by Emma Jaye
“I tried,” Silas said, his voice subdued. Finn had almost forgotten the vampire’s presence.
Avery blew out a breath as he looked at his fellow demon. “I know you did, I felt it, from both you and him during the trial. You loved him then. Do you still?”
Jealousy surged in Finn. Ezra, fucked up as he was, belonged to him. Everyone else, including Silas, were merely food. But he couldn’t deny something he hadn’t experienced. Is this why Ezra didn’t let me into his memories like all these others? He wanted to hide his feelings for Silas from me?
Milo patted Finn’s shoulder, offering sympathy, but instead he rubbed in the truth. Ezra and Silas had feelings for each other.
Silas sighed. “He’d been dead for a hundred and twenty years as far as I knew when Henry called me. I don’t know the demon Finn and Pixie know, but I do know the one laying over there now and yes, I still love that Ezra.”
Needing to stake his claim, Finn blurted, “He’s not that person anymore. He’ll come back to me, I know it.”
The silence, and the squeeze on his shoulder, told how few people believed him.
“I’d like to get my patient back to the medical room,” Amtai said as she stood up from where she had been crouching at Ezra’s side. She had a towel wrapped around her, having lost her clothes while rescuing Ezra. Finn hadn’t thanked her. Perhaps he shouldn’t. If they hadn’t interfered, Ezra’s pain would have been over. So would his.
Turning to her, he opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
The silver-haired shifter gave him a gentle smile. “You’re welcome, sweetie. He’s worth it and so are you. Time, that’s all it’s going to take. He’s a fighter, you both are. And take my advice,” she leaned in to whisper in his ear, “He doesn’t like himself, doesn’t think he’s worth anything. Show him how wrong he is.”
“In the boat?” Milo asked her.
“Yes,” Amtai said. “It’ll be quicker than carrying him back.”
“Not if I’m the one doing the carrying,” Silas said.
Finn poked a finger in the vampire’s direction. “If you think I’m going to let you be alone with him again, you’ve got–”
“Boat it is,” Jericho announced, then bent and gathered Ezra up in his arms as if he weighed no more than a child.
Most of the group, stepped toward the small powerboat rocking gently in the surf.
“It’s my boat. I get to say who goes aboard,” Selat stated. “Ezra, Finn, Amtai, Pixie and Milo. The rest of you can walk.”
“What if he wakes up, gets violent?” Silas said.
The seal shifter turned his weather-beaten face to the vampire.
“I might not be a demon, but three shifters and a fae as old as time, no offense Pixie, are plenty strong enough to stop him hurting either himself or anyone else. And we can swim. A skill you might want to look into gaining while you’re here.”
Jericho carried Ezra out into the surf and laid him in the bottom of the boat as the others hopped in. With Selat’s help he pushed the boat out into the water, before the seal shifter jumped aboard and Jericho turned back to the beach.
Jericho and the three brothers were already stripping to run back to the resort in their canine forms.
Rather than looking at the shifters’ transform, or the stunning views, Finn watched Ezra breathe. What Silas had said hit home. This wasn’t the Ezra he knew, he’d loved. This Ezra was a bitter, self-loathing creature, who didn’t want himself let alone Finn.
He spent the journey wondering how to bring ‘his’ Ezra back, the demon who had been brimming with a zest for life Finn hadn’t encountered before or since.
By the time they reached the resort beach, the others were already there, and Finn had formulated a plan.
Ezra didn’t know him. Finn could portray any image, any attitude he liked, to the demon who thought he was a liability. Avery had been reluctant to compel him earlier. This time, he wouldn’t give the incubus a choice, and if he refused to help, Finn’s next port of call was Silas. One way or another, this vascellum would be blazing with a lust for life that would sink into Ezra whether the stubborn, idiotic demon liked it or not. But to do that, he would have to forget what had happened today. Ezra would feel his negative emotions through the bond.
CHAPTER 10
Having his wrist restricted and producing a metallic clink when Ezra moved proved he’d failed again. Not for the first time, he wished he’d been born human rather than demonic. Humans died so easily, mostly fighting as hard as they could to survive. Ezra couldn’t even manage to die when he tried.
A tinny, buzzing noise, took his attention. He opened his eyes.
Skin tight, green shorts were attached to a gyrating, slim, fit young male body, with his back to him. The shorts were all he had on. And he was dancing. Unless the barefoot lad with collar length straight dark hair had some sort of nervous condition. The way he ground his hips screamed sex more than most people who were actually doing it. The noise came from the odd earmuffs he wore.
The boy’s skin was flawless, tanned and smooth as his muscle flexed under the surface. Life burned within him as if it were going out of fashion. Humans were so ephemeral, they lived fast and died quickly. Ezra lay still, content to watch the show, not that he had a choice. It certainly distracted him from his own situation.
The modern material of the shorts didn’t leave much to the imagination. It clung to the boy’s backside, outlining his round, tempting flesh. Ezra wouldn’t touch it, wouldn’t impose himself on the human who had obviously been left here to feed him. They would be watching him closely now. Getting the chance to make another suicide attempt was unlikely. He could almost feel the disappointment of the other supernaturals at his behaviour radiating through the walls, but nothing seemed to be bothering the human in his room.
The boy spun around, eyes closed, once, twice, then he stopped, facing Ezra. As soon as his eyes opened, Ezra knew who and what stood in his room. The depth, the brightness, of those green eyes drew him like a fish on a line. Invisible bonds closed around him. He swallowed, knowing escape from this honey trap was impossible.
Slim, tanned hands reached to his ears and Finn took the earmuffs off. The tinny noise stopped, and a blush rose on his cheeks. Ezra wondered if the skin had become hotter. It certainly looked like it.
“Oh. Sorry. Did I wake you? I got a bit bored.”
Ezra just stared at him. He had nothing to say to this vibrant youngster whose life he had effectively ended. An image of him, slack-jawed, with those stunning eyes open, fixed and cloudy, imposed itself over the current effervescent image. His own death would stop the vascellum’s suffering, but Finn didn’t seem to be suffering at all right now. An edge of Ezra’s carefully constructed reality frayed a little.
The boy’s head cocked to one side, then he hopped up on the bed that lay between Ezra and the window. If Ezra wanted to see the view, it would have to include Finn. He didn’t look away. Seconds ticked by. Time was a relative concept and he had centuries more than the ephemeral being in front of him. He didn’t have to wait long. Humans did everything fast and frantic.
“I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you quiet. You know who I am, right?”
Ezra blinked, but didn’t speak. Finn shrugged. “Well I’m off to work on my tan. I haven’t plucked up the courage to go nude yet, but my arse is getting whiter by the day. See?”
Without hesitation, Finn turned around and pulled one side of his shorts down to reveal a much whiter swell of pristine skin. The halo of lust around the boy grew brighter as he displayed himself. Exhibitionism would be a useful trait in a vascellum.
“What do you think? Leave it white or go for the all over tanned look? I’m a bit worried about sunburn. It’ll be tough sitting down with a burnt bum.”
Interacting would prolong the agony, so Ezra closed his eyes again.
A heartfelt groan came from the other side of the room. “And here was me thinking I’d be getting a little mor
ning glory. You would not believe the number of horny guys that are wandering around this place. Talk about Love Island, well this is sex island. They even have a special BDSM building, not even a room, a whole bloody building. I got a tour from a guy called Razor. Cool name, huh?” Enthusiasm shone in Finn’s voice. Ezra wished he would go gush somewhere else or at least shut up for a while.
“I think branding yourself with my initial is so cool. Do you think they’ll do me too if I ask?”
Ezra’s eyes shot open. He thinks what?
Finn pouted. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m an adult, I can get what I want. It would be cooler if you did it though, but I’m thinking of getting some ink and some piercings too. This place is so sick.” From Finn’s grin, Ezra decided ‘sick’ no longer meant what he remembered.
When Ezra didn’t smile back, Finn’s face fell like a scolded puppy. “Look, they said something went tits up with the memory thing. Avery, who is bloody annoying even if he is your relative, and a witch did some hocus pocus so I can’t feel you at the moment.”
Finn rolled his eyes. “Plus, I can’t remember a damn thing and nobody will tell me what happened. To be honest, I’m feeling a bit like a mushroom.”
Ezra blinked at him.
“You know, being kept in the dark and fed on bullshit?” Finn cocked his head to one side. “Anyway, I just wanted to say, you being stuck in here sucks, but this is a hell of a lot better than Brighton. If you look up paradise, this place is it. I might even start being polite to Avery if he lets us stay together more often. Sleeping alone sucks.” He rolled his eyes. “And yes, I know I don’t have to, but no one feels...” he paused to consider, “As safe as you.” The grin returned as if it were Finn’s default expression.
“You said we’d travel, but I never dreamed it’d be so soon.”
Finn took a step toward him, clearly intending to embrace or touch him in some way, then he hesitated.
“They said I need to be careful around you but wouldn’t say why. You wouldn’t hurt me, not unless we were being kinky, right? There is so much stuff I want to explore with you here.” He waved his hand, indicated the island in general. “This place, it’s–” Finn’s enthusiasm shone as he grinned again, “–fucking awesome, just like you.”
The glow of lust around Finn intensified, then his face screwed up. At the same time, Ezra felt a ghost of pain centred in his groin.
“What is it?” Ezra blurted.
Finn looked as if he’d been caught with his hand in the biscuit barrel... or down his trousers. “N.. nothing. I’ve... erm, got to go.”
Without waiting for a reply, Finn scooted out of the room, slightly hunched over, leaving Ezra bewildered. Worry tickled the back of his mind. Something had made Finn lose his smile, something painful. Ezra didn’t like it.
Jericho lumbered in a few seconds later, wearing a frown. “What did you say to Finn? He galloped out of here as if he had a red-hot poker up his arse. If you’ve hurt that boy, I’ll–”
“I didn’t do anything, but maybe he needs to see Amtai. He looked in pain.”
Jericho’s caterpillar-like eyebrows rose. “Where?”
“Just get Amtai to check him out.”
“Oh, come on, give her a break, you must know what hurt via the bond.”
Ezra scowled. The play was obvious, and he didn’t like them involving the innocent Finn in it. Did they think that making him concentrate on Finn’s groin would make him change his mind?
“His dick or bollocks. One minute he was fine the next in pain.”
Jericho blinked then chuckled, the sound rolling up from his chest like a rockfall. “Oh, he’s still doing that, is he? No wonder he looked like a tomato.”
“Doing what?” Ezra ground out.
“Wearing the cage you–”
“The what?” Ezra snapped.
Jericho held up his hands. “Oh no, not something I’m going to discuss. You’ll have to take it up with him, or take it off him. Whatever floats your boat. Come on, want to sit at the bar and pick out your breakfast?”
“I’m not hungry,” fell out of Ezra’s mouth without thinking.
“Whatever,” Jericho’s massive shoulders shrugged as he turned back to the door.
“But I do want to go outside,” Ezra added before the bear shifter took a step.
The beast of a man looked back at him. “You do know we’re not going to let you try the swimming thing again? And don’t mention that to Finn. Avery took that memory from him. He’s happy right now, and he makes everyone else happy. He used to make you grin like a fucking lunatic too. I think ‘sappy’ aptly describes it.”
Ezra stared at him.
The bear shifter blew out a breath and perched on the end of Ezra’s bed, making it creak.
“Look, before you did the trip down memory lane, you were a happy, cocky, and to be honest, an all- around fucking annoying bastard. I would have cheerfully strangled you just to get you to stop all the fucking awful innuendoes. But you’re too damn quiet now and you’re upsetting Finn, which pisses everyone off. You will be that again and there is no way any of us are going to let you do something stupid because we all know who you can be.
“Finn doesn’t know about what went on with the vampires because you were adamant he shouldn’t experience that stress. You’ve seen him; he’s a little ray of sunshine who lights up everyone’s lives. Watch him today, and if you still believe the world is better off without him in it, you’re more fucked up than I thought.”
With that sentiment ringing in his ears, Jericho unlocked the cuff from the bed. “Don’t try running. Chasing you will just make me even sweatier than I am already and we’re spread thin keeping an eye on Finn too. This place belongs to Avery, so you can imagine the sort of people who stay here. Let’s just say Finn’s a little too friendly for his own good. He’s already wrangled a tour of that weird sex grotto. Milo hauled him out of there when we realised he was missing. I don’t know if any of those oddballs got at him, but if he gets overfilled again you’ll know all about it.
“You may want to die right now, but listening to him scream is not something I ever want to experience again. Don’t hurt him again and you and I won’t have a problem. Let’s go and enjoy the sunshine.”
CHAPTER 11
The chair next to Ezra groaned as Jericho settled into it. The bear shifter had cuffed him to the wooden chair with his wrists behind his back. Nobody in the busy bar area appeared to consider anything out of place. Then again, several people were happily wearing collars and leads and were either trailing after the person holding the end or sitting at their feet.
The succubus served drinks and her husband still flipped bottles at the bar. He bet the pair used the bar to gather prospective food. The menu at the resort probably changed regularly enough so they didn’t risk addicting anyone. With that thought, Ezra eyed the collared men and women in a new light. Were they humans the resident sex demons had addicted so they couldn’t leave?
“What’s with all the slaves?” Ezra asked Jericho, not sure he wanted to know the answer.
“Not slaves, or not in the sense you’re probably thinking of,” Jericho rumbled. “Slavery is illegal. These people do it voluntarily, fuck if I know why. One of the ones in charge, a human called Razor, tried to explain it to me last night. The ones with collars on, submissives, like being controlled, they find not being in charge relaxing. Some enjoy pain. The other ones, the dominants, enjoy doing the controlling and hurting people. But when you get your memory back, I’m sure you can explain it better.”
“Me?”
Jericho let out a snort. “You own and run a sex shop.”
Disgust rippled in Ezra gut, but he needed to know how far he’d fallen. “A bordello? Did I addict the workers? What happened to them when I came here?”
His mother had sold her group of addicted humans to Fabian in part payment for his birth. They’d died, terrified bloody deaths, so he could be born.
A sweaty Finn p
lopped into the chair next to him. “Nah, nothing like that. You sell all kinds of sexy, kinky stuff. Fluffy handcuffs, butt plugs, vibrators, fleshlights, electroplay, erotic wax, nipple clamps, paddles, you name it, you stock it. You offer to demonstrate it on some of the customers, that’s where you got most of your food, before you met me.”
Ezra didn’t have a clue what some of the items Finn mentioned in such a matter of fact way were, but they intrigued him all the same. It appeared you could teach an old incubus new tricks, not that he was anywhere near old for a demon. In species relative terms, Finn might even be older than him.
“And you’re uncomfortable because of something I sold you?”
Finn’s face went adorably pink and Ezra disregarded the notion that Finn might be the more experienced out of the pair of them. He wasn’t sure anything could embarrass him anymore.
“You put it on me and I’m not taking it off. You’ll have to do it when you’re better. And now, the podium is calling.” With that statement, Finn was out of his chair and across the open space toward the bar like a rabbit with a fox after it.
Even though the sun didn’t look to have reached its zenith, alcohol flowed freely and lust glowed from many of the revellers. He’d heard of a den of inequity, but this entire island reeked of sin; Sodom and Gomorrah rolled into one. He should feel at home here, should be flipping bottles, smiling and flirting like his fellow incubus behind the bar. Instead, metal bound his wrists to a chair and a non-sexual shifter sat guard in the next chair. And his vascellum appeared to be doing his level best to entice a meal. Make that several meals or a whole fucking banquet.
Finn’s ‘dancing’ on a round platform attached to the end of the bar was like nothing he’d ever seen. The youngster rolled his hips, stroked his bare belly and twitched his pelvis so fast Ezra couldn’t help imagining him fucking. From the lustful glow surrounding many of the patrons, both male and female, they were thinking the same thing.
