by Aubrey Ross
“Even if that includes accepting another person into the union?”
Victor flared his nostrils and inhaled deeply, assessing Seth’s scent… fresh, earthy, like a rain-soaked forest. “I don’t think you’d be that hard to fuck.”
“But how hard would you find it to be fucked by me? I have just as strong a need for control as you do.”
This didn’t surprise Victor. Despite the ethereal quality in Seth’s attractiveness, Victor sensed his strength, his nobility. Seth might be a prince, but he was also a warrior. “Times were very different in my youth,” Victor admitted. “I fucked in just about every combination imaginable. I learned that, in the right situation, being taken can be just as intense as taking.”
“And I was raised in a palace, surrounded by pleasure givers, both male and female. When war separates Protinese soldiers from their females for long periods of time, it is expected that we seek physical relief with each other. Many of these battle forged bonds lead to permanent relationships once the men return home.”
“So a royal ménage won’t even raise eyebrows?” Victor smiled. “How disappointing.”
“Oh, the participants in this particular ménage are sure to cause a scandal. Still, it sounds like the concept is easier for us to accept than it will be for our mate.”
Our mate? Victor found the phrase oddly thrilling. It was forbidden in these modern times, which made it all the more appealing to his dark nature. “My clan is searching for Emit Duarte. Anthony believes the creature is linked to Duarte in some way.”
“William, my master-at-arms, said much the same. According to him, the creature is not of this world, and destroying the person to which it is connected will also destroy the creature.”
“Works for me. Duarte deserves to die.”
“So how do we convince Tess that she can’t live without us?” Seth mused as he pushed to his feet.
Light glistened off Seth’s hair, and a vivid image formed within Victor’s mind. Tess sprawled on a padded table, bound wrist and ankle. Seth stood between her thighs, bending forward from the waist. The prince licked her pussy and fucked her with his fingers. She arched and moaned, unable to escape his ruthless attention, a willing prisoner to their pleasure. Victor had his cock buried in Seth’s ass, but he wasn’t moving. He wrapped Seth’s hair around his wrists, guiding him, controlling him as he savored the firm grip of the Elf’s hot passage.
“I have lots of ideas.” Victor’s lust-roughened tone revealed the nature of his thinking. “But none of them fit in well with modern expectations.”
Seth waved away his concern. “Expectations are relative, and human mores don’t really apply. Tess is about to be claimed by an Elf and a vampire.”
“But Tess is human.”
A long pause followed as Seth searched Victor’s gaze. “What I’m about to tell you must never leave this room.”
Was the Elf being melodramatic, or was the import in his tone genuine? Victor didn’t know him well enough to decide. “All right.”
“Tess is part demon.”
Victor narrowed his gaze as suspicion twisted through his soul. What game was this? “None of my information indicates she has demon blood.”
“The exact components of her lineage are a closely guarded secret. Her paternal grandfather has powerful enemies. He’s a controlling member of the ruling class. After several of his legitimate children were murdered, he scattered his progeny in various dimension to ensure the continuation of his dynasty. Tess’s father was born to one of his consorts. He was able to pass as human, so he was sent here.”
“I thought her father was dead.” It was natural that Seth would know more about Tess than Victor did, but it still annoyed him.
“He is, as well as the rest of Nogafel’s children. The rival house was ruthless in their quest to wipe out Nogafel’s offspring. Randolph and Tess are the last of his progeny. The conflict is still being waged, so Randolph agreed to remain hidden until his grandfather’s forces are able to stabilize the situation, or his grandfather is killed. As a mixed-race female, Tess is considered incidental. Even if Nogafel is killed, she can’t take over his holdings. Her only value would be as a pleasure slave or war trophy, and it’s unlikely they would bother.”
“Sounds like a charming place.”
“I’m in no position to judge them.” Seth glanced away, his discomfort with the topic obvious. “My people are intolerant of mixed-race people as well. Unfortunately for them, I fell in love with one years ago.”
“Tess was a child when you first met.” Victor stood, studying Seth’s expression, assessing every shift and nuance. “Even if she was infatuated with you then, how can you possibly expect her feelings to remain the same? You let her believe you were dead, for God’s sake.” His logical mind had already accepted that some form of sexual bond was necessary, but his stubborn heart refused to surrender without a fight.
“I won’t justify my actions to you, vampire! You’ve known her for less than two nights, yet you’re ready to bind your soul to hers. By human standards, we’re both irrational.”
“Neither of us is human.”
“Nor is Tess,” Seth stressed. “She’s just lived among them for so long she’s forgotten what it’s like to be… Other.”
“I have one last question before we figure out a strategy,” Victor said. “If Tess’s father worked so hard to pass himself off as human, how did he end up with a Protinese mate?”
“One of our scouts sensed his latent abilities. They offered to train him in exchange for information.”
Victor chuckled. “Tess’s father was a spy?”
“The fact is no longer classified, but you didn’t hear it from me.” Seth buttoned his shirt and tightened the leather thong holding back his hair. “Any more history will have to wait. We have a mate to seduce.”
* * *
Tess had been given a suite at the Twilight Jewel until X2 opened, and it was finally looking like she would still be young when that day rolled around. Two of her subcontractors had called to verify that they would resume work in the morning, and she’d received emails from several vendors. Things were looking up, thanks to Seth.
The conclusion annoyed her. Everything had been running smoothly until Seth interfered, so why should she thank him for removing his roadblocks? The new and improved Seth was far more appealing than the arrogant jerk who’d disrupted her life. Even so, she didn’t trust either of them.
And what the hell had he seen in his vision?
The kiss had been wonderful, until he was overcome by the trance. She wasn’t intimidated by mystical abilities. Though she tried not to depend on them, she had a few of her own. Still, he’d looked at her with such anger and betrayal. All she could conclude was that his gift had revealed what really happened in the observation lounge.
It wasn’t as if she’d lied to Seth. Everything she’d said was true. She’d just left out the part where Victor used his fingers and his mouth to soothe the sexual frenzy.
If she were honest, it had gone farther than that. By the time they did each other, the frenzy had dissipated. Victor had been so patient and caring, so selfless… She shook her head with a guilty smile. That wasn’t accurate either. He had been all of those things, but gratitude hadn’t prompted her suggestion. She’d wanted his cock in her mouth, longed for the earthy taste of his cum infusing her body with euphoria.
When he’d held her down against the floor and fucked her mouth so brutally, she’d never felt so liberated, so utterly free. It was odd. Why would confinement make her feel free? She knew the answer, had always known. The more control her lovers exerted over their love play the more she enjoyed it. But it had always been play before. If she submitted to Victor, it would be a commitment, a lifelong offering of body, soul, and blood.
Her thoughts drifted back to Seth. Life would be no less complicated with him, but it would likely be less intense. Would he be wild and passionate? Their brief kiss hadn’t really given her time to d
etermine how he would approach sex. She’d spent her adolescence fantasizing about making love with him, but those had been the curious imaginings of a virgin.
With a heavy sigh she turned off the television and tossed the remote aside. Something else had been bothering her all day. Had Victor threatened Seth or manipulated him into changing his attitude? She never would have thought Seth would be so easily intimidated, but the timing was suspect.
An electronic bell tolled in the outer room, so she strolled across the suite and looked through the peephole. The blurry image was unmistakable. They were ganging up on her now. Her heart gave a traitorous leap, and tingles raced across her skin. She took a steadying breath and opened the door a couple of inches.
“It’s late and I’m in a shitty mood.”
“Dawn is still at least two hours away and we’ve come to lighten your mood,” Victor countered.
Seth watched her closely, his gaze filled with secrets. He held a gym bag, and Victor had an ice bucket and a bottle of what looked like champagne.
“I’m not in the mood for your games,” she tried again.
“We’re not here to play games and my hours are never quite reasonable.”
Too exhausted to argue, and tired of the conflict, she stepped back and opened the door.
Chapter Five
“Are you losing your touch?”
Emit’s mocking question made her want to unleash the full force of her power for just a few moments. The full force of her power? The longer she remained in this dimension, the weaker she felt. At first she’d thought she was venturing too far from her anchor, but now she wasn’t sure Emit had anything to do with how quickly she tired or her inability to concentrate.
His cruel laughter drew her attention to his sharp-featured face. “You really haven’t figured it out, have you?”
“You’re so fucking smart. Why don’t you tell me?”
“Your natural state is incorporeal. The longer you remain in solid form, and the more often you shift from one from to another, the weaker you become.”
His conclusion made sense, but his attitude pissed her off. “Do you really want me to leave while your enemies are joining forces? First Vasco, then Zoltan clan. Who will you take on next, the council of ancients?”
He slapped at her, but his hand passed through her body. “You’re even weaker than I thought.”
Damn him! “You starve me,” she whispered. “I do everything you ask of me, and still you ration your energy with such miserly…”
His laughter ended her performance. “You should be on the stage. I’m not your primary source of sustenance, and you know it. I’m your anchor, your green card, as it were.”
She didn’t understand the reference and didn’t care enough to ask him to clarify. “I told you everything I learned in Las Vegas. Tess is contracted to some Elfin prince, but Victor is still determined to have her.”
He glared. “If you’d slipped away unnoticed, I could have sent you back in. You could have played your little mind games and maybe even started a war between Zoltan clan and those annoying Elves. Now that would have been fun.”
“So what do you want me to do instead?” She was so fucking tired of his complaints.
“They’re on to you. I don’t want you anywhere near them.” His gaze lit with something suspiciously close to compassion. “I think you should go formless for a day or two. Regain your strength. By the time you return, I’ll have figured out our next move.”
Trepidation skittered down her spine. He didn’t give a damn about her, never had and never would. Her only value to him was the information she gleaned and the chaos stirred in her wake. He was up to something. Why did he want her out of the way?
“I really am tired.” She infused her tone with fatigue. “I’m going to drift closer to home and recuperate.”
“But you will return?” Now he sounded concerned.
“If I sever our link you’ll feel it.” She’d make damn sure he did. “I’ll see you in a day or two.”
She slowly faded from view, intentionally decreasing the intensity of their connection until she could barely feel him.
He blew out a ragged breath and rubbed his hands down the front of his pants. Were his palms sweaty? His features relaxed, but his shoulders remained tense. He walked across the nondescript office on the outskirts of Santa Cruz and held back the heavy drapes so he could look outside.
Cadin drifted up behind him, trying to keep her perspective similar to his. The poorly maintained parking lot was empty. No one had been able to find Emit because no one imagined the head of Duarte clan would subject himself to such dreary surroundings. His clan was old and wealthy. They had even been well respected while his father was alive. But Emit was not his father, far from it. He lacked the ambition and ruthless focus that had made Edmond so successful.
Allowing the drapes to swish back into place, he moved away from the window. He pulled a comm crystal out of his pocket and activated the device with his breath. A rumbling voice responded in a language she didn’t understand, so she carefully scanned Emit’s mind for the meaning.
His brainwaves heaved and twisted, becoming incomprehensible as his body reshaped itself from the inside out. Was she this revolting when she shifted?
His skin split, and his limbs bulged, reddish-brown blood streaming onto the carpet around his claw-like feet. The lower portion of his body was heavily muscled, while his torso remained lean and agile. His long, narrow head would easily touch the ceiling if he unfolded those powerful rear legs and his upper limbs were uniquely jointed, allowing him to move as no humanoid could. A charcoal pattern marked his grayish skin and his eyes were solid black. His thin, reptilian mouth opened, and he produced a rumbling sound similar to the one emanating from the crystal.
Humanoid vocal cords wouldn’t be capable of producing those sounds. Was this why he’d chosen to shift?
Gradually she found the rhythm of his thoughts, understanding the meaning if not each individual word. He apologized for having taken so long in his mission and paused as the other voice responded.
“I’ve found them, Father. I told you I would. I wanted to be absolutely certain before I notified you of my discovery.”
She finally assimilated their rumbling language enough to follow the conversation.
“Them? You’ve found both his son and daughter?”
“Yes. And I’m absolutely certain this time. Nogafel’s last remaining kin are well within my grasp.”
“The male must die. No potential heir to his dynasty can be allowed to live, but the fate of the female is up to you. Enjoy her before you kill her, or if she pleases you well, bring her back as a slave. The continual humiliation of a Nogafel female would help keep his followers in line.”
“She would split in two if I tried to fuck her. She is a pale, puny thing. Highly favors her human blood.”
“You’d be surprised what human females can endure, but as I said the choice is yours.”
“I will see you soon.”
The crystal blinked out and Cadin quickly withdrew from the creature’s mind. She couldn’t pinpoint his dimension, but he was obviously what the humans termed a demon.
Reforming Emit’s body was nearly as disgusting as revealing his true appearance had been. Congealed blood and clumps of excess flesh littered the carpet and splattered the furniture by the time the process ended.
Emit looked at the mess with a careless shrug and headed for the bathroom. He’d simply move to a similar location, something shabby and forgettable. When this “crime scene” was discovered, either the human government or some paranormal task force would cover up the anomaly.
Cadin vibrated with anxiety and speculation. Had this demon been masquerading as Emit the entire time she’d been anchored to him? Did any of the vampires know they had a spy in their midst? She couldn’t warn them. Anything that harmed Emit harmed her, and she had barely begun to explore this realm. She needed to figure out what he’d been talking ab
out and who he intended to kill.
And then what?
How was she supposed to make decisions when she only understood a fraction of the elements? Demons were hiding among humans. What else was new? That had been going on since time began.
It sounded like this brother and sister were being pursued by their father’s successor or perhaps someone in the process of overthrowing their father? Many ruthless rulers murdered all possible rivals upon ascension to power.
None of it concerned her as long as she was careful to release her connection to the Emit creature before he returned to his dimension. Still, she couldn’t let it rest. She needed information. She would not be blindsided again.
One thing was certain. Everything was connected. Emit’s obsession with the vampires had everything to do with locating his prey. Station X seemed to be a hub for paranormal activity. It was worth returning to the nightclub and reassessing some of her earlier conclusions.
If she turned up nothing there, she’d take another shot at Tess and Victor. If she remained a distant observer, she ran the risk of being trapped in this dimension without an anchor. Yet any of her usual tricks could alert them to her presence. There was no other option! She had to learn what she could without getting too close.
* * *
“Can we make this quick,” Tess muttered. “I want to go to bed.”
Victor turned to Seth with a conspirator’s smile. “What do you think, Oberon? Should we let her get on the bed?”
“Oberon was a faerie,” Seth objected, though amusement made his eyes sparkle. “I’m an Elf.” He closed and locked the door. His movements were inherently graceful, sensual, yet undeniably masculine all at the same time.
“What’s with the champagne, and what’s in the bag?” An unexpected wave of vulnerability washed over her. She’d just allowed them into her private suite -- together no less. She tightened the belt on her bathrobe and tried to look brave.
“We want you to share in our celebration,” Seth said.
