“How are your studies, Lillian?”
He meant with the Book of Timu, of course. She hadn’t brought it out of her new chambers for this meeting as he clearly wanted. The tome remained under her bed invisible to all but her by the spell she’d surrounded it with. Feandan wanted it back under his thumb, but thankfully tradition gave her the right to keep it as long as she deemed necessary.
As a vital part of her plan, she deemed it very necessary.
“Still lots to study. Perhaps I’m just a slow learner.”
One of his eyebrows rose up. “I know better. Time is almost up, my sweet. You either siphon energy, or you know what will happen to you in ten days.”
“Yes, I know. I will succeed. I promise.”
His angry stare unnerved her. “What are you up to, Lillian?”
“What do you mean?” Does he know what I have in mind?
No. If he did, she’d be dead already. Or worse.
Feandan downed his liquor in a single gulp then said, “The last few of your attempts to gather power from the two abominations troubled me.”
Her heart leapt to her throat. “How so?”
“You keep asking for more time alone with them, claiming that it will help you reach orgasm and eventually to be able to siphon power. It never happens.”
“I’m trying, Feandan. Next time, I won’t fail. I know what I have to do.”
The last two months had been pure hell. Yes, she loved touching Reno and Titus, listening to their thoughts about desiring her, feeling them inside her body. She knew how to free Reno’s hand, even with Feandan’s new enchantments on the chains, but if she had, the creep wouldn’t have allowed her to be alone with Reno and Titus again.
Her climaxes came like clockwork, each more intense than the previous. But Reno and Titus were denied release into her body. The pain they endured from the rituals had stockpiled her guilt into something she couldn’t bear any longer.
Reno’s words had amazed her. “Lillian, this isn’t your fault.”
But she knew better. So did Titus. During their last ceremony, she’d tried to pull the phantom out of his dark mood.
Lillian grazed Titus’s lips. His eyes opened and he sent his velvet tongue into her mouth, sweeping inside until her mind exploded. God, he should teach a kissing class.
As their kiss deepened, she felt his cock thicken against her swollen, slick folds.
When their mouth-embrace ended, Titus growled, “I want to taste your cream, high priestess.”
Adrenaline flooded her veins. Like every night when she came to him, Titus’s body was chained in the spread-eagle fashion on the floor. Still, his demands were hers to obey. She crawled up his body until her mound touched his lips. Instantly, his tongue grazed her clit, dispensing an assault that overwhelmed. Even in chains, Titus tempted her, warmed her up, dominated her, and made her feel wonderfully vulnerable.
“Lillian, I can tell that you like that, but the assholes will be back in here soon.” Reno’s tone was gentle.
Titus stopped licking her pussy. “He’s right. Best to get to what you’re here for, high priestess.” The sharpness of his tone stung her.
“I can tell them to wait.” She stood.
“Don’t bother, high priestess.”
“But we can have more time together.”
“Really? I know your laws. Forty nights was all you had to siphon energy and provide it to the high priest. You’re running out of nights. You’ll be fucking Feandan soon.”
Tears poured from her eyes. She crawled down next to him, touching his shoulder. “It won’t mean anything to me, I swear.”
“Do you enjoy torturing me, high priestess?”
She rolled away from him, curling into a ball, sobbing uncontrollably. Everything he’d said was true. Guilt consumed every fiber of her being.
“What’s with you, Titus?” Reno asked.
His gaze never left her. “I’m done. No more fooling myself into believing this is more than it is. We are nothing more to her than prisoners.”
When Feandan and the attendants had rushed to find her curled on the floor in tears, they had taken her away. Even with only a few days left before she would be replaced if she failed, The Conclave’s council had granted her request for a couple days of rest. Lillian figured they didn’t have any faith left in her to succeed. She’d used the time to form her plan.
“You keep saying that you know what you have to do, but you seem…how do I say this…sympathetic to the creatures.”
He knows. He’s just toying with me.
“Feandan, not true,” she lied. “You know that my work is taxing. Even the book attests to that.” She thought about bringing her new power to the forefront, just in case he tried to force himself on her, but she didn’t. He might be able to sense the energy inside her, letting him know that she’d deceived him about being able to siphon power that was meant for him.
“Just don’t forget who you are.”
“Never. I am the high priestess of The Conclave. The two creatures are nothing to me, only power for my family.”
“And me, my sweet. Excellent. Let me show you around the bedroom. It will help with your next ceremony.”
“The book says otherwise, Feandan.” It didn’t, but if her plan worked, he would never be able to look at it to prove her wrong. “You’ll have me soon enough.”
“Or the blade will.”
This discussion proved to Lillian that she must act now if her plan had any chance of success. Time was up. Though she wanted to memorize more spells, what she’d learned from the book would have to suffice.
* * * *
Titus stirred. Someone was outside the bars of the cell. A woman.
Lillian.
Alone.
Where were the guards?
His chains were loose, allowing him movement in the cell. The attendants only tightened them when the power-stealing ceremony was conducted. It had been several nights since he’d seen Lillian and felt her soft skin pressing against his body. He wasn’t spread-eagle now, and if she stepped close enough he could grab her through the bars.
He feigned sleep and suspected Reno was actually out.
She whispered something and touched the metal door. He heard the metallic click as the lock opened.
Lillian softly said, “I know you’re awake, Titus. Don’t try to grab me, please. Hear me out.”
He didn’t move. She can’t know.
“But I do. Reno’s awake, too.”
Titus opened his eyes. She can read my mind. Unbelievable.
The shade responded, “Yes, I am. Lillian, what are you doing here?”
“I’m springing you. And yes, I can hear your thoughts, Titus. Can’t you hear mine?”
“Sometimes,” he lied. He’d never known any mortal, bloodliner or not, with such power. He’d always believed that to be only an immortal skill. Strange. Now he knew better. With more power, he would’ve guarded his mind from her and any other Conclave eavesdroppers. But he didn’t have more power, thanks to Lillian and her bloodliner friends.
Reno frowned. “Titus, you never told me that you could hear Lillian’s thoughts.”
Fool! “Didn’t think you needed to know.”
“He’s no fool, Titus. And I’m sorry about what we’ve done to you—what I’ve done to you.”
“Don’t waste your words on me.” He sent her a look that he hoped she would understand. Forgiveness would never come from him. “You are the only real fool here, young high priestess.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll hand it to you. It took a lot of guts and skill to get past the guards and into this cell without every warning bell in creation going off. Quite impressive.”
“Thank you.” Her lips curled up into a beautiful grin. “The guards are under a sleep charm I learned. I dismantled the spells to this place. It wasn’t hard.”
God, she was like no woman Titus, as a captive or as a free immortal, had ever known.
&
nbsp; “You believe you can get us out of here?” Reno asked.
She whispered, “Yes. I do.”
“He may be a sucker, but I’m not.” Titus shook his head. “Even if I believed you, which I don’t, there’s more to the spells holding us than you know. You will be killed the minute we step out of this cell. We will suffer incredible pain at Feandan’s hand and you will be executed.” I refuse to be the cause of her death.
Her sudden frantic glances told volumes. She wasn’t lying. That floored him.
“Lil, don’t let Titus the Terrible bring you down. What’s your plan?”
“I read about a portal spell in the Book of Timu. I haven’t been able to perform it, but it says most immortals can create them easily.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. I’m new to my immortal life. I don’t know much magic at all, and my buddy here hasn’t been really instructive since we became roommates.”
Lillian turned from Reno to him. “Please, Titus. It’s your only hope. You know how to create one, don’t you?”
Could she really mean to try this insanity? Why?
“Call it a crisis of faith. I do this because neither of you deserve such treatment. No one does. I know now that the teachings of The Conclave are untrue.”
What’s her angle?
“No angle, Titus. I promise.”
Anger welled up inside him. “Get out of my head.”
She stepped back from the bars, trembling. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know how I’m doing it. Believe me, if I did I would’ve stopped it a long time ago.”
Titus realized she must’ve been reading his mind and the cowboy’s since the first day. How? He’d suspected for some time that she was more than she appeared. Now he knew it. Worse, she must’ve listened to his insatiable ramblings for her—how much he wanted her under him begging for the orgasms he would withhold from her. He hated his disadvantage. That would be corrected should they beat the odds and succeed in escaping.
“Quiet your mind,” he ordered. “Think about some time or place that you enjoy. Don’t let your thoughts wander.”
“Is it something like meditation?” She closed her eyes.
“Yes. Control your thoughts.” Easy to ask of someone so young, but hard to expect. It’d taken him a century or more to learn how to do just that. But in the past couple of months, just being near her had undone much of that work.
“It’s working. I can’t hear either of your thoughts.” She opened her eyes. “Thank you.”
“You’re wasting time, which I doubt we have much of.”
Reno smiled. “We? You’re in. Good. Time to saddle up and get the hell out of here.”
“The high priestess is right. Creating a portal is a simple spell, but I don’t have enough power to open one large enough for a mosquito to pass through.”
Lillian stepped into the cell. Another step and he could grab her.
“And?” Reno asked.
“We have to complete a tripling,” Titus answered. In a flash, he grabbed Lillian’s arm and pulled her into him, covering her mouth with his hand. “Got you.”
“What the fuck, Titus?" Reno's tone held a dangerous warning. “Let her go, right now.”
“She’s not our friend, Reno. Lillian, I can snap your neck in a flash. You understand that?”
She nodded.
God, he loved holding her immobile next to him. Her scent filled his nostrils, notes of honeysuckle and raindrops.
“I’m going to move my hand from your mouth. If you scream, you’re dead.”
He could never kill her, even if everything logical inside told him he should. Something about her made him her hostage, not the other way around. He knew it, but she would never know. Advantage—mine.
Chapter 6
33) Listen to the words of the angel, Rijiah: Behold the unbreakable union of bloodliner, angel, and jinn. A Perfect Triad. 34) From their holy union, the bloodliner receives immortality, the angel and jinn receive power immeasurable. 35) Can The Dark and the Rogues form such a union? I asked. 36) Tis true, Timu. Such immortals can join with a bloodliner for such a union, but it is not easily done for any immortals, whether angel and jinn, demon and ifrit, or phantom and shade. 37) Many have sought to create such a triad, but few have succeeded. The mystery is beyond even immortals to understand.
The Book of Timu: Verses 33 through 37—Chapter 13
* * * *
Lillian had made a foolish mistake. Now she would pay with her life.
“Did you not hear me the first time, Titus?” Reno’s scowl showed he meant business. “Let her go, or else you will have to deal with me.”
She couldn’t see Titus since he held her with her back to his front, but she prayed he would concede and release her. His hand remained over her mouth.
His and Reno’s thoughts were no longer accessible to her. Titus had urged her to quiet her mind and stay out of his head. It had worked moments ago. Now, her mind was anything but quiet, even though the magic to hear their musings no longer worked.
“And you’ll do what to me, newborn-shade?” Titus’s tone deepened. “I’ve got centuries of experience on my side.”
“I may not know much, but I have enough to take you out. I sense that the energy inside you is much less than what I have at my disposal.” Reno’s eyes narrowed. “Experience or not, that has to tip the scales to my side.”
With Reno’s help, she might wiggle out of this mess.
Titus tightened his hold on her. “If we don’t fuck her right now, all of her effort, whether sincere or not, will be for nothing.”
Four of Titus’s words reverberated in her head. Fuck. Her. Right. Now. Her anxiety mushroomed, but her clit betrayed her and swelled.
Reno edged forward. “You’re lying.”
“If you don’t believe me, listen to her. Lillian, are you calm now?”
She wasn’t but nodded, hoping he would believe the lie.
Titus removed his hand from her mouth, but kept her body restrained with his muscular arms. Clearly, he had no plans to release her. No way could she break free of such strength. Pushing her luck with him would be suicide, and she didn’t have a death wish.
“Tell him. If we don’t get power from a completed tripling, this idiotic plan of yours will fail.”
She hadn’t thought of that possibility. The past several days, she’d been consumed with getting Reno and Titus free from The Conclave. She’d worked out so many details, including her own exit from The Conclave once the immortals were free. She’d turned over the book to Eric Langley, a bloodliner on the outside, crafting an enchantment on her name in the book to make it appear she was dead. Hopefully, he would fall for the ruse and not try to use the book’s magical pages to try to find her. She’d also worked out the sleeping spell for the guards. Detail after detail, she’d gone over them for days. How could she have missed that neither Reno nor Titus would have enough power to open a magical portal—without tripling with her?
Clearly, Titus would need power to create a portal for them to escape through, and that meant sex. And this time, he would have to come inside her. They both would. Dizziness and her pent-up fantasies and desires to be overwhelmed by the two immortals kept coherent thought at bay for several seconds.
Once her mind finally cleared, she tilted her head toward Reno. “He’s telling the truth.”
Titus squeezed her tight. “Good girl.”
Reno didn’t look convinced but did stop edging forward. “So, we’re going to make love to her here and now.”
“I think we have to,” she whispered.
“You still think you’re in charge, high priestess? That ended the moment you walked into this cell.” Titus’s sarcasm stung her to the core. “Yes, we’re going to fuck. Here and now.”
In a micro-second, Titus had ripped off her clothes. The air touched her skin, and gooseflesh appeared everywhere. The ache grew to a roar inside her. She wanted them to overwhelm her. In fact, she’d dreamed about it since the first night with th
em.
Titus massaged her breast with his free hand, circling the flesh around her nipple but never actually touching the little peak. Tingles danced on her skin as the tiny buds hardened.
“Buddy, I get it.” Reno tilted his head. “Sex gives us immortals power, but can you slow down some?”
“No. We need to power up and fast. Lengthy foreplay isn’t part of the equation.” Titus turned her head to face him. “You are not to come until I say so.”
“I don’t understand. According to the book, the triangle needs all three…umm…participants to climax for the power to be created for the two immortals.” She wasn’t about to say lovers, even though that was how she remembered the text.
Titus slapped her ass. It stung, but his control and dominance made her wet.
“What the hell!” Reno’s hands curled into fists.
“You want out of here, you better let me do this my way.” Titus pinched her nipple. “Lillian, don’t question me again, understand?”
“I won’t.” His dominant nature unraveled and fascinated her, and she wasn’t about to push him. Too dangerous.
Titus’s free hand firmly massaged her buttocks, while his other held her captive. Lillian’s wantonness sped past her worry about their predicament.
His hand came up from behind her, between her legs, and then his fingers touched her pussy, sending a jolt of heat through her core. No longer her prisoner, Titus was in full command of the moment and her body.
“Cowboy, she’s ready. Nice and wet. Give me the lube from the bastards’ sex-toy table.”
Reno asked, “What do you mean?”
“We both have to be inside her to make the connection work. She’s soaked, but I’ll need the lube to take her from behind.”
All her senses jumped with pleasure and panic as Titus turned her around to face him. Never letting go of his hold on her, he shed his clothes. The cock she’d tasted, teased, and felt inside her for a few fleeting moments in all the ceremonies was fully erect, a massive thing. Now, everything seemed turned inside out. With Titus chained on the floor, she had sensed the clouds of threat in him. Now unbridled, a full-blown thunderstorm of danger exploded out of him.
Cook, Kris - Lillian's Rogues [An Eternally Three Novella] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 5
