by Lexi Ostrow
“I could get used to a man who tells me pretty things. You’re quite a different person then I’m used to in these halls. Intelligent and sweet and yet, noticeably not unable to handle yourself against members that not only outrank you but could have killed you in the blink of an eye.”
The blood rushed out of his face, leaving him pale at the suggestion that he’d taken on people far outside his capabilities. However, the look of appreciation on her face stilled his panic. Never in his life had someone gazed upon him in such a manner.
“I must admit, I had no clue they could harm me so quickly.” Offering her a lopsided smile he took her hand in his and gently rolled his thumb in a circle over hers. “I spent my childhood deferring to my father. I spent the past eight years obeying Nikola Tesla and on occasion, Thomas Jefferson. I don’t mind being obedient, but I’m ready to be me and stop taking every blasted command thrown my way. I’m willing to decide how I work on inventions, who or where I spend time away from work and more importantly, how we will handle this. With your input as well, of course.”
“I think those are all admirable ideas. An inventor who is stifled is nothing more than a lackey.” She sounded wistful.
“Do you wish to work on things of your own design?”
“Oh heavens no. Eliza allows me plenty of time to test the boundaries’. I do not have a skill for creating, merely a way with tinkering that proves helpful.”
“Well then, perhaps you will help me tinker with light capturing.”
He heard the lust in his words and watched as something transformed in her eyes. They changed from a pale green to a darker, more evergreen shade that was perfectly matched to a Christmas tree. Parting her lips, she wet them with her tongue before sucking in a deep breath.
“Dear God,” he breathed, resisting every urge to claim her at the meal table, no matter who was watching them. Desire rode him hard, a presence that he was straining to ignore from the throbbing of his erection to the way his mouth salivated at the notion of taking her again. It was every bit as potent as the night prior, every bit as consuming.
“I think it might be best if I retired to my quarters with my meal.” She rasped, her eyes not leaving his.
Regretfully, he loosened his hold on her hand, and she slipped it out of his grasp altogether.
“Will it always be like this?” His words were a whisper, not, so none would overhear, but because of the lust coursing through him.
“I am told that it is. However, I know Eliza once mentioned that going home to Lucius each day made it much simpler. I have never spoken to Felicia about her experience. I fear because I’ve slept with her son on multiple occasions it would be far too awkward of a conversation.”
“You’ve what?” His eyes narrowed, anger seeping into his pleasure-induced state.
“Hugo, you’re jealous.” She smiled, and it was far too seductive for her own good.
“I didn’t realize I could be so quickly. But yes, the idea of another man touching you is rather maddening.”
She kissed him chastely, her lips a flutter of butterfly wings against his. “I have more practice at containing my desires than you.” Patting him on the cheek, she stood up. “I will see you another day, Hugo Clark. This is best for us both to save us from ourselves.”
As she walked, her gait was a far cry different from the sensual glide across the space he’d seen as she gathered a meal for them. She was as stiff as a board, clumsily moving through the space with her plate. He couldn’t tear his eyes off of her as she moved, not until the door closed behind her, cutting his view off and forcing him to return his site elsewhere.
“Bloody hell,” he rasped as he lifted his fork. If this is merely day one, I do not see how I will ever be able to resist her, let alone not make her wife at some point.
The thought should have terrified him. He’d known her less than a moon cycle. However, it merely brought a smile to his lips. “Life is certainly different in London.”
Eight
“Mrs. Westham?” Clara called into the parlor of the grand house. Silence met her call, and she glared at Thomas. “I told you it would not be appropriate for me to simply drop by.”
“Do come in,” came from a distance away followed by a squeal. “Greyston!”
“Oh, good heavens,” Thomas buried his face in his hands with a groan. “It’s bad enough I have to understand my parent's sexual inclinations. It’s another thing to walk in on them all together.”
“Well then, perhaps you shouldn’t come home early on the eves you are set to patrol?” Felicia said, smoothing out the silk of her skirt as she descended the glorious staircase.
Her fiery hair was tousled, and her face flushed enough to understand what had occurred even if she was not a sex demon herself.
“Clara. It has been some time since I’ve seen you. I’ve heard, by the way.” It was perhaps the cheeriest Felicia had ever sounded whilst speaking to her. “Thomas, why don’t you go and see if your father is up for a tracking round. Keep you on your toes as you’ve seen fit to squander your mission this night. Clara, you and I shall remain here.”
Thomas said nothing, merely stalked past his mother and up the stairs, much like a petulant youth and a not a man nearing twenty and two. When his stomps were out of earshot, she allowed herself to follow Felicia further into the house.
Long ago, the opulence on display at Westham manor would have impressed her. It was all commonplace to her after her life in the Alliance halls. The tree in the corridor was a far cry shorter than the one she saw daily, and the lavish portraits of the Westham family looked quite similar to the ones that lined Odette’s wall.
“May I presume you are here to speak to me about being mated to a human?” She smiled softly, a gesture the fierce hunter rarely ever did to anyone save for her husband and son.
“I would speak to your partner, but even as far as the Alliance has taken women, I do not think it fit to speak to another woman’s mate about sexual matters.” She was being honest. Whilst she had no problem with lewd conversations with men or sleeping with anyone to survive, Clara thought mates were sacred.
“I appreciate such consideration. Especially as I know you and my husband had known of one another before he’d taken up with The Crown.”
She nodded, not sure if Felicia was questioning if they’d been partners or not.
“I also know you were a mere child without your gifts so do not think I am accusing you. I am simply failing at this conversation.” She sighed, dropping her shoulders, and leaning further into the sofa. “I am not the best with topics such as this, but I know I am the only one . . . equipped . . . to speak with you. For that, I am an open book.”
It was her turn to let out a deep sigh. “I do not think I know where to begin. It has been three days since I’ve seen Hugo, the man I am mated too. It has been of my choosing because we are still working on, well, control.”
Felicia’s laughter burst from her in a wave. It took a moment before the other woman regained her composure. “I am sorry, Clara. I merely remember what it was like for Greyston and me as well as Eliza and Lucius who are not of our kind.”
“Yes, mating is very . . . pleasurable for all species.” It was unlike her to be uncomfortable speaking about sex as it was her life’s blood. Yet she was practically quivering with nerves. “I suppose what I most want to know, is at any time does the desire dwindle?”
A sly smile spread over Felicia’s lips. “It does not dwindle per se. It does become less urgent as time passes. For Greyston and I, it took months before we could touch hands and not immediately rip one another’s clothes off. That is unique to your kind. After nearly twenty years it is now merely a sexual attraction with utmost fulfillment. Unless Greyston is severely weakened, we can go quite a whilst without sex, which is needed when we are split for missions.”
“Would you say things are normal?”
“I would say that living with, being in love with and being married to a creature tha
t relies on orgasms as food is never normal. However, we are able to keep our hands to ourselves when needed and fully enjoy each other when it is not required.”
“Why do I feel as if you are the elder of us?” She muttered.
“I will take that as a compliment and not an insult, given our large age differences.” She smirked. “I think that you are always a babe of sorts until you are settled down into life. Whether you are thirty and six or two hundred and six, life does not truly mature you until you are apart of something more.”
“Did you regret the mating in the beginning?”
“Oh, for fuck's sake, I was a hunter in the Alliance, and I discovered I’d not only fucked but was basically trapped with, a demon. Regret is not a colorful enough word for what I felt. I even scorned Greyston, determined to not care for his wellbeing or the burning desire I felt merely thinking about him. I believe I lasted all of one day before I was here at this very house, locked together with him in a very unladylike manner.”
She laughed, shocked that Felicia was more than the hardened warrior she put forth to everyone around her. “I have a feeling that the moment I see Hugo, I will be doing something similar. I am glad to know it cools off in time.”
Felicia’s bark of laughter caused her to laugh as she stared at the other hunter. Tears streaked down Felicia’s face, ruining the white pancake she’d applied. “Oh my,” she laughed again, chuckling louder.
“Has an Illusion Demon replaced my wife?” A deep voice called out from the top of the stairs.
“Oh . . . oh, my . . .” Felicia continued to chortle, wiping the tears as they cascaded down her face.
“I agree it must be so, Greyston.” She said with a smile as Greyston reached the parlour.
She couldn’t help but wonder what Hugo would look all dressed up. A dapper navy suit and crisp white shirt merely amplified Greyston’s handsomeness. And Hugo’s fair hair would look even better tied in a queue laid against a coat. She smiled at the thought.
“It is good to see you not causing trouble with my son. He’s too young for you anyway.” Greyston winked. “I hear congratulations are in order. Assuming the young human has not run and I need to track him down.”
“That won’t be necessary. Hugo is rather unique. I could see the fear in his eyes last time we were in each other’s company. The panic as well. Yet, he promised me he would help me with what I needed, even if we cannot find a connection outside of the bedroom.”
“I don’t think there will be much worry there. Felicia and I were grave enemies in her eyes, and whilst the sex started us off, I do not think it took her long to love me for who I am.”
“It was rather hard not too. You are one of the most valiant, sexy demons I’d ever encountered, before Lucius of course.” Felicia teased, even as she stared at her husband with love in her eyes.
“Bloody hell, that demon is a thorn in my damn side no matter where he is off too.”
Clara had oft heard the women were a tick jealous of Eliza once meeting Lucius. She found him to be an egotistical cad but to each their own.
“Thank you both. I know our kind is oft open about sexual matters, but it feels strange speaking to you on such an intimate topic. I apologize for any misgivings betwixt us.”
“Oh, don’t be silly. I’d much rather have had our son bedding down with a demon who could handle and understand him than an unsuspecting human.” Felicia stood. “This is a delicate situation for any, likely harder for your bloke as he was just introduced to this world. There will come a time when he will accept everything. These marks are never wrong.”
“Besides,” Greyston added, “if my wife can learn to love me after what she lost and Kellan could fall for Seraphina, there is little doubt that a mated mark appears for any that do not belong together.”
“Would if be strange if I still feel far too young to be going through something like this?” Clara asked, still unsure of how she felt about everything.
“You are young in some ways. You’ve never loved before, likely believed someone like you could not. An offer has been laid before you. Do not change yourself to make Hugo accept you. Be everything you are that attracted him in the first place.” Felicia instructed with wisdom far beyond her short time alive.
Can you do that? Can you be the fierce, sensual apprentice and hunter that caught his eye whilst worrying he will forsake you and lead to your demise?
“I know that look, Clara. I can promise you every demon of our kind suffers from that. Just as I know my son will should he think with his prick and not his heart and bed someone he doesn’t know well. His youthful indiscretions are no different from your own. Nor were they different from mine.”
“This all works.” She stated more than questioned the pair before her. “I don’t lose who I am in order to be someone he can love. He has to accept every part of me.” It was as if all the confidence she didn’t know she’d let slip away since the mark appeared came rushing back. “And the only way he can do that is if we stop hiding from one another and see where this journey takes us.”
She was off the setae, moving towards the front door. “Forgive my manners. I have a man to see come tomorrow night, and I want to make certain I am well rested for such an important meeting.”
Laughter followed her out of the house and practically down the six steps. A light was on in Lucius and Eliza’s house, but she did not wish to bother her friend, despite the uplifted way she felt. Hugo had studies this eve, and she would wait for him tomorrow to speak to him about where they go from there.
Nine
She ached. From her head to her toes, Clara was beginning to feel the separation from Hugo. It had been nearly a fortnight since they’d been together and not only was her energy waning but so was her ability to move properly as she had multiple thoughts a minute on their bodies writhing and slapping together.
Blowing a slow breath out through her mouth she sucked a slower one in through her nose. It had to have been the mating creating such strong emotions.
“Are you well?” Thomas asked from beside her as he leaned his motorbike against a tavern wall so they could continue on foot in areas the bikes would be too noticeable.
“I am . . . struggling.” She admitted.
Thomas was a mere boy compared to her in age, but they were of the same kind, and that gave her a reason, to be honest with him.
“I can tell when you’re lying,” he took a deep breath through his nose, and when his eyes opened, they were a startling dark black. “I can smell you. Has it been that long?”
With a jerky motion, she shook her head. “I believe this is due to the mated bond. I can go near a month without a sexual encounter, yet all I can think about presently is Hugo.”
“Not to seem like an insensitive cad, but please control yourself. If I’m not supposed to sleep with you on patrol any longer, and I’m not allowed to wander from patrol, we’re going to have a problem.”
“Sorry, Thomas. Sometimes I forget you did not grow up around our kind.”
“Would that make some difference?”
“Plenty.” She walked around the corner of one building, a shoe shop if she wasn’t mistaken. “When you spend your life with the constant barrage of sexual interactions, you are a far cry less sensitive to it. I will do my best to focus on the task at hand. Should we encounter a demon, let me handle them. Perhaps simply using some of this energy will help me calm.”
They walked in silence for a few moments, snow softly crunching under their boots. It was unusually quiet, yet she thought that might have something to do with preparations for Christmas celebrations. It was just a week from the holiday, and that meant many in London would be putting in extra hours at their meager jobs to afford trinkets and gifts, or food to put on the table if they were truly poor off. It had been almost a week since any demon sighting had been reported. She was quite grateful for the small respite on hunting, even if walking in the cold oft made her think upon the warmth bodies generate during c
opulation.
“Why have you not gone to him? I was under the impression when you left my house after our last patrol you were interested in seeking out your destiny with him.” There was a strange note in Thomas’ voice, perhaps longing.
“He returned home to America . . . Thanks to an Angel. He was to gather his belongings and say farewell to his family there, should they not wish to join him here. Odette had selected a home in the country that would have been more than they are accustomed to. I found out through a note he slipped under my door whilst at your parent’s home.”
“That is a long visit if it has been so many days.”
She nodded, trying not to express the grievances she had in not being bale to be near her mate. “I believe he had tasks he wished to conclude as well. His communicator will not cover such a great span, so until he returns, all I can do is use hunting to distract myself.”
A blood-curdling scream tore through the night.
“That was not the wind,” Thomas affirmed the thought she hadn’t had a chance to voice.
She dropped to her boot, pulling the dagger free. She wanted to be up close to whatever was attacking someone, be it human scum or demon. Racing through the snow was harder than she had expected. It was as if she trudged through rice pudding, her feet practically sticking and rising slowly out of the snow pockets.
Another scream from the same direction sliced through the quiet, and she watched as buildings flickered to life with candles. Whatever was being attacked was drawing attention to itself.
“Ever wonder why we don’t have a bloody Illusion Demon on our side to cast misdirection over us whilst we hunt?” Thomas shouted, his gun raised as he ran to be by her side.
The cold wind stung her face as she leapt, latching onto the top of a wall, and pulling herself over it. Her feet struck the ground despite the snow, and when she looked up, she had her answer.
A Visawroth Demon stood over the body of a human. Blood splattered onto the snow and pooled at the demon’s feet. The demon was on all fours, feasting on part of the human. Clara couldn’t tell if the man was dead, or merely in shock from the pain. Visawroth demons had a paralytic in their bite. They were a smaller demon, but just as deadly.
