Dare to Believe: The Gray Court, Book 1

by Dana Marie Bell

  He swallowed, terrified, as the slender man pulled him into the alleyway. He knew better than to fight. “Hob.”

  He bit back a cry as he was slammed, hard, to the ground. Tendrils of…something, broke the concrete pavement to wrap around his body, piercing his skin and pinning him in place through the arms, legs, and abdomen. The pain was excruciating. They pinned him to the ground and he screamed, but he made no sound. The Hob had muffled it.

  He looked up through tear-drenched eyes to see the Hob smiling down at him. “Where’s Shane Joloun Dunne?” The Hob asked Jaden the question in the same tone of voice someone would ask where the bathroom was.

  “Gone.”

  Slender fingers, tipped in black claws, gripped his chin. “Don’t lie to me, Jaden. Not to me. I don’t like it when people do that.”

  “He’s gone!”

  One slender black claw began tapping against his cheek. “Really?”

  He sobbed as the tendrils in his body pulsed, pouring poison into his system, ratcheting the pain up to nearly unbearable levels.

  “I’m going to ask you again. Where is Shane Dunne?”

  “Gone!”

  The Hob shook his head, his eyes closing. “Oh, Jaden. And you were one of my best.” He tsk’d before opening his eyes to reveal Hell.

  By the time the screaming died down to low whimpers the Hob had all the answers he needed.

  Robin stared down at the sweaty and blood-soaked vampire on the ground. He actually felt some remorse for what he’d done to the man, but he had to be sure Jaden was telling the truth.

  He hadn’t lied, and now Robin owed him. And the Hob always paid his debts.

  He started by removing all of Jaden’s memories from the point he’d taken him. No need for him to remember what had been done to him. The wounds would heal on their own. Given enough time, the poisons would pass, the fractures would mend, the cuts and bruises disappearing after a good feeding. But time wasn’t something Jaden had at the moment. If Kaitlynn got her hands on him in this condition, the vampire didn’t stand a chance. And that would be Robin’s fault.

  With a sigh the Hob slit his wrist and held it, dripping, to the vampire’s mouth. “Debt repaid.”

  He deemed it enough when Jaden’s body began to glow. He was gone in a swirl of dust and wind before Jaden even had a chance to regain consciousness.

  Leo stared down at Ruby, sleeping so peacefully in his bed. She was curled up on her side, her breathing deep and even.

  He swallowed. He couldn’t shake off the terror. “It’s been two days. She hasn’t woken up. Not once.”

  His mother rested her hand on his shoulder. “Give it time, Leo. It was a very powerful bonding.”

  “What if it was too much for her? What if she never wakes up?” He ran his fingers through Ruby’s hair, willing her to wake up.

  “She’ll wake up.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed, unable to leave his mate’s side even for a moment. “Has a human ever survived a bond this strong?”

  His mother’s moment of silence only deepened his fear. “Her body is changing, Leo. Her energies are aligning with yours. She’ll share your lifespan. Some sleep is normal.”

  “This much sleep?” He looked up at his mother, pleading with her to reassure him.

  Aileen looked away, her eyes closing in pain.

  Leo closed his own and prayed.

  She’ll be all right. She has to be. Lord, please let her be all right.

  Ruby sighed. She tugged at the comforter, frowning when Leo’s butt kept it from moving very far.

  Leo jumped up, watching with joy as Ruby snuggled under the comforter. She pulled it up to her chin and settled back down.

  He allowed his mother to tug him from the room. “Wake her in a few hours, Leo.” She grinned up at him, some of the worries of the last few days leaving her face. “And then wake her properly.”

  He leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek. “I will. Thank you, Mom.”

  She nodded and left him to watch over his wife.

  The scent of fresh-brewed manna from heaven wafted by her on the morning breeze.

  “If you don’t wake up, I’ll drink your coffee.”

  The demon’s threat filtered down into her caffeine-deprived brain and she groaned. One hand lifted weakly in the direction the wonderful aroma was coming from.

  “That’s it, kitten, open those pretty brown eyes.”

  The demon was laughing at her. Ruby opened one weary eye and glared blearily up at the Evil One. She closed her eyes and groaned.

  She could hear him blowing. The scent of the coffee went straight to her nose and filtered into her brain. “Cooo-fffeeeeee. C’mon, kitten, you can do it for coffee, right?”

  “Gimme.” She lurched up and grabbed the mug, downing the entire contents in one very long pull, ignoring the sting of heat. She then, very precisely, put the mug on the end table and collapsed, all without opening her eyes. She pulled her pillow over her head. “Go ’way.”

  Okay. The demon was definitely laughing at her. “If you get up I can get you more coffee.”

  She pulled her head out from under the pillow and glared at him some more. “Promise?”

  “Promise.”

  She sighed, her natural sense of humor waking up. The caffeine moving through her system didn’t hurt, either. “Okay, fine, I’m up.” After a long, languid, full-body stretch she sat up, running her fingers through her tousled hair.

  Leo wasn’t laughing any more. His gaze was riveted to her body, watching her stretch with a hungry expression. With a start she realized what kind of a show she was giving him. She also realized for the first time that she was stark naked.

  “Oh, no. No, no, no. Not before two cups of coffee, at least.”

  “How about a good morning kiss then?”

  “Hmmm. All right, seeing as you brought me my coffee.” Ruby screwed her eyes shut and pursed her lips, waiting for his.

  She waited.

  And waited.

  Finally she opened one eye. “What?” she said from between her still puckered lips.

  “You’re kidding me, right?”

  She bit her lip and tried to look innocent. “No. You asked for a kiss. Did I do it wrong?” She batted her eyelashes and gave him her most fake innocent smile.

  “Yes.”

  When he pounced she was unprepared. In less than a second she was flat on her back and giggling like a mad woman.

  Leo grabbed both of her hands and pulled them over her head. He gathered her wrists in one large hand, pinning her in place with his weight. He nudged her legs apart and settled his body between her thighs. With his free hand he cupped her cheek tenderly. “Now, let’s see about that good morning kiss, kitten.”

  She didn’t get the sweet good-morning kiss she’d expected. What she got was a great deal more. Leo shifted his hand from her cheek to her hair and, with a gentle tug, pulled at her head until he’d tilted her enough to satisfy him. Her eyes widened at the dominant gesture. His mouth swooped down to hers, his lips parting hers with all the force of an invading conqueror. When she gasped he took advantage of it, parting her mouth even further with his tongue, tasting her in a primal possession that had her nipples hardening in anticipation. His tongue began moving rhythmically, fucking her mouth. She moaned beneath him, all thoughts of playing one game gone, taken over by the thought of playing a much more satisfying game.

  The hand in her hair began drifting down, reaching for her breast so slowly she thought she would scream. When he finally palmed the weight of it in his large hand she nearly did scream.

  “Mmmm, that’s what I call a good morning kiss.” He whispered the words across her lips. His thumb strummed over her nipple, teasing it even more erect.

  Once again her sense of humor got the better of her. “I don’t know. That kind of seemed like an average morning kiss.”

  One brow rose arrogantly. “Is that so?”

  “Mm-hmm. You’ll have to work at it to tu
rn it into a good morning kiss.”

  “Oh, a challenge.” His whisper was full of dark hunger, and Ruby shivered, wondering what Pandora’s Box she’d just opened. “I wonder what it would take to make it a great morning kiss.”

  She shifted, pulling at her hands. She frowned slightly when Leo didn’t let go. “Coffee.”

  “I don’t think coffee is what you need, kitten.” His thumb continued to move over her nipple. Ruby decided it was a good thing she didn’t sleep in panties, since they would have been soaked by now. Being held down by him felt surprisingly erotic.

  Although I might not want to tell the big Neanderthal that. God knows he gets off on hauling me around enough as it is. “Oh, coffee’s good. I could really use coffee, Leo.” She looked up at him with hopeful, innocent eyes, all the while laughing inside.

  Ruby shivered again. The heated promise in his eyes and smile said she wasn’t going anywhere. “I think I know exactly what you need.”

  “What’s that?” The breathy sound of her voice would have shocked her at any other time. But by then, his hand had left her breast and was easing down the length of her body, sending tiny little shivers of need down her spine.

  “I think—” his fingers stroked her lower stomach, tracing an erotic pattern that made her breath hitch, “—you need—” his hand inched its way towards her bared pussy, stroking along the top before delving between the cleft, “—to purr.” One finger inserted itself between her wet lips, stroking her clit so softly she sighed. His head dipped towards her mouth, pausing when she licked her kiss-swollen lips. His eyes flared with otherworldly light. “Purr for me, kitten,” he breathed into her mouth before claiming it.

  The light, teasing flicks of his finger over her clit nearly drove her insane. She writhed beneath him, pulling on her wrists, trying to get closer to those teasing fingers of his. He refused to let her go, careful not to bruise her while holding her where he wanted her. He watched her out of hot, glowing eyes, his glamour dropping away from him completely. She bit her lip and moaned beneath him, eager for more of the pleasure he was giving her.

  Ruby stared up into his beautiful, nearly-human eyes and groaned. “Leo, please.”

  “Leo, please what?” He bent down far enough to brush his lips over hers, a light teasing caress that left her totally unsatisfied.

  Ruby shifted, her legs caressing his. The rough texture of his jeans was an erotic counterpoint to her bare, satiny skin. She shivered as his fingers stroked over the entrance to her pussy. She could feel herself growing even wetter as he teased her lower lips.

  Ruby decided that two could play at that game. Leaving her hands in his one for now, she began undulating beneath him, beginning an erotic dance designed to set him groaning. She lifted her hips in a silent plea for him to deepen his caresses. She licked the shell of his ear, watching the light in his eyes darken as a shudder racked his body. Yup, I remembered right. That’s a hot spot. She nipped his earlobe. The groan he let loose was music to her ears.

  Leo shifted slightly, his eyes closing to half mast as he leaned down. “Do you trust me?” he whispered in her ear.

  Something in his tone of voice, some dark desire she could see in his eyes, made her pause as she seriously considered his words. Did she trust him enough to do what she suspected he was going to ask?

  Ruby looked up into Leo’s glowing eyes and realized, yes, she did trust him or she never would have followed him up to his hotel room that first night, let alone gotten on the plane to Nebraska. “Yes.”

  The dark grin that crossed his face made her hesitate. “Then don’t move.”

  His commanding tone made her shiver. Whether it was from nerves or arousal, she wasn’t sure. “Why not?”

  Leo got up from the bed, brushing every inch of his body against hers. With a stern glance he reinforced his order that she not move.

  He stood over her, staring down at her nakedness with a hunger she’d never encountered before, even from him. His gaze explored every inch of her body. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to cover herself up with her hands, suddenly shy before the possession in his gaze. She kept her arms extended over her head and was rewarded with his pleased, hungry look. “Very good, kitten.” He turned away, moving to his suitcase. She heard a zipper being opened, but decided to remain where she was. She had a feeling that Leo was about to introduce her to a game she’d heard of, but wasn’t certain she’d ever try anywhere but in her fantasies.

  Looks like Leo is about to turn fantasy into reality. She quivered, anticipation tightening her muscles, her nipples beading in the early morning air.

  She heard him rummaging around in the suitcase. Turning her head, she could see it was a smaller suitcase than the one that had held his clothes, and one he hadn’t bothered unpacking. She’d wondered at the time what was in it but had decided not to question him on it. She’d assumed it was private.

  When he began laying out items on the bed, she realized it was extremely private.

  The first thing Leo laid on the bed was a black tube. She could clearly make out the word lube on it, and shuddered slightly. She couldn’t tell if it was fear or excitement that caused the shudder.

  The second thing Leo laid on the bed was a peach-colored butt plug.

  Okay, now I know what the lube is for. She might be inexperienced, but she wasn’t that naïve. It was smaller than she thought it would be, and some of her nervousness left her.

  Until Leo laid the next butt plug on the bed. This one was black and much wider around, and longer. He held it next to the peach one, giving her a hot look before he turned back to the suitcase and put it back in, a clear warning of what he intended to do to her.

  Oh, boy.

  The next item he pulled out was a bright red penis with an odd attachment on the front. Ruby stared at it, a nervous giggle nearly escaping her.

  A small feather duster was pulled out. “Um, do I get the French maid outfit to go with that?”

  Leo looked up from the suitcase. There was no amusement in his eyes. “Shhh. No talking. Not yet.”

  Ruby opened her mouth to argue, but snapped it shut when Leo glared at her.

  He nodded his satisfaction and turned back to the suitcase.

  A black paddle joined the feather duster on the bed. Ruby’s eyebrows rose alarmingly. Oh, I don’t think so! No way that thing gets anywhere near my ass.

  His lips curved. “What makes you think I’d use it just on your ass?”

  Her eyes widened. “No way. You did not just talk to me in my head.”

  “We’re bonded, sweetheart. Of course I can get into that beautiful head of yours.”

  A pair of Velcro cuffs, linked by a short chain, joined the paddle and the feather duster. A blindfold was set beside them. Finally, Ruby heard the zipper of the suitcase being closed.

  Leo picked up the black cuffs and moved around to Ruby’s side of the bed. “Do you know what I’m going to do with these, Ruby?”

  Ruby watched Leo’s face as his hands caressed the cuffs. She smiled, her lips zipped shut by his order not to speak.

  Leo nodded in approval. “Good girl, kitten. You can speak.”

  “You’re going to try to tie my wrists to the bedpost, right?”

  Leo looked amused. “What do you mean, try?”

  Before she knew it, Leo had placed the first cuff around her wrist. He checked it carefully to make sure it wasn’t too tight, a gesture that reassured her that Captain Caveman might be coming out to play but her Leo was still there somewhere. “Is this some kind of kinky Sidhe courting thing?”

  He looped the other cuff through the posts on the mission-style bed. “Courting’s done, time for fucking,” Leo muttered, putting the other cuff around her free wrist. He made sure it was comfortable for her, waiting for her okay before moving on.

  He stopped, looking down at her. She could tell he loved what he saw as his gaze roamed her naked, trapped form. With a piratical grin he reached over her body and grabbed the blind
fold. “I’ve changed my mind.” He gently placed the blindfold over her eyes. “I don’t want you to purr, kitten.”

  With the blindfold on she had no clue what he was about to do next. “What do you want me to do, Leo?”

  She felt him leave the bed. She strained to hear him, listening for that tell-tale rustle of denim, but it didn’t come.

  His whisper, when it came, startled her. He’d leaned over her without a sound. “I want you to scream.”

  And with that, Leo began her introduction into a world of sensation she never knew existed.

  At first nothing happened. She couldn’t see a thing. The blindfold was tight, but not uncomfortable. She realized Leo must have done this many times before, he was so comfortable with it. A small spurt of jealousy hit but she shook it off. Whoever he’d done this with before wasn’t there in the bed; she was. She heard the rustle of denim and knew Leo had begun moving around the room. She found her head turning slightly to follow the sounds, wondering what he’d do next.

  He could play with her senses, she knew, yet somehow also knew that he wouldn’t. That wasn’t part of this particular game. The blindfold was enough, at the moment, to have her heart beating in nervous anticipation. And knowing that it was all real this time, that he wasn’t inside her head, just made the sensations that much more intense.

  When the first whisper-soft touch came she gasped.

  The feather duster. It glided across her nipples, teasing her with light brushes against her skin. It glided down her stomach, teasing at her navel before dipping into the vee of her thighs. Slow as molasses it glided back up to tickle the side of her neck as she arched in silent invitation.

  Her breath was coming in sighs by the time the feather duster lifted away from her. She didn’t protest when Leo lifted her knees and positioned her feet on the bed, her legs spread. She was now open to his gaze.

  “Hold still,” his dark, smoky whisper sounded in her ear.

  The touch of the feather duster followed the command, drifting from her knee to her pussy. It tickled lightly just above her aching clit before gliding down her other thigh to dance on her knee. The sensation was almost too much. “Leo?”