The corner of his mouth curved up. “I look amazing?”
She blinked.
“Typical male,” said her demon.
“Well… you always look good, but in a suit you look…”
“Amazing?” He stepped closer and she backed into the cold stone.
She swallowed.
He lifted a finger and ran it under the edge of her necklace. His expression hardened. “Nice.”
“Thank you.” Why couldn’t her voice and her head work together? She needed to tell him something, but she suddenly couldn’t remember what.
“Sherman must have spent a pretty penny on it. Earrings too.” His stare bore into her.
“Probably.”
“What did you give him in return?”
She clutched her purse. “Are you accusing me of something?”
“I’m simply asking.”
“Would you be upset if I did give him something in return?”
Neeman stepped so that he was almost touching her. His eyes were bright under the street lamps.
“You know I would.”
Words failed her. The nearness of his body made her inner demon purr with delight.
“Neeman...”
“What?”
“I told you—”
“That you have no feelings for me? Yes, I remember. But I’ve been thinking.”
“That’s not good.” He was smart. If he’d figured out what she planned to do…
“Let me out. I can take care of loverboy. You’re too weak. You’ll tell him. But I won’t. I’ll keep him safe from Lorcan.”
“I think you’re scared. I think someone here is manipulating you and you aren’t planning on staying in this plane. You’re going to have to go back with the fae. Maybe they threatened you. Maybe they have your mom. I don’t know. What I know is I won’t let anything happen to you. I won’t let them hurt you. I’ll protect you.”
Selene bit her lip as her knees shook. He couldn’t protect her. She was the one who had to protect him.
“Not you. Me. I can protect him.”
He reached out, wrapped his large hand around her neck, and squeezed, massaging it with his fingers. He pressed into her and his musky scent enveloped her. She’d never had someone so willing to help her. She’d been fending for herself for so long just hearing him say those words made her want to say yes. Fear and excitement swirled in her veins.
“Kiss me,” he demanded.
“No.”
Her desires collided with Seraphine’s. For the first time, Seraphine was the level-headed one and she was the one being ruled by her emotions. “We can’t be together,” she said, more for herself than for him. She couldn’t give in.
“Why?” His eyes probed her for the truth as his hand caressed her neck, reminding her of the pleasure he’d brought her previously.
“I don’t care about you.” The lies clung to her mouth.
“You’re lying.”
“Let me out.”
“What do you want from me?” she cried. A headache clustered and stormed her mind.
He leaned in closer, his lips an inch from hers. His tight body swathed in the designer suit rubbed up against her, making the chiffon of her dress brush against her nipples.
“I want you.” He looked her dead in the eye and her resolve almost broke.
“I can’t.” A tear leaked from her eye.
“Why? Tell me the truth.”
The headache doubled as Seraphine clawed her way toward the surface. Selene fought to keep control of herself, to the point that her limbs shook.
“Why can’t you tell me? Why are you here? Who is your contact?”
The pain multiplied till she couldn’t concentrate. “He’s watching me. He’ll hurt you.”
“Who?”
“Don’t tell him.”
“Lorcan,” she blurted. Tears streamed down her cheeks, itching her skin. “He’s here. He’s everywhere. He saw me with you and he figured it out. He told me if I don’t do what he sent me here to do, he’ll take you and torture you the way he did me.”
Neeman blinked several times. “This Lorcan is the one who hurt you?”
She nodded and let out a shuddered breath. Seraphine was right; she was weak.
“I have to do what he wants. You’re strong, but no one should have to endure what I endured. You should go, Neeman. Leave me to my fate. I’m nothing but trouble, just like you’ve said before.”
“I don’t care what he said. Let him come for me.” He swooped in and kissed her hard. His arm snaked around her waist and he pulled her close.
Her mind fuzzed over and she kissed him, giving him all that she had. She couldn’t stand it if anything happened to him. Despite what she said, she loved him. He’d seen her at her worst and she’d done her worst to him, and he still stayed. Her demon roared to life within her. She broke the kiss and pushed away, clutching her chest.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
She bent at the waist and sucked in large breaths. “It’s Seraphine. She wants out.”
Selene stared at her pumps, trying to keep from blacking out. Now was not the time. This couldn’t be happening.
“You’ve ruined it all by telling him. Lorcan will see. I am the only one who can save us all now.”
“What can I do?” Neeman pleaded.
“I need Mason,” she gasped. “Get him!”
She tried to concentrate on the sound of Neeman’s shoes hitting the pavement.
“Not now. Not your turn,” she said.
Her nails lengthened and her fangs filled her mouth.
“No. No. No.” She turned and dug her nails into the cement wall.
“Selene!”
She turned her head. Mason walked quickly toward her, with Neeman in tow. “You need to stop her.”
A wave of pain rippled through her. “I can’t. I don’t have my amulet. You do it. You can command her not to rise. I know you can.”
“You’re strong enough,” said Mason.
The skin on her forehead split at her hairline. It wasn’t possible. Seraphine wasn’t allowed to manifest fully without her permission.
Seraphine cackled. “Move on over.”
“Mason. Do something,” she cried.
Mason locked eyes on Neeman and then looked back at her. “No. You are the daughter of a god. You need to do this yourself.”
“What?” She shuddered and small horns pressed out of her skull through the split skin.
“Do it,” he commanded in the ancient tongue. “Control her. Contain her.”
“I can’t!” she screamed.
Neeman stepped up to her and grabbed her wrists, twisting her so she faced him. His eyes met hers.
A wave of desire coursed through her so strong she almost climaxed. What the hell?
“Let her out.” His voice was gentle, yet firm.
“No, Neeman.”
“I want her. I want to see her.”
Panic overtook Selene and then, everything began to dim.
* * * *
Neeman grabbed Selene as she went limp. He could do this. He knew he could. No matter what happened.
“We need to get her out of here,” said Mason.
“I’ll get her to the car.” Neeman slipped his arm under her legs and lifted her. The touch of her supple body in his arms once more made his soul feel complete.
“You can take me wherever you want, loverboy.” It was Selene’s voice, but the husky, silky tone was someone altogether different.
The same amethyst gaze he’d seen the first time he met her stared back at him. Fangs protruded from her mouth. It was a sight that both excited and terrified him.
“So where are we going?” she asked. “Or do you just want to take me here against the wall, in front of everyone?”
“Seraphine!”
She turned and looked at Mason.
“Awww… It’s the huma
n non-equivalent of my brother. You should let Mael out. We could have so much fun.” She giggled.
Mason took a step closer and his eyes glowed like embers. “You need to sleep now and let Selene out.”
“You can’t order me around, Mason. I’ve been caged for too long. And I have no intention of going to sleep so soon. I have a job to do. One that my lesser half is too weak to do herself.” She ran a long fingernail down Neeman’s cheek. “Besides. I want to spend some time with my loverboy.”
“Why don’t we get you to Coven House and we can spend time together there?” Neeman asked.
Her features were accentuated. Her cheekbones more prominent, her lips a darker shade of ruby. Her eyes shone like faceted jewels. She exuded sexuality in a primal way that called to him.
Her eyes narrowed and she snickered. “Oh sweetie, it’s not going to be that easy. I need to go out. Not back to the one place where you can tie me down and shove a needle in my arm till I fall asleep and my lesser half wakes up in my place.”
“Actually, I want to spend time with you.” He wished it wasn’t the truth, but he did. He wanted to take her anywhere he could and bend her over and—
A sly smile spread over her face, making her fangs even more prominent. She leaned in and sniffed his neck before snaking out her tongue and licking up the side. She purred.
“I see that you do. I promise you, loverboy, one night with me, and you’d never want her again.”
Neeman bent his head close to her, every inch of his body anticipated the pleasure that could be experienced at her hands. “Prove it.” He kissed her hard.
She licked across his teeth, then ran her tongue over the roof of his mouth. Her scent intensified and he ached to bite her. He set her on her feet and her hand cupped him between his legs, making him groan.
“Seraphine, stop behaving like that in public.” Mason rushed forward and grabbed her by the arm.
Neeman tried to control his mounting lust but the effect she had on him was too strong for him to deny. Seraphine spun and planted her palm in Mason’s chest, shoving him.
Mason sailed through the air and landed hard on the ground several feet away.
“Seraphine!” Neeman reached for her, but she rounded on him and held out her palm. The gleam in her eyes made him stop in his tracks.
“I like you, Neeman, but I’m not her and I’m not above hurting you.” Seraphine’s smile fell and the purple color to her eyes diminished. She looked around, bewildered. “Mason! Help me,” she yelled. Then she convulsed and when her eyes opened, they were purple again.
“Oh, that was new. She doesn’t like me threatening you. But it doesn’t matter. After I fully transform, she won’t be able to get out again until I say so.”
Mason was back on his feet. He advanced on Seraphine, speaking in the ancient language Neeman didn’t understand. His eyes were golden and his voice was deep as a resonating bass drum.
Mason’s fangs descended. Seraphine’s eyes widened and she backed up.
Just as Mason reached out to grab her she said, “Obscuro.” And disappeared.
Mason roared in anger and rushed forward, swinging wildly, but she was gone.
“What’s going on?” Danika came running around the building. Mason turned to her and his shoulders slumped. “Are there more demons?”
“No.” Neeman stepped forward. “Yes and no.”
“What does that mean?” She stepped up to Mason and he enveloped her in his arms.
“It’s Selene,” he said. “She’s lost control and her demon, Seraphine, has taken over.”
“What’s she going to do? Where did she go?” Danika looked between the two men.
“I don’t know,” said Mason. “It depends on whether Selene can regain control. If she can’t…”
“If she can’t, what?” asked Danika.
“Then the chaos that will ensue in the next twenty-four hours could be catastrophic.”
“We need to find her.”
“She disappeared,” Neeman answered. “She could be anywhere.”
“Lord Danika?” At the sound of Sherman’s voice, they all turned. “The High Council is awaiting us.”
“We’re coming.” She straightened her skirt.
Sherman turned to Neeman. “Have you seen Selene, by chance?”
“I think I saw her get in a car.” Neeman wasn’t sure why he was lying, other than to protect Selene’s identity.
Sherman nodded. “Very well. We should go as well.”
Neeman nodded and followed the group to the cars. He had no interest in going anywhere but to find Selene, but right now, he had a job to do.
Chapter 23
“Stop!” Selene yelled.
Her demon laughed.
Selene saw everything her demon did and felt every pound of the pavement under her feet, but she wasn’t in control. She could do little more than sit back and watch as Seraphine ran through the darkened streets toward the downtown area.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“To find Lorcan.”
“Don’t be stupid. You can’t find him unless he wants to be found. You used my magick, how did you do that?”
“Oh, baby girl. While you’ve been getting your kink on, I’ve been paying attention to the changes inside us. Like right now. You can see and feel everything I do. We’re closer than ever now, you and I.”
“You used my magick. Any demon on this plane will have felt it. They’ll be looking for us.”
“Let them find us. I can take them all, just like before.”
Fear shook Selene to the core. Her lungs burned as she continued toward the lights of downtown. She reached deep inside and practiced the things Mason had tried to teach her. She located her center. The spark of magick deep inside that was her, Selene. She followed the thread that wove through her body. Her arms, her legs, every part of her. Concentrating, she pulled on the magick like pulling on the reins of a horse. Nothing happened.
“Nice try, sister, but you’ll never be more powerful than me.”
Selene cursed and tried again. She let her mind wander over every inch of her body feeling the muscles and joints in turn. The magick pumped through her veins. Again she pulled and this time her body stopped.
“What the hell?” Seraphine said.
“Like you said, we’re closer than ever. Guess you aren’t the only one who can climb back out when she wants to,” said Selene.
“Don’t bother. I’ve always been stronger.”
“I know you think I’m stupid, but you have to trust me. I know what I’m doing. If you kill Lorcan, the entire fae nation will come after us. We have to do things my way.”
“No. He dies.”
Selene let the thoughts and feelings of her demon half wash over her.
“You don’t want to kill Lorcan because of Neeman. You want to kill him because he tried to kill you.”
Seraphine chuckled. “Wow, you actually are smarter than I gave you credit for.”
“So it was all a lie? You really don’t care about Neeman?”
“He doesn’t care about me. He just wants you back.”
“That’s not true. He wants you as well.” Selene hated to admit it, but she’d seen the look in Neeman’s eye when he’d told her demon he wanted to spend time with her. He’d meant it. The curiosity in his gaze made Selene jealous beyond belief. Selene wouldn’t let anyone endanger him, even herself. Selene reached out and made her arm jerk.
“What are you doing?” Seraphine laughed.
“Taking my body back,” Selene replied. She forced herself up through her veins into her limbs.
“Stop it. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“Never. I’ll never stop. This is my body, my life, not yours.” Her inner demon never had learned to shut Selene down.
“And what about me? When you unleash me, it’s my body. I’m part of you. A part you may not like, or want, but I’m here
just the same. You can’t get rid of me.”
Selene pulled on the magick inside her. She had a job to do. She couldn’t fail, if she did, Neeman would die. “Watch me.”
There was a loud crack several blocks away. Seraphine turned and sniffed the air.
Demons.
“We better come to an agreement quick,” said Selene. “Or we’re both dead.”
Seraphine growled.
* * * *
Neeman pulled up in front of Danika’s office building and stopped the SUV. Stephos and Riley sat with him.
“Our job is to protect Lord Danika,” said Neeman. “No matter what happens in there, with me, or with anyone else, you keep her safe.”
“Are you expecting trouble?” asked Riley.
“Let’s just say, it wouldn’t surprise me.”
He tried to focus his thoughts on the issues at hand, but his mind kept straying to Selene and where she might be. Who knew what she was getting herself into?
“Are we going, boss?” asked Riley.
Neeman blew out a breath. “Yeah.” He opened his door. Riley and Stephos followed suit. They walked with Mason, Danika, and Sherman to the entrance of the office building.
Neeman scanned for signs of trouble.
A second group of trackers jogged up and met them.
“You three check the perimeter and stay by the front exit. No one comes in without my or Lord Danika’s say so. Everyone keep their phones on and call in every five minutes so I know we’re good.”
“Yes, boss,” they said. Then the three headed out.
He turned to Stephos and Riley. “You two will take the ground floor elevator. Stay there with the other guard and monitor the lobby.”
The men nodded. Together they entered the building. Neeman waited till Danika, Mason, and Sherman got into the elevator before joining them. The doors closed and the elevator pulled them up to the conference room.
“When we get in there, be polite, but give nothing away,” said Sherman. “There’s no telling what kind of mood the High Council could be in.”
The doors opened. Tension clouded the hallway.
“I’ll go first,” said Sherman.
The wooden conference room doors stood ajar. Sherman pushed them open and stepped inside. Danika took Mason’s hand and followed Sherman. Neeman brought up the rear.
Rise of the Fae Page 24
