"Phillip could be in on it, too."
"No, Phillip is as noble as they come. He’s a perfect prince, as well you know. I’m sure your mother would have killed him at birth if his air-clan didn’t protect the heir so well,” Daemon said.
“I didn’t kill my father, Sam. The king is safe, but recovering from an attack that others committed. You’ll understand that I cannot share his location with any of you,” Daemon said.
“The Commander is not under suspicion, but it won’t look good, conspiring with the traitor, Sir,” Cason said.
Daemon had clearly had enough. He sent a bolt of lightning to lasso around Sam’s wrist, dragging the youngest Dog to him mercilessly.
“If any of you call me a traitor once more, I’ll show you what William really wanted when he sent three young nobles after me in the Wastes. He’d enjoy me proving to be the monster he wants everyone else to see,” Daemon said.
The threat in his harsh tone made Sam squeeze his eyes shut as Daemon held his captured wrist up to his mouth.
Daemon bit down, rough and hungry.
Sam gasped.
Reid shoved forward, trying to get between his twin and Daemon.
Cason grabbed Reid and yanked him back.
“Phillip sent us after you, not William,” Cason said.
"Explain to them the family politics, George."
"Stop terrorizing Sam. He’s the strongest with earth amongst them, but not the healing kind. I wouldn’t push him. Even well trained Dogs will bite if you needlessly hurt them."
Daemon softened his bite. He pulled back and licked the jagged fang marks closed.
“You have barely any fire,” Daemon said, releasing Sam. “George says you have strong earth. Feed your Commander.”
“I don’t need—” George cut off his protest as Sam swung hurt eyes at him.
George sighed and bit Sam’s proffered wrist, trying to avoid Daemon’s fang marks.
"This is ridiculous. I fed from Elizabeth quite well when you were missing. In fact, she makes the cutest little noise when you fuck her from behind. The way she begs for your fangs, to give her a release—”
"Brother mine, you have a lot to learn about lightning telepathy. For starters, it’s impossible to lie to me, especially when your fantasies don’t include the dimples at the base of Elizabeth’s spine. She hasn’t allowed either of us the pleasure of fucking her yet,” Daemon said.
"You swear, you haven’t yet?" George asked.
"Not for lack of trying.”
"What if we tried to seduce her together?" George proposed.
Shared Claims
Daemon
Daemon was going to have to share his mate. The circumstances were clearly against him.
Fate was cruel.
He shut George out of his thoughts to hide his response to George’s plan.
The idea of seducing Elizabeth between them wasn’t as unappealing as it ought to be, especially considering George had once thought to steal her for himself.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Daemon told George, ready to move on.
Elizabeth was slipping further away while they wasted time chatting.
“You three are now commandeered as our soldiers. George is still your commander, but you won’t be ignoring direct orders from me, either. All previous orders given to you by Phillip are technically invalid since he would have used the king’s seal. Our father is still alive, so Phillip can’t possess the seal yet. Do you understand?” Daemon asked.
George released Sam’s wrist.
The younger vampire looked pale, but he’d started that way, naturally a red-headed, freckled boy with the complexion to suit his colouring.
George appeared refreshed. He’d needed that feed, despite his protests.
Elizabeth must have been fighting him for every drop of her blood. She would have been in a fury over being kidnapped to the Wastes, torn away from her family. George was lucky to be alive.
“Yes, we understand, Sir,” Cason said, directing his gaze at Daemon.
The address was only slightly formal. Daemon would allow it. He nodded acceptance.
“Daemon truly isn’t deserving of the crimes he’s been charged. I saw the king myself. He is injured, but in good, healing hands,” George said.
Cason sighed in relief.
What would the Dogs have done if Daemon really had been guilty?
It was a suicide mission to take on the dark enforcer on their own and they all had known it.
Daemon stood up. Everyone else followed, although no one knew which direction to start walking.
“We need to head to the dragon caves. I suppose they’d go directly to the light clan. What about you, George?” Daemon asked.
“I agree. Although, I am not familiar with any dragon caves where females dragons reside. I suppose all of this time, we’ve only been tracking half of the population with the dark clan?”
The Dogs looked confused.
Daemon pointed in the direction that Elizabeth and Pan had disappeared, which unfortunately, was up a mountain. They were merely standing in the foothills right now, still in the Wastes.
“Dark and light dragon clans?” Cason asked as they headed toward the most challenging path.
“The dragon clans split sometime after the great poisoning. It was only a timed release sleeping potion, so the female dragons lived, but they now are hidden away in the light clan caves. They are ruled by King Rael. He was a bastard brother to the previous dragon king,” George explained.
Daemon hadn’t drawn that bastardized connection, but George sounded certain.
There had been a legal heir before Prince Raphael, who Daemon remembered from his history—Nyon—but he’d died during the clan wars.
That had to be Pan’s father, if she referred to Rael as her uncle, which he’d strongly begun to suspect during their earlier conversation.
“Prince Raphael rules the dark clan. I suppose that makes him the dark king. He was the only dragon prince, the son of the previous dragon king. At his age, during the great poisonings, he would have been victim to the strong sleeping draught used on all dragonlings and dragonesses. Prince Raphael’s uncle didn’t want to give up his throne to his nephew—the rightful heir—once he’d awakened. At least, that’s what I’ve gleaned from the very informative dragoness who was with us before you scared her off,” Daemon said.
“We didn’t scare her. She was already flying away when we arrived,” Reid said.
“Maybe she was scared, Reid. Dragons have better senses. She could have heard or smelled us coming,” Sam said. He gave one of his underarms a not so discreet sniff, wrinkling his nose.
“There are no showers in the Wastes,” Reid said.
“Maeren, they’re such teenage boys, George! Throw one female their age in their path and they’re more worried about grooming than the fact that Pan could roast them in one fiery breath,” Daemon complained.
“They’re also an elite unit. Be thankful. We’ll need the extra power if we’re to confront an entirely new clan of dragons to rescue Elizabeth and Pan,” George said.
“Is Pan the female dragon? She was silver,” Sam said in a dreamy voice.
Poor Pan. She didn’t want anything to do with males and now, she’d gotten herself the attention of three hot to trot vampire lords.
Daemon was sure they’d approach her as a unit, so used to doing everything else together as the Dogs. It would send the girl dragon flying off again.
“Pan has been locked-up in the light clan’s caves for most of her life,” George said. “She is afraid of males.”
Cason made a growling noise.
Surprisingly, Reid was the one to speak for the Dogs. “We’ll approach her carefully, Sir.”
“You are free to ensure Pan’s safety, but do not go near Elizabeth without prior order from one of us. That witch is more than any of you can handle. She’s ours,” George said.
It was really for their safety, but George had sounded
possessive. The Dogs couldn’t have missed the claim in his tone.
"Ours, George? Since when are we sharing my witch?" Daemon asked.
"You know Elizabeth isn’t only your mate. It’s how we’re all connected—why I have this lightning that is new to me. The mate-bond unlocked this power. Besides, I’m not the only mate our witch has found,” George taunted.
"Geer? That dragon is bold to claim her after one stolen taste,” Daemon grumbled.
"I have seen him. He isn’t going to be much of a threat. One dragon will be nothing for you to handle. She has enough mates. Phillip has tasted her and matched, too."
"I wondered. Is that why his magic was all over her when I transported from the human realm?" Daemon asked.
"Yes. Elizabeth accidentally transported to your room and Phillip was waiting. I didn’t get to question Elizabeth for much of the details—yet—but Phillip tasted her and she used his magic to break his fire-circle from the inside. You know what the shared-power means,” George said in a resigned tone.
“Mates used to be all lore. My parents thought they were the last mates,” Daemon replied.
"The Blue Queen lives,” George said.
"Yes, my mother remains hidden in the human realm as you saw. Can you keep this secret for me, until it’s safe for our father to return?" Daemon asked.
He knew George’s mother would love to find out and plot the best way to exploit that knowledge.
“Of course. You are blessed more than cursed. It’s good. We are going to need all the blessings we can get if we’re to turn around the mess William has created. Even though Phillip is one of Elizabeth’s mates, he’s working against us. What a disaster!" George said.
"Then, the two of us will have to work harder together. I don’t know how I feel about Geer yet. We can't kill him just for being a dragon. Fate must have tied Elizabeth to him for a reason. As long as Phillip is stuck in the castle with William, we won't be able to rely on him for aid." Daemon said.
“Sir, what can you tell us about Elizabeth? What do we need to know to assist you in recovering your . . . ?” Cason trailed off.
“She is my claimed witch,” Daemon said.
“My prisoner,” George corrected. “She is no longer claimed. Your tattoo wore off with transporting you here.”
His brother was right, but Daemon had claimed her first. It still counted. She would wear his claim again.
“Elizabeth has lightning-magic,” Daemon said to the Dogs to answer their questions. “Don’t ask me how it is possible. She just does, and normally, she keeps it secret. She likes to use it to get inside other people’s heads, like George and I can talk in your minds.”
“Mind control?” Reid asked, surprisingly sounding more curious than horrified.
He obviously hadn’t thought through the implications.
“Telepathy isn’t mind control,” Sam said, more of a thinker. “It’s just another way of talking, right?”
Daemon grimaced, not sure how much he wanted to share.
He didn’t need the Dogs making accusations later on that would trouble Elizabeth’s innocent heart.
“Elizabeth is powerful, but fair. She won’t abuse her magic,” George said. “I’ve tested and questioned her myself. Besides, we share her magic. We understand well how it works.”
"We are going to have to bring her back under claim. If her power gets out—becomes public knowledge—it’ll be expected that she has guardians watching over her,” George said.
"The same should be said of us, but because we are male and princes, Maerenian society does not require our power to be checked. Elizabeth is going to fight any claim. She’s been raised in the human realm,” Daemon reminded George.
"She’s not human. You have been too soft on her. You even let her run! The trick her family played on the court could have gotten them killed by William—he’d be able to sway the courts of their black hearts by exposing Elizabeth’s singular magic as an aberration. The people already fear you for being a demon!"
"What do you propose we do?" Daemon asked.
His brother was one of the best strategist in their family.
"Claim her, as I already suggested. She easily accepted your claim once,” George said with a jealous undertone.
"It wasn’t easy."
"The magic decides. We seduce her and make our claims. Don’t complicate it,” George said.
True. Daemon had once even explained claims to Elizabeth, so she would understand they truly were well matched.
"A claim isn’t going to stop her from running, or fighting,” Daemon countered.
"Well, she needs a lesson. You failed to provide a strong enough one from what I gathered of her memories. A pat on the ass, Daemon. Really? I’ve dusted my leathers off harder than you spanked her,” George muttered in his mind.
"She disliked it. I don’t suggest you punish her if you want to seduce and claim her. Not all witches enjoy a firm hand,” Daemon said, although he still wondered if she’d been honest about her reaction to his spanking her.
"I don’t know. Her memory of your spanking didn’t spark remorse, but I felt some mild arousal in her mind,” George said.
Really? Not all hope was lost for that spicy addition to bedroom foreplay. He rather enjoyed a soft bottom bouncing under his hand.
The little squeals of pleasure pain. How wet a witch got at the sound of her bottom getting slapped. The heat of impact that he always used his magic to spread to her clit and make it more pleasurable . . . as he lectured her for enjoying it.
“I thought you wanted to punish Elizabeth, not prime her?" Daemon asked, holding back his thoughts of spanking foreplay.
"We can do both. First, a punishment that she’ll remember—nothing that crosses the line with you, since you’re her first claimed. But it needs to have impact for her to obey. Her safety is more important than a tender posterior, Daemon. Let me take care of it if you prefer. Then, when she’s properly remorseful, we’ll show her the benefits of having mates."
"She’s never been served,” Daemon told his brother, knowing where George was going with this plan.
"Maeren! Are you sure? At her age—”
"And you’re a virgin, too . . . apparently. George, didn’t you learn anything about blocking yet?" Daemon asked in frustration as his brother’s confession slipped his thoughts.
A male virgin? George was a prince with a harem!
Elizabeth had been flustered by that information, as Daemon had unfortunately found out, through George’s leaked memory of their time together in the caves.
His brother’s proposal to seduce their witch was going to rely on Daemon to get it done properly.
He was sure George could muddle through it—but, suddenly, Daemon would rather be the one to teach Elizabeth the pleasure of fangs in her throat, while she rode his cock.
It was a possessive, male want . . . selfish.
He’d fight any of her other mates for the right to service her before them.
"She’s mine first, George. She’s not ready for you, and you know it. Especially if you plan on being the one to deliver her punishment. She’s more apt to accept you if we seduce her together, but the actual fucking will be my duty,” Daemon demanded.
"Fine. I’ve waited for the perfect witch for a long time. She’ll be all the more pleased when we finally do grow close enough for me to service her. I don’t have to be first to be memorable,” George retorted.
Daemon mentally rolled his eyes at his brother.
George better be ready to grovel if he wanted sex.
Elizabeth in a temper was a witch to behold. After everything George had done to her, he had a lot to make up for, even if he only wanted to kiss her toes.
A Spark in the Dark
Raphael
“Are you well, gaisa?”
It was bright in the room that Raphael’s gaisa slept. She had half a dozen candles lit—expensive tastes for even a royal.
The whole room was bathed in the flic
kering light with only a few shadows that came from Raphael as he stalked closer to her bed, like a monster coming out from the closet.
This really was her memory of the room before she’d fallen asleep—and he was in her dream—but he made it feel real to them both with the mate-bond magic.
It was where she felt safe and comfortable, or at least as much as she could be with him haunting her dreams.
She trembled on the bed but didn’t move or answer.
He heard her heart race as he spoke—clearly noticing him as her body reacted.
Taking a seat on the floor, his knees bent in front of him, he sighed.
She looked well. The room she was in was simple, but appointed for comfort. There was plenty of light as he’d noted, warmth, and the bed had a big comforter.
This was the second time he’d visited her dreams. She had changed so much in such a little time.
What had happened to the fiery princess that had cursed and tricked him when he’d tried to steal her away?
She hadn’t cowered even when a demon had tried to take a bite out of her in the human park.
The answer was that he’d done this to her.
They couldn’t move forward without amends.
Geer had tried to warn Raphael against forcing his gaisa.
Trust was important.
“I have taken the time to reflect on our last encounter, gaisa. Please accept my deepest apologies for the offence of my harsh words and forceful treatment of you. I didn’t wish to cause you this fear,” Raphael carefully said to the curled back that was facing him.
A few moments passed without a word from either of them, but her racing heart slowed.
She breathed deeper.
“I will visit you again when you sleep. Perhaps you will want to talk more next time,” Raphael said, disappearing from her dream.
It had been a start.
Field of Regrets
Jill
“It’s an empty field. Let’s go.”
Jill turned around to see her mother’s disapproving stare after she’d made that declaration.
Witch Darkness Follows (Maeren Series Book 3) Page 13
