Erotikos

EROTIKOS

…Renee regarded her friends with nauseating unease. Her insides roiled with apprehension. Instinctively she sensed something was about to happen, but she had no clue as to what that might be. They were three half-drunk women playing a stupid board game that Mina had seduced out the hands of an old gypsy woman’s adolescent grandson. What could happen? She was about to suggest they just put away the dumb game when Candi yelled, “Look!” practically scaring her out of her skin. “Look at the orb in the middle!” Suddenly sober with excitement, Candi reared up on her knees. With both hands firmly planted on either side of the board, she hovered over the game, her expression a mixture of awe and anticipation. Mina inclined her head, squinting as the white swirling words within the orb’s center began to take shape. “What’s that say?” Almost against her own will, Renee felt her upper body sway forward, too. Unable to deny her curiosity, she deciphered the hazy message. “It looks like…‘Do you three agree?’” “Agree to what?” Candi deflated back against the couch, her momentary thrill in danger of expiring to her characteristic boredom. “Well, to the adventures, of course,” Mina snorted. “What

else could it be?” They all fell silent, exchanging looks of agreement, excitement, and unease in a room that suddenly seemed void of all objects and sound. It was almost as though a vacuum had sucked away everything but the three of them and this game. Renee felt weightless and drunk, but she sensed her surrealistic state wasn’t caused by alcohol. Something else was amiss…

ALSO BY S HANNON LEIGH Chinatown Buffet Greenwood Manor Lycan Lore More Than Prophecy Nana’s Little Black Book Stairway To Heaven

EROTIKOS BY SHANNON LEIGH

AMBER Q UILL PRESS, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com

EROTIKOS AN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOK This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. Amber Quill Press, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. Copyright © 2008 by Shannon Leigh ISBN 978-1-60272-217-0 Cover Art © 2008 Trace Edward Zaber

Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

To my family and friends, for always standing by my side.

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CHAPTER 1 Renee dumped two cups of crushed ice, a can of frozen margarita mix, and a healthy dose of tequila into the blender, snapped the lid in place, and punched the CRUSH button. The blender roared to life, its metal blades crunching the helpless ice into a smooth concoction of tangy bliss. After hitting OFF, she reached into the cabinet and pulled out three glasses. “Are they done yet?” Candi called from the living room. “Almost,” she yelled back. “Well, hurry up! Where’s Mina?” Candi huffed. Renee rolled her eyes. “She’s on her way. Don’t be such an alcoholic,” she jibed, then laughed at Candi’s responsive snort. 1

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It was girl’s night in. The three of them planned on getting drunk, playing a board game, and maybe finishing up with a chic-flick. Of course, the last time they’d gotten together, they’d barely made it through two rounds of Twister before Candi passed out in the middle of the plastic mat. They never could figure out who won. “Come on,” Candi whined. “I’ve been dying for a ’rita all day!” With a shake of her head, Renee carefully filled two of the three glasses. If one were to look up the medical ailment Attention Deficit Disorder, it’d have a picture of Candi next to the definition. Unlike herself, the woman needed constant stimulation. She, on the other hand, was quite content to curl up in the recliner with a good book, a cup of pipin’ hot tea, and her old quilt. But she had to admit, despite her typical reserved, responsible, and boring life, she did enjoy these occasional slumber parties where they all let their hair down, gossiped about their female nemeses, and inevitably—as most women do—compared penis sizes of their latest beaus. While Mina wasn’t quite as voracious as Candi when it came to men, she was certainly eccentric. Her picks were always a bit on the weird size. Somehow, their three different personalities managed to blend into a strong bond of friendship that had lasted for almost ten years. “Renee…” The long drawn out plea made Renee think of a child begging for a cookie before dinner. “I’m coming,” she called, 2

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trying to hold the two margaritas in one hand and a bowl of hot salsa in the other. Using her elbow, she scooped up a bag of tortilla chips flavored with a hint of lime and held it in place beneath her arm, then started for the door. As she crossed into the living room, the doorbell rang. The fun was about to begin. Rather than get the door, Candi jumped up from her spot on the floor and snatched one of the margaritas out of Renee’s hand. Disregarding the salsa and chips, she plopped back onto the floor and began nursing her drink as though parched with thirst. Were it an unexpected behavior, Renee would have been annoyed at her friend’s inconsideration, but that was Candi. The doorbell chimed again. “Coming!” Setting the second drink, bowl, and chips on the coffee table, Renee started for the foyer. “I bid you good evening,” Mina declared in a deep, gothic tone when Renee opened the front door. Renee took one look at her friend’s bizarre outfit—a royal purple dress made of crushed velvet and trimmed with black lace that clung to the top half of Mina’s voluptuous form like a second skin, forcing her deep cleavage up so high Renee had to wonder how she breathed, then flared at her narrow waist into a full skirt that dragged the ground—and rolled her eyes. “Oh, good Lord. What are you tonight?” Mina giggled. “I am…vampyress,” she answered in that same corny voice, then lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing a pair of granny-type black boots that laced up to her knees. 3

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“Like the boots?” “Mmm…think I’ll get me a pair. Now get in here before the neighbors see you and think I’ve hired an escort or something. It’s been so long since I’ve had a man grace my stoop, they all probably think I’ve turned gay.” Mina clucked her tongue with disapproval. “Old biddies,” she sneered, casting a scornful glance over at the house across the street. “What they both need is a good fuckin’.” “Mina!” Grabbing her friend by the arm, she pulled her in the house and quickly shut the door. “Don’t you know they have super-sonic hearing? I swear, they know everything that goes on in this neighborhood, and find great delight in spreading it about.” Trying to sound as exasperated by her friend’s behavior as she could, she added, “Why, they’re probably over there right now saying a dozen hail-Mary’s for my sins.” Mina’s brow wrinkled. “What sin?” “Why, associating with trollops and drunkards, of course.” Unable to contain their mirth, they both roared with giddy laughter. “Oh…I missed you,” Renee said, giving Mina a fierce hug. “Me, too. It’s been too long since we had one of these.” “Hey!” Candi chimed from the living room. “What about me? I’m still here you know.” “Oh, Candi! I missed you, too, dear,” Mina exclaimed. Handing Renee a board game and a bottle of José Cuervo Golden Margarita, she hurried into the other room to greet their spoiled girlfriend. 4

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Slowly following along behind her, Renee studied the game’s box. Erotikos? She thought the title odd, but the box’s cover was even weirder…a large mirror-like circle rimmed in a raised, ornate, golden frame comprised the center, just beneath the name. The rest was swathed in a strange brown material that almost felt like leather. Various symbols were burned into the flesh-like covering. Tucking the bottle of margarita under her armpit, she traced one of the designs. It was an Indian tomahawk. As though responding to her touch, the face of a male Indian appeared in the mirrored circle. Renee yelped in surprise, fumbling the box. The bottle slipped from beneath her arm and tumbled perilously toward the floor. Opting to save the glass and her ceramic tile, she let the game fall unheeded and caught the bottle just before it hit the floor. With a relieved sigh, she turned toward the board game, which lay a few feet away. The man’s face was gone. With a bewildered shake of her head, Renee snatched up the game and headed for the living room, where both Candi and Mina sat, Indian style, on the floor next to the coffee table, sucking down margaritas and chips. “I see you’ve started without me.” “You move like a three-toed sloth,” Candi reasoned, stuffing a tortilla chip laden with chunky salsa into her mouth. She chased it with a large gulp of her frozen drink. Suddenly spying the bottle in Renee’s arms, Candi jumped to her feet. “Ooo! What’s that?” 5

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Renee held up the transparent bottle, inspected its pale yellow contents, then shrugged. “Something Mina brought.” Mine smiled mischievously. “I know we said no men, but I had to bring José. Trust me, he’s hard but goes down smooth.” Renee grunted at her friend’s sexual connotation. “Looks like lemonade to me.” Candi quickly confiscated the bottle of promised bliss. “What do you do with it?” “Just pour it over ice, no mixing or blending required,” Mina replied, sounding like a saleswoman presenting her pitch. “I’ll get some clean glasses.” Candi quickly disappeared into the kitchen. “You know she’ll be sloshed before we even get started,” Renee declared, picking a spot on the opposite side of Mina. She placed the game in the middle of the coffee table. “So tell me about this game, ’cause I’ve got to tell you, just looking at the top gives me the heebie-jeebies.” Mina snickered. “Isn’t it too cool? I found it in an old antique shop downtown. The shop owner didn’t seem too keen on selling it—said it wasn’t supposed to be on the shelf—so I waited until she was busy with another customer and suckered her homely grandson into letting me have it for next to nothing.” Renee arched her right brow suspiciously. “And how’d you do that?” “I promised to give him a blow job when he got off work.” “Mina!” she gasped, mortified by her friend’s bargaining 6

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ethics. Mina seemed genuinely shocked by Renee’s disapproval. “What?” Renee rubbed both temples with her index and middle fingers. “Please tell me he was legal.” Mina grinned over the rim of her margarita glass. She looked like the perfect succubus. Renee could only imagine the poor boy’s helplessness. She stared at her friend, waiting for her to either confirm or deny the allegation. Who could resist Mina’s charm? And if that didn’t work, her big tits usually got the job done. With an audible sigh of resignation, Mina finally confessed. “Okay, he was eighteen. Barely. No biggy.” “Mina!” Renee threw her hands up with despair. “You’re twenty-three. That’s almost statutory rape!” she scolded, shaking an accusatory finger in Mina’s direction. Calmly setting her drink down, Mina’s demeanor became defensive. “Well, he wasn’t complaining. Poor kid. I bet that’s the first time he’s gotten off by something other than his own hand.” Renee cringed. “Was he that ugly? Pimply and fat?” Mina harrumphed. “I set my standards a little higher than that, thank you. No, he wasn’t repulsive or fat, just nerdy and inexperienced. In fact, with a little help in the clothing department, some contacts, and a stylish haircut, he’d be quite attractive. Had a nice cock, too. Good-n-thick.” Renee’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve found a new project, haven’t you?” 7

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It wasn’t a question. Renee had seen that look in Mina’s eyes before. Her friend thrived on sex education—she being the teacher, and some poor, inexperience soul her pupil. Mina planned on schooling a select male population in the manners of making love, one guy at a time. So far, her plight had been quite successful. At last count, she’d educated nearly a dozen young men who, up until meeting her, hadn’t struck a home run with anything more than Penthouse Magazine. Renee shook her head with distaste. She preferred men who knew what they were doing and didn’t waste time doing it. That’s not to say she liked a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am guy. On the contrary, she liked a man who knew how to pleasure a woman and was confident in his ability to do so. She had to admit, though, Mina had a knack for finding the proverbial diamond in the rough. In her defense, each trainee left her school with an improved outward appearance, as well as a healthy dose of newfound self-confidence. Perhaps her services weren’t purely egocentric after all.

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CHAPTER 2 Candi returned carrying three champagne glasses filled with ice and José. “This is all I could find,” she explained, setting them on the coffee table. “These’ll work.” Mina selected one, then motioned for Renee to do the same. Renee picked up a glass and brought it to her lips. She took a tentative drink, expecting something pungent like whiskey or bourbon. To her surprise, the tart and slightly sweet liquid that coated her tongue was quite tasty. She took a larger sip. “Mmm…this is definitely better than lemonade.” “I’ll say,” Candi exclaimed, gulping down a third of her 9

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glass’s contents. “Whoa! Easy there, Candi-cane. That stuff’s potent.” Mina demonstrated the proper way to drink a José margarita. “I hate when you call me that.” Mina gave her a wicked grin. “Yeah, but we all know how much you like being licked.” “And sucked,” Candi purred as she took a smaller gulp of her drink. “Speaking of sucking, what was this I heard about you educating another youth in the manners of fellatio?” “Hold on a minute, let me get comfortable.” Renee settled back against the sofa, knowing they were about to get all the juicy details of Mina’s lesson. “Okay, spill.” Mina’s snickered iniquitously. “I waited in the alley behind the store until his shift was over. I guess he came out about nine-fifteen. As luck would have it, the moon was full— you know how naughty I am under a full moon.” Both Candi and Renee nodded in agreement. A full moon was like an aphrodisiac to their eccentric friend. If one believed in vampires and such, one would certainly presume Ms. Mina Devonshire was a creature of the night. “The setting was perfect. Just enough light to—” “Come on with it, Mina,” Candi scolded. “Get to the details. Did he have a big schlong or what? Did he cream his pants before you got them down? Or give you good facial?” “Shush, Candi. Let her tell the story!” Renee’s chastised. Candi wrinkled her nose at her. “Yes, Mother,” she acquiesced with a childish pout before settling back against the recliner to nurse her drink in silence while they waited for 10

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Mina to finish. “Okay, so I’ve got him pressed up against the wall, and his hands are like everywhere, groping and squeezing, until I finally convince him to lace them behind his head while I finish taking care of him first.” Renee reached for the bottle of margarita and refilled her glass. She could already feel the potent liquor taking effect. Combined with Mina’s story, she was starting to feel a little horny, too. “I unzip his pants, right? And go to pull him out, and I swear, it was so big, I couldn’t get them off! He had to slide them down himself because I was really afraid of hurting him.” Candi sat forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “How big?” “Big.” Mina held her palms about eight inches apart, then made a two-inch circle with her fingers. Renee’s eyes narrowed. “You lie.” Mina shook her head. “I’m dead serious. It was all I could do to take him in past the head.” She glanced down at her champagne glass, seemingly studying it a moment. Casting Renee and Candi a devilish grin, she proceeded to slide the rim through her lips, deepthroating the entire glass down to its slender stem. Then she pulled it back out, leaving a smear of scarlet lipstick along its cylindrical exterior. “Yep, I’d say he was about that wide. But a whole lot longer,” Mina exclaimed. 11

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Candi giggled at Mina’s obscene display, while Renee merely rolled her eyes. “So then what?” Candi asked, downing the last of her José. Mina grinned. “I pull him out, balls and all. Let him hang over his unzipped jeans. Then I tell him to lean against the wall, spread his legs a bit, you know, so I can kneel down and reach him. I barely get into position when he starts thrusting himself into my mouth. Nearly gagged me ’til I got my hand wrapped around the base to give myself a little buffer.” Really feeling the José, Renee chimed, “Don’t you just hate when they do that? Like some kind of animal or something? When I go down on a guy, I want to be in control, not him.” Candi shrugged. “I guess so. I don’t know, I think it’s kind of hot. Especially when they’re standing up and their bodies start shaking and stuff, like they’re having some kind of seizure or something. I like the power it gives me.” Renee snorted. “I don’t mind the shaking, it’s the choking part that gets me. Maybe I just have a strong gag reflex…” Her words trailed off as she stared down into the bottom of her empty glass. “The trick,” Mina cut in, “is getting your hand around the base.” She held up a clenched fist. “So he can’t push forward so far. Try it. I promise, he can mouth-fuck you all he wants and you won’t feel like he’s playing hockey with your tonsils.” Renee chuckled. “I’ll try to keep that in mind the next time I’m giving someone a blow job.” 12

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She filled her glass a third time, telling herself it was the last one for a while. Too much more and she’d be sloshed before they played Mina’s game. She was kind of anxious to open the box, see what lay beneath that strange cover. “Did he come fast?” Candi’s elbows were on the coffee table, head propped in her hands. Renee could tell she was already soused. If Mina didn’t come on with it, they’d be down to two players. Mina shrugged. “You know how young guys are. They barely get going before they spew everywhere.” Then she laughed. “I thought the poor boy was going to faint on me, with the way he stiffened up and held his breath. Good thing he was pressed against the wall.” She finished the rest of her drink with a single gulp. “And that was just the beginning.” Renee groaned. “Oh no, you didn’t…” “Yup, took him back to my place and fucked the shit out of him all night long,” Mina declared proudly, pouring herself another drink. “And the night after that as well. He had such a nice dick, I couldn’t help myself.” “Mina,” Renee chided. “You’re going to end up getting some type of disease, or murdered, or—” “Oh, stop being such an old fuddy-duddy, Renee. I can take care of myself. You know I don’t screw anyone without a condom.” “She’s got stock in Trojan, don’t you know,” Candi chimed. Mina wrinkled her nose at her, then turned back to Renee. “He’s harmless, Renee. Really. Just an inexperienced guy who 13

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probably had the best weekend of his life.” Renee sighed. “Just be careful, okay?” Mina nodded. “I thought we was playing a game?” Candi whined, her interest in Mina’s latest sexcapade waning. She slumped back against the sofa, her empty champagne glass dangerously limp in her right hand. “I think you’ve had enough to drink,” Renee said, snatching the glass before it hit the ground. “I’m fine,” Candi insisted. “I’ve gotta pee.” She jumped to her feet, staggered a bit before regaining her balance, then started for the bathroom. “How much you wanna bet she never comes back?” Renee said, eyeballing Candi’s unsteady gait. “I’ll find her hugging the toilet in the morning.” Mina sighed. “I should have kept José put up until after the game. Oh, well,” she said with a shrug. “Let’s set it up for three and see what happens.”

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CHAPTER 3 Mina opened the box and removed its contents: a game board, eight playing pieces, a deck of rectangular cards, and two die. After unfolding the board, she spread it out flat across the coffee table. Surprisingly, it comprised most of the table’s span, stretching to near each corner. “Wow,” Renee exclaimed, stunned by the detailed artwork depicted transversely along the board’s sides. Each displayed two settings of similar content or theme. The side nearest her seemed to follow a western premise. Half was illustrated with the inside of a teepee, while the other displayed what looked to be a brothel room. Having little interest in cowboys, Renee disregarded the 15

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brawny gunslinger posed on the antique bed and considered the Indian setting instead. Having just recently studied several tribes in her anthropology class, she recognized the markings and décor as being Sioux, a fierce clan with skilled warriors and enchanting traditions. Her gaze was drawn to the center. She felt an instant surge of lust for the male character sprawled on his back atop a pile of animal furs. With his hands tucked behind his head, hips slightly cocked, and right knee bent, he appeared to be completely at ease. Renee traced her fingers along the palpable lean muscle in his arms and legs, wishing it were more than just cleverly molded metal she touched. His glossy black hair glistened with a near blue sheen in the flickering glow of a small fire strategically placed in his shelter’s center. For the briefest of moments, she could have sworn she felt heat lick her fingertips. Realizing the dancing flames were nothing more than a holographic illusion, courtesy of the game’s designer, she moved on to the next side. The tempting blue of ocean waters teeming with colorful fish, playful dolphins, and various other sea creatures tweaked her interest. While the entire side depicted a magical undersea world, it still played home to two very different male characters. On the right, a merman with flowing hair the hue of spun gold, a sleek lean build, and a powerful tail enmeshed with the enchanting colors of purple, teal, and blue hefted his trident in one powerful arm as though portraying his rightful ruling of 16

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the sea. On the left, a naked man with long wavy hair as rich and thick as dark chocolate and a form so appealing it made her gasp, hung suspended within the cerulean depths, seemingly out of place within that watery underworld. Curious about his presence, Renee shifted the board a little, bringing it closer for a better look. Suddenly, the man vanished, and a large chocolate seal took his place. She yelped with surprise. “What the…” “It’s a selkie,” Mina offered. She nudged the board a bit. The seal disappeared and the man returned. “You see, when he sheds his selkie skin, he takes on a human form. They’re supposed to be powerfully attractive, skilled seducers, and masterful lovers.” Renee snorted. “Look at the size of his dick.” Her eyes were glued on the billowing form of his erect shaft. He’s a little scary.” Mina giggled. “Please. You know you’d take that on.” Renee shrugged with feigned indifference. “Maybe.” “Maybe my ass,” Mina scoffed. “You’re practically drooling.” “It’s the José,” Renee countered. “My lips have gone numb.” Mina rolled her eyes. “Anyway, once they’ve satisfied their carnal needs, they don their selkie skin and return to their true seal-like shapes.” Wondering how her friend knew so much about these strange creatures, Renee glanced over at her. “Why do they 17

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seduce humans? Why not female selkies?” Mina laughed. “I guess because the female selkies are too busy seducing human men. With them it’s a little different, though. If a man can catch a selkie in her human form and hide her skin, she’ll have to stay with him and become his wife. But…” Mina held up her index finger with an air of warning. “If she ever finds her skin, she’ll put it back on and return to the sea forever, leaving her husband to pine her loss and eventually die.” “Geez, that’s harsh.” Renee returned her focus to the game. With a final glance at the selkie-man’s tantalizing goods, she rotated the board to the next side. Snorting with amusement, she tapped her fingertip against the surface. “This looks right up your alley, Mina.” Purple-capped mountains loomed in the distance of a small, secluded cottage surrounded by dense forestry. A tall dark figure with jet-black hair swept back from his forehead in a pointed crest, a trim, almost sinewy build, and dressed in eighteen-century attire stood, hands on hips, on the threshold. Cloud-filtered moonlight illuminated his pale but handsome features with an eerie and ethereal glow. His head was tilted to the right, his sharp chin angled forward. A crimson streak dribbled from the corner of his slightly parted mouth. There was no mistaking his pointed teeth, which clearly dipped below his upper lip. Mina held up a pewter figure resembling the one on the game. 18

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Renee rolled her eyes. “I should have known you’d select that one.” She trailed her fingertips across the board’s slick surface, angling for the second gothic character depicted on that side. “What about the werewolf? He looks…intriguing.” Mina giggled. “If we play more than one round, I’ll pick him next.” Renee grunted. A toilet flush momentarily distracted her scrutiny. “You okay in there, Candi?” Candi stumbled out of the bathroom, using the doorjamb for support as she paused briefly to switch off the light. “Never better,” she declared, wiping the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. “You still gonna play?” Mina asked, eyeballing their intoxicated friend with ostensible skepticism. “Uh, yeah,” Candi replied with a haughty shake of her head. She sounded more like an eighties valley-girl teenager than a modern-day woman. “Good, hurry up and pick your playing piece, I’m ready to get started,” Mina chided. With a huff of annoyance, Candi plopped down onto the floor next to the coffee table. She stared at her empty glass a moment, then shoved it aside. “I think I’ve had enough José for one night. So what are we playin’ anyhow?” Renee grunted again. That was a first. Candi normally drank herself into a stupor and passed out. “Erotikos,” Mina declared in her corny vampire tone. “An erotic game for women where fantasy becomes reality.” 19

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“Oh, brother.” Renee rolled her eyes. She shifted the board around to its final side, instantly taking note of the disparity between the two males characters compared to their counterparts. “That’s odd.” “Isn’t it, though?” Mina agreed. “What?” Candi strained to see what it was they referred to. “Well, the other three sides depict men of either history or fantasy. This one is clearly present-day,” Renee explained. She pointed first to the man dressed in an expensive steelgray suit that seemed perfectly tailored to his tall, lean form. His face was clean shaven and smooth, not a single speck of stubble to be found, while every strand of his dirty-blond hair seemed painstakingly put in place, as though he’d just stepped foot from some God-created man-mold. He seemed too faultless to be real. Then she indicated the one wearing a flannel shirt— tantalizingly left unbuttoned to display his sculpted washboard abs—worn jeans, and black work boots. He had what appeared to be a sledgehammer propped atop one brawny shoulder, leading Renee to believe he worked some type of construction. Equipped with a blue dew-rag tied around his head and chromed-out Harley motorcycle sitting in the background, he looked like the perfect bad boy. Candi purred with appreciation as her inspection lingered on Harley-man. “I always did like a man with a hot ride.” “How about a hot rod?” Mina snickered, turning the board so that the selkie and merman were displayed before Candi. “Check out his ride.” 20

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Candi’s mouth dropped to her chin as she took in the naked man floating in the ocean blue depths. “Oh baby…” Mina shifted the board a bit and he changed into his selkie form. “What the?” Candi gasped with exasperation. “Hey! What happened?” Mina giggled. “Don’t panic.” She moved the board again and he shifted back into a human. “Much better,” Candi affirmed, practically drooling with desire as she gazed longingly at the man’s buoyant cock. “What is he? Some sort of shape-shifter?” Feeling the need to flaunt her recent education in the means of mythical beings, Renee said, “He’s a selkie.” Her tone was nonchalant as she added, “They’re supposed to be excellent lovers.” Mina suppressed an amused grin as Renee recounted what she’d just told her only moments before. “So who do you want?” she asked, turning to Candi. “The bad boy or the selkie?” She held up the two pewter figurines. “I haven’t picked yet,” Renee complained. “I should get first choice, she’s been in the bathroom barfing her guts out.” As though fearing Renee might select her preference, Candi snatched the selkie out of Mina’s hand. With an almost childish expression that said, challenge me if you dare, she guarded the pewter figure within her clenched palm. Renee huffed, blowing a wayward lock of satiny chestnut hair out of her eyes. “I was gonna pick him,” she glowered. Drawn by some inexplicable force, her gaze slid to the 21

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Indian man sprawled on his back. An earthly flicker deep within his near-black eyes caused her insides to tighten with almost violent need. Logically she knew it was only a game, but for the briefest moment, he almost looked…real.

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CHAPTER 4 Desire shot through her core as she studied the sizeable bulge tenting his loincloth. His erection was unmistakable. Funny, she hadn’t noticed that before. Probably just another artist’s trick, she assured herself, squelching the urge to touch his crotch. “I want him,” she heard herself say, almost in a daze as she reached for his pewter replica. Something sharp pricked her skin when she gripped the figurine between her thumb and forefinger. “Ouch!” She dropped the playing piece back onto the board, then regarded the tiny blood spot on her thumb. “What’s the matter?” Mina considered her with raised 23

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brows. “It stabbed me,” Renee exclaimed, sticking her thumb in her mouth. Carefully picking up the piece with her other hand, she searched for the means of her injury. “You’re not going to believe this!” “What now?” Dumbfounded by her odd behavior, Mina shook her head. Renee held the piece toward her friend. “He poked me with his penis.” Mina busted out laughing. “Now that’s hilarious! We haven’t even started and you’re already getting violated!” Renee scowled at her friend’s warped humor. “Are we gonna play or what?” Candi huffed. Mina rolled her eyes. “Yes, as soon as Renee reads the instructions.” “Why do I gotta read ’em?” Renee inspected her thumb once again. Satisfied the bleeding had stopped, she regarded her friends. “Because Candi is too drunk, and I lugged the thing all the way over here,” Mina declared. Renee frowned. “Fine,” she acquiesced. “Where are they?” Mina handed her the game’s lid. “They’re printed in here.” Renee held the box top up so she could read the inside. She scanned through the first few sentences, then busted out laughing. “Listen to this,” she said between giggles. Clearing her throat, she read, “‘Unlike any you’ve played before, this game will leave you wanting more. If stiff cocks 24

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and skilled tongues are what you desire, then there’s plenty here to light your fire. Exciting adventures with sex galore, but don’t play too long or you’re bound to be sore. So grab some friends to join the fun, or play by yourself, it’s suitable for one.’” Renee glanced up from the instructions. “The game is designed for one to eight players.” Candi’s face scrunched with confusion. “How could you play by yourself?” Mina grunted. “Who cares, keep reading.” Renee nodded. “‘After all players have selected their man, turn the dial in the middle of the board to the appropriate number of players.’” Mina grunted again, then leaned forward to roll the little metal corrugated wheel in the game’s center until the number in the tiny box beside it read 3. “Now what?” “‘Each player is to select a character piece, then place the remaining ones back inside the box. Put the pieces in play on their appropriate beginning spot as indicated on the board. Warning, make sure the character is on his space. Placing a piece on the wrong slot will result in the character’s confusion during the succeeding session.’” Renee scrunched her nose. “Character confusion? They’re pewter figures for Pete’s sake. How the hell can they get confused?” Candi shrugged. “I’m bored,” she declared. “Can’t you skip all the dumb stuff and get to the how we play part?” Renee stared at her a moment. Shaking her head with 25

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disbelief at her friend’s impatience, she scanned the remaining instructions in silence. When she’d finished, she set the lid aside and reached for the rectangular cards. “We have to separate these by character. Each one should have four, for four different adventures. The rest go back into the box.” The cards were labeled across the top with the character’s name and description. Just as indicated, there were four for each one. Renee placed Candi’s cards in front of her first. “These are yours. They’re numbered on the back, see, one through four. Place them face down next to your character’s starting point in their assigned spots.” Renee indicated the places on the board where Candi’s cards should go. “You’re guy’s name is Surius.” “Ooo…” Candi purred. “Surius. I like it.” Renee handed Mina her cards next. “Your character is Athan.” Mina’s mouth curled in to a mischievous grin as she began placing her cards in their designated places. “Count Athan. It has a nice ring to it. Don’t you think?” “Sure,” Renee agreed, more interested in her own character than the other two. Reading his name once more, she placed her cards face down in a pile next to her piece’s starting point. Eyanosa. She wondered what it meant. The Sioux always took great care in picking their names, making sure the title fit the person 26

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to whom it belonged. Sometimes the person’s duty within the tribe, their physical abilities, or their bodily attributes played a role in their name selection. A stimulating tingle touched her spine as she stared at her character’s picture. From the confident expression on his tanned face, and with way he was sprawled across the pile of furs, proudly displaying his appealing form, she couldn’t help but think his name had something to do with his endowment. Too bad it was just a game. Renee reached for the dice. “Hey, how come you get to go first?” Candi huffed. Renee regarded her a moment, then handed her the dice. “It doesn’t matter who rolls first. According to the game, we don’t act out our adventure until all players have rolled and selected a card. You can go first if you want.” She handed Candi the dice. Candi study them a moment. “Why do their sides only have one or two dots? I thought dice had up to six.” She turned one of the dice over and snorted. “This side doesn’t have any dots at all.” Renee’s brow furrowed in thought. “I guess since there’s only four cards, the most you can roll is a four.” Mina nodded. “Makes since. Come on, Candi. Just roll the damned things.” Candi grinned like a Cheshire cat. After shaking the two dice within her enclosed palms, she tossed them onto the board. They toppled a bit, then came to rest near the center. The first die rolled a two, the second a one. With a child27

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like snicker, Candi moved her pewter figure three spaces. “Now what?” Mina groaned. “This is going to take all night. Read what you’re space says, doofus.” Candi wrinkled her nose at her, then regarded the tiny words scrawled beneath her piece’s base. “‘Your adventure begins beneath the sea, select your card, the number is three.’” She picked up the card from the number three space and silently read its instructions. “Well?” Mina asked with impatience. “What’s it say?” “‘A scorned ex-lover has hidden Surius’s pelt somewhere on the Scottish isle of Rona in the North Atlantic. He needs your help finding it so he can change back into his seal form and return to the sea. But don’t rush his return and you shall find a selkie lover is truly divine.’” Candi glanced up from the card, a dumbfounded expression on her pretty face. “Sounds like…fun, I guess.” Mina snatched the dice off the board. “I’m going next.” She shook them within her palms, then launched them across the table. They rolled several inches before coming to rest near the center. The first dice was blank. The second had a one. Mina moved her figure one spot forward, then read the space’s message aloud. “‘Chills and thrill before the night’s done, select your card, the number is one.’” She picked up card one. “‘A ruthless vampire hunter is hot on Athan’s trail deep in the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania. Wounded and bleeding, he’ll need your help if 28

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he’s to escape with his life. Your secluded cottage can provide him shelter, but he’ll need a warm bed and sustenance to survive.’” Renee shuddered. “Sustenance?” Mina cast her an impish grin. “He wants my body and my blood.” Renee and Candi cringed in unison. “That’s disgusting,” Candi announced. Renee nodded agreement, sticking out her tongue and wrinkling her nose with distaste. “Blah.” Mina shrugged. “Don’t knock it ’til you try it. You’re next, Renee.” Renee scooped up the dice and began to shake them within her palms. As she gazed from Candi’s figure to Mina’s, something about their adventures caused her to hesitate. How were they supposed to help their characters complete their quests? Perhaps she’d missed something. After picking up the game’s lid, she scanned the instructions once more, but found nothing else that told them how to complete their tasks. If they all rolled again, they’d simply draw another card and another adventure. Mina leaned forward. “What’s wrong?” Renee looked at her through a half drunk stupor. “It doesn’t make any sense.” “What?” Mina lifted both shoulders and palms in question. “Well, how do we complete our adventures before—” Renee started to set the lid aside, then stopped as a 29

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particular sentence in the instructions caught her eye. “‘When all players have selected their cards, the adventures will begin,’” she read aloud. “What do you think it means?” Candi threw her hands up with exasperation. “Who the fuck cares? Just roll the damned dice, woman, before you drive me back to drinkin’!” “Okay, okay,” Renee conceded, tossing the dice across the board. “Geez, just thought the instructions were a bit vague.” The dice seemed to roll in slow motion, tumbling angle over side several times before coming to rest a few inches from the opposite corner of Renee’s starting point. She leaned forward, her insides a jumble of unease as she read her fate. Snake eyes.

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CHAPTER 5 Renee moved her character forward two spaces. “‘Warriors and Rituals, a proud race are the Sioux. Select your card, the number is two.’” She glanced first at Candi, then Mina. “You sure about this?” “It’s a game, Renee. What could happen?” Mina crossed her arms over her chest with an annoyed huff. “This is me, drinking,” Candi announced, reaching for the José. Renee snatched the bottle first. “Okay, I give. No more drinking.” She set the José on the floor, well out of everyone’s reach, 31

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then regarded her card. It still lay facedown on the board, waiting for her to pick it up. With a shaking hand, she placed the tip of her index finger on the card’s backside and slowly slid it toward her. “Here goes.” The room became uncomfortably quiet as Renee grasped the card by its edge and turned it over. Mina and Candi leaned forward, curiosity gleaming in their unwavering stares. Feeling as though she sealed some inexplicable fate, Renee read her adventure aloud. “‘Eyanosa, a great Lakota Sioux warrior in South Dakota, has taken part in The Sun Dance ritual in hopes that an emissary of the Wakan Tanka will return to bring peace and prosperity to his people. Your appearance will comfort his heart, but he craves the warmth of your flesh to soothe his soul.’” When she’d finished, Renee regarded her friends with nauseating unease. Her insides roiled with apprehension. Was that it? Instinctively she sensed something was about to happen, but she had no clue as to what that might be. They were three half-drunk women playing a stupid board game that Mina had seduced out the hands of an old gypsy woman’s adolescent grandson. What could happen? She was about to suggest they just put away the dumb game when Candi yelled, “Look!” practically scaring her out of her skin. 32

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“Look at the orb in the middle!” Suddenly sober with excitement, Candi reared up on her knees. With both hands firmly planted on either side of the board, she hovered over the game, her expression a mixture of awe and anticipation. Mina inclined her head, squinting as the white swirling words within the orb’s center began to take shape. “What’s that say?” Almost against her own will, Renee felt her upper body sway forward, too. Unable to deny her curiosity, she deciphered the hazy message. “It looks like…‘Do you three agree?’” “Agree to what?” Candi deflated back against the couch, her momentary thrill in danger of expiring to her characteristic boredom. “Well, to the adventures, of course,” Mina snorted. “What else could it be?” They all fell silent, exchanging looks of agreement, excitement, and unease in a room that suddenly seemed void of all objects and sound. It was almost as though a vacuum had sucked away everything but the three of them and this game. Renee felt weightless and drunk, but she sensed her surrealistic state wasn’t caused by alcohol. Something else was amiss. Mina and Candi nodded in unison, their wordless affirmations a bold and persuasive declaration to her instinctive rebellion, which screamed at her to decline. Obligation weighed on her like a woolen cloak soaked by rain. Before she could rationalize her behavior, she felt her chin dip 33

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forward in consent. The room started to spin in a fashion similar to times when she’d awakened in the morning after having far too much to drink. But unlike then, her mind wasn’t distorted; rather, everything around had begun to move. Shifting, turning, the colors melding together like they did on one of those spinning art trays that slug paint together in a fashion no human hand could create. Renee’s vision strained against the ambiance, searching for her friends, whom she knew were seated a mere few feet away. Panic rioted her insides when she saw that Candi was gone. Before she even looked, she knew Mina would be, too. Pressure surrounded her on all sides, making it near impossible to move. She fought the resistance, struggling to turn her head to the right. She managed an inch or two, enough to confirm her fear. Tears blurred her already fuzzy gaze as her terror grew. They slipped from the corners of her eyes, but never reached her cheeks. The rotating air about her head sucked them from her skin and into the ever-growing vortex around her. Renee opened her mouth to scream, but the words were lost in the churning eddy. She felt herself being lifted off the ground and drawn forward, pulled toward the coffee table. And as her paralyzed frame hovered in the air above the game, her nose mere inches from the now-wordless orb, she realized how they would complete their turns. We’re going in. 34

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*

*

*

The sound of beating drums caused Renee to wake with a start. She sat straight up with a frightened gasp, as though she’d been holding her breath in her sleep. One look at her surroundings and she felt the need to gasp again. A small fire in the teepee’s center instantly alerted her to the fact that she hadn’t been dreaming. Oh, she was in bed all right, but certainly not her own. Her teeth rattled together as her heart began to pound in her throat. This can’t be happening. She closed her eyes, struggling to remember all the details of her proposed adventure, while silently praying everything would go back to normal once she opened them again. All she could recall was the way the firelight danced on her character’s silky black hair and how his erect cock pressed against his loincloth. Renee groaned inwardly; she was doomed to fail this task. Trying to get a grip, she took a deep breath. “This isn’t real,” she told herself and opened her eyes. The inside of the wigwam loomed around her, as real and foreboding as before. From the artifacts neatly stacked on one side—a warrior’s headdress, spear, and tomahawk—to the piled furs and roaring fire, everything mirrored the depiction on the game. The beating drums outside only added to the reality of her situation. Her right hand drifted to the scooped neckline of her doeskin dress. She caressed the smooth white fabric, amazed by its buttery softness. Never had clothing felt so natural and 35

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pure against her flesh. Suddenly, the drums stopped and the air became stifling still. Renee’s heart lurched in her chest as white-hot panic gripped her innards. In a moment, the character from the game would burst in, fully expecting her to fulfill her task. “I’ve got to get out of here.” Throwing aside the heavy blanket of furs layering her lower body, Renee rolled from the pallet and onto the grass mats covering most of the dirt floor. As she stood, something slipped from the bed and onto the ground beside her feet, landing with a soft thump. Her gaze riveted on the slender object. “A pipe?” She stooped to pick it up. Renee studied the intricately carved calumet, taking note of the delicate designs adorning its catlinite bowl. She remembered seeing such “peace pipes” in her studies. Pipe smoking held a lot of ritualistic and religious importance to the Sioux. She was regarding the pipe’s long wooden stem when the flap to the teepee flipped open and an all-too-familiar looking man barged inside. Letting out a yelp of surprise, Renee dropped the pipe and scrambled across the pile of furs. Reaching the opposite side of the tent, she pressed herself against one of the thick poles holding it erect. Her frantic gaze searched for a means of escape, but with his bulky frame blocking the exit, she had nowhere to go. She gripped the post behind her in both hands, trying to steady her balance lest she collapsed with anxiety. Pulse racing, breaths 36

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panting, she turned her attention to him. Eyanosa.

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CHAPTER 6 As though equally stunned by her appearance, he merely stared at her, his unwavering gaze dark with suspicion. As he took in her white dress, so lustrous and pure it practically glowed in the flickering firelight, recognition softened his hard stare. “Hotah Tatanka Winyan,” he said. He stepped toward her, repeating the phrase. “Hotah Tatanka Winyan.” Renee started to hyperventilate. “I don’t understand,” she stuttered. Her whole body trembled with fear as she took in the bloody wounds dotting his chest and sides. “Hotah Tatanka Winyan,” he insisted. “White Buffalo Woman.” 38

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He stepped forward again and Renee let out a petrified shriek. Realizing her fear, the man halted his advance. “Don’t be afraid,” he assured. “I won’t hurt you.” Renee’s pulse roared in her ears. “Where…why…am I…here?” she managed through pants. The man appeared perplexed. “Have I not performed the Sun Dance correctly?” He stared at her long and hard, as though expecting an answer. Renee shook her head. “I…I don’t know what—” “I’ve pierced my chest with bones and fettered them to the sun-pole.” He indicated the two wounds, one on either side of his pectorals. “They were ripped from my flesh as I danced. I knew you would come.” Removing a crown made from what looked to be some sort of herb, he tossed it into the fire. The flames bounced and danced as they greedily consumed their new offering. Surrendering to the ravenous blaze, the leafy green circlet sizzled and hissed, quickly turning brown and curling in on itself until it filtered into the bed of embers below. The aroma of sage drifted to Renee’s nose as thin white smoke filled the inside of the teepee. Her gaze fastened on similar bands of herbs encircling the man’s thick wrists and ankles. Aside from the buckskin loincloth and two red dots of paint on his cheeks, he wore nothing else. Renee silently watched, frozen with confusion and fear, as he walked toward her. When he reached the fallen pipe, he stooped to retrieve it. “Did you bring this?” As he stood, his eyes met hers and Renee saw something 39

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akin to amusement shimmer in his near black gaze. Perhaps it was a play of firelight, but she could have sworn a grin touched his firm lips. She suddenly felt as though she were the butt of some sick joke. The smoke-filled air caused her eyes to water and burn. Renee wiped them with the back of her hand. Blinking against the irritation, she refused to take her sight off of him. “Why am I here?” she demanded, her tone unbroken and a little firmer than before. “Eyanosa.” He smiled then, as though realizing the charade was up. Tossing the pipe aside, he placed his large hands on his hips and regarded her with a boyish grin. “That is my name. Do you know what it means?” Renee hesitantly nodded, not sure she wanted to know. His tongue slid along his full bottom lip. “It means big both ways.” A staggering thrill shot through her apex, causing her to gasp. Eyanosa’s grin widened, exposing teeth that were perfectly straight and startlingly white against his tanned face. “I believe you have a task to complete.” When he started toward her, Renee held her hands out and sidestepped to the right. “Now wait a minute here. This is just a game. None of this is—” “Real?” He blocked her retreat with a hand on the post next to her right cheek. “Touch me, Renee. Then tell me if I’m real.” Renee’s mouth dropped to her chin. “How did you know 40

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my—” His palm cupped her chin, nudging her mouth upward a bit. “I knew you the moment you selected my playing piece, as did the others know theirs.” Before she could thwart his attempt, Eyanosa’s lips closed over hers in a powerful kiss. His mouth moved with such possession it left her knees weak and lungs devoid of air. By the time he released her, she felt as though she were floating. Renee’s lids fluttered open. “Candi and Mina?” “Are with their selected males, completing their adventures.” She felt lightheaded and dizzy, as though she’d been drugged. Wishing she hadn’t drunk so much, she forced herself to focus on his angular jaw and chin, mere inches from the top of her head. “What are you, some kind of demon or something? He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. “We’re all incubi of sorts, here to perform our role in the game and service our player in hopes that she’ll return for another round.” His fingertip trailed the rounded neckline of her dress, dipping below the hem to stroke her cleavage. Renee sighed with pleasure as he cupped her breast within his warm palm. Desire rocked her to the core and she pressed herself more firmly against his hand. Recognizing her near surrender, he smiled triumphantly. Had she not been watching his face, she’d have missed the ethereal flicker deep within his dark gaze. That inhuman 41

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gleam sobered her senses, and as her mental fog cleared, Renee realized his nearness was like an aphrodisiac, quickly drawing her into a state of unbridled lust. Before he possessed all her sanity, she ducked beneath his arm and moved out of his reach. When she’d retreated a safe distance away, she stopped and stood her ground. While she had no qualms about a good fuck with a gorgeous man, having sex with a minion of Satan was another matter. Before things went any further, she wanted some answers. “You need to explain some things before we…” Her gaze drifted momentarily to the pile of furs. “Well, you know.” After several long seconds of a silent stare-down, he offered an acquiescent nod. She supposed there was nothing keeping him from either taking her by force—not something a seducer of women typically had to do—or turning into whatever horrible beast was contained with his god-like exterior and killing her on the spot. But if his intent was to coerce her into his bed and screw her brains out, then killing her would serve no purpose. For this brief span of time, she was in charge. His gaze slid to her chest and her nipples suddenly grew hard, reacting to his stare as powerfully as they would have had he stroked them with his tongue. The erect peaks strained the soft material of her doeskin dress, trying to bust through. Just the thought of him laving her throbbing buds was nearly her undoing. 42

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Realizing her ascendancy would be brief, Renee crossed her arms over her chest, sufficiently hindering his persuasive stare. For now. She couldn’t deny him for long. “Explain to me how this is happening,” she demanded, determined to get some answers. Eyanosa shrugged. “Didn’t you read the instructions?” His nonchalant tone infuriated her. “Yes, I did, but they didn’t say anything about being sucked into another dimension, or world, or time, or wherever the hell I am,” she countered, fisting her hands by her sides. “They must have left that part out.” He merely grinned at her sarcasm, amused by her distress, which only served to incense her even more. “I’m glad you find all this so entertaining,” she huffed, stomping her foot for emphasis. “I don’t happen to think it’s very funny at all.” Leaning his back against the pole, he crossed his legs at the ankles and his arms over his chest. “There’s no need in getting all bent out of shape. Did you not see the part that said ‘where fantasy becomes reality’?” Renee clenched her teeth. “Of course I did, but it’s a game. No one would take that as literal.” Eyanosa shrugged again. “It did forewarn you.” He said it as though trying to convince her of the fact. Renee’s head pounded from a mixture of alcohol and anxiety. She rubbed her throbbing temples with her forefingers. “Let me get this straight, I’m here because I selected you as my playing piece, and an adventure card that said something about comforting your heart with my presence 43

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and soothing your soul with my—” “Flesh,” he finished. Renee shuddered. “Yeah,” she replied hesitantly. “When you say that, it kind of gives me the creeps, you being a demon and all. It doesn’t mean like, as a meal or something, does it?” Eyanosa chuckled. “I’m an incubus demon, Renee. The only thing I plan on eating is your pussy.” As though responding to the referral, her channel suddenly tightened, bordering on the brink of orgasm. She gasped as a powerful surge of desire almost felled her to the ground. Squeezing her legs together, she tried to stunt the spastic response at the juncture of her thighs and concentrated on standing. “You can’t resist me,” he declared, his expression smug with confidence. It’s futile to try.” Pushing away from the pole, he started toward her. Renee wanted to argue, but knew it was pointless. He was right. As soon as she asked her questions, which suddenly seemed insignificant in light of her mounting need, she was going to let him ravish her body and senses in every fashion imaginable. Candi and Mina, she reminded herself, trying not to let her resistance slip just yet. “How do I know my friends are okay? When will I see them?” she practically whispered. “When you complete your adventure, you can go home. Not before.” 44

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The warmth of his flesh permeated the few inches of air between them. The hair on her arms stood at attention, causing her skin to tingle with awareness when goose bumps infected her flesh. She shuddered in response. Renee’s breaths quickened as his fingertips trailed her arms from wrists to shoulders. Stepping around behind her, he carefully pushed her long hair aside, exposing the delicate flesh of her nape. When his lips brushed her skin, she closed her eyes with a heady sigh. While some small part of her common sense screamed at her to resist—he was a demon, after all—a much larger part of her didn’t care. She wanted to give in, set aside her qualms and let her mind and body slip into her chosen fantasy without reservation. But there was still one question to be asked. “What if I refuse?” His breath tickled her lobe as he nibbled the sensitive area behind her ear. Reaching down between them, he grasped the hem of her dress and eased it up to her waist. As his hands trespassed her hips and inner thighs, it was then Renee realized she wore nothing beneath. “Oh, but you can’t,” he explained with a soft snicker. “You already agreed.”

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CHAPTER 7 His skilled digits slipped through the curly down protecting her feminine vee, adeptly parting the thick nest to find her swollen clit. As he used his index finger to circle the sensitive nub, Renee leaned her head back against his chest, unable to resist. He proceeded to tease her to the verge of release, then moved his ministrations lower. When his knee nudged the insides of her legs, Renee obligingly parted them, affording him a better reach. His fingers slid along the moist folds of her vaginal lips, gently separating the soft petals to expose her opening. Cupping her mound with his hand, he pushed one digit inside. Renee rocked her hips forward, rubbing her tingling clit 46

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against his palm while he stroked his finger in and out. Her breaths became gasps and her legs began to shake as she quickly neared her peak. Just a few more seconds— “Not yet,” he whispered against her lobe. Renee wanted to cry when he removed his fingers. Had she not been a trembling mess, she’d have turned around and slugged him for being so cruel. But as it was, she could only whimper in protest. His responsive chuckle sparked her anger. Regaining control of her limbs, she pulled away from him. “Look here, buddy,” she chided, turning to furiously shake a finger at his Grecian nose. “I don’t like games.” “But you’re in one,” he countered, moving toward her. Renee stepped back. “Yeah, but—” “But what?” He stepped forward, closing the distance between them once again. “It’s not fair to get me to the verge of coming, then stop.” She moved back a few more paces. Eyanosa offered a wicked smile. “I’m a demon, love. My job is to torment.” “So you’re just going to play with me until you get tired of your little game, then send me back unsatisfied?” Renee asked incredulously, her voice rising a bit. “Play with you, yes,” he said, moving toward her once more. “But I assure you, you’ll be well satisfied many times before we’re through.” Renee’s breath hitched in her chest at the promise. She stepped back again and her foot contacted fur. Startled, she 47

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glanced down at the makeshift bed. When she looked up, Eyanosa stood mere inches in front of her. Before she could retreat, he grasped the hem of her dress. “There’s nowhere to go, Renee. And you can’t leave until we’re done.” Renee swallowed hard when he pulled it up and over her head in one swift move, leaving her naked before him. She lifted her hands to her breasts in an attempt to cover them, but he grabbed her wrists and pulled them away. Heat quickly spread along her throat and chest as he focused on the browntipped peaks. “Nice.” The heady tone of his voice made her insides quiver. With a victorious smile, he forced her arms behind her back. Holding them with one hand, he dipped his head forward and captured one jutting nipple between his teeth. Feeling him clamp down, Renee gasped, more in shock than pain. As though to heal the affliction, his tongue laved the throbbing nub, quickly turning the hurt to need. It wasn’t his forwardness that scared her, but her own burning lust. Never had she wanted a man so badly. Only this was no ordinary man, no, this was an incubus demon, and she would soon become his latest conquest. The verity of the fact only heightened her anticipation. Renee didn’t protest when he coaxed her onto the makeshift bed. She was glad when he released her arms, for it left them free to explore the glorious planes of his strong back and waist as he stretched himself between her thighs. Eager to 48

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feel him against her, she spread her legs even wider. When she brazenly gripped two handfuls of muscled buns, encouraging him to grind his groin against hers, Eyanosa hummed in approval. He rocked his hips forward, pressing his hardened member into the juncture of her thighs. Like a divining rod to water, the head of his penis instantly found her slit, and were it not for his loincloth, his shaft would have entered her in one easy thrust. Renee yanked at the infuriating piece of fabric, desperate to feel him plunge that rock hard cock deep inside her. Eyanosa chuckled at her impatience. Taking her hands, he pressed them on the furs beside her head. “Tell me what you want.” The command was a throaty growl. Renee arched herself against him. “You know what I want,” she panted, trying to yank her hands free. “Say it,” he demanded, grinding himself downward. “Why?” she almost cried, on the verge of going mad with wanting. “I need to hear it,” he said. “I want to hear it. Tell me, Renee.” His fabric-cloaked cock butted her opening. Renee’s hips bucked forward. “Fuck me!” she screamed. “I want you to fuck me, long and hard.” Eyanosa grinned. “That’s my girl.” Reaching down between them, he tugged at the ties holding his loincloth in place. Renee scarcely registered the fabric swatch as he tossed it aside. In the next instant, he thrust 49

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forward, driving his rod deep inside her. She gasped as his size invaded her channel. As though to fill any extra space, his cock swelled even more, pressing against the walls of her pussy until she feared she would burst. Her insides clenched in response, gripping his rod within her woman’s vice. A low growl rumbled deep in Eyanosa’s throat. He pushed himself in as far as he could go. “You’re so tight and ready for me,” he breathed, rotating his hips a bit. Renee sighed, spreading her legs even further and encouraging him to take all that he wanted. He began a slow steady pump, sliding his long shaft all the way in, then withdrawing to the end of its thick bulbous head. She felt the hard length of him enter and retreat, one glorious inch at a time. Releasing her wrists, Eyanosa grasped her behind the knees, rolling her pelvis forward. He quickened his pace and drove harder. His groin slapped her bottom with each thrust. Undaunted, Renee bucked her hips upward, meeting each of his forward plunges with insatiable hunger. It seemed the more he pushed, the more she wanted. The feel of his full erection moving inside her was like a drug, making her high with lust. He gyrated his hips, forcing the head of his cock against her G-spot. “How does this feel, Renee?” “Good!” she cried, nearly breathless. “Oh, God, it feels so good!” Eyanosa snorted. “God can’t do this for you, love.” 50

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As though to further prove his point, he pressed her knees back a little farther and drove forward even harder, pounding his hard cock deep inside her tingling pussy. Never had someone fucked her so deliciously. He seemed to know just the right angle to set her insides afire. Throwing her head back, Renee let out a throaty groan of approval. Yes, oh yes. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop! She felt herself nearing her peak. Desire clawed at her insides with urgent fingers. Rocking her pelvis in time with his thrusts, she rushed toward culmination. She tried to throttle the dizzying currents racing through her belly, prolong her pleasure. But there was no stopping the powerful surge building in her core. She teetered on the brink of bliss. Involuntary tremors wracked her frame, causing her stomach to tighten and her legs to shake almost violently. She felt lightheaded and dizzy, as though she might faint. Her channel suddenly clenched, hurling her into a blinding explosion of fiery sensations that robbed her breath. Renee cried out in both glee and surprise. Never had she felt something so dominant and possessive. At that moment, Eyanosa’s outward appearance controlled her body, but his underlying power owned her soul. Her back arched and her limbs stiffened as the force of her orgasm robbed all ability to move. His hips continued to piston, driving her to the point of exhaustion. Unable to take any more, she begged him to stop. Her head thrashed from side to side as he pumped away, 51

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ignoring her pleas. It seemed he had no intent of letting her culmination subside. He’d promised satisfaction, and obviously planned on keeping his word. Feeling her orgasm wane like a retreating tide, Renee chanced to breathe. But only seconds passed before the next peak rolled forward, crashing on the shores of her conscience with torrential force. Tears stung her clenched lids as she wailed with renewed bliss. Forcing her eyes open, she stared up at Eyanosa through a blurred and weary gaze. His jaw was clenched, expression tight as he worked to not only extend her ecstasy, but also find his own. She prayed he came quickly, too much more and she’d surely die. He watched her with a fixed gaze, his dark eyes near black with desire. Then something intense flared through his entrancement and he angled himself above her even more. She felt his cock stiffen and lengthen as he plunged it straight down. Instinctively, she knew he was close. In the next instant, blackness spread from his pupils, swallowing the whites of his eyes in an unearthly onyx abyss. He stared at her with what seemed like two bottomless pits. His lips peeled back from his teeth in an animalistic snarl, and an inhuman moan rumbled in his throat. Had she the strength of logical thinking or will to resist, Renee would have screamed in fear. But she was caught in her own vortex of pleasure, lost to his power, and gave little heed to the immorality of being demon possessed. Feeling his 52

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wickedness infect her soul, she eagerly succumbed to his control. As though sensing her final surrender, Eyanosa grinned. “And now you are mine.” Throwing back his head, he let out a cataclysmic bellow. Renee’s senses returned full force as fire shot through her insides. She cried out in terror as his seed coursed through her body, the heat of it nearly burning her alive. She knew this was the part where she died, for surely one couldn’t copulate with the devil’s minion and survive. But her pain was short-lived. The inferno in her womb began to subside, and a new sensation took place. Renee scarcely recognized the build of another peak when it took her by surprise. This time, there was no pain in her scream. No fear. Only pure, licentious lust.

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CHAPTER 8 Candi tumbled head over heels several times, sufficiently disorienting her sense of direction before her flailing frame ceased turning. Confused by her circumstances, she hovered several dozen feet below the water’s surface like a defective buoy, too heavy to rise to the top, yet too light to sink any further into the murky depths below. She looked up and down, this way and that, her eyes blinking in rebellion to what they saw. One moment she was sitting in Renee’s living room, playing Mina’s crazy board game, and now she was floating in the middle of the ocean like fish bait! This wasn’t happening. When her lungs protested their lack of air, she realized the 54

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probability of drowning and began a frantic struggle for what she suspected was the surface. She kicked her feet and clawed at the encasing fluidity, but the more she fought the surrounding water, the farther she descended. Candi couldn’t swim. Panic overrode all logical thought and she opened her mouth to scream, allowing an influx of liquid that quickly filled her lungs. Stark white terror hit her full force and she thrashed about like a worm on a hook. Within seconds, darkness encroached her vision and she knew she was through. As her mind began to go blank, she stared up at the glitter of sunlight on the surface several dozen feet above her head. It seemed such a shame to be so close to life, and yet so far away. If only she’d taken those swimming lessons Renee had lectured her about. Resigning herself to her fate, Candi closed her eyes. She felt a tug on her arm, then one on her side. Perhaps some passing sea creature—a whale or shark—had taken an interest in her helpless state, even though she felt no pain. The thought of being a meal was a bit disturbing. But it really didn’t matter. One way or another, she was going to die. As her consciousness began to wane, she thought about the man from the game. Surius. She supposed she wouldn’t complete her task. She couldn’t very well help him find his selkie skin and then have wild animal sex with him if she were dead. Too bad. Her mind went numb. 55

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It seemed only seconds after her thoughts went blank that she heard a man’s voice yelling in her ears. At first she thought it was God, welcoming her through the gates. Then she realized the likelihood of her heathen-ass going to hell and knew it had to be someone else. “Hey there, lass. Dinnae go oot on me yet. Ye were nae supposed to droon.” His thick Scottish accent seeped into her waterlogged brain, sufficiently drawing her back from the brink of extinction. A mouth closed over hers and air filled her lungs. Then a heavy palm pressed on her chest. An upheaval of water gurgled in her throat. Candi gasped and coughed in an effort to breathe. Inhaling a mouthful of expelled liquid, she began to choke. “Careful noo, lassie. Cough it oot.” He rolled her onto her side and patted her on the back as she continued to cough. Ejecting the last of the water from her lungs, Candi finally took a deep breath. She had an overwhelming urge to vomit. The acrid sensation of stale alcohol burned her throat as she emptied her stomach onto the soft grass. When she’d finished, she rolled onto her back, exhausted. It took a lot of energy to die. Pain wracked her body. Her entire chest cavity felt bruised and beaten, as though she’d been pummeled. Her arms and legs trembled from exertion. “There noo, ye gave me quite a scare. Most of ye swim to shore. When ye dinnae come, I got concerned. Thought maybe 56

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ye’d been eaten.” Candi cracked one lid in an effort to see her savior. A shadowed visage hovered above her. The blazing sun overhead made it impossible to see his face. “Thank you,” she murmured, her numb lips garbling the words. “For saving my life. Are you…Surius?” “Aye. That’s what human folk call me. I ’ave many names.” Too tired to question his claim, Candi mutely nodded. She didn’t care who he really was, just glad he’d happened by. At that moment, all she wanted to do was sleep. A warm palm stroked her cheek. “Sleep noo, lassie. Ye’ll be needin’ rest to complete yer task. I’ll be ’ere when ye wake.” Candi nodded again, succumbing to the irresistible lull of oblivion. *

*

*

A palm gently cupped her breast. Candi moaned, unwilling to relinquish her vegetative state. Just a little more sleep, she wanted to say. She vaguely registered a soft squeeze before she felt a mouth encircle the peak. When a tongue began to lave her nipple, Candi was instantly awake. Her eyes flew open and she bolted upright. Disoriented at first, she blocked the sun with a palm over her eyes. While not quite as bright as before, it still blinded her. As her vision began to adjust, she glanced to the right and 57

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locked stares with the most gorgeous man she’d ever saw. Surius. Recognition hit her full force. His chocolate eyes possessed an almost animalistic quality, not feral or cruel, but rather like those of a big puppy. His dark brown hair hung in waves about his broad shoulders and powerful chest. She wondered if it were as silky to the touch as it looked. While his handsome features and brawny build were visually appealing, it was the curling wisps blanketing his upper torso that really drew her attention. They looked soft and downy, almost like fur. She had an overwhelming urge to touch him, see if he were as real as he appeared. Her gaze slid lower, following the dark trail of hair below his navel and down to his groin. When her inspection led her to the erect form of his huge member, she gasped. The gods had gifted him well. Her insides clenched with anticipation. She couldn’t deny the desire to have that hard cock embedded deep inside her. Realizing she’d stared at his rod for several seconds, she quickly returned her stare to his face. He offered her a knowing grin. “Yer breasts are so lovely, I just had to ’ave a taste.” Realizing she was equally naked, Candi let out a shocked gasp and covered her chest. “Where are my clothes?” Surius shrugged. “Wie me pelt, I s’pose. That’s how it usually works.” Candi squinted. “How what works?” He smiled again. “Why, yer adventure, of course. Most of 58

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ye get ’ere naked, an’ when we find me skin, we find yer clothes as well.” She shook her head with disbelief. “No. No this can’t be happening. This is just…crazy.” Getting to her feet, she brushed some lingering grass off her backside. “You’ve hidden my clothes somewhere,” she accused, casting him a distrustful scowl. “I’m going to find them, then I’m going home.” While the words sounded good, Candi had no earthly idea where she was. There were no cars, no houses, no buildings; only grass covered hillocks for as far as she could see. Gray seals barked in the distance, and a swarm of black-backed gulls swooped and bayed overhead, seemingly angered by her invasion of their shore. It was as though she’d been dropped on some deserted island in the middle of the ocean. To further prove her dire circumstances, a large wave crashed against the rockencrusted beach at her backside. Candi yelped as a spray of cool water kissed her skin. “Where am I?” she demanded, turning to face Surius. He grinned. “Why, ye be on Rona Isle, of course.” Candi shook her head. “I don’t believe you.” She started up the nearest knoll, hoping to see some sort of civilization on the other side. Surius followed at her heels. Paying him little heed, she charged forward, determined to find some clothes and then help. “Ye cannae leave ’til ye complete yer task. Ye ken?” The arrogance in his tone caused her to pause. “Says 59

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who?” Crossing her arms over her chest, Candi whipped around to face him. “That’s the rules. Ye agreed. Remember?” Candi’s hands fell to her sides. “No,” she said, suddenly feeling defeated. Somehow, she knew he was right. “Ye all were asked if ye agree, an’ ye all said aye.” A chill crept up her spine. “We all?” Surius nodded confirmation. “Aye, ye an’ the other two lasses.” Candi felt the color drain from her face. “How do you…it’s not possible. What…what is the place? How did I get here?” On the verge of tears, she wrung her hands at her waist. “The game, lass. Didnae ye read the instructions?” “Of course we did,” Candi huffed. “Then ye ken the warnin’ at the bottom, the one that said all players must complete their task before any can return.” Candi’s shoulders sagged with defeat. She didn’t remember that part. Must have missed that one. “So let me get this straight, if I recall, my card said I had to help you find your skin. Then you can go back to the sea, and I can go home.” Surius shrugged. “If that’s all ye care to do.” Candi regarded him with a cocked brow. “And what would you suggest we do instead?” His gaze boldly raked her from head to toe. “I’ve somethin’ better in mind.” 60

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CHAPTER 9 Taking her by the hand, Surius led Candi up the hill. When they reached the top, he turned her to look out over the bluffs below. The ocean smashed against the jagged shoreline, creating powerful white-capped explosions that jutted several feet into the air before falling to blend back in with the churning waters at the base. The view was spectacular. She couldn’t help but stare with amazement at a band of black and white puffins with bright orange beaks and feet gathered along the rocky shore. They seemed oblivious to the crashing waves only a few feet away. Instead, they huddled around tiny pools of water left in the retreating wakes, eager to 61

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catch any unsuspecting prey left behind. Candi’s gaze shifted to a crop of pink flowers hovering in the air above the ocean’s spray. They seemed to grow out of the very rocks themselves! She shook her head with amazement. “’Tis quite a view, aye?” Candi nodded. “It’s beautiful.” Surius tugged at her hand. “Wait ’til ye see St. Ronan’s Chapel. It dates back to the eighth century.” Warmth from his hand spread up her arm and across her chest, bringing with it a pleasant sensation of awareness. While the sights were nice, she hoped the tour didn’t take long. She was ready to get on with the sex part. An image of them rolling around in the grass crossed her mind. She’d never made love beneath a shade of hovering gulls or to the sounds of nature filling the air. The only noises she was used to were the animalistic grunts of whichever man she was screwing at the time. Sneaking a peak at Surius’s backside, she couldn’t help but bite her bottom lip with anticipation. She imagined his muscled derrière afforded him a powerful thrust. Combined with his large cock, she was almost giddy with expectation. She was just studying the way his ass flexed and tightened as he walked when they came upon a large mound of stacked rocks. At first, it looked like an ordinary pile of rubble. But as they moved around to the other side, the ground dropped down into a trough and she saw the small misshapen doorway below. 62

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Surius helped her descend the grassy banks, keeping her from slipping. When they reached the bottom, he tugged her through the narrow door and into an underground chamber. He stopped in the center of the room, then pointed upward. Candi followed his outstretched arm, taking in the stonelayered walls and ceiling towering above their heads. Small windows evenly placed along the steeple, as well as narrow crevices between the rocks, offered minimal lighting. Seemingly devoid of any mortar, she couldn’t help but wonder what kept the thing erect. “Look just there,” Surius instructed. Candi squinted against the stygian interior. At first she didn’t see it, but then she noticed the tiny pair of black eyes staring down at them. “What is it?” “A Storm-Petrel,” he supplied. “Elusive breed. Hard to find. Ye be lucky.” Candi stared at the shadowed bird a moment, then turned her gaze upon Surius. “Is this what you brought me here to see? A crumbling chapel and a paranoid pigeon? I thought you had something a little better in mind.” Surius grinned. “I dinnae ken ye were so impatient. Well then, shall we shag inside or oot?” Candi glanced at the stone ceiling once again. She imagined it tumbling down on their heads about the time she belted out a good orgasm. “We’d probably be safer outside, don’t you think?” “Aye, oot it is.” With a grunt of triumph, Surius tossed her over his shoulder and started for the doorway. 63

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“Hey!” Candi protested. “I can walk!” She smacked him on his flexing posterior, enjoying the feel of his skin against her palm. She couldn’t wait to grip two handfuls of that glorious ass when he was pumping himself into her. Surius playfully slapped her bottom in return. As though reading her thoughts, he palmed one of her cheeks. “Ye ’ave a fine wee arse, lass. I shall enjoy tuppin’ it.” Candi’s insides tingled. Moisture wet her inner thighs as her natural lubrication kicked into overdrive. God! She couldn’t wait to fuck him. Surius scaled the hill without difficulty. Once at the top, he walked for several yards until he found a suitable patch of soft grass. Being careful not to jolt her spine, he eased her onto the ground. He kneeled beside her and Candi couldn’t help but stare at his large cock. It stood out from his groin, straight and erect, like the dagger of a proud warrior. She gripped it within her palm. As she moved her hand up and down, sliding the pliant skin along the hard form beneath, Surius dropped his head back and moaned. A bead of moisture formed on the small slit at the end. Feeling a slight measure of control, Candi quickened her pace. “Yer a forward lass. I ken ye like me tadger. Would ye gammy wie it?” Candi bit her bottom lip. “I’m not sure what you said, but I’m guessing you want me to suck your dick.” Surius eagerly nodded. 64

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With a mischievous grin, Candi rolled over onto her side, then pushed herself to her knees. Positioning herself on all fours in front of him, she leaned forward and licked the glistening drop from the end of his penis. Surius moaned and thrust his hips forward. Gripping him within on palm, Candi slid the head through her lips, pushing it as far back into her mouth as she could before pulling it out. When Surius groaned again, she repeated the process, beginning a slow steady bob of her head. He responded by rocking his hips forward and back. “Ye ’ave a fine wee mouth, lass. An’ ye ken how to use it.” Holding his cock at the base as Mina had suggested, Candi prevented him from pushing forward too far as she pressed him to the back of her throat and withdrew. He swelled within her palm, his growing excitement only adding to his already shocking size. But Candi wasn’t daunted; she sucked him even harder. After a few moments, Surius pulled away from her and rolled onto his back, then motioned for her to climb on top. “I’d like to gammy yer herry pie, while ye gammy my tadger,” he growled. Candi crawled around his sprawled frame until she kneeled above his head. Spreading her legs a bit, she leaned over and walked herself forward on her hands until her slit hovered just above his mouth and his cock bobbed in front of hers. Gripping him once again, she glanced back at him. “Is this what you want?” she asked with a coy lilt. 65

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“Aye, lass. ’Tis what I want.” Wrapping his hands around her thighs, he lifted his head off the ground and sunk his tongue into her spread pussy. Candi gasped as he delved deep inside her, seemingly reaching all the way to her navel. She could hardly hold herself erect, let alone work on him while he was doing that. “God! You have a marvelous tongue,” she moaned, rolling her pelvis forward to afford him a better reach. “An ye ’ave a tasty fud, lass, made for eatin’.” Candi shuddered at his profession. She’d never had a man tell her that her pussy tasted good. The eroticism of his words shook her to the core. Trying to concentrate on the large cock gripped within her hand, she dipped her head forward, kissing the head. Then she pushed the silky smooth helmet through her lips, loving the downy feel of it against her tongue. Being careful not to scrape him with her teeth, she began to suck, carefully drawing him in and out. Surius thrust his hips upward, forcing himself even further into her mouth. But his self-interest didn’t stunt his ministrations on her. On the contrary, the harder she worked him, the more intent he seemed upon driving her over the edge of all sanity. Withdrawing his tongue from her cunt, he pressed it flat against her clit and licked up and down. A bolt of pleasure shot through Candi’s pelvis and her hips bucked forward of their own accord. She spread her legs a little more, pressing herself against his face. 66

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With a delighted growl, Surius plunged two fingers into her quivering channel. His tongue worked the tiny head of her tingling bead in a quick up and down flick, while his digits fucked her pussy, pushing in and out until she thought she would scream with delight. Candi’s legs began to tremble. “Oh, God! Don’t stop. I’m going to come!” She felt herself rushing toward climax. Her hips rocked forward, forcing his tongue more firmly against her pulsating nub. Surius withdrew one finger and began working the area just inside her opening, quickly building a whole new pressure. Moisture trickled down her thighs. She could only imagine the juices coating his face. It was no wonder he didn’t drown. She clenched his dick within her palm. “Oh, God!” Her back began to arch like a startled cat. Her legs tightened. Hunched over his mouth, she could only wait for the explosion. Mere seconds separated her from bliss. And then it hit. Candi screamed from the strength of it. Her whole body shook as intense pleasure hit her full force. Afraid she might hurt him, she released his cock and dropped her chest onto his lower abdomen. Her muscles tightened and convulsed as something akin to electricity shot through every vein in her body. Unable to take any more, she begged him to stop. But Surius had no plans to relent. He held her hips propped above his head and continued to suck her throbbing clit until she began to sob. It wasn’t until Candi thought she’d surely faint that Surius 67

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released her. He rolled her onto the ground beside him, then turned her over onto her belly. Grasping her by the hips, he pulled her onto her knees and drove himself into her slick sheath from behind. Candi gasped at the size of him as he filled her insides. But she scarcely had time to contemplate her ability to handle his package before he began pumping it in and out. Thank God she had an abundance of natural lubrication; he’d never have fit had she been dry. Spreading his knees, he dug his fingers into her waist and thrust forward and up, forcing himself in as deep as he could go. Candi whimpered with each plunge, his aggressiveness bringing a mixture of pleasure and pain. As though sensing her discomfort, he slowed a bit, concentrating more on sliding himself against her inner wall. The stimulation caused her excitement to build. Candi rocked her body, pressing against the ground with her hands to back herself onto his rod with each of his forward drives. The pain had dissipated, replaced with a growing sense of urgency. Her insides convulsed, tightening around his thick shaft. Feeling the pre-orgasmic pressure build in her lower belly, she moaned and impaled herself even faster. She wanted this so bad she could taste it. Surius grunted with each thrust, the sound more feral than human. Then he ground his hips in a circular motion, rubbing the hard length of his shaft against her G-spot in a rotary motion. Pulling back to the head, he pulsed it in and out in short thrusts, concentrating on her already tingling spot, then 68

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drove forward to the hilt once again. “Oh, God, Surius. Don’t stop. Fuck me, fuck me harder,” she shouted, gyrating her bottom to increase the pressure on her inner wall. She no longer cared about the pain his full forward plunges caused. She was about to explode on his hard cock and wanted to feel every inch of him when she did. Surius eagerly obliged, pumping himself so deep his groin slapped her ass. “Oh! Oh, yes!” Candi cried. She spread her legs, tightening her thighs as she rushed toward release. Her breaths became pants as she felt him thicken and lengthen, signaling his impending peak as well. In the next instant, they came in unison, both crying out their pleasure without shame or embarrassment, their gusty declarations blending in with the screaming gulls overhead. As her orgasm began to ebb, Candi dropped down to her elbows. She felt liberated, satisfied, and deliciously spent. When Surius leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her nape, she knew he was equally content. “Ye’ve drained me, lass,” he whispered close to her ear. “Wie yer mighty fine arse.” He slapped her bottom with a firm smack. “But now I must rest.”

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CHAPTER 10 Candi felt a strange sense of loss when Surius withdrew from her. When he lay down on the grass beside her, she noticed his dry skin and ashen color. He didn’t look well. “Surius, what’s wrong? Are you ill?” He glanced at her through eyes devoid of their previous brown shine. Now they looked more like tarnished pennies, dulled with age and elements. He lifted a shaky hand, placing it on her arm. “Ye must find me skin, lass. I ’ave to return to the sea, for I am as much a part of it as it is of me. To tarry on shore will brin’ me death.” Candi nodded and jumped to her feet. “Where should I 70

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look?” He pointed to an area several yards away. “Past yonder knoll. In the cave.” Candi bit her bottom lip. “Cave?” Surius nodded. “Ye must hurry, lass. Brin’ it to me ’ere.” Candi started toward the area he indicated. She didn’t like the idea of climbing around naked in some dirty cave, but what choice did she have? Surius looked like he might die at any moment, and she couldn’t very well go looking for help without clothes. She scaled the small hill, then looked down at the steep valley below. Sure enough, she spied the opening to a cave on the right. Getting to it was another matter. The doorway was set within a large rock formation a dozen or so feet above the ground. She’d have to climb up the rocky wall, inch her way across the narrow ridge leading to the entrance, find his pelt and her clothes somewhere within that darkened hole, then climb back down, all without falling to her death on the waiting boulders below. Candi groaned. She’d never been much on physical activity, unless you counted sex. In which case, she’d had plenty of training. She started down the hillside, making her way to the bottom of the rock-strewn valley. She slipped several times, miraculously catching herself with handfuls of grass. By the time she’d reached the bottom, she was already tired. Candi stared up at the cave entrance, so close, and yet so far away. A ladder would have been perfect. She could have 71

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climbed right up, crawled into the doorway, then climbed back down. She wondered if Mina and Renee were having any better luck. Surely their adventures weren’t so physically challenging. She’d have to pick a different character next time. Maybe the Harley— “Next time,” she said aloud, snorting with derision. As soon as she got her clothes and returned home, she was telling Mina to burn that damned game! Then again… She glanced up the hill she’d just descended, envisioning Surius lying a few yards away. Sex with him had been pretty spectacular. The other characters were probably just as gifted. Perhaps another round or two wouldn’t be so bad. But firsts thing first; she had to get to that stupid cave without falling. Finding a crevice a foot above her head, she pressed her fingers inside and pulled herself upward. Her toes instinctively sought somewhere to grab. Slowly but surely, she made her way up to the crest parallel to the cave. Finagling herself onto the ridge, she pressed her belly against the rocky wall and toed her way toward the entrance. Finding crevices to grip with her fingers, she kept herself from falling backward off the edge. She traveled about five feet to the right when her hand felt the depression of the cave’s doorway. Candi sighed with relief. Here, the ledge widened, affording her room to squat down and crawl through the opening. The floor was flat and even the first few feet past the entry, 72

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where time and weather had smoothed the rough rock. Beyond there, it grew rough and jagged, with loose pebbles and sharp stones littering the ground. Candi cried out in pain as a hard point jabbed her knee. Crawling wouldn’t work. Her legs would be raw meat before she got out of there. While the ceiling wasn’t near tall enough to stand, she was able to stay squatted on her heels and walk her way forward like that. The farther she got from the entrance, the dimmer her light grew. “Ah, hell, couldn’t they have at least given me a flashlight?” A few more feet and she wouldn’t be able to see at all. She silently cursed the game’s creators for their sick sense of amusement. She’d be lucky to navigate herself forward in the dark, let alone search for Surius’s skin. As her vision failed, her forward trek slowed. The last thing she needed was to fall off the edge of some hidden ravine. Using her toes as feelers, she continued forward. The surrounding cave was scarcely a foot and a half on either side, making it easy to feel along the walls as she went. But this slowed her progress even more. She didn’t want to miss his pelt or her clothes in the darkness. She hoped they would at least be in the same spot. It seemed malicious to hide his skin halfway into the cave, only to place her clothes at the very end. Stumping her toe on a large mass, she yelped. She felt her injured digit for moisture. Feeling the sticky sensation of blood, she let out another string of curses that 73

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echoed through the surrounding darkness. She reached forward with her hand, trying to find the offending rock so that she could make her way around it. Her fingers contacted a jagged surface about two feet in front of her. Carefully tracing its contours, she realized it wasn’t one rock, but what appeared to be several, all compacted together into a barrier. She sidestepped a little to the right, hoping to find a place to squeeze by. When she contacted the adjoining wall, she backtracked her fingers to the left, praying the cave wasn’t completely blocked. She’d just given up hope of getting through when her hand dropped off the edge, pitching her forward. Candi let out a startled yowl, catching herself with both hands on the rocky obstruction before she hit it face first. She cried out again when the serrated surface bit into her palms. “My feet, my hands, my knees!” Fighting back tears of pain and frustration, she readied herself to crawl through the narrow opening. Unfortunately, this required wiggling through on her belly. Gritting her teeth against the sharp scrapes upon her delicate flesh, she finagled herself through to the other side. While the lack of light prevented her from seeing the damage, she knew her underside was a mess. She brushed off lingering grit and pebbles, feeling the multitudes of whelps marring her tummy, hips, and thighs. No wonder Surius wanted to have sex first, she’d be a disaster by the time she got out of there. “Granted the damned cave doesn’t fall in on my head 74

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first!” she hissed quietly, fearing to raise her voice lest her worry come to pass. As she felt out around her, trying to regain her bearings, Candi realized that this section of the cave was quite a bit larger. Cautiously, she attempted to stand and found she had plenty of room to do so. While it made her spelunking experience a little more comfortable, it also meant a lot more space to search. She almost preferred crawling through on her hands and feet. The feel of the cave’s wall offered some comfort. In there, surrounded by a black abyss devoid of sound, she wasn’t sure she was alone, and that realization scared her to death. Her heart beat like a massive bass drum within her chest, powerful and foudroyant. At first she thought it echoed through the air, bounced off the rocky walls, and returned to box her ears. But then she realized it was just in her head, the reverberating thumps so strong they rattled her teeth. “Stop it, Candi! They wouldn’t send you in here to die.” A sudden realization made her shudder. She’d almost drowned at the onset of her adventure. Had Surius not intervened… Candi mentally shook herself. Get a grip; you’re not going to die. Nothing larger than her could possibly maneuver through that tiny opening. And from what she could tell, the most dangerous creatures on this island were birds. Of course, there was always the possibility of snakes. 75

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The thought almost made her scream in protest. Clamping her hand over her mouth, she forbade herself from doing so. Instead, she came up with a mantra. “Find the skin, then you win. Find the skin, then you win. Find the skin…” She wasn’t sure she actually won, but it rhymed and kept her thoughts occupied. So with her mantra in mind, she started a methodical search of the darkness, moving left to right, then right to left in a complete sweep from wall to wall before moving forward a few feet. At this rate, it’d likely be dark outside before she found anything besides rocks, rocks, and more rocks. She hoped Surius didn’t perish in the process. She wouldn’t mind another sex-session before returning to her friends. Maybe he’d turn into a seal first, lick her from head to toe with his animal tongue. Her insides quivered at the prospect. “Oh, now that’s just kinky.” She giggled to herself. “And a bit gross,” she had to admit. No, she definitely preferred him as a man. Bestiality wasn’t her thing. Mina was probably more into that sort of stuff, with her liking vampires and werewolves and such. She was just pondering the many ways she could enjoy Surius’s wonderful cock when her fingertips brushed against a stony ledge above her head. She reached a little higher, trying to feel on top of it. Her hand contacted something soft and slick. Not wet, but rather velvet and smooth, like an animal’s pelt. She ran her 76

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fingers along its surface, trying to make sure it wasn’t just a patch of moss or a super-smooth stone. She touched a wrinkle in the texture and realized it was a fold. Grabbing two handfuls of the down-covered material, she pulled it toward her chest, marveling at its weight and size as it slid from its perch and flopped to the ground. “Oh, my God,” she whispered into the darkness. “I’ve found his skin.”

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CHAPTER 11 Mina awoke to what sounded like someone banging on a door. Her head thumped with each beat. She didn’t dare open her eyes. Blaming the god-awful sound on a hangover, she rolled over in the bed, covering her ears with her pillow. Several minutes of unrelenting pounding passed before she realized it wasn’t in her head. Someone was actually beating on the door. “All right!” she yelled, throwing back the blankets and rolling off the bed. It wasn’t until her feet contacted the stark cold wooden floor that she realized she wasn’t in her own bed. She wasn’t even in her own room, for that matter. As she gazed about the 78

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foreign surroundings, the pounding on the door seemed insignificant to the hammering in her chest. “Holy shit!” She glanced down at her toes peeking out beneath the white floor-length nightgown. Her hand went to her throat, feeling the high neckline buttoned to her chin, the lacey patch across her chest. Then she touched her hair, taking note how her dark curls lay loose and unbound, tousled about her shoulders. Mina couldn’t help but giggle. “Oh, my God! It’s really happening!” Another loud rap drew her out of her dazed wonder. She slowly turned toward the wooden barrier, instinctively knowing who waited on the other side. Seemingly of their own will, her feet carried her to the door. She lifted the wooden arm barricading the door from its holders, then pulled back the cast-iron lock. Grasping the bulky handle, she gave it a tug. Old wood and rusty hinges caused it to creak as it opened. There, on her door stoop, stood the most tantalizing and terrifying man she could have ever dreamed up. Athan. The cloudless night offered no hindrance to the full moon above. Its unimpeded beams cut through the darkness as efficient as a flashlight, revealing his state of ruin with startling clarity. Mina held her breath. His clothes were torn and soaked with blood—perhaps not his own. His jet-black hair had pulled free of its restraint and hung in disheveled locks about his pale face. And his tall 79

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frame slouched against the jamb, as though in danger of melting onto the ground at her feet. “Help me, please,” he begged, his striking green eyes boring into hers before he collapsed to his knees. Pulling her dress up to her shins, Mina squatted beside him. She grabbed him beneath the arm, helped him back to his feet, then led him into the cottage. After coaxing him onto the bed, she went to secure the door. “How far behind are they?” she asked, sliding the iron lock into place. Athan glanced at her, his expression quizzical. “How did you…” His eyes narrowed a bit, then he grinned. “You know the game.” He studied her a moment longer. “I don’t remember you. Have you played before?” Mina shook her head. “No. But I’m not wigged out by paranormal stuff. You don’t frighten me.” “Really?” he said with a cocked brow. “What makes you think you’re safe? I could just kill you and be done with it, drain you dry.” Mina snorted. “According to the rules, all players must complete their tasks before they can return. If I don’t go back, no one else will ever play and you’ll be stuck here in this world with no one to fuck. How’s that for rationalization?” she declared, crossing her arms over her chest in bold defiance. His gaze dropped to her breasts, which were propped upon her crossed arms like a couple of ripe melons. “Hmm…” he 80

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purred, taking no care to hide his interest. “Guess you got me. But first we must dispose of my hunter.” “Dispose? You mean…kill?” Mina didn’t mind playing along, but killing someone was a different matter. Athan shrugged. “You have a problem with that? He’ll be back next round, you know, whether we kill him or not.” Mina paced the room in thought. “Well, it seems a little unfair that you get to have sex every time, and he only gets to die. Don’t you think?” Athan laughed. “Are you wanting a three-some, dear? I don’t know your taste in men, but since you picked me, I can say with certainty that he’s not your type.” It was Mina’s turn to snicker. “Honey, if he has a nice cock and knows how to use it, then he’s my type,” she declared with a haughty toss of her hair. Athan regarded her with an exquisitely arched brow. “I’ll make a deal with you. There’s a secret door behind the hearth,” he said, pointing to the fireplace. “That’s where I’ll hide until he’s gone. He’ll question you, search the house a bit, then leave. If you think you can persuade him to stay, then by all means…but I warn you, if he stays, he dies.” Mina bit her bottom lip mischievously. “Well, my card did say you needed sustenance,” she purred, sauntering toward the bed. “Perhaps if I…distract him.” Placing her hands on the quilt, she leaned toward Athan. “Surely a fully grown man can provide enough blood to satisfy your thirst.” He grabbed both her arms and pulled her atop him before 81

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Mina had a chance to respond. His quickness disturbed her. Fear gripped her innards as she stared into his effervescent eyes. “And what will you provide, Mina?” The way he said her name—long and drawn out, each syllable carefully pronounced—sent electric chills of awareness squabbling down her spine like two bolts of current struggling for the same space. Mina gasped when they centered in her pelvis and her insides tightened in response. She bore down, trying to stunt the onset of an orgasm. Sweat beaded her brow as she fought for control over her body. She couldn’t help but question her choice of characters. If the man’s voice alone could bring her to climax, she shuddered to think what he could do with his tongue. “My tongue,” he said, as though reading her thoughts. “Shall taste every inch of your flesh.” To emphasize his point, he tangled his fingers in her hair and pulled her head to the side. Pulling aside the neckline of her gown, he licked her from collarbone to jaw in a slow dragging sweep. She felt the scrape of teeth against her skin and prepared for his bite. It never came. “My hands shall touch each sacred part you’ve hidden beneath this dress.” Reaching down between them, he pulled up the hem of her gown, exposing her legs and thighs. His fingertips trailed her skin from knee to hip, releasing a barrage of goose bumps in their wake. Mina trembled with expectancy. 82

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“And my cock shall plunder you raw,” he said, pressing his hardness against her thigh. “Until you beg for mercy. And perhaps past then.” Parting the curls shrouding her center, he slipped one finger inside her already slick sheath. He found her G-spot almost instantly, as though he’d done so a million times before. Circling his fingertip just right, he teased the elusive area until it sang with excitement. Closing her eyes, Mina sighed as he stroked her channel. “That feels so good,” she panted, feeling a tightening in her belly that announced her impending peak. Unashamed, she rocked her pelvis forward and back. “Before I’m through, dear Mina,” he whispered against her throat. “I shall ravish you, body and soul.” Mina whimpered with protest when he removed his digit and replaced her gown. Just a few moments more and she’d have come all over his hand. But if she’d learned anything in her studies of immortals, it was that they despised being rushed. A bold rap at the door alerted them both to the fact that Athan’s hunter had arrived. He held a finger to his lips, indicating for her to be quiet. Pointing to the hearth, he slipped noiselessly from the bed. Mina waited until he’d disappeared behind the fireplace. Unbuttoning her gown from neck to chest, she exposed a good amount of cleavage. Then she tousled her already disheveled locks, cast a final glance at the hearth to assure Athan’s secrecy, and started for the door, her bare feet making soft 83

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treads on the cold hardwood floor. Biting her bottom lip to make it look swollen and pouty, she unfastened the cast iron lock. Before grasping the large handle, she gave her cheeks a vigorous rub, assuring a seductive rosy glow. Telling herself to look desirable, she opened the door. “Evenin’, ma’am,” said a burly man with a barrel frame and face full of wiry beard. He tipped the dusty rim of his brown hat. Mina quickly took in his stocky build. He wasn’t tall, not even six-foot, with heavy shoulders, wide hips, and thick legs. With his protruding abdomen, he didn’t exactly have an appealing physique, and he could certainly use a shave. A haircut wouldn’t hurt either. She eyeballed his long unkempt mane. All in all, he was far from handsome, but not quite homely either. Then she noticed his big hands and large feet, two good indicators of a well-endowed man. His potential was redeemed. Had circumstances been different, he might have made a good project. With a little hygiene, a strict diet, and some exercise, he would be acceptable. Or at the very least, screwable. “Can I help you?” she asked, her voice husky. She opened the door wider, affording him a full frontal view of the goods. As though to aid in her campaign, a small gust of air blew past him, plastering her thin gown against her chest, hips, and thighs. Rather than squeal in protest, as most 84

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women would, Mina welcomed the blast, spreading her legs a bit to allow her shift to outline the vee between her legs with clarity. Just as she’d hoped, his gaze swept her exposed frame, brazenly ogling her from head to foot. She’d seen that look many times before. Desire. There was no denying it. He focused on the dark shadow between her legs. Biting back a triumphant smile, she asked, “Something wrong, sir?” His steel gray eyes shot up to her face. “Is your husband at home?” Mina tilted her chin. “I have none,” she declared cheekily. “I am alone.” He stared at her long and hard, his expression skeptical. “So far in the Carpathians…by yourself? Are you not afraid?” Mina shrugged. “I manage.” His attention dropped to her chest where her gown parted to reveal the top mounds of her creamy breasts. Responding to the limelight, her nipples hardened beneath his scrutiny, poking against the thin material like two bold brown buttons, demanding to be pressed. The man licked his bottom lip, seemingly contemplating touching her breasts. “Don’t you get lonely, Ms…” “Mina,” she supplied, arching her back a little. She sucked in a long deep breath, shamelessly thrusting her breasts at him. “I have a visitor or two, every once in a while.” He nodded understanding, as though grasping some dark secret she hadn’t revealed. “And what about tonight, Ms. 85

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Mina, any visitors?” She offered a coy grin. “Only you, sir. Would you like to come in?” He hesitated a moment, his eyes swimming with distrust. Shoving the door open a little wider, Mina offered him an unobstructed view of her vacant cottage. His gaze swept the interior from wall to wall, taking in the small table and chairs on the left, the cozy fire crackling in the hearth, then finally settling on the queen-sized bed on the right, the ruffled quilt suggesting its recent use. It was all the invitation he needed.

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CHAPTER 12 Mina closed the door behind him, quietly securing the locks for a second time that night. Dancing flames within the hearth cast eerie shadows across the wood floor that gyrated as though alive. Mina sensed the iniquity in their sway. Evil lurked in the room, and she’d become a part of it. She cast an uncertain glance at the fireplace, feeling Athan’s gaze upon her. One part of her knew this was a game, and yet, at that moment, the man before her was just as alive as she. Too late to back out now. Besides, she had no choice but to play. Until she finished her adventure, she couldn’t return. That meant Renee and Candi would be trapped as well. 87

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Refocusing on the task at hand, she approached the man. He waited quietly by the table, his assessing stare a bit unsettling in its diligence. “May I take your coat, Mr…” “It’s Hansen.” He removed his calf-length coat, folding it over his thick arm before handing it to her. “But please, call me William.” Mina smiled. “William,” she said with a nod, draping his coat over a chair. She turned to face him, taking in his wide stance. It was then she noticed the utility belt around his thick waist. It sported a multitude of weapons. “That looks uncomfortable,” she suggested, indicating his arsenal with a nod. William grinned. “Perhaps a little.” Without waiting for an invitation, he began disarming himself, placing each item upon the table. Mina watched in silence, noticing how he seemed to lay out his things in specific order, as though making sure each was easy to find, should the need arrive. When he’d finished, he removed the belt, laying it at the front of the line of weapons. It was then she realized what he’d done; he’d disassembled his stock in exactly the opposite order in which he’d need to don it later. She began to wonder if he weren’t smarter than he appeared. “You have a lot of…weapons, William.” He stared at her a long moment, his eyes narrowing a bit. “My work demands such,” he finally replied, setting his hat on the table next to the belt. 88

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Mina stepped toward him, trailing a fingertip across the back of the nearest chair. Glancing at him through a veil of dark lashes, she said, “And what is it you do, Mr. Hansen?” “I hunt vampires, Ms. Mina,” he supplied without hesitance, as though there were nothing odd about his occupation. “Vampires.” Mina sounded aghast. “Really? That sounds quite…dangerous.” She took another step forward. A mere six inches separated them. Arching her back, she thrust her breasts right under his nose. “Tell me, William, when you’re not tracking down bloodsucking creatures of the night, what do you do for…enjoyment?” He smiled, his brown teeth fitting the rest of his shoddy appearance. “I suppose that depends on the company, ma’am.” “And what of my company, sir?” His hunt for Athan momentarily forgotten, William eagerly grabbed two handfuls of Mina’s breasts, pushing them up and together. “These are lovely,” he said, dipping his head forward to kiss and lave the tops of her bulging mounds. She shuddered at the feel of his whiskers against her skin. She’d never been with a man with a full-grown beard, and couldn’t help but wonder what those wiry wisps might feel like against her inner thighs. As curious as she was, she suspected she wouldn’t find out. As though pressed for time, William yanked at the hem of her gown, pulling it up and over her head. He carelessly tossed the garment aside, then riveted his attention on her exposed 89

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frame. Lust burned in his gray eyes as he settled once again on the dark nest of curls between her thighs, no longer hidden behind a cotton veil. He practically salivated at the sight. With impatient fingers, he yanked his shirt from the waistband of his pants. Then he quickly unbuttoned his breeches, letting his large erection spring free. Now it was Mina’s turn to stare. Despite his otherwise unappealing features, William had a nice cock. It wasn’t too long, maybe six inches or so, but wonderfully thick with a round head. She cast a quick glance toward the hearth, hoping Athan could see. Trying not to appear too suspicious, she coaxed William to stand closer to the fire, angling him to offer her secret voyeur an unobstructed view. Dropping to her knees, she took his fat rod in one hand and pulled out his furry balls with the other. Gently massaging the pendulous sac, she placed the bulbous head of his penis between her lips and began to work her magic. William’s stocky frame shuddered as she sucked on his cock, drawing his thick shaft in as far as she could bear before pulling it back out. She jerked forward and back with her hand, sliding the pliant outer skin along the rock hard form beneath. William moaned loudly, the sound like a wounded hound dog. He impatiently shoved at his pants, pushing them down to the floor and out of her way. Then he tangled his thick fingers in her hair, holding her head in place while he thrust 90

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harder. Mina almost gagged when he hit the back of her throat. Releasing his nuts, she wrapped both hands around his rod, keeping him from pushing forward so deeply. With the way he acted, she wondered if he’d ever had a blow job before. She felt the vein along the underside of his cock begin to swell. Fluid coursed from his balls to the tip. He wasn’t far from coming. Not wanting to forfeit her own pleasure, she abruptly stopped. She would feel that broad cock fill her channel before he got his rocks off. Ignoring his protest, she stood, then sauntered toward the table. Selecting the closest chair, she dragged it toward him, turning it to face the hearth. When she’d positioned it just right, she indicated for him to sit. Picking up on her intent, William plopped his big ass in the seat without further protest or question. Mina could feel Athan’s eyes upon her, watching her every move. The sensation heightened her arousal. Wanting to give him a good show, she walked around William’s seated form, rubbing her large breasts across his shoulders and face. He greedily sucked and pulled at her nipples, almost painfully drawing them in and out of his eager lips. Mina moaned, her arousal having little to do with his sloppy ministrations, but rather more the fact that she was on display. When his clumsy fingers found her center, she spread her legs a bit, placing her hands on his shoulders and bending forward to offer Athan a rather obscene view. 91

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William shoved a thick digit in and out of her pussy with no sense of proficiency. He was more like a bull in a China shop. But bulls were good for one thing, and that was riding, so before his blundering attempts at pleasing her dried her flowing juices, she pushed his hand away and straddled his lap. She tried to position herself correctly, ensure that the angle of his drive wouldn’t veer to the side—a portly penis wasn’t to be taken lightly, endowments such as these could bring great pleasure and an equal amount of pain if not handled right. But William was impatient; he grasped her hips and shoved her down onto his fully erect rod, thrusting himself in to her small channel all the way to the balls. Mina cried out in pain as he veered to the side, jabbing against her vaginal wall. Realizing his error, he instantly released her hips. “Sorry.” Mina nodded. Holding his shoulders for support, she wiggled her bottom, repositioning herself until everything lined up right. Then she carefully began sliding herself up and down. Holding her hips more carefully this time, he helped her move. Pleasure soon obliterated any lingering pain and she quickened the pace, rocking her pelvis forward and back as she bounced up and down. Unable to resist his own gratification, William began thrusting upward with increasing force. They quickly found a productive rhythm that pleased them both. The sound of her bottom slapping his groin echoed through the room, combined with his hearty grunts. Mina 92

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moaned as her insides began to tingle. She alternated between gyrating and bouncing her hips, forcing the head of his cock against her inner wall. The pressure in her lower belly steadily built. She would come before long. That was, if William didn’t spew first. His grunts became louder, his thrusts harder. With his eyes closed, head lulled back, and mouth open in long, drawn out groans, Mina suspected he wouldn’t last much longer. A movement to her right caught her attention. She watched, her rocking hips never missing a beat, as Athan slipped around them, his sleek frame as silent and deadly as a stalking panther. Mina felt a surge of excitement as he stood in front of them, mere inches from the top of William’s scalp. With his head tilted back, eyes clenched tight in preparation for release, the hunter never suspected his foe’s impending attack. A thrill shot through Mina’s center as Athan kneeled beside William’s vulnerable neck. When he opened his mouth, exposing his long, deadly teeth, her channel began to pulse and tighten. His eyes bore into hers as he waited, seemingly timing his deadly bite with her peak. William’s fingers bit into her hips as he thrust with near frenzy. His grunts became pants of exertion. Spreading her legs, Mina gleefully bounced up and down on his pounding cock. “Yes, oh, yes!” she cried, feeling herself bear down with the onset of her orgasm. Eyes still clenched, William huffed with exertion, 93

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struggling to hold back until she came. Sweat moistened the skin on his throat, making it glisten in the dancing firelight. The sight of his lust-strained expression, paired with his oblivion to impending death was enough to send her over the edge of bliss. As Mina cried out her gratification, Athan bit deeply into William’s neck. It wasn’t final pleasure that filled the hunter’s eyes as they flew open in surprise, but rather disillusionment, as though he’d been robbed. But Mina felt no shame; she greedily rode his hard shaft, even while his body trembled with impending death. As William’s life force drained away, so did his strength. His mighty cock grew limp and small. Soon, his gaze became glazed and his breathing stilled. The poor man never did get to come.

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CHAPTER 13 “That was a bit cruel, don’t you think?” Mina charged, sliding off the dead hunter’s lap. Athan glanced at the lifeless man and sneered. “He was a bumbling idiot, his manners disgusting and crude.” He stepped around her, trailing his fingertips along her hip and waist. “Watching the way he pawed your flesh was nauseating. You have beautiful skin. It should be caressed, kissed, not drooled over like a salivating dog.” Mina’s body tingled at his skilled touch, causing her nipples to harden in response. Part of her knew he was right. She liked being fucked, but William rutted like a pig. Athan’s demeanor instantly chilled. “I don’t see how you 95

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stomached it,” he declared with a snort. “Nearly made me sick just watching.” Mina read the contempt in his expression and instantly felt embarrassed by her behavior. In all honesty, she wasn’t sure what had come over her. She liked sex, she couldn’t deny, but she’d never have considered someone like William a suitable partner. She glanced at the dead man now slumped in the chair and cringed. She had better taste than that, and certainly a little more self-pride. Her sex life had never lacked participation. Why had she acted that way? Then it dawned on her. She glared at Athan, furious at him for both his manipulation of her mind, and the audacity he had to then make her feel bad about it. This had been part of the game, his game, and she’d been a pawn. “You!” She angrily pointed a finger in his direction. “You used your telepathic voodoo to make me do that. You used me to get an easy kill. You—” “If I recall, Mina, you were more than happy to oblige. What was it you said?” He tapped a slim index finger against his chin in thought. “Oh, yes, I believe you said something about him being your type as long as he had a nice cock and knew how to use it.” Mina’s cheeks burned with humiliation. Yes, she had said that. At the time, it seemed like fun and games. But now that her senses had returned, she realized she’d just had unabashed sex with a troll of a man and had continued riding him while watching him die. 96

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I’m going to hell. Athan chuckled. “Oh, now. Don’t be so pessimistic. Hell’s not so bad. There’s plenty of sex.” Feeling her face drain of color, Mina stared at Athan through a tear-filled gaze. “Am I through with my adventure? Can I leave now?” While she prayed for release, she knew fucking William didn’t count. The wicked grin on Athan’s mouth confirmed her fear. She wasn’t done. He clucked his tongue. “Come now, Mina. You know better than that.” Holding out his hand, he beckoned her to approach. Mina shook her head and stood her ground. She didn’t want to be anywhere near him. Suddenly her love of vampires seemed foolish and immature. Sure, the ones in the books were romantic, their passionate natures glorified with promises of nights filled with unending pleasure and an eternity of undying love. But to actually meet one in person, look him in the face, eye to eye, was more terrifying than she could have imagined. Just his very presence made her feel weak and helpless, at the mercy of his whims. From the confident expression on his handsome face, to the powerful statement of his poised stance, she knew, just one touch, and she’d be lost. This man was dangerous, in more ways than one. She glanced at William. His head remained lulled over the back of the chair, eyes wide open and glazed, mouth agape. His once proud cock lay limp and spent across his right thigh, 97

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it’s sad little size incomparable to its previous glory. “Does he know? Each time, I mean. Does he know he’ll get to the verge of climax, then die?” Mina tore her gaze from the dead man in the chair, and focused on the one standing a mere five feet away. How ironic it seemed that he was just as lifeless as William. And yet, there he stood in his ethereal splendor, a mighty minion of Satan himself. “You and I are the only players aware of the game. For him, each time is as real as the last, each death as shocking and unforeseen. The surprise in his eyes, the terror in his veins, makes his nectar all the more gratifying. Tell me, Mina, have you ever tasted a man’s blood when he’s on the verge of orgasmic release?” He asked it as though it were something she’d experienced. Mina slowly shook her head. Athan offered a grin so iniquitous it made the hairs on her arms stand on end. She felt another surge of awareness, as though someone stroked her inner thigh along the hairline. Startled by the strange sensation, she yelped in surprise. He smiled like a Cheshire cat, seemingly knowing what caused her sudden unease. “It’s a drug when it hits your tongue,” he purred. “So pure, so sweet. Even now, I still feel his life force surging through me, healing my wounds and spreading warmth to my cold flesh.” His eyes had taken on an effervescent glow, piercing and bright. They seemed to leap from his skull. Mina wanted to 98

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take a step back, but found she couldn’t move. She struggled against his will, but her feet were rooted in place. “Come here, Mina.” He beckoned her once again with an outstretched palm. “It’s time to complete your task.” She vehemently shook her head. “No. I won’t let you—” His outstretched fingers curled into a claw and she felt the invisible force of their clench around her throat. She gasped and choked as her air was suddenly cut off. Unable to scream, she ripped at her neck with desperation, trying to break his suffocating hold. But there was nothing there to release, his asphyxiating grip a mere trick of the mind. Part of her knew this was just a game; surely she couldn’t die. And yet, the lack of air felt very real. She watched through fearful eyes as he slowly approached her helpless figure. He removed his torn and soiled clothes one piece at a time, tossing them unheeded to the floor. By the time he stood directly before her, he was as naked as she. The heady danger of her situation caused her pulse to race. Sex-charged adrenaline surged through her veins, making her feel hot and flushed. Powerless against his dark seduction, Mina couldn’t help but ogle his alluring frame. His glorious body was perfect, his lustrous skin and lean physique pure candy to the eyes. He wasn’t bulky by any means, rather athletic and proportionate in build. Just how she liked. Her gaze dropped to his groin, fastening on his erect cock. 99

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It stood straight out from his body, seemingly pointing to her center like a homing beacon. He was nicely sized, more long than wide. She felt her pussy clench with expectancy. Moisture seeped between her clamped thighs. Despite her lingering apprehension, her body seemed bent on responding. “Now then,” he started, interrupting her drifting thoughts. “I’d prefer we don’t fight. You know you want me, Mina. I can read it in your eyes. You’ve had your fun with William, now its time I’ve had mine.” The pressure on her throat suddenly released. Taking a deep breath, Mina swallowed hard. Glaring at him through narrowed eyes, she rubbed her neck. But he was right; she did want him. For whatever the sick reason, she couldn’t deny it. From the delicate strength in his tapered shoulders, to the rigid power in his sinewy legs, he was the epitome of what an immortal man should look like, and her hormones were on overdrive. She’d been enamored and infatuated with vampires her whole life. They were killers and lovers, violent and suave, how could anyone resist such complex and fascinating creatures? Besides, it was just a game; it wasn’t real. “That’s right, Mina. It is just a game. When you’ve completed your task, you’ll return to the living room with your friends. But for now, you’re mine.” The bold claim made her shiver with anticipation. Picking her up beneath her butt, he held her propped on his forearms and carried her to the bed. After gently laying her 100

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down on the rumpled spread, he dropped down beside her. Mina held her breath, waiting for his touch with a mixture of excitement and dread. She was twisted. There was no other explanation. She’d just taken part in killing a man—though she had to admit, she’d at least given the poor guy some pleasure before his death—and now she was about to screw his assassin! “Don’t be so droll,” Athan chided, running his fingertips down her abdomen. “He’ll be back next round.” “I won’t be back,” she declared, only half believing the statement herself. Athan chuckled. “Yes, you will. Maybe not next time, or the one after that. But you’ll return, and we’ll play with William all over again. You’ve four different adventures to choose from, you know.” Mina didn’t answer. His fingers were tracing the dark hair shrouding her feminine vee. At the moment, she didn’t care about future games, her attention was right here on the present. “Open your legs for me, love.” She did as he commanded, shamelessly spreading them wide. Athan’s brow twitched with amusement. “That’s good.” His finger slipped inside her wet sheath. Dropping her head back to the pillow, Mina let out a low guttural moan. As he stroked her inner wall, masterfully circling his fingertip, she rotated her hips. It didn’t take long for her pleasure to build. 101

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Little tingles of excitement radiated from her center and shot through her belly. The walls of her pussy began to constrict. Pressing her heels onto the bed, she lifted her bottom off the quilt. With her ass in the air, she rocked her pelvis against his hand. He might be skilled in the means of making love, but so was she. She’d trained several pupils, and had no qualms or embarrassment about seeking her own delight. “That’s it, Mina. Roll your hips. Doesn’t that feel nice?” Mina nodded. Feeling the preorgasmic spasms deep inside her womb, she gripped the blanket within her palms and thrust her hips up and down, rubbing his palm against her clit. Her legs began to tremble as she neared her peak. With his finger steadily pumping her slit, Athan maneuvered himself around to lie between her spread thighs. “I want to taste your honey when you come.” His breath seemed unusually warm against her sensitive flesh. Mina panted, feeling her channel tighten. When his mouth closed over her throbbing clit, it was all the stimulation she needed. Her orgasm hit with such force her entire body stiffened. She stayed that way for several seconds, her legs extended and taut, back straight as a board, until the next wave of pleasure hit and she began to shake uncontrollably. The whole while, Athan licked and sucked, greedily drinking in her flowing juices. Each time her orgasm ebbed, he flicked his tongue against her pulsing nub, renewing her torment. Mina’s body 102

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convulsed and twitched, her head rolled from side to side, and she moaned with a mixture of agony and bliss. It wasn’t until she sobbed with exhaustion and begged him to stop that he finally quit. But Athan was far from through. Rearing up onto his knees, he grabbed her upper thighs, keeping her bottom raised off the bed, and drove his hard length forward, burying himself deep inside her quivering womb. Mina cried out in surprise, arching her back as he forced himself into her sore channel, still swollen from her previous fuck. Unlike William, her protest fell on deaf ears; Athan paid no heed to her discomfort. Had she not been slick and ready, his entrance would have caused more pain. He thrust his hips forward and back, plunging his rock hard cock to the hilt, then retreating to the tip. As her ache melted into pleasure, Mina spread her thighs wide, welcoming his aggressive strokes with delight. He’d promised to fuck her raw and she wanted no less. “Yeah,” she breathed heavily, her voice feral and deep. “Fuck me hard. I like that.” Gripping her under the thighs, Athan lifted her a little higher and strengthened his stroke. Mina moaned and bounced her hips, loving the feel of his balls as they slapped her ass with each forward drive. Her excitement quickly built once again. Sensing her growing fire, Athan angled his cock upward, stroking her just right. Each time he plunged forward, he paused, holding himself deep and rotating his pelvis to grind 103

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in his lenghty rod as far as it would go before pulling out. Mina purred with approval, her insides beginning to tighten. Sensing her impending release, he pumped faster, pulsing his length in and out in short powerful thrusts. Mina squirmed and wiggled her hips, stroking her inner wall against his cock. Her butt checks flexed and tightened as she rocked herself forward and back, riding him hard. “Oh!” she cried when her channel suddenly clamped down on his shaft. “Oh, yes! Yes! Yes!” Her body convulsed as though she’d been shocked, the strength of this orgasm just as debilitating as before. She thrashed her head from side to side, whimpering in ecstasy while Athan fucked her without mercy. Moments later, his voice joined hers with an unearthly bellow when he came hard as well. Completely spent, Mina was only vaguely aware when Athan pulled himself free. Feeling him drop down between her legs, she closed her eyes. Sleep seemed like a welcome friend. “You’re not through, love. I’ve one more need to be met.” Before she could protest, Mina felt the piercing of teeth in her groin. Her eyes flew open and she inhaled sharply, the stark pain robbing her breath. Tears stung her lids and her mouth moved in a silent scream. But as quick as it hit, the pain suddenly ceased and she was thrust into a whole new type of bliss.

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EPILOGUE Renee blinked several times in succession, not sure she was really looking across the coffee table at her friends. The last thing she remembered was lying beneath Eyanosa, being deliciously ravaged. Now she was sitting in her living room, her pussy tingling on the verge of orgasm and feeling cheated. “What happened?” Candi shook her head. “I…don’t know. A minute ago I was sitting on top of Surius, screwing his brains out and just about to come, and well…now here I am. I only needed a few more minutes!” Her voice rose several octaves in disappointment. The sexual frustration in her friend’s tone mirrored her 105

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own. Renee glanced at Mina. “Well? What about you? Did you find Athan?” Mina stared back at her through unseeing eyes. Her expression was dazed, as though she hadn’t quite returned. After a few moments, Renee grew concerned. “Hello? Earth to Mina?” She waved a hand in front of her friend’s face. Recognition filled Mina’s eyes and she briefly focused on Renee. “What?” Then her expression turned to one of confusion. “What…happened? Where’s Athan?” “That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Candi huffed. “What the hell happened? I wasn’t through!” Renee looked at the empty bottle of José lying on its side in the middle of the game. Realizing what must have taken place, she rolled her eyes with disgust. “We got drunk, that’s what happened.” “What?” Candi scrunched her face with bafflement. Renee snatched up the empty bottle. “We got drunk,” she snapped, waving the container to emphasize each word. “Our imaginations got the best of us. There were no men, no great sex. It was all in our heads!” Mina shook her head with denial. “No, Renee. It was real. Forget the José, I know what I felt.” Candi jumped to her feet. “Do these look real enough for you?” She yanked up her shirt, revealing the multitude of scrapes and welts along her belly. “I nearly drowned, had the most spectacular sex of my life, and climbed naked through a cave. How much more fuckin’ real do you want?” 106

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Renee stared at Candi’s wounds with disbelief. “Maybe you fell in the bathroom earlier,” she suggested, struggling to come up with a logical explanation other than that they’d all been sucked through some sort of vortex into an alternate dimension where they had wild uninhibited sex with the devil’s incubi. “Then how do you explain these?” Mina demanded, jumping to her feet as well. She pulled her skirt up, revealing the bite marks on her inner thigh. “The last thing Athan did before I returned here was drink from me. Here.” She pointed to the two puncture wounds for emphasis. “These didn’t come from a fall.” “Face it, Renee,” Candi chimed in. “The game is real. We went on our adventures, completed the required tasks, and returned. I don’t know how it works, but it does.” Renee sat back heavily on her heels. They were right. She could still feel Eyanosa’s hands on her skin, taste his lips, and smell the aroma of his sex. Biting her bottom lip, she glanced up at her friends. “You know, there’s three more adventures for each character. We could…play again.” Mina’s rosy mouth curled in to an evil grin. “I’m game.” They both glanced at Candi, waiting for her reply. “Well, I can’t do any more underwater adventures until I learn to swim, I’d have drowned if Surius hadn’t save me.” Snatching the construction character piece out of the game box, she added, “But I wouldn’t mind giving him a try. He looks like he’s got a nice jack-hammer.” 107

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Renee giggled at the implication. These men were made to please. They all had nice hammers. She waited for Mina to pick her character, watching in silence as she contemplated between the werewolf and vampire. Renee couldn’t help but grin at her friend’s indecision. After a few more moments of deliberation, Mina finally selected the vampire and placed him on his starting point. “One more round,” she whispered to the pewter figure, making Renee wonder what secret the two had shared. She didn’t have any qualms on whom to select; she wanted Eyanosa. He’d given her one orgasm after another, showing her ways to make love that she’d never dreamed of, and fucking her in all the rest; she wasn’t through with him yet. Her insides clenched with urgency. Picking up the dotted cubes, she shook them within her enclosed palms. “Well then, ladies, shall we begin round two?” Candi and Mina nodded agreement, their faces glowing with eager anticipation. Renee smiled, understanding their excitement. She was glad Mina had acquired this bizarre game, despite her methods; it’d proved to be quite… entertaining. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the dice, watching as they rolled several inches before coming a to a stop. A one and a two. She selected her card, then waited for Candi and Mina to do the same. As the words swirled within the orb, forming the game’s 108

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request, the three women sat forward in fervent impatience. Chiming in unison, a hearty yes, their contracts were set. The room began to swirl, their realities to bend, and just as before, their adventures began.

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SHANNON LEIGH

Shannon Leigh is a practicing registered nurse who graduated with a BSN, RN from the Indiana University School of nursing in May of 1996. She lives in Indiana with her four sons, two dogs, and a lazy fat cat named Tippy. When she’s not chasing after her four rambunctious boys, Shannon enjoys tole painting, drawing, reading, writing, and watching vampire flicks. Coincidentally, one of her favorite movies, Dracula 2000, which stars Gerard Butler, was released on her birthday, December 22. Shannon tries to dedicate a couple of hours every day to writing and finds that the best time for her is usually sometime between the hours of 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., after everyone else is in bed. Her favorite time to write is when the house is pitch black, lighted only by her laptop screen, and she can curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and become engrossed in her characters. Along with other romance genres, Shannon enjoys reading suspense, fantasy and horror, but paranormal fiction remains her favorite. Her second novel, More Than Prophecy, is a paranormal romance involving interplanetary travel to a world known as Zandar, and was released from Amber Quill Press in January 2005. She’s currently working on the sequel, When Destiny Summons, and hopes to have it ready for editing soon.

To find out more about Shannon, please visit her website: http://www.angelfire.com/planet/shannon_leigh *

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Don’t miss More Than Prophecy, by Shannon Leigh, available at AmberHeat.com!

According to ancient prophecy, a woman will come from Earth to bear a child who will end the warring between the Ramekah and Andreas clans that has plagued the hold folk of Zandar for hundreds of years. On the tail of a magical zephyr, Cheyenne, a young Native American woman, is swept through the doorway of an interplanetary portal and whisked away from Earth in a dazing blur of motion. She’s deposited, alone and half-naked, in a valley between the grassy knolls of the Rhian Mountains and the dreaded Goetic forest, just inside the boundaries of Andreas Territory. It’s there that Lord Darian Andreas, ruler of the mighty Andreas Clan and master of the powerful Andreas Territory, finds her. Although Darian is a just man who exercises kindness and incorporates mercy into his method of rule— which, in the barbaric world of Zandar, are rare qualities for a man—he’s also used to getting what he wants, one way or another. And from the moment Darian lays eyes on the dark-

skinned beauty, he knows she’s meant to be his. If the Gods are willing, he’ll make it so…

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