by Dakota Dawn
Red turned and stared angrily at his mistress. “What did you do that for?”
“Because I have other plans for your little pig.” Attinie spoke Roseanthian and her opal eyes flowed with a multitude of colors.
Sanchez’s scream turned into a hoot as her body shrunk and feathers replaced her skin.
“You are brilliant,” Red said as he roughly scooped up Attinie’s latest pet. He shifted her uniform shirt until it covered her head. She hooted and flapped her wings. Red tightened his hold and laughed.
Attinie was glad she’d decided to add to her collection. The small brown-eyed owl was going to be fun to play with.
* * * *
Deep in the paperwork of his latest investment, Pierce’s company, Zotikos frowned when his phone rang. Picking it up, he smiled when he saw Vance’s name and number.
“Hello, Vance. Do you have good news for me?” He sure hoped so. His hands itched to repay Darrin’s attackers.
“I’ve got great news. Staten and Law are still running together and I know where they are right now.”
“That’s great news. Give me the address and I’ll be over shortly,” Zotikos said as he started putting up his paperwork. Vance gave him the address and he instantly committed it to memory.
He thought he knew where it was, but he had to make sure. “Is that the alley one street up from Callie’s Bakery?”
“Yes, except Callie’s Bakery went out of business seventy-five years ago and is now a sandwich shop called Kaden’s Sandwiches. My man will be watching them for you. He’ll hang around until you show up. Do you need him to stay? From what we dug up on them they haven’t gotten any new talents or powers. Those two are too busy bullying people and partying to stop and learn something useful.” Vance said the last sentence with heavy disapproval.
“He doesn’t have to stay. I appreciate you finding them for me. Send me a bill,” Zotikos replied, somewhat distractedly.
“Will do. Be careful.”
Zotikos ended the call. He wanted to mist right over, but he had two wonderful mates to think of. Pressing Drake’s name on his phone, he called in a favor.
Drake and Jose instantly came over.
“Thanks for coming over. I need to go take care of Darrin’s attackers. Will one of you stay here in case our enemy comes back?” He needed their help like never before.
“I’ll go with you and Jose can stay here,” Drake answered.
“It won’t be necessary for you to come along.” The beast in him desperately needed to be on its way.
Drake shook his head. “We can’t afford to lose any good men right now. Two are always better than one.”
His mates popped into his mind. Two sure were better than one. Drake was right, though. It would be foolish of him to angrily rush in. What if these two were working for the being they were looking for?
A smile curled his lips. “I’ll do a little interrogation before I get justice for my mate and all the other people they’ve killed and traumatized.”
Drake’s return smile was as cold as his own.
Zotikos turned to Jose. “I won’t be gone long. They shouldn’t even know I’m gone. Right now they are working in the garden. If all goes well Pierce and Darrin will still be there when I return.”
Jose nodded. “I’ll keep a low profile as I watch over them.”
Zotikos put his hand on Drake’s shoulder and misted them to their destination. Vance’s man was nearby. When they saw him, he nodded and misted away. A scream pierced the air a second later.
“The alley.” Drake turned to head that way.
Zotikos was by Drake’s side as they entered the dark, dirty alley. The sight before him made his stomach ache and boiling anger ripple over his nerves. M. L. Staten and Jimmy Law had a naked man pinned to the ground. The poor guy was screaming as Staten pushed down his own pants and got ready to violate their newest victim. Blood dripped from the vampire’s fangs. The cruel vampires sniffed the air and whipped their heads in his and Drake’s direction.
“We saw him first. Leave,” Staten ordered angrily.
When the man beneath Staten whimpered, Zotikos inadvertently replayed Darrin’s memory and he roared in rage. Both men jumped to their feet. The second they were standing he sent out a spell that locked them in place. They thought it was fun to freeze people in place, now it was time for them to get a dose of their own medicine. Staten had been reaching to pull his pants up. Now he was frozen from his shoulders down with his pants and briefs around his knees. The anger in the vampire’s eyes was nothing compared to the pain and rage Zotikos felt. Both of these men had been cruel to his precious mate. Staten had been the worst, and he’d pay dearly for that.
“You have no right coming in here taking our dinner,” Staten said with an air of superiority.
“Yeah.” Law glanced down at his body. “You need to release us. We didn’t do anything to you.”
He ignored them and turned to Drake. His friend nodded and went to help the human into his jeans and out of the alley. Some things didn’t need to be asked, others did. In a controlled motion, Zotikos circled his enemy and then stopped a few feet in front of them. There was no pity in his heart for either of them. They had hurt so many people without an ounce of remorse. He felt Drake return, but didn’t take his eyes off of his enemy.
“Have either of you heard anything about a being killing kind-hearted people?”
Law guffawed at the question. “I’d like to be in their gang.”
“So you have heard of them. Tell me what you know,” he demanded.
A smug look crossed Law’s face. “We wouldn’t tell you when we are so close to finding them.”
Zotikos looked at Drake and then at his watch. “I don’t have time for this.” He turned back to Staten and Law. Slowly, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a spelled stake.
“I’ll give you two one more chance to answer my questions.” He rolled the stake through his fingers.
Staten just glared at him.
Law smirked. “We ain’t telling you a damn thing.”
Not willing to play games, he stabbed the stake deep into Law’s shoulder. The smell of burning flesh surrounded them. So did Law’s tortured screams. He wiggled the stake and watched as Law’s body jerked from pain. When he felt he’d gotten his point across, Zotikos pulled the stake out of Law’s shoulder.
“I…I don’t know anything,” Law blurted anxiously and then looked at Staten. Zotikos raised the stake. “H–he does. M. L. knows more than I do. I swear it.”
“Really?” Drake asked from behind Zotikos.
“Yes. Please let us go,” Law begged.
“You did well. I want your life to end on a good note.” Zotikos pulled out his blade and in a blurred motion removed Law’s head from his body. The evil vampire’s body turned to dust and landed in a mound adding to the dirt that covered the dark alley.
Zotikos snarled at Staten. “What do you know about the being that kills good people?”
Staten spit at Zotikos. He dodged and pressed a stake through the evil vampire’s left side. Burning skin and Staten’s hisses filled the alley.
“What do you know, tough guy?” He pulled another stake from his jacket pocket.
Staten spit at him again. Zotikos dodged and then stabbed a stake through the vicious vampire’s naked thigh a few inches away from the rapist’s limp dick. The ancient elf spell made the vamp’s flesh sizzle and smoke lightly. Staten clenched his teeth and screamed as quietly as he could. Zotikos reached in his pocket and retrieved another stake.
Staten’s eyes widened. “I can’t tell you. I swear. Saying her name is bad karma.”
“Who told you that?” Zotikos asked impatiently.
The vampire panted and then spit at Zotikos again. Once again he dodged and staked the fool’s other thigh. The burning stench mingled with the other dirty and rotten scents in the alley.
He wondered how many people Staten had tortured and killed in filthy alleys just
like this one. His heart ached at the thought of all those people dying so painfully with rancid air filling their lungs on their last breath.
Zotikos’s stomach churned. Death was never a pretty sight, but killers like Staten and the being they hunted made it a thousand times worse than it had to be. Knowing his mates and friends were threatened by the being they sought drove him on.
Grabbing another stake, he showed it to the sweating vampire and then pointed it at the rapist’s balls. “What do you know?” he demanded in a loud, clear voice.
“You won’t do it. You’re a good guy,” Staten foolishly taunted.
Zotikos poked the stake into Staten’s right nut and held for a few seconds before he removed it. Staten screamed through his teeth.
“I’m not a good guy today. What do you know?”
He threatened with the stake and Staten blurted, “Attinie.”
“Where did you get that name from?”
Staten spit at him again.
He dodged again and stabbed the evil vampire in the left nut and watched without compassion as the vampire screamed. It was time Staten did the begging.
“Pull it out. P–please,” Staten begged.
Like Staten did to his victims, Zotikos ignored the plea. “Where did you get the name?”
The vampire’s body began to shake as pain started taking its toll. “An old fay. H–he said it was the name on his dying son’s lips. Th–that everyone should watch out for Attinie. She kills for fun. That’s all I know. Please take it out.”
“Who was the fay that told you this?” Drake asked.
“Don’t know. He was old,” Staten panted the words out.
“Where does this fay live?”
“Somewhere deep in the woods.”
“Where?” Zotikos wiggled the stake in Staten’s side. The evil vampire hissed in pain.
“I don’t know. A warlock took me to the fay. T–take out the stakes.”
“Which warlock?” He pressed the stake in his enemy’s nut a little deeper.
Staten screamed and then panted through the pain. “L–Ludwig.”
He removed the stake from Staten’s nut. “Where is Ludwig?”
The look on the vampire’s face combined with the feelings that came off of him made Zotikos’s stomach hurt and his blood boil. “You killed him.”
“I–I had too.”
Showing more mercy than he felt, Zotikos said, “No more pretty boys for you.” In a whirl of motion Zotikos removed the stakes and cut off the sadistic vampire’s head. Stepping back, he watched as Staten’s body turned to ash. A gust of wind blew the ashes around until they mingled with the dirt that littered the filthy alley. It was a fitting end for the blacked-hearted man.
Drake grinned at him. “Good work. It looks like we may have just learned the name of our enemy and a lead to finding her.” Drake watched as Zotikos started putting his stakes back in his pocket. He reached out and touched one. It barely stung him. “Why didn’t it burn me or you?”
“Because of my elf blood. You were safe because of the elf blood you drink in your wine. Plus, these are spelled to target evil. We only have a small amount of darkness in us. It wouldn’t hurt for you and your brothers to add an extra dose of elf blood in your personal glasses of wine. Their magical essence can be a lifesaver.”
“We’ll do that. It’s a good thing Staten and Law weren’t our customers. Even though it wouldn’t have saved them, it would have eased some of their pain,” Drake said.
“True. Their level of darkness was their downfall. They turned out to be their own worst enemy.” Needing to see his mates, Zotikos said, “Thanks for coming with me. You going to Tristan and Caleb with the news?”
Drake nodded. “Yes. Send Jose to my office, please.”
Zotikos nodded his agreement and they both left to secure their future and that of their family and friends.
Chapter Fifteen
Pierce was contentedly working with Darrin in their greenhouse. Love for his mates filled his whole life. Darrin had given up his job with the Wyckoff winery to work with Pierce, and Zotikos had invested in his spice business. It was a family business now. Something he never dreamed would happen to him.
Darrin walked up behind him and kissed his neck, and then whispered, “I love working with you.”
If his heart hadn’t already melted, it would have at Darrin’s words. As it was the words filled him with more love and admiration. “I love working with you, too. Words can’t express how happy I am with you and Zotikos in my life and now sharing my business. We are a family. That’s something I’ve never had.”
Zotikos walked through the greenhouse door and straight over to them. Pierce was a little surprised when Zotikos spread his arms wide and then hugged them both tightly. Something was different about the man. Zotikos seemed to need them desperately, as if he’d just been through some major ordeal instead of doing paperwork in his office.
Since he and Darrin had finished what had to be done, that left Pierce with the ability to fill Zotikos’s need to be close to them. He squirmed and Zotikos squeezed them harder before letting them go.
Darrin chuckled. “I’m glad to see you, too.”
Pierce raised his dirty hands and grimaced. “Since our workday is done I want to clean up and have some fun.” Both his mates’ eyes sparkled with instant interest.
“I love you two so much,” Zotikos whispered soulfully.
“We love you, too. I just happen to have something we can do to show and share our love. First we need to shower,” he said and then held his grimy hand up to stop them when he felt their intentions. “Not together.”
“What?” Darrin whined.
“I get the shower in our bedroom. You two can hit the guestroom showers.” At their sad faces, he added, “Trust me, it will be worth your while. Give me twenty minutes and then come to our bedroom.” He felt a tingle in his head and knew Zotikos was trying to read his mind. “Stop that. I want it to be a surprise.”
“You know I’m proud of you for figuring out when I’m trying to read your thoughts, but I’m also a bit sad about it,” Zotikos confessed.
Pierce laughed at his mate’s delightful honesty. That was a thing Zotikos and Darrin both had in common, and he admired them for it. Zotikos couldn’t help trying to slip in now and then, that’s what people capable of reading minds did.
Anxious to get started, he led them out of the greenhouse and called over his shoulder, “Twenty minutes.”
Fresh from his shower, he went into the bedroom and looked over his supplies and smiled. While online he’d seen the ad in the corner of the screen and thinking of pleasing Darrin, he’d checked the site out and bought the sensual items. To his surprise, Zotikos was the one who needed them.
Pierce hurriedly set out and lit ten candles. He then grabbed up twelve pretty glass bowls and filled the small decorative bowls four each with four different-scented, flavored oils. Forming a triangle on the floor with the bowls, Pierce made sure that each side had one of every scent and a medium-sized, new paintbrush. He stepped inside the triangle and was satisfied with the size. They’d all fit within it easily. Both of his mates walked in sinfully naked, just the way he liked them.
“Wow,” Darrin exclaimed as he gazed around the room at the candles and bowls of oil.
“This is beautiful. The room smells delicious and the flickering light on the walls and ceiling is a very sensual touch,” Zotikos added in a husky voice as he advanced on Pierce with Darrin on his heels.
“What’s your plan?” Darrin asked as he pointed to the bowls.
Pierce grinned. “Each of the bowls on a side has a different oil. We are going to paint our front sides, face included, in different flavors. When we are done with that, we will two at time oil up each other’s back sides.”
“Are these oils edible?” Darrin asked excitedly.
“Yes, but don’t try any until it’s time to lick and kiss the oil off of each other. You never know what flavor is g
oing to be where. As you oil up, make it interesting.” Pierce luxuriated in the excited, lusty feelings coming off of his mates.
“This is a very good plan, Pierce. Thanks for making our night so special.” Zotikos’s beautiful eyes glowed.
Darrin quickly agreed, “We appreciate your effort. Can we get started now?”
“The sooner the better.” He was more than ready.
They stepped into the triangle and faced their bowls. With their backs to each other they started painting unique patterns on their naked bodies.
Once he was done, Pierce asked, “Are you two finished?”
“Yes,” Darrin answered.
“Just a second.” There was a short pause. “Done.”
“Darrin, you stay with your back to us. Zotikos and I are going to paint your backside. Then you two can do mine and then Darrin and I will paint Zotikos’s. Does that sound good?”
Both men agreed. Fifteen minutes and lots of giggles and squirming later they were all slick and their skin glistened in the candle light.
The vessels in Zotikos’s throat swelled as his blood pressure increased. The diamond flecks in his blue eyes brightened. Pierce watched as Zotikos stepped in front of him and leaned over to lick Pierce’s nipple. He shivered when his mate sucked the taut flesh into his mouth and moaned before releasing Pierce’s nipple with a soft pop.
Zotikos licked his lips. “Strawberry. Nice. What do we do now?”
“Just that, Blue Eyes. We lick, suck, and kiss anyone anywhere.”
A smile crossed Darrin’s handsome face. “In any position?”
Pierce’s nostrils flared in excitement. “Yes.”
“Bend over and grab you ankles, Pierce.” Passion flavored Darrin’s words.
Pierce closed his eyes and slowly folded over and grabbed his ankles. He jerked when two cool tongues touched his calves. Opening his eyes, he watched Zotikos lapping at his right calf while Darrin enjoyed his left calf. A shiver shook him as his mates worked their way up the backs of his legs.
Darrin kissed him at the point where his thigh turned into buttocks and then asked, “What flavors did you taste? I had a peanut butter calf and a strawberry thigh.”
