” he said quietly, but not in acceptance. His voice was low and dangerous.
Stepping close, she gently cupped his balls in her palm. Kneaded and rubbed until his cock began to stir. “Will that be so bad?” she breathed into his lips, kissing them lightly. “You may as well be honest. Blood will tell, as they say.”
“I can’t do this.” But desire betrayed him.
“Your body shows quite a different answer.”
His jaw tightened. “I might be well versed in the art of pleasure, but I’m nobody’s whore.”
But his erection, stiffening, filled her hand, betraying him as thoroughly as anything could. His recovery time was excellent, and he would serve her well. “From where I stand, there’s little difference.”
“You’re wrong. My brothers and I run an adult pleasure resort in New Orleans. Our job is to make sure the guests are satisfied in every way and—”
“You’re paid for sex. How does that not make you simply a high-priced rent boy in luxurious surroundings?”
His eyes darkened. “I am not paid for sex. I employ plenty of qualified staff to fulfill the guests’ sexual fantasies, but if I choose to participate where I’m wanted, then that’s a nice bonus for all concerned.”
“Semantics.”
“The truth,” he insisted. “I’m not a slave, and I won’t start now, even for a female like you.” He grimaced, realizing his slip the second it left his lips.
She pounced. “You find me attractive, then. Hard to resist.” Gripping his shaft, she stroked the turgid length, so warm and silky smooth. “Perhaps too hard, so why bother?”
With a strangled noise, he spread his legs a fraction wider and closed his eyes. A sense of impending victory spurred her on, to make certain pride fell before the eroticism of surrender. Of complete, total submission and the rewards it would bring.
“I can’t take you home right now, and perhaps not for some time,” she said softly. “And vampires can’t travel between dimensions.”
“One of your sisters can escort me, maybe?” His voice was becoming breathless, sounding less adamant.
“No, they won’t help either of us in this case. The truth is, I’m in deep shit with one of the gods, one who’d love to get at me in any way, including striking at you or Taryn. So, you and I will stay here for now, where it’s safe.”
That was only a portion of the truth. To her relief, he didn’t question what deep shit she’d gotten into, though he would. Eventually.
“And I’ll belong to you.”
“Yes.”
“Just while I’m here?”
“That’s right.” With any luck, that will be a long while. Leaning forward, she cupped his face and pressed her lips to his. Deepened the pressure, slipping her tongue inside to taste, to swirl it around his fangs, which were obviously an erogenous zone.
Pushing into her, burying a hand in her hair, he devoured her mouth, accidentally nicking her lower lip in the process. The sting was followed by warm blood coating their tongues, mingling their flavor. Gasping, Luc straightened and took a step back, blinking at her.
“Great gods! You taste like—like fucking ambrosia!”
“Do you need more?”
“Hell, yes!”
“Ask me politely,” she corrected him.
His expression was a mixture of anger and desperation. The look said he was used to giving orders, not taking them. Yet he wanted to play, so capitulation wasn’t long in coming. “Please, Kassandra. I need to drink from you.”
“Much better.” Holding out her wrist, she said, “You haven’t earned the right to take it from my neck.”
Nodding, he took the offered wrist without complaint and held it to his lips. He licked the blue veins visible through her pale skin, sending a jolt of pleasure to her nerve endings. Then he settled his mouth over the spot and eased the tips of his razor-sharp fangs through the delicate skin. He must’ve been starving after all the blood he’d lost, but to her surprise, he was exceedingly gentle. The sucking pull caused no pain at all. On the contrary, the feeling was quite extraordinary.
Lazy whorls spiraled through her limbs, tiny shocks prickling her skin. Her nipples puckered to hard points and her sex heated, making it difficult not to squirm. Had he continued much longer, she had no doubt she would’ve lost control and climaxed. All too soon, however, he withdrew and licked the two holes, sealing them.
“Thank you,” he said hoarsely, returning her wrist.
“You’re welcome.” Her reply managed not to sound as shaky as she felt. “I assumed you’d need more, though.”
“Normally I would, but your blood is very rich. It was like drinking sunshine.” He gave her a hint of a smile.
“That’s a good thing? I thought the sun was deadly to vampires.”
“Wives’ tale. I can go out in the sun for short periods, though I’ll blister badly if I stay too long in direct sunlight.”
“Good to know—I don’t want any harm to come to you, especially not after I’ve gone to so much trouble to save your cute ass.”
“You think it’s cute?”
“Fishing for a compliment?”
“Maybe. Is it working?”
The smile felt odd on her face, yet she couldn’t help herself. Being around Luc made her feel better than she had in years, and now that his true personality was beginning to emerge as he relaxed, even more so. “You’re an incorrigible flirt, aren’t you?”
He shrugged, but his blue eyes were dancing. “It’s just who I am. So now that you’ve insisted on extending your hospitality indefinitely, you’ll have to get used to me.”
“As long as you adhere to our agreement during the course of your stay, you’re free to be yourself.”
“I don’t recall agreeing to anything.” At her arched brow, he relented. “Fine. For the record, I agree to be your vampire boy toy while I’m here.”
“Wise choice. I don’t think you’ll be sorry.”
K
ass might be sorry in the end, though, when Odin took his pound of flesh. But not Luc, if she could help it.
She had a sinking feeling that before their time together was done, she’d do anything to protect her mate.
Anything at all.
I don’t think you’ll be sorry.
That remained to be seen. This female was a creature of legend much rarer than a vampire or shifter. In the paranormal hierarchy, she was a mere one step below the gods themselves.
He was so fucked. And not necessarily in a good way.
Luc pulled on the black sleep pants and frowned at the tent in the front. She’d gotten him worked up, only this time she planned to leave him wanting. He had to admire her strategy if not the uncomfortable results.
“Let’s go see if my sisters left us any dinner.”
He looked up to see the woman pulling on a comfortable-looking royal blue linen robe, which she belted around the waist. “Dressed in our bedclothes?”
“It’s getting late, so no one will care.”
“I get the distinct impression that you don’t care if they do or not.”
“I don’t. It’s my home, and I’ll walk around completely naked if I please.”
Again, the confidence. He liked that. “Don’t dress on my account.”
“You wish.” Throwing him a smirk, she headed from the bedroom.
Luc trailed behind her, getting his first good look at the palace beyond her private chambers, and stifled a whistle of appreciation. He and his brothers were quite comfortably wealthy, but nothing like this. They’d dined with kings and had been the guests of royalty from Europe to the Far East over the centuries, and the Valkyrie’s palace was easily the equal of any they’d seen.
White, gold-veined marble tile was cool under his bare feet. Long corridors were graced by vaulted ceilings, hand-painted with all sorts of scenery, with figures of what appeared to be gods and goddesses engaged mostly in the two sole pursuits they gave a damn about—battling or making love.
He and his hostess—or was that mistress?—navigated through an opulent living area to a large dining room. A long, dark table sat in the center surrounded by some twenty chairs. The setup was gorgeous, but definite overkill for a family of six.
It struck him that for some reason, this place didn’t seem to fit Kassandra at all—at least going by what he’d gotten to know of her so far. Sure, among immortals she was damned near royalty, but her home was ostentatious to the point of being ridiculous. It wasn’t sleek, savvy, and in control like the warrior within.
Keeping his opinion of her home to himself, he sat in a spot near the closest end where she indicated. This placed him directly across from a lovely dark-haired woman perhaps a few years older than Kassandra. Or he thought she was lovely until she turned to Kassandra wearing a forbidding scowl, her face pinched as though she’d smelled a bad odor.
“Since when do we allow our whores at the table to dine with us?”
He felt as though he’d been slapped. The bitch had coldly enunciated “whores” as though saying “wet dogs.” And it rudely brought home the point Luc had been trying to make with Kassandra before.
Luc’s lip lifted in a snarl. “I’m not a damned—”
“Serena, this is Lord Luc Fontaine, the injured vampire I brought home the day before yesterday,” his new mistress said sharply, cutting off his snide retort before it could form. “Luc, this is my oldest sister, Serena.”
Drawing herself up, Serena gazed at him coolly, with new interest. “He’s still here? I didn’t recognize him not covered by all the dirt and blood.”
Immediately, he decided he didn’t like this woman at all. Looking directly at him, speaking about him as though he wasn’t there or was a species of exotic insect, was a purposeful insult that made his blood boil. He hated people like that and did his best to avoid them.
“He’s sitting right here,” Luc said with a smile that deliberately showed his fangs. “I’ll thank you to speak to me, not around me.”
The woman studied him for a long moment, her dark, catlike eyes watchful. Calculating. “Sister, you’ve certainly found a mouthy one. I do hope he learns to put it to good use.”
“What I do or don’t do with my talented mouth is nothing you’ll need to worry about,” he said sweetly. “If I’m in the mood for something cold, I’ll suck an ice cube.” As expected, the barb hit the mark.
A flicker of what might’ve been hurt marred the cold perfection of her face before her features smoothed again. “We’ll see about that.”
Interesting reaction. Was there a person with feelings hiding under Serena’s witchy facade? Or was she that good an actress to try and evoke sympathy? Somehow the emotion struck him as genuine.
Glancing to Kassandra to view her reaction, he saw her glaring at Serena with undisguised irritation. His mistress wasn’t buying.
He shrugged. “I have Kassandra to thank for saving my life, so I have agreed to serve her while I’m here. I’ll do whatever she asks of me….” Raising his brows, he looked to Kassandra for her say on the matter. Luc knew he’d engage in just about any kink she ordered—there wasn’t much he hadn’t done in three centuries, including siblings of both sexes—but there didn’t seem to be much love lost between the two sisters.
He took advantage of their glaring match to study them. One golden, the other dark. Both used to being in charge. Both stunning. But could he bed Serena? It was very difficult for him to fuck someone he didn’t at least like on a basic level—not impossible, just not nearly as satisfying.
Before Kassandra could reply, a young woman hurried into the room, carrying two place settings. She laid them out, then quickly excused herself. Kass picked up a fork, stabbed a piece of roast on a platter in the center of the table, and put it on her plate. She nodded at Luc, indicating for him to dish up. He did, waiting and watching with curiosity.
After casually chewing and swallowing a piece of meat, his mistress addressed her sister in a steely tone. “You touch my vampire without my permission and I’ll tear off your arms and beat you with them.”
My vampire. The threat delivered so succinctly, and that possessive term, made his pulse pound. Made him half hard again, too. It could be he was destined to spend his entire stay drowning in lust and fighting off—okay, pretending to fight off—bed partners. If that was the least of his worries, he’d cope.
Luc continued to eat, observing Serena and waiting for the explosion. Instead, she laughed, a deep throaty sound that wrapped around his dick and squeezed. The calculating expression vanished, replaced by an open smile and a wicked glint in those dark eyes, making her look almost…approachable.
“You always know how to banish my foul moods.”
Kassandra snorted, relaxing some, and the tension bled from the room. “Glad I could be a source of amusement.”
“Really, Kass, must you be so stingy with our delectable guest?”
“Why shouldn’t I? You’ve been a bitch to me for the past month.”
“I’ll do better,” her sister said, though she didn’t appear very contrite. “And, anyway, you need to be nice to me regardless, if you hope to get out of the mess you’ve created for yourself.”
“We’ll discuss that later,” Kassandra said sharply.
“You bet we will.” Rising, Serena tossed her napkin onto her plate. “I’m going to find my own entertainment and retire for the evening. Until tomorrow.”
Kassandra muttered a good-bye as her sister retreated, staring in the direction she’d gone. Luc gained her attention by voicing the question most on his mind.
“What mess? The one involving whatever you did to piss off the gods?”
“The same.”
“You said your sisters wouldn’t help, but Serena indicated she would,” he pointed out.
“For a price, I’m sure.” Her mouth twisted in a wry parody of a smile. “They never do anything that doesn’t benefit them in some way.”
“What did you do to tick off
the big guys, anyway?”
“None of your business. I have people all around me for sticking their noses in and giving me unsolicited advice.”
He laughed. “Well, they must really suck at giving it. Maybe I can help.”
She gave him a withering glare, then sighed. “That may be true, but when I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it.”
“Fair enough.”
“You’re not going to be a very obedient slave, are you?”
“Oh, I’m very obedient when I get the right orders.” He waggled his brows with a lecherous grin and was gratified when she smiled back. Another score.
“Eat your dinner and stop pestering me with questions I don’t intend to answer.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Dutifully, he took another bite.
“And don’t call me ma’am. It makes me feel ancient—and don’t make a smart-ass reply if you value your hide.”
“Anything else?” He gave her his most innocent look.
“No, dammit. Eat.”
Snickering, he finished his meal while mulling over his new circumstances. As worried as he was about Soren, Aldric was there to help him, not to mention the Council and their allies if need be. His brothers would be all right.
By the time they were finished eating, Luc could barely hold up his head. His chin bobbed until Kassandra stood, gently touching his shoulder.
“Your ordeal has taken a toll. Come on—let’s get you back in bed.”
“And not for fun, I gather?” His teasing emerged as a whisper.
“Not until I know you won’t pass out in the middle of it, you useless slave.”
He could have sworn her voice held a note of affection, which proved he must be more exhausted than he’d realized. She didn’t know him and had no reason to like him.
And then a few minutes later, he fell into the sheets, too tired to think anymore.
Luc awoke to lips, nibbling his skin. Two sets of lips, to be exact.
He was lying on his back, arms out from his sides, legs spread. Letting himself drift, he relished the dual sensation of one nipple being licked and teased, his abdomen receiving the same treatment while his lovers’ attention moved steadily south. Their long hair brushed over his torso and thighs like the threads of a spiderweb, making him shiver.
