Passion Unleashed d-3

by Larissa Ione

  E tossed the orange into the basket. “I think he’s overwhelmed by the instant family. He’ll be back.”

  “Speaking of family,” Wraith said to Shade, “when can I meet the nephews?” There was a long pause, too long, and Wraith added quickly, “I won’t eat them or anything. I swear.”

  Shade went rigid. “Why now?”

  “I want to belong to a family,” Wraith blurted before he could re-think sounding like a candy-ass. “I mean, I have Serena, but she’s a vampire, which means she can’t have kids.…” He felt bad for that, not just for her, but strangely, for him. With her beside him, encouraging him, he knew he could be a good father. “I was just thinking that maybe if we could, you know, just all hang out… fuck, I don’t know. This is stupid. Never mind.”

  Shade and Eidolon exchanged looks, as if they had a secret between them. For a moment he was tempted to get inside Shade’s head the way he always had and find out what they were hiding from him. But Shade hated that, and violating his brother’s mind would make his pretty plea for forgiveness yet another lie.

  “I get it.” Wraith backed toward the door, bumping against the frame. “It’s too late—”

  He couldn’t picture himself barbecuing hot dogs and playing fucking family board games anyway.

  “Wraith, it’s not that,” Shade said.

  “Doesn’t matter. Serena’s waking up. I need to go to her.”

  Shade called his name as he left, but Wraith just held up a hand to cut him off, and kept going. They might not trust him to be a functional member of the family yet, but they would. He’d earn their trust eventually, but right now, his focus was all on Serena.

  She was tying the drawstring on a pair of scrub bottoms when he walked in. “Hey,” she said, tilting her head to the side as she studied him. “It’s so weird seeing you without that face tattoo.”

  “I figure I’ll be in for one hell of a shock the next time I look in a mirror.” A good shock, though, like he’d had when he saw that his hourglass glyph had been set right again. He took her hand and pulled her against him, reveling in the feel of her soft curves against his hard body. “You feeling okay?”

  “Never better.” She smiled, and the points of her fangs peeked out from her parted lips. It was so freaking sexy Wraith wanted to throw her down and get inside her while she sank those hot little teeth into his throat.

  What a difference a day makes. He was really starting to understand her hard-on for vampires. He was getting one himself. Literally. “Babe, we so have to get out of here.” His swelling cock was way onboard with that plan.

  “Where are we going?”

  Such utter trust. Her faith in him tugged at his heart and at the same time scared the crap out of him. What if he broke her trust, failed her?

  “You won’t,” she said softly.

  “How did you know what I was thinking?”

  “I felt your fear. Didn’t take a genius to figure out what it was about.”

  He groaned playfully. “This bond is going to be a pain in the ass.”

  “Really?” She reached low and cupped him. “Because I can feel your arousal, too… and it’s definitely sparking mine.”

  Oh, yeah. He could feel it coming through the bond like an erotic drumbeat. “So, maybe the bond won’t be that bad.” His words came out on a moan thanks to the stroking action she’d started.

  “So… you were saying?”

  “Right. We’re going to my place… ah, Gods, keep that up, just like that.” He arched into her touch. “And after I ravage you, I’ll start teaching you about life in my world. Are you all right with that?”

  She flicked open the top button on his fly. “Do the lessons have to start right away?”

  “Probably a good idea,” he gritted out, but then she dropped to her knees. “Lessons? What lessons?”

  “That’s what I thought.” The look in her gaze, the erotic promise, the trust, the love, brought him to his knees in front of her. She meant the underworld to him, and in that moment, he knew.

  He would never fail her.

  And the faith in her eyes said she knew it, too.

  Chapter 33

  “They’re here!” Serena forced herself to walk calmly to the front door, even though she wanted to sprint. Runa, Shade, and their babies would be on the other side—and she and Wraith would be meeting them for the first time.

  It had been nearly a week since she and Wraith had arrived at his place—a very male bachelor pad in Manhattan—and after days of doing nothing but enjoying each other, they’d decided it was time to enjoy his family.

  Especially because her family had already come and gone.

  She’d called Val the moment she and Wraith left the hospital, and he’d been so happy she was alive that the fact she’d become a vampire hadn’t bothered him. Much. He’d come to visit yesterday, and though they hadn’t had enough time to work out all the issues they faced, from the relationship he’d had with her mother to his reasons for keeping the truth from her, to David, to Wraith’s deception and her becoming a vampire… well, truthfully, it was still a mess.

  But Val was willing to repair the damage and heal all wounds. Chances were that he and Wraith would never bond over a game of golf, but she figured it wouldn’t be long before they stopped eyeing each other warily over the rims of their whiskey glasses. The fact that they hadn’t tried to kill each other was a start.

  As for David… she had a feeling things would never be right between her and her half brother. If he was ever released from Aegis custody for betraying the human race to a fallen angel, anyway.

  — Wraith—she’d finally gotten used to calling him that—met her in the foyer. “You ready for this?” He took her hand. “Because we can do this another time. They’ll be at Kynan and Gem’s wedding.”

  That had been fun news. The pair had dropped by this morning to invite them to Hawaii next week—a wedding beneath the stars, a night ceremony so she, as a vampire, could attend. Wraith had groused and grumped about being asked to be Kynan’s best man, but she’d caught him smiling for hours after Ky and Gem left.

  “I’m ready.”

  He’d warned her that his brothers and sisters-in-law could be overwhelming, but the little ones made her far more nervous, and he knew it.

  She’d always wanted children, but as a vampire, she’d learned she was unable to conceive. The maternal ache drilled deep, but she couldn’t complain. She was healthy and alive. Sort of, as Wraith liked to tease her.

  “Let’s meet the family.” She opened the door, surprised to find only Shade standing there with a squirming, blanketed bundle in his arms, Eidolon next to him.

  “Runa’s going to be pissed that you lost some kids,” Wraith drawled.

  Shade’s dark eyes sparked with an emotion she couldn’t place. “All three of our babies are home with Runa.”

  Wraith and Serena stepped back to allow his brothers to come inside. “So, what,” Wraith said, “you just picking kids up off the street now?”

  “It’s yours, bro.”

  “My what?”

  “Kid.” Eidolon tugged on the blanket, exposing the child’s right arm and the dermoire that marked it. “It’s yours.”

  Serena wasn’t sure who got it, who really got it, first, Wraith or herself. He stared at the baby, a little wild-eyed. She just stood there, afraid that what Eidolon had just said wasn’t true. That this was a sick joke.

  Wraith had made a baby with someone else, a fact that might have upset her if he hadn’t explained his breed, his past… and if she didn’t understand how committed to her he was.

  But somehow she just couldn’t see this innocent life as anything but a wonderful gift and an answer to her prayers.

  Shade hefted the infant closer to his chest, gently, protectively, and she turned to Wraith, who was still watching the baby as though unsure what to do.

  “Hey,” she said, softly. “You okay?”

  He nodded numbly.

  Surrounded
by silence, Serena approached Shade. The baby stilled, his big brown eyes taking her in with that wisdom all infants seemed to be born with. He was beautiful, with Wraith’s nose and mouth, and in an instant, she fell in love.

  “May I?” she asked, and though Shade hesitated, he handed the child to her. In her arms, he felt right, and her heart swelled. She walked over to Wraith, slowly, afraid she’d spook him, because he still had that half-feral look in his eyes. “Look at him. Look at your son.”

  He swallowed, locked his gaze with hers. “My… son. I never thought…”

  “Just look at him. He’s gorgeous.”

  The moment his gaze connected with his son’s, his expression softened, became one of wonder. “The mother?” he murmured, and Eidolon cleared his throat.

  “Suresh.”

  Wraith’s hand shook as he very carefully offered his finger to the baby, who wrapped his tiny fist around it. “You’ll be able to teleport someday, little guy.” He glanced at Serena. “I’m sorry. This must not be easy for you. The female—”

  “It’s okay,” she said, and she wasn’t lying. “I know what you are, and what you were before we met.” She put the baby in Wraith’s arms. He held his son as if the child were made of glass. “He’s yours, and now he’s ours.”

  Wraith closed his eyes. “Are you sure? Because… I’m afraid.”

  “Don’t be. We’ll learn about this parenting thing together. You’ll be wonderful. Your heart is so big.”

  He hooked his arm around her neck and brought her in close, so they were all sharing one big embrace. This was the moment she’d lived her entire life for. The one she wanted to hold onto and never forget.

  “I love you, lirsha,” he murmured. “All I ever had before you was nightmares. But now I dream. Because of you.”

  “I’ve always dreamed,” she whispered. “But I never thought they’d come true.” She pressed a tender kiss to the infant’s forehead, and then brushed her lips over Wraith’s. “I have everything I’ve dreamed of and more.”

  And when Wraith smiled down at her, she knew he felt the same way. For all eternity.

  DEMONICA: A DEMON COMPENDIUM

  THE INTRODUCTION

  People often ask me how I came up with the concept of a demon hospital. Basically, I’ve always been a fan of both the paranormal and emergency medicine, and one day, while watching an episode of Angel, the idea popped into my head. See, Angel (a vampire, for those who have never watched the super-awesome show) got hurt, and he needed medical attention right away. But really, where could he go? Where could any supernatural creature go?

  Clearly, there was a need for an underworld hospital, and Underworld General was born.

  When I started to write the first book in the Demonica series, Pleasure Unbound, I knew right away that the Demonica world was going to be extensive. Keeping track of it meant lots of notebooks, computer space, and brain space. I’m not the most organized person on the planet, but I somehow managed to put together not only a glossary, but an inventory of demons.

  As the list of demons grew, so did an idea…

  See, I’ve always been a big fan of Dungeons and Dragons (when not writing, I’m glued to the computer and playing the fantasy role-playing game!) and some of the best D&D guides are the monster compendiums, which provide backgrounds, vital statistics, and descriptions of the monsters you might encounter in the world.

  So I started on the Demonica compendium, and with each book I wrote, the compendium grew larger. Then I decided to include information about the hospital. And the key players.

  And as readers wrote to me, asking questions about the characters, their pasts, and their futures, I found that I wanted to explore the world even more and give readers some extras. So I wrote a short story to show how Eidolon, Shade, Wraith, and Roag met… an event that shaped all of their lives forever.

  “The Reckoning” takes place before Underworld General was even a spark in Eidolon’s thoughts, and before Roag went completely mad.

  And here we have it. More of the good, the bad, and the really, really ugly.

  Hope you enjoy!

  THE DEMONS

  Note: Most demons are invisible to humans unless they want to be seen, the humans are trained to see them, or the humans possess either magic or some inherent ability to see them. The notable exceptions to the invisibility rule are ter’taceo—demons who, by nature, look like humans, or who can take on human appearance. Seminus demons, for example, are ter’taceo.

  When any non-ter’taceo demon dies in the human realm, it disintegrates within moments unless it dies in an area specially designed to prevent disintegration, an area built by demons, or some underground locales.

  Most demons spend the majority of their lives in Sheoul, the demon realm deep inside the earth. When demons die, their souls are sent to Sheoul-gra, which is, in essence, a holding tank where souls wait to be reborn. Sheoul-gra is also where evil human souls are sent to either serve demon souls waiting to be reborn, or to be reborn themselves… as demons.

  All demon species and breeds can be classified by their Ufelskala score—a number ranging from one to five on the scale of evil, with a score of five being the evilest of the wicked. It is important to note that the Ufelskala Scale judges “evil” by a species’ or breed’s love of pain, suffering, and death, but also on its awareness of its own behavior. So a demon animal that eats its prey alive, causing great suffering, may only score a two on the Ufelskala Scale, while a demon that doesn’t kill, but instead merely torments for fun, might score a four.

  Humans, for the most part, are unaware that demons walk among them, and that is the way most demons—and most humans—like it.

  Acid Sprite —Delicate, rat-sized, moves faster than a human eye can track. Winged and colorful, they can be seen by human children who believe the sprites are fairies. They inhabit very dense, very wet European forests, where they hunt small rodents and make the most of their mischievous natures by tormenting human travelers. A favorite game is to ensure that campers and hikers become lost in the woods. While rarely fatal, an acid sprite’s bite is toxic to humans and is often mistaken for a spider bite. Ufelskala Score: 2

  Alu —Rare, ghostlike demon who appears to humans in the shape of a black dog. It has been known to carry diseases such as bubonic plague and leprosy. Usually found haunting graveyards. Ufelskala Score: 4

  Baruk —Wrinkled, white-skinned creature that feeds exclusively on Umber demons. They inhabit caves worldwide, where they can hibernate for centuries until an Umber demon moves in. Though humans rarely encounter the baruk, when they do, the results are… messy. Ufelskala Score: 3

  Bathag —Mine dwellers, violet eyes, pale skin, silver/white hair. They possess power over the Earth and can cause earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mine collapses. They like to live deep in gem and mineral mines, where they cause minor accidents to feed off the energy of those in pain. Ufelskala Score: 2

  Bedim —Very attractive, sensual humanoid race. Dark skin, dark hair. Males keep females in harems. When harems grow too large for one male to service alone, harems are often shared with friends or “rented” out in order to keep females sated and calm. Ufelskala Score: 1

  Bone Devil —Three feet tall, carnivorous. Lives in forests all over the world. Eats its prey (usually deer) alive. One of the few demon species that exists exclusively in the human realm and never enters Sheoul. Ufelskala Score: 2

  Charnel Apostle —A race of demon born into the Charnelist religion, which celebrates pain, violence, and bloody sacrifice. All charnel apostles top six feet tall as adults. Gray skin, black eyes, and hair composed of porcupine-like quills that extend down their back and along their broad, flat tail. They make their home high in the Mongolian mountains, using their magic to conceal their existence from humans. Ufelskala Score: 5

  Croix Viper —Giant demon snakes with horns. They exist exclusively in Sheoul unless brought aboveground by another demon. Ufelskala Score: 2

  Croucher —Th
ree-eyed, scrawny creatures. The size of a small man, they live near dwelling entrances, waiting to pounce. Though they are invisible to humans, as most demons are, they are capable of powerful evil. They harm by bringing bad luck to a house, thereby causing bad illnesses and accidents, from falling down stairs to sudden death. Ufelskala Score: 4

  Cruentus —Skeletal chests, thorny fingers, blunt, hairless snouts. Extremely vicious race that feeds only on fresh meat. They will hunt anything, including each other. Ufelskala Score: 4

  Daeva —Harmless to humans unless threatened. Thin, tall, and pale with lidless, glowing eyes, they appear more frightening than they are. They exist mainly in the darkest reaches of Sheoul and come aboveground to the human realm only at night, to gather trash for food and entertainment. Ufelskala Score: 1

  Darquethoth —Very large, ebony-skinned demons with glowing orange eyes, mouths, and thick slashes in their skin. They live in the hot, inner regions of Sheoul, feeding off prey species who also reside there. A warrior race, they can be hired for any job that promises violence. Ufelskala Score: 4

  Drec —Hunchbacked creatures with slimy gray skin and long tails. Loners, they live near lakes and streams, where they can easily catch their main source of food: fish. They are extremely cowardly, making them perfect minions for more evil demons who capture and force them to labor as slaves. Ufelskala Score: 1

  Drekevac —Spindly, long-limbed, oversized head, fangs as long as a human’s forearm. They enter buildings through open windows and sicken humans with their breath. Ufelskala Score: 4

  Fallen Angels —Fallen angels fall into two categories: those who have entered Sheoul, and those who have not. Angels expelled from Heaven face two choices—they can enter Sheoul and become the most powerful of demons and lose all hope of ever returning to Heaven, or they can reside in the human realm and pray to someday earn the opportunity to return to Heaven. Ufelskala Score: Varies except for those who have entered Sheoul—these fallen angels are ranked as a 5.