by Jo Carlisle
Aldric and the demon glared at each other for a moment before his brother lowered the sword and nodded. “Sorry. I heard the yelling and assumed the worst.”
The demon’s claws and fangs retracted, and he shrugged. “No harm done.”
“I’ll just let you two get back to…whatever.”
After the door closed behind his brother, Luc scowled at his friend. “Wow, great going. You almost got yourself killed.”
“I’m not the one who started screaming like a woman.”
“A woman? Fuck you, asshole.”
“No, I’m going to fuck you. Shut up and lie down on your back, you pathetic excuse for a vampire.”
“And if I say no?”
“You don’t mean it. Your cock’s been half hard since the moment I arrived.” He pushed Luc down; this time, Luc didn’t yell. “Just admit you’re not going to refuse me, and let us get on with pleasing each other.”
Luc closed his eyes briefly as Legion toyed with the waistband of his sleep pants. His traitorous dick filled, seeking more of the demon’s touch. “I’m not going to say no. I guess you knew that.”
“I did. Now, we get these hideous pants off you. Really, Luc. Flannel?” He curled his lip.
“The demon’s a clothing snob. Who knew?”
But he shut his trap when the demon slid the offending flannel pj’s down his legs and then off, to be discarded over the side. Puzzled, he watched as Legion leaned over the side of the bed and pointed his finger at the floor. Luc turned over to watch.
Just in time to see the pants burst into flame and disappear in a cloud of smoke.
“Hey! That was my favorite pair, you jerk.”
A slender hand landed in the center of his chest and pushed hard. He landed on his back again, his protests withering and dying as Legion moved between his legs and began to mouth his cock. Until then, his rod had only been perking up in interest. Under his expert coaxing, his shaft began to stiffen and fill.
“Gods, that’s good.”
Legion took just the head between his lips, licking and sucking. The tongue probed his leaking slit, sending little twinges of pleasure through his groin. Then his shaft began to disappear. He stared in fascination as the demon slowly sucked him down, down, until the head of his cock hit the back of that slim throat. Apparently, Legion had no gag reflex.
Tightening the suction, the demon began to lave him in earnest. The sensation was so glorious, he became a puddle, willing to do whatever his lover wanted. His cock disappeared over and over, becoming slick with spit. The sight turned him on so damned much, he wanted to come.
Legion must’ve sensed Luc was ready. He released his prize with a pop and reached for a pillow, tucking it under Luc’s hips.
“Lube?”
“Top drawer.” Luc pointed.
In short order, the tube was retrieved, but Legion set it aside. Instead, he cupped Luc’s ass and lifted it off the pillow as though he weighed nothing. His cheeks were pried apart, and a puff of breath made him shiver.
“You want this, don’t you?”
“Gods, yes.” There was no sense in pretending anymore.
“Good,” the demon said in a low, seductive voice, “because I’m going to slick your delicious hole. Then I’ll finger-fuck you out until you scream my name and come all over your own belly. And only then will I stuff you with my cock and fuck you into the mattress until you come again. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” he croaked.
“Good boy.”
The first touch of the cool lube and the slender fingers to his hole electrified his entire body. He’d never had sex as dirty as he had with Legion, and even doubly so when Kass had been with them. No, don’t think of her right now. Enjoy this.
His mate had abandoned him, but he had his friend, with benefits.
The demon’s fingers circled his hole, two of them swabbing him. It was so fucking fine, being touched intimately there, it drove him beyond speech. When they slipped inside and began to pump him, he found his voice, though he couldn’t do more than make incoherent noises.
Then Legion bent and swallowed his shaft. He was lost to the tongue and lips devouring his cock as his ass was thoroughly worked over. Three fingers, fucking. Then four, spreading him open. The ministrations drove his arousal higher, higher. The throbbing began in his groin, and he couldn’t stop the swell if he wanted. He came with a shout, pumping his cream onto his belly.
“That’s it,” the demon crooned. “So fucking sexy, opened for me.”
The hands lifted him more, and suddenly he was impaled on a length of hard cock. The demon drove in deep, all the way, and he grunted in half pain, half pleasure. He could do nothing but hang on as his ass was thoroughly fucked, Legion giving him the pounding he’d promised.
The headboard banged the wall in time to the forceful thrusts, heightening his arousal again. His cock made a valiant effort to come again, and he actually managed to shoot off another couple of rounds before he shuddered, sated.
Legion thrust once more and stilled, filling him with slick heat, his cock twitching. And finally he was sated as well. Carefully he pulled out and moved to Luc’s side.
“You’re something else, vampire. I think you’d come to enjoy being mine. You’re sure you won’t reconsider? Please? This is as close to begging as I’ll ever be.”
“I might. If I weren’t mated to a female I love,” Luc said quietly.
They didn’t say anything more. Legion got dressed quietly and gave Luc a long, sad look before giving him a nod of acceptance. Then he vanished.
A strange disquiet enveloped Luc. But eventually his eyelids grew heavy and sleep took him.
Where he dreamed of a Valkyrie wielding a sword and owning his heart.
Odin found Kass by the marble fountain.
“You can’t hide here forever, dear.”
“You won’t make me leave,” she said with conviction. If she left, Luc would find her and try to convince her they could be together. He’d surely had time to think by now and to realize that she had been hiding something.
“You misunderstand,” the god said, his voice resigned. “I won’t make you leave—the Fates will intervene on that score.”
His words filled her with sick dread. “I don’t want to know how it will happen.”
“I can understand that. Not many would. But will it be so bad, serving me here?”
“You’re forgetting the part where I’m separated from my mate for eternity, because he’s not allowed to come here. The part where I have to exist forever, grieving for the man I can’t have. The love I thought I’d found.”
“But in choosing the short life thread and agreeing to come here after you die, you saved him from that end.”
She looked up at him then, trying to read the truth. “Did I, truly? He’s immortal as well. He could live forever, too.”
Odin shook his head. “He won’t. Nobody lives forever, Kass. Not you or me. Not even the gods. And not your vampire. The Fates have determined his end, and yes, it could be many centuries from now, but his life thread will end.”
Tears escaped despite her effort to blink them away. “And where will his spirit go when he dies?”
“He’ll simply be at rest when his spirit goes into the Fade. He’ll be incorporeal, beyond reach.”
“Truly, finally dead.”
“Yes. Your actions saved him from spending an eternity without you.”
“Then that will have to be enough.”
The god gave her a funny look then, one she couldn’t read. He kept much to himself, but she knew he wouldn’t tell her what he was thinking if she asked. He’d said his piece.
Giving her a squeeze on the shoulder, Odin walked away.
Leaving her alone with her tears and sorrow.
12
Luc suffered a rude awakening when the bedside lamp was switched on in his face and he was shaken roughly.
“Luc, get up!”
“What the hell?�
�� He blinked sleepily to see Aldric and Soren half dressed in black breeches and boots. Both were yanking on dark T-shirts in the dim light, letting him know it was still dark outside. Legion was gone as well, he noted. “What’s wrong?”
“Werewolves, coming in from the north,” Aldric said grimly. “A fuckload of the bastards. Like more than two hundred.”
Luc’s blood ran cold, as if the hand of death had caressed his cheek. Sitting up, he studied his brothers. “Where are the swords?”
The Fontaine brothers’ swords were enchanted, and they were legendary in their world for being able to kill anything that breathed, no matter what sort of powers it possessed. They’d need the special weapons in the hours to come.
“Harley and Jordy are getting them,” Soren told him. “Hurry and get some clothes on. We’ll figure out what to do.”
Luc hurried to his closet, pulling out a pair of black pants and T-shirt—better to remain hidden at night. Carrying them into the room, he laid the shirt on the bed while he pulled on his pants and boots. “How did you find out about the wolves?”
Aldric answered. “Val was just here. One of his scouts spotted the wolves an hour ago, gathered a few miles away. He watched them for a few minutes and overheard them discussing their plans to ambush us here during the night. Take us by surprise and slaughter everyone on the property.”
Luc pulled on his shirt and gaped at his oldest brother. “Everyone?”
“Us and every single guest, staff member, and Chosen,” Soren growled.
“How are we going to head them off?” Luc asked anxiously. “We can’t let them reach the property.”
Just then, Harley jogged in, carrying two of the swords, handing one to Soren and the other to Luc. He accepted it just as Jordy came in behind her, giving Aldric his. Both of them looked frightened, and Luc didn’t blame them.
Soren sheathed his sword and grabbed Harley around the waist, then kissed her on the lips. “Don’t worry, baby. We won’t let them get this far.”
“I know that, but what about the fight? How are you going to handle that many wolves?” Her voice rose in fear.
“That’s what I was going to tell Luc and Soren, and the both of you now that we’re all together,” Aldric said. “Val is sending his best demon warriors to help us. Half of them will be here soon to protect the grounds, just in case any wolves escape the fight. The other half will meet us a few miles north of here, and we’ll close in from the south to meet them, drive them back, and send them to Hades.”
“How many warriors is Val sending?” Luc asked.
“One hundred.”
“How many wolves?” Harley demanded.
“Two hundred,” Aldric said hoarsely.
A few seconds of dread silence met this announcement.
“But that’s only fifty to help you guys face two hundred,” Jordy whispered. His eyes were huge in his face.
Soren cleared his throat. “But they’re demons, and better fighters. Every one of them is more than a match for several wolves.”
But still. Two hundred to fifty-three. Those were really bad odds. Everyone knew it.
Soren pulled his mate close and kissed her thoroughly, and Aldric did the same with Jordy. Though Luc didn’t have his mate here to take comfort from, he didn’t begrudge his brothers. This could very well be good-bye for them all.
“Come back safe,” Harley said, tears in her eyes.
Soren cupped her face. “I will, baby. I promise.”
“You, too.” Jordy could barely speak to his master. “Please, be careful. Come home to me.”
Aldric smiled, brushing a lock of blond hair from the boy’s pale face. “No worries, gorgeous.”
The tender moment was all too short. Weapons ready, Luc and his brothers trooped downstairs and out of the house, into the garage. Aldric pulled out the keys to the black Hummer, and they piled inside, Luc in the front passenger’s seat, Soren behind them. The weapons were a bit awkward while they were sitting, but it was best to be ready as soon as they got out of the vehicle.
“The demons will meet us about twenty minutes from here. Val will be fighting with us.”
“Good to know,” Luc said.
And then it hit him—he could summon Legion. The demon would help them, he was certain. He hesitated to use him, though. The demon hated politics, and he was only one more fighter to add to their number. No, he’d call on his friend if the situation looked grim, if he felt he had no choice.
The SUV turned off the road what seemed an eternity later, but it was actually only fifteen minutes thanks to Aldric’s driving like a bat out of Hades. He guided the vehicle about a mile or so through the woods and shut off the engine.
“This is it. The wolves will come from that way,” he said, pointing. “But we’ll be waiting at the opposite edge of the clearing.”
“Two hundred of them,” Soren muttered. “Remind me again why the hell we didn’t just bring pistols and pick them off from the safety of the trees?”
“Heart and head,” Luc said. “Stabbing the heart or taking the head is the only way to kill them. Bullets won’t slow them down long enough to make wasting the ammunition worthwhile.”
“Let’s go.” Aldric opened the door and got out.
Luc and Soren joined him. They moved a few yards from the SUV and stood listening to the unnatural silence. The forest was a damned noisy place at night with all the croaking, blurping, and the occasional scream of some prey being devoured by a predator. Tonight there was nothing but the breeze through the leaves, making ghostly whispers on the wind. Every single living thing was hunkered down, waiting for the evil to pass.
The promised reinforcements were very welcome. The brothers were alone one second, and the next an entire squad of demons was standing all around them. Luc recognized Valafar in the moonlight, his long black hair falling around his angular face and his raven wings slightly spread in a battle stance. He and his men were impressive, to say the least.
But would their help be enough?
Aldric stepped over to him, shaking his hand. “Thanks for coming to the rescue.”
“No problem. We’ll make short work of the dogs, go home, and fuck our partners.”
The men chuckled, though some of them shifted, tense and wary. Demons weren’t easily spooked, being near the top of the food chain. They were strong as hell, really fucking scary when their features sharpened, claws and fangs distending, and they could also torch stuff. But it would take all their skills to vanquish the putrid, flea-bitten scum of the paranormal world.
Val quickly addressed his demons. “I want the first team to go ahead and take up position in the treetops. You’ll fight from overhead and take out as many wolves as possible. The other half will remain on the ground with me and keep a line of defense around our vampire friends so they’re not overwhelmed by the enemy’s numbers. Questions?”
Nobody had any, and the first group of demons flew into the trees. That was the first time in Luc’s memory that he wished like hell he had wings.
He went with his brothers, Val, and the rest, and they crouched behind some foliage to wait for their enemies. It wasn’t long before faint rustling could be heard on the far side of the clearing—the crunching of leaves and brush made by many feet, which were moving at a good clip.
“Here we go,” Aldric whispered. “Let the gods be with us.”
They looked like something straight from Hades, and Luc hadn’t known how seeing one again would affect him, much less an army of them. Cold fingers of fear closed over his throat, and his knees shook. Like the one that had attacked him, they were tall and broad, with long muzzles and glowing eyes. Long arms swung at their sides, hands tipped with sharp black claws. There were so many of them.
This was going to be brutal.
Val let the last of the wolves move completely into the clearing before he shouted, “Go!”
The demons descended on the wolves with a vengeance, from the air and the ground. Luc charged after th
em, and he had to admit their allies were an intimidating sight, even outnumbered as they were. The wolves should be afraid.
The two fronts met with a clash of fangs and claws—and steel where there shouldn’t have been.
“Some have swords,” Val shouted. “Watch out!”
Horrified, Luc saw one demon’s wing get lopped off by a wolf swinging a blade. The demon screeched in agony before bravely throwing himself at his enemy once more. They went down together, and Luc lost them.
He whirled just in time to block an unarmed wolf from slashing his throat with its claws. His sword sliced through the dog’s arm like butter, and it threw its head back, roaring. Luc thrust his blade deep into its heart, silencing it. Then he used his booted foot to brace the creature as he withdrew his sword, immediately spinning to face another wolf charging up right behind him.
This wolf got in a slash on Luc’s side with its claws. Luc staggered and stepped into the front of its body, screwing up the enemy’s reach. He thrust his blade under the smelly beast’s sternum and up with all the force he had, and it, too, fell dead. But again, another was right there to take its place.
Three more he dispatched this way, bringing his count to five. Then another, and two more. He’d lost count when a slashing blow raked down his back from shoulder to waist, leaving an acid trail of fire in its wake. He barely managed to take out the wolf he was fighting with a forceful swing that took off its head; then he spun and ducked, barely avoiding that same grisly fate himself. He killed that wolf, too, and three more advanced.
This was all but hopeless.
All around him, his brothers and the demons were fighting the same terrible odds. They were the best warriors around, but there were too many of the enemy. They were slowly tiring, and when they were exhausted, they’d be overrun. Destroyed.
Blood ran down the backs of his legs, into his boots. It was time to call for more help. He had no other choice.
“Legion.” The word was out before he even knew what he was saying. Then he started shouting as he met steel with steel. Fought for his life harder than ever. “Legion! Legion!”
