Sacrifice: Laid Bare: Volume 4

by Grey, S. R.

  It was like a hound from Hell had attacked him. Maybe one had? Who knew what he’d endured to get out of his pact.

  Perhaps feeling my gaze, Dunne lowered his head till he was completely hidden by the shadows cast by the tall pines surrounding the vehicle.

  I climbed back up to the front of the SUV and settled in the driver’s seat. I was readying to leave, to just take off and head back to the states. I’d figure out another way to escape my destiny.

  But just as I hit the ignition button and the engine roared to life, I heard a voice inside my head.

  Stay, please. I am sorry I watched, but your mating was quite hard to turn one’s eyes from.

  “I bet,” I scoffed.

  “Who are you talking to?” Dahlia questioned.

  She was back in the passenger’s seat, peering timidly out my window. “Him?” She jerked her chin. “Can you hear Dunne inside your head?”

  Her voice was equal parts incredulous and afraid, and her eyes widened when I said, “Yes. Apparently, he can speak to me inside my mind.”

  Placing her hand on my arm, she said in a rush of words, “Lucien, please, let’s leave. This is too much. He’s way too powerful. I’m afraid for both of us.”

  I was too, but I hesitated when Dunne said three little words: I can help.

  Still, my ire was up. How dare he insert himself in my head? I promptly did the same, though it took all my effort to charge in.

  Take that, motherfucker.

  I heard him laugh. Like I didn’t just let you in.

  Perhaps.

  Don’t delude yourself, Lucien. My power far exceeds yours.

  I ignored the latter remark, as it was probably true. But I did ask how he knew my name.

  I know everything about you, including why you’re here. As I stated before, I wish for you to stay. I will help you find a way to thwart your family.

  I can do that on my own.

  Yes, you can, but only in a way that ensures you will die. He lifted his head, and though he remained shrouded by his hood, I knew he was looking at Dahlia. As will she.

  I sighed. And if we stay and allow you to help, what guarantee do I have you won’t kill us both?

  I would never kill your lovely lady friend. She smells far too sweet.

  He was aroused again, hard for Dahlia. He wanted to fuck her, and he wanted me to know it.

  You’ll pay for even thinking about it, I swear.

  I lunged for the door, with every intention of beating this arrogant cocksucker’s ass, but Dahlia stopped me. “Don’t, Lucien. Please. Listen to the rest of what he has to say.”

  I raised a brow. “You can hear us?”

  She nodded. “Yes. I’ve heard the last few things. He’s somehow letting me listen in.”

  Shit, this dude had incredible power. “Damn,” I muttered.

  Sounding bored, Dunne asked: Are you done with your possessive outburst?

  I swallowed my pride. Yes.

  Excellent. Then follow me.

  Are you going to kill me? I asked.

  He laughed. For now, no. Now, come…

  He beckoned me to follow, indicating he’d remain on foot. I supposed Dunne was not fazed by the cold. I wasn’t bothered by it much, but still, I wasn’t sure how well I’d fare traipsing around for miles in this climate, with just a hoodie on for extra cover.

  I turned the wheels in a direction that would allow us to follow Dunne…or drive away.

  Turning to Dahlia, I said, “This is your decision, love. He’s obviously much more powerful than I am.” I sighed. “And I’m afraid that means I can’t guarantee you’ll be completely safe from him.”

  “I know.” She swallowed hard. “But still, I think we should go with him.”

  “You sure?” I was giving her one last chance to change her mind.

  But she knew, just as I did, that Dunne was our only chance. “Yes, Lucien. I’m sure.”

  Dahlia

  I was scared to death of Dunne, but I was also intrigued. I trusted him for some reason…but only a little.

  After he’d left Lucien’s mind, Dunne remained in mine. As we followed behind him—Lucien and I in the SUV, he on foot—Dunne told me not to be scared. He also promised not to harm Lucien.

  How can I trust you? I asked.

  You’re just going to have to take me at my word.

  That was a lot to ask. Promise me you aren’t just luring us to your place so you can kill Lucien.

  He chuckled. If I wanted to kill Lucien, he would already be dead. So, no, I don’t plan to harm either of you. In fact, my intentions are quite the opposite. I find you both fascinating. And if Lucien is truly intent on defying his destiny, then there is no need for me to end him.

  I let out a relieved breath, hoping he was telling the truth.

  There was a lull in our mind-link conversation, and I peered ahead, watching as Dunne led us to his home. He was a very tall man, much like Lucien. But whereas Lucien was strong and lean, Dunne was a massive bulk of male. Not fat in any way, he was pure muscle.

  You’d enjoy me on top of you, Dahlia, I heard him say. Overpowering you, taking you hard.

  Never!

  Never say never. He laughed. Lucien need not be left out. You could have us both, at the same time. You’d like that, Dahlia. I can assure you.

  Dunne proceeded to inject images in my head of bare bodies intertwined, images of me with him and Lucien. There was a flash of me on my back, Lucien between my legs, fucking me, while Dunne slid his cock in and out of my mouth. And then…another image, one of me sandwiched between the two, Lucien taking me from behind, while Dunne had me from the front. My eyes were closed and my mouth was an o of ecstasy as these two powerful creatures filled me in every way.

  I gasped and squirmed in my seat, while Dunne laughed. Good-bye, for now, Dahlia. Enjoy those thoughts.

  “You wish,” I snapped. I was annoyed with myself that I was so intrigued.

  Dunne was gone from my head and, consequently, didn’t hear my last comment.

  Lucien did, though. “Who are you talking to?” he asked suspiciously.

  “No one,” I lied.

  Suddenly, Lucien slammed on the brakes and the SUV fishtailed left and right. “That’s it,” he said, unperturbed by our now out-of-control car, but furious at Dunne. “If he thinks he’s going to hang out in your head without me being present, he’s sorely mistaken.”

  Lucien turned the wheel just seconds before we made contact with a tree.

  “Calm down,” I begged, gasping for breath.

  When the vehicle finally came to a stop, I exhaled shakily. “It’s okay, Lucien,” I said, trying to calm my crazy man. “He was only in my head for a minute.”

  Lucien rubbed his hands down his face, while Dunne stood yards away, arms crossed, waiting for us to resolve this new conflict.

  “Do you realize, Dahlia,” Lucien began, “that for Dunne to go in your head like that… It’s an affront to me, as intimate to beings such as us as sex is to your kind.”

  If only Lucien knew what kinds of images Dunne had showed me. But it probably wouldn’t matter. It wasn’t the content of the images that would bother Lucien. After all, he’d fully forgiven me for having sex with the waiter in the hotel. So, no, not the content, just the mere fact Dunne had been in my head, that was what was so offensive to Lucien.

  While I contemplated all this and tried to come to terms, once again, with our differences, I turned to Lucien. He didn’t notice me, as he was too busy staring down Dunne.

  Their standoff lasted until Dunne raised his hands in supplication. Lucien then let out a breath. It seemed he’d won this round.

  I had a feeling though, as we began to follow Dunne once more, that this was just the beginning of the battles between these two.

  Lucien

  “Enough games. It’s time to get down to business.”

  Those were my words to Dunne the minute we stepped inside his humble shack. And it was literally a wooden shack in
which this man lived.

  A sparsely furnished room with a large—and currently roaring—fireplace made up the entire front of the structure. A kitchen and a tiny bath occupied the back, and there appeared to be one large bedroom up in the loft.

  Dunne’s place was the absolute antitheses of the huge Tudor mansion I lived in back in Chicago.

  “Okay, okay, business it is.” Dunne brushed snow from his hoodie, but kept it on to keep his face covered. “First, though, let’s get you and Dahlia settled in.”

  He kicked his boots off at the door, and Dahlia and I followed suit.

  Since Dunne was insistent on behaving as if this were a social call, I went along with the farce, allowing him to lead us up a wooden ladder to the bedroom area on the second floor. “This is where you’ll be sleeping,” Dunne informed us.

  The ceiling was low and slanted, and there was a huge pile of blankets on the hardwood floor. There was nothing else in terms of decor. Dunne certainly lived spartanly.

  “What?” I scoffed. “You expect us all to cuddle up in here like we’re best buddies?”

  Dunne grabbed up a bunch of quilts and a down comforter from the floor and tossed them across the room. “Fine. You two can sleep over there. That should be private enough.”

  It wasn’t private at all, mere feet from where Dunne would be sleeping, but I let it slide.

  Dahlia set down the small bag of clothes she’d packed for us both next to the pile of covers that were now designated as ours. With a forced smile, she stated, “Well, at least it’s warm and cozy in here.”

  I suppressed a laugh, as did Dunne. Still, it was sweet of Dahlia to try to find something complimentary about the place. We all shared a smile and a modicum of tension was lifted.

  Dunne gestured to the ladder. “Come on back down. I’ll make us all dinner.”

  Dinner was surprisingly normal. Dunne fried up venison steaks and roasted root vegetables he retrieved from the cellar. He explained how he grew or caught all his own food.

  “Guess you don’t have a lot of other options out here in the wilderness,” Dahlia mused as we all sat down to eat.

  “I do not,” Dunne confirmed. “There is a town not far from here, but I choose not to show my face there.”

  He sure was self-conscious about his scarring. Even now, Dunne’s hood remained up, covering most of his face. He also tended to keep his chin down to ensure he remained hidden.

  I had to admit I was insanely curious as to how badly he’d been disfigured—a consequence of defying his destiny. Since I intended to do the same, I very much wanted to know what to expect.

  Clearing my throat, I said, “Dunne, avoiding town is fine, but you may as well lower your hood while you’re with us. If you’re going to help me with my plight, I’d like to see what’s in store for me. And Dahlia should be prepared, as well.”

  Dunne’s lips curled into a grin. “As you wish,” he murmured.

  When Dunne shrugged away his hood, exposing his entire face, Dahlia gasped.

  “Oh, my goodness, I am so sorry,” she stammered, blushing and turning away.

  “No need to apologize,” Dunne replied. “Your reaction is what I’d expect from any human. It’s why I prefer to live out here all alone.”

  Dahlia hung her head and mumbled more apologies. Me, though, I couldn’t turn away. I was a vain man, having fully enjoyed the perks of being considered quite striking by all. I could tell Dunne was once a handsome man himself. He still looked young, even though I knew he was far older. Our kind never aged much, usually never appearing more than thirty-five or so. That was about what I would’ve pegged Dunne as, had I not known better.

  I assessed him further. He’d retained his lush coppery hair, dark hazel eyes, and fine bone structure. His face, however, was heavily scarred. Long, deep scratch marks marred every inch of the skin covering his face and neck.

  “How far down does it go?” I asked.

  “Down my chest and back, as well, though not nearly as deep.”

  I nodded grimly.

  Could I accept this fate?

  Yes.

  To get out of the pact to fulfill my destiny and, in turn, keep Dahlia safe, I would do so in a heartbeat.

  After all, it was better than the other option—death.

  Dahlia

  After dinner, Dunne poured each of us two fingers of scotch. We remained at the table, talking and strategizing.

  “Can it be done?” I asked. “Is it possible for Lucien to escape his destiny and still live?”

  Despite my initial reaction, I was rapidly growing accustomed to Dunne’s disfigurement. He had an engaging charisma about him, much like Lucien, and I began to see past his scars.

  And though it would be terrible for Lucien to suffer the same fate, I would always love him, no matter what he looked like.

  Dunne took a drink and carefully set his glass tumbler on the table. “Yes, it can be done. But I don’t think either of you are going to like the process.”

  “Wait,” Lucien interjected. “How did you get out of your pact? I always heard you just flat-out refused…and then accepted the consequences.”

  He chuckled. “Yes. That’s pretty much what happened.”

  “So?” Lucien raised a brow. “I think I can live with that.”

  “Are you forgetting, Lucien,” Dunne continued, “that I lost all my power, as well?”

  “You have it back, now,” Lucien countered. “In fact, you seem stronger than ever.”

  “I am,” Dunne confirmed. “But it took many, many years. Not to mention, your cost could be much more.” Dunne leaned back in his chair. “So, yes, you could refuse your fate, face the wrath, and come out scarred. Perhaps lose your power, as well.” He paused for a beat, holding Lucien’s gaze intently. “But, it could be much worse than what I received. There’s a strong possibility you’d be outright killed”

  “I’m willing to accept that,” Lucien murmured.

  When I tried to object, Lucien quieted me by placing his hand over mine and shaking his head, as if to say now was not the time to argue.

  “There’d still be a problem.” Dunne turned to me, but spoke to Lucien. “Whether you live or die, Dahlia will remain at risk. And surely, since she’s not like us, the cost will be her life.”

  “Unacceptable.” Lucien’s hand tightened protectively over mine.

  “Lucien, it’s okay,” I assured him. “If giving up my life means you’ll escape your destiny, I’ll do it.” Softly, I added, “You were willing to do the same for me, weren’t you?”

  He glanced over at me and sighed. “Yes, that was my original purpose for coming here.”

  I’d suspected as much from my brief glance in his head. I suspected his original plan had to have been to come here and allow Dunne to end him. And now he’d just admitted it.

  “I love you so much,” I whispered. “I’m glad you changed your mind.”

  “I love you too, Dahlia.” He lifted his hand and cupped my cheek tenderly. “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t leave you unprotected and alone.”

  He didn’t add with Dunne, but I knew that was what he meant.

  Dunne cleared his throat, reminding Lucien and me that we weren’t alone. “Well, if you two are done professing your never-ending devotion,” he said, “would you like to hear my proposal for how you can escape your destiny without anyone having to die?”

  Lucien lowered his hand from my face and pivoted to Dunne. “Yes, of course. How can I get out of the pact in a way that allows us both to live?”

  Dunne smiled smugly, his hazel eyes sparkling. “There’s only one way. We must make Dahlia one of us.”

  Lucien

  I laughed. “If that were possible, Dunne, I would’ve done it ages ago.”

  “It is possible,” Dunne maintained. “You just don’t know how.”

  That was true, and I hungrily demanded, “So, tell me. I’ll do it right now.”

  “It’s not that simple.” He took a sip of his sc
otch. “Also, only through both of us using our powers can this task be accomplished in a way that’s not harmful to Dahlia…or to you. In fact, when it’s done, you two will be a force to be reckoned with, a team so strong no one will ever be able to fight you.” He lowered his head. “Not even me.”

  I was intrigued. “So, I could walk away from the pact, and Dahlia and I will remain safe forever.”

  “Yes.”

  Hmm, I suspected there had to be a catch. “And just how exactly can we accomplish that?”

  Dunne blew out a breath. “This is the part you’re not going to like. As I said, making Dahlia like us will require both of us to use our powers to the fullest. Together, and only together, will we be able to transfer enough power to Dahlia to change her into one of us.”

  I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of this. I’d given Dahlia some of my power in the past, and there was only one way I knew of for it to work—sex.

  “Is this just your way of trying to fuck my woman?” I asked accusingly.

  I huffed in irritation, and Dahlia quietly interjected, “Let’s hear him out, Lucien.”

  She had a point. I was irrational when it came to her. I couldn’t figure out why I was so possessive—in all ways—of Dahlia. Sex was usually not such an issue for me. And true, I’d forgiven her for fucking the waiter at the hotel, but that was only after I’d killed him. Dunne, though, I’d never be able to kill.

  “No, you would never be able to kill me,” Dunne confirmed.

  “Stop getting in my head!” I roared, standing. I was tiring of his exerting his power every five minutes.

  Dunne was unaffected by my outburst. “Sit down, Lucien,” he stated calmly. I grudgingly sat back down, and Dunne said, “Why don’t we ask Dahlia what she wants?”

  “Sure, fine.”

  Both our gazes moved to her. She was sitting quietly, head down, her auburn hair framing her heart-shaped face.

  “Dahlia?” I prompted.

  “Is it just sex?” she asked.

  “Yes. It would be like when I gave you power before,” I said.

  “But with both of us,” Dunne threw in.