The reassuring sight of Val’s SUV eased Malcolm even more. The man hopped out of his vehicle and did a double-take when he saw Annika. The reaction would have been comical if the stakes weren’t so high. He was alone, given the size of their compliment and the seat count of the SUV. That meant no Mackie to jabber away the tension. The ride to the club was a silent one, except for Annika’s chatter to her dog. Because he was sitting in the front, Malcolm saw the way Val’s stony expression softened at the sound. Aye, the lassie was going to do them all a world of good, although how Willem had pulled this off was an intriguing question. Likely, the man had no idea himself.
Once they’d arrived and pulled into the underground garage, Val led them not into the club but over to what proved to be a new corridor. It held a big lift at the end of it, and Val took them to the first floor of the renovated building. The doors opened to a single, enormous, wide-open living area. It was dotted with couches, tables and chairs of various kinds, covered with lush carpeting and sported what appeared to be a kitchen and bar combo at one end and an old-fashioned jukebox and video game contraptions at the other. The space had been designed to be comfortable and entertaining for everyone. And it was family-friendly with no go-go boys performing or leering club members prowling.
“Welcome to the new common area,” Val said with a sweep of his hand.
Everyone was there, including Duncan and Dr. Paz, engaged in one sort of activity or another. Only Kitty, Logan and Anderson were missing. There was no surprise there, as someone had to mind the club. And where Kitty was, one would find Anderson. Logan, however, was a law unto herself. Given the mental demons she was fighting, it was always a surprise when she showed up. Regardless, they’d all be there when needed. He had no doubt of it.
The room practically vibrated with masculinity at the moment. Mackie and the rest of the lads stopped what they were doing to run and welcome Brenin, in particular. They swarmed around him good-naturedly. Malcolm kept a keen eye out to make sure his lad wasn’t overwhelmed. Brenin shot him a reassuring smile.
Alex rose from his seat on one of the couches and approached with more decorum. His gaze took them all in with one sweep, although it landed on Annika. “Welcome.” He was saying it to her, and he nodded his head with the greeting.
“Alex.” Willem stepped up to shake his captain’s hand. “I’m afraid I underestimated the growth timetable, as you can see.” He nodded at his daughter.
“Indeed. These things are always hard to gauge, given our limited experience. A good thing, as it happens, dear fellow.”
“Oh, you’ve brought a dog!” Mackie squealed. “It’s adorbs.”
“She,” Annika corrected. “This is Babette. Willem got her for me so that I wouldn’t be quite as outnumbered with all you boys around.”
“Can she do tricks?” Demi asked.
“Of course, she’s very smart.”
“Let’s go over by the kitchen where there’s more room,” Quinn suggested.
“There’s snacks out on the counter, too,” Jase added.
“Okay.”
The lads crowded around her, even the humans sensing how it should be. But they’d gone not two feet before she stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Come on, Merlin. We’re all going to play with Babette.”
The hybrid waged an internal battle. Malcolm could tell by the look on his face. Then he gave up and followed in their wake with angry steps. When he passed a spot where Dafydd sat cross-legged on the floor, playing with his son and Paz, his pace slowed. There were a few seconds of surprised glaring before Dafydd returned the look. Paz placed a comforting hand on his lad’s shoulder, providing a clearly united front, although it didn’t seem to Malcolm that Dafydd needed it. Whatever crossed silently between the Welshman and the hybrid, Dafydd prevailed. Merlin dropped his gaze and continued on.
Lucien walked up with Harry. “It’s Alun, isn’t it? Why don’t we take your bags upstairs and I can show you where you and your son will be staying.” When Alun merely nodded, Lucien added, “Are you hungry?”
“No, sir.” Alun’s quiet reply was in sharp contrast to the noise around them.
“Let’s go, then. If you change your mind, there’s always food to be had. And, please, call me Lucien.”
Harry’s husband had such a soothing way about him, not that Alun seemed to notice. He kept his head down, as always, and meekly handed over one of the bags he held when Lucien tugged at it. Then he followed Lucien silently back to the elevator.
“There’s no hope for that poor man, is there?” Emil asked no one in particular.
“None, I’d say,” Harry answered. “We’ll try, regardless, and, if nothing else, give him a safe home for the rest of his life. As for that brat of his?” Harry shook his head. “That’s going to be quite the project, but Lucien and I are determined.”
“You’ll have some unexpected help there,” Malcolm said, jerking his chin in Annika’s direction.
Alex rubbed at the back of his neck. “Yes, that does seem promising.”
It was Val who asked the question they were all thinking. “How the hell did it happen?”
When they looked at Willem, he shrugged. “Don’t ask at me. I haven’t a clue. I practically fainted when I first saw her.”
“I wouldn’t have thought it remotely possible,” Harry interjected. “Still, life always finds a way, doesn’t it? Especially when the hive is in jeopardy.”
Malcolm watched the young people playing with the dog, popping snacks into their mouths. It was all very sweet if one discounted the reason they’d gathered together. “What’s next, sir?”
“Let’s give them some time to enjoy themselves. Then I want to put it to the test tonight.”
Willem grunted. “Sir, is that necessary? I mean…so soon? I’d like to wait, please. I am her father,” he added with more balls than Malcolm might have had in the situation.
Alex took on his captain’s expression. “I’m sorry, Will. I can see no value in waiting, only ever-increasing risk. We’ll keep her safe.”
“Yes, sir.”
Emil clapped him on the back. “Come on. I bet you’re hungry. A full stomach helps with everything.”
* * * *
“This is really very kind of you, but I don’t think I need such a large escort. Willem has always protected me on his own.”
Without looking behind him, Willem said, “That’s true, honey, but I feel better with all of my friends coming with us.”
They marched down into the basement, surrounding the lass like the Pretorian Guard. Not a man among them, even Trey and Paz, thought they were being overly cautious. And while poor Willem had the most to be worried about, none of them wanted to take any chances with this precious life. If this test went as hoped, they’d have their proof of victory over Dracul and what was left of his forces. Excitement mixed with trepidation. Malcolm could feel it in himself and the others.
Only Annika acted unaffected. Alex had been honest with her about what she faced. She didn’t appear to be the least concerned and had readily agreed to the short trip over to the club and into the basement.
“Oh, if it’s for you, Father Willem, then I don’t mind. I do hope Babette is behaving herself. She can be quite a handful, although she seemed quite taken with baby Idris.”
“Dafydd is keeping a careful eye on them both,” Paz assured her.
The human doctor also seemed unfazed by their adventure. He’d changed in the short time since Malcolm had last seen him. Not only had the man obviously cemented his relationship with Dafydd, he held himself with more of a warrior’s confidence. Malcolm had a feeling that for the next battle, he’d join them in the fight. Plus, of all of them, he hadn’t appeared surprised as the conversation about Annika had played out among Alex, Willem and Harry. Interesting. The man had proved smart and fearless, and Malcolm was damn glad to have him on their side and in their hive, which was truly what they were becoming, apparently.
As they reached the bottom
and waited for Val to open the armament room, Annika said, “I love the music coming from the club. Might we not sit in the pretty room with all those men for a while after this and listen to it?”
“No.” The answer came out of every man’s mouth.
The lass huffed yet said no more.
The trip over to the far door seemed interminable. Without discussing it, they flanked into a phalanx, with Willem standing directly behind his daughter. He only had to reach out and yank her away if trouble arose. Malcolm held his breath while Val turned the tumbler to unlock the cell door. It opened soundlessly to expose Petru’s bright prison. He rose slowly from his narrow, hard bed. Naked.
Malcolm winced. They’d all forgotten that detail. Back home, it wouldn’t have mattered in the least, but Annika was a young female of this planet and of European culture. He could tell by the set of his body that Willem wasn’t much pleased.
Then, it didn’t matter anyway. For, in the next instant, Petru’s gaze homed in on the lass. His eyes went wide and his mouth gaped open. There was a visible tremble through his entire body before he dropped to his knees and bowed his head.
The tension in the room snapped. It was as if everyone both breathed a silent sigh of relief and inhaled with optimism.
Paz leaned over to Malcolm. “I’m not sure I understand. Is this what the proof we’re seeking looks like? Is he accepting her as a queen?”
“Aye…and more.” He grinned broadly at the human. “It means she’s the queen.”
Epilogue
“Shall I fetch you your dinner, Master? Or, would you prefer to feed?” The slut’s voice was breathless with anticipation.
Dracul didn’t bother looking away from the mirror as he backhanded him. With a muffled grunt, the boy sprawled onto the floor. “I’ll tell you when I’m hungry.”
Really, the impertinence of the stupid creature. Being confined for so long with only the dumb bitch for company was wearing on him. Then again, the slut was a tight hole and totally devoted to his Master, like the dog he was. He would have to do until Dracul had rebuilt his power base and decimated his enemies. Once he was back on top, he’d have his choice of toys. Maybe he’d keep this one, maybe not. Although variety was always desirable, there was something to say for the unusual coloring of his bed-warmer. Plus, loyalty was hard to come by. No one had learned that lesson better than Dracul.
Recuperating from his near-death experience had been more difficult than he’d anticipated. Having only one blood source didn’t help matters. His body was slowly coming back to full strength. Waiting for it had been frustrating. Patience had never been his strong suit. He could admit to that one weakness. Staring at himself had become a terrible habit, too. He couldn’t quite stop, however. As he gazed into the hand-held looking glass, he traced the scars running down his face with his fingertip. Barely a spot on him had been spared during the fall into the cistern. Grooves lined his face from the rough rock. The tip of his nose was gone entirely, leaving a gaping view of his nasal cavity.
He was hideous.
His pique rose with blinding speed, as always. He threw the mirror across the wall and watched it shatter with some satisfaction. The boy pushed up to kneel in front of him, his bare chest heaving and a trickle of blood running from the corner of his fetching lips. The slut knew better than to lick it or wipe it away. His blood, every drop of it, belonged to his Master.
Dracul crooked his finger and the boy shuffled closer to his side. At first, he ran his tongue up the line of red. The quick burst of flavor made him sigh. Then he latched on to the cut and sucked. Instead of struggling against the assault, the ever-accommodating slave leaned into it. Dracul could hear the boy’s heartbeat, quick with his arousal. Although, with his useless little cock caged, there was nothing to be done with it.
Just the way Dracul liked it. There was only one need that counted.
He yanked his slut up by his hair, forcing him onto his lap and onto his cock. That part of him, as well, had been disfigured. He could barely look at the gnarled thing. Nevertheless, it functioned and he’d have to be content with that, not happy. That was an emotion he’d lost forever.
It was disappointingly easy to mount this human. His body gave almost no resistance to the invasion. Unsatisfying. To help rectify that problem, he released the lip, twisted the head out of the way and sank his fangs deeply and brutally into the waiting neck. That got a cry out of the cunt, while causing him to clench his hole tightly around Dracul’s dick.
Ah, much better.
He drank his fill, tugging forcefully at the artery, and drilled that ass to acceptable satisfaction. Nothing truly pleased him these days. No matter. He would regain his full strength. It was only a matter of time. Plus, his enemies didn’t even know he still lived. They had no idea he spent his days tracking them and plotting their destruction. He retracted his fangs once his climax ended, barely bothering to lick the wounds closed, and shuddered out a harsh breath against his never-ending disappointment.
“Idiots.” He chuckled. “They think they’re safe. I’ll show them how wrong they are.”
“When, Master?”
Dracul shoved the impudent creature off his lap and onto the floor. “Ask me another question and I’ll cut off your balls.”
“Yes, Master.” The boy dipped his gaze, yet not before his eyes told Dracul how much the threat excited him.
God, where is the fun in all this? Dafydd had given him more pleasure merely by hating his guts and loathing his touch. The thought of what he’d lost infuriated him, chasing away the buzz of his feeding.
“Oh, go fix me some dinner.”
“Yes, Master.” The human scrambled to his feet and scurried out of the room.
“And don’t make it goat again!”
His diminished circumstances really were insupportable. This hideaway he’d created long ago had never been intended to be a place to stay long-term. But it was the best he could reach, for the moment. Gazing around the richly-appointed accommodations, he sneered. No amount of Persian rugs could hide the sand that blew in constantly or the scorpions that dared to slink over his bare feet.
This was all Alex’s fault. And Petru’s, who’d failed to come to his aid when it had counted most. “Traitor.” There would be a special punishment for that perfidy.
But no, the worst of the lot was Dafydd. “I will come for you first, my pet. Oh yes, I will. And the last thing you’ll see before I tear out your throat and eat your heart will be my son in my arms where he belongs.”
Want to see more from this author? Here’s a taster for you to enjoy!
Alien Slave Masters: The Inconvenient Pet
Samantha Cayto
Excerpt
Wen’s knees hit the hard-packed dirt with a force that reverberated up his exhausted body. His lungs ached with the effort to draw in enough breath to keep from passing out, while his heart hammered so fast he feared it would burst. He couldn’t go on. He’d run as fast as his comparatively short Travian legs could manage and still his pursuers were gaining on him. Of course they were. Unlike him, they had a hovercraft. With each passing moment, it got closer and closer. The scrubland around him afforded little cover, and the outcropping of rock that had seemed a manageable distance when he’d started out now appeared farther away. A trick of the sun… He knew that. This damnable planet was hot and hazy and the vast areas lying beyond the human settlement and Travian command center robbed one of moisture and energy.
Accepting defeat, he fell down on his hands and waited to be caught. That was assuming the humans didn’t simply blow him to dust from their perch in the sky. How had they come to possess such a craft? He knew his own people’s technology, and he’d been on the planet long enough to know humans didn’t have anything like it. Not that it mattered. These humans chasing him were not of the farming community—not so far out here. He was sure of that. His human friend Jo-el had told him that his people had been forced to choose less desirable planets to colonize as time
had worn on. This most current one—a place the humans called New World Colony Seven and to which Travians simply assigned a number—didn’t lend itself to cultivation very well. To succeed, the humans had concentrated their farming efforts on a small patch far from this area.
He drew in a ragged breath then choked on the dust the hovercraft kicked up as it landed nearby. He closed his eyes briefly and thought of his family. He wouldn’t get to see them again, and, in all likelihood, they’d never know what had happened to him. There was no chance he’d survive this assault. Even if he’d been armed, he’d spotted at least three humans pursuing him. He was outnumbered and probably outgunned. Besides, he was a scientist, not a soldier. Not really. He’d finished at the bottom of every combat course he’d taken as a cadet. No surprise there. As an almost-runt, he’d been lucky to have been accepted into the military at all.
A sudden silence surrounded him as the craft shut down. He waited with his head hanging, working up the courage to face his attackers. The clomping of their steps caught his attention before three pairs of scuffed brown boots entered his field of vision. With one more fleeting thought of his family, he raised his head. He wouldn’t die cowed in the dirt. Slowly, he straightened, throwing his shoulders back and keeping his hands by his sides. If these humans were not inclined to kill him right away, he didn’t want to give them any reason to.
He focused his gaze on the nearest set of feet and roamed up—and up. Then up some more as two thick legs planted themselves right in front of him. They tapered in briefly at a waist laden with all manner of weapons before widening again into a massive wall of muscle. Wen found himself staring at the tallest, largest human he’d ever seen. The male looked to be bigger than him, even. Wen had kind of liked working among humans because—for the first time in his life—he hadn’t been the small one. This male must be some kind of leader of his race. His vast size surely commanded respect.
Healing Dance Page 22
