“Vincent told me that if I give him ten humans then he will help me ascend on the Equinox.” I said stiffly.
“Vincent is insane. He is cruel. The Rose family will use you and spit you out again.” He hissed.
“Like calls to like.” I put the needle gun back in my purse and texted Vincent.
Sophia: I have your someone brilliant. Bring the car around.
“Are you sleeping with him?” Henry’s demeanour melted from anger into resignation. “Vincent?”
“It wouldn’t be your business if I was.”
“Thank God, you’re not.” He stepped forward and took my hands in his. I tried to pull away but the overwhelming feeling of wanting his skin against mine was too much. I told myself it was the Vessel inside me. That I wanted his magic. But now that I was more powerful, I knew that deep down that wasn’t the case. Henry didn’t have much of the burning magic, the glowing embers of power that other daemons had. It was as if there was a block inside his body, it stopped him from reaching into well of power.
I ripped my hands from his and took a step back.
“You don’t have permission to touch me.” I said. “…Haage.”
His jaw snapped up and his eyes met mine. Caught like a deer in headlights.
“Yes, I know your true name.” I whispered. “Go back to Lillian. It’s obviously where you want to be.”
“I want to be with you.” It was so quiet that I almost didn’t hear it.
I swallowed the lump in my throat that made it hard to speak. “Then you shouldn’t have been inside of someone else.”
A sharp car horn broke the connection between us. I hadn’t realised that we had stepped closer to each other. Close enough to share body heat. Close enough to kiss. I jumped to attention and Charlotte came barrelling down the alleyway with a large burlap blanket.
“Good work.” She whistled, taking in Markus’s good looks. She covered him with the blanket and walked off down the alleyway with him slung over her shoulder. His limp form bobbed as she moved.
“I would tell you the truth, but you will think me weak. You would find me disgusting.” Henry whispered.
“More so than I do now?” I snarled, unwilling to back down. “I am meant to be your soul mate and you had no problem running back to your Lillian.”
Henry smiled sadly and ran his finger down my cheek. I flinched and pulled away.
“I will always be here for you.” He said.
I reached up to slap his hand away but I blinked and he was gone.
I didn’t go back to Dartmouth House in Mayfair, even though the limo idled on the road outside of the alleyway and Charlotte tried to coax me inside. Instead, I went home.
Exhaustion had set in, a heaviness in my thighs that made it hard to walk. I arranged an Uber back to the Camden flat. The phone in my clutch vibrated over and over but I ignored it as I forced my burning legs up the stairs to the front door. I unlocked the door and stepped inside. I allowed the golden clutch to fall to the floor. The shiny handle, in the shape of a knuckle duster, hit the paisley carpet with a dull thud.
Trix poked her head around the living room door, her mouth was full of food and she looked a bit like a hamster. Her almond hazel eyes raked from my Louboutins to the top of my blow-dried and curled hair and she swallowed the food in her mouth with an audible gulp.
“You’re wearing a dress that costs more than three months’ rent.” She pointed out.
I kicked off the high heels and padded into the living room. I slumped into the leather armchair.
“I’m so tired.”
“You haven’t drank any daemon blood in a few days.” Trix said, she was sat on the sofa and rested a plated sandwich on her lap.
“I feel so empty. I feel sick.” I shivered. “I don’t even know what I am doing anymore.”
“You Herded someone then?” She took a bite of her sandwich. Her expression didn’t change, Trix always had the ability to look as if she was bored. Her face gave nothing away.
“I did. He’s going to ascend so at least I don’t have to worry about being responsible for someone’s death.” I murmured.
Trix laughed. “Taylor, you’ve killed people before. Besides, isn’t death better than what they do to the ones they don’t turn?”
“What do they do? Don’t they just drain them until they die?”
Trix put her sandwich down and gave me look like I was an idiot. “Sex slaves, Taylor. They’re incubi and succubae.”
I shivered and bile rose in my throat. The overwhelming emptiness inside me quickly leeched the disgust that started to grow from my belly. It dispersed like ink on water. It unnerved me but I said nothing, no longer bothered by what the daemons were doing.
The thing inside me that wanted to feast on daemon magic, sucked up my guilt and turned it to apathy.
“So, you and William, huh?” I asked, wiggling my eyebrows.
Trix’s brow crinkled. “Abrupt subject change there, Taylor?”
Trix stared into my eyes for a beat too long and I wondered if she had felt the emptiness inside of me, eating my emotions and feeding the darkness.
“How did you know about William and me?” She asked, allowing the subject change.
“I saw the photos, they’re in an exhibition in Shoreditch.”
The Witching shook her head and laughed. “William’s a sod.”
“It’s not true love then?” I teased, “I’m not surprised.”
Trix nodded thoughtfully but her attention snapped back to me when I began to cough. I couldn’t help the tickle in my throat that turned into a full-blown hack.
“Are you okay?” Trix asked, her voice panicked.
My vision tunnelled and I smelt the dusty carpet under my nose.
I fell to the floor. Trix rushed over and I felt her hands touching me. They patted my face, the exposed skin on my shoulders but it felt as if my skin did not belong to me.
I couldn’t stop coughing, my chest heaved and spluttered as I tried to force the burn out of my throat. I hunched over, finally able to move and coughed into my hands.
Trix stepped back to give me space and I unfurled my clenched fingers to reveal what looked to be a small piece of black fabric. I had coughed up a piece of cloth.
I started to tremble and the black fabric unfurled to reveal a tiny butterfly, barely bigger than my pinkie fingernail.
“What is that?” I croaked, my throat was raw from the coughing.
Trix went pale. Her mouth gaped in horror.
“That’s a piece of your soul, Taylor.”
The butterfly flicked its wings once, twice and took off into the air. It became nothing but black smoke, as it folded itself into the fabric of the air.
“You’re a vessel?” Trix said in slow realisation. “That’s why Damian wants you. Fuck.” The Witching stood up and for the first time since I had known her, she looked rattled. Trix pushed her peach coloured hair out of her face and gripped at her scalp in exasperation.
“People keep calling me a Vessel.” I stated, crossing my legs from where I sat on the floor. “I can feel daemon magic and energy and my body just… wants it.”
Trix put her hands in the sockets of her eyes and sat down. “Taylor, a vessel is what happened when someone gets trapped between being a human and a daemon. Normally when a human drinks Pureblood they die or they ascend. If they don’t do either, they become something else. You are so screwed. Even that mark on the back of your neck can’t protect you.”
My hands flew to my nape; I had almost forgotten about the tattoo that Trix had given me weeks ago. It was meant to Shroud against the Purebloods.
“I’m so tired, Trix. I need sleep.” I moaned.
“You need magic. Energy. Sex.” She clarified. “You can’t let Damian have you.”
I rubbed my eyes and yawned. “Okay.”
Trix walked in front of me and took my shoulders, she gave me a shake and stared into my eyes.
“You must not, under any circumsta
nces, allow Damian to have you.” Trix uttered, slowly and deliberately. I nodded slowly at her command and pushed myself from the floor.
I knew that I should have felt something, anything, but something inside of me was missing. I couldn’t connect with my emotions properly. The emptiness was winning.
I stood up and walked to the bedroom. I flopped onto my futon and tugged the covers over my head. It had been days since I had slept. The effects of daemon blood had meant that I hadn’t needed to. Seeing Henry had exhausted me. Herding Markus had drained me. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to feel as I drifted into a heavy sleep.
His hands were soft but I felt the calluses on his fingertips as they traced a path up the inside of my thighs. I was in my bed, covers over my face, but I could feel his cool breath on the side of my neck as if Henry Blaire hovered over me. I squeezed my eyes shut, I was dreaming and for that second I refused to wake up.
“Yes.” I begged, as his fingers grazed the inside of my thigh and reached my centre. I felt pressure on the outside of my underwear, my wetness had warmed the silk. My hips bucked as I felt the familiar touch of my daemon. His finger curled at my entrance, testing if I was ready. Before his lips pressed down on the hollow below my belly button. Teasing me. Savouring me.
“Henry…please…” I begged again, my voice was ragged and wanton. It didn’t sound like me at all.
“Sophia,” He purred. I opened my eyes and where the bed had been empty a few seconds before my daemon hovered over me. His weight rested on his elbows. His deep sapphire irises darkened with lust.
“Tell me you want me.” He urged. I felt his fingers on my soft flesh, stroking me. I hadn’t felt like that in a long time. I had been so empty and lost. Parts of me had flaked away and gone. Trix had told me it was my soul.
I was losing my soul.
It was easier for focus when I was with Henry, wherever we were. It's a dream, I told myself.
It was okay to lose myself because it wasn’t real.
“I want you.” I breathed, as I grabbed his hair and pulled his lips to mine. They were soft as silk, urgent and demanding. Henry laced his fingers in mine and with a sharp movement, grabbed me and flipped me onto my stomach.
I closed my eyes, unable to contain the moan that built in my throat. I could feel his magic curl against my skin like the soft brush of a feather. I wanted him, I wanted it all.
His fingers hooked into the waistband of my underwear and dragged it over my buttocks. Henry’s hands palmed my soft flesh and I hissed a breath through my teeth as the bite of pleasure began to surge from my chest right to my heated core.
Henry.
My Henry. “Goodbye.”
And then I woke up.
11.
I woke up with a start as my new phone vibrated. I had placed it directly under my pillow the night before. I pushed myself up using my elbows and looked around, my hair was stuck up in odd tufts and my sheets were in disarray. My brow furrowed. My bed looked like I hadn’t slept alone. I put my hand to my lips, they were plump and bruised from being kissed. My thighs were sore and worn from whatever had happened the night before.
I felt like I had been ridden hard and put away wet.
But it had been a dream.
Incubi can invade dreams. A snarky voice in my mind reminded me.
I clenched my hands into fists and growled. I punched my mattress in frustration.
That damn sex daemon.
I had consented, verbally, physically. But there was a certain expectation that dreams weren’t real. Dreams allowed people to do things they would not ordinarily do.
I had let Henry back inside of me.
I groaned and put my head in my hands. My phone continued to vibrate and I collected myself quickly. I plastered a fake smile on my face and gave me facial muscles some much-needed exercise. The caller ID told me that it was Vincent.
“I’m outside.” He stated. “I don’t like to be kept waiting.” And he hung up on me.
I threw my phone back onto the futon and it bounced once and then hit the floor.
I couldn’t remember making any plans with him. I searching my mind but found nothing. Every time I tried to reach for the memories I couldn’t recall them.
I took my sweet time. The Elite had sprung an impromptu trip on me, so he could wait. I sat on the edge of my bed and combed out my long chestnut hair. Even though I had sex hair, some of the waves and product from the stylists remained. I chose my regular jeans, hoodie and converse.
I took my time as I walked to the door. When I reached the entrance to the stairwell next to the corner shop, my mouth gaped open in shock. I recovered myself quickly.
I had not expected to see a white sports car on the double yellow lines, on a street in Camden town.
I felt a sting of jealousy. My own Audi TT had been sold whilst I was stuck in the asylum. I had had no use for it then. I liked fast cars.
I curled my bottom lip and ran my tongue over it. Vincent’s hair stuck up in every direction, a deep auburn that shone with golden highlights where the morning sun hit it. I could never get used to what the sun did to daemon skin. It was translucent. I could see the thin blue veins in his neck from where his top buttons were undone to show off a flash of his muscular chest.
Vincent opened his arms in welcome and his emerald eyes glinted.
“I thought we could go for a drive my Pet.” He exclaimed happily. He clapped his hands together and opened the door of the white sports car.
I walked past him without a word and tucked my legs in to sit down in the passenger seat.
“It’s a Lamborghini Aventador.” Vincent explained as he slid into the driver’s seat. He pulled out into the traffic without even looking. I heard an angry horn sound from someone that had been cut off by us. I turned to look back at the road to see if we had caused much damage.
“It looks like a car had sex with Optimus Prime.” I said, rubbing my hands over the red leather upholstery.
Vincent ignored my comment and smiled inanely. “You did a good job last night.”
“Thanks.” I crossed my hands over my chest. Vincent ran a red light and didn’t seem to care.
“I was quite disappointed that you didn’t come back to Dartmouth House for the rest of the evening. We have provided you with a suite for your convenience.”
I looked at the road and ignored the Elite daemon. I felt a tug and saw that Vincent had leant forward and captured a lock of my long hair between his nimble fingers. The exchange of energy in the car was a constant power play that I was sure was only visible to my eyes. My human energy slunk into the air like coloured smoke and the daemon’s presence leeched it from the air, greedily. Vincent’s dark magic, the thing that kept his human body immortal, powerful and connected to something else, hummed behind my eyes. His magic was like the crackle of a warm fire. It smelt like cinnamon and warm spices. Henry’s was the opposite; it was a fresh and refreshing burst. Henry’s was notoriously masculine, he smelt like a freezing winter. Vincent’s scent was like Autumn and falling leaves.
I took a deep breath through my clenched teeth, hoping to inhale some of the tempting embers of his daemonic energy. I was solely disappointed when I couldn’t. It must have only worked when I touched a daemon.
I thought back to my encounter with Henry the night before. It was probably why I felt a bit better in the morning and less fatigued. Henry and I had touched.
I cleared my throat. “Where are we going?”
“Back to Dartmouth House.”
“Why? I’m not needed until the evening.” I said slowly.
Vincent gripped the steering wheel but his expression was at odds with his tense grip. A bright smile was plastered on his face, his eyes sparkled. “You’re my Pet. You will stay at Dartmouth House.”
I crooked an eyebrow. “I’m no one’s pet.”
Vincent pouted. “For a week, my sweet. Just for a week.”
“… Then I’ll be a daemon.” I stated. “A
nd I’ll be on my way like you promised.”
Vincent pulled the car to an abrupt stop, my seatbelt jarred and as Vincent resettled in his seat and I saw that he wasn’t wearing one. The red headed daemon took the keys and threw then into my hands. Shocked, I almost dropped them.
“Come on. You drive.” He urged.
My expression was dubious but he reached behind the driver’s side and pulled out a green bottle of champagne. Krystal. He popped the cork with ease, barely wasting a drop. He offered it to me and I shook my head. Vincent took a deep slug and reached over to pop open the driver’s side door. It slid up like some space age contraption.
We swapped seats and I sat down on the frigid leather. I allowed myself to grip the steering wheel and the world fell away. I was in an expensive car. I was with daemon Royalty.
In a week, I would be useless to Damian. I would be a daemon and I would be safe. I could hold on for a little bit longer.
I pressed the pedal to the floor and heard the crunch of metal to my left. I hadn’t hit anyone but someone had swerved to avoid the white Lamborghini.
I threw my head back and laughed.
“Faster.” Vincent hooted, taking another sip of Krystal. “Faster!”
Something rose deep in my chest. A strange tingling feeling beneath my skin that covered every inch and detached my mind from my body. It took over and my face broke into a grin so wide that it made my jaw ache.
I couldn’t stop it. Vincent’s magic had managed to pry through the cracks of my mind when I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t care though. I stopped thinking about petty human things.
“FASTER!” Vincent screamed and the car lurched forward so quickly that we were thrown back in our seats. I could feel the G-force. I had no idea how powerful the car was but I liked it.
I jerked the steering wheel as we weaved through traffic. Part puppet and part urged on by my own innate rebellion. We drove like idiots through the straight streets of London. When cars pulled to a stop due to traffic, I mounted the pavement. Pedestrians jumped out of our way.
The Human Herders Page 11
