Brendan turned to the older man and groaned. “You don’t need to do this, Ferris.”
“I want to give you what you need, Bren. I always have. You know that.” Ferris sounded genuine, and I had a feeling that he was. He closed the distance, and Brendan watched him with a pained expression on his face.
“I don’t want to be one of your blood-sucking fiend clients.”
“You could never be that,” Ferris said. “You are my friend and my lover, just as you were when I visited you in the Portland Court. King Ravage told me that if you keep refusing to feed, you’ll go into a frenzy. I know you, Bren. That’s not what you want, and I want to do this for you.”
Brendan drew in harsh breaths as his gaze fixed on Ferris’ neck. “Tell me the chances I’ll hurt him, Ravage.”
“They are very low in these circumstances.” I leaned into the wall. “That’s why I’m here. As your master vampire, it’s my job to ensure your smooth transition, and that includes not letting you kill your lovers.”
It had been centuries since I became a vampire, back in the old world, but I would always remember the burning thirst that first time. I had killed my first feeder. I had killed my first thirteen. That couldn’t happen here. The guilt from doing that would make Brendan a useless tool to me for some time.
The older man ran his hands over Brendan’s hair. It was a strange pairing, as Brendan was probably in his mid to late twenties and Ferris appeared two decades older, but I could see the lust lighting in Brendan’s eyes at Ferris’ touch.
“On your knees, vampire,” Ferris said as he unbuckled his belt.
Brendan glared at the ball of Ignis fire in my hand. “If you let me hurt him, I will make you pay for eternity.”
“I understand that, and I will not let that happen.” I let my fire subside to a low light as Brendan fell to his knees before Ferris’ erect cock. The older man was rock hard as he pulled his jeans down. When Brendan wrapped his fingers around Ferris’ length and took him into his mouth, I was afraid I was going to have to intercede already, but the older man only growled and ran his fingers through Brendan’s hair.
“I’ve missed the feel of you, Brendan.”
I probably shouldn’t have been worried about the former courtesan, because as he took his lover deep into his throat, Ferris moaned and shuddered in pleasure. They went on this way for some time, and I got the feeling that Brendan was using his skills to draw out Ferris’ pleasure.
Ferris groaned and gripped a handful of Brendan’s hair, showing Brendan his wrist. “It’s time to feed, Bren.”
Brendan pulled his head away slowly, and his teeth sunk into Ferris’ wrist as his hand pumped up and down on Ferris’ cock. Ferris moaned loud, and cum shot out of his pulsing cock as Brendan drank deep. Ferris cock softened, but Brendan still drank.
“That’s enough, Bren,” Ferris said.
Brendan didn’t hear him or didn’t care. He took deep pulls, and Ferris’ cock grew hard once more.
I raised my hand to grab Brendan’s jaw when Ferris gripped Brendan’s hair, and commanded, “That’s enough, Bren.”
Brendan pulled his mouth away like Ferris had burned him. “Damn it, Ferris. Did I hurt you?”
“It’s okay.” Ferris gripped Brendan’s shoulders and looked into his eyes. “Your control slipped for just a few seconds, but now you’re going to have to take care of this.” Ferris fisted his cock. “Stand against the cave wall and pull down your pants. I’m going to fuck you until we both come.”
Brendan got to his feet and peeled down his pants, kicking them to the side. His cock was thick and hard. He stood against the wall, pressing his hands into the stone. It hit me that this was just normal life for these men. Having an audience didn’t faze them in the least. As if to confirm my thought, Brendan glanced over at me. “Why didn’t you stop me?”
“Ferris had it well in hand,” I said.
“I do.” Ferris positioned himself at Brendan’s ass while reaching forward to grab his cock. The older man glanced at me and nodded. “And, I feel safe enough for you to give us some privacy.”
“I’ll leave you to it, then.” I nodded and stepped away from the wall. As I turned away, I glanced back at Ferris, meeting the older man’s eyes.
He nodded, confirming he knew his orders. Brendan’s blood and lust were going to be at an all-time high for the next couple of weeks, and I didn’t want Kori’s brother to think of anything else. Ferris agreed to keep Brendan so well fed and fucked, Brendan wouldn’t even know what hit him when I unleashed him on my enemies.
As I walked down the tunnels toward the bulk of my warriors, gasps and grunts of pleasure echoed down the cave. Ferris was clearly the right choice. Every courtesan in the Nightendale high court had volunteered for the job. Brendan had been a lover with most of the men and women there at one time or another, but along with being an Ignis, there was something domineering in Ferris that I didn’t see in the others.
A tingling sensation numbed my face, and I squeezed my eyes shut. It had been a constant for days now, and each time I gave into the prophecy, I saw the same thing, Kori wandering through my past. As soon as I arrived, she’d run from me and vanish. Heat boiled up in my chest just thinking about it.
I didn’t even know if it was real. Kori had seemed so confused when I accused her of invading my mind. But then, I found her in that vision. It was as if I travelled with her out of the prophecy, and then I simply knew her location.
I didn’t have an explanation for what was happening.
Perhaps I had pushed power collecting too far. In the beginning, I had only planned to collect the Summer powers, but over time the others had been too tempting to resist.
The prophecy sensation grew in force until it felt like spiders were crawling around in my skull. Halfway back to the army outpost, I leapt and commanded the wind to carry me up into the crevasse above.
“Damn you, Kori,” I whispered as I climbed up onto a rock shelf and laid my head back against the cold stone. I didn’t want to go back, but the prophecy pulled me under. When I opened my eyes, the memory was so much worse than I feared.
I lifted a palm-full of Ignis fire, illuminating the cave. My past-self knelt on the stone, holding my head. Around me everywhere were the wraiths of the Summer Court. Their forms were gray and transparent, like fae-shaped columns of smoke. Their familiar faces stared down accusingly. My mother stood directly before me, her hands gripping my shoulders. The memory of that icy touch sent a shiver down my spine.
Hundreds of the wraiths circled me, demanding, “Avenge us, Dusk.”
Dusk.
I had almost forgotten my fae name. It hadn’t matched who I was for so long.
A flash of movement caught my attention, and I spun to find Kori stumbling away. She tried to run, but her movements were sluggish. She crashed into a cave wall and used it for support as she stumbled on.
I caught up to her in five bounds.
I expected her to flee, but instead, she leaned into the wall and widened her stance like she was ready to fight me. Her eyes were half-closed, and she swayed on her feet. “Everywhere I go, everyone is dying,” she mumbled through numb lips. “Is this real? Did these things happen to you?”
“No,” I lied as I crouched down before her, again making myself seem like less of a threat. “You’re dreaming, but if you stay here too long, you’re going to lose your mind. The nightmares will only get worse.”
Her amber eyes found mine, but she couldn’t focus. “I’ve been running for so long. There’s no way out of here.”
“Then, stop running. I’ve been trying to catch you.” I lifted my wrist to my mouth and bit down on my tendons. The pain that seared through my flesh soothed me, familiar and strong. I lifted my wrist to her lips.
Kori hesitated with her eyes fixed on my bloody arm. She shook her head. “Leave me alone, murderer. You killed my brother, didn’t you?”
“No. You’ve always known I was a murderer, Kori, but your broth
er is safe. I promise. Now, drink.”
Her mouth closed over my cut, and she sucked deeply. Immediately, sensation tingled up the length of my cock. It had been centuries since anyone aroused me in the way that Kori did. Sex had been a distraction from my goals. In the past year, Kori lived in sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt, and my cock would still grow erect at the most inconvenient moments. The sex we shared was not nearly enough.
I pushed one of her dark curls behind her ears. “You’re still my consort, Kori. Remember that while those warriors fuck you. You belong to me.”
She shook her head and glared up, her eyes alert and awake now, but her mouth drank deeper.
“Drink, Kori. Drink until you wake up from this nightmare.”
Her gaze veered up over my shoulder.
“Don’t look there,” I said, grabbing her chin, but it was too late.
The spell was broken, and the voices of my past echoed through my mind once more.
Avenge us.
Bring us Night.
Avenge us.
Silently, I answered them.
I am.
Chapter Fourteen
Kori
The sweet taste of blood filled my mouth, and I drank it down greedily.
“Holy shit! Yes! It’s working!” Ruin said from somewhere nearby.
“It is,” Death growled. “She’s coming back.”
I sat up, making all three of the men gasp. Ignoring them, I wrapped my hands around a thick wrist. The blood tasted like liquid darkness somehow, sweet and rich and sinful, and it warmed my whole body.
“Kori, are you back with us?” A hand cupped my shoulder. I glanced up to see long silky white hair falling around bold features. Death crouched over me, stabilizing me as I drank from him. He looked pale, but it only served to make his big dark eyes and rose-red lips more dramatic in such a masculine face. Today there was an exhaustion in his eyes I’d never seen before.
“Kori, what was Ravage doing to you when we found you? We need to know what he did,” Ash’s deep voice demanded from inches away.
He was crouched next to a crackling fire, glowering in our direction. Firelight flickered over Ash’s prominent, chiseled features, high cheekbones, and strong jawline. He focused so intently, his irises darkened to almost a red shade of umber. His hand pressed into the cave floor as if his anger needed an anchor point, or he might attack. “Kori—we need answers now. What did Ravage do to you?”
“Ash, cool it for a moment. She’s barely awake. Come here, Kori,” Ruin said as he leaned into my view from my other side. Without another word, he hoisted me up, pulling me into his lap before he hugged me against him. A wide grin spread across his familiar face. Wispy, straight dark hair fell over scarred features as he curled around me.
“And she could go back out at any second,” Ash said.
“Be patient, all right?” Ruin’s big blue eyes fixed on mine, brimming with concern and relief. Two fangs peeked just a little way out of his full lips. The dark-haired vampire wrapped his arms tightly around me. “Fuck, you had us worried, Kori.”
“Kori—you can tell us what happened while you’re feeding. Just take short breaks, talk, and then go back to drinking,” Ash motioned sucking on his own arm and pulling it away repeatedly. “We need answers so we can keep you alive, and we need them before you lose consciousness again.”
“Take a walk and cool off, Ash.” Death’s knees hit the stone. “And, Kori, you just focus on drinking as much blood as you need.”
Blood.
I was drinking Death’s blood.
It was such a strange realization that I released his wrist and yanked my lips away from his soft, warm skin. Two punctures welled crimson on his inner arm. When I checked with my tongue, my teeth were blunt, so he must have done it himself.
“What happened?” Even as I asked it, details of the fight surfaced in my mind. I leaned back into Ruin’s arms, needing the support of his embrace. “Did any of the trolls survive?”
The three vampires exchanged glances.
“They all died.” Ash’s jaw ticked, as he stared daggers at the grimy cave floor under his splayed fingers.
Firelight flickered over the walls, illuminating pillars of yellow bat guano throughout the thin passageway. The cone-shaped protrusions made it appear like we were surrounded in spikes.
Ash ran a hand over his short, choppy blond hair. “Kori—I hate that I have to be the asshole here, but we need to know what Ravage was doing.”
“Oh.” I touched my neck, feeling a smooth expanse of skin there. Those last few minutes of my life were a mess of pain in my memory, but I remembered Ravage tearing into my throat. “Ravage was trying to drink every drop of blood from my body so he could steal my blood mage power—I guess that’s how he’s collected the other blood mage powers. He said that he’d spent all year feeding me his blood so I would be strong enough to survive.”
Ash looked away and worked his jaw back and forth as he glared into the darkness.
“Where are my brothers?” I asked, and they all looked at each other again. I grabbed Ruin by the collar and wrenched him toward me. He let me, his arms lightly supporting my back as I gripped his shirt. “Where are they, Ruin?”
He didn’t answer, but the expression in his azure eyes said it all.
I gripped him tighter. “What happened to them? Tell me.” I swallowed hard. “I had this dream where Ravage said my brother is safe, meaning that he only knows about one of them.”
“A dream?” Ash asked.
“Yes... maybe... They’re safe. Please, just someone say it.”
Ruin’s hand came up to cup my cheek. “Kori, Ravage took Brendan. He might have taken them both, but we only saw him take Brendan.”
“We have to go back,” I said as panic surged through my heart like an electrical charge. “Everything we’ve done has been to keep Ravage from getting my power, and if he finds Timothy, it’s too late.”
“Fuck no. We’re not going back, Kori. We’re going forward,” Ash said as his strong hands wrapped around where I gripped Ruin. “Let go.”
I stared in horror as I realized that I was choking Ruin, whose only crime was coming to my rescue and holding me close.
Ash tugged my hands from Ruin and pulled them up to his throat. “If you want to throttle someone, Kori, do it to me. I was the one who let Ravage escape.”
“Ash, that’s not what happened,” Ruin said as he clapped Ash’s shoulder. “Ravage knocked Ash into a wall and grabbed Brendan before any of us could get close. Ravage flew out of the top of the cave on a gust of wind. Ash tried to climb after them, but it was impossible. I searched the rubble for your brother Timothy, but he was gone. We all hope that means that he escaped on his own, but we don’t know.”
“Timothy might have escaped—he’s really good at that.” My voice came out strained and thin. “I don’t blame you, Ash. If you hadn’t have come, my brothers would be dead, and Ravage would have my power… and me.” I tugged my hands away from Ash’s throat, and he released my wrists as if he just realized he was still holding me. Closing my eyes, I said, “I’m sorry to do this to you guys, but I’m going to have to stay and look for Timothy and Brendan. They would never leave me behind.”
There was a palpable heaviness in the air.
Ruin’s hand came to rest on my shoulder, “Kori, there’s something else we need to talk to you about.”
They all looked so cautious, so solemn, like breaking this news was going to be harder than telling me about my brothers. I spun to face Death, “Genevieve?” my voice cracked on the name. It wasn’t possible. It didn’t matter how far apart we were, or how different we were, I’d feel it if something happened to my twin.
“No, Kori, so far as we know, your sister is in Seattle and safe. Here, come here.” Ruin gestured for me to sit beside him again, and I found that I wanted to.
Even though I couldn’t remember this man fully, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to go to hi
m. It was like my muscle memory recalled how instinctive it was to want to be held in Ruin’s arms.
Curling up, I waited for Ruin to drop the boulder that I knew he was holding back from me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed me to his chest. “Kori,” Ruin leaned in over me. “When we first found you, you were vomiting blood and convulsing. You died…”
“You’ve been dead for a week,” Ash said, bluntly.
“A week?” I looked around at each of their faces, looking for some sign that they were exaggerating. But no, they looked steadily on, confirming everything with their concern and confusion.
It didn’t seem possible that so much time had passed, while at the same time, I felt as if I walked a thousand miles and cried a million tears. “I wasn’t dead. I was dreaming all these terrible dreams.”
Bodies burst into trees. Vampire warriors ripped one another apart. Terrifying wraiths tormented a young Ravage. It had been one gruesome scene after another.
“Your heart stopped. We revived you regularly, but you died within minutes each time.” Ruin’s arms squeezed. “You only came out of it when Death fed you his blood... a lot of blood.”
“Timothy said I was transitioning into a vampire,” I said. “Ravage said I need his blood to survive.”
Again, they exchanged a look.
“New vampires rise in a day, if that. And we can’t sustain ourselves on vampire blood,” Ruin said. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. There’s plenty that we don’t know about vampire-kind.”
I turned to him. “So, what are you saying? I’m not a vampire?”
“We don’t know,” Ash said. “But between having Ravage and his warriors hunting us through the tunnel, and having no idea how to revive you, we’ve been heading down toward the Deep. The Queen of the Deep is said to be as old or older than Ravage—if anyone knows what the fuck he did to you, it’ll be her.” Ash stood, peering down at me. I knew he was using his already massive height to his advantage. “This is what’s going to happen: we’re going to eat, sleep, and get ready to move. And then we’re going to take turns carrying you until we can’t run anymore. Repeat.”
Ash (Fire & Blood Book 2) Page 10
