Living Hell

by N. L. Hoffmann

  The Magicteers, considered the police force of the Witch world, showed up five minutes later and loaded Drake onto a stretcher. I didn’t come up with the name, so no one could blame me for how ridiculous it sounded.

  I was surprised he wasn’t awake already. Maybe exhaustion made him pass out. The demon did have him running across the nation. There were a lot of questions I had for him, including what the asshole had been up to.

  DRAKE, FRESHLY SHOWERED and wearing a gray jumpsuit, stood in the cell. With a frown, he looked down at himself, then at me. “You couldn’t give me some of my own clothing?”

  “I could have given you Mikey’s or Ethan’s, but not your own. The Vampires from the mansion already cleaned your clothes out of my place. The only reason you are still here is because they don’t know,” I explained, pulling up a chair to sit outside his cell.

  He sighed, sitting on the edge of the cot. “When am I allowed out of here? It’s obvious the demon hunter can’t sense the demon in me anymore.”

  Instead of answering, I asked, “Where did the demon go, Drake?”

  Truthfully, we hadn’t decided when he would be released. We knew once the Vampires found out he was captured, they were going to want him immediately. I wondered if they would allow him to resume his leadership role. Part of me thought he wasn’t ready.

  “I’m not sure. One minute, I’m ripping someone’s guts out, and the next, I find myself lying face down in their blood. I could no longer sense the demon.” Drake shrugged, running a hand through his hair. He hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees and looking at the floor.

  He looked pathetic. I felt bad for him. This wasn’t the way I wanted him to be treated, but everyone was right. We couldn’t be sure the demon was gone just yet.

  I twisted my rings on my fingers as I debated asking the next question. “Do... Do you know why he murdered all those people?”

  Drake nodded, still staring down at his bare feet. “He couldn’t control himself. The bloodlust was too overwhelming, so he attacked anything that moved. His erratic thoughts hardly made any sense to me.” He looked up at me, pain on his face. “I tried to stop him, Sophie, but nothing worked. He was far too strong for me. I don’t even know how I took control the last time, but he was a lot stronger this time and enjoyed having his powers back.”

  “Do you still have his powers?” I couldn’t allow my feelings to get involved. But this broken Drake was almost too much for me to take. He seemed so helpless and lost. I wanted to comfort him, but I knew it might not be welcome. Plus, I was afraid. The demon scared me more than the Ancestors did. Which said a lot.

  “I do,” he replied, looking over at me. “But you have strong barriers this time around. What did you use?”

  With a slight grin, I made like I was zipping my lip. “Top secret.”

  He chuckled, standing and pacing the cell. “How long am I going to have to be in here for observation?”

  “Until Carlos releases you.”

  He stopped and looked at me. “He wants me dead.”

  Sighing, I nodded. “In his job, that’s all he knows. There are few people he can save with an actual exorcism. You were beyond help, yet he now can’t sense the demon. That’s why he’s suspicious.”

  “Ah.” He nodded, understanding.

  I stood, pushing the chair back where I had gotten it. “I guess I should go. Let me know if you need anything. I requested better food for you since you aren’t an actual prisoner.” I smiled at him. “I’ll get you some clothes, too.”

  When I turned to leave, Drake said, “Sophie.” Slowly, I turned around, afraid to hear what he had to say. He pressed himself against the barrier, looking into my eyes. “I love you.”

  “I know.”

  ETHAN WAS WAITING FOR me when I got back to my place. Exhausted, I set my things on the island in the kitchen, then stretched my back. Frankly, I was just glad to have Drake back in one piece.

  Stepping up behind me, Ethan started rubbing my shoulders. I let my head fall back onto his chest, enjoying the relaxing sensation that flowed through my body. I groaned, my eyes closing.

  “How did the questioning go?”

  I sighed and pulled away, kicking off my heels, then headed toward the other side of the kitchen where a bottle of wine already breathed. I poured myself some and took slow sips as I debated what to tell him. It wasn’t a big deal if he knew everything, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about him knowing Drake still loved me. That was expected, right? I mean, I still loved Drake, but my feelings for Ethan confused me and I had no idea what to do about them.

  “He got the impression the demon was unable to control the Vampire bloodlust. That’s why he went on a rampage. He wanted more and more blood.” I shrugged, leaning a hip against the counter.

  My kitchen was small, but it had all the best appliances. It was usually clean because I was hardly at home. More often than not, Mikey brought me food. Rarely did I make something, and when I did, it was because he raided my fridge.

  “What did he say about the demon disappearing? Does he know what happened?” Ethan walked to the fridge to grab himself a beer. He had started stocking his own things at the house, which made me somewhat uncomfortable. What did that mean? Was he moving in? Were we serious? I didn’t think of us as boyfriend/girlfriend. At least not yet.

  My hands started shaking with the thoughts running through my mind. I set my glass down before Ethan noticed and clasped my hands together. “He just woke up with the demon gone. Has no idea what happened to him. Complete mystery.”

  Ethan seemed to ponder that before taking a long pull of his beer. I watched his throat work, licking my lips when I thought about him putting his mouth on me.

  Shaking my head, I walked toward the bedroom. I couldn’t think that way. I had to keep my mind straight. There was no time to enjoy each other right now. Drake was my top concern. Not my damn lady parts.

  Striding to my dresser, I pulled out a tank top and a pair of boxers I took from Ethan. He watched me in amusement as I kicked away my skirt and pulled off my shirt, then pulled them on. “These are comfortable. I just want you to know that you can’t have them back,” I told him with a grin.

  “Feel free to take what you need,” he chuckled, walking toward me.

  “Uh-uh. No sex tonight, buddy.” I backed away, bumping into the wall.

  He pressed up against me, claiming my lips. When he pulled away, I was out of breath and needy.

  “You can’t refuse me, Sophie. I can see it in your eyes that you want me just as badly as I do you.”

  “We have so many other things to worry about, Ethan.”

  “Let me relieve some of your stress.” He grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head. “Just allow yourself to feel as I make my way across your beautiful body.”

  I moaned when he started kissing my neck softly, running his tongue down the side as he lightly nipped with his teeth. When I shivered, he chuckled, kissing down my chest.

  “Take off your clothes,” he whispered.

  I hesitated, staring into his hungry eyes. A warm, tingling sensation swept through my body. It was nice to be wanted. I lifted my shirt over my head, exposing my bare breasts to him. Then I slowly pushed the boxers down, stepping out of them.

  Within seconds, he was on me again, kissing around my chest as he made his way over to my breasts. I groaned, leaning against the wall. When he sucked a nipple into his mouth, I cried out, pushing my fingers through his hair and urging him to continue.

  He bit down on one nipple, making me shiver, as he trailed a hand down my stomach and between my legs, one finger making its way into my wet heat. I hissed with pleasure, gripping his shoulders as he moved it in and out.

  Deciding I couldn’t stand any more, I grasped his hand and led him over to the bed, looking over my shoulder coyly.

  When I lay down, he covered me with his body, kissing me hard, his tongue touching mine as he rolled his hips, his hard length pressing into my leg. I p
urred with delight, wanting to feel more. I grasped the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. He unbuttoned his jeans and shoved them down his legs until he was able to kick them off.

  I smiled. Commando.

  Grabbing his length, I ran my hand up and down the smooth skin, watching him close his eyes to enjoy the sensation. Placing my leg over his hip, I rolled him onto his back, then slid down and took him into my mouth. He gripped my hair and sucked in a breath, surprised by my action. I licked all the way up and around the head, enjoying the way his body trembled as he grasped the sheets, moaning. Suddenly, he gripped under my arms and pulled me up his body.

  “I need to fuck you,” he growled. “I can’t hold out much longer.”

  I straddled his hips, positioning him at my entrance and sliding down slowly. He arched his back and pushed his hips up to meet me. My plan was to take my time, torture him like he always did me, but he could barely hold on. He gripped my hips, urging me to move faster. I raised my arms, hands in my hair as I rode him.

  My release built hard and fast. He continued to raise his hips to meet me, pushing me down at the same time, slamming into my body. I cried out as my orgasm rocketed through me. With one quick move, he flipped me onto my stomach so he could slam into me from behind. I screamed out, unable to hold back from the painful pleasure. His fingers gripped my hips as he came.

  Chapter Three

  A knock at my office door had me groaning. I wished people would stay away while I worked for just one day. I had all these forms to go through because one of the Council members decided to decline my offer to be part of the replacement of members. Now I searched for a new one. I had nearly a hundred applicants. We would normally vote people in, but since we had to cover so many spots, we decided to take applications.

  I also still hadn’t found a replacement for my old assistant, Allison, who was brutally murdered by the Vampire second-in-command, Finn. She was special to me.

  “Come in,” I said, setting my pen down.

  When the door opened, I expected Mikey or even Jenna, my best friend. What I didn’t expect was Drake’s brother, Roark. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing come out. I was stunned. Did he know Drake was being kept here? If he did, we had to work quickly to release him. The Vampires would not be pleased to hear their leader was being kept in a cell.

  “Sophie,” he said softly as he closed the door behind him. He wore his usual black suit, but no tie. He and Drake looked a lot alike, from their swept-back hair to the piercing blue eyes. It was obvious they were brothers. They’d been turned about the same time, so they practically lived their entire lives together. Well, besides a couple hundred years due to sibling disagreements.

  “Hey, Roark. What can I do for you?” I asked, picking up my pen and tapping it on the desk nervously. Realizing what I was doing, I dropped it and rested my chin on my hand, trying to appear as calm as possible.

  He didn’t bother to sit down, which made me even more nervous. I gestured to a chair, but he shook his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. Finally, he glared at me.

  They know we have Drake.

  “I guess you know why I’m here.”

  “Not really,” I replied, resting back in my chair as I steepled my fingers.

  Roark chuckled, but there was no amusement behind it. “Don’t play coy. I know you have him and demand his release. Otherwise, you force me to report to the Vampire Council, and we both know you don’t want that.”

  “How do you know I have him? Why would I hold your brother?”

  “Because your Witch told me! She let me in on the secret because she felt I should know. He’s my brother, our leader, and it’s my job to take care of him.”

  I furrowed my brows. “What Witch?”

  “Jenna...” He waved his hand around, “or whatever her name is.”

  My mouth dropped open. “You have got to be kidding me.”

  “Looks like you can’t trust all of your people.” He smiled, obviously finding the entire thing funny.

  I stood, grabbing my cell phone off the desk. I had no choice but to release Drake. If Roark planned on reporting this to the Council, we were in deep shit. It was definite grounds for war. That was the last thing our people needed after the massacre that took place on campus not too long ago.

  “I’ll take you to him. We had to be sure the demon was gone before his release,” I explained.

  “You should have called me the instant he came into your custody,” Roark growled, irritated.

  As we made our way through Allison’s old office and the main hall, we nearly ran into Ethan as he came in. He looked at Roark, examining him carefully, before putting a possessive arm around me.

  Roark snorted. “Unbelievable. You move on so quickly, Sophie.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Your brother is married, Roark.”

  He looked away from me. “I didn’t realize you knew about that.”

  “So you were just going to let me fall in love with him knowing this?”

  “It’s none of my business. I told him he should let you know about it before it backfired, but he insisted it remain a secret until he could divorce her.” Roark shrugged his broad shoulders. “He is a complicated man, but it seems you are also a complicated woman.” He motioned for me to continue down the hallway. “Please, take me to him.”

  Ethan moved quickly, blocking our path. “You can’t be serious. We haven’t approved him for release yet.”

  Both men were around the same height and build. I wouldn’t hazard to guess who’d win in a fight, but it was scary to think about. They were inches from each other’s face, glaring, waiting for the other to back down. Finally, I pushed myself between them, a hand on each man’s chest, and looked at Ethan.

  “We’ll release Drake. We have no choice. If we don’t, Roark will report this to the Vampire Council.”

  Ethan curled his lip in disgust as he glared at him. “You would risk the people out there for the sake of your brother? Do you have no soul?”

  Roark rolled his eyes. “Right now, my only concern is Drake.”

  We all fell into silence as I led the way down the hall. We turned right, then walked down the stairwell that would take us to where the prisoners were kept. The Magicteers greeted me when I entered, knowing who I planned to visit. They led the way, making sure my path was safe and secure. I heard Roark mumble something about imprisoning his brother like some kind of animal. He had no idea what we were up against. I was afraid if Drake wasn’t completely cured of the demon, Roark would eventually find out. Maybe even die at the hands of his brother because of it.

  We finally made it to Drake’s cell. He lay on his cot, reading a book. At least I had managed to get him some clothes so he was more comfortable. Roark stood there, an unreadable expression on his face. Finally, he turned to me.

  “I can’t believe you did this to him!”

  Drake whipped his head in our direction, then got to his feet, appearing confused. “Roark? What are you doing here?”

  “He wants you released immediately or he goes to the Council,” I told him.

  Nodding, Drake gathered his things, then waited patiently by the cell barrier. I was disappointed that he didn’t agree with us holding him, but what could I do? I just hoped he didn’t turn into the same psycho who killed nearly fifty people in a week’s time.

  Ethan took in a deep breath and slowly pulled at the magic weaved into the barrier of the cell. There were so many layers, he had to pick it apart in order to release him.

  Roark shook his head in abhorrence. “You left my brother for a fucking Mage.”

  Ethan raised an eyebrow as he glanced in Roark’s direction. “You’d better start talking to her with more respect.”

  “Roark,” Drake warned, shaking his head.

  Nodding sharply, Roark backed away so Ethan could complete his work. When the final layer came off, Drake stepped through the cell doorway and smiled at his brother.

  “
Thank you for coming.”

  The men started down the hallway, patting each other on the back. Drake stopped in front of the Magicteer who stood by the first set of doors. Without any warning, he reached out and snapped his neck. I gasped in surprise, running toward them.

  “That’s for humiliating me,” he hissed.

  Ethan grabbed me around the waist, holding me back. There was obviously still something warring around inside of him. Wide-eyed, Roark stared at the body on the floor, then looked at his brother. When he met my gaze, it was as if he had just realized the mistake in releasing him.

  “What the fuck, Drake?” I shouted, trying to get out of Ethan’s grasp. I could easily escape, but I didn’t want to hurt him in the process.

  Drake turned to face me, his expression blank. “I may still love you, but I’m a different man, Sophie. I will not have people walking all over me. This man humiliated me today. For that, he must pay.”

  Roark cleared his throat. “Spoken like a true leader.”

  Both men turned around again, leaving me and Ethan in the hall with the body. I hurried over to see if the man was still alive, knowing the chances of that were slim. It was then I saw the burn marks on his chest. Drake had burned his heart. I knew a snapped neck wouldn’t have killed a Witch, but what he did to the heart would. I no longer knew what to think of the man who just walked out. Just when I thought I had the old Drake back, the new one shocked the fuck out of me.

  We followed them up the stairs and stood in the doorway, watching until they were completely off campus. I didn’t want any more dead bodies. What did the Magicteer do that pissed him off? The more important question was did Drake even have any morals left?

  Ethan wrapped an arm around me as we walked back inside. “We did all we could, Sophie. Don’t blame yourself.”

  Of course I blamed myself. I should have put Drake in a more secure location. I really should have locked down Jenna instead of allowing her back to work. I needed to fire her. There was no other option. We may have been best friends, but when you worked for the High Mistress, everything was confidential. I wouldn’t allow someone to work for me if they couldn’t keep secrets.