Sinful Cravings: Erotic Paranormal Romance (Lake City Stories Book 2)

by Annie Nicholas

  Taking a deep, difficult breath, I shook my head. “I don’t have to feed.” Sex between feeds with anyone else besides Val would be considered cheating in my culture.

  “Val would never have to know.”

  I continued shaking my head. “I would.”

  “He stole tomorrow away from us.” Sin ran a sharp fingernail along my cheek and I closed my eyes at the sensation. “I, at least, deserve an explanation.” With his other hand, he pulled out his cellphone. “Or I can call and just ask him.”

  Gasping, I opened my eyes again. “Don’t you dare. He’ll ask who I fed from then I’ll have to tell about screwing things up with your deal.”

  Sin pressed on a button and showed me Val’s number on speed dial.

  I leaped to grab it from him, but I may as well have tried to wrestle Superman. “Fine.” Slumping back on his lap, I tossed my apple in the trash. My appetite had vanished. Go figure. “I think Val’s wives are refusing to feed him. The vials of energy they usually send are not arriving.” I sensed him go stiff with surprise, something I’d never experienced before. I risked a peek at him.

  His eyebrows were furrowed. At times I thought Sin cared for me, but he always managed to counteract those instances with asshole-ish behavior. “You’re his only source of food? He’ll kill you.”

  “I know. That’s why he sent me away.” I pulled up my imaginary big-girl pants. “He lost control of his hunger and almost drained me completely. Neither of us had a choice. The urge is just that strong.”

  Sin nodded. Unlike most supernaturals, vampires understood the power of hunger. I was sure over his long life span Sin must have lost control over his blood lust at least once, or a hundred times.

  I poked him in the chest. “Don’t tell my parents.” That’s all I needed. They’d make my sisters follow me everywhere. I blinked and poked him again. “Or my sisters.”

  His expression didn’t change.

  “I mean it.”

  His frown grew deeper. “Didn’t you learn anything when you decided to fall in love with a human and kept it a secret?”

  “That wasn’t a decision. I don’t control my heart.”

  He snorted. “You don’t control anything.” Then he grabbed my chin between two fingers so he could gaze into my eyes. “Seriously, I don’t like this situation. Even apart from Val you’re in danger. Once he hungers again his demon nature will search you out. You belong to him. It’s only natural he’ll want to feed from you.”

  “I don’t belong to him, not yet.” I held up my bare wrists.

  “That’s semantics. The marriage tattoos aren’t a reminder of his ownership. They are to inform other incubi that you belong to him. And don’t worry; they’re quite aware of it even without his marks on your skin.”

  “So, what should I do?” I bit my bottom lip. My resources were limited. “I can’t keep running to my father or you every time I’m in trouble. The whole point of my moving out was to learn some independence.”

  “Yet here you are.” He gestured around his home.

  Defeated, I slumped against him. “Why do his wives hate me so much?” It was a rhetorical question and thank goodness Sin understood, because I wouldn’t be able to handle him listing all my faults.

  He stroked my hair and hugged me tight. “Do you want me to kill them?”

  This time I chuckled. “No, then I’d be left alone feeding Val until he found new wives.”

  “You could be the prime wife.”

  I leaned into his hug and took what strength he offered. “I don’t want to be prime. I’d have to run everything and that would be no fun.”

  “Yes, and life is all about fun.” He shook with laughter.

  “For me it is.”

  “Fine, Miss Fun, what is your solution to this dilemma?” He continued to play with my hair.

  “First, I need to collect more suitors.”

  Sin made an agreeable noise. “You’ve been searching for three months and still haven’t picked a single one.” I didn’t mention John’s return. Sin was pissed at him for ditching me and I already had enough problems without my vampire killing my demon suitor-to-be, which reminded me I had to print John’s new contract.

  “I have to be less picky. Maybe I’ll talk to my sisters and find out how they manage one night stands all the time.”

  Shaking his head, he loosened his hold on me. “They manage because they don’t have hearts. Taking that road will change you for the worse. You’ll become like Val’s other wives.” He tugged at his ear. “You can take one of my vampires.”

  I sat up straight. He’d never offered before. “Gigi?”

  “No, she’s off limits and she’s not a vampire.”

  “Technicalities. Do you love her?” I couldn’t figure out their relationship. It was almost like Sin collected broken females to fix.

  “No.” He pressed his finger against my lips. “No more questions.”

  I kissed his fingertip. “I’ll go through my list of possibilities today. After some sleep.”

  “Ask your sisters. They could give you names of potential males.”

  I made a sour face. “I don’t want any of their cast offs. Sharing lovers with my sisters is gross. In the mean time, I’m fed, Val’s fed, and I still can use you in an emergency.”

  He sighed. “Didn’t you learn anything when you tried to feed only from that human?”

  “This isn’t the same thing. I did learn, which is why I’ll go male shopping tomorrow.” I pressed my hand over my heart. “I promise.”

  Rolling his eyes, he struggled not to smile. It didn’t last long and he let his smile win. “I have a present for you.”

  “Really?” I squirmed on his lap until we faced each other. “What is it?” I curled my fingers at him in a give-me motion. Gifts were a girl’s best friend, especially if the box was small.

  His grin grew wider as he set me on the sofa and went into the bedroom, returning with a black silk bag. “I was going to give it to you tomorrow.” He set it in my eager palms and watched as I struggled with the knot.

  “Were you expecting a troop of boy scouts to accompany me so they could untie this?” I used my teeth.

  “Boy scouts are too tender for my tastes.”

  I eyed him over the bag and assessed his wicked grin. “I won’t ask how you know this.”

  “Good. Do you need help?”

  With one last good tug, I finally loosened the string and poured a dark, tarnished metallic necklace into my hand. I gasped at the sharp cold that stung my skin. No pendant or sparkle shone in the dim lighting. I dangled it from a finger and inspected the intricate weave of chain. “This is beautiful and cold.” Something seemed engraved along one of the braided strands, too tiny to read.

  “It only stings upon first contact. The cold should dissipate.” He removed it from my hold and clasped it around my neck, then placed a tender kiss below my hairline.

  My chest tightened. Sin was right. The necklace warmed against my skin. “What’s the special occasion?”

  “I must have missed a birthday or something since we’ve met.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, all of them.” I ran my fingertips over the delicate metal and sensed the magic behind it. “This isn’t normal jewelry, is it?”

  “Would I bother with something mundane?”

  Trying to breathe through the growing ache in my chest, I gave him a watery smile. “I’m not sure what to say.”

  “Don’t make more of it than what it is.” Giving me his be quiet stare, he walked toward the back of his apartment through his practice area.

  I kicked off my shoes and scrambled to follow. The walls were covered in weapons of all kinds from automatic guns to scimitars. I once thought this was the end of his apartment.

  Sin spoke a few words in a language I didn’t recognize and the wall twisted into an opening. Not only Mr. Personality, leader of the bloodsuckers, but also the only black magic practitioner in the city. He strode across the stone floor into a ca
vern so large he didn’t bother lighting all of it. He also kept John’s brother, Amel, chained in this room.

  I’d accidentally aided Sin in capturing the malicious thing. Since then all the demon wanted to do was rip my heart out. Sin encouraged him to take up other hobbies but killing Pia seemed like his only focus.

  Tiptoeing across the hard surface, I watched for sharp rocks. For a male, Sin kept house pretty well. Not a stray thing on the cold floor to jab my bare soles. What made him decide to give me this necklace? Our relationship had always been more of a friendship/protector thing. No gifts, no dates, no romance of any sort. I had to stipulate that with all my suitors because I started to like them too much. Liking led to love and love led to possession. I couldn’t be faithful, it wasn’t in my genetics, and most men didn’t want to share, unless they were incubi.

  Another pair of lean, bare feet circumventing the main work table caught my attention. Black claws grew where toenails should have been. My gaze traveled along the jean clad legs until I glimpsed the tips of black leathery wings.

  My eyes went wide enough to hurt as I stumbled toward the door. Amel should have been chained to the wall, not strolling footloose and fancy free.

  He stopped in his tracks as our gazes met. A snarl shattered the silence within the cavern before he leaped into the air, wings spread like the shadow of death.

  The smooth floor suddenly had grown a lot of obstacles as I tripped repeatedly to the exit. “Sin!” My shout out did Amel’s screech. Landing on my tush, I curled in a ball and covered my head.

  Amel landed over me, his feet poised on each side of my head. Saliva dripped on my face. Eww. This was how I’d end my life? Another snarl rattled my eardrums. I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut.

  Holding my breath, I waited to die.

  And I waited some more.

  Chapter Eight

  And I waited for Amel to disembowel me.

  Peeking between my eyelashes, I peered at his claws as they pushed against an invisible barrier to pierce me.

  His muscles bulged at the strain and he gasped for air as if in pain. “Why can’t I gouge her?” He threw himself at me and bounced to the floor, landing on his back.

  I sat up and scanned the room for an escape.

  Sin leaned against his work table, a huge, fang-filled grin on his face.

  “What the fuck is so amusing?” I rose and skittered away from the thrashing Amel.

  The demon eyed me as if trying to figure out a new puzzle before climbing to his feet. He circled, taking each step slowly.

  My heart thumped at a crazy rate. I wrenched my neck trying to watch both him and Sin at the same time. Why was the vampire just standing there? A moment ago I thought he was beginning to care.

  Amel struck with his claws again.

  Jumping at his sudden move, I screeched and clutched my chest but his swing ricocheted off something invisible surrounding my body. “Stop that.”

  This time Amel reached toward me as if to caress my skin instead of rendering it from my bones.

  I skittered back.

  “Let him,” Sin ordered.

  Allowing the back of Amel’s fingers to slide over my skin, I hissed at the contact. “What is this?”

  “A protective spell.” Amel’s gaze traveled from mine to Sin. “These are hard to make.” His fingers curled around my upper arm.

  Twisting, I tried to pull away. “Let me go.”

  “He can’t hurt you, Pia.” Sin approached and ran a finger over my necklace. “Release her.”

  Amel’s fingers jerked off my arm as if they’d been slapped.

  I glanced at my gift. “This protects me?” He did care in an odd Sin-ish sort of way. I always said his kind of affection stung.

  “Apparently.”

  “You didn’t know if it would?” I shoved him away from me. “You jerk.”

  He scowled. “Think of it as payback for destroying my deal with Nik.”

  My retort faded on my tongue. Had I really thought I’d get away without retaliation from Sin? No. Death by demon was milder than I’d expected.

  “Now, I can release Amel to do my bidding without worrying about him gutting you.” His scowl turned into a sour smile as he reminded me of my other foul-ups. Was it my fault I had him summon the wrong demon?

  I grimaced. Maybe it was. “What keeps him from tearing it off my throat?”

  Sin grinned at the demon. “The spell prevents him from removing it. Don’t allow your silliness to overcome you by taking it off. You wear the necklace from now on.” He ran his fingertips over the cool metal. “I’m pretty proud. It’s one of my better accomplishments.”

  Amel snarled once more and stomped to the back of the cavern where his cot lay. He fell upon his bed and turned his back to us. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

  “As for hungry incubi and possessive minotaur you can call upon Amel for help if either threatens you. The necklace will also compel him to do your bidding.”

  “What?” Amel roared. He flung himself onto his back. “I will not save her. I will rot in agony first.”

  “The feeling is mutual.” I glared at Sin. “There’s no way I’m calling on him for help,” I whispered. I wouldn’t get myself in any kind of situation that would require a demon’s rescue.

  “Minotaur males are very stubborn. Nikademos has gotten a taste of you and liked it. You’re being overly naïve if you think he’s lost interest.”

  “No shit, Captain Obvious.” Nik didn’t like being told no. He had the whole bull of the herd thing going for him. I returned to Sin’s apartment and sagged onto the couch, letting the soft leather engulf me. For a vampire cave it was cozy in a medieval torture chamber slash boudoir kind of way. Sin didn’t let many people into his private home.

  He settled next to me, his long frame cradling mine. “Female minotaurs only offer their bodies when they wish to become part of the herd. They don’t mate with outside males unless they want to leave their old herd. How would you feel if I gave you a nibble of a fantastic cookie then snatched it away?”

  “I’m only fantastic?” I raised an eyebrow.

  His smile grew more heated. “Poor choice of word.”

  I pursed my lips and stared at the low ceiling. “Nik thinks I want to be part of his herd and that I taste of supreme cookie deluxe?” The necklace felt less cool as I rolled it between my fingers.

  “The kind of chocolate chip ones your mothers’ make.” He gave me a gentle squeeze. “With nuts. How’s that for an explanation?”

  “He’s going to dip me in a glass of milk next time he sees me and eat me in one bite.” I twisted in my seat to meet Sin’s amused gaze.

  “Very good, Captain Obvious.” He flicked my nose lightly.

  Flinching, I rubbed the sore spot. “So by fucking Nik, he thought I wanted to join the herd and leave Val.” Males. You drop your dress and then they want to take you to meet the herd. I shook my head.

  “You of all people should know that different races perceive sex differently.”

  This time my flinch came from the flick Sin dealt my heart. I’d thought falling in love with a human would solve all my intimacy needs until my succubus nature caused me to be unfaithful, breaking both our hearts.

  “Yeah, me of all people. You do realize I went to that meeting to be with you and not him, right? I didn’t plan any of this. Hell, I didn’t even know minotaurs really existed until tonight let alone what their mating rituals where.” I crossed my arms and struggled not to pout. “I still don’t understand why he changed his mind on the deal.”

  “You’re Val’s fiancé, let alone Flynn’s baby girl. You flung yourself at him, used him in front of some of his herd, and then told him to screw off. You made him lose face.” Sin ran a finger along my arm sending tingles over my skin. “He really thought you wanted to leave Val until I made things clearer.”

  “How mad will Val be about the deal being broken?”

  “On a scale of one to ten, I’d gu
ess a thirteen.”

  “Shit.” I threw my head back and flailed. Wasn’t thirteen considered a lucky number for demon-ish races like mine? “I will fix this.”

  He chuckled. “Not unless you want to eat grass and say moo.”

  I slapped his thigh. “That’s not funny.” Maybe I did need a demon defender. I’d never had my life threatened until tonight. Well, not threatened by somebody other than myself.

  Snuggling closer, he ran his fangs over my neck and whispered, “Don’t worry about the deal. There’s nothing you can do.” With centuries of practice, Sin maneuvered me onto my back and crawled on top before I could give a Hail Mary. “I’ll feed tonight so you don’t have to come back tomorrow.” He squeezed between my thighs. “Clothes on or off?”

  The delicious ache at the apex of my legs became more intense with Sin pressing against it. “On!”

  He leaned back to view my face and raised an eyebrow. “Am I losing my touch?”

  “My girly bits are tender.” As an incubus, Val was naturally well endowed but Nik had an enthusiasm as well as size that left a pleasant yet sore aftershock.

  Tossing his head back, Sin laughed. It was so rare to see him carefree, even for a split second, and it made him almost angelic in his blond beauty.

  “You shouldn’t be asking that anyways. No sex between feedings.”

  “Those rules don’t apply to me.” He blinked with the most innocent expression I’d ever seen. He was good.

  I lifted my chin. “Just feed.”

  His smile turned more feral as his fangs grew. With a tug to my hair, he pulled my head back and struck.

  Sharp pain stung as he pierced my neck. I leaned into the bite and sank into his strong arms seeking what comfort I could on such a devastating night.

  He always moaned as he fed from me as if he savored my taste. The sound sent shivers of pleasure through my body.

  “Oh yes.” I dung my fingers into the back of his shirt, pulling him closer. Most people witnessing us together would mistake our affection for love but they couldn’t be more wrong. I craved the energy Sin produced when I fed, it was potent and crackled with power, but I didn’t crave him.