by L M Adams
Her once beautiful face hollowed out, skin discolored. She looks like she’s been dead for years instead of five minutes. I re-center myself, quieting the ridiculous amount of power in me.
Thank you, I think to my succubus.
You are welcome.
I am still me, she is not trying to take over.
I’ve always preferred a partnership to a conquest, we work well together.
For once, I agree with my succubus, no way in hell I would’ve made it through the night without her, gratitude fills my heart, thanking, myself. I nod my head. I am a succubus; she is me.
I go to the door, retrieving my now clean and dry clothes from the guard outside. They don’t know she’s dead, thank the goddess. They are used to screams coming from her rooms, I’m sure. I get dressed quickly; it takes me some time to find my knives. I know she’ll have them, she’s always taken joy in possessing them. I strap them to my thighs, time to put on the best acting performance of my entire fucking life.
I walk out the door like nothing is wrong, closing it quietly behind me. I turn to the guard that handed me my clothing.
“Call Sgt. Birkman, have him meet me out front.”
“Ma’am,” he reaches up to his throat mic, clicking it on following my order without question.
I make my way back through the building slowly, pretending everything is normal. Your Mistress isn’t lying in a bed upstairs with, literally, the life sucked out of her. No need to be alarmed.
I make it back to the first floor without incident. There’s not much movement outside, it’s actually quieted down as the sun comes, I don’t have any fucking time. I’m about to show my hand and pray my instincts are right.
Birkman comes jogging up, finally.
“Ma’am,” he says stopping at the bottom of the steps.
“I need you to take me to the encampment.”
“Ma’am, I’m on gate duty.”
“You will do this,” I let my eyes glow slightly; he nods his head once in response.
It’s not that I don’t know where I’m going, only that having a guard with me will lead credence to my story. We quickly walk back to the path. My heart thumps in my chest, I can’t help it. Birkman stops suddenly in the path, turning to look at me.
“Quiet yourself, Ma’am, I can smell the sweat coming from you. It won’t be long until the beasts feel her death; you need to be gone before then.”
“How?” I ask simply.
“As I said, I have my reasons for being here. I knew death would visit tonight, I just did not know if it would be you or her.”
“You’re a Seer? What are you doing here?” I ask in a whisper.
As a Seer he gets visions of things in the future, at least some of the possible outcomes. The sands of fate are tricky to predict.
“As I said, I have my reasons, Ma’am. I assume you are going for the Amarok and need my help?”
I nod my head mutely. I guess he’s not going to give me any more information. But everyone has a right to their secrets.
“Then you need to control your emotions. I will not die for you.”
I breathe in deeply, filling my lungs with the predawn air. I calm my heart, slowing the beat of it by force of will.
“I’m ok.”
Birkman nods his head once and turns leading me again to save Big Mike.
We make it through the first double doors before we are questioned. The guard at the desk asks why we are there.
I step forward.
“It is not your business to question me; do so again, I will be sure it is you that shares my sweet embrace tonight.” I let my eyes glow with power, I let the pheromones trickle out of me.
“Ma’am, yes, Ma’am. I apologize, please go ahead.” He stammers out quickly.
I reach out my hand, touching him lightly. I watch a wet spot spread in front of his pants, I don’t know if it’s come or piss; I don’t want to know.
I turn away and we move through the next set of doors and down the long hallway. I open the door to Big Mike’s prison. The room is dark, I guess they are done with tormenting Big Mike for the night. The Wolf Mother stands over him, she hasn’t left his side.
“The deed is done, she is dead.”
He lives, or they die. I watch the ghost wolf turn and disappear through the wall.
“Yes, Wolf Mother.” I say with a bow.
“Who the fuck are you talking to?” Birkman asks.
“Don’t worry about it, let’s get him out.”
Big Mike lies on his side, barely breathing. They’ve probably been forcing him to change back and forth all night. Although he is the Amarok, changing this much in such a short time is going to damage him.
I go over to the cage opening it.
“Big Mike get up, we need to get you out of here.”
He doesn’t stir. I shake his leg.
“Come on don’t give up on me yet.”
“He’s not going to make it,” Birkman says.
“Shut up, go find him some clothes. We are getting him out of here.” I order Birkman.
“Ma’am,” he says, leaving me with my broken friend.
I stand up and see the cattle prod on the table. Goddess help me. I pick it up and shove it harshly into Big Mike’s side he comes awake with a scream.
“I will change I will change. Don’t hurt Annette!” I watch as he tries to force his hand to change into a paw.
“No Big Mike, you’re free, it’s all over. It’s over!” I shout when he still doesn’t listen.
He finally turns to look at me.
“Why Jaevia? Why do you betray us?”
“I didn’t, it was a lie. Annette is safe. Come on, we are out of time, we have to go.”
He stares at me, I let the urgency fill my eyes, pleading for him to believe me. He finally nods his head and begins crawling from the cage. He moves slow, his body aching.
“Can’t you heal?”
“I’m drained, changing so much. I can’t make a connection to my power source in this place. There are those gems every fucking where.” I nod my head, I figured as much, they are what control the not-wolves. A shit load of not-wolves, a shit-load of gems.
“It’s ok, we are getting you out of here.”
Birkman finally returns with a pair of too small pair sweatpants.
“I’m sorry, best I could find.”
“They will do,” Big Mike says, accepting them gratefully. It would be hilarious, the sweatpants are capris on him, coming mid-shin, and they are tight. But it’s not funny because the skin that still shows on his body, is bruised badly, some of his ribs are broken.
“I need you to still act as if you’re my prisoner until we reach the meeting spot. Jack is waiting for us there.”
Big Mike nods his head and swallows. “There’s silver chain in that cabinet, use it to chain me up.”
“No, Big Mike, you can’t take more,” I don’t want to hurt anything else. At least not tonight.
“I can and I will, little girl. You want to sell I’m a prisoner and you’re not helping me escape, that is what must be done. I am stronger than you think, Jaevia.”
“I know, Big Mike, but…”
“It would help sell the story and we are out of time. They will notice she is dead soon.”
“So you did kill her?” I nod my head to Big Mike. “Wolf Mother said that you would, tis good you kept your promise.”
Birkman gets the chains from the cabinet, I take them from him. I’m the one that should do this to Big Mike. I’m the one he should blame. I wrap his body in the thick chains, the silver burning him. I wrap a length around his neck to act as a collar and leash. His skin begins to blister immediately.
He stumbles a little but then straightens up to his full height, accepting the pain.
“No… you need to look broken, Big Mike. I may have to be mean to you if we are stopped.”
“Be mean?” he laughs slightly; pain crosses his face as the movement causes the silver chain to
tear away a layer of skin. “You better be the cruel bitch I know you can be, we’ve got one chance here.” I nod my head, grabbing the chain collar and lead my friend out of the room.
The guard at the desk doesn’t say shit, he’s still caught in his own terror.
Of course we are stopped, because I’ve used up my entire lot of dumb luck for the rest of my days. We’ve made it to the base of the hill where the pathway leads out of this ravine. The not-wolves are becoming subdued as the dawn approaches.
The guard on patrol points his machine gun at us.
“Halt!”
Birkman steps forward to explain the Madame has ordered us to bring the wolf to her. The guard doesn’t look like he believes us. I suck in a breath and yank on the chain until Big Mike falls to his knees.
“I really am tired of having to drag him about; you can take him to her if you want.” I offer the guard the chain. He doesn’t accept it. Yup, don’t want to go face to face with the bitch if you don’t have to. Chicken shit. I hum in my throat.
“Did I give you permission to kneel, dog?” I say to Big Mike.
“No, Mistress.” He hangs his head.
“You may choose your punishment. A hundred lashes or sucking cock for the night.”
“Lashes, Mistress.”
“Very well, you shall be sucking cock tonight. Would you like your dick sucked? The dog’s mouth is open for business.” I ask the guard, looking him dead in his eyes, his skin begins to pale.
“No Ma’am, sorry Ma’am for disturbing you.” He turns and walks away, beginning his patrol again.
“Come on, Big Mike, we’re almost there.” I turn and help Big Mike; he grunts with effort to get back to his feet.
Luckily we are not stopped again. I guide us into the woods, letting my full senses open, searching for guards, guiding us away from them.
“Would you have done it?” comes Birkman’s question.
“Yes,” Big Mike’s simple response comes.
“I couldn’t.”
“So you would’ve let Jae and I die while trying to save you because you are squeamish about a little cock in your mouth? I know I am not gay; proving it is not worth your two lives.” There are a lot of reasons Big Mike is Amarok; he understands doing what needs to be done no matter the cost.
“Why did you do that, Jaevia, ask him to choose and then order the other?”
“She was showing that there is no choice except hers.” Big Mike answers for me, he sucks in a breath.
“Let’s get the chains off. At this point, no one is going to believe we are taking you to Sheba anyway.” I unlock him. I try to be careful but there is no way to help it, I have to rip the skin from his body in places; fast is preferable to slow when it comes to such a task.
“Stop Jaevia. Give me a stick to bite down on. I’m not ashamed to say I may scream, and we can’t have that.”
“Ok, Big Mike.” I break a thick branch from a tree and place it between his teeth. He nods his head once. Nothing more than moans and grunts escape him as I unwrap the chain from his body, but he snaps the fucking branch between his teeth.
“Fuck,” Birkman breaths out beside me.
It is disgusting, but I contain my explicative. Finally, the last of it is off. He’s leaning on a tree, still standing but barely; he is a hot shit Alpha.
“Can you heal?”
“No, not far enough away. Help me.”
Birkman and I take either side of Big Mike and half drag half carry him the rest of the way, I’m more on the dragging side of things, Big Mike is big as fuck. The sun breaks through the trees. Wait for us Jack, we are coming, I’m coming, I think.
“Not much further. Birkman, you will go with them, I will return and allow myself to be caught. It should give you all time to get away.”
Jack drops from the trees in front of us, I hadn’t sensed him at all. Damn he’s good. He’s a Blood Lord.
I breathe out a sigh of relief. “Thank goddess.”
Jack nods his head slowly not in my direction. Three other vampires drop out of the trees surrounding us.
“What?” I ask.
“You will not be returning to that place, Jaevia.” Jacks eyes swirl with power.
“I have to, there is no way they won’t come for you all. They have to catch me.”
He just shakes his head no. I let Big Mike go and step away. I look around at the vampires, day walkers and powerful, every one of them. No way I’m getting out of this.
“If this is about what happened…”
“You will remain quiet.” Jack orders me, I feel his power wash over my skin, terrible and cold.
“Take these two to the others. We will follow in a moment.”
The vampires come forward, two of them take up position on either side of Big Mike. They clasp arms under him and form a chair lifting him. They don’t even look like they are trying hard. Then they are gone. I nod my head to Birkman, saying it’s ok. Jack just stares at me, minutes pass and he says nothing, I’m sure waiting for us to be private.
“I thought I made myself clear, Jaevia. No one is to know about what happened back there.” Jack’s eyes swirl with magic.
“Of course, Jack,” I say, stammering. Not sure what is going on anymore.
“Please do not force me to remind you again.”
“I won’t.” He nods his head.
“There is no way I will allow you to be caught by those creatures. Come.” He holds out his hand. “Come!” He orders sharply.
I clasp his hand gently. I can go peacefully, or kicking and screaming. Jack is strong enough to force me. And there’s no way in hell I will ever use my power on him again.
Chapter Fifty-three
Abbadon calls my name
We move quickly and quietly through the woods and reach the road. Crossing it, we break into the woods on the other side. Tabari’s crossover still in the street, pulled onto the shoulder, right where I’d left it.
I don’t understand what’s happening. I’m too terrified of Jack to ask. Why aren’t we leaving? Why aren’t we all getting in the car and driving as fast as possible away from this place?
We race through the woods and I breathe a sigh of relief when I spot Peter, Tabari, and Lucien up ahead standing in the trees, all of them dressed in black. They will listen to reason. Jack has lost his mind, you cannot be surprised.
“You have to go, I have to go back,” I say, rushing towards them.
“I don’t even know where to start with you, Jaevia Knightley. No fucking clue.” Lucien steps forward until he is right in my face.
“Jack told us of you two’s plan. I have half a mind to kill the bloodsucker for allowing you to take such a risk.”
“I…” I look at Jack, not knowing how to respond.
“I told them everything, how you asked me to help you gain entrance, me agreeing to be your gift to her to gain her trust. I thought it was the best plan for success.”
“It was not your right to decide, you are not her mate.” Lucien turns from me, taking a step to Jack.
“I am her chosen consort. We are equals in the eyes of even the Kindred; you are not my Master, Beast. No one is.”
“Stop it!” I yell. “We need to leave, they have thousands of the creatures. We stand no chance against their numbers.”
“We are not leaving, Jaevia, we are Reaping.” Tabari says; his eyes glow so powerfully, his body lifts from the ground.
I look around as a shroud of glamour is lifted, there are wolves and vampires everywhere in the tress. It still isn’t enough.
“The wolves can’t change, Big Mike can’t change without the permission of one of the Coven, they have many more of those gems. They will trap the wolves under their will.”
“It will work if I give Peter control of the pack, the gems are not marked for his frequency,” Big Mike limps forward, saying.
“We actually thought out a real plan, including everyone, Jaevia, this is the way it shall be.” Tabari orders, still a g
ood six inches off the fucking ground.
I look shocked around me, has everyone gone mad?
“Jaevia, at this point you can join us or you can stay here,” Tabari says, threatening. “Ok, ok,” I just say, nodding my head.
“Big Mike, do what you need to do to give Peter the pack. I need to speak with my mate,” Lucien orders and grabs my arm dragging me away. Although everyone will be able to hear; everyone is a fucking supernatural.
“Let us make something perfectly fucking clear here. You ever in your goddess-given life do anything like this again you will be taken away, I will lock you up. No one will find you. I will keep you tucked away just for me until the earth and heavens end. Do we understand one another, Jaevia Marie Knightley?” Oh goddess, not my middle name.
“Yes, Lucien,” I say numbly.
“On your knees and swear it to your Master, Wench.”
I slide to one knee bowing my head. Not the bow of a slave, but of a warrior promising her fidelity.
“I swear to never lie to you about my plans and whereabouts ever again, Lucien Hari Ramzia.” His name literally means the burning light of the lion, born of the sun blessed by Ra. He’s more demigod than daemon and his name says it all, the living son of Apedemak.
“Now rise and kiss me, for my heart is filled with joy that you are safe and you have slain your demon.”
I get up from my knees and look up to Lucien. Just like that, all is forgiven. The oath I’ve just sworn is very real. He now has every right to carry me away and keep me locked up for all my days if I ever break my oath, and no one could say a thing. He has a fucking forest full of witnesses.
I open my mouth to the pressing heat of Lucien. I swim in the feel of him, thankful of everything he has done for me.
“Ready to kill them all, Jae?” he asks, pulling back from the kiss. His eyes glow with bloody intent.
“Yes,” I smile up to him. Lucien has always understood certain things about me. I have always understood those same things about him. We are Reapers.
We rejoin the others. Peter and Big Mike kneel facing one another. I can actually see the wolves’ power signatures change to vibrate on Peter’s frequency, which also happens to be my own. I always thought the Amarok had to die for this to happen. I guess not.
