by Cara Wylde
“Yes,” she encouraged Kain. “I love your cock so much… Fuck me, fuck me… So close…”
The blond increased his pace and the sound of skin hitting skin filled the room. The sight of his length disappearing inside her pussy turned him on even more, and he knew he was too close to release, but he simply couldn’t look away.
“I’m coming inside you, baby,” he said right before his engorged head exploded in long streams of thick seed.
“Oh yes!” Sophie’s body tensed when the small nerves in her clit sent wave after wave of pleasure through her muscles and bones. Her walls clenched around Kain’s invading cock, milking him thoroughly, swallowing every drop of seed. She felt so full and complete, so happy and loved.
Kain pulled out and she squeezed her thighs to keep their juices inside her for a while longer. However, the position was uncomfortable and her shoulders began to ache. With a sigh, she let her feet drop to the floor, and Alexi helped her stand up straight. She moaned when the hot liquid started flowing out of her and down her legs, and she hurried to hold her long skirt up as to not get it spoiled. She really needed a shower. Or a hot bath. Yes, a hot bath sounded nice. It would have been even nicer if Alexi and Kain could have joined her, but she couldn’t have everything. Not yet, not now.
“Let me help you with that,” said Alexi and brought his discarded towel. Kain repositioned her corset over her heavy breasts and retied the laces, and in a matter of minutes Sophie looked respectable again. No one could have guessed she’d just had one of the best fucks of her life.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” she said while fumbling with her hair. “I feel much better now. This will definitely last me the next four days.”
“Do you really think the Count tells you about the Spring Celebration when you’re together?” Alexi wrapped his towel back around his hips, but didn’t do more than that. He needed to take another shower anyway. Kain didn’t even bother with his clothes. He went to pour whiskey for the three of them, and Sophie couldn’t help but stare at his round, taut ass.
“I can’t be sure, but I’m going to find out. What else could we be talking about for hours on end?” She accepted the glass from Kain. “I finally feel like I can think. When I’m with him, it’s like I’m sedated or something. It’s so frustrating! And when I come back to my senses, it’s like my memory was wiped out.”
“He is a very powerful demon,” mused Kain. “He’s kept five whole villages under his spell for years.”
Sophie emptied her glass, then told them about Irvene and how the hound had taken her to the cellar. She told them about Petro, the phial he had stolen from the shaman, and how they needed to help all those prisoners.
“They’re too many,” she said. “This isn’t going to be easy.”
“What’s worse is that there are too many demons too,” said Alexi.
“And they keep coming,” added Kain.
“So we can’t do anything until the Spring Celebration,” concluded Sophie. “If we do, we lose our chance to catch all of them. We have to wait until all Casimir’s guests gather at the mansion, and then strike. Otherwise, the job will be only half done.”
“You’re right,” said Alexi. “But I’ve been thinking… there’s no way the three of us can take on so many high ranked demons. It would be a suicide mission.”
Sophie thought for a moment, then nodded. He was right, of course. Even with Irvene and the shaman on their side, they were still greatly outnumbered. “What do you suggest?”
“We should ask for reinforcements.”
“That’s a good idea,” said Kain. “I could find Tengu and tell him to bring more cambions, maybe some of the members of the Pantheon and some Spprigans.”
Alexi looked at Kain, and for a second he was distracted by his gorgeous body. “I’ll go. I need to get out of here for a few hours, clear my mind. Knowing he’s… he’s somewhere in this huge house… It’s driving me insane.”
Kain agreed silently. Alexi had refused to talk about Gremory since the night before, and the blond knew he had to respect his choice. It wasn’t easy for his partner. One day, maybe after Gremory was caught and tucked away in a cell, where he belonged, Alexi’s wound would heal and they’d be able to discuss it freely and put everything behind them. But right now, Sophie and Kain had to be patient.
CHAPTER THREE
The Count tucked a strand of hair behind Sophie’s ear, and she shuddered at the feel of his cold hands on her skin. She was sitting in her favorite armchair near the window, pretending she was reading.
“How are, my lovely?”
He knelt beside her and his lips grazed the roundness of her shoulder. She closed the book and took a deep breath. She could already feel his overwhelming aura envelop her completely, sucking her into a void where all her coherent thoughts dissipated. She fought to keep her head clear without letting her own cambion aura come to the surface.
“I’ve been reading all day. How about you? You’ve been gone for so long… I missed you.” She turned to face him, blocking his access to her shoulder.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have left you alone. Two of my guests, Marquis Leraje and Marquis Andras invited me and Berith to lunch. They surprised me, actually. They went as far as to ask the cook to prepare a delicious Moroccan dish, and then they told me all about their adventures in Morocco a couple of years ago. You know I don’t travel much, my lovely Sophie. I couldn’t refuse this little treat.”
Sophie pouted. “Yes, but lunch was hours ago…” She wasn’t sure how to make him talk about his visit in the cellar, but she decided to up her game and do her best. Her fingers caressed his cheek then started playing with the silver strands which had escaped his low ponytail. He gave her a sweet smile that could have melted any woman’s knees. Sophie tried to resist him. Yes, he was a handsome man, but he was evil.
“I had to attend to some business.”
“What business? You said you’d spend all your time with me.”
“Oh, I won’t leave your side again, my love.” He turned his head to kiss her palm.
A jolt of electricity ran up Sophie’s arm, leaving her muscles weak in its wake. She had to stay focused. Casimir rose to his feet and pulled her up with him, then his hands found the softness of her hips. His face was so close to hers that she could feel his breath on her lips. He didn’t claim her mouth, though, and Sophie almost sighed in relief. He was consuming her energy as it was. A kiss would have probably rendered her unconscious.
“You have no idea how hard it is for me to hold back.” He closed his eyes while he let his demon aura chip away at her sanity. Her energy was so young and delicious, so fulfilling.
“Then don’t,” she whispered.
“The wait will only make it sweeter.”
“I don’t understand what you’re waiting for… I’m here, I’m yours, take me.”
“I’d be breaking one of my own rules, lovely Sophie. I’ve already gone too far by tasting your energy every day while my guests have to wait until the Spring Celebration.”
“Why do they have to wait?” She made sure her words came out slurred. If she wanted him to talk, then she needed to convince him she was totally unaware of what was happening.
“It’s a surprise. This year, Berith and I have come up with a brilliant idea. Everyone’s going to love it!”
She refrained from asking more questions, as the last thing she wanted was to raise suspicion. She let her head fall back when he buried his face in the crook of her neck, and let out a weak, needy moan.
“I’ve told you before, but you forgot. We’re organizing a hunt. This time, instead of bringing the humans to the mansion and letting my friends choose the ones they want, we’re setting them free in the woods. They’ll think they have a chance to escape, of course, and they’ll start running, but it’s all a trick.” He planted a soft kiss on her collarbone, then looked straight into her eyes. “They will never get out of these woods, my love. They won’t even reach t
he fences we’ve put up for security, because my friends will chase them down. Oh, they’re going to have so much fun!”
Sophie swallowed carefully, struggling to keep her composure. So, Casimir had told her these things before, she had just been too weak to remember them. The information was priceless. She had to find a way to let Kain and Alexi know so they’d have time to come up with a strategy.
“What about me?” The Count furrowed his brows and Sophie corrected herself: “What about us?”
“Don’t worry about us. You’re very precious to me, Sophie, and to prove it to you, I won’t even participate in the hunt. You’re all I want. All that fresh, delicious energy boiling under your skin will be mine.”
He kissed the corner of her lips, and her knees gave in. He caught her, his arms encircling her waist and pulling her closer to his body. The closeness filled her head with a thick, heavy fog she couldn’t chase away no matter how hard she tried. She could have used her demon sigil and her own aura to push him off her, but that would have ruined everything, so she let herself drift off to sleep. She only hoped this time, when she’d wake up, she’d remember what the Count had said.
♥
“Listen to me, Leila!”
Sophie grabbed the girl’s shoulders and forced her to look into her dark brown eyes. Unfortunately, she was too weak after her most recent encounter with the Count, and Leila was strong.
“No, I can’t do this. I have to get out of here!” Leila shrugged out of Sophie’s grip and ran for the door. She was two steps away when her supposed cousin took hold of her arm and pulled her back.
“You can’t run, Leila! They won’t let you. The only way out is for you to calm down and listen to me. Now, more than ever, I need your help.” She turned the girl around, then used all the strength she had left in her bones to pin her against the wall. She hated it that she had to be so firm and violent, but she couldn’t afford losing the only person who could send the message to Kain and Alexi. After drinking more of her energy, Casimir had laid her in bed and let her rest, not before promising her he wouldn’t be gone for long. Drained as she was, she had used all the power she had left to sit up and ring for the maid. She knew Leila would be up in a matter of minutes, so she struggled to stay awake. Unfortunately, the moment she started telling Leila about the Count’s plan, the girl had lost it.
“Please let me go, please…” the girl whimpered. Her eyes filled with tears and her whole body shook like a leaf. “You’re not my cousin. You say you are, and sometimes I believe you. I don’t know why… I’m so confused… I just want to go home.”
“And you will go home, I promise you.” Sophie held her gaze and let her demon sigil come to the surface just enough to compel Leila. “It’s not only you, Leila. The Count is keeping over two dozen men and women locked up at his chalet. He’s going to feed them to his demon friends, do you understand that? He’s going to let them scatter into the woods so the demons would hunt them down and suck all their energy. We can’t let that happen.”
“Why do you need me?” Tears had started rolling down her cheeks. A minute ago, she had been ready to fight and run for her life, but now she was feeling herself giving in. She didn’t want to. Her heart screamed for her to push Sophie away, but her muscles wouldn’t cooperate. She was once again at the mercy of this strange woman who seemed capable of convincing her of anything.
“I need you because I can’t get out of this bloody room. I can’t risk going to the guest house to see Alexi and Kain. Remember Alexi and Kain, my friends? Your friends…”
“Marquis Leraje and Marquis Andras…”
“Yes, that’s the identities they took to fool the Count. You have to go there and tell them everything, so they’d have enough time to make a plan.”
“I don’t want to, I’m scared.”
“I know you are, honey. I am scared too… But you have to understand that in four days you will end up in the woods along with all the other prisoners and all the maids at the mansion. There will be no human left here after the Spring Celebration.”
“Then help us escape now.”
“I can’t. We have to catch the demons first, otherwise this will all have been for nothing.” Sophie closed her eyes for a second and focused on the demon sigil on her stomach. It was so nice to feel it warm again. Leila was shaking and crying under her weight, but she didn’t let her go. She had to make sure the girl was deep under her spell before she allowed her to leave the room. She opened her eyes and fixed her with newfound determination. “The mansion is a nest swarming with demons, and they will only keep coming until the Spring Celebration. We have to seize them all, do you understand?” She shook her gently.
“Yes, yes I do.”
“If we don’t, this will happen again next year, and then the next. The people living in these villages will never be free. So, you see Leila? It’s not only about you… it’s about everyone you love. The Count will hurt them if we don’t catch him now.” The girl nodded vigorously, and Sophie knew she was finally getting through to her. To be absolutely certain Leila would do what was asked of her, she added the last straw: “Petro is in that cellar.”
Leila’s green eyes sparkled with fear and pain. “No…”
“Yes. He’s there. You want to see him again, don’t you? You love him, don’t you? You’re about to get married.”
“Yes… Please tell me he’s all right, please…”
“He’s fine. For now. I’ll make sure he gets out of there unharmed, I swear. But you have to help me. You have to tell Alexi and Kain everything that I told you about the hunt.”
“I’ll tell them. I’ll go right now.”
Sophie let out a sigh of relief and released Leila. The girl rubbed her arms, trying to make the blood flow so the white marks Sophie’s fingers had left on her skin would disappear.
“I don’t like doing this to you, cousin.” Sophie meant every word she said. “No one should play with your mind like this. Not the Count, not me. This is the last time I’m doing it. Believe me, it hurts me just as much.”
“Okay…” Leila felt confused, but for some reason she wasn’t afraid anymore. Her mind was fixed on one thing and one thing alone: she had to find Alexi and Kain and tell them about the hunt. Then everything would be fine. Everything would go back to normal. She would return home, to her father, and she’d marry Petro.
“Okay.” Sophie offered her a kind smile. “Go now. Casimir might be back any time.”
Without another word, Leila left the room and headed straight to the guest house.
Sophie leaned against the wall. She inhaled and exhaled slowly a couple of times, trying to calm down her wild heartbeat. “I hope you’ll forgive me one day,” she whispered to the empty chamber.
CHAPTER FOUR
Sophie was lounging in an armchair, a glass of wine in hand. She was the only human in the room. At least that was what Casimir and his demon guests thought. Alexi and Kain were by the door, making small talk with a tall, lanky demon with long blond hair and golden eyes. Compared to the mansion, the Count’s chalet was rather small, so Sophie was surprised all his guests could fit in the living room. Yes, these were all the guests he had been waiting: a little over a dozen demons of lesser and higher ranks. They would all soon be in Lure Academy’s custody.
Sophie stole a glance at Alexi and Kain, but they had their backs turned to her. They seemed relaxed enough, which meant they had probably taken care of everything and they were ready for whatever was to come. She, however, didn’t feel ready in the least. She took a sip of wine and let the liquid warm her chest. Her heart jumped when she saw Berith step into the room and nod towards the Count, who was standing right behind her armchair.
Casimir cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention and raised his glass as if to make a toast.
“Thank you, my friends, for joining me here.” The crowd nodded and murmured in approval. “It has become our tradition to celebrate the Spring Equinox by gathering in these beaut
iful mountains so conveniently guarded by five villages whose people we have all come to love and appreciate.”
He smirked at those words, and Sophie took a bigger sip of wine to chase down the sickness which was threatening to fill her mouth. The demons laughed.
“At this time of perfect balance between night and day, light and dark, all becomes new and possible. We celebrate the rebirth of life and nature, and we break the chains which have stopped us from getting what we need and crave all year round.” He raised his glass higher, and everyone in the room, even Sophie, followed his lead. “To life and youth!”
“To life and youth!”
The words tasted bitter on Sophie’s tongue. “Yes,” she thought, “To the life and youth you’re about to destroy.” The Count placed one hand on her shoulder and squeezed possessively. She smiled up at him.
“Now, I know you’ve all been waiting for this moment, wondering what Berith and I have prepared for you. The Spring Celebration is the only time of the year when we can afford to let our guard down and indulge in the life force that’s keeping us alive. With the Alluring Ones always on our tracks, always sending their cambions to wipe us off the face of the Earth one by one, it’s getting more and more difficult to travel, enjoy the wonders this world has to offer, and taste the unique energy of humans. As the last of my kind, I was forced to build this luxurious prison and isolate myself from humans and fellow demons alike. The Ke’lets are an ancient race. We’ve been here since the beginning and risen to the highest ranks faster than any other race of demons. The Alluring Ones hunted us down and put an end to our rule, but as long as I’m here, I know… and we all know… they failed. So, let us celebrate today my victory and yours. We’re here, we’re alive, and one day we’ll take back what belongs to us!”
