by Vivi Anna
She took in the opulence of the room, the rich, vibrant colors, and remembered where she was.
Inferno City. In Baruch’s possession.
Moving again under the sheets, she noticed quite quickly that she was naked. And by the heat wafting over her skin, also not alone.
Turning onto her back, she glanced beside her. A man she’d never seen before lay sleeping on his back beside her, equally as naked, she assumed, by the way the silky sheets draped over his massive frame. And by the rise in the material at his waist, he was very well endowed and horny as hell.
With a moan, the man rolled over onto his side and flung his arm over Kat, subconsciously dragging her closer to him.
Not in this lifetime, buddy, Kat thought.
Lifting her arm and bending it, she brought her elbow down nice and hard into his face. That woke the asshole up. Crying out, he sat up in bed and immediately brought his hands up to his face, where his nose suddenly gushed with blood.
He stared down at her as though he’d never been so offended in his life. Kat nearly laughed out loud at his look of indignation.
“Mistress, she broke my nose,” he whined through his fingers.
Clutching the sheet to her bare breasts, Kat sat up and looked around the room. On first inspection, she had missed the redheaded woman lounging in the corner. Kat could barely see her past the posts of the four-poster bed and canopy. Now that she saw her, a shiver of something not quite unpleasant went up her spine.
The woman stood and shook her head, her silky red hair cascading around her shoulders like flames. “Get up, Cal, and go see my personal physician.” She moved toward the bed, her loosely tied, emerald-green robe slipping off her shoulder. “I’ll take care of our rude guest for you, darling.”
Cal slid out of the bed and walked naked across the room to a door in the corner. Not bothering with clothes, he opened it, went through, and closed it behind him. As he moved, Kat noticed she’d been right about his endowment. Even the blow to his nose had done nothing to dampen his erection.
“I see you are feeling better.” Still smiling, the woman sat on the edge of the bed.
Kat glanced down at her arms. She did feel better, and by the bright pinkness of her skin, she was mending rather quickly. Her flesh still throbbed, but it was a healing pain. A good pain. One she’d felt many times before.
Looking back at the woman, Kat grunted, not feeling quite as grateful as the woman obviously wanted her to feel. “Where the fuck am I?”
“In my chambers. Baruch wanted to let you rot in a holding cell, but I talked him out of it. Told him it’d be more fun to break you if you were fully healed and back at full strength.”
“And who the fuck are you? ”
“Why, I run this city,” she answered, waving her arm around to indicate the room and more.
“Satarah.”
“Mmm, I see my name does travel.” She leaned back on the bed like a cat stretching for an afternoon nap. “Hades must have told you about me, then.”
Hearing his name produced a sharp, stabbing pain in Kat’s chest. “He told me you were a bitch and that you were very powerful.”
Satarah smiled at that.
“But by the looks of you, I’d say he was exaggerating.” Kat cocked a brow. “About the powerful part.”
Satarah let out a loud, throaty laugh that sent little shivers over Kat’s skin. Unfortunately, the woman did possess power. Kat could feel it brushing up against her in various places over her body, like the tentacles of an octopus.
“Oh, my goodness, I can see why Baruch wants you so badly.” She licked her lips. “You’d be absolutely delightful to train.”
“Fuck you,” Kat growled. She wanted nothing more than to jump out of the bed, round the side, and punch this bitch into another world. But she stayed where she was, a little needling thread of desire stroking her where she lay.
“Mmm, we’ll get to that soon…I think.” She grinned, and her eyes glowed. “Surely Hades told you about us?”
“You’re lying.”
“Are you sure?”
Kat swallowed. She wasn’t sure. Hades had told her about Satarah. Warned her, even. But she couldn’t be sure in what context they had known each other.
“Surely you don’t think you’re the only dangerous woman he’s fucked.” Satarah stretched back onto the bed, her robe falling open, and she ran her hands over her body, squeezing her full, globular breasts. “Too bad he’s dead. I was so looking forward to our reunion.”
Kat was up and on her in seconds. She had the woman pinned to the bed, straddling her, and a hand around her throat squeezed tightly.
“I’d watch what you say, or I’ll break your neck with the flick of my wrist.”
Kat expected defiance from the woman, but what she hadn’t expected was laughter. She could feel it bubble out of Satarah like soda pop from a shaken bottle. Her whole body shook beneath Kat as she laughed. Unfortunately, from the way Kat was sitting, the movement was doing more than annoying her. Lusty sensations licked at the insides of her thighs as the woman moved between them, rubbing against her skin ever so slightly.
Satarah must have sensed Kat’s blossoming arousal as her hands lifted and moved over Kat’s legs. Slowly they inched up her thighs and rested at the juncture between them. Kat gritted her teeth and put more pressure on Satarah’s neck.
But that just made Satarah dig her fingers into Kat’s thighs. Jolts of hot, delicious pleasure radiated up Kat’s flesh and gathered into a tight ball of molten lust inside her sex. She could feel the beast inside starting to rise to the surface, eager to play. It was hungry for all sorts of depravities.
“You won’t kill me, Kat,” Satarah wheezed.
“Like hell, I won’t!” Kat dug her nails into the woman’s neck, turning her face purple.
The unexpected blow Satarah delivered to her head was powerful. Enough to loosen Kat’s grip and for Satarah to turn them over so that Kat was on her back and Satarah was nestled tightly between her legs, her weight pressing Kat to the mattress. The woman was strong and was able to pin Kat’s arms down beside her head. Kat tried to buck her off, but that only succeeded in rubbing her crotch against Satarah’s pelvic bone, causing even more flares of passion to ignite deep inside Kat’s sex.
“Let’s not fight, darling.” Satarah leaned down and licked Kat’s lips. “We could use that energy for more interesting activities.”
Kat reached down within her and gathered the dormant power of the DD virus lying in wait and pushed up on the woman and squeezed her waist between her thighs, crushing her as if in a vise.
“That’s it, Hell Kat, use your vampyre powers, succumb to the virus,” Satarah gasped. “Baruch will thank me generously for finally transforming you.”
Kat blinked rapidly as Satarah’s words sunk in. Did she want the beast inside to win? The last time she allowed the virus to get this far, she’d nearly gone insane. She couldn’t let Baruch win.
Not now. Not before she got the chance to avenge Hades.
Slowly Kat released her hold on Satarah and pushed the Dweller hungers back down into the black vault of her soul, where they bubbled and boiled eagerly, waiting their emancipation. Not yet, she told them. You can’t have me yet.
When she collapsed back onto the bed, Satarah sighed and rested her head against Kat’s shoulder. “Ah, so you still want to be human.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kat growled.
Satarah pressed her lips to Kat’s skin. Ripples of pleasure surged over her body where the woman touched her. “I might be able to help you with that.”
“With what?” Kat turned her head to the side, eager to get away from the woman but also trying hard to suppress her growing desire.
“Staying human.”
That got her attention, and Kat turned to meet her gaze. “But you’re helping Baruch.”
“Am I?” She grinned and brushed her lips against Kat’s. “He sees only what he wishes to see. As do
you.” She nibbled at Kat’s bottom lip. “And between that lies the truth.”
Stifling a moan, Kat tried hard not to succumb to the woman’s seduction. However, it was becoming increasingly difficult—especially with the phantom tendrils of magic that stroked and caressed her skin every once in a while. It was like having four or five lovers at once.
The inhuman side of her wanted to take this woman, to satisfy an intense, raging lust swirling within, with the promise of satisfying her bloodlust, too. However, her human side, the one that wanted to push away, to reject her advances, was starting to waver. Kat wasn’t sure if it was because the DD virus was winning, or because giving up would finally give her a chance to succumb to the tempest of emotions inside.
“And you want me to fuck you to know this truth, is that it?”
Chuckling, Satarah let go of Kat’s arms and moved her hands down to caress Kat’s breasts. Kat let out a little gasp as the woman brushed her thumbs over Kat’s nipples.
“Only if you want to, darling.” She kissed Kat again, this time nudging her tongue between Kat’s lips. “And by the feel of your body and the way you’re panting, I’d say you want to very much.”
They kissed, passionately, tongues touching, sweeping over each other, teeth nipping playfully.
Kat buried her hands in the woman’s long red hair, pulling her deeper into her. She tasted like fire, burning to the touch. Images of Hades flashed in her mind, and she broke the kiss and turned away, guilt wrapping around her heart.
“Baruch is weakening. Even now, his hold on you grows distant.”
Kat closed her eyes and sighed. “Because of you?”
“Yes,” Satarah purred as she trailed her tongue over Kat’s chin and down her neck. “I can help you, Kat.” She continued her path with her tongue down to Kat’s collarbone and over to the tops of her breasts. “If you help me.”
Kat tried not to respond to Satarah’s attentions. But it was getting difficult to stay uninvolved.
Her body was on fire. Desire hard and intense boiled inside her, waiting for release. Moisture pooled between her legs as the woman’s hands moved down her body and brushed up against her pubic mound. Her mouth also moved down, her lips and tongue circling one tight, aching nipple.
“Think about it, Kat,” Satarah said between licks. “Hades is dead, and Baruch wants to own you, to have you kneel at his feet.”
Her fingers slid into Kat’s cleft, spreading apart her nether lips with forceful strokes.
Instinctively, Kat opened her legs, succumbing to her body’s demands.
“I would not want that of you, Kat. Together…” She purred as she bit down on Kat’s nipple. Kat arched up into her mouth, pressing for more. “Together we could rule this city and more. You could have the power I know you crave.”
Kat closed her eyes as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her. Crying out, she parted her legs even farther as Satarah buried three fingers into her sex, pumping and swirling them around.
“I offer you a partnership, Kat. Think about that.”
But Kat could no longer think. Too many sensations bombarded her at once. Emotions she had bottled up over Hades’ death and her imprisonment came gushing out of her just as a powerful orgasm ripped through her body. She cried out in fury as a sizzling whip of electricity surged over her repeatedly.
Satarah continued to manipulate Kat’s sex with her fingers, stroking and pinching on her clit to push her over the edge. It worked, as everything Kat had ever stored up inside, all her anger, all her sadness, all her joy at finding love with Hades, pent-up frustration and passion, lust, hunger responded. Everything came out of her in a powerful climax, one that nearly rendered her deaf and blind.
Tears leaked from her eyes as she rolled with the blissful waves of orgasm, struggling not to drown in its powerful grip. While Satarah held her and licked away her tears, her fingers still stroking and caressing her sex, Kat accepted her fate. She could let Baruch overpower her, transform her into a Dark Dweller, or she could align with Satarah, possibly get her cure, and get her revenge on Baruch.
Satarah pushed up on her elbows and gazed down at Kat. Smiling, she traced her finger over Kat’s lips. “Now you must sleep and heal. You’re going to need your strength soon enough.”
“I think I’ll stay awake a while.”
Satarah shook her head. “Hmmm, I don’t think so. You’re too much of a problem when you’re awake.”
Before Kat could protest, Satarah waved her hand over Kat’s eyes. Instantly Kat felt her lids droop and a wave of drowsiness surged over her.
“You bitch….” Her voice trailed away.
The woman’s magic put her to sleep, and there was nothing she could do but follow it down into the black.
13
After the sun had set and full dark had settled in, Hades and Leucothea crept along the dirt and rocks on their bellies toward the abandoned gas station. It was very slow going, but eventually they made it without being seen or heard by the guards standing out in front of the gate to the city.
Once established at the run-down building, Hades saw that the wall was not that far away. They could easily run to it without being caught. Getting over it was, of course, another matter altogether.
“Do we have a rope?” Leucothea whispered to him.
“Yes, but we don’t have a hook, so that won’t help us get over.”
“You could toss me over.”
He turned to stare at her. “What? Are you out of your mind? We have no idea what’s directly on the other side. I could be throwing you into the lion’s den.”
“They have lions? How do you know?”
Hades shook his head. Sometimes he forgot how young and naive the Neried was. She’d spent her whole life, except for the last few months, in a small pristine village along the seashore, without access to the rest of the world. Although, he often wondered if that was not the better way to live. He wished he hadn’t seen half the shit he’d witnessed. Sometimes innocence was a virtue.
“It’s an expression, Thea. There aren’t any lions.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good.”
Hades studied the wall. Because he was so rangy, she could climb up on his shoulders, reach the top, and possibly look over it. It was the only plan that could work. It was the only plan he could think of at the moment. The constant pain in his side kept him from doing much else.
“I’m not going to toss you over, but if I lift you up, you can check out things on the other side.”
“Okay.”
They inched to the far corner of the building along the crumbling cement. When they reached the furthermost edge, Hades grabbed her hand, and they sprinted to the rounded city wall. They made it without incident. Hades let out a deep breath of relief.
Setting his gun on the ground, he gave Leucothea his knee so he could heft her up to his shoulders. She was so light it was like lifting a small child. It didn’t take much effort to get her onto his shoulders. Once there, she was able to reach the top of the wall with her hands. Hooking them, she managed to pull herself up to peer over.
“What do you see?” Hades asked, trying to keep his voice low.
Instead of getting an answer, Hades no longer felt the weight of Leucothea’s feet on his shoulders. Looking up, he saw her climb over the wall and disappear.
“Thea!” he growled.
One of the guards twisted in Hades’ direction. He could see the man’s face in the light of the lamp. He looked as though he was straining to listen for another sound. Sinking back into the dark, Hades pushed up against the wall, trying to make himself as small as possible. No easy feat, considering his size.
The guard walked a few feet along the curve of the wall, and then stopped. Hades could see him peering into the dark. Holding his breath, Hades brushed his fingers over the barrel of his shotgun resting against the wall and slowly pulled it up toward him. If he was discovered, he would go out blasting and hope that Leucothea understood what she needed
to do.
Time seemed to slow as Hades waited. The guard didn’t move another inch but continued to stare into the night toward Hades’ location. Flinching, Hades felt a tickle of something on his skull. Slowly he looked up and saw the end of a rope poking him in the head. He grabbed it to keep it from wriggling about and making noise.
The guard took another step forward, but the sound of another guard’s voice stilled him. He glanced over his shoulder at his comrade and nodded. Turning, he walked back to his station and took the bottle the other guard offered him.
Hades let out his breath with a heavy sigh. That had been too close for his liking. Damn kid, she almost got him killed. Slinging the shotgun around one shoulder and the pack around the other, Hades took hold of the rope and started to climb. When he got over to the other side, he was going to knock some sense into that girl.
When he was at the top, Hades lay as close to the edge as possible and swung his leg over. He dropped to the ground and stayed in a crouch, glancing around for a sign of Leucothea. She stood a foot away, out in the open, waving at him.
He rushed over to her, grabbed her arm, and pulled her deeper into the shadows. “What are you doing?”
“There’s no one around, Hades. It’s like a ghost town.”
“What if someone had walked by, kid? You and me, we’d be dead right about now. Dead or prisoners.”
“Don’t be so melodramatic.” She motioned with her hand toward the deserted alleyway. “There is no one around.”
“Well, we got lucky this time. But from now on, would you listen to me?”
She nodded, but he could tell by the way her lip lifted she sure didn’t want to listen. He quickly scanned the area, ascertaining their situation. Leucothea had been right. So far, there was no one around. But that didn’t mean someone wouldn’t notice them eventually.
