Lure (Marko Delacroix #3)

by Alaska Angelini

  “Beautiful. Now, continue.”

  Hunter’s eyes were open, staring at my breasts. I lowered, rotating my hips so my pussy could travel down his long length. A groan had him clenching his jaw, but he didn’t turn away. The sounds of my wetness filled the room and I reached up, holding against his chest as I rocked with instinct. It was everything I knew, all that I was, and I was losing myself in the moment.

  “Love me,” I whispered in French. Love me…was that what I was looking for? I wasn’t sure. Didn’t care as my arousal increased at him groaning even louder.

  “Love you?” he repeated in English. “God, I do.”

  And just like that, his eyes came up and I had him. He was stiff under me and I knew he hadn’t meant to meet my stare, but the odd tug in my eyes kept his attention on me when I knew he wanted anything but.

  “Yes,” Sayer said lowly. “Perfect, Tessalyn. Just don’t break that hold. If you look away, you’ll lose him. I want you to kiss him now. But keep your eyes open. Let his passion increase.”

  Pressure from my maker’s hand settled on the middle of my back and he eased me forward. Just as my lips brushed against Hunter’s, a voice pushed through my mind.

  “Ma minette, can you hear me? Talk to me, dammit. I miss you. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

  I blinked, confused. Had I heard this voice before? There was something familiar about it I couldn’t place.

  “Holy fuck!” Hunter bucked his hips and if it weren’t for Sayer, I would have flown off to the side. My heart was racing, my head…thrumming in pain from the voice. I screamed, latching on to the human’s hair while I dove forward, sinking my fangs into his neck. Fingers locked onto my shoulder, but Sayer didn’t pull me away.

  “Oh…God. Jesus.” Vibrations from Hunter’s words made the pain from the venom hurt even worse as it left me. I sucked his blood into me hard, pushing my pussy down on his cock while Sayer stroked my back. “No, no, no…”

  “Oh, yes,” my maker breathed out. “You’re going to love this so much, Hunter. You’re going to be on your knees, begging for our bite before this is over with.”

  Already, I could feel the hard muscle under my body relaxing. Hunter moaned, exposing his neck even more. As his knees drew up, he rocked his body with my rhythm.

  “There we are. Let go and enjoy what my future concubine has to offer. I won’t let her kill you tonight. I have so much in store for the three of us. If you thought you loved her before, you’re going to love her so much more now. That measly emotion that brought you here will feel nothing compared to the devotion she’s going to grant you with when your bond is in place.”

  Sayer’s words meant nothing to me as I pulled back, licking my tongue over Hunter’s wounds. Desperation had my mouth coming to his and Hunter met my lips with a hunger only I thought I was capable of having. The fluttering tickled my stomach again and I tried to push the feeling away as Sayer’s hand cupped my hip, lifting me. He grabbed Hunter’s cock, applying pressure as he rubbed it up and down my slit.

  “Fuck, this is a nice cock. Hunter, you’re going to go slow. Tessalyn is new all over again. Like a virgin. Her body has healed strong. Maybe a little too strong with how early it is, but that’s okay. She can take the pain.”

  Hunter’s lips broke from mine and I saw the dazed look in his eyes as he blinked repeatedly.

  “Wait,” he said, grinding against me. “This isn’t right. This…”

  “Damn, her venom needs to get stronger already.” Sayer’s hand stroked up the human’s long length, slapping the head against my ass. “Tessa’s going to be your Mistress, Hunter. If you want that, this is the way it will be. These are my terms.”

  More, Hunter’s face sobered. He looked between us, shaking his head. “You want to witness what happens between us? I don’t know. Watching might be one thing, but I’m not yours to touch.”

  “You are now.”

  “No—”

  My mouth was back on Hunter’s before he could finish. I was tired of Sayer’s terms. Of his voice in general. I wanted him gone, away from me and this human who was mine.

  “Tessa.” Hunter broke away, breathing against my cheek. “We shouldn’t. I can’t do this.”

  My mouth quickly found his again and surprisingly, he didn’t rebel. But I could feel his tension return and although he continued to slide his tongue against mine, I felt his withdrawal.

  Repeatedly, I moved against him, but it wasn’t the same. Hunter had lost interest and it showed in the lack of response from the one thing I wanted most. The curse behind me proved what I already knew. Hunter didn’t want me.

  Chapter 6

  Hunter

  She wasn’t my Tessa. That’s what I kept reminding myself the moment I felt the urge to continue. She wasn’t the same person and she wasn’t in control of her mind. It was like I was cheating on, yet raping, the woman I loved, and I couldn’t do it. The intimacy wouldn’t come until I knew Tessa was in control.

  “I have very little patience for you right now, human.” Sayer stood, but I refused to look at his face. His actions and demeanor were changing. Or maybe he was just letting his true colors finally show. Either way, I had a really bad feeling about the man I’d overlooked through this process. I’d been happy at the thought of having Tessa, but I never considered Sayer a threat. I was starting to think I’d made the biggest mistake of all.

  Tessa rose to climb off, but Sayer jerked her by the hair to make her stop. A blur of claws slashed toward him, catching his bicep, shredding the skin and black button up shirt he was wearing.

  “You think you’re a match for me, Princess?” Sayer’s arm went around her throat and he threw his weight forward, slamming her to the bed and covering her nude body with his. Frantically, I jerked against the cuffs. My legs were trapped under them and I couldn’t get free. It was like their weight was cement, grounding me to the mattress. “I’m the one in charge here. Not you, Tessalyn. Not Julius, or anyone else in this city. Me,” he growled. “And I get what I want. You’re going to fuck your human or I will. Make him want you or I’ll leave him little choice on my end.”

  My eyes widened and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

  “Il ne veut pas de moi.” He doesn’t want me.

  “English,” Sayer yelled, reaching back and striking her across the face. “Speak” Whack! “English!” Whack! Tessa’s hands shot up as she tried to defend herself, but he was too strong.

  “Get the fuck off her!” A deep yell poured from my throat as rage like I’d never felt engulfed me. Again, he reared back, just in time for the floor and walls to rattle with Marko’s presence. It only had him pausing before he hit her twice as hard. The cry that left her collided with my anger and although I’d never wanted anything from Marko, I would have given my life for him to see this. To stop Sayer with his powers…if he could.

  “Please, fine. Just stop. Tessa, baby, come here. Come…” Nausea threatened as his fist came back and hit her again. One minute, they were on the bed, the next, Sayer was pushing to stand and Tessa was being thrown through the air, right for the wall. The crunch as she made impact with the concrete left the room spinning for me. Her small body fell to the ground, not moving as she lay there. “Jesus,” I breathed out, drawing up my feet to try to sit. “Tessa? Tessa!” Vampire or not, I couldn’t take seeing violence against her.

  Knocking registered on the door and Sayer panted heavily as he surged forward and threw it open. “Later,” he ground out.

  “Prince, Julius says it’s urgent. He wants you immediately.”

  Sayer turned and glanced at Tessa before he nodded. “Tell him I’ll be right there.”

  The door shut and his hand came down to run over the wounds on his arm. “Fucking bitch. You’ve attacked me one too many goddamn times. Get up,” he said, storming over, “get the fuck up. You come from my blood. You are not weak!”

  His hand shot down to grab her, but she was on him before either of us could comprehend h
er moving. Nails tore into his face and throat as her legs locked around his waist. A table caught the back of Sayer’s legs and he fell back with Tessa still latched to him. Her lip peeled back and I saw the fangs for only a split second before she buried them in the front of his throat. Blood sprayed and trailed down his neck while he let out a gargling sound that made my skin crawl. His hands flew to the sides of her head and her screams overpowered his while he managed to unlock her jaw.

  “You…” he trailed off as he managed to stand and pull her up. The cuffs fell free from my arms and gravity disappeared as I collided with the wall not a few feet away. The comforter was somehow trapped around my legs and I fought with it as I scrambled to my feet. “You’ll stay locked down until I get back.” His stare came to me. “If you think about setting her free, I’ll tear you limb for limb while you suffer through the pain.”

  Tessa’s body thrashed wildly as he pinned her down and got the cuffs buckled. It was like I suddenly didn’t exist as he went to the closet and changed his shirt. The ragged flesh on his neck had healed before he even got Tessa restrained. I couldn’t believe it.

  Slowly, I eased to the side, reaching down and putting my rosary back on. It didn’t take me long to slide on my clothes. My fingers connected with the dagger and I held it tightly in my grip while he cleaned the blood off him and headed for the door.

  “Oh, and Hunter,” he said, glancing over, throwing me a smile, “this isn’t over. We’re only beginning. Welcome to your new life.”

  The door slammed behind him and I rushed to Tessa’s side. Tears and sobs were constant, even as she snapped her teeth in my direction. Blood trails flowed from both nostrils, covering her chin and neck. Tears burned my eyes while I shook my head.

  “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.” I couldn’t get past the agony in my heart. Wetness trailed down my cheeks and I wiped it away angrily. “We’re going to figure out how to fix this. God, what the fuck was I thinking? You tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen. I was too greedy to have you as mine, I didn’t even let myself fathom this.” My head lowered. “This is hell. It has to be.”

  Marko shaking the walls returned and Tessa looked around, sniffling, and closing her eyes.

  “Si cela est l'enfer, alors je prendrai une décision. Je vais gouverner et détruire tous ceux qui se ma façon. Dead. Je les tuerai tous.” If this is hell, then I will rule. I will rule and destroy all who gets in my path. Dead. I'll kill them all.

  It took me a few seconds to piece the words together. I kept my head down, trying to make what just happened disappear from my mind. But I couldn’t.

  “Go…to him.”

  “Who?” Still, I stared down at the bed. I already knew who she was referring to and it made me even sicker.

  “Help…me.”

  My head shook in a steady rhythm while I clenched my teeth. “He can’t help us, Tessa. He’s behind bars. Locked away. And for good reason. He wants to kill me.”

  “Go.”

  The order was just that: a command. And it wasn’t put nicely. I stood, flexing my fists at my sides. “It’s pointless.”

  “Go!”

  Silence played out behind me and I grabbed my belt full of weapons, putting it on. The glance back only made me wish I hadn’t. More tears slid down her cheeks and they had me stalking toward the door. I hated leaving her alone, but what else could I do? Sit around and wait for Sayer to return? God, I hated this fucking place. I knew no one. No one but…Marie. I swallowed hard. No, she couldn’t help me.

  Music poured from the heart of the city and it was all but deserted on my end. The shops in the distance were filled with people coming and going and I rushed the length of the far side of the room, slipping into Marko’s tunnel. Faster, my heart raced, until I was sure it would explode. The moment I stepped into the large, open space full of cells, he eased from the floor. Neither of us said a word as I closed the majority of the distance between us.

  “What’s happening? Something’s wrong, I can feel it. Is Tessa okay?”

  I didn’t dare look into his eyes. Not just because of his powers, but because I was on the verge of breaking in front of the one person I had to be strong against.

  “Sayer has to go,” I said lowly. “He…I don’t want him around Tessa anymore.”

  “Hunter,” he growled. “What happened?” His hand shot out between the bars to grab me, but I jumped back just in time. “Show me,” he went on. “Let me see.”

  “He hurt her,” I managed. “He…beat the fucking living shit out of her right in front of me and I couldn’t do anything about it. What he wants for the three of us...” My head just kept shaking. “I can’t do it. She can’t. She asked me to come to you.”

  I glanced up for only the briefest moment, seeing the pain on his face.

  “Tell me. What does he want?”

  How in the hell was I supposed to divulge that? “He…wants all of us to be together. Like…”

  “Sexually?” Marko rushed in.

  “Yes. He trapped me with his eyes.” I paused. “Cuffed me and tried to get Tessa to... Anyway, I couldn’t and he got mad. Then, he and Tessa got into it. I can’t see him do that to her again. Fuck, I want to kill him. I’m going to.”

  Marko’s arms shot out to try to grab me again, but he went back to gripping the bars after a few seconds. “He’ll kill you. Let me see, Hunter. I have to see. You know I love her. Let me see what happened.”

  “No way. I’m tired of people fucking with my head. I can’t take this! I hate this place. I…” My jaw clenched shut and I took a deep breath.

  “I just want to see,” he said calmly. “I want him dead, too, and I don’t need an excuse to kill him, but I have to see what he’s done.”

  The deep tone of his voice made the end of the words almost impossible to make out. Deep, heavy breaths left his mouth and I braved bringing my eyes up enough to see his fangs were exposed.

  “Hunter, please.”

  Cautiously, I stepped forward, meeting his stare. Darkness sucked me in and it felt like I was falling down a deep, dark tunnel. My fingers twitched and I could think, but I couldn’t break away from the darkness. Seconds went by while Marko’s exhales became louder, turning into what sounded like snarling. Fear vibrated my insides, humming down the length of my arms and legs until my body trembled at the power he was expelling.

  Yelling filled the space, followed by unhuman growls. Even though Marko didn’t hold me captive with his abilities, I couldn’t turn away. I stayed trapped in utter terror at the veins bulging from his neck in his rage. His hands clutched tightly to the bars, jerking at them every few seconds. And then, like I was introduced to a new scene, he grew still.

  “He’s dead,” he said calmly. A little too calmly. “Protect her as best as you can. But rest assure, Sayer will not make it out of this alive. Death will be paying him a visit when the time is right. Tell Tessa not to fear. They can’t keep me in here forever.”

  I shifted, remembering the conversations between Sayer and Julius. “They’ll try,” I said lowly. “They fear you.”

  Marko’s eyebrows drew in and I quickly looked back down to his lips.

  “Go on,” he urged.

  My mind battled over whether I should say anymore. Marko wasn’t my friend. He was the enemy just as much as Sayer was. They both wanted Tessa for their own selfish reasons. But who was the bigger threat? Right now, it wasn’t Marko.

  “I have to get back to Tessa before Sayer returns.”

  “Hunter, wait.” Marko’s hands moved down the bars as he tried to stay even with me. “Why do they fear me? Explain.”

  I stopped, grabbing my flashlight. Slowly, I looked up, only glancing into his eyes for a moment. “You’re ready to rule and they know it.”

  Chapter 7

  Marko

  Reality blurred in and out, casting me into episodes of complete blackouts. My vampire was taking over and it was all due to what I’d seen in Hunter’s eyes. The
once bonded male I used to be was losing it. After seeing the woman I loved hit repeatedly in the face and thrown across the room so brutally, I was ready to cut my limbs off and place them through the bars just to see if I could put myself back together again on the other side. I was gone. Going insane from the rage and separation, and there was nothing I could do about it. I’d exhausted every option. I couldn’t break free from this cell. It was physically impossible. So what did I do?

  I didn’t know.

  From what I gathered, days had gone by. Maybe two. Maybe more. I wasn’t sure. Only one meal had arrived from multiple leaders, but not Julius. And the members were too careful, too strong together, when placing the supplier in my cell. I was losing precious time. With every minute that passed, I feared something worse was happening, yet there was nothing I could do to stop it. Sayer was going to pay. I’d kill him if it was the last thing I did. But I couldn’t yet. Not obviously, anyway. I may have been past the point of being rational, but I wasn’t stupid. He was a member of Axis. They’d have me sentenced in a heartbeat if I murdered one of their own. I had to play this smart. I had to come up with a plan.

  Footsteps in the distance had me coming to the bars. Was it meal time again already? The hours were getting away from me. I could barely tell if the sun was up or down, which was odd since my vampire lived on instinct in this state of mind.

  Closer, they came, until Sayer appeared in the entrance. My fangs shot down and I couldn’t stop the threatening sound from escaping my lips. In a leisurely pace, he strolled forward, locking his hands together in front of him. That stupid smile I’d come to hate was plastered on his face and it had me squeezing against the bars even tighter.

  “I saw you had a visitor a few hours ago.”

  Hours? Surely, it had been longer than that?

  At my silence, he continued.

  “What did he tell you, Marko? What did he hope you’d do, locked away as you are?”