by S Cinders
I lifted an innocent brow, “No. Why should I care?”
Steele grabbed my hands and pulled them above my head. He was everywhere around me. I had thought that vampires were cold, but not Steele. He radiated heat and sex like no other.
“You,” he said sharply, “You are the one I want. But you didn’t want me back.”
“That’s not true!” I refuted hotly. “I just needed a minute to think. You were asking a lot of me Steele. And then I turn around, and you are kissing some bitch. How can you offer forever and do that in the same sentence?”
“She fucking kissed me!” he roared. “You said you needed space. I was angry and scared that I had lost you forever! I made a mistake, damn it! How many times do I need to apologize?”
I bit my lip. Everything he had said was true.
“El, you have to forgive me.”
I couldn’t look away from him.
“I know that I am asking a lot. I know that you have your family to consider, but I love you. I am crazy about you, and I think you feel the same way.”
He pressed his lips against mine and this time I made it count. I couldn’t hold him with my hands above my head, but I could kiss him like I never wanted to be parted from him.
His mouth slanted over mine and he plundered my depths. I felt zings of pleasure as my breasts tightened and my pussy flooded with moisture. Steele always had this effect on me.
He let go of my hands to touch my breasts through the thin cotton of my shirt. I sank my fingers into his thick silvery hair. He moaned at the contact, and I arched into his hands as he circled my nipples.
Ripping my shirt over my head, he unsnapped my bra, and I felt his hands against my bare skin.
He moved down to suckle my breast in his mouth. Flattening the nipple against the roof of his mouth and then sucking long and hard.
My pussy was on fire!
I wrapped a leg around his waist urging him closer. In a second, he had me picked up by my hips and just as I was about to beg him to fuck me, we heard Cass’s voice.
“Your Majesty, your sister is here to see you.”
Damn it all to hell.
CHAPTER 42 - PART 4 – Elphaba
“Oh, I am seeing quite a bit of her right now!”
The only person in the world that could make me blush was standing not twenty paces away with an amused expression on her face. I knew that look better than I did my own, we had shared a face our entire lives.
“Get the fuck out of here, Indy,” I said gruffly.
She laughed.
That was my twin. Indy seemed to enjoy danger, hell, look who she was dating! I would say that I never dreamed she would have the balls to shack up with Scarecrow, but the thing was, she had that and more.
Indy’s biggest problem was that she couldn’t see how incredibly amazing she really was.
I, on the other hand, knew that I was the shit. However, I didn’t have that innate desire to do right by people, like she did. I could care less if Dorothy killed off a few Nome’s, less work for me.
But if she cared, I cared.
I pulled my leg off of Steele’s hip and we both adjusted our clothes.
“Is this where you are entertaining now?” Indy grinned.
Smart-ass.
“I had Steele locked up,” I muttered, “It didn’t go according to plan.”
Scarecrow had to chime in, “El, I thought you weren’t going to touch the bastard with a ten-foot pole?”
Steele actually had the nerve to look offended.
“I’m not!” I protested, ignoring the fact that they had just caught me plastered all over him. “It’s a miscommunication is all. Let’s go upstairs. I am not talking about it in the dungeon.”
“Smart to get away from the scene of the crime,” Indy teased as we entered the great hall.
“I thought you were going to Mombi?” I knew that I was grouchy, but I hadn’t had sex for a long damn time.
Indy’s demeanor changed.
“What is it?” I demanded.
“She’s not there,” Scarecrow answered, “Not only that, but most of the pride is missing. The few remaining, said that a teenage girl shot everyone with a tranquilizer. When they awakened, Mombi, Dorothy, and Eric were gone. Jake and his best hunters are out searching for them.”
“Why would they take Mombi?” Steele asked.
“They said she was a trustee of Oz,” Indy sighed. “I just don’t know why Dad never told us that. Now Dorothy has our sister, and we are at a dead end. I wish to hell that I knew who the other trustee was. Why did the Wizard have to be a fake?”
“Oh! I know who the wizard is!”
“What?” Indy’s eyes flew to Steele, “Did you know?”
“Actually, it was our baby sister who enlightened me,” I said dryly. “In the worst way possible, I might add.”
“Glinda? She and Gregory were the ones to send us to the Wizard!”
“Funny you should mention him,” I pursed my lips.
“No, fucking way!”
“I guess that was his way to sneak into the city without the fanfare.”
“Why would he want to do that?” Scarecrow asked, but I could see Indy connecting the pieces.
“How long?” she demanded.
“From what I understand, they have been in love for years,” I choked out the words.
“Eww!” Indy’s face made me laugh, “I said the same thing!”
“What in the hell is going on?” Scarecrow demanded. “Why isn’t anyone speaking in full sentences?”
Indy and I looked at each other guiltily.
Steele sighed, “El burst into Glinda’s room at the tavern, only to find she and Gregory in a delicate situation.”
“How delicate?” Indy demanded.
“Buck ass naked,” I promptly replied, “And the room stunk of sex.”
“I might be sick,” Indy did look a little green.
Which was funny, because that’s my favorite color, you would think we could pull off a green face. I guess some things are better left to eyeshadow and nail polish.
“What does this have to do with the Wizard?” Scarecrow looked ready to wring our necks.
Indy touched his arm, and I swear to you, the giant badass gave her a look of such heat, lust, and pure idolization, that I felt I little ill myself.
What in hell was wrong with my sisters?
“Gregory is the Wizard,” Indy said calmly. And then she turned to me, “If he is the Wizard, albeit a fake one, is he still the third trustee?”
“Yes,” Scarecrow answered before I could.
We swung our gazes at him.
“How did you know?” Indy demanded.
And the tatted-up giant flushed, “I knew he was a trustee. I just couldn’t tell you, but if you guessed yourself, I don’t see it as breaking a confidence to your father.”
“You knew this whole time?” I demanded.
He turned to me with a death glare, “I don’t owe you anything, El.”
“What about me?” Indy’s voice gutted me.
“I told you that there were things that I had promised your father, things I couldn’t tell you. You said you understood.”
Indy’s brow wrinkled, “Did you know about Mombi?”
“No,” he swore, “I had no idea.”
“What now?” Steele asked. “How do you catch a villain that has disappeared into thin air?”
The question hung between us.
“Mount Munch,” Indy blurted out, “It is the highest point in Oz, right on the borders of my territory and the Deadly Desert.”
“I’ve never heard of it,” Steele answered.
“That is because it is straight up and down, the cliff is too steep to climb. No one that has attempted it, has ever been heard from again.”
Scarecrow wrapped Indy in his arms for a split second I wanted Steele to do the same. But we weren’t in that kind of relationship.
Hell, we weren’t in any kind of relationship.
“How do we get to them?” Indy asked.
I smiled.
“Hell, no! No more flying monkeys!”
Indy and Scarecrow looked at Steele in astonishment.
I smothered a smile, “It is either flying monkey, or we travel to Sapphire City and steal one of the golden pears from Gregory’s garden to grow wings.”
“That would only ensure one of us could go,” Scarecrow frowned.
“You are right,” I grinned, “Flying monkeys it is!”
“Won’t we have to pass through the Unicorners?” Steele’s worried tone had my smile fading.
The Unicorners are a herd of Unicorns that live deep in the forest of Munchkin Land. They were surrounded by one hundred trees, each hollowed out to be a stall for the unicorn. They were attended by blue Dwarves who catered to their every need.
In the center of those trees was a clear pool of water and a tree with silver apples. It is said that the apples provide them with immortality.
They are fiercely protective of the tree and do not like intruders.
“With the money’s we could fly over them,” I tried to make it sound enticing.
“And their blue Dwarves would shoot us down,” Indy bit her lip.
“They are greedy bastards,” Scarecrow tightened his grip on Indy, “But they are vain, and love jewels and shiny things.”
“The Nome’s!”
CHAPTER 43 - PART 4 – Elphaba
Tossing onto my back, I wanted to curse the Sandman, Bed Fairy, and anyone else that could be blamed for my lack of sleep.
We had spent most of the evening devising a plan. Tomorrow, Steele and I would be going deep into the earth to try and convince the Winkie’s to give up part of their treasure. Not only would we have to get past all of their booby traps, which Nome’s were notorious for, but Steele was going to have to charm them in the process.
This has disaster written all over it.
“Are you going to stop huffing and puffing?” An amused voice cut through the darkness, “You sound like the big bad wolf.”
Steele.
“Breaking and entering part of your new repertoire?” I asked sweetly.
“I sleepwalk,” Steele replied deadpan.
Bastard.
“Right, and there is no way you could be stalking me, is there?”
I caught sight of him at the foot of my bed.
His lips twitched in the moonlight, “That would be creepy.”
“Not to mention starting a new training program as a peeping Tom.”
His eyes raked over me, and suddenly I wished I had on more than a thin silk nightgown.
“A man needs to diversify his skill set,” Steele’s rich voice washed over me, sending tingles of awareness up my spine.
“Why are you here, Steele?”
I sighed as he walked around the bed and sat beside me.
“You are beautiful in the moonlight,” his voice was like a caress. “Did you know that?”
I could feel the heat radiating from his body.
“Why are you so warm?” I blurted out, “I thought Vampires were supposed to be cold.”
He raised a brow, “Because television and books told you so?”
“Erm, well yes. Something about you not having a beating heart and being dead and all.”
I was rambling, but he had leaned closer to me, so his lips were a hair's breadth away from mine.
“Do I feel dead to you, El?”
I swallowed nervously, “No?”
“You can’t believe everything you hear,” he continued as his hands trailed lightly up my bare arms. “Some call my kind vampire, others demon, or live blood taker. None of which are strictly true. I am a descendant of Vlad the Impaler. It was a bloody time in history. Vlad launched a military campaign against the Ottoman in the 1400’s. He went on to Moldavia, Hungry, and Wallachian. He massacred tens of thousands of Turks and Bulgarians, impaling many of their bodies, the blood ran through the streets.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I searched his face.
“Because you are making decisions based on what you think you know about me,” his hands tightened on my wrists so that he could bring my arms above my head.
“What are you trying to say?” I scoffed, “That all Vampires are kind creatures who have been misunderstood?”
His eyes flashed a deep red, “Vampires are the deadliest creatures in the world. I would no sooner allow one near you, then I would cut off my arm. We are said to be cold, calculating murders without hearts or a conscience.”
I wanted to scream or cry, perhaps both. “Steele, how is this supposed to make me feel better?”
“You deserve the truth, El. I was born of monsters who cared as little for me as I did for them. I lived centuries doing as I was told and expecting to be destroyed at any moment. Vlad made a deal with the devil. He owns the souls of every member of my family. But he doesn’t own me. I don’t have to choose to live that way. It took me years to realize it, but I finally broke free. I was cast off and told never to return.”
“Your family disowned you?” I could hardly believe they would do such a thing.
“I am dead to them,” his eyes held a shadow of sadness. “But that wasn’t living, death and destruction at every turn, it was a nightmare.”
“How did you end up in Oz?” I couldn’t help but ask. We didn’t have Vampires, Steele was the only one I knew of.
“Scarecrow,” a ghost of a smile crossed his face. “You can imagine why it hurt me so much when you chose him to make me jealous.”
I hadn’t known—couldn’t have known.
“I don’t suck blood, El. That is make-believe. I am ruthless in a fight and chances are on my side that I will win. I was raised to plunder and tear my enemies apart. My hands are bloody. I have killed more than I could possibly count. I know that I am not a good bet. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I swear to you, with everything that is in me, that I love you.”
I couldn’t hold him because he still held my arms above my head, but I could kiss him.
Leaning up, I captured his lips. He was hesitant at first, almost as if he couldn’t believe it was happening.
I licked the seam of his lips, wanting his taste, his touch, wanting all of him.
Steele groaned low in his throat and sank into me. His body was deliciously heavy against mine. Smashing my breasts against his chest, I strained to kiss him as deeply and as fiercely as I could. I hated him thinking that he wasn’t good enough for me.
I hated that his soul was already stolen before he was ever born.
I hated that he hadn’t known love or friendship most of his life.
But most of all, I hated that I hadn’t listened to him all those months ago.
I hated that I almost threw this all away.
He released my hands and flipped up so that I was on top of him. I sank my fingers into his silvery strands, relishing the soft touch against my skin.
Our kiss was as much a battle as any part of our relationship. He plundered my mouth, taking no prisoners, and I sucked his tongue giving him a glimpse of just what I was capable of.
“Give me a chance,” he pleaded between kisses, “I swear I will not disappoint you.”
I kissed his eyes, cheeks, and forehead, “You idiot man!”
He smiled, “Love words?”
I sucked on the soft part of his earlobe before biting it gently.
“You should have trusted me with the truth,” I admonished.
He stilled, “I know.”
I licked his Adam’s apple, “I still wanted you, when I thought you were a bloodsucker, do you honestly think that being a bloodthirsty monster would scare me off?”
He barked out a laugh, “Maybe some other girl, but not you, El. I should have known.”
I cradled his face in my hands, “I am serious, Steele. I don’t care about your past, other than wanting to slice up your parents into little pieces.”
His eyes
darkened, “And they call me a monster?”
I laughed, suddenly feeling that all was right with the world, “Well, they say that I am wicked, and I’ve never put too much store into that. So, I say, to hell with what anyone else thinks. It only matters what we think.”
Steele gripped my hips, “And what do you think?”
I pulled my nightgown over the top of my head.
“Fuck, El!”
“I think that the man I love needs to fuck me before I take care of business myself.”
CHAPTER 44 - PART 4 – Elphaba
Steele flipped us once again so that I lay beneath him. His mouth, dominating mine in a punishing kiss.
“You won’t touch what is mine,” he growled, lifting slightly to kiss along my jawline.
“Fuck that,” I moaned as his fingertips traced my pussy lips over my panties.
He pulled back a little, cupping me, “This is mine, El.”
His voice held no room for debate as his eyes flashed red, “You are mine!”
That was hot—and infuriating.
“I will do what I want,” I growled back, thrusting my hips up to meet the large bulge in his jeans.
“You will be the death of me, El,” he whispered darkly and then pulled away from me and left the bed.
“Where are you going?” my voice sounded desperate.
“Just making myself more comfortable,” his eyes glittered dangerously as he pulled off his clothes, revealing his sculpted chest and abs.
I licked my lips, “By all means, Steele, make yourself at home.”
He barked out a laugh, “Don’t you worry about that! I intend to.”
Steele unbuckled his jeans and pulled them off along with his underwear. I stared at his cock hungrily. It was long and thick. The tip, shiny with his excitement.
“You want this?” he growled climbing back onto the bed.
I nodded as he approached, stroking himself back and forth.
“Open for me, El,” he commanded, and I did.
I didn’t usually love giving head. But there was something about this, with him, that turned me on. I slipped a hand between my thighs and started to stroke my pussy. I was so wet that you could hear it as I played.
