Dark Illusions: The Beginning

by Ariana Browning

  “That’s not going to work. I will leave.”

  “Why would you hurt us like that?” Sean feigned hurt and pouted.

  Kat laughed and shook her head in frustration. “Why are you bothering me? I’m trying to read.”

  “So dance with me one time and then I will leave you alone. If you didn’t want to, I wouldn’t be asking.”

  “Oh?” Kat raised an eyebrow. “You know this do you? And how would you be so smart?”

  “Ouch.” Sean smiled at her. “Call it a psychic feeling. Or, perhaps because you’ve been watching us all night long, thinking about how attractive we are, and how much you’d love to dance with each of us. You know we can show you some fun. Unlike certain clans—” He nodded toward the rear of the club, “—we don’t have sticks up our asses. We enjoy ourselves and enjoy pleasure. Let us show you. Unless you still fear us?”

  Kat couldn’t stop the smile that lit up her face. “I bet you’d love to show me. I think I’m fully capable of finding things to do that pleasure me.” She lifted her book, which made Max shake his head. “Why fear precious little boys who bring me flowers? I haven’t watched you all night—maybe just glanced at you now and again. That’s hardly watching.”

  A big smile took over Sean’s face. “Dance with me.”

  “Bite me.” Kat pressed her lips together. Wrong thing to say.

  “Love to. But I’ll be content with a dance. One dance, Kat. Dance with me.”

  “I—” Kat’s words died when he headed her way.

  Sean walked over and extended his hand. “Come on.”

  “Demanding bunch, aren’t you? As I said, No—” Kat gasped when he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

  Sean towered over her, looking down in her face, removing all her defiance. “Dance with me.”

  “You are aggravating.”

  The blues music picked up its beat while they stood there looking at each other. She glanced over at the other men sitting at the table watching to see what her next move would be. They didn’t expect her to dance with Sean. They were used to her fighting them and never going along with a thing they wanted. She decided she wouldn’t fight it.

  Why not have some fun for a change?

  Kat’s smile broadened and Sean just stood there waiting. She surveyed his face and thought, you were right about being handsome. She placed the book down on the table and Sean took the hint, leading her to the dance floor where a few other couples took advantage of the seductive blues. The other Raaka cheered.

  Sean didn’t hesitate to take advantage of her willingness to comply. He wrapped his arm around her hips and pulled her closer as he began moving with the music that flowed through his body.

  At first Kat was hesitant, still unsure of letting go with this particular group of men, but she succumbed to the music and the heat he produced beneath his touch. His hand was like fire holding onto her body, gripping her just so. The entire moment was almost too much to handle when she glanced over at the other Raaka men. They watched her with animal hunger that she hadn’t noticed before. Cameron was right about them all wanting her. That only made her hunger for their attention, and more. She didn’t know why it was happening, but it was. She craved them as bad as if they were all a single unit and she was a dog in heat.

  Sean stroked his hand along her hip while he danced, picking up on her arousal. He looked down at her when she began trailing her fingers down the buttons of his shirt. She dug her nails into his chest, and his own desire heightened.

  Sean grinned and reached his other hand up to the back of her head. He ground his body against hers with the music, entangling his fingers in her hair. She never once objected to his advances, which made him grow bolder and rougher. She finally released the breath she’d been holding and relaxed into his grip, enjoying being within his arms.

  Sean leaned down to kiss her and she turned at the last moment so he could only kiss her neck, which he did, and then nibbled as well. He leaned down and whispered into her ear, “Come home with me.” Goosebumps formed along her body and her head tingled.

  A soft laugh escaped Kat. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” She grinned and whirled around, pressing her body into his. She ground into him when he wrapped his arms around her waist pressing her harder into him, moving with her. Kat wrapped her arms up and around the back of his neck. He leaned down and buried his face in her hair against her neck.

  Placing his mouth against her ear when she glanced over at the faces of the men hungering for her, causing her own hunger to build, and said, “We all would. Give us the chance, and we’ll show you what we can truly do for you. We don’t want to hurt you Kat, unless, you want us to.” His words sent a shiver of electricity coursing through her. She brought her hands down to his arms on her hips and held onto them. His mouth made its way down to her collarbone.

  “Keep trying big boy. You know you’re not getting what you’re working at.” She smiled and leaned her face toward him.

  “Kat—”

  “She’s right. What do you think you’re doing?”

  Thirty One

  Kat stiffened. Julian’s voice ripped through her like ice. She stopped dancing and looked at him. He stood in front of her and Sean, his eyes glowing with the animal he could barely hold in check. Sean stopped moving because Kat did, but kept his grip on her.

  “Go away, Julian. This has nothing to do with you.” Sean growled, his body stiffening under Kat’s touch, readying for a fight.

  Julian glared at him. “This has everything to do with me.” He redirected his attention to Kat. “You need to go home.”

  Kat was taken aback. When Sean went to object she blurted out, “What right do you have to tell me what to do?”

  Julian’s eyes softened. “Kat—”

  “No. You have no right to tell me what to do, Julian. I’m not one of your subjects despite you thinking I am. You’re too full of yourself.” He felt the sting of her words and stood for a moment processing what she’d just said.

  “You’re right. I have no right.” Regaining his composure, Julian stiffened. “I’m not asking Kat. I’m ordering. You do not belong around these men.”

  “She’s not allowed to dance with someone?” Cameron asked, walking up with Jake right behind him.

  Julian didn’t look too happy with the extra problem entering the equation. He was losing the battle with maintaining his normal calm demeanor already. Cameron showing up made it that much harder. Cameron glanced at her while he spoke, which all at once, aggravated and excited her. But the aggravation won. Now she had three men telling her what to do and that was three too many.

  Julian ignored Cameron. His attention remained on Kat. “You should go home.”

  “Why?” Kat pulled out of Sean’s grip, crossing her arms and glaring at Julian.

  “As I said, now she isn’t allowed to dance with someone, Julian? It aggravates you that you can’t control her, doesn’t it?” Cameron stepped closer to Kat while he spoke to Julian. The atmosphere of the club grew tense. Everyone inside turned toward the group.

  Max and the other Raaka men stood up, readying themselves for a fight. Cara stood at the back of the club, watching the men to see if she should intervene or not. Cage appeared beside Julian, ready to defend his prince.

  Kat knew she needed to do something. Otherwise, a fight would break out. She had to calm things down, but she became furious at everyone. She only wanted to dance!

  “Cameron, get your men and leave the club. As I’ve told you, leave the girl alone. Or have you forgotten already?”

  “You understand she’s listening, correct? You enjoy showing her you’re telling my men and me to stay away? When she can do as she pleases.” Cameron glanced at Kat and smiled. “She can think for herself. She doesn’t need anyone telling her what to do. She wanted to dance. Is that a crime?”

  “It is when you’re involved.” Julian growled, stiffening further.

  Kat felt the entire club change. Julian
allowed himself to be provoked. She was furious at him, Cameron, everyone. Her temper erupted. “She is right here. She is not stupid. She can do as she pleases, when she pleases.” Kat turned her back on Julian, telling Sean, “Thank you for the dance.” She stood up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek, knowing how angry it would make Julian.

  Kat turned around to face Cameron. “I don’t need you or anyone else trying to harass Julian just to piss him off. I appreciate you coming to my defense, but last time I checked? I can take care of my own damn self. All of you? You’re not that fucking special. Get over yourselves.” She turned toward Julian. “I’m serious. Get over yourself. I don’t care if you’re prince of the city, or prince of the damn world. You’re not my prince. You can’t tell me what I can or cannot do—”

  “You don’t know what these men—” Julian interrupted, but she put her hand up, cutting him off.

  “Don’t know what, Julian? What they are capable of? Who they are? I only just stopped waking up in the middle of the night because I know. I know who they are. I know what they are—you too. I know, okay? I get it. That still gives you no right to tell me what to do. That gives you no rights over me period. Do you understand that? Do you understand that I am not stupid just because I am human? Why do you think I came to this club? Because I think it’s ‘snazzy?’ So don’t tell me what I can, or cannot do.”

  Cameron smiled. “I guess that—”

  Kat cut him off as well. “No. Don’t even think about it, Cameron. You’re no better than he is. I don’t want anything to do with either of you. I’m not defending you. You’re as much of an asshole as he is. Not one of you, except Kober, has thought about me at all during this. I make my own decision, none of you. Every one of you needs to go to hell.”

  Before anyone could say another word Kat stormed out of the club, shoving past both Julian and Cameron, frozen in place, unable to figure out how to respond. That little human just took them both on?

  Cara smiled and watched the woman storm out of the club. Kat just earned her place within all of them. Cara hadn’t seen anyone possess the courage to stand up to those two particular leaders in many centuries, let alone all those powerful men. Well done my dear. Well done.

  “Well,” Cameron said, “I guess this is where you sulk back to your hole, huh Julian? Didn’t win any points with her did you? And here I thought you were so capable.” He went to leave, but Cage stepped in front, blocking him. Cameron whirled around to face Julian, knowing he wouldn’t get Cage to move.

  “Stay away from her Cameron.” Julian snarled, turning his back on Cameron and the rest of the Raaka, leaving him there.

  Thirty Two

  No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, her doorbell kept on ringing. By the fifth time, Kat was close to disabling it forever with her bat. She knew who was there, but didn’t care to answer. Growing more annoyed, she walked over to the door and jerked it open, “Would you stop?” her words died on their way out.

  Cameron stood there with a huge vase of blue and lavender colored roses in his hand and behind him were more vases on the floor, four of them. Kat glanced down the hallway to see Jake, Max, and Sean standing there talking to each other.

  Cameron grinned. “My apologies.”

  Kat looked back at Cameron and crossed her arms. “Is that it? I hope you don’t believe all you have to do is apologize and then we’re all buddy, buddy.”

  Cameron’s grin faded. “I only came here to apologize. I know I angered you and I wanted to apologize for that. I didn’t come here for a fight.”

  “I—” Kat went to object and tell him he could forget it, but before she could say a word, the vase was shoved at her. She struggled to grab them before they crashed to the ground. Cameron left before she could say another word. Kat watched him leave and felt guilty. He had come to apologize. Kat knew she should let him leave, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. “Wait,” she said with a sigh.

  Cameron stopped and turned around. Sean, Max and Jake stood there and didn’t acknowledge Cameron leaving. Kat had a feeling they knew she wouldn’t let him leave and that annoyed her. You guys always seem to know what I’m thinking, don’t you?

  “Yes?” Cameron asked.

  Kat licked her lips and turned to look down the opposite hallway in annoyance before looking back to a smiling Cameron. She fidgeted and tried to make herself tell him to leave. She rolled her eyes. “Thank you for the apology.”

  Now it was Cameron’s turn to cross his arms. “And?”

  “And?” Kat said, readjusting her hands on the vase of roses. “And thank you for the roses. You didn’t have to do that.”

  Cameron’s smile broadened. “You are most welcome. You deserve to know what it’s like to have someone pamper you, Kat. That’s all any of us want. Or haven’t you figured that out?” He looked down the hall toward Sean who looked her way and smiled. She glanced at her feet to hide her smile. “We only want to see you smile, to see you happy so you can enjoy the pleasure you know we can give you.”

  A small laugh escaped Kat. “Oh yeah. I get that you boys would love to pleasure me. You’re too much.” She looked at each of the men down the hall, then back at Cameron. “All of you. You’re a pain in the ass. You’re an aggravating bunch. And?” She smiled against her better judgment and shook her head. “I just can’t seem to hate you.”

  “Oh?” Cameron didn’t hide his shock. The other men mirrored his look. “So . . . does that mean that possibly you would like to—”

  “Not even for a second. Don’t think about it,” she interjected.

  “Think about what, Kat? You don’t know what I was going to ask, but I guess you believe you do. Sorry to disappoint. I’m not like that. Good day.” Before Kat could process what he said, Cameron turned his back and left.

  Kat let him go, turned and headed back into her condo. She’d deal with the other vases in a moment. She went into her living room and placed the vase she held in her hands, on the center of her coffee table. Admiring the beauty of the roses, she knew the symbolism of those two colors and grinned.

  Mystery . . . and love at first sight.

  Thirty Three

  A couple of days after Cameron had come to see her, the roses he’d given her still sat on her coffee table. Kat enjoyed them while she did some reading on her couch before she went to bed. She thought about Cameron while she stared at them. What were his plans for her? She knew he wanted her as the Raaka queen, but how far would he go to get what he wanted? Would he be like Vincent and kidnap her, forcing her to belong to him? He’d had ample opportunity to kidnap her but hadn’t, so maybe not kidnap her.

  Like the day he delivered the roses. He could’ve grabbed her then and she couldn’t have gotten away.

  Her mind wandered back to the night at the club when she danced with Sean. She enjoyed herself, but when Julian interrupted and got possessive, she enjoyed it more. She was happy, happy he’d come to stop it, but also because she could talk to him. Watching him stiffen, ready to defend her, protect her? She’d felt his strength surround her, making her body warm. She would’ve given him anything he wanted.

  But then he had to go and tell her what to do. She hated people telling her what to do. But still, how she wished the roses sitting in front of her were from him. She couldn’t help it. She wanted to see him and found herself calling out his name, Julian. . . . Why can’t you be the one to come see me? Why do we have to be apart?

  Kat rubbed her hands across her face. God, she wanted so badly to see him. She knew Kober still checked on her off and on. She often told him she wished she could see Julian, but the entire situation was becoming too much to handle. She needed to let him go. It was the only way she could move on. As much as it felt like she ripped her own skin off, she knew she had to do it.

  Kat got up and washed her face for bed, before wandering back in the living room for more reading. A cold draft hit her on her way back, causing her to look toward the doors leading outside. Her heart skippe
d a beat, and her breath caught.

  Julian stood there, watching her.

  Kat froze. He looked incredible standing there underneath the light of the moon. She couldn’t find the willpower to move. She wasn’t sure if she imagined him there or not. Part of her thought she was dreaming. There couldn’t be such an incredible man, standing there in her condo, right? It was just a dream, right? If she moved, he would vanish without a trace, as her dreams always did.

  Julian stood there, still and quiet. He never said a word. He’d lived centuries and had never seen a more beautiful woman than the one standing in front of him.

  His friend was right. There was just something about her, looking so radiant in her barest. He could feel her strength from where he stood. She was ready for a fight, but at ease with him standing in her condo, being alone with him. Julian could sense no fear anywhere on her, but her heart beat faster at the sight of him and he struggled to control himself. It took everything he had to control the beast inside and the urge to conquer her, take her to bed and never allow her to leave. She was so beautiful.

  Kat found herself staring into his gaze, forgetting all her anger. Forgetting everything she’d just promised herself. She wasn’t sure why Julian had come, but she didn’t want him to leave. She could feel his hunger from across the room. She found herself whispering his name within, Julian. Desperate for his touch.

  As if hearing her thoughts she’d spoken inside, Julian took a step toward her and opened his arms. Without hesitation, Kat stepped forward, closing the remaining distance between them and moved into the open arms that wrapped around her as she pressed her body into his.

  Kat took a deep breath and inhaled his scent as much as she could, relaxing into the arms that made her feel safer than anything, or anyone, had ever made her feel in her entire life. Julian pressed a tender kiss against the top of her head, breathing her in as well.