A Forever Series Box Set: A Paranormal Reverse Harem : Books 1-5

by Eve Newton

  That was a process and a half to get his contract sorted. Devon did a bang-up job in the end, but the negotiations were intense. Taking into account all of the Vampire factors without saying as much, took some doing. By far the trickiest point was, of course, the Faerie Silver. He can never take it off and without drawing undue attention to it, I had to go and procure another. In the end, it was two small, flat discs about the size of a penny, which I inserted under his skin, so completely unnoticed and yet still protecting him. It was an idea we had no clue would work after a massive brainstorm, and both fortunately, and unfortunately, Devon made a choice to be the guinea pig as my unknown status was unreliable. Thankfully, it worked, and all was well. Both of them were protected but neither wanted to take off the ring I gave them. It was sweet and I knew exactly how they felt about it.

  "More?" Lincoln asked me, bringing my attention back to him sitting next to me.

  "Please." I held my glass out for him to pour more wine into it.

  I fell back into my reverie and thought back to what happened after Lincoln made his declaration back in Transylvania.

  All Hell broke loose and I mean that in a literal sense. I had been in Hell since that day, as my sire was no longer talking to me. And I don't mean in just his usual lack-of-forthcoming way. He was cold and hard and as much as I tried to get him to forgive me, it just made things worse. He’d tried to take out Lincoln and I had to use my Dragon-given Powers to stop him. He was so furious with me.

  "Penny for them?" Lincoln asked.

  I sighed. “Three guesses."

  "Oh. He'll come around," he tried to reassure me.

  "I hope so," I said quietly. He took my hand. We sat in a companionable silence for a while.

  After killing Lance, his magick-bearing Romani slaves were released from their curse and were beyond grateful to me. They pledged their support and loyalty. I offered them Castle Black to stay in as I had no use for it and I certainly would never go back there. It was the least I could do for allowing him to live so long in the first place.

  "How are things coming along with the gathering of the packs?" I asked, needing a distraction.

  "It's good. The last two meetings went better than the first two," he chuckled.

  "I can imagine," I said dryly. "I can only assume the outrage that must have ensued when they found out a Vampire was their new Queen."

  "I think it helps that you are no regular Vampire. They understand you better because they think of you as a Shifter yourself. Want to talk about trying that again?"

  "No, not really. I mean, trying not talking about it," I said. I tried to Shift to my Dragon form a couple of weeks ago and it didn't go well. In fact, it just plain didn't go. It was very frustrating as I usually excelled at everything I did and yet, I just seemed to be coming up with one failure after another. My failure to keep my sire happy, my failure to keep my husband happy, my failure to Shift.

  Constantine had revised the terms of our agreement in that, while I still go to him for two days in the week, I had been given times to come and go as it suited him. These was emailed to me on a weekly basis. It was all incredibly humiliating and hurtful but his new threat to keep Cole from me pushed me to endure it. Cole wouldn’t manage on his own without me. He was still too new. For Constantine to even suggest forcing us apart was a cruel and unusual punishment against his own kind.

  My phone beeped next to me. Well, that was my cue.

  "I'd better go." I pointed next door to where Constantine lived. I was surprised he’d still decided to come, but apparently, his sense of duty to the Underworld was greater than his hatred of me.

  "Okay," Lincoln said and looked at me with pity. Cole gave me a quick hug and a chaste kiss, not wanting his scent to linger on me. The feeling of guilt radiated off him having me do this because of him.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX

  New York, USA, January 2013 - Liv

  Bursting through the door of the lower penthouse suite, Devon and I are wet from the rain, but in high spirits after a lovely dinner and a few drinks and dancing in the bar down the block. It is still early but I’m due upstairs with Constantine in about twenty minutes. Pushing me back towards the door, Devon picks me up and, his hands going under my skirt. He tugs my knickers from me with a quick rip.

  "I want you," he murmurs against my mouth before he pushes his tongue through my lips.

  I undo his pants, pull him out and he takes me quickly, bringing us both to an orgasm at the same time. I never get tired of that, so in tune with each other’s bodies and feelings. I kiss him softly and drop my legs from around his waist.

  "I have to go shower," I tell him.

  "No, I haven't had you for days. You have time," he whispers in my ear as he holds me back by my arm. "I need you."

  I’m on my knees seconds after he says that. What kind of a bad sire would I be if I refused his plea? I’m about to take him in my mouth, when he also drops to his knees and says, "You know where I want you.” He turns me around.

  I do know. I have denied him for a while now as I’ve never really been bothered about anal before, but these days I’m coming around, so I drop my hands to the floor. He groans with delight as he shuffles closer and pushes himself against me. I feel myself give way as he thrusts gently into me, savoring the experience. But, ever one to please me, he drops his hand from my hip and reaches down to stroke my clit as he increases his speed to suit his own needs.

  "Are you close, baby?" he whispers. "I'm so ready but I want you to come too."

  I feel the pressure building as he rubs me but not in time. He cries out as he comes inside me, but in all fairness, keeps up the steady stroking until I throb against his fingers.

  Breathing heavily, he pulls out of me and pulls me to his lap. "Thank you," he murmurs and lets me go. I stand quickly. I have exactly five minutes now to get showered and upstairs before I am late. Shedding my clothes as I head towards the bathroom, I step into the shower and turn on the jets. Devon steps in behind me and says, "I'm not done yet. One more. I want it all."

  "Dev, I'm going to be late."

  "Please, Lizzie. Please," he begs.

  I Shift as he calls me Lizzie, he deserves to have his real sire take care of him. His eyes light up as he stares into my big blue ones. I trail my hands down his slippery wet chest, brushing my nails over his nipples as I sink to my knees and take him in my mouth. The water is beating down on us, soaking my dark hair as he pushes his hands into it to hold my head in place.

  "Oh, baby. Let me fuck your mouth," he says as he moves his hips back and forth. I work my tongue around his engorged cock as he pushes deeper into my mouth and withdraws again and again. He groans as he comes quickly in hot spurts down my throat. I push him back, swallowing as I stand. In the next second, I Shift back to Liv.

  "Baby, I really have to get moving," I say as he pants with the exertion of his multiple orgasms brought forth so quickly. A Vampire's constitution is strong, and we are ready to go anytime, anywhere, but even so, for a male, three in less than twenty minutes is a lot. I finish up and step out.

  He wraps a towel around me and says, "I love you, Liz, but I can't do this anymore. I have to go."

  "Go where?" I ask him as I briskly dry myself, magickly getting dressed in a black mini dress and black Louboutins as I step forward to follow him. My Powers have grown immensely in the last six months. I can do things that I never thought possible, and this handy trick of being dressed and undressed with just a thought is a massive time saver.

  "Dev?" I ask him as he storms into his bedroom and slams the door. I haven't got the time to follow him. I’m now coming up to ten minutes late. Sighing, I move towards the front door and head towards the elevator to go up one floor to the upper penthouse that is occupied by my sire. Stabbing the button repeatedly – impatiently cursing my own Teleporting and Astralling in any and all public places ban – it takes an eternity to arrive. We have accomplished a lot in the last six months. I have my Regency mostly in plac
e (we decided to call it something different from The Council and came up with that) and we are uniting The Underworld, bringing all supernatural and paranormal – whatever you want to call us – creatures together. As a result, masses of people are converging in large groups and we need to keep as low a profile as possible. If we got caught out even in the slightest act of magick, things would get ugly, fast.

  Finally stepping out into Constantine's penthouse, I find him staring out of the window, drink in hand.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN

  We lie like that for some time, his forehead resting against mine. I squirm under his weight. He lifts his head and rolls us over, so I’m lying on top of him now. I put my head on his chest and I am happy, but a little fearful that all of this will come crashing back down again.

  "Liv," he says and my heart clenches. I remain silent. "Liv," he says again. I still don't say anything. "Are you deaf, woman? Answer me when I speak to you!" he snaps then, and I raise my head cautiously. He acknowledges me with a nod and says again, "Liv."

  "Yes, Constantine?" I ask quietly.

  "This doesn't change anything. I am still so upset with you, I could stake you," he says as he pushes me off him. He sits up and I cry inside, so much for the bend. But he has voiced his feelings and that is a start.

  "I know," I whisper.

  "Do you?" he sneers at me. "I really don't think you do." He stands up and leaves the bedroom. I sigh, another night alone. I don't follow him but curl up on the bed hugging the pillow to me.

  I jump a mile when he stalks back in, having gotten lost in my thoughts.

  "Here," he says and hands me a lit cigarette as he lights another for himself. I take it and draw deeply and thankfully on it. He has pulled on a pair of sweats and I just melt.

  "A stake wouldn't work anyway," I say quietly.

  He looks sharply at me. "Oh? And what would I need then?" He sits heavily on the bed and hands me the Scotch to take a quick gulp.

  I shrug and say, "I honestly don't know. I seem to be invulnerable to…everything. Well, except fangs and claws. I suppose you could bite me to death." I chance a small smile.

  He looks back at me in amazement. "Nothing hurts you?"

  "Except fangs and claws. My only weakness," I repeat.

  "I should have known that," he says softly, almost to himself.

  "Yes. You should have."

  "How did you test it?"

  "Devon," I say and then stop, recalling earlier.

  His eyes harden but then he clears his throat and asks, "How so?"

  "After a knifing incident which should have made me bleed – James, by the way – he came at me with various forms of weapons and fire from my armory. Seems nothing works except…" I Shift to Vampire mode briefly, flashing my claws at him.

  His eyebrows go up. "Oh. That bastard. You should have let me kill him."

  I shrug. I’m not worried. "So, we are two of a kind now, I guess. If you want to throw down, I’ll give you a run for your money."

  He snorts. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? A chance to try and kick my ass after treating you the way I have been lately."

  "Try? No, I would kick your arse. And yes, I would like that. Very much."

  "You hurt me, Liv," he says suddenly, but still with the Liv.

  "I know," I say again.

  "No, you don't. You tell me that I am after all, your true love, and then you go and do… that, a few seconds later. And then you defend him against me. Do you have any idea what that felt like?"

  "No, I don't. But I know I hurt you. I hurt all of you. It was what I had to do. With great power comes great responsibility," I quote ridiculously.

  Again, he snorts. "Voltaire. Pompous ass."

  I chuckle despite myself and he sighs. "Christ, Liv. I just don't know where to go from here."

  "Back where we came from," I say quickly.

  "I don't think that's possible. Do you?"

  "Yes, of course."

  "One big happy family?"

  "That's the idea."

  "Are you sleeping with him?"

  I hesitate and that's all the answer he needs. He stands up and walks away. But this time, I follow him, magicking up a robe, not willing to be naked while he is clothed.

  "Don't walk away from me. Not now," I say to him and he stops.

  Turning around, he says sarcastically, "Is that an order? Your Majesty?"

  "If that’s what it takes," I say. "I would rather we talk, like we used to," I add softly.

  His face softens. "Liv, I don't know if I can give you what you want right now."

  "Start with dropping the ‘Liv,’" I say.

  He looks startled. "That bothers you? It is your name,” he says pointedly.

  "It bothers me because you use it now to show indifference to me. I don't like it."

  "Huh?" he says as if that never even occurred to him. "You do it as well, you know."

  "Do what?" I ask, perplexed.

  "You call me ‘Constantine’ when you are cross or upset with me or trying to be serious. Or at least before all this. Now, you just call me that all of the time."

  Surprised that he noticed, I say, "It didn't seem appropriate under the circumstances to call you anything else."

  "Same here."

  "Constantine. Don't you see what is happening here? We are doing it all over again. Will we never learn? If not, how can we be together in the future?"

  "I don't know what you mean?"

  "I mean we are acting like two stubborn fools. Or more so, you are acting like a stubborn fool and I am letting you. It ends, right here, right now."

  "You think I’m being stubborn?"

  "Yes. You won't talk to me. Do you know this is the most you've said to me at any one time in the last six months? And that we have spoken about something other than business? Not to mention the other stuff."

  "Other stuff?"

  "Christ, answer a question instead of asking more!" I yell at him suddenly.

  "What other stuff?" he presses, interested.

  "You know…the other stuff," I say, pointing to the bedroom, but he still looks lost. "Your bedroom, the gentle touch, the undressing, the kissing, the biting. You have done none of those things until tonight."

  "Oh," he says, staring at me with a look on his face I can't place.

  "What? You think I wouldn't notice?"

  "More like I think you wouldn't care," he says quietly.

  "What?" I say, now in genuine shock. "Wouldn't care? Wouldn't care that you have treated me like a fuck toy. Like a…Pet?" I hurl the word at him in disgust.

  Horrified, he steps back. "A Pet? Is that how you've felt?"

  I gesture madly at the collar still around my neck and I think he realizes his actions for the first time.

  "Liv, no, no. That's not how I wanted you to feel. I just…Oh, Christ, I wasn't even thinking about how you were feeling. I was just lost in my own anger at you, my own misery at losing you."

  "Losing me? Losing me? You never lost me, Constantine. I made a decision that affected all of us, yes. But mostly it is to do with Lincoln and me. He is an Alpha, he needs an Alpha mate. He needs the strongest mate he can find to cement his authority and he picked me. I need him to help build bridges between us and them. And I like him. He is fun and witty and there's no drama with him. But you never lost me to him. You never will. Will you never get that? You stubborn, fucking fool!"

  He blinks at me. "I don't suppose I will. Liv, I spent so many years taking out the threat before it even became a threat. I met you and that changed. You had, have, the capacity to hurt me – to destroy me – and you have on several occasions. Yes, I know I have been stupid enough to contribute, but now I just can't do it anymore. I retreat. I go on the defensive because I can't fight for you again and lose you again. I just can't do it." He looks so forlorn, I want to hold him, but I stay where I am.

  "But you didn't lose me, that's my point, Constantine. You didn't lose me. I was still yours. I am still yours. I may
be somewhat…" I hesitate, looking for the right word.

  "Borrowed?" he snarls.

  "If that's how you want to put it," I say calmly even though I want to hit him. "But I never reneged on our arrangement. You did. You got all pissy and changed the terms. You treated me like I meant nothing to you, so yes, that is how I have been feeling these last months."

  "I'm sorry, Liv."

  "Stop with the Liv!" I yell at him.

  He glares at me, "You mean everything to me, you always have. I am sorry I made you feel otherwise. But it doesn't change anything. I want more from you than you can give."

  "Well, I fucking know how that feels," I say, still yelling at him.

  "Calm yourself, Aefre," he snaps, but I break out into a huge smile.

  He huffs at me and allows me a small smile in return. "I want all of you, but I was prepared to share you with your boys. In fact, at Sibiu, I thought we were doing quite well considering it is unheard of for Vampires to nest. But then everything changed. With one rash decision, that it took you all of a second to make, and it all came crashing down, and that is because of you, Aefre. You. Not me."

  Aefre. Okay, I can handle anything he says as long as he continues to call me that.

  "It wasn't rash. It was…crap. I wish I could explain it to you! The decision was made for me," I finish lamely.

  "Made by whom?"

  "Who do you think?"

  "Tiamat," he says, resigned.

  "Yes."

  "Your mother is an infuriating creature!" he bellows at me in a rare show of temper. "She has caused me nothing but problems since day one."

  "I know. Same here."

  He starts at my admission, but then he laughs. "Oh, Aefre. I have missed our banter. I wanted so much to forgive you for what you did but I just couldn't. I think I get it now," he says quietly.

  "Do you? Really?" I ask, unconvinced.

  "I think so. It has been difficult for me to realize what you are now. Who you are now. Our whole dynamic has changed. I'm thrown with it; I don't know how to handle being a subordinate. Your subordinate," he says with a sigh.