Shifters and Demons

by H. C. Brown

  "Yes. I do so frequently inside the castle; it's quicker than walking." Dallin took Lailii's hand.

  "How exactly do you jump?"

  "It's not a difficult spell but one that must be used with caution. You can't jump to a place you're unfamiliar with, or you may end up inside a wall—or worse, inside a solid object—then you're toast." Dallin turned her around to face him. "We usually start by jumping from one spot in a room to another. You must picture the place you want to land in your head and picture it empty. Jumping on top of someone is considered extremely rude."

  Lailii grinned. She would love to learn this remarkable spell. First, she wanted to explore her new home. "When can I see the rest of the castle?"

  "You will have plenty of time to explore tomorrow. Come and see our rooms." He led her across the sitting room. "The bedroom is through there, and we have a bathroom with a sunken hot tub."

  Sunken hot tub? "It all looks very nice." Lailii glanced at the huge, black screen. "I will try and get used to the vid screen. Unfortunately, I have a hard time believing the people aren't watching us from inside some strange hell."

  "I promise you they're not." Stryker laughed. "We do have communication devices that have live images. I will explain those later." A strangled growl emanated from across the room. A flash of black fur bounced toward Dallin. Lailii threw a ball of white magyck at the beast, and it hit the floor with a loud thud, talons digging long trails in the polished wood floor. The catlike creature spun on its feet, then hunched in a crouch. Four green eyes flashed in annoyance; the long rat-tail flashed from side to side. Tall ears flattened against a rounded, black velvet skull. Long whiskers stuck out like barbs. The beast let out a blood-curdling yowl and bared long, white fangs. Lailii held up her hand to ward off the attack. "Gods, what is that?"

  "That would be Buzz." Dallin moved toward the snarling beast and lifted it into his arms. "She is a Loop and my pet since childhood." He rubbed the Loop's ears. "She won't hurt you."

  "Don't listen to him." Stryker dragged Lailii away from Dallin. "That thing is a demon."

  The Loop rubbed its head against Dallin's cheek, purring in welcome. It climbed onto his shoulder and shut one pair of eyes. Lailii relaxed. This was a protective pet, nothing more. She would try to make friends with the creature. She moved closer to Dallin and held her hand out to the Loop. "Hello, Buzz." To her amazement, Buzz nuzzled her fingers. Dallin gave her a cheeky grin, lifted the Loop from his shoulder, and placed it on the floor. Lailii smiled at him. "I'm guessing she doesn't like Stryker?"

  "She keeps out of his way." Dallin laughed.

  "I have the scars to prove otherwise." Stryker pointed to a white scar on his arm.

  "I'm glad she likes you, sweetheart." He glared at Dallin. "Can we get on with the tour? I want to get our mate to bed; she's exhausted."

  "There are connecting rooms to my bedchamber." Dallin moved into the bedroom and indicated a far door. "I suggest you use one as a dressing room. In fact, I have already arranged for your maid—an older female called Jessie—to tend you. She will have all your new clothes unpacked this evening." He smiled down at her. "I have two squires; I will leave one here. You must ask him for whatever you need to make the rooms to your liking."

  Lailii bit her bottom lip. This was a male domain. Dark wooden furniture, polished to a high shine, glistened in a stream of moonlight pouring through a window with heavy, velvet drapes. The bed would sleep six. Her pussy quivered at the thought of making love to her mates within the luxurious blankets. She lifted her chin. "Where, pray tell, do I find a carpenter to make furniture?"

  "You can access the shops' entire catalogue on the vid screen." Dallin ran a hand over Lailii's back. "My squire will show you. Just tell him what you require, and he will arrange delivery to the castle. I'll have men at your disposal." He expected her to buy items in his name. Lady forbid. What would happen if she purchased something he did not like? Gods, she could not do this alone, not in this new world with all its strange rules and flying machines. She met Dallin's gaze. "No, I think not. I have no idea of the items required. This time is very different from my own. I will wait and seek your guidance. We will all make a home here, together."

  "Sure." Dallin touched her cheek. "Whatever makes you happy, little one." Lailii moved across the room and opened the connecting door. The adjoining room was a bedchamber with another massive bed, complete with red silk sheets and lace-trimmed pillows. She raised a brow and turned to her mates. "Do you expect me to sleep in here? It looks like a harlot's bedchamber."

  "Yeah, well." Dallin swallowed hard. "I preferred to have my liaisons in this room."

  "You paid for sex with harlots?"

  "Yes. It was difficult as Prince Royal to find a suitable bed partner, especially a female who would be willing to take on both of us at the same time." Dallin growled.

  "I'm a male, damn it; I need sex often. This special room close to my bedchamber was the best choice."

  Trying hard not to grin, Lailii set her gaze on his bouncing Adam's apple. She cared less that he had females in his past. He belonged to her now, they both did, and that was all that mattered. She would enjoy Dallin's explanation. "Oh, and why is that?"

  "So I could walk away and shut the door." Dallin rubbed the back of his neck. "It was just sex."

  Lailii watched spots of color stain Dallin's cheeks. Stryker had suddenly found a painting of a battle scene extremely interesting. "I asked if you expected me to sleep in here; you haven't answered my question. Do I assume from your answer that you want to hide from me, also?"

  "Gods no." Dallin took two steps toward her, wrapped her in his arms, and crushed her to his chest. "We want you in our bed every night." He waved a hand toward the bed. "I'll have that damn thing removed first thing in the morning." With a grin, Lailii buried her face in his chest. She inhaled his scent and sighed.

  "Thank you."

  Dallin lifted her into his arms. He had waited long enough; he desired her. Now. He walked into his bedchamber, placed Lailii on the bed, and then pulled off her shoes. He smiled at Stryker. "Lock the doors."

  He tore off his clothes, and then rolled onto the bed, gathering Lailii in his arms. He inhaled her scent and slanted his mouth over hers. She responded, meeting every stroke of his tongue. Such a passionate female. With one kiss, she was ready for him. He could smell her feminine heat. The bed dipped. Stryker gave a long sigh and lay down beside Lailii. Dallin cupped his lover's head, drawing him closer to Lailii—she belonged to both of them. Dallin kissed a path down her neck and lapped at the pounding vein in her throat. Under him, Lailii arched her back. Stryker gave Dallin a feral grin and expertly peeled Lailii's straps off her shoulders. The gown fell to her waist, exposing, full, pale globes. Stryker groaned and began to suckle her taut nipple. Dallin slid down

  in the bed to take the other tight bud in his mouth. Lady's blood, Lailii's breasts grew bigger by the day, and her nipples had colored to dark cherry. She tasted so damn sweet he could not get enough of her.

  Stryker's long fingers curled in his hair. Dallin lifted his head to accept the man's mouth. Their tongues tangled in a rough, demanding kiss. Dallin dragged his mouth away, breathing heavily. "I so want your ass."

  "I've thought of nothing else all day." Stryker licked his lips. "I'll sixty-nine Lailii so she can watch." He touched Lailii's cheek. "You want to suck me, sweetheart, while Dallin fucks my ass?"

  "I'd like that." Lailii pulled off her gown and tossed it onto the floor. "Show me what to do."

  "Turn around, lie on your back." Stryker crawled over Lailii and buried his face in her pussy.

  Dallin reached into the nightstand drawer for the lube. He turned back toward the bed. Gods, he could come just watching them pleasure each other. To think Lailii knew nothing about sex just a few days ago. He climbed onto the bed and bent to press kisses across Striker's ass. He grazed his fangs across the man's suntanned flesh and met Lailii's gaze. "You look so sweet sucking on his cock." With a grow
l, he knelt behind Stryker and covered the man's tight star with lube. Dallin fisted his shaft and eased it slowly into his lover's hole. So deliciously hot, Stryker's ass closed around him in welcome. Taking Stryker's hips, he drove into him. The man purred and pushed back, meeting every deep plunge. Lailii's small hands closed around his thighs, her fingers a gentle caress. Intense heat surged up his legs; gods, he had lost all control. He rode Stryker like a maniac. The room moved in and out of focus, his legs trembled, and he came. He wiped the sweat from his brow. "Shit." He slipped from Stryker and fell onto the bed next to his lovers. "Sorry."

  "Don't be." Stryker grinned. "You were fantastic. I like it when you're out of control."

  Stryker crawled off Lailii and turned her around. "That was brilliant, sweetheart, but let me love you now."

  Lailii looked at him with an expression of bemused pleasure and licked her red, swollen lips. Stryker moved between her legs and sank into her wet, hot pussy in one glorious slide. He bent to take her mouth, delighting in the mingled taste of both of them. Her sharp fingernails dug into his shoulders with his every deep, satisfying dive. Her hard nipples pressed against his chest. He took her long and slow until she shattered beneath him, crying out his name. Then he let the pleasure engulf him, and he rode out his climax in her pulsating channel. He wanted to stay inside her, and supporting his weight on his elbows, he licked circles around her red nubs. "You taste so sweet; I could lie here forever."

  "Why don't you carry her into the hot tub?" Dallin stood by the side of the bed.

  "We'll have some wine and start over."

  "You both need to be gentle with my nipples." Lailii cupped her breasts.

  "Are they sore?" Dallin frowned.

  "Yes, and my breasts feel very heavy."

  Stryker rose to his knees. He ran a hand through his hair and shot a glance at Dallin. "How long has it been since the beginning of her Moonfire?"

  "Six days, I guess." Dallin rubbed his chin. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

  "What are you thinking?" Lailii looked from one to the other. With a grin, Stryker gathered Lailii into his arms. "We think you're carrying our cub. You have all the signs."

  "No—it's too soon to tell." Lailii placed a hand on her belly.

  "It's not if you're Pride. In eight weeks, you will be a mommy." Dallin bent to kiss her and then Stryker. "This is wonderful news."

  "And you still plan to leave me here alone?" Lailii sighed. Stryker lifted her into his arms and headed for the hot tub. "Of course, now more than ever you need to stay close to home. We can't risk you or our unborn cub."

  * * * * *

  Dallin stood in the courtyard beside his flybike, Stryker at his side. The week they had spent with Lailii had flown by too quickly. She stood at the entrance to the keep, her face a mask of sadness. One small hand pressed against the small bump in her belly. The cub had already made his presence known with strong kicks. Dallin knew deep in his heart the cub was male—their son, and the heir to the Vane Empire. He deliberately held the news of the cub from his father. This announcement could wait until they returned. He pushed down the desire to go to her again and offer comfort. His gut clenched, and anxiety fogged his brain. He noticed Stryker's glum expression and knew he felt the same. Lailii was as important as the air he breathed. Gods, he wished he could stay. He met her gaze. She bit her full, bottom lip and raised her chin. With a nod, he climbed onto his flybike and led the battalion into the air.

  * * * * *

  Two weeks dragged by and Lailii grew afraid. How much longer would they stay away? If she had accepted the communication device Dallin had offered, she would know what was happening. What a fool she was to refuse a means of contact with her mates. She must try to overcome her fear of technology. Swallowing hard, she thought of the holographic image of Stryker smiling from the small, silver device. To see her mate's head floating without a body still brought night terrors.

  After another week without news, she asked Dallin's squire, Peter, to obtain an Ocular phone. Red-faced and flustered, he informed her that the king had given orders to prevent her placing requests. The king would supply food and nothing else. Lailii hugged her stomach, suddenly afraid for her unborn cub. Out of her mind with worry, Lailii began to ask the servants each morning for news of her mates.

  Tears came easily, and she could not eat. The young squire, on her maid's insistence, informed her that the king received calls almost daily from Dallin. She swiped at the tears running down her cheeks. "Have they sent a message for me?"

  "Not that I know of, my lady." Peter met her gaze. "They are closing the demon gates—that is all I discovered."

  Her heart broke into a million pieces. Surely, they knew she wanted to know they were safe. At least she assumed they were both well. Gods, she missed them. She craved their scent, the touch of their skin against her at night. Flinging herself on the bed, she pulled their tunics to her nose, inhaled, and let out a sob. A soft purr close to her ear made her lift her head. Buzz's damp nose nuzzled her cheek. The Loop knew her master was safe.

  I need to see them, even if it is in a hologram. She slid off the bed and walked into the adjoining room. Opening the door to the sitting room, she informed the guard she wanted to speak to Dallin's squire. The young man arrived five minutes later with a tray of afternoon tea. He set it down on the table and turned his flushed face toward her. Lailii smiled. Peter had tried valiantly to keep her company. "What information do you have for me today?"

  "I know they are well. They found a fissure deep in the earth at the foot of the Banin Mountain. They believe the mutants gain access to our realms through that portal." He met her gaze. "The guards spotted me at that point and threatened to tell the king I was spying on him."

  Lailii laid her hand on her belly. "I thought they would be home by now. I need to use the king's Ocular phone"

  "The king will likely behead me if I make that request." The color drained from Peter's face.

  She lifted her chin. "Then I will ask the king myself."

  "I don't think that is wise." Peter frowned.

  "Is he in his solar?"

  "I believe so."

  Rising from the chair, Lailii pursed her lips. What could the king do? She only wanted to know if her mates were well. "Give me a second to wash my face, and then take me to him."

  * * * * *

  Lailii waited outside the king's solar, her gaze moving to the dour faces of the guards. The door opened, and Peter ushered her inside. The king stood before the fireplace. His hard mouth formed a thin line. His broad shoulders were straight, his hands clasped behind his back. Lailii curtsied.

  "I see your belly swells with a foul cub." The king glared at Lailii's stomach. "My son may be bewitched by you, but I see through your ploy. You infiltrated my kingdom to plant a demon seed into my line. Didn't you think I would recognize the link between you and the mutant invasion?" He drew a deep breath. "I have ruled this realm for over two hundred years, and until you showed up with your pretty little face, the demons left us alone."

  Shocked by his outburst, Lailii took a step backward. The man's eyes filled with hate. Instinctively, she gathered her magyck around her, fear making her fingers crackle with white power. "I have not bewitched Dallin. Nor could I do any such thing. I am not a witch, sire." She placed a hand protectively over her belly. "This cub is your grandchild. I was a virgin when Dallin bit me."

  "Ha! Magyck can do many things and fool many people, and you are a Spellweaver." The king scowled. "I believe you are a demon in the guise of a foundling." He glared at her hands. "Your magyck can't protect you in Vane Castel. I am the law here, and I will deal with your fate when Dallin returns. This estrangement will have broken your hold on him. I will make sure this never happens again. Get back to your room before I have you burned at the stake."

  Lailii pressed her hand to her mouth and fled back to her room. Not fifteen minutes later, two guards arrived with a smithy. The old blacksmith held two bands of

&
nbsp; silver and an expression of distaste. Using all her power, Lailii cast a spell to protect her cub. A warm glow infused her belly, creating an impenetrable barrier against harm. She stood motionless and allowed the smithy to band her wrists with silver. The white metal burned into her skin, cutting off her magyck. With a cry of distress, she stumbled into a chair. Such cruelty . . . the king was no better than the Butcher was.

  "Gather her things together; the king has ordered her to the dungeon." One of the guards barked at Peter. "We'll be back to collect her in half an hour."

  "My lady." Peter knelt beside the chair. "Prince Zane and Kaden arrived home this morning. They know of the love Prince Dallin has for you; I was privy to the phone conversation. I will speak to them on your behalf. They will contact Prince Dallin and inform him of this disaster."

  Lailii touched his young face. "Thank you. At least you believe me."

  "I believe you too." Jessie bustled around collecting clothes. "The king knows nothing about you to make such a decision. Dear Lady, silvering went out in the Dark Ages; what is the man thinking?"

  Lailii stared into space. Dallin, Stryker where are you?

  * * * * *

  Banin Mountain.

  Dallin cloaked and moved closer to the fissure. The evil-smelling gas pouring from the deep crevice told him mutants used this Gate. He peered into the swirling mist and met a pair of red, glowing eyes. Heart thumping, he pulled away and jumped back to his camp. The adrenalin rush did little to stop the bone-deep weariness from two weeks of battle. He needed to go home; the separation pain from being away from his mate had become intolerable, his concentration fuzzy. Straightening his shoulders, he uncloaked and walked toward Stryker and Cruz. "Demon, I have no doubt. I can feel