Sundown & Serena

by Tara Fox Hall

  Vince nodded.

  “Why?” Nick said.

  “Simple!” Vince explained. “She liked it! She can’t say anything, or it’ll look like she just had sex with him willingly, and reconsidered later, and now is saying he forced her.”

  “Devlin’s got balls as big as church bells, to cuckold that cougar,” Nick said, awe again in his voice. “Theo’s reputation would be enough to make me not even look sideways at her.”

  “I don’t think Dev did it just for the sex,” Vince growled darkly. “It wasn’t her blood, she’d already given him that. I think he wanted her to love him, though I can’t understand why.”

  “Twisted,” Nick said, awed. “You think it was more than sex to them?”

  “I think Dev got more than he bargained for,” Vince said, nodding. “I think that we haven’t seen the end of him and her.”

  “I don’t see where you are getting all of that,” Nick said, giving Vince a hard look. “Dev’s had sex with a different woman every night since he got here, sometimes more than one. He’s the same as he always was.”

  “Really?” Vince said darkly. “Then why did he go to a specialty jeweler before we left the States, and place an order for a choker? One with a gold bear with green emerald eyes.”

  Nick’s mouth dropped open. He stared at Vince, his expression akin to horrified.

  I had stayed silent this whole time, listening and trying to make some sort of sense of what they were saying. It was clear they were talking about a man who’d seduced a married woman and implying some kind of dire consequences, though they obviously didn’t know the reasons behind what had happened. But the rest I didn’t understand. Chokers? Cougars? Sharing blood?

  “You think he loves her?” Nick uttered finally.

  Vince nodded. “I think he’s sending her the choker, and asking her to come to him here. She’ll probably do it, too. You know how women are with Dev. They fall all over themselves trying to make him happy.”

  “Shit,” Nick swore. “I never thought I’d ever see the day he loved any one woman. He’s too much of a legend! He’s always been a personal inspiration to me.”

  “Me, too,” Vince agreed. “I’m hoping she says no. I don’t want that bitch for my mistress. I’ll be damned if I’m going to protect her.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about it,” Nick assured, yawning. “That cougar is not going to let his wife go without a fight, especially not to Dev. He hates him. And she’d be crazy to come. Remember what Dev did to her years ago?”

  “Speaking of going, we have got to get moving,” Vince said abruptly, appearing to notice I was listening. “Or we’ll be late. Lash’ll take it out of our hides.”

  Nick sighed as he and Vince got up, and tugged on their clothes. I watched from the bed, unsure of what to do.

  “You can stay here, honey,” Nick said, giving me a kiss on the forehead. “Checkout isn’t till noon. Get some sleep, and just return the key before you head home.”

  “All right,” I said.

  Nick kissed me again on the mouth gently. “I’ll see you again soon, Serena,” he said with a smile, then he left.

  Vince grabbed the two empty pizza boxes, and then he looked at my reflection behind him in the mirror a moment, as I sat watching him from the bed. He put the boxes down, then came over and sat on the bed near me. “Did you like spending the night with us?” he asked, his blue eyes looking into mine.

  I nodded.

  “Would you want to do it again?” he continued. “Same money, same kind of sex?”

  Sincere, yet to the point. I considered his offer fast, knowing that if I didn’t agree I ran the risk of not being offered this again. That I wanted the sex again was a simple yes. My animal side had no issue with my behavior. It was my human side that was cautioning me against a repeat performance. Was what I did so bad? I was sure some people would think so, but really, how different was it from what Patty did? The only difference was that I was making a lot of money besides just enjoying myself. “Yes,” I said quickly, before I thought anymore and found a reason to say no.

  “Would you be willing to do it for other friends of ours, too?” Vince continued. “There are at least another five werebears I know who would be glad to pay you for your time.”

  My eyes widened at his implication. “Are they like you?”

  “They aren’t all as handsome as me,” Vince answered with a grin. “But we’re all the same age, yes. We’re all guards and werebears, so our bodies are pretty much the same, too.”

  He was offering to pay me regularly to have sex with his friends and him. This wasn’t one night of daring; technically, this would make me a prostitute, the same girl who’d been a virgin just yesterday. The human half of me was shocked that I was even considering it, but the animal half was all for it, as long as it included sex with other fit males and possibly food. What should I say? Truth is probably best. “I’ve never done anything like last night before. But I enjoyed myself a lot. I might be interested in a regular arrangement, but I’d have to meet your friends first.”

  “Are you working tonight at the diner?” Vince asked.

  I nodded. “Same shift as last night.”

  “I’ll bring someone to see you, right before closing. Okay?”

  “You’re on,” I said with a smile.

  Vince gave me a quick kiss, obviously relieved. He grabbed the two empty pizza boxes again. “See you later, then,” he said, then left.

  I lay there in bed for a while alone, considering how my life had changed and where it might be heading. Yesterday, I’d been a virgin who’d never been looked at twice, and on the edge of poverty. Today, I had enough money to pay my rent for the next two months, the memory of a night like one of the erotic romance novels I loved to read, and the promise of more money and nights of passion to come. Yes, I knew on some level I’d sold myself, but it didn’t feel wrong to me. I’d enjoyed what I’d done with Nick and Vince. Patty did the same thing with many men for free. So why couldn’t I? And why not do it again, if it was what I wanted?

  Not coming to any specific resolution, I ate more of my pizza, and watched a little TV. I wasn’t tired, even with being up half the night. I was sweaty, though, and so took a long hot shower, dressing again in my clothes afterwards. After, I finished the pizza, then grabbed the room key and my purse, and headed downstairs to check out.

  The walk home felt like a jaunt to me; my mood was ecstatic and I couldn’t help smiling at random strangers as I passed them by. Once back at my apartment, I hurried to put on fresh clothes, choosing the best ones I had.

  I got to the diner just in time for my shift, and took up my spot behind the grill. Fred nodded to me like he always did, then went back to his paper. The normal action made me feel strange. I felt so different inside now that I expected him to notice somehow. Yet oddly, on some level, his normal routine brought a measure of relief, too. I’m still the same ordinary Serena I’ve always been, if I want to be.

  The day passed by quickly. As it got later and later, I wondered if Vince would really come again to see me. I tried to relax, but butterflies flitted in my stomach. I want him to come. What if no one comes?

  My shift ended with no visitors or sign of Vince and the other. As I closed up, I felt a little sad, wondering if they had found another were girl who was prettier. That doesn’t matter. I have money now. And I have the memories.

  I grabbed my purse, calling goodnight to Fred. As the back door swung shut behind me, a rich, euphonious voice called my name, causing me to turn. “Serena?”

  The man walking toward me had to be the most handsome man I had ever seen. He was dressed in a white shirt, and some fitted cotton pants, also white. He had on some kind of soft leather shoes. His blond hair was to his shoulders, curling softly, and a day’s growth of beard covered his face, making him appear like one of the foresters who sometimes visited the diner. But his outfit and very pale skin told me he was wealthy, probably a tourist. “Yes?”

  H
e came closer, stopping directly in front of me. “Vince told me who you were, and where to find you,” he said, his lilting voice so intoxicating it seemed to be caressing me. “My name is Devlin Dalcon. Vince and Nick work for me.”

  So this was Dev, the womanizer that they had been talking about. “It’s good to meet you.”

  “I can see from your expression that my men were talking about me,” Devlin purred in pleasure. “I can sense your arousal.”

  I blushed, then looked in his face and noticed his eyes for the first time. They were an unusual golden color, almost like honey when the light hits it and shines through it.

  He stared at me, his ‘come hither’ smile widening. I blushed deeper.

  “Get to it,” a hissing voice said. “We can’t stand out here all night, so exposed.”

  There was another shorter man behind Devlin, facing away from me. He was dressed in black from head to toe and seemed to be watching the street.

  “Serena,” Devlin continued. “I want you to consider coming to work for me. I know what you did for Nick and Vince last night, and Vince told me you said you would enjoy doing it on a regular basis for him and Nick. He said you would consider doing it for other of the werebears in my employ. It would be easier all around if you worked for me, instead of having them pay you in cash time by time.”

  Does he want to be my pimp? Put off, I gave him a suspicious look.

  Devlin blinked, then bit his lip, as if he were trying to keep from laughing. “I’m not suggesting this to make money off you, Serena. This is about safety and security. I want you to come and live at my estate near the beach, overlooking the water. You can take care of the needs of my male guards. No one will have to rent hotel rooms, and you won’t have to worry about getting money up front, or having someone get rough with you, or not paying you.”

  Was he implying some of his men were thugs, that they would cheat me? “What are you offering?”

  “I’ll give you the same amount of money for every night, no matter who comes to you. Even if no one does, though I don’t imagine that will happen often.”

  “What do you get out of this?” I interrupted.

  “My single men have been fighting lately amongst themselves from the strain of being celibate,” Devlin explained “Lash has had to break them up, and he has better things to do.”

  “You’re God damn right I do,” the hissing voice griped.

  The man in black must be Lash, Vince’s boss. He must report to Devlin.

  “I need them relaxed, with their minds on their work,” Devlin continued. “If I don’t act now, things will just get worse.” He paused. “I’ll have a portion of their paychecks taken out to go toward your salary, for all the ones who want to be serviced by you. I wouldn’t be paying all of your salary myself. Some of my men have their own mates, and they won’t need your services.”

  “Would I pay you rent?” I asked. “What about food?”

  “Room and board would be included,” Devlin said. “And you will have at least half of every day to yourself, usually in the day hours, for sleeping and doing whatever you want. But most nights, you’ll need to work.”

  “Could I see your home before I give you my answer?”

  “Of course,” Devlin said graciously, offering me his hand. “I want you to come there tonight with me. Right now, in fact.”

  Chapter Three

  I hesitantly took Devlin’s hand. He led me to a black four-wheel drive vehicle, and opened the door for me. I got in the front passenger seat. He closed it, then got in the back seat as the man in black settled in the driver’s seat with another curse. The man started the SUV, then looked up to lock eyes with me. His eyes were cold, like the eyes of a lizard. “Put on your seat belt,” he hissed. I glimpsed his fangs, curving back in his mouth, almost hooked.

  Fear flooded me. I held in my scream, swallowing hard instead. Lash is some type of weresnake. He has to be with fangs like that. Why didn’t he have normal teeth, or normal eyes? Were all weresnakes like this, or was he purposely staying partly changed to look more frightening? Will I have to sleep with this man as part of the deal? If so, I couldn’t do it. It was all I could do to be this close to him.

  “If you’re done staring, put on your seat belt,” he said, this time his tone holding a trace of amusement.

  I did what he said, silently. Lash drove us out of the tourist section, and out towards the coast.

  “Tell me, Serena,” Devlin whispered in my ear, as he leaned over the seat. “Are you alone here?”

  I shot him another suspicious look. “Yes.”

  “Wereanimals are seldom alone, especially the furry four-footed ones, as I smell you are,” he answered, smiling. “And you are not mated, nor do you have a lover. I find that unusual, from what I know of weres.”

  He isn’t were, by his scent. Maybe he’s some type I’ve not smelled before? All I knew scent-wise was my own scent, the rusty, musky scent of werebear, and now a musty earthy scent I surmised was weresnake. “My father died,” I answered, shrugging. “My mother died having me. I didn’t have money to go to the nearest city, Rio. I’ve heard there are some weres there.”

  “There are weres in Rio,” Devlin said, nodding. “But mostly snakes, and some monkeys, a few cats.”

  “Fucking cats,” the dark man snarled. I gave him an anxious look.

  “Yet even with the distance, it is odd to me that you weren’t driven to seek out a mate,” Devlin whispered, still in that seductive tone. “That the longing to be filled wasn’t in your blood.”

  His words aroused me, bringing images to mind of my night with Vince and Nick in vivid color. “I didn’t think about sex,” I said honestly. “There was never anyone around who I was attracted to, not even humans.”

  “Interesting,” Devlin said absently, sitting back.

  “So she’s a late bloomer,” the dark man said, annoyed. “Better late than never.”

  I flushed, as Devlin laughed.

  The rest of the drive was silent. Soon we were stopping before a huge villa. I got out, my eyes wide. This place is beautiful. The palm trees were huge, and there were so many flowers and terraces and statues, it truly was an estate.

  “Get inside,” Lash hissed in my ear, giving me a little push toward the front door. Devlin was already there, speaking in a language I didn’t recognize. I hurried to catch up with him, stepping quickly over the threshold. The weresnake came behind me, striding fast as he looked around us, as if expecting an imminent attack.

  The place was a mansion, the bright white furniture overstuffed and comfortable, like I’d seen in that magazine Beach Living that Patty sometimes let me borrow. I looked up at the curving spiral staircase, and wondered how I’d gotten here. I wasn’t the kind of girl who found herself in mansions. “This is just stunning.”

  “I’m going out to check our borders,” Lash hissed to Devlin. “Call my cell if you need me.”

  “Watch yourself,” Devlin advised.

  Lash nodded, going back out the front door with a loud slam.

  “Come upstairs,” Devlin said. I followed him up the staircase. “This would be your room,” he said, stopping beside a door, and opening it.

  I walked in, looking around in disbelief. The bed was huge, king size with a canopy, and there were a few dressers and a vanity. The attached bathroom had a sunken tub, and a large shower. There was real marble on the floor, and everything was sparkling new, or at least, had been very well cleaned. Most everything was white, or grayish white, except the blue bedding. “It’s beautiful,” I said softly.

  “Then you agree?” Devlin asked, studying me with his golden eyes.

  Don’t be wowed. You need to be smart. “How much money?”

  “Two hundred a night,” he said. “It’s less than you made last night, I know. But that will all be going into your pocket. You won’t have any expenses. I’ll pay for everything else you need, be it health care, toiletries, even lingerie. And, as I said, you’ll have a measure
of protection with me handling the business end of things for you that you wouldn’t have trying to go it alone.”

  “Do I have to have sex with anyone who comes to me?” I whispered. “Whatever they want?”

  Devlin studied me. “You don’t want to be with Lash.”

  I nodded.

  “Know he wouldn’t hurt you,” Devlin said quietly. “But I’ll exclude him. He is the only male were here who already has a werewoman he goes to, a boa. He won’t need your services.”

  That was a relief. A big one. I nodded.

  “As far as the types of sex, I’d expect you to willingly do anything within reason,” Devlin said carefully. “The bears are mostly going to want regular sex and oral sex, Serena. Nothing you haven’t already done. Anything besides that is left up to your discretion.”

  “Agreed,” I said, feeling an excited thrill. I pushed it down, feeling guilty at my lust, then told myself that guilt didn’t matter. I’m doing this, because I want to. And it’s okay, because it’s what I want to do.

  “Take these,” he said, and handed me a packet of birth control pills. “Condoms break,” he added flatly. “Take these every day, and you won’t get pregnant. Then you won’t have to use the condoms at all, unless you want to. While the odds of two werecreatures of different species mating successfully is low with regular sexual intervals, you’re going to be having far more sex than the average werewoman, Serena. That makes pregnancy a very real possibility, one that must be contemplated.”

  That wasn’t the only possibility. “What about, um ...?”

  “Diseases?” Devlin supplied.

  I nodded.

  “Nick and Vince got tested today,” Devlin explained. “They told me they were bare with you orally. I’ve seen the results, they’re fine, but I want you to be healthy. Some of the other men are getting tested tomorrow, and I’ll tell you the names of the ones who are safe. No one is going to endanger you, at least while we’re here, and you’re the only were they can be with.” He paused. “But we won’t be here forever, Serena. So if you are worried, or ever suspect that maybe someone has something, for any reason, you can refuse anyone you like for one night, and demand he go and test himself. If the test is clean, I will expect you to service him, but if it’s not, or he refuses to get tested, you tell me his name, and Lash will take it out of his hide. And you will never be with him again. I don’t want anyone making you sick, Serena. That’s not only bad for you, but everyone who’s with you would get sick, too. I can’t have that. All the men are aware of what I expect of them, so you shouldn’t have any problems. But tell me, if you do, and I’ll take care of it.”