Slave to Her Desires

Slave To Her Desires SLAVE TO HER DESIRES By Jill Myles Copyright © 2011 by Jill Myles This book is a work of fiction...

Author: Myles Jill

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Slave To Her Desires

SLAVE TO HER DESIRES By Jill Myles

Copyright © 2011 by Jill Myles This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Chapter One They say that desperate times called for desperate measures. I say they haven‘t seen desperate until they‘ve been a vampire‘s slave for a century or so. Still, all desperation aside, I wasn‘t going to let little things like memories of my master ruin my day. Or the fact that my thong was currently crawling up my ass. Or the fact that my shoes hurt my feet. Today was going to be a good day, dammit. Because today, I was going to take control of my own freedom, once and for all. With that thought in my mind, I pushed open the glass door of the enormous office building and entered the lobby of Gideon Enterprises. I approached the receptionist, who was less than thrilled to see me. She stared at my outlandish clothing, blinked a few times, and then had to think for a long moment before she put on a fake smile and spoke. "Can I...help you?‖ "Hi there," I said in a cheerful manner as her gaze moved down my outfit once more. "May I see Noah Gideon? It's kind of an emergency.‖ She looked at me with an arch expression and did not even bother to give her screen a cursory glance. "Mr. Gideon is unavailable.‖ Well now, that was irritating. ―I see. Can I just wait for him?‖ ―I‘m sorry. He‘ll be unavailable all day.‖ She gave me a pointed look. ―Of course,‖ I agreed. ―He‘s a busy man.‖ With that, I gave her a polite, understanding nod, then leaned over and brushed my fingers across her forehead, putting her to sleep. Sometimes it was good to be a succubus. The receptionist slumped forward in her chair, her head tilted to the side. A faint snore escaped her mouth. I leaned over and propped her against the edge of the desk, her cheek cradled

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on her keyboard. I could have rifled through her memories to find where Noah's office was, but it was just as easy to reach over the desk and jerk the phone toward me, looking at the extension list attached to it. Room 501 - Company President. That would be Noah Gideon. Pleased with my discovery, I grabbed a visitor's pass off the front desk and headed for the elevator. Luckily the elevator was empty. I didn‘t have to field comments about my choice of clothing – small blessing. The elevator dinged on the fifth floor and I got out, my stilettos clacking on the marble floor. I stood in a wide hallway, decorated in corporate motivational posters and muted lighting. Two doors were at the end of the hall, along with another desk – that would be Mr. Gideon‘s assistant, if I had to guess. Arming myself mentally, I approached the desk. This time, a man got up from his desk to stop me. He gave me a startled look and shook his head. "I'm sorry, miss--― ―Oh, it‘s no problem,‖ I assured him, and put him to sleep too. All it took was a touch of my hand. He fell to the ground in a heap and curled up on his side, his face smoothing as he napped. I stepped over him and eyed my choices of doors. One was labeled ‗Sunrise Conference Room‘. Cute, but not what I was looking for. I went through the other door instead. Noah Gideon sat at a large antique oak desk, a laptop open in front of him. On the wall across the room, a flat screen TV was turned to a financial channel, and the electronic tickertape rolled across the bottom of the screen with the day's stock prices. The large office windows were open behind him, letting in the sunshine and giving a beautiful view of New City in summer.

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The sight of the windows open brightened my mood - I loved the sunshine, even more since I'd been deprived of it for so long. Mr. Gideon looked just as I suspected he would - a very large, beautiful man with shoulder-length blond hair and a very neat, very expensive gray suit. He glanced up as I entered, frowning. His eyes were light blue - not a good sign for me. That meant that the Serim curse would hit very shortly, and I needed to be far away. I had a reason to be edgy around immortals that needed to slake their needs, after all. Noah‘s eyes focused on my clothing, and his handsome features slid into a frown. "Is this a joke? Did Remy send you?‖ ―I don‘t know who Remy is,‖ I said, smoothing my skirts. ―And I‘m not wearing this because I like it.‖ He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. I crossed my arms over my chest. ―Really?‖ The man had little faith in women if he thought I had sauntered into his office wearing a French Maid outfit on purpose. The skirt was very short and crispy - a bit like a ruffled, sexy tutu. The top was little more than a skintight black baby tee with a deep vee that practically went to my belly-button, made questionably decent by a teeny tiny white apron. I even wore the jaunty hat that went with the get-up and black platform heels and fishnets. Man, I hated fishnets. Two of my toes had slipped through the holes in the netting and had lost circulation hours ago. I looked like a hooker. The irony made my mouth twist. "Sorry, no one sent me here to service anyone. I came to talk to you." At his skeptical look, I continued. "I'm Olivia Rhodes. A friend told me that if I needed to find an immortal, I needed to come find you. I'm looking for David Thornton. They said you knew where to find him.‖

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The frown disappeared, replaced by mild confusion and a bit of curiosity. He moved past me, shutting the office door behind us. "Sounds like we need to speak privately.‖ "Oh, it's pretty private at the moment," I said cheerfully. "I put your receptionist and your assistant to sleep.‖ His frown returned. "Sorry about that," I offered, though I really wasn't that sorry. They‘d stood in the way of progress. I‘d have cheerfully dumped them over the side of the building if they‘d have stood in my way. "I'll wake them up when I leave. So do you know where I can find David?" My hands twisted in my stupid little apron anxiously. What if this was a wild goose chase and he didn't know where David was after all? I desperately needed to find David - my own eyes were turning a dark shade of blue. Because I was a succubus, I needed to have sex every two days in order to maintain my immortality. The bluer my eyes were, the closer I was to needing my 'Itch' scratched. And I needed it scratched in about eight hours. Which was why I desperately needed David. Another delay would screw me. Literally. If I didn‘t have sex soon, I‘d start to crave it like a junkie, and my body would slowly starve away if I didn‘t feed it what it needed. Noah turned and moved back to his desk, leaning against the edge of it. Not quite sitting, but his pose was casual enough to put me a bit more at ease. I hated dealing with Serim almost as much as I hated dealing with vampires. Any immortals, really. But I was desperate to find David, have my Itch scratched, and get out of these idiotic fishnet tights – not necessarily in that order. Noah gestured for me to sit. I did so, sensing immediately that it was a mistake. The chairs were plush and low to the ground. I was almost six feet tall without heels on - David had joked once, many years ago, that I

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was like the Amazons of lore, tall and strong. When I sat down, the skirt exposed way too much of my legs and thighs. I clamped my knees together and crossed my ankles to keep from showing him something he didn‘t want to see. Noah was a gentleman, at least, and didn't even look at what I was presenting. "I have not heard anyone ask about David Thornton in many, many years.‖ My heart locked in my throat. Oh no. Was he...was he dead? Would I know it if he was? Wouldn‘t I have felt…something? ―I take it he‘s not attending the annual Serim Company Picnic and Barbecue? I can‘t imagine.‖ Actually, I could imagine, since David was private, the type that kept to himself. ―There is no annual Serim company picnic, as I‘m sure you know.‖ Noah‘s eyes narrowed at me. ―And why are you searching for David?‖ "He's my sire. My Serim master.‖ Noah's gaze pinned me in my chair, and I knew he was trying to read me. Figure me out. I didn't blame him. I‘d shown up in a goofy outfit, barged my way in, and demanded to see a man that I‘d heard was in hiding. Noah had a right to be suspicious of me. Especially since I‘d just told him that I was a succubus. Many Serim viewed us to be more trouble than we were worth, and I couldn‘t really blame them. Noah definitely seemed like the type to be in the ‗too much trouble‘ camp. So I waited, patiently, as Noah came up to me and tilted my chin up, studying my eyes. I slapped his hand away and glared at him. ―You don‘t get to touch me.‖ He looked taken aback at my vehement response, and pulled his hand away. ―My apologies. I didn‘t mean to offend.‖ He took a step backward and continued to study me. ―Your eyes are blue, but that doesn‘t tell me much. How old are you?‖

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―One hundred forty,‖ I replied. ―I was born in 1868 and became a succubus in 1889, at the age of 21.‖ He grunted, and I guessed I had passed that pop quiz with flying colors. ―So you‘ve come to seek out David? After all this time?‖ I gave him a wary look. ―No time like the present.‖ Noah‘s mouth lifted in a slight smile, though it did not reach his eyes. He was still studying me, trying to figure me out. ―And so you‘ve decided that you‘ve missed him and wanted to declare undying love to him?‖ ―Undying love? Something like that,‖ I said in a thoughtful voice. ―I confess that I do find my need for David a bit overwhelming.‖ The fact that I needed him? That was the truth. The rest of it? Pure bullshit. Love David? I wanted to rip his eyes out and stuff them down his arrogant throat. I hated him – he was the one that had trapped me into being a vampire‘s slave for the past hundred and ten years. Love David? Hell no. I‘d bring popcorn if he burned at the stake. Noah watched me carefully. ―And who‘s your other sire – your vampire one?‖ Every succubus had two masters – a fallen angel and a vampire. I‘d tried not to think about my vampire master, but I supposed discussing him was inevitable. The taste of bile filled my mouth, and I forced myself to keep the cheerful note in my voice. ―Aloysius, may he die a slow and painful death.‖ Noah‘s eyes widened, just slightly. ―Oh…you‘re that Olivia.‖ ―My reputation precedes me, I see,‖ I replied, tugging the French maid skirt further down on my thighs – as if it helped any. ―Isn‘t that nice.‖

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―I haven‘t seen you anywhere,‖ he said bluntly. Noah clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace, never looking over at me or my tightly-clamped legs. ―You‘ve been so far off the map that no one knew you existed, except in rumor. So what brings Aloysius‘s favorite pawn to my corner of the world?‖ That stung, even though I‘d been prepared for such an attack. Pawn indeed. ―You misjudge me. I am anything but his pawn.‖ ―Oh? I‘d heard that Aloysius kept you somewhere in a cage and only let you out for play…‖ My polite expression grew tight, old unwelcome memories surging forward. Noah Gideon was just trying to ruin my day, wasn‘t he? Noah must have realized that he‘d gone far over the line of good manners. He coughed into his hand and cleared his throat. ―My apologies. I should not have been so rude. Not all the rumors are true, I imagine.‖ Well, that particular rumor had been true once upon a time. I didn‘t correct him though. ―It‘s okay. I managed to escape Aloysius ten years ago. I‘ve been on the run ever since.‖ Ten glorious, glorious years. I‘d known it would eventually catch up to me, but I was still unprepared to return to Aloysius after all this time. If anything, those ten years had given me a taste of freedom and I wanted more. I‘d never go back to him – even if it meant my death. He glanced over at me, his eyes resting on the ruffled cleavage of my French maid costume, and a faint frown of disapproval curved his mouth down. ―Clearly.‖ ―I‘m not dressing like this because I want to,‖ I retorted, irritated at his manner. ―I don‘t have a choice. Aloysius called my cell and issued the command for me to wear this.‖ Since he was my master, I had to obey his every command – a succubus could never contradict the

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vampire or Serim that had created her. ―Trust me, if I could change into something more normal, I would. Right now a potato sack sounds far more comfortable.‖ His brow wrinkled as he regarded me. ―I thought you said you escaped your master ten years ago?‖ ―I did. But I can‘t seem to escape him entirely.‖ I put my hands on my knees and shifted in the too-low seat. ―No matter where I go or what name I assume, Aloysius always seems to find me. He hasn‘t come to collect me yet – I think it amuses him to feel that he still has the control even though I‘m not under his roof any longer. It‘s a game to him – a new and exciting game with a bigger game board.‖ And it made me sick to my stomach that I was still his pawn. Noah sat behind his desk once more, the lines on his face grim. He gave me a slight hand-wave, indicating that I should continue my story as he searched through his desk for something. ―We‘ve been playing this cat and mouse game for several years,‖ I said. ―I can live with the stupid costumes or the time he called me and instructed me to walk backward for a week. But he‘s grown tired of our game. He wants me to return to him, so he‘s forcing my hand, and I have no options left.‖ ―How so?‖ A wave of memories rushed through me, and I clamped them down, forcing myself to remain calm and steady. ―I‘d recently taken up with a human lover to kill the Itch. Nice guy, even if he watched too much football. But Aloysius must have heard about it – he killed my human lover and left me another surprise phone call.‖ Noah raised an eyebrow. ―Phone call?‖

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I nodded. My hands twisted together in my lap and I clenched them hard, thinking about Aloysius. Hatred for him bubbled up inside of me, but I forced my voice to remain calm, flat. ―He calls from different numbers every time, just to throw me off. Not to force me home, just to mess with me. Giving me small ridiculous commands to ruin my day and remind me that he was the one in control. I changed my number over and over, and when that didn‘t work, I stopped using phones because it got too obnoxious. I think he did something to Jorge‘s phone, so when I found Jorge – my human – dead on the floor, I tried to call 911. It called Aloysius instead. He could have just commanded me to come to him directly, but then that‘s not as much fun, you see.‖ I gave a light, nervous laugh, even though it wasn‘t funny. Not funny at all. Poor Jorge. ―I see,‖ said Noah in a soft voice. ―I have to come groveling to Aloysius of my own free will,‖ I said, my voice bitter and mocking. ―If he catches me, that‘s no fun. But if I have to crawl back to him? That breaks my spirit. Reminds me that I‘m his and not my own. He likes that, and it‘s far too easy for him to just show up and grab me. So instead, Aloysius let me call him. And when he picked up, he commanded that I could touch no man but my master. Him. And since I have to have sex every two days to survive, things are going to get tricky in, say…‖ I leaned over his desk and checked the time on his computer. ―Eight hours or so. Which is why I need to find David. He‘s my other master.‖ It was either that, starve, or return to Aloysius. Right now, starving was looking like a pretty tempting alternative. ―When was the last time you saw David? I‘m curious,‖ said Noah, pulling out another desk drawer and glancing through a stack of folders. ―The night before I turned into a succubus,‖ I said. ―1889.‖

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―Well, I imagine you‘ll be happy to see him, then,‖ Noah said, his voice still guarded. Not in the slightest. But I didn‘t want to tell him that, since Mr. Noah Gideon seemed to be David‘s gatekeeper. So I just said, ―Oh, I can‘t wait to see him again.‖ Sure hoped I didn‘t give in to the urge to punch in his face when I saw him, either. After all, I‘d written letters to David, begging him to save me from Aloysius, and he‘d never even had the courtesy to respond. He was the only one that could have saved me from a hundred years of hell, and he‘d abandoned me without a second thought. He‘d never returned to see if I was all right, or if I‘d lived, or if I suffered under Aloysius‘s hands. He‘d simply lost interest the moment I‘d been turned and left London, never to be seen again. No, I couldn‘t say that I was thrilled at the prospect of seeking out David to have sex with him. But I‘d slept with people I‘d loathed more – Aloysius, for example – and I‘d probably do so again at some point, so it wasn‘t the end of the world. I was a pragmatic sort, and if it involved keeping myself alive? I‘d do it, no matter what it was. Noah pulled a set of nondescript keys from the bottom of the desk drawer and held it up. ―I‘ll take you to David, then, but I have to warn you, he might not be as useful to you as you think.‖ I got up from the chair, wincing when the lacy thong of the outfit rode up my backside. ―I‘ll take my chances on that.‖

#

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We left the building after pausing to wake up both of Mr. Gideon‘s employees. I‘d taken the bus, but Noah insisted that we take his car this time. I got into Noah‘s car with him, even though any sane woman would think twice about that sort of thing. Of course, I was long past sanity and running low on options, and I didn‘t have many people left to trust. I needed to trust someone, or I was doomed. We drove in silence, the radio off. It suited me fine, because I liked the hum of my own thoughts, and Noah seemed to be a kindred spirit. The longer we drove, though, the more curious I became. ―So David lives with you?‖ I asked, trying to keep my loathing for my sire out of my voice. Noah paused, glanced over at me. ―I am his caretaker, yes.‖ Now what exactly did that mean? The David I remembered was a quiet but independent sort. ―His caretaker? Has he been…disabled somehow?‖ Uh oh. I began to feel uneasy. All my plans would be ruined if David was somehow incapacitated. I had to have sex with one of my masters within the next few hours, or the Itch would start burning through me. David not being available was going to make things rather desperate. ―It‘s complicated,‖ Noah said. ―You‘ll see.‖ He didn‘t elaborate, his hands relaxed on the wheel. Odd. I bit my lip to keep from asking additional questions – knowledge was power, and I was tired of others having power over me. So I‘d just wait and see. We drove in silence for several more minutes, and I made note of major streets that we passed, just in case I had to backtrack on my own. Noah‘s car was clean and I wasn‘t getting the

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serial killer vibe from him – and after decades of being around Aloysius, it was a vibe I was definitely familiar with. Noah put on his blinkers, indicating a right turn. I glanced over to see where we were turning into, and frowned at the sight of the building in front of us. ―Climate controlled storage? You‘re kidding me, right? Thousands of years of knowledge and experience behind him, and David has a job in a storage place?‖ He‘d fallen lower than I‘d even thought. What a loser. I sure had hit the supernatural jackpot with my two masters – one an unnaturally depraved vampire, and the other a sad sack of a fallen angel. ―You take far too much at face value,‖ said Noah in a chiding voice. ―Like I said, it‘s complicated.‖ ―I learned long ago that you can judge a book by its cover,‖ I replied, unbuckling my seat belt and getting out of the car when it stopped. ―And I‘m sorry to say that in a hundred and twenty years of immortality, I haven‘t really seen anything to change my mind.‖ Noah only smiled and moved ahead to hold the door open for me. Guarded, I followed him. He paused at the front counter and smiled at the desk clerk, showing his key. ―We‘ll be meeting a friend here.‖ The man‘s expression was skeptical as he took in my clothing, and David‘s. ―Here?‖ ―Don‘t ask,‖ Noah said, in a voice that brooked no disagreement. ―It is a personal matter.‖ Intimidated, the man behind the counter nodded and returned to reading his paper, watching us out of the corner of his eye. His gaze rested on the ruffled cleavage of my costume,

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but he said nothing to deny us. Maybe he thought we were sneaking into the storage units to engage in some sort of kinky sex game. It was all very curious. I followed Noah down the maze of halls and numbered doors, all padlocked and some with electric keypads that required a computer code. The door that Noah stopped at required both, and he punched numbers into the pad while I waited behind him, arms crossed. The air in this place was bitter cold thanks to the air conditioning, and my get-up wasn‘t exactly warm material.. After a moment, the keypad gave an affirmative beep and Noah used the keys to unlock the second padlock. And then the door opened. ―After you,‖ he said, gesturing at the cracked door. Giving him another wary look, I pushed inside. The interior of the storage room was dark, even colder than the hallway. My breathing echoed in the room which told me that it was not filled to the brim with storage boxes like I had imagined. The door shut behind me, enveloping us both in darkness. My breath caught in my throat, visions of past memories crawling through my mind – of being forced to live in a cage, trapped in the darkness, no sign of sunlight for years on end– ―Sorry about that. Didn‘t want the security cameras getting a glimpse of what we have in here.‖ With that, Noah flicked on a light-switch and my breath caught in my throat all over again. The storage room was set up neat and clean, with only one item of note in the room. A large man lay on a narrow bed, unmoving. He hadn‘t changed expression with the flicking-on of

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the light, his hands still clasped over his chest in a relaxed pose. He wore a light robe of some kind, loosely belted at his waist. I could see hints of his bare chest underneath the gape of the fabric, as perfect as I remembered. David. My breath sucked in as I approached him, staring in shock. Of all the things I had pictured when I saw him again, this was not what I had in mind. Laid out on a narrow slab of a cot, dressed strangely, his skin pale. My fingers reached out to brush against his shoulder and found it cool as well. ―Is he…‖ ―Dead? No.‖ Noah‘s voice was curt behind me. ―But he is under a sleep spell.‖ The tension in my shoulders relaxed a little at that, and I brushed a finger under his nose. Sure enough, warm breath brushed my skin. The cold of his skin must have been from the storage room itself. It bothered me a little that after one hundred or so years of misery and hardship on my part, David looked exactly the same as I had remembered when he‘d left. Even his hair was styled the same, I noted wryly. The dark blonde curls were rakishly askew in the style of Victorian gentlemen, and long, thick sideburns graced his cheeks. His body was just as muscled and handsome as I remembered it, and the face as peacefully beautiful. I remembered David‘s face well – the delicate cheekbones and elegant line of his chin, and long, thick lashes surrounding his blue eyes. Features almost feminine in their perfect, delicate beauty, if it were not for the stern brow and the large, straight nose that dominated his face, turning all that delicacy into a cutting visage of masculine beauty.

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Oh, I remembered David‘s face very well. My hand clenched into a fist, tightening with anger. ―I see David has not changed over the years.‖ ―No indeed.‖ ―I suppose I should not be surprised,‖ I said in a light voice, though I still was. ―It‘s not like him to hide away from the world under a sleep spell,‖ I added, feeling the old resentment stir again. ―Very cowardly.‖ I felt Noah move behind me, felt him come to my side. ―The sleep spell was not of his choosing. From what I remember, he angered a friend who had recently turned vampire and walked into a trap. Something about trying to save a female friend of his.‖ I snorted. ―Not likely. He never even attempted to save me…‖ my voice died in my throat and I clenched my jaw. No. Not possible. I moved forward, brushing my fingers across David‘s beautiful eyelashes. A fine layer of dust covered his sleeping features, and that made my breath catch all over again. ―Exactly how long has David been caught in a sleep spell?‖ Noah paused, as if reluctant to explain. Then, very softly, ―I believe the number I was given was one hundred and twenty years.‖ My mouth went dry, my stomach churning. ―I don‘t understand.‖ ―It‘s true. He has been caught in this sleep spell since 1889.‖ The same year I had been turned. Surely no coincidence. In 1889, I had accepted a Mr. David Thornton as my patron, and one night later I‘d been abducted from David‘s very bed by Aloysius, and turned into the creature I was now – driven by sex, immortal, beautiful…cold. A plaything of more powerful beings. I‘d hated David with every fiber of my being for the past one hundred and twenty years. I thought of the letters I‘d written to him, begging him to help me escape Aloysius, all with no

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answer. Of appearing on his doorstep, in the rain, only to find out that he‘d left the city. Left no option but that of the vampire. Abandoned to a cruel, merciless master who hated me. I‘d seethed with hatred for David for one hundred and twenty years…and he‘d been ensorcelled the entire time, oblivious to the entire thing. He’d gone to save a female friend from a vampire. My world tilted. My knees went weak, and I shrugged off Noah‘s offered assistance. Instead, I sat on the edge of David‘s bed, and stared down at his beautiful, unearthly still features. My mind was in turmoil. ―Why is he here in a storage unit?‖ ―Every so often, the vampires – or the Serim - get in their heads that they want to track him down and find him. I move him every few years to someplace they won‘t expect. A storage unit is actually ideal – it‘s secure, well-locked, and no one needs to go in or out but me. I keep watch over him until he can be awakened. I figure that is best, since I don‘t think he wants to be in the grasp of either angel or vampire without his own say-so.‖ I brushed the dark golden curl off his forehead, still thinking. ―Did you ever try to wake him?‖ ―Many times over the years, all without success.‖ Noah loomed over the two of us, placed a comforting hand on my shoulder as if he could somehow sense the turmoil in my mind. ―I have tried rituals, witch-doctors to remove the curse, spells, spell-breakers, all for naught.‖ He cleared his throat. ―It has been rumored for some time that Aloysius had the spell keyed specifically for you.‖ I could hardly swallow around the knot of confused frustration in my throat. ―Me?‖

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―That only you could break the spell. Irony, I suspect, given that he imagined you would be under his thumb for all eternity. Though I am surprised you have been free for ten years and never sought him out until now. Obviously Aloysius did not count for that.‖ Or perhaps he had, I thought. He would have known of my intense hatred for him, and my angelic sire both. Confusion warred within me. I wanted to be furious at David, but staring at him here, unmoving in this bed and I was just…torn. ―I didn‘t know that he was cursed,‖ I said softly, then looked up at Noah. ―So how would I lift this curse if I wanted to?‖ Noah gave me a wry look. ―You could try the old fashioned way.‖ A kiss to wake up a sleeping prince, like in the fairy tales. My stomach churned at the thought. I‘d known that I‘d have to sleep with David to survive – my succubus instincts had accepted that part of the bargain – but for some reason, a kiss was…personal. Romantic. Tied to emotions that I couldn‘t possibly feel. I didn‘t want to kiss the man I‘d just spent the last century hating. To make matters worse, I wasn‘t even sure that my hate was justified. I brushed my fingertips over his cool face again, thinking hard. Did I want to wake David up? What would I say to him? I wanted to hold onto my anger, but what…what if he woke up and it was totally unfounded? Who was I if I wasn‘t bitter with hatred for both of my masters? I shook my head. This was stupid. It was just a damn kiss. I leaned in and slid my hands under his neck, pulling his face toward mine and pressing my mouth against his. His lips were cool, unyielding against mine, but the feel of them evoked a strong surge of emotion in me that I didn‘t like. I stroked my tongue into his mouth, parting his lips with my questing. Like it or not, I needed David, and his being cursed was a damn nuisance and an even bigger pain in the ass than I‘d anticipated.

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And he tasted better than I remembered, too. That was galling. Perhaps it was just my succubus curse, which was due to drive me insane within hours. Perhaps it was something to do with the Serim themselves, but his mouth was sweet under my own, and as I brushed my tongue against his, I felt a spike of desire. I had to kiss the bastard. I hadn‘t expected to like it. Disgusted with myself, I dropped his head. It thunked back against the pallet and made a hard noise that my disgruntled psyche found oddly pleasing. And I watched him, waiting. Sure enough, David‘s jaw moved slightly, then flexed in a yawn, and as I watched, his eyes fluttered open. God, he was beautiful. God, I hated him. God, I was so, so confused. David‘s eyes focused on me slowly, comprehension flickering over his face. He remembered me. Not surprising, given the circumstances of my immortality. His gaze slid over my hair, my clothing, and then back to my face. ―Olivia,‖ he breathed. One cold hand reached up to touch my cheek. ―You are safe.‖ His brow furrowed as he looked at my face, then my body. ―You are…changed.‖ A succubus always changed with the transformation, and I knew what he meant. Some women had intense changes – breasts growing to an enormous size, hair lengthening, height changing – the works. My changes were subtle, enhancing what I already had. The freckles that had dotted my skin were long gone, and my nearly-flat chest had filled out to small, high breasts. My face had smoothed from prettiness into beauty, thanks to the curse. I never remembered my old looks, but to David, seeing the changes in me seemingly overnight must seem bizarre.

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And it confirmed that Noah had been telling the truth. David didn‘t know what was going on. I swatted his hand away, unease churning in my stomach. This wasn‘t how I‘d pictured our reunion to go. A few death threats, some grudging concessions, and a round of angry sex to sate my urges before I could ask him to help me with Aloysius. Kindness? Not part of the plan. ―I‘m glad to see you‘re awake, David.‖ I kept my voice polite but cold. He touched a hand to his forehead, as if the bright fluorescent lights overhead bothered his eyes. ―Aloysius?‖ ―Not here,‖ I said flatly. ―How…how long have I been out?‖ ―A few years,‖ I said. Noah cleared his throat. ―It is 2010, David. Much has changed since you were last awake.‖ A human might have met that with disbelief or anger, but David was immortal. He simply gave a sad sigh and began to sit up in the cot. The blanket covering his loins slid away, revealing the smooth perfection of his chest and his cock. Embarrassed at the stirring I felt within myself, I grabbed the blanket and hastily shoved it back over him. David looked startled at my actions, then gave me a soft smile. ―My apologies. I forget that I find myself in the presence of a lady.‖ I could have wept in that moment. When David and I had met, I was one of the demimonde. A milliner‘s daughter brought into high society circles by the patrons I chose to

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sleep with. Not a lady, but David had always treated me as such and to hear him reference it again made me think of those times, long gone. I was nowhere close to a lady anymore. So I gave him a brittle, fake smile and moved away. Noah helped David to his feet behind me. ―Much has changed, David. What do you remember last?‖ I glanced over as he remained silent. One hand pressed to his forehead, and then David shook his head. ―My mind is filled with terrible dreams of last night. It played in my mind over and over while I slept, to the point that I do not recall which portions are truth and which are fiction.‖ Except it wasn‘t ‗last‘ night. It was lifetimes ago. ―I remember that night,‖ I said in a sour voice. ―Why don‘t you tell us what you recall and I‘ll tell you if you are correct or not.‖ Noah glanced at his watch. ―The sun will be going down shortly, and I must be somewhere secure before my evening sleep.‖ He glanced over at the newly-reawakened Serim at his side. ―David as well. The story can wait.‖ ―And how are we going to get David out to your car?‖ I asked. ―He‘s not wearing anything but that robe.‖ Trust me, I had noticed. The Itch wouldn‘t let the sight of a handsome, well-sculpted chest go without notice. ―Unless you want to pretend this is the Playboy Mansion and we‘re all about to ham it up with Hef?‖ David rubbed his head, tousling his dark blonde curls and then rubbing his long sideburns. ―The what mansion?‖ Noah shook his head and dug through one of the old boxes. ―I kept an extra set of clothing here just in case, though I imagine it is somewhat out of date.‖ He opened a box and

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shook out a pair of men‘s jogging pants, probably circa the MC Hammer era. Classy. ―Here. You can put these on.‖ David took the clothes and glanced over at me. ―Have women‘s gowns become so…short in the past hundred and twenty years?‖ So he‘d noticed that my ass cheeks were hanging out of the back of the costume? Not surprising. ―You know me,‖ I said, forcing a teasing note in my voice. ―I like to keep on the cutting edge of fashion.‖ ―If that is the case, then we do not know each other as well as you suggest, Miss Rhodes.‖ Was that an insult? It was hard to tell from David‘s carefully smooth voice. ―Can we get out of here then? I‘m cold.‖ David began to shrug off his robe. ―I will give you my--‖ ―No.‖ I pushed it away with a scowl. Not only could I not take it, thanks to the command Aloysius had given me, but I didn‘t want it. I didn‘t want David‘s pitying cast-offs. I needed him to free me from Aloysius‘s commands, and then I‘d be on my merry way. I didn‘t want – or need – his pity. So I crossed my arms over my chest and left the room, shutting the door behind me. ―Get dressed.‖ A few moments later, David emerged in a sports-shirt and the pants. His feet were bare, but it didn‘t seem to bother him. He stared at his surroundings with intense eyes, as if trying to decipher how much things had changed in the last hundred twenty years. I felt a twinge of sympathy for him, knowing he would quickly be overwhelmed, but squelched it. Noah locked the storage room and we headed back to the front.

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―My word,‖ David said, rubbing at his sideburns. He stared at the hallway and the rows of locked doors with astonishment, then the ceiling lights. ―I see the gas lamps are vast improved, but the decor of this time is appalling. Are all things in 2010 quite so bleak in decor?‖ I smothered a laugh. ―This is a storage building, David. It‘s not meant to be attractive.‖ ―I see. Not an inn, then?‖ My lips twitched at his rueful tone. ―Not hardly.‖ David ran a large hand down his face, as if that would change the view. He gave me a wry, self-effacing look that made my heart do a curious flip-flop. ―I see. There are a great many things that I need to prepare for, aren‘t there?‖ ―There are indeed,‖ I agreed. I would ignore that small, heart-breaking little smile of his. It had once turned my stomach to knots, but I wouldn‘t let that happen again. When we arrived back at the front desk, the guard‘s jaw dropped. He stared at David‘s outdated clothing, then frowned at Noah and myself. ―You‘re not supposed to be sneaking in others—― I moved forward and placed my hand over the security guard‘s, putting him to sleep and easing into his mind. He was a good man, if a bit unimaginative. Three kids at home. No funny business on my end, then. I stroked his hand and focused my powers into his mind, subverting his anxious dream-thoughts and replacing them with different mental images. Of the three of us – David, myself and Noah – entering the building together, and now leaving together. His earlier thoughts of just the two of us had been mistaken. I repeated the mantra of the dream-suggestion until his subconscious began to pick it up, and once it did, I stroked his hand to wake him up.

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The man blinked awake and paused, staring into my smiling face for a moment. His eyes flicked back to Noah, then David, then myself. ―Sorry about that. I must have dozed off.‖ ―It‘s all right,‖ I said in a soothing voice, my hand continuing to stroke his across the counter, as if this were the most normal thing in the world. ―It‘s all right if we go, isn‘t it?‖ A sheepish look crossed his face and he nodded at us. ―Of course, miss. You folks have a nice day.‖ ―Thank you so much,‖ I said in my sweetest voice. ―We will.‖ I let his hand go and pushed on the glass front door. The bell clanged as it opened and I moved out into the bright afternoon sunlight of the parking lot. David‘s reaction was almost comical – he staggered at the sight of the concrete parking-lot. His eyes blinked rapidly at the sunlight and I watched his gaze bounce from the parked cars to the nearby highway where cars zipped past at high speed. He looked back to me, his expression concerned, though he masked it a moment later. That puzzled me. Looking to me for help? Reassurance? Noah was his brother Serim; I had simply been his mistress for one night. ―You‘re very good at manipulating humans,‖ Noah said behind us, his voice disapproving. I winced. Oh great. So Noah, despite his seemingly nice demeanor, was as straight-laced a Serim as I had been warned about. This wasn‘t good. I needed Noah‘s help. I thought quickly and gave him an apologetic look. ―One does what one must to survive,‖ I said. ―Aloysius required that I learn a great many things in his service. I‘m afraid that reaching into heads and manipulating their thoughts is a bad habit of mine. I‘ll be more careful in the future.‖ Especially when I am around you, I noted to myself.

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―Aloysius,‖ David said, his face breaking with agony. He turned to me, as if just now remembering. His hand grabbed my arm. ―Vampire…where is he? We have to save him.‖ Bad memories for both he and I. Again, that funny feeling slid through me, of uncertainty. Of the sensation that maybe David wasn‘t the bad guy after all. That I‘d just spent a hundred and twenty years loathing a man that didn‘t deserve it. I didn‘t like that sensation. ―He‘s beyond saving,‖ I said sharply. ―Look to yourself for now, David. Forget about him.‖ And just because I had a mean streak, I moved forward to Noah‘s car and kicked the tire. The alarm went off, wailing and beeping, the horn blaring, lights flashing. David staggered in shock, fumbling backward. Noah scowled. Damn. That had felt good.

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Chapter Two

It was some time before we got out of the parking lot. David had to be told what the car was and how it functioned before he‘d get into it. Before we left the parking lot, we had to stop and turn the child safety locks on the back doors, since David‘s initial trepidation gave way to curiosity, and he began to tinker with everything not nailed down. When he moved the window up and down with the automatic button, the smile that lit his face stirred old memories for me. I remembered liking that insatiable curiosity about him – how it made him different from the other bored, jaded gentlemen I‘d known. I ended up sitting in the back seat with David. I told myself that it was to keep him from harming himself – or us – as Noah drove, but I wasn‘t so sure that I believed that myself. Just being near him again was intoxicating, and I hated myself for being so drawn to him and his boyish charm. It was the Itch, I told myself, feeling it throb through my body with need. Nothing more than the Itch. Even so, I drank in his changing expressions like some sort of lovesick fool. When his blue eyes flicked back and forth watching the traffic, I watched him. When his face lit up with wonder as we passed an electronic billboard, I felt my heart soar as well. When we passed a homeless man on a street-corner, I could almost feel David‘s sorrow. He said nothing as we drove, simply absorbing it all. Noah got off the highway when we hit downtown, where the traffic congested to a stop, and people milled on the sidewalks. I could sense his unease at the incredibly tall buildings, seen through unfamiliar eyes. His shoulders would tense as we passed a

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speeding bus, or as people fearlessly walked in front of the car. Part of me longed to comfort him, to put him at ease, but I clenched my hands tight in my lap. Why couldn‘t I remember that I hated David? The Itch was going to make a fool out of all my convictions, changing my anger and loathing to desire and need. Soon, I was going to need David very badly. We drove into the parking garage of Noah‘s building and piled out of the car – well, at least Noah and I did. David couldn‘t figure out how to unlock his seat-belt. After watching him struggle for a moment, I slid my hands over his lap and unclicked the buckle. His eyes met mine, startled, and I could have sworn that they turned even bluer in that moment, signaling desire. Lust shot through me, making my panties wet and my thighs clench in response. No, I told myself, backing out of the car and stumbling away a few feet. This was wrong. I didn‘t want David. David was my master. The enemy, just like Aloysius. I‘d see that more clearly once the Itch was sated. ―It‘s very odd to be strapped into the coach,‖ David said behind me as he exited the car. ―I gather we were moving very fast indeed.‖ ―Very fast,‖ I said dryly, warming to a topic that I could discuss without my hormones lighting up. ―Technology is a marvel now-days. I don‘t miss the horses and chamber-pots of the past. I think you‘ll learn to like it, too.‖ He rubbed his sideburns thoughtfully, but said nothing as we followed Noah into the apartment building, and then into the elevator. David was silent as the elevator lifted, carrying us

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up multiple floors to Noah‘s apartment. His fingers splayed as it gave a gentle bump as it reached the top floor, and I wondered if he‘d felt the need to brace himself against the walls. Poor David. This was a lot to absorb. It might have been kinder to leave him in his sleep for a bit longer, or break him in easier, let him gradually adjust to the wonders of modern technology. I didn‘t have time for that, though. The fact of the matter was that I needed him in a rather selfish way, and I intended on using him. How Aloysius would have laughed at my calculating, selfish thoughts. I feared I had become far more like him in the past 120 years. That was a depressing thought. Noah tossed his keys down on the foyer table as we entered the apartment. ―Do you have some place to stay, Olivia? Someplace secure that Aloysius will not find you? Otherwise, I recommend that you stay here with myself and David. My building is quite secure, and my apartment is warded against vampires. You‘ll be safe here tonight.‖ I opened my mouth to respond, but David pushed ahead of me, stepping in front protectively. ―I forbid it.‖ My mouth snapped shut in surprise. Noah turned and quirked an eyebrow at David. ―Her reputation will be shredded if she stays overnight with a man that is not her patron. I will not allow you to take advantage of her in such a way.‖ Reputation? Patron? He was assuming society‘s morals were still the same as they were back in 1889. Oh lord. ―David,‖ I began.

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But Noah gave David a brief nod. ―I understand your concern, David, however, she must be protected from Aloysius, and we are not able to do so through the night. Olivia must reside somewhere until daybreak, and it is best to do so where we can be close nearby.‖ ―It‘s okay, David,‖ I said, touching his shoulder. ―My reputation will be fine.‖ David glanced back at me, and I was startled to see such a fierce expression of protectiveness on his face. Possessive. Territorial. He wanted to protect…me? That stirred an entire wealth of unwanted emotions, not the least of which was a scorching blast of lust. I forced those thoughts away. ―If it will make you feel better, I will remain in the same room with you the entire night.‖ ―You will sleep as well?‖ ―No, succubi don‘t sleep. Remember?‖ I reminded him. ―But I can watch TV or something.‖ He relaxed a little, glanced back at Noah, and then at the sunset filtering in through the mini-blinds over the windows. ―I do not know what a ‗teevee‘ is, but if you promise to stay by my side through the night, I consent.‖ His high-handedness irritated me but I just gave him a thumbs up. ―That‘s what we‘ll do, then.‖ David rubbed his face. ―Might I wash up before then? I find that I feel unclean.‖ Funny. I felt the same way. #

It took a few minutes for me to show David how the shower worked. He grasped it fairly easily, and I left before he could undress. There was a bit of a yelp a few minutes in, and when

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he emerged with the towel wrapped around his waist, his skin was reddened along his chest as if burned. But he only gave me a rueful look and then yawned, reminding me that the Serim would have to go to sleep very soon. The Serim – the fallen angels – were cursed to sleep every night at dark, and that was the time that vampires were awake and active. Neither race could circumvent the death-like sleep that overtook them with every cycle of the day. Only succubi were immune for some reason, but I suspected it had something to do with the fact that we needed to be available for both Serim and vampire master. ―Here,‖ I said, holding up a pair of boxer shorts and flannel pajama pants given to us by Noah. ―Sleep in these.‖ He took them from me and looked around the room, as if searching for something. ―There‘s no dressing screen,‖ I said, crossing my arms over my chest. ―Those are a thing of the past. You‘ll just have to get naked in front of me.‖ He gave me a long, scorching look that made my toes curl, despite the uncomfortable fishnet stockings. His gaze went to my legs and my short skirt, then the pajamas he held. ―This is a very forward time, is it not?‖ ―It is,‖ I agreed, feeling like the conversation had somehow gotten out of my control. Again. ―But I was kidding. I guess the joke falls flat when you don‘t get it.‖ When his hot gaze rested on my face once more, I threw my hands up. ―You know what? I‘ll just turn around.‖ I hated that flustered note in my voice. Scowling at myself, I turned my back to him as he dressed, offering him a bit of privacy.

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―This new world is quite strange,‖ he said after a minute, and I peeked over my shoulder. He was dressed, fiddling with the strings that tied the waistband of the pants. ―The clothes, the people–‖ Speaking of clothes. ―I need a favor from you,‖ I said. David paused and looked back up at me. His gaze was on my face, but there was no denying the blue in his eyes, or the husky note of his voice. ―What do you need?‖ And I reacted to it. ―Can you command me to take my clothes off?‖ As soon as I said it, I felt a flush of desire surge through my body. I‘d meant for him to help me out of my predicament with the French maid outfit, but with the Itch sliding over me, it took on an entirely different meaning. David stared at me, eyes smoldering as he brushed the wet locks of dark hair off his forehead. His gaze dropped to my outfit, then back to my face. ―I fear that I misunderstand you.‖ No, you didn’t, I wanted to say. ―I‘m a succubus, remember?‖ I gestured to myself. ―We have to answer to our masters in everything, and Aloysius is forcing me to wear this ridiculous outfit. I can‘t contradict him.‖ I moved forward, watching a few stray drops of water trail down his shoulder. I couldn‘t resist touching him, feeling those warm muscles – now warm underneath my fingertips – and brushing the droplets away. ―But you can make me undress. If you command me, I can get out of these clothes.‖ His gaze seemed fixed on my hand as I trailed it over his muscles. I kept expecting him to reach over and pull me away, but he did not. His jaw flexed once. ―How shall I…how shall I word it for you?‖

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Was it sad that I felt a hint of disappointment in his careful statement? Didn‘t he want to take advantage of me? Aloysius had used every advantage and made me regret any verbal opening left to him. ―You could just tell me to select any clothing I want.‖ David‘s eyes met mine, and I was startled by their blueness, the beauty of his features, so clear and noble. ―Olivia, you are to wear whatever you choose.‖ I waited a moment, hoping for the twinge that would tell me that the command had taken effect. Still nothing. Too softly worded? ―David, try again. You have to be more forceful.‖ ―My apologies.‖ The heat in his eyes flared even higher. ―I am not used to this. To having a succubus at my command.‖ ―You‘ll have to get used to it,‖ I breathed, stepping closer. My sex throbbed in time with my pulse, my voice going breathy. The need was fast upon me. ―If you command it, I can refuse you…nothing. Command me again, David.‖ His jaw flexed and my mind focused on that small motion, on the strength of his jaw. I wanted to lick it, run my tongue along his skin, taste the salt of him. David‘s blue eyes met mine. ―Take off your clothes.‖ The sensation rushed over me, nearly orgasmic in its relief. The need to undress surged, and my hands worked at the laces of the bodice quickly, stripping out of the layers. First the tiny bodice and apron, then the skirt dropped to the ground. Next, the hated, hated fishnet and the platform shoes, until I stood before David naked. God, it felt so good. My hands ran over my skin with delight. ―Thank you so much. I‘d been in that thing for days–‖ My words broke off when I realized he wasn‘t even looking in my direction. Ever the gentleman. Disgruntled, I picked up his discarded robe and wrapped it around my body. ―You

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can command me to wear something new when you wake up,‖ I said. ―I‘d kind of like to remain undressed for a while. It feels good against my skin.‖ ―Of course.‖ His voice was all solicitous politeness. ―I have one more request. Stay in this room with me while I sleep.‖ The nudge of the command pressed on my mind, and I glanced back at him as he sat on the edge of the bed. His eyelids were heavy in the way of an immortal about to go into day-sleep. Or night-sleep, I amended. There was no noise from the living room, so I assumed Noah had headed off to his as well. I felt a twinge of unhappiness as he lay stretched out on one side of the large, king sized bed. He‘d just woken up and now he was returning back to sleep? I knew he had no choice, but it still bothered me. It seemed to bother him as well. As I hesitated near the side of the bed, he reached out and took my hand in his, eyes heavy with weariness. ―Stay at my side until I awaken. Do not leave me again tonight.‖ ―I can‘t,‖ I said softly. ―I have no choice.‖ His hand continued to clasp mine, warm. My mind immediately went to sexual thoughts, but I pushed them away. The Itch would have to wait until he awoke once more. ―I‘m sorry,‖ David said in a soft, sleepy voice. ―For what?‖ I was puzzled by the confession, and my hand tightened on his as it looked like he was falling asleep. ―David, for what?‖ He struggled to stay awake long enough to answer me. ―For…not…being…able to…protect…you. From him. Sorry…‖

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With that, his head fell to the side and he became unnaturally still – the sleep had taken over him. But his words had rocked me to my core. I held his hand for a few minutes longer, then released it and moved to the other side of the bed. The Itch made my skin crawl with need, but I wouldn‘t get any relief for hours. I tried to content myself with lying in the bed, but I moved over next to David and wrapped my arms around him. I was supposed to hate him, not feel comforted by his presence. Not appreciate the light scent of him in my nostrils. Not have my world turned upside down by his polite manners and gentle, conscientious regard for me. I was supposed to hate him. #

Lying next to David all night was torture. I‘d taken the robe off and relaxed, naked, pressed against his bare chest, need circulating and pulsing through me. The clock on the bedside showed far too many hours until sunrise, so I amused myself with brushing the now-dry blonde curls off his forehead. He stirred against my touch and mumbled something, and that surprised me. For Serim – or a vampire, for that matter – to show any sort of reaction in their hibernation sleep must have meant that he was dreaming. More than that, what he was dreaming was heavily affecting him. And succubi were creatures of dreams. I couldn‘t resist a peek into his subconscious, so I slid my hand across his skin and delved into his mind, curious what I would find there.

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#

Memories flashed through David‘s mind, fleeting and chaotic, swirling in a mix of thoughts that I couldn‘t distinguish, until it suddenly focused and everything became crystal clear. David‘s thoughts were entirely of…me. His new mistress, the courtesan Olivia Rhodes. His thoughts were full of her smile, her laugh, the freckles that dotted her cheeks. David hadn’t been searching for a new mistress, but his old one had recently thrown him over for a duke. He didn’t mind – he hadn’t been attached to her in the slightest. But that was weeks ago, and his monthly needing would soon be upon him. A gentleman had three choices – wife (which was out of the question), mistress, or whore. He preferred mistresses. He hadn’t expected to find someone like Olivia Rhodes, either. She was at a party with a fast set, accompanied by several friends dressed far more provocatively than she. He remembered her laugh, bright and shining and happy. As if the world was a constant joy. He’d loved that about her, was drawn to her happiness with a longing that he hadn’t felt in ages. It seemed that Miss Rhodes was a member of the demimonde, and on the lookout for a new patron as well. Her last financier – an elderly but kind gentleman – had severed their relationship as his new wife had just found out about his mistress and was none too pleased. They were perfectly suited. Without hesitation, David offered to take Olivia as his mistress. He’d been surprised – and a bit gratified – at her charming blush. She was young and pretty – twenty and one, with long, lovely dark brown hair and a sweet smile. The freckles marred the creaminess of her lovely

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skin, and she was very tall and not particularly well built, which was why she was not more popular. But he liked that about her – her tall, slim elegance and her bone-deep happiness. She wasn’t jaded, still new to society and men and mistresses. Aloysius had laughed at his choice, clapping him on the back when they retired for cards. “Surely you can get a better looking courtesan than that one, my friend. You are rich and immortal. She is too tall and thin.” David smiled at his dearest friend and shook his head. “I like her smile. And she seems sweet. Untainted despite her choice of professions.” Aloysius’s laughing smile twisted ever so slightly. “We are all tainted by our choices, brother.” He’d dismissed the comment. Miss Olivia Rhodes was his now. While the custom was for a gentleman to visit his mistress and not the other way around, as a Serim, he didn’t trust spending his evening in an unfamiliar place. He’d had Miss Rhodes coached to his manor house, and she’d arrived wearing the same blushing smile that he’d found so appealing – and nothing under her long cloak. He’d taken her to his bed and made long, sweet love to her. She’d been perfect in her responses – shy but enthusiastic, her touch knowledgeable, her responses sincere. Accommodating and eager – he liked that in a mistress. He’d liked her so much that he’d commanded that she stay in one of the guest bedrooms – she couldn’t stay with him, as the sleep of a Serim was unnatural in its stillness, and she might worry. But when he’d awoken, her bed was tousled, but she was not in it.

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The servants had a puzzling explanation for him. “She left with her patron late last night, my lord. We have not seen her since.” David frowned. Did she have more than one patron? He hadn’t thought she would seem the type to leave his bed and head straight to another man’s. He’d returned to her room in hopes that she’d left a note that the servants hadn’t found. He found a note all right, but the note was in Aloysius’s handwriting. Meet me at my house. I have a surprise that I think we shall both enjoy. How had Aloysius gotten to his house at night? He was cursed to endure the same night-sleep that David was. Perhaps a servant, though it didn’t explain why Olivia was gone. David looked at the skies, just barely brushing with dawn. Against his better judgment, he called a carriage again and left for Aloysius’s home. The servants showed him in, one of them bearing eyes red with weeping, and she clutched at a neck scarf as she led him in. She gestured at the double-doors of the parlor, but would not open them. “The master is in there,” she whispered, then curtsied and ran away. David fought the sense of unease and wrongness that seemed to permeate the house. He strode down the hall, calling for his friend. “Aloysius? Are you in there?” No answer. A soft moan came from behind the double doors and he hesitated, not wanting to interrupt a private scene. But that sense of unease crept over him again, followed by the faint tingle against his nerves that could only mean one thing – magic. He thrust the door open. What he saw there rocked him to his core. Aloysius bent over the red velvet settee near the fire. Sprawled on the settee, arms over her head, lay the naked form of Miss Olivia Rhodes. Her long, lovely hair gleamed in the

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firelight and her head was flung back, her expression slack. Dried blood stained her throat. Between her spread legs, Aloysius pumped, fucking the girl even as she lay there in a stupor. It didn’t make sense. Aloysius had stolen his sweet, innocent little mistress? But his servants had said that she’d left last night with her patron. But how…? No Serim could go about in darkness. That was the domain of… Vampires. Aloysius thrust into the girl cruelly, and then turned to glance at the door. Dried blood had crusted around the edges of his mouth, and his eyes were bright red. The shirt he wore over his back was lumpy and tight, as if holding the black wings at bay. “No,” cried David. “What have you done?” His friend, his dearest friend, the only one that understood millennia of pain and abandonment…now had given his soul over to darkness. Aloysius withdrew from the girl’s body, pulling up his trow. “A present for you, brother,” he said, grinning and showing far too much fang. “I’ve turned her.” Turned her? David stared at the girl. She hadn’t moved despite the rough fucking that Aloysius had given her, and she looked almost…dead. But as he watched, the bruises on her thighs disappeared, and her skin smoothed, the freckles vanishing. “Transformed…her?” David could barely talk around his horror. “Into a succubus. A plaything for both you and me.” No! The last thing he wanted was to damn another misfortunate to the fate that he and his brothers were forced to endure – eternity shackled to the curses brought down upon them. He stared into Aloysius’s red eyes with horror. “And yourself? How could you do such a thing?”

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“The queen has promised me the freedom denied our kind, and I grow weary of the rules of the Archangels who have seen fit to cast us off.” Aloysius moved forward, grabbed David by the arm. “Come. Fuck your sweet whore. She will be yours now for all eternity. Ours.” David jerked away, repulsed by Aloysius’s touch. “Just because you have embraced evil does not mean that I shall do the same.” Aloysius’s smile was cruel. “Why not? Do you think anyone cares if you play by the rules, David? You cannot undo what has been done to us.” He gestured at the woman sprawled on the settee. “No more than you can change what I have made her.” “I cannot undo, but I can make amends.” His mind began to whirl with horrific options. Retrieve the other Serim in London and have them dispose of his oldest friend? Do it himself? Or…hide Aloysius’s secret and somehow live with what his friend had done to an innocent woman? Could he somehow convince Aloysius to leave the path he had chosen? They were all equally impossible. He gave his friend one last sorrowful look. “You must renounce this evil path, my friend. I cannot let you do this.” The vampire sneered, all blood and fang. “And if I do not?” David’s face was grim. He shrugged back on his cloak. “Then I have no choice but to destroy you.” He had the advantage of daylight, and other Serim were nearby. Though it would haunt him forever, he had no choice. Aloysius – his brother, his friend – had become one of the enemy and must be stopped. The two men stared at each other in a silent stalemate. Then, Aloysius’s face twisted into a furious sneer. “If you leave this house, David, you shall regret it.” “You cannot stop me.”

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“Can’t I?” David ignored the vampire’s mocking claim and touched his hand to the front door. It felt ice cold, and he looked down to see a string of curious trinkets looping the handle. Coins, herbs, and a blood sigil marked above the doorknob. Some sort of magic, and he’d triggered it. He pulled his hand away as if burned, but too late. The spell tingled up his arm, his fingers numbing. Damn Aloysius. He’d set this trap up for him. “I warned you not to leave, David,” Aloysius called behind him as he staggered out the door. “It’s your own fault, brother. You left me no choice.” David staggered out to the coach, a strange ringing in his ears. His limbs felt icy and unresponsive already, and it would not take long before he lost consciousness entirely. He flexed his hands repeatedly, willing the sluggish blood to circulate, his lungs slowing. His driver glanced back at him. “Home, my lord?” With great effort, David shook his head. “Take me to Mr. Gideon’s home. And fast.” He only prayed he could fight the lethargy long enough for him to explain that Olivia needed saving. He might die from Aloysius’s curse, but she need not share his fate…

#

The dream blurred and melted away. For a long moment there was nothing but quiet, and then the hodgepodge of images flashed past all over again. He saw her from across the room and noted her freckles, her thick, dark brown hair, her tall form, but what he liked most about her was her smile…

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I detached myself from David‘s dream with a shudder. He was dreaming about that fateful night, over and over again. Whether his dreams were brought on by his awakening or if he had dreamed the same thing for the last hundred and twenty years, I couldn‘t say. He‘d merely dreamed the betrayal – I‘d lived through the aftermath. I rubbed my bare arms, but my fingers against my skin only reminded me that the Itch was in full swing, and the man next to me was asleep. Not ideal. I‘d have to make due until dawn. The hours of night passed slowly for a succubus. Most of the world was asleep, and unless you kept company with vampires, it was a very lonely sort of time frame. Normally I didn‘t mind having alone time – I‘d learned to entertain myself quite well over the years, and had enjoyed the peace and quiet – but living ten years on my own, pretending to be a normal human, had made me wistful for things I couldn‘t have. A good night‘s sleep for one, I thought wryly, and glanced over at David in the bed. Even now he dreamt with a frown on his face. Peaceful sleep, maybe not. I glanced at the clock – David‘s dreams had taken up a large chunk of the night, but there was still some time before dawn. My hand skimmed down my naked flesh as I waited for David to awaken, enjoying the sensation. Thank god David had helped me take off that horrible outfit. It had been days since I‘d been able to remove that ridiculous dress, and the freedom of bare skin was intoxicating. All succubi were feminine perfection, but I liked my skin the best of all my features – cream smooth and rosy with health, and not a single solitary freckle to mar it. With my dark hair, I probably resembled a very tall Snow White. I glanced over at David. Would he be the Prince Charming to save me from the evil witch hunting me down? I sighed at my own stupid fantasy, even as my fingers glided over my sex, parting the lips below. My folds were already slick with need, the

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Itch throbbing through my veins and making my body react. My nipples were hard, tight peaks, and there was a restless need in-between my long legs that needed to be satisfied. I slid my fingers over my clit, the sensation pulsing through me with delight. My other hand brushed across my nipples, teasing them. For hours, I stroked my body, lost in my own thoughts. Too worked up to relax and watch TV, too needy to do more than prepare myself for the sex I needed. This was madness – no one would be awake for hours, and I was all alone. A succubus could not bring herself to orgasm – part of the curse. If we wanted relief, someone had to give it to us. Not that it mattered who – and Aloysius had commanded me to endure only the touch of a master. Lucky for me, David was right here. And fast asleep yet, although dawn was nearing. Suddenly frustrated that I was in such need and he was oblivious, I shoved the blankets off of him and placed my hand on his cock. It was soft with sleep, so I began to stroke it, taking the length of him in my hand and pumping with a cold-blooded necessity that I hated. He was leaving me no choice. Best to just get this over and done, and use him like I‘d always been used by everyone. I flicked my wrist, working him harder, feeling his body respond under my ministrations, his cock growing thick, lengthening under my hand. The old Olivia of a hundred and twenty years ago would have never done such a thing, but new Olivia was a jaded creature, a twisted, darker imitation of her old, cheerful self. David would hate the new one if he knew her. The thought filled me with a wild, unexpected despair. What did I care what he thought? He‘d known what I‘d turn into when he‘d left me with Aloysius…

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But he hadn’t, I reminded myself. He hadn‘t known anything. He‘d been asleep for all that time. It’s not his fault you are what you are. My hands slowed, and I released him as if burned, shuddering with hate for myself. I slid away on the bed, curling up on the edge of it and hugging my knees to my chest, filled with self-loathing. I was no better than Aloysius, to take what was not given to me. A monster that cared nothing for the feelings of others. The bed shifted, and a hand touched my shoulder, gliding down my back. ―Why did you stop, sweet Olivia?‖ David‘s voice was a caress against my ear. I did not look at him. Could not. My shame was too great. ―I will not rape you simply to satisfy my own needs.‖ My voice was hard with bitterness. ―I have experienced that particular violation myself, and know how it feels. I should not have touched you.‖ His hand continued to stroke my back, as if soothing a wounded kitten. ―You need relief, do you not?‖ At my short, jerky nod, he continued. ―If you do not like touching me, I can get Noah for you. He is kind and considerate, and…I would not stand in the way of what you desire.‖ ―I don‘t want Noah,‖ I said miserably. ―I don‘t want anyone. But Aloysius‘s command is quite clear, and I can touch no man but my master. Unless I wish to crawl back to him…‖ ―Then you need my help, don‘t you?‖ His hand wrapped in my long hair, pulling me backward onto the bed, until I lay next to him. ―I could simply remove the command, could I not?‖ He could. I watched him, my gaze cautious. If he simply removed the command, I‘d be free to seek out another man. A stranger, I supposed. The thought left a bad taste in my mouth.

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―Unless you‘d rather spend your needing with…me?‖ His blue eyes focused on my face. ―Is that what you want?‖ I wouldn‘t admit it. Couldn‘t. The words wouldn‘t move past my throat. Tell him that? When it was so obvious? It came to close to begging. As if sensing my reluctant desire, David ran a casual hand down my side, grazing my skin with the backs of his fingers. His large hand slid along my hips and then moved to the apex of my thighs, cupping my sex. ―You‘re wet with need, Olivia.‖ I bit my lip. I hated need, hated relying on someone else to pleasure me, but his touch was blinding. ―David,‖ I whispered, spreading my legs wide in supplication. I wouldn‘t ask. I had learned not to over the years. That asking simply brought new kinds of torture. That it was better to shut down and endure when I needed something. I hated needing anything. Hated it so much that I pushed at his hands, trying to shove him away. He ignored my pushes, saying nothing, as if he understood my silence. Instead, he watched my face. Watched it go from anger, to frustration, to helplessness, back to desire and then frustration again. I glanced down at his hand between my legs, watched David flex his fingers against my wet sex as his gaze remained on my face. Unable to meet his eyes, I watched his hands instead, and as I watched, he moved. His thumb, once resting on my mound, slid downward and parted my sex. I gasped. ―So you do want me,‖ he mused. The pad of his thumb touched my clitoris and gave it a rough stroke, possessive and sensual. ―Even if you hate the thought.‖

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I glared at him, hoping he would stop torturing me and make this swift and painless. My anger and frustration burned on my face even as my hands locked around his, encouraging him onward. His hand shifted, and I felt his thick middle finger slide down my sex, searching. It circled the entrance to my sex, the slick wetness there. It tickled my clit, dancing along the sensitive flesh. I arched my hips against his hand, bucking in an effort to bring myself to come faster, so I could be done with this – done with him. ―No,‖ he whispered. ―You‘re trying too hard, sweet Olivia. This isn‘t about just satisfying the need. This is about you and me, too.‖ ―It‘s just about getting through the next two days,‖ I gritted. ―Nothing more.‖ His eyes – so blue they glowed in his face – met mine. ―You‘re wrong. It‘s not like that. ‖ He moved over me, tossing one heavy arm over my torso, pinning me to the bed. One heavy arm pressed over my stomach, his shoulder resting over my belly, his body turned so I was helpless to do anything but stare at his broad, muscular back. He could do anything he wanted to my body, covering me so possessively. As if he owned me and I existed solely for his pleasure. I felt his other hand skim down my belly, toward my sex. My breath quickened. I was trapped beneath him. I should have pushed him off of me, forced him to play by my rules. But instead, I admired the perfect expanse of his back, the golden curls of his fashionably-tousled Victorian hair as his head bent over my body, examining my slick sex with intense scrutiny, as if it held all the secrets to my heart. His fingers slid down the wet folds again, one fingertip dipping into the damp heat of my core. I bit back a moan of frustration at that, my hips rising involuntarily again, but he was too

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heavy atop of me. Instead, he touched me, stroking my clit and brushing his fingers along my sex in ticklish motions while I lay pinned beneath him, helpless to do anything but enjoy. ―You‘re very sensitive here, Olivia,‖ he said softly. ―I remember that.‖ ―Of course I am,‖ I gritted. ―I‘m a succubus.‖ His fingers were circling my wet heat again. ―No,‖ he said, voice husky. ―When we were last together. I remember…you screamed when I put my mouth there. It was mere hours ago for me. The memory still burns hot in my mind.‖ I began to pant. I couldn‘t remember – those days were so far away they seemed like someone else‘s lifetime. Mine had only been pain and Aloysius. But his words heated my body, and I began to play with my nipples, thinking of his mouth on my sex, licking me with the same languid, attentive strokes that his fingers were giving my clit. As if he could sense what I was thinking, he bent over me and his tongue dipped into the wet well of my sex. My body went rigid and I swallowed the cry of pleasure that threatened to erupt. He gave my sex a long, slow lick that made my toes curl and I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. I would not scream my pleasure. I would not scream my pleasure. His tongue stroked against my clit at the same time that his finger slid within me, stretching me. A second slid home, sinking into my wet depths. I screamed his name, arching my hips to push against him, my body quivering with the force of my sudden orgasm. The Itch spiraled through me, ebbing away with the aftershocks of pleasure, even as David thrust his fingers deep within me again, his tongue flashing over my clit over and over again. My hips quivered with each stroke, until the orgasm ebbed and I was left weak and gasping.

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He moved off of me, and I thought he would roll off the bed, get away from the needy, weak creature that I was, but he surprised me again. When I turned to look over at him, David‘s mouth moved to mine. He kissed me. I didn‘t kiss the men I slept with. Aloysius kissed me only to punish me, and the lovers I‘d taken since I ran away from him understood my quirk. Kissing was personal, and I didn‘t like to do it. But when David‘s lips met mine – still tasting of my orgasm -- something within me shattered and broke. His mouth on mine, his fingers buried in my sex, I came again in David‘s arms. My need was wild, and my emotions were in turmoil, and it only made his kiss deepen. Each stroke of his tongue was a claim, reminding me that I belonged to him fully. In one fluid motion, his fingers left my wet heat and he moved his body over mine, his weight bearing down on me. I stretched my long legs wide, welcoming the cradle of his hips into my own. His cock stroked into my welcoming body, and I sighed with relief. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him down over me, my hands on his smooth, muscled back. His mouth sought mine out, kissing and tasting me over and over again with each long, hard stroke, until my body throbbed with a need as great as his. And when he climaxed, I was not far behind. One quick brush of his fingers to drive me over the edge, and I moaned my new release against his lips. We lay there for a moment, spent. My breathing eventually slowed, and I relaxed in the languor that followed the abatement of the Itch. Aloysius and the constant fear receded to the back of my mind. My thoughts were entirely of David and his warm scent. David, whose weight still pressed against me in the bed, and who I still cradled between my legs.

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David, who hadn‘t abandoned me after all. As if sensing my warming thoughts, David‘s eyes met mine and he leaned in for another slow, sensual kiss. ―Why now, Olivia?‖ I immediately felt defensive. ―Why what now?‖ He shook his head. ―No, I meant…why now? After a hundred and twenty years? Why only now did you seek me out?‖ Oh. Reality came crashing back down, reminding me that even in this moment, I couldn‘t escape my master. I‘d never be free of him, not while he lived. So I looked David straight in the eye and said, ―I need you to kill Aloysius for me.‖

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Chapter Three

―You want me to kill Aloysius?‖ I closed my eyes, waiting for him to fling me away from him. To command me to leave. To banish me from his presence for even daring to speak of destroying another immortal. He was silent. I waited, and when he still did not speak, I opened my eyes a slit, looking at his face. There was pain there, and regret. But not anger directed at me. Not hate. Almost as if I‘d said something that he knew had to happen as well, but had never voiced it aloud. I didn‘t understand this man. Aloysius I knew. I knew him back and forth so well that I‘d learned to manipulate him in my own little ways. Suggesting lesser punishments that sounded worse than what he‘d think up for me, but punishments I could handle. Forcing his hand sometimes. And finally, knowing how his mind worked so I could escape. Though one might argue that Aloysius had let me run away – yet another level to our endless mind games that we played. He leaned in to me and I instinctively flinched, but David only began to kiss my shoulder softly, pressing light kisses along the bare skin. ―Tell me what I have missed in the last hundred and twenty years.‖ I found his touch oddly comforting, and I stroked the golden curls of his hair as I stared up at the ceiling, thinking. I could tell him about the endless years of depravities. The years that Aloysius had punished me for David‘s supposed betrayal and disappearance, letting me think

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that I‘d somehow been responsible, when it had been him all along. The years that I fought back, and eventually gave in. The years he let his friends take their turns with me. The years I spent in a cage, locked in the basement of a vampire stronghold, blood slave to a dozen vampires. I swallowed hard. I didn‘t like thinking about those years. They belonged to the past. So I only said, ―He is not who you think he is.‖ ―On the contrary,‖ David said, his voice soft and sad. ―I think he is exactly who I think he is. Aloysius is miserable here on the mortal plain, and strives to make others miserable with him. He cares nothing of the feelings of others – only himself. He is selfish, petulant, and bores easily.‖ David leaned in and kissed my shoulder again. ―You have known him for a hundred years, but I have known him for eons. And I did not see the darkness until it was too late.‖ ―He is a vampire now,‖ I said. ―His soul is blacker than ever.‖ He thought for a moment, then sighed. ―I wonder that his soul has always been black, and I was too blind to see it.‖ David seemed so sad about it that I didn‘t have the heart to tell him I had no sympathy for Aloysius. Anything I might have felt for my vampire master – other than revulsion – had long ago disappeared. ―And you want to kill him?‖ David asked me. ―That is a grievous crime amongst immortals, unless much has changed while I slept.‖ ―I don‘t care if they condemn me,‖ I said. ―It‘s the only way I‘ll ever be free of him. As long as he‘s alive, he‘s going to call me back to him. Continue torturing me. Make me suffer. And I can‘t deal with it anymore.‖ My voice hardened and I stopped stroking the curls of David‘s blonde hair. ―Either kill him, or kill me, but it ends one way or another.‖ He said nothing, but I could feel the sorrow hanging over him.

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I got up and left the room, leaving David to dress and come to terms with what I‘d asked him.

#

I ate breakfast in silence, my body a bundle of nerves. Noah Gideon was in his study, working. I could hear the quiet clicking of the keyboard as he typed. David had not emerged from the bedroom, and I continued to eat, ravenous despite the anxious churning of my stomach. What if David said no to me? What options did I have? I was asking him to kill his best friend – the man he had been a companion to for millennia. Longer than that – they‘d fallen together. Who was I to come between them? A liability. A plaything. A sexual toy with no feelings or needs of her own. This falling out between them could be nothing more than a spat between friends. Like David had said, I had known Aloysius for a mere hundred years. David had known him for four thousand. The pancakes I had made tasted like ashes in my mouth. David emerged from the bedroom and I froze in place. He glanced around the room, no doubt noting the wealth of unfamiliar objects, or the small size of Noah‘s apartment in comparison to the manor houses of Victorian England. His gaze surveyed the room, and then came to rest on me, where I sat at the breakfast bar. His silver eyes were flat with pain. ―Tell me one thing, Olivia,‖ he said, not moving toward me. ―One thing that will convince me to destroy the friend I have stood alongside for centuries. Tell me one thing that will make me realize that he is too far gone.‖

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I had anticipated such a question, and I was ready. I took a small piece of metal and slid it across the counter, gesturing for him to pick it up. He picked up the square and looked at the blood welling on his fingertips in surprise. ―That is a razor blade,‖ I explained. ―The razors of today‘s time are smaller than what you are familiar with. You place that inside the razor and glide it across your face. The edges are quite sharp.‖ David licked the blood off his fingers, an unconscious act that made me panic, thinking of vampires. But then he gave me a rueful smile – no fangs. ―I see that. Very sharp.‖ I picked up the razor-blade, careful to avoid the edges. ―One of Aloysius‘s favorite punishments is to make me eat them. Usually about five or six, one after the other.‖ My gaze was steady on his. ―He cannot kill me, you see. So he thinks of interesting ways to test my immortality. Swallowing razors is the one I hate the most. When they go down your throat, you feel them…slicing.‖ My hand touched my breastbone, thinking of the painful memories. ―You cough blood for hours, and your insides burn, and everything hurts worse than you can ever imagine. But the worst part of all is when it makes it to your stomach, because then you know that your options--― ―Enough,‖ he said, raising a hand. His eyes glittered as he looked at me. ―Tell me…is that truth or a lie?‖ ―It is the truth,‖ I said softly, compelled to answer him. He nodded, exhaling sharply. ―I knew it was. Yet, I hoped…‖ he shook his head and then looked at me, face grim with resolve. ―I will help you destroy him.‖

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―Thank you,‖ I said quietly. It should have felt like a victory, but it felt hollow instead. David‘s face was bleak with pain, his normally present smile a thing of the past. My brittleness was spreading to him. For some reason, that bothered me.

#

Noah opted to join us on our quest, determined to give us backup. I had assured the men that Aloysius was likely alone – the other vampires had tired of his violent mood swings a while back and he tended to live on the fringes of their society, spending most of his time alone or surrounded by a few worshipful humans. He had many hideouts in the city and I knew them all. I normally avoided them, but today I had to confront my fears. It was summer, the days long and the weather hot. That meant that he was spending the daylight hours in one of his many basement apartments. He had several in the city, but his favorite was under a popular city sports bar. He liked hiding under the noses of so many people – it amused him. It was there I decided we should strike first. We went that afternoon, Noah and David disguised in jeans and casual clothing, baseball caps stuffed over their heads. They ordered beers and sat down at the bar to watch the game while I scoped out the room. I was in disguise as well – I wore a short blonde wig over my dark hair, glasses, and a sweater-set with my jeans, all gifts of Noah‘s personal shopper who had delivered the items, questions unasked. The disguise made me look like a tall librarian with bad hair, nothing like my usual self. In the bag at my shoulder I carried blessed wooden stakes, holy water, two crosses, a butcher knife, and a flask of gasoline.

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Vampires were almost impossible to kill – ditto for Serim. When we referred to ourselves as immortal – we meant it. As a succubus, I couldn‘t be killed except by two ways – either destroy both my masters and I instantly cease to exist, or kill me by sexual starvation. Serim and vampires could also be destroyed by neglecting the needs their curses placed upon them. But if you had to take matters into your hands, it was a more involved process. Holy water and crosses would burn a vampire, and a stake (blessed by a priest) would paralyze it in place. I planned on staking Aloysius, then cutting off his head. And after that, I‘d have to burn his body to ashes, or else he‘d regenerate. And if I couldn‘t kill my master because he commanded me otherwise, David and Noah would step in and finish it for me. It was late afternoon, so the bar was fairly empty. It would be a few hours before any vampire awoke – the perfect time to ambush Aloysius and disable him before he could strike back at us. I looked around the bar for Aloysius‘s pet humans and blood servants – idiots that willingly served him for the promise of being turned to vampires. They didn‘t know that his promises were lies. Aloysius could no more turn a mortal into a vampire than he could turn me into a fairy princess. But they dreamed of sharing his world, and so they served him like fools, hoping that he‘d one day bestow the greatest honor they could imagine. I didn‘t recognize any of his lackeys in the room, however. I frowned. I‘d been away for ten years, so perhaps there was an influx of new human pets to play with. That made this dangerous. If I attacked Aloysius, I might be going in blind. The waiter put a beer in front of me, and I reached for it and deliberately knocked it over, the contents splashing into my lap. ―Oops,‖ I said loudly. ―That was stupid of me. Where‘s your restroom?‖

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The bartender pointed toward the back, and I grabbed my bag and hopped off the barstool, heading that direction. I knew perfectly well where the restroom was, of course. I passed by it without stopping in, heading to a back room instead. My spill had been a signal for Noah and David to wait a minute, and then follow me in. In the storage room, I found the familiar trap door behind a shelf and opened it. Stairs descended into darkness, and I bolstered my courage. I wish I had thought to bring a flashlight, but I knew that there was a light-switch at the base of the stairs. I sucked in a breath and moved down the steps, painfully aware of every creak of the wooden boards in the deafening silence. Was I walking into a trap? Would I see Aloysius when I clicked the light on? What if he‘d been sleeping lightly and had already awakened? What if we timed it wrong? When I got to the bottom, I clicked the switch and stared at the room in surprise. It was empty. Not just empty of people – completely empty. The room was devoid of furniture of all kinds, the scuffed wood floors bare. I remembered seeing this room covered in lush draperies, with divans for Aloysius‘s attendants to perch upon. None of that remained. Even the fixtures had been stripped – one lonely naked light bulb hung overhead from a cord. There was a maze of rooms in the back, but I guessed they would be empty as well. I moved forward, opening the doors and checking. A lonely scrap of trash was left in the corner of one, but every door I opened showed me the same thing – an empty room. Aloysius had picked up and left. The last room down the hall was the one that had been mine. My skin prickled and my hand went to the doorknob. I paused, not able to bring myself to open the door without fear

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prickling through me. After a moment‘s hesitation, I closed my eyes and flung the door wide. Silence. I squeezed one eye open and saw it was almost as empty as the others. A small round wooden table sat in the center of the room, and I could make out a silver oblong shape on the table. I moved forward and picked it up. A cellphone. I didn‘t have to be a genius to realize that he‘d left it for me. It was an invitation and a mocking gesture all at once. Aloysius knew what I was up to. He was inviting me to another level of games with him. And fuck me, but he still had control of the situation. I picked up the phone, gripping it hard, and flicked it open. The screen lit, and the battery bar flashed. Still almost full. It hadn‘t been sitting here for long. A day or two, tops. Footsteps sounded in the hall. My body clenched with fear and I whirled, bracing myself for the worst. That I‘d walked into a trap somehow. But it was just David and Noah, their faces grim as they stared at the empty surroundings. ―He‘s not here,‖ I said softly and showed them the phone. ―But he knows I‘m coming after him.‖ David stared at the phone, uncomprehending what I meant. He didn‘t know what a cell-phone was. ―It‘s a message,‖ I said in a bitter voice. ―That he is expecting me to contact him. That even now, he controls the game.‖ ―He controls nothing unless we let him. We should leave,‖ David said. He moved toward me, his fingers on my arms in a gentle but firm grasp. ―Get you somewhere safe, and check out his other hideaways in the city. We can find him. Surely someone has seen him.‖

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A broken laugh bubbled in my throat and I jerked away from his touch. ―We won‘t find him.‖ My fingers locked around the phone and I shook it in David‘s face. ―You don‘t get it. He knows I am looking for him. He‘s telling me that the game is played by his rules, not mine. Somewhere safe? I‘m not safe anywhere.‖ I flung the phone down to the ground and turned away, wrapping my arms around my chest and trembling with a mixture of rage and fear. Aloysius knew. He knew I was coming after him. He‘d guessed something was up when I didn‘t come crawling back to him last night for my need. He knew, and he was going to win. Again. And this time, when he caught me, I‘d never be able to escape. The full-on body tremble made my teeth clack together, and I clenched my jaw. I would figure something out. Somehow. Somehow. I‘d hide myself away and starve before getting back under his control – I‘d commit suicide first. A warm hand touched my arm and I smelled David‘s musky scent as he wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. I wanted to push him away and leave me to my grief and fright. It made me strong. But I was so, so tired of being strong. ―I‘m with you, Olivia,‖ David said. ―This time, I‘m here for you. And I won‘t let him get you again.‖ ―But you have to sleep,‖ I said in a low voice. ―You can‘t keep me safe at night. He‘ll guess that and change his tactics.‖

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―I know where we can take her,‖ said Noah. ―We may sleep through the night, but I know just the place that she‘ll be safe.‖ His gaze rested on David, his expression solemn. ―I think you know the place I speak of.‖ David apparently did. He nodded at Noah and then turned back to me, squeezing my arm. ―Come. Trust us. Let me take care of you.‖ ―I can‘t trust anyone,‖ I said, but the order to trust him was not one I could refuse. I obeyed, as always.

#

We returned quickly to Noah‘s apartment, and my suspicions had been confirmed. Though the alarm had not been sprung, the living room was trashed, and my clothing – the French maid outfit – was gone. Someone had come in while we were gone and knew I was with Noah Gideon. I squeezed down the vise of panic in my throat, swallowing hard. It was daylight still. Just human flunkies, looking for something to report back to Aloysius. I was still safe. For now. We wasted no more time, getting back into the car and driving into the mountains. Noah would not say where we were headed. David was calm, his expression peaceful. He seemed to know exactly what Noah intended, which puzzled me. Where were we going that David knew all about and I did not? I must have been a bundle of nerves in the back seat of the car, twitching and constantly moving in my seat. At one point, David reached over and clasped my hand in his, lacing our fingers. His touch soothed my nerves and I held his hand for the rest of the drive.

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Just as the sun was setting, we turned down a long driveway nestled off of a service road in the mountains. It climbed up a ravine, and at the top of the tree-lined ravine perched a small parking lot and a very large, austere white building. I could have sworn it was a hospital done in Corinthian style, but I didn‘t see an emergency room, or any cars other than ours. ―Be right back,‖ said Noah, and parked the car up front. He got out of the vehicle and headed to the huge double-doors at the front of the building. ―Where are we?‖ I asked, the familiar nervousness churning in my gut. What if this was a trap? The Serim were not always good men. They could be self-serving— David reached over and brushed a lock of hair from my face. The lines of his aristocratic face were perfect and beautiful in the late afternoon sunlight, and he looked at ease in the casual modern clothing that he‘d borrowed from Noah. The look was so at odds with the old-fashioned blonde curls and sideburns he still wore that it made me want to smile, even when I had nothing to smile about. ―Be calm, Olivia. I will not let anything happen to you.‖ I looked over at him uncertainly, but the resolve was written on his face. His jaw was set in granite, his expression firm. It wasn‘t that I was weak, or needed a man to hold my hand. But having someone there, at my side – someone to tell me that it was all right? That I wasn‘t alone? That was…nice. I liked it. More than I should have. I gave him a hesitant smile. ―You know where we are, then?‖ ―There is only one place that a Serim can go to and fall completely off the map,‖ David said in his smooth, effortlessly calm voice, his silver eyes focused entirely on me. ―One place where they can eschew the mortal world and have no fear of it catching up to them. It is the only place I know of where we can be absolutely certain that the walls are warded from both human and vampire alike.‖

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―And that would be…‖ ―A Serim monastery. Some of our brothers decided long ago that repentance was the best way to return to the grace of God, and they spend their days in prayer and solitude.‖ ―A monastery?‖ I shook my head. This sounded like an awful idea. ―How is a house full of Serim monks going to keep me safe at night?‖ ―They are not monks. They just choose to live as monks do,‖ David said with a smile at me. ―And there are others that dwell in the monastery that are not Serim,‖ he told me, his gaze warm. ―They will be awake at night and will watch over you if it is needed, but I do not think it will be. Every monastery is built with powerful wards that make it impossible for a vampire to find the place. You will be safe here. I would never take you someplace you are not safe.‖ The possessive heat in his voice made my heart thump. ―David,‖ I said, resisting the urge to blush. I felt like a schoolgirl again in his presence – no, like the young, relatively innocent demimondaine I had been back in 1889. Trained in the arts of the bedroom but sheltered at everything else. ―You are not familiar with this time. Many, many things change in a hundred years—― ―Sweet Olivia,‖ he said softly, leaning in toward me. His hand brushed my cheek, caressing my jaw, his gaze on my face. He leaned in, as if unable to resist the pull of my body. ―I have learned over my very long, sometimes painfully boring life that not that much changes in a hundred years.‖ ―And are you bored now?‖ I couldn‘t resist asking. He leaned so close that his mouth was almost on mine, and I felt a flush of heat shimmer through my body. ―I am never bored in your presence, Olivia.‖

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And he leaned in and kissed me. A gentle kiss, his mouth coaxing mine open. After a moment, I responded, rewarded with the stroke of his tongue against mine. A delicious heat began to unfurl in my body— Someone knocked on the car window, interrupting us. We broke apart, and I looked up to see Noah standing outside the car, his face grim. ―Will they let us stay?‖ David asked. ―Yes, and no,‖ Noah said. His mouth was a tight line of anger. ―Come. They want to see you and Olivia.‖

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Chapter Four

The doors of the monastery opened slowly, and a figure bowed. I looked into the face of the man at the door as he straightened. To my surprise, he was young – no more than fifteen years of age. His face was youthful and soft, but he easily topped seven feet and his shoulders were a broad, sharp triangle that had not yet filled out with muscle. He‘d be a massive man once he grew into his size. He wore a long, plain white robe like a penitent, and his light brown ponytail was long enough to make me wonder if it had ever been cut. His expression was tranquil as he shut the door behind us, then gestured that we should follow him in. The corridor was long and freezing cold. If this place had central heat, they weren‘t saving it for the visitors. Then again, maybe they didn‘t get many visitors. I watched the bare feet of our guide pad down the cold marble hallway and rubbed my arms, giving an involuntary shiver. Something about this creeped me out. It shouldn‘t have – the ceilings were vaulted and windows covered the walls, filling the place with light. But there were no furnishings – just bare empty halls. The entire place felt…cold. Barren. Lifeless. The boy showed us in to a large audience chamber, then bowed and exited, his pale eyes flashing. A man sat across from us, seated at a plain wooden table with an equally plain chair. It was the only furniture I had seen in the building so far. There were no other ornamentations in this room – no paintings, no rug in front of the large hearth that took up one wall. Nothing except sunlight and barren rooms.

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The man was clearly a Serim. He wore the same simple cloth robe that the younger man had worn, without a bit of ornamentation. His hair was dark and pulled into a short queue at the base of his neck. His skin was tanned a deep olive, his silver eyes bright in his face. His features were perfectly sculpted, and he looked like an archangel of old. Probably because he was, I told myself. He gave our party a welcoming smile that struck me as insincere. He gestured at the floor. ―Sit.‖ My hackles arose at the sound of his voice. This was a man used to giving orders. I stared at him, the coldly silver eyes. This was giving me a bad, bad feeling. David didn‘t move, just frowned at the man. I looked over at Noah and noticed he was looking at me expectantly. Well, damn. The order to sit on the floor was only for me. I could guess why – this man wanted to debase me for what I was. As if it were somehow my fault that I was a succubus. I sat, though I wasn‘t pleased about it. Everything in me was protesting against this set-up. Serim were just as manipulative as vampires. They just pretended to be nice while controlling your life. At least vampires didn‘t pretend. David put a hand on my head, smoothing the short hair of my wig. I didn‘t need comfort, and I nearly bit out a nasty response until I saw the expression of the Serim who sat across from us. He‘d noted David‘s possessive gesture and I could see the wheels turning behind his eyes as he calculated our relationship. The room was silent for a long, uncomfortable moment. Then, the man steepled his fingers and gave a brief nod to both Noah and David. ―Greetings, brothers. It has been many,

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many years since I have seen either of you. I go by the name of Julian in this age.‖ He inclined his head. ―I am pleased that you both have decided to visit.‖ ―This is a visit of business, not pleasure,‖ Noah said. ―I see that.‖ Julian‘s cold gaze dropped back to me. ―You do have a succubus with you after all. What brings you to our monastery?‖ His voice was smooth, even, and low. But his silver gaze watched me with an avarice that made my skin crawl. I wanted to leave right then and there, go back down the mountain and take my chances with Aloysius. At least he was the devil I knew. I had a sneaking suspicion that there would be a catch for our stay here in the monastery, and I was afraid of what it might be. Whore to vampires or whore to Serim? They were both equally awful. My hands clenched in my lap. David‘s hand stroked over my wig again, as if trying to calm me. ―We wish sanctuary for a few days for our small party,‖ he said, his crisp, strong voice cutting through the jumble of my thoughts. ―We can pay you for room and board and your protection.‖ Julian smiled. ―David. You were once one of our brothers, many, many centuries ago. You know that we do not accept money.‖ My gut clenched, a sick feeling. They were looking for a service, then… ―Then what is your price?‖ David‘s voice remained calm. His hand continued to stroke the fake blonde hair perched atop my head. ―Name it. Olivia is being hunted by her vampire master and I have sworn to protect her.‖ The Serim‘s gaze went to David, then back to me. ―She is your creature, then? That is very good news. We will require…a favor. A deal.‖ A cold smile touched his mouth. ―It is not often that a succubus appears on our doorstep, but they have their uses.‖

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―No,‖ I said in a low voice. My hands clenched, my fingernails digging into my palms. ―Absolutely not.‖ ―We are not interested in deals,‖ David said. The Serim ignored me, his gaze moving to David. ―I was under the impression that you wished our assistance? You know as well as I do, David, that choosing the monastery does not come without its price. All must give up something to escape behind its doors and hide away from the outside world. It does not matter if you wish to stay here only temporarily, or permanently. You can pay the price, or you can turn around and leave. Those that stay in the monastery all give their dues.‖ David‘s jaw tightened, but he didn‘t disagree with the man. I looked over at Noah, and his face was equally tight. He wouldn‘t look at me. A sick feeling began to wash through my body. A succubus had her uses, Julian had said. I‘d just bet. Servicing all the Serim on a monthly basis? Use me as a lure for vampires? Or…worse? What if they had worse in mind? I got to my feet. I‘d turn around and walk out right now, then. Whatever protection they could offer me? Wasn‘t worth it. The Serim folded his hands, waiting. Watching. ―We‘re not paying your price,‖ I said. ―Let‘s go, David.‖ He looked at me, then back at the Serim. ―Wait, Olivia.‖ Hot rage splashed through my body. Wait? Did he just command me to wait? ―You cannot tell me that you are considering wagering me in order to stay here?‖ I said furiously. ―I won‘t be a party to it.‖ David‘s clear gaze met mine, his jaw firm. ―You are not safe on the outside. I know you‘re safe in here.‖

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―Safe from vampires,‖ I spit at him. ―Not safe from anything else.‖ ―Olivia,‖ he began again. ―No,‖ I said furiously. Panic shot through my body, hard and fast. My hands curled into fists and I tested the command he‘d given me, but it didn‘t stop me from marching toward the door, and I did so. ―You can stay here, but I‘ll take my chances with the raping vampires rather than the raping Serim--‖ ―Olivia, stop right there.‖ I froze in my tracks, two steps from the open door. The teenage boy stood there, waiting, his mouth slightly open with surprise as he stared at me, helpless and stuck in place. Rage washed over me. David was betraying me. I knew it. I knew it. He was too good to be true. He was just like the others. I‘d been a fool to go to him for help. ―Olivia,‖ David began. He reached for me. I lashed out, backhanding him. The snap of my hand on his jaw was deafening in the room. I snarled again, reaching for him, desperate. My feet were anchored to the ground because of his command, but my arms were free, and I reached for him, clawing. I‘d kick and scream the entire way down if I had to. ―You will not fucking use me! No one gets to use me!‖ ―Olivia!‖ David said sharply. ―You are hurting yourself. Stop it.‖ The look on his face was as cold as I felt. I snapped back into place, unable to even protest anymore. My eyes glittered with tears of fury but I blinked them away, nostrils flaring with rage. He stared at me, and I didn‘t know what he was thinking. ―It‘s very good that we have her master here,‖ Julian said in an emotionless voice. ―Clearly she needs to be kept under control.‖

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The rage burned through me again, and I closed my eyes, willing myself to breathe calmly. Wait for the chance to strike. Then I‘d kill that goddamn asshole. David too, for betraying me like this. My wild thoughts spun faster and faster, full of fury and rage and fear. David‘s voice cut through the whirl of my thoughts. ―Olivia. Listen to me.‖ My ears strained at the command and I bit my knuckle hard, wanting to scream and unable to. ―You will follow the boy to our room,‖ David said, his voice soft, the command clenching through my body. ―You will sit there and wait for me. Quietly. You will not move until I arrive, and you will not hurt yourself. Understand?‖ It didn‘t matter if I understood. My body locked into the command and my heart shuddered to ice inside my breast. Forced against my will, I followed the boy out into the hall and down another corridor. Rage and anger blinded me. I could see nothing beyond my tears of betrayal. David was using me like I was nothing. Like I had no say in the matter. Whatever the Serim wanted, he‘d force me to do in some misguided attempt to save me. I knew what they wanted. It was a monastery full of creatures that needed to have sex once a month to live. I wasn‘t dumb. I was a succubus – I could fulfill their needs. I‘d heard darker stories, too. Of succubi raped by angels and forced to bear their children. I stared at the back of the boy in front of me, but I could ask him nothing. David‘s command wouldn‘t permit that. I‘d trusted him, and he was using me. The thought hurt worse than any razorblade. Seething with rage and betrayal, I almost didn‘t notice that we arrived at a large room. The boy opened the door and stepped aside, waiting for me to enter, and my compelled body had no choice. I stalked forward on wobbly legs and saw that the room was empty. Two twin beds, a

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large empty floor, and a table and chair off to one side. A large window let the sunlight wash in. Stiffly I turned and, just like I‘d been commanded, sat and waited in silence. Waited for the master who had betrayed me to come back. You will not move until I arrive, he‘d commanded. So I waited, and plotted. Thinking of a way to escape the new man I‘d put myself in the control of. I felt shattered, made of broken glass. I‘d let my guard down. Allowed myself to like David. To actually…care for him. To feel the same flutter of adoration that I‘d felt 120 years ago when I‘d first met him. Allowed myself to think that maybe I could find someone to spend my Afterlife with after all. Now I recognized his real face, and it sickened me with disappointment. Time passed. My betrayal didn‘t abate as the minutes ticked by – it only grew stronger, the pit of acid burning in my stomach flaring with new hatred every few minutes. David had misled me. He‘d led me to believe that I was safe with him, when I was no more than an asset with legs to be used for his own benefits. I clenched my fists, my fingernails digging into my palms. Why had I thought it would be different with David? I had trusted him, and his betrayal hurt worse than anything Aloysius had ever done to me. The door opened. I closed my eyes, sucking in a deep breath and waiting for the next stage. If it was torture, I could live through it. Rape, I could live through it. I could live through anything. I only had to endure. The door shut. I waited. Footsteps crossed the floor, heading toward me. I waited, muscles coiling as I tensed.

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Warm fingers brushed my cheek. ―Olivia?‖ David‘s voice was a husky question. ―Are you all right?‖ I opened my eyes and flung myself at him, now free of his awful commands. I attacked, knocking him to the ground. Either I‘d surprised him or he was a terrible fighter, but within moments I was straddling David‘s body and he stared up at me in surprise. I struck him with one hand across the face, then the other, my blows precise. He didn‘t fight back. My blows became wild with fury. I hammered at him, snarling with anger and rage each time that I struck at him. My palm slapped against his flesh, and when it began to sting, I attacked him with my fists. He didn‘t fight, just waited as I attacked him over and over again. Every slap, every punch, every scratch I delivered, he took with a grim look on his face. When my blows began to slow, he whipped me off of him and rolled, twisting the two of us until he loomed over me, his hands holding down my arms. I screamed in rage, a new burst of fury flashing through me. ―Olivia,‖ he shouted, trying to piece my rage. ―Stop! You‘re hurting yourself!‖ I panted, frozen in place, my eyes wild as I stared up at him. His cheeks were flushed a dark red with my repeated attacks, a trickle of blood stained the corner of his mouth. Scratches lined his neck and face – scratches from my hands. And he stared down at me, his eyes as turbulent as my own. Then, recognition crossed his face and he brushed his fingers down my cheek, wet with tears. ―Olivia, you are safe.‖ I thought hard, my mind racing with escape plans. Once his command freed me, maybe I could jump out the window. I might break my ankles, but I could make it back to town at some point—

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―I won‘t let them harm you,‖ he said, and his fingers curled in my hair, turning my head and forcing me to meet his gaze. ―I would never let them touch you. They wanted to use you as a payment. I did not agree. You are not mine to bargain with.‖ My gaze fluttered back to him, and I stared at him in confusion. ―I didn‘t sell you to them, Olivia. I wouldn‘t. They wanted a boon. I took it myself.‖ He showed me his arm, where a word had been burned in a long, flowing script. He‘d indentured himself to the Serim on my behalf. I swallowed. ―W-what?‖ He stroked my hair, his expression tender. ―You‘re safe. I offered myself in your stead. They were not thrilled, but I refused everything else, and they had no choice.‖ A hint of a smile touched his mouth as he said again, softly, ―You‘re safe.‖ I stared at his arm. Then at him. ―What do you have to do?‖ A sad look crossed his face. ―I have to kill a vampire named Aloysius.‖ Emotion rushed through me. David…he wasn‘t going to betray me? Sell me to the Serim in some misguided effort to help me? He‘d offered himself to protect…me? No one had ever done that for me. Desire flooded through me, desire and a feeling for David that I couldn‘t name – and didn‘t want to. I lifted my head, my mouth going to his. He parted his lips as if to accept my kiss, but I bit him instead, needing an outlet for the whirlwind of emotion coursing through me, and hurting him was the way to do it. So I bit down, and when he jerked, I soothed the wound with a lick of my tongue, my nails digging into his back. David stared down at me, his silver eyes flaring blue in an instant. Oh yes. His hand went to my hand and he pressed it to the floor in a deliberate motion. I thrashed against him, but this

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time my struggles were of passion, not of anger. Heat snaked through my body, making my toes curl and my nipples harden. He held my wrists there for a moment, staring down at me, at my heaving breasts and the nipples that stood out against the demure sweater-set. His hand moved to my wig – now askew- and pulled it off my head, then tossed it in the corner. ―Much better,‖ he said, then leaned in to kiss me again. I thrust my tongue against his, taking the initiative – my kiss forceful and angry. Our teeth banged against each other‘s and we didn‘t stop. My fury had turned to passion. His hands slid to my hair, undoing the pins that held it against my scalp until the waves loosened free. I grabbed his hair – the blonde curls soft and a bit too long, the sexy, old-fashioned sideburns gracing his cheeks – and pulled hard. His eyes lit and he sucked in a breath, his gaze taking on a wild intensity. David reached for my sweater and his gaze met mine for a long moment, and I dared him with my eyes. He ripped the fabric free. I gasped in a deep breath, ripping at the polo shirt he wore, feeling the cheap fabric rip under my hands until it hung open. I tried to push it off his shoulders, raking my nails across his skin as I did so – intending to hurt, intending to overwhelm him with the pleasure I was feeling. David‘s hand fisted in my hair and he pulled me up to meet his mouth in a wild, ferocious kiss that stole the breath from me. His tongue thrust into my mouth, hard and slick, and with the next thrust, he tore my bra from my skin and released me. I fell back on the floor, my breasts bouncing, and raked my nails down his skin again, ripping away the last of his shirt. He shrugged out of it and tossed it aside, then fell atop me again, pinning my body under his. His knee nudged mine open – I didn‘t need much persuading. I thrust my hips against his in a brutal motion.

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He groaned, one hand bracing his body over mine, the other palming my breast roughly, his fingers moving down to the nipple and pinching it between his fingers. I gasped, arching against him, the mixture of pleasure and pain rocking over me. My hand slammed against his arm and I dug my fingernails in, even as I arched against him. ―More.‖ At my command, he bent over my body. ―You want more?‖ His hot mouth moved to my nipple, his tongue lapping at the tip of it, teasing it erect before he closed his teeth over it and bit, sending a jolt all the way to my sex. My hand slammed against his chest again and I groaned, bucking against him. He nibbled at the tip again, varying between light, ticklish teasing and the occasional harder nip. Each time he nipped me, my hips rose against his. He met my raised hips with a thrust, his jeans-clad hips pressing against mine so I could feel the length of him under the fabric. I needed that length inside me. My hands moved to the waist of his jeans and I jerked at them, pulling at the zipper and undoing the button until they fell loose around his waist. I pushed them down and felt the cotton fabric of his boxers. Then his hands were on mine and he was undressing, shoving the clothes down his legs, baring his body and revealing his cock as it sprang free. Our urgent, frantic hands went to my pants next, and slid them off my body and onto the floor, my panties following. ―Olivia,‖ he whispered against my ear, breath ragged. ―Should we—― I placed a hand over his mouth, not wanting to hear excuses or apologies. His eyes darkened with pain, his eager movements stopping. I rolled us again, using my weight to roll him onto his back. He let me. I think in that moment he expected me to get up and leave the room. But I didn‘t. I pushed him down on the floor and straddled him, using one hand to guide his cock into my body.

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My breath hissed in wonder at the sensation of him inside me, at the sensation of having control. It had been a very long time since I‘d been on top, been the aggressor, and I liked it. I rocked my hips down over his cock, rewarded by a low grunt from David. Encouraged, my hands released his and I sat back, swirling my hips over his in small circular motions that reminded me how big he was, how well he filled me, how good he felt inside me. My hands moved to his chest, teasing his nipples as I rocked gently atop him. ―Touch me, David,‖ I whispered. His large, warm palms slid to my small breasts, cupping them and teasing the peaks as I surged over him, using my hips to thrust his cock into me, over and over again. Pleasure built steadily, the rhythm pleasant and I could tell by the gleam of David‘s blue eyes that he liked seeing me above him, breasts bouncing as I rode him. His fingers brushed my nipple, then pinched it, eliciting a gasp from me, reminding me that we‘d been rough with each other, and I had loved it. Encouraged by my response, David‘s hands slid to my hips and when I tried to raise up to thrust back down on him again, it was him that thrust into me, the motion so rough that our skin smacked together, and a gasp erupted from my throat. My thighs clenched and I dug my fingernails into his chest. David‘s eyes just gleamed brighter, and he pushed deep and hard, eliciting a low moan of reaction from me. I was spiraling out of control quickly, and within another thrust, I was going over the edge, calling his name and crying out. He gave two more rough thrusts and then came with me, his body stiffening as he came. My body trembling with the aftermath of our rough lovemaking, I fell forward on his chest, breathing hard.

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His hand went to my hair and he stroked it, and I felt…bizarre. I felt loved. I didn‘t know what to make of that. But it scared me.

#

True to the word they‘d given David, the Serim left us alone. I saw two other young-looking men in the monastery – enforcers, I‘d been told, though I had no idea what that was – and they were the ones that served us all week. Noah had ordered us all several changes of clothing and they‘d been brought to us by the teenagers, along with the meals we requested. Other than that, we saw no one. I knew the monastery was crawling with Serim, but wherever I went, they were conspicuously absent. I told myself I didn‘t mind. It made me nervous, but there were worse things in the world than a bunch of monk-like immortals that shunned my presence. Other than that, the monastery was interesting. The rooms were large and austere, with very few modern conveniences. There was no running water, but the floors were heated and hot water was readily available, which made me suspect there was a hot spring nearby that made this aspect of life easier. There was no electricity in the building either, which I found out the first night when the Serim went into their evening hibernation and I was left alone, sitting in the dark. Every room was lit by massive windows that looked out over the gardens outside, so I didn‘t mind the lack of light so much. And despite the lack of modern appliances, the monastery was quiet enough that I could sometimes hear the sounds of music coming from whatever rec room the Serim used somewhere else in the monastery.

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This left David and I a lot of free time together. During the day, we‘d take walks through the gardens and I‘d try to explain to him everything that had changed in the world in the past hundred and twenty years. Some he took in stride – cars, to my surprise – but some he didn‘t quite believe. He couldn‘t grasp the concept of the internet, and I did a poor job of explaining it without an example to show him. We spent our time with simple pleasures instead – walking, talking, playing cards together, even cooking in the kitchens when my insatiable succubus hunger would strike once more. And having sex. We made love every day, and for the first time in my life, I had sex with a man because I wanted to touch him – not because my life or my livelihood depended on it. At night, I was left to my own devices, as I did not sleep. I didn‘t leave the monastery, but I walked the grounds in the moonlight, or read a book by candle-light. Or I simply stared out the moonlit windows, thinking about David and my role here with him. David was a good man – his smile had always made my heart flutter with a curious longing, never moreso than now. But I wasn‘t fooling myself – we stayed together simply because he felt obligated to protect me from Aloysius, and this world was new to him. Once he didn‘t need me – or didn‘t feel obligated – then we‘d be free to go our separate ways. The thought didn‘t sit as easily with me as I thought it might. Once Aloysius was taken care of, what was David‘s place in this world? Did he even have one? Even as the days moved past in a blissful sort of idleness, I was aware that this moment of peace wouldn‘t last. I had learned long ago that contentment only led to heartbreak.

#

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My stomach rumbled in the darkness, and I sighed, rolling over in the bed. David lay against me, his arm thrown protectively over my body, legs entwined with my own. I didn‘t sleep, but there was something so pleasant about just lying in his arms, watching him as he slumbered. Thinking about the time we‘d spent together that day, laughing and just enjoying each other‘s presence. It made me feel like I was…well, like I was with him. Not like I was alone for half of the day. Like we could be together after all this shook out. Like there might be a ―David and Olivia‖ in the future. Wishful thinking. When my stomach growled again, I pulled myself out of the bed and pulled on David‘s robe. He‘d been given one of the Serim monastery robes but he only used it for bathing, and I picked it up off the floor and put it on, wrapping it around my body. I peeked down the hall – sure enough, it was empty, the halls dark, no light except the moonlight streaming in through the enormous windows. The place was silent as a tomb after the sun went down. I didn‘t trust the other despite their promises, so I usually kept to David‘s rooms unless my stomach protested, as it did now. I tiptoed out of the room and down the echoing hall. The kitchen was on the main floor, and I headed there, past two long corridors and the dining hall. To my surprise, there was a man in the kitchen – an enforcer, judging by his dress. He stood in front of the kitchen island, a butcher knife in hand and a large cured ham on the table in front of him. A few slices had already been shaved onto a plate. His long, dark ponytail swung as his head jerked up and he blushed at the sight of me. ―Hi there,‖ I said calmly, making sure my robe was tucked tight. You never knew what might startle a man wielding a butcher knife. ―I didn‘t realize anyone else was awake at night.‖

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He paused as if debating whether he should answer me, then said, ―Enforcers do not share the hibernation of Serim.‖ ―Ah. Well that explains why you guys act as bodyguards, right? Makes sense.‖ He gave me a stiff look. ―There is no need for bodyguards here in the monastery. We are protected by an archangel blessing. No vampire or human can find this place without the assistance of one of the Serim.‖ Man. Here I‘d gotten more information in thirty seconds than I had in a week. I gave him an encouraging look and gestured at the ham. ―Mind if I sit down and share your snack?‖ He wavered, torn between wanting me to leave and being polite and inviting me to stay. The Serim taught the young Enforcers politeness, but my presence was a factor they probably hadn‘t accounted for. I simply continued to wait politely. After a moment, he gestured at the chair across from him at the big wooden table. ―Please, have a seat,‖ he said in a voice that sounded like he‘d swallowed glass. ―I can cut you a portion.‖ ―Thank you,‖ I said softly. He said nothing, simply began to cut the ham again. I sat down and took a nearby cheese wheel and began to cut slices from it to accompany the ham. How very domestic. ―So what is your name?‖ I said to him. He answered haltingly. ―Gregory.‖ Before I could open my mouth to say something polite about it being a nice name, he rushed on. ―Will you be leaving the monastery soon?‖ Taken aback by his bluntness, I blinked rapidly. ―I expect that we‘ll be leaving soon enough.‖

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He looked surprised at my response, glancing up from the ham. ―Will David not be staying, then? I thought it was understood…‖ A sick feeling hit the pit of my stomach, and I forced myself to continue slicing the cheese. ―Oh?‖ ―Master Julian wishes for David to stay here at the monastery,‖ he said in a firm voice, nodding at the ham. ―That is what is best for him.‖ The sinking in the pit of my stomach continued. ―Oh?‖ I said again, unable to think of anything clever. ―Master Julian says that David does not belong in this time. He is unfamiliar with it. He will be unsettled by it – and the ways of his companions. That it would be best for him to remain in the monastery for several years to reacquaint himself with modern times.‖ ―I see,‖ I said. It made sense in a basic sort of way. David didn‘t seem to grasp that a hundred and twenty years had passed. I remembered his inability to grasp the internet or a cell phone. What if his lack of knowledge about the twenty-first century ended up hurting him? Could his immortality withstand David accidentally wandering in front of a city bus? Or worse? Still, the thought of David staying here bothered me, mostly because it wasn‘t what I wanted for him. At all. ―Master Julius sure has a lot to say about whether or not we stay here.‖ ―Not both of you,‖ he said quickly. My head jerked up and I looked at him in surprise. Gregory blushed and bent over the ham again, cutting with great precision. ―The monastery is no place for a succubus. The others are very unsettled that you are here. You stir things in them that they would like to forget. They are anxious for you to leave, though they would never say so to David. To do so would be to shame him for bringing you.‖

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Shame him? Just for being with me? That sick feeling continued to grow in the pit of my stomach. The one place that Aloysius couldn‘t find me and I was treated like a cockroach that had somehow wandered in. This last week had been quiet…but nearly perfect. I‘d found a measure of peace in David‘s arms. I thought of the sleepy-eyed contentment in his face as he‘d pulled me close to him after we made love, him murmuring soft words to me until the nightly hibernation claimed him. And yet…this wasn‘t going to last. I knew that, but it still hurt. ―And David?‖ I asked. ―Did he say what he wanted?‖ ―He will not discuss it with Master Julian. But Master Julian is adamant that David will see his side in things.‖ I put down the knife and cheese, no longer hungry. I had hoped… Oh, damn. What had I hoped? What had I expected? That David and I would lock hands and run off into the sunset together? I was a realist. So I‘d had an amazing week with a man who had made me remember all the things I‘d locked away over a hundred years ago. So what. I wasn‘t the girl he‘d known before. I was a stranger wearing her face. Maybe they were right. Maybe I was being selfish in wanting him to stay with me after this was done. Imagining that maybe we could start over again once Aloysius was taken care of. That was, of course, assuming that David and I could kill Aloysius. A chill ran up my arms. What if…what if that didn‘t happen? What if my prince didn‘t save me from the wicked beast? What if the wicked beast killed my prince, and it was my fault? Not every fairy tale had a happy ending, and my life had certainly not been a fairy tale. I pushed away from the table. ―Thank you, Gregory, but I am not hungry after all.‖

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He muttered a response but I didn‘t hear him – I fled the kitchen, running back to the room I shared with David. Down the long, dark hall – another reminder that I wasn‘t part of the world that existed here. I wasn‘t welcome. No one wanted a succubus around. No one cared if I was lost or alone, or frightened of the dark. I didn‘t matter. I slid back into our room, shutting the door behind me. Moonlight streamed in through the large windows, illuminating David‘s form in the bed. He was so beautiful while he slept – the tension I saw in his face melting away and leaving only the purity of his soul. I knelt on the floor next to him, my face level with his as I absorbed his features. He was such a good man. I hadn‘t realized how much strain he was under until I had looked at him just now. The lines of worry that creased his brow were gone, and I knew that I had put them there. That he was worried about me. Was it because he felt responsible for me, or simply because I had ties to Aloysius and now he had vowed to kill him? His vow had no time limit, of course. He could leave Aloysius alive for another hundred years if he so chose. It didn‘t matter. David had promised to kill him someday, but that someday could be a long ways away. It had everything – and nothing – to do with my fate. I brushed a lock of hair from his smooth forehead. He was a good man. A good man stuck in an unfamiliar time, surrounded by unfamiliar things, stuck with a broken woman who he felt obligated to help but had never wanted. After all, it hadn‘t been David‘s idea to turn me into a succubus – I knew that much. Perhaps this was all very selfish of me. I‘d spent so long thinking only of myself that I couldn‘t tell if I was being selfish or not – my meter was broken. I only knew that I wanted to crawl back into this bed and stay at David‘s side forever. To enfold myself in his arms and let the world outside of them cease to exist.

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But the world didn‘t work that way. Tears brimming in my eyes, I leaned in and brushed my lips against his. His mouth was slack against my own – it was still many hours before daylight. Before David would awaken from his slumber. I got up, restless, and began to pace. I cared for David. For a long, long time I hadn‘t wanted anyone – or anything permanent in my life. But now I wanted David. I wanted to be there when he woke up in the morning, watch the smile on his face, see the sunlight on his tousled curls. I wanted to show him all the wonderful things that the new modern age could bring, and I wanted him to go to sleep every night holding me. It was bad for me to want things, though. Aloysius would just take them away again. It was selfish for me to stay at his side and knowingly put him in danger. Selfish especially given that the Serim were offering him a safe place here with them, peaceful and quiet and isolated from the world. A place where he belonged. Didn‘t everyone want that? Would he be happier with them? Without me? Why wouldn‘t he? I looked down at his unlined brow again. I was nothing but a burden, and a burden that he‘d never chosen. If things had played out between us, he would have tired of me being his mistress after a few years, paid me off with a pretty necklace or two – maybe a fine house – and then we would have gone our separate ways. He‘d never have turned me into an immortal. Never. Why was I foolish enough to think that he‘d want me around if he didn‘t feel obligated? The thought was like a twist in my gut. Of course he wouldn‘t. David was honorable and good, but my being here wasn‘t of his choosing. Torn by my thoughts, it was a few minutes before I noticed a red flash on the far side of the room. At first, I thought I imagined it, but when it happened again, I got up to investigate.

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There was a small wooden desk in the corner of the room – hand carved by one of the brother Serim here. The red flash came from the single drawer, its light muted. I pulled it open and looked down. Aloysius‘s cellphone – the one we‘d found at the bar - flashed with a tiny red message light. He‘d decided to contact me. Grown weary of our games. It was time to retrieve his naughty toy and begin the newest round of tortures. I waited for the sick clench in my gut to return, but this time, worry replaced it. If we went after Aloysius, David would be in danger. I looked over at him, so peaceful in his sleep. At ease with the world. I picked up the phone, thinking hard. I knew what the message would contain. An address of where he was at. A command for me to obey. Once I listened to it, there would be no going back. No changing my mind. I‘d put myself in Aloysius‘s keeping if I did so. Aloysius was dangerous. Very dangerous. He‘d had a hundred twenty years to grow in his twistedness, and David was still fresh from his magical slumber. What if he used David‘s ignorance of the modern world against him? David wouldn‘t recognize a taser, or handcuffs, or worse. All it would take was David caught unawares before his evening slumber, and then Aloysius would have him. Fear shot through me. My mission to kill Aloysius was a danger to David. I looked back at David again, so beautiful as he lay sprawled in the bed. His muscles gleamed in the moonlight and I remembered my hands skimming over his skin, exploring his beauty. How it had felt to be in his arms. I could keep him safe. I could be unselfish and leave him here. Here at his side, with my angry eyes and my urgent kisses, I made his decisions for him. David was no cruel, heartless

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creature to abandon me like I‘d thought. He‘d care for me because it was his duty. He‘d try to kill Aloysius to save me, even if it ended his own life. But I could act and save him, myself. I sat down, clutching the phone close, and lit the candle on the desk. Once it was lit, I began to write a letter to David. David, It was wrong of me to ask you to help me kill Aloysius. I’ve gone to him and will take care of it on my own. Don’t follow me. Olivia

I frowned at the paper, then balled it up and tossed it into wastebasket, starting over again. That wouldn‘t stop David from racing after me. He‘d think I‘d been coerced, and certainly set out to rescue me. That wasn‘t what I wanted. I started again. David, I’ve spoken with Aloysius. It was a misunderstanding. He’s promised not to hurt me, and I’ve gone back to him. He misses me, and I…well, I have feelings for him. Please understand, and don’t follow me. Stay at the monastery. I’ll come and see you again soon. Olivia I stared at the note. Obvious lies. Feelings for Aloysius? I had feelings all right, but they weren‘t pleasant ones. The idea of leaving David a note still felt foolish, but maybe I could buy David some time, if he thought I would be returning. Especially if he thought Aloysius wouldn‘t hurt me. I could convince Aloysius to leave the city before then, and David would be safe.

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I liked the thought of David being safe, even as I trembled at the thought of putting myself in Aloysius‘s clutches again. Perhaps I could defuse his anger somehow. Make it so my punishments were…less severe. Who was I kidding? Aloysius would be vicious, but I knew him. I knew how he‘d react. I could predict him, control what I wanted to protect from him. And I wanted to protect David from Aloysius‘s evil. I crumpled the note and tossed it into the garbage. With a small, resigned sigh, I looked back at David‘s sleeping form, then flicked the phone open and hit the voicemail button. ―You have one message,‖ the computerized voice said, and I hit play. ―Olivia,‖ Aloysius‘s voice called softly. ―Come home.‖ The compulsion gripped me, and the loathing swept through my body. My empty stomach churned, sick with hate and dread. But even as my muscles locked to obey, I sat, frozen. I didn‘t know where ‗home‘ was. ―Come home,‖ he said again, and the compulsion blasted through me again. ―I grow tired of our games. I‘ve found a new place to live, you see, but I‘m missing my favorite little pet to make this house truly a home.‖ His voice was soft and cajoling. ―Write this down. One Summer Drive, in New City. Take the turn off the side road and you‘ll find me there. Come tonight. Leave now. I want to drink from you before I sleep.‖ My heart pounded as the phone clicked off, and I wrote feverishly, scratching the words into a fresh piece of paper. One Summer Drive, New City. Turn off the side road. I got up, dressed quickly, and exited the room. As I walked out, I opened the closet door and grabbed the bag of implements that David and I kept at the ready. The bag was full of crosses and holy water, and a stake. I snagged it just before my feet compelled me out the door,

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stole Noah‘s keys from the hook by the door of the monastery, and then made my way to the parking lot. Come home, he‘d said. I was helpless to do anything but obey. But this time, I told myself as I tucked a vial of holy water into my bra, I knew what I was getting into.

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Chapter Five

Two men escorted me down the hall, their hands tight on my long sleeves. One held a knife to my throat in case I tried anything else, but I knew better. Someone cutting my throat would only be a pain in the ass, and was something I didn‘t care to experience again. Stupid, stupid, I told myself. I‘d managed to drive to Aloysius‘s new address, and had even managed to sneak around the building and knock his guards out with a quick tap to the forehead. Eight men now lay sprawled on the lawn, sleeping soundly. What I hadn‘t counted on? Tripping an alarm when I tried to go through one of the windows rather than the front door. Stupid, I told myself again as the men‘s hands clenched harder on my arms and they dragged me forward. The alarm was new. I wouldn‘t make such a mistake again. Provided I had the chance, of course. They dumped me in a large room, letting me sprawl in a heap on the wooden floors. My limbs still twitched from the aftershocks of the tasering I‘d been given. The room was filled with people, laughing and talking in hushed voices, and I could smell alcohol. A party, then. I sat up, but a hand at the small of my back pushed me forward, knocking me to the ground again. The crowd parted, and as they did, I caught sight of him across the room. My old master, Aloysius.

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He looked like hell. Though his clothes were ridiculously opulent and heavy despite the late springtime air, they were wrinkled despite their finery. His skin was sickly pale and his black hair lay in tangles around his face, as if he no longer cared to groom himself. The vampire‘s eyes were red, signifying his hunger, and so bloodshot that they looked like pools of blood in his face. My shock at his appearance must have shown. In all the years I had known him, Aloysius had always been meticulously groomed…but then again, it had been my job to take care of his clothing and appearance. Had he let himself go while I was gone because he missed me? Unease clenched in my gut. The vampire smiled at the sight of me, displaying his fangs. ―Welcome home, my pet. What brings you here?‖ ―I decided to kill you once and for all,‖ I said in a bored voice, hiding my fear and frustration. Those would only be used against me. ―Looks like I failed.‖ ―Indeed you did,‖ he said with a leer, then patted his knee. ―Come. Crawl toward your master, Olivia, and show him how much you missed him.‖ My muscles locked and I fell to the floor. I lay on my stomach a moment before starting to crawl forward, helpless to obey. Anger and loathing burned in my stomach as I slid along the floor, past the bare feet of the onlookers. I kept that anger and loathing close to me. It would fuel me through what was to come. Eventually, I arrived to Aloysius‘s feet and stopped. ―Sit up,‖ he said. ―I want to take a look at you.‖ I sat up like a mannequin, my body stiff. My eyes met his and I suppressed a mental shiver. His expression was cold, pitiless. Hateful. He examined me for a long minute, then tilted his head as my gaze met his. ―Your eyes.‖ I closed them immediately, not wanting to give anything away.

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―Open them,‖ he barked, and my eyes snapped open again. ―They‘re silver,‖ he said accusingly. ―No wonder you didn‘t come crawling back to me several days ago. I knew something was up.‖ His cold sneer made my heart pound. ―So you found David after all this time, did you?‖ I said nothing, even though I knew it was futile. He‘d just force me to answer. His sneer withered, turning into a snarl. ―Where is he? Where have they hidden him? Answer me!‖ ―He‘s in a monastery with the Serim,‖ I said. ―It‘s warded against others. No one can find it but another Serim. You can‘t get to him.‖ He reached for my hair and before I could jerk away, knotted his fist in my hair and dragged me forward. I stifled the cry of pain that arose in my throat, knowing that it would bring him far too much pleasure. ―Well, my little whore,‖ he said, his mouth pressing close to my face – so close that his spittle flecked my cheek. ―If you‘ve just crawled from his bed, I suspect he‘ll be showing up here sooner rather than later.‖ ―He won‘t,‖ I said quickly, taking a small pleasure in being able to thwart Aloysius in this. ―I didn‘t tell him where I went. I left in the middle of the night and took the phone with me. He‘ll never know where I am.‖ His fingernails dug into my scalp, and I winced at the needle-sharpness, felt the blood trickling down my scalp as his razor-sharp fingernails cut my skin. ―You little bitch. You did that on purpose, didn‘t you? You think you can control me?‖ ―No,‖ I said truthfully, avoiding his gaze. ―But I can protect David from your perversity. And I will.‖

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He shoved my head against the arm of his throne-like chair, cracking my forehead against the wood. Pain shattered through my skull and the world spun in a circle of red and black. The skin on my forehead had split and throbbed with pain, gushing blood down my face. I didn‘t lose consciousness – I couldn‘t, but I felt a curious sort of dread even as I wiped the blood off my face. I knew it would make him hungry, and I didn‘t want to feed him. His hand grasped my hair again, raking the blood-spattered tangles away from my face. ―Look at me, Olivia.‖ I grudgingly turned my gaze to him, hating this. Hating him. Hating everything. This was what it had been like being his slave. Nothing that I did was of my own volition – all my movements were entirely at his disposal, and I loathed it – and him. And myself for not being able to resist. He ran a finger along my cheek, down the blood that ran down my face, and then put the fingertip in his mouth. ―So sweet. I always forget how sweet my little succubus tastes.‖ He looked at me in an almost tender way, dragging his hand through my hair again. ―Now, Olivia, I do think David will come after you. He‘s a good man, remember? You may have known him for a short time, but I have known him for millennia.‖ I bit my lip. I prayed it wasn‘t true. ―But until he arrives, we can have a little fun, can‘t we?‖ He tilted his head and gave me a mocking smile. ―Beg me to drink from you. Beg me to take your throat.‖ Hatred burned in my stomach. I clenched my hands with furious, helpless anger. He knew what to do to push me – to break me. To make me realize I had no will but his own. The words came automatically out of my mouth, even as I hated myself with every fiber of my being

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for not being able to resist. ―Please, master,‖ I gritted, desperation welling inside me. ―Take my throat.‖ ―Beg me again,‖ he said. ―I do so like hearing you beg.‖ He made me beg for a long time, knowing how much I hated it. Made me kiss his feet and his hands in supplication, and then when he tired of seeing my stiff responses, pulled me into his lap and tore at my throat. Aloysius had never been a clean blood-drinker – he liked to make huge, nasty wounds with his teeth and tonight was no exception. After all, he didn‘t have to worry about hurting me. I ignored the pain, going to a different place in my head. Thinking of lying in bed with David, our limbs tangled together, watching the sun rise, knowing that I would have another day of sunlight and his wonderful presence at my side. I thought of that even after Aloysius pushed me off his lap. ―I‘m tired,‖ he announced. ―Mark her up. I want to see her bloody when night falls again.‖ And just like that, he passed me to his minions to whip.

#

The whip hissed against my skin for the hundredth time that long, unending day. The windows were covered, so I had no idea what time it was, but that didn‘t matter anymore. I was stuck. I‘d willingly given myself to hell to protect David. And how stupid was I? I‘d failed miserably, all because I‘d tried to go through a damn window instead of the front door. But…I‘d do it again to save him.

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I thought of David, of the last night that we‘d spent together, curled in each other‘s arms, our faces pressed so close in the bed that his breath mingled with mine. “If you could go anywhere, where would you like to go?” he‘d asked me. I‘d shrugged, unsure what to say. I didn‘t know what to say. No one asked me where I wanted to go – what I wanted to do. I‘d never given it much thought. His smile was like warmth on my skin as he brushed a lock of hair out of my eyes. “There must be someplace you would like to go,” he‘d said. “Rome? Paris?” I‘d been to both. Hated them both because I‘d spent it at Aloysius‘s side. “I don’t know,” I‘d told him. Anywhere you go, I‘d wanted to say. But I didn‘t. So I said nothing. “I was looking at a map in the library,” he‘d said in an excited voice. “The world is so different now. I wonder what the changes are like – what marvels there are to be seen. Did you know they finished that tower in Paris?” “The Eiffel Tower?” I‘d replied thoughtfully. “Do you want to see it?” His hand had caressed mine. “Only if you do.” The whip cracked over my tattered back once more, and I wondered if he would go and see Paris without me. I hoped he would. I thought of his handsome face, silvery eyes lit up with wonder as he stared up at the Eiffel Tower, the sun shining behind him. Crack! The whip sizzled across my skin again, and I bit down on my lip again. I‘d bitten it so many times that it was likely as mangled as my back, but I wouldn‘t give Aloysius or his lackeys the satisfaction of hearing me scream. The man whipping me left the room, shutting the door behind him, and I stretched in the handcuffs. My hands were tied over my head, leaving my back

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arched and exposed, my t-shirt in tatters, my bra close to it. It hung together by a mere thread. But the holy water was still tucked safely under my breasts, and it gave me a bit of hope. ―Has she cried out?‖ said a voice, muffled on the other side of the door. ―Not yet,‖ said the man with the whip. ―She has incredible control.‖ No, I thought. She is just really, really fucking stubborn and has played Aloysius’s games for over a hundred years. I knew this wasn‘t the real punishment – this was the warm-up. Aloysius was going to think up something very special –and awful – to punish me for running away. This was just to keep his goons entertained while he slept. I‘d save my screaming for then. ―Pull her down,‖ the other man said. ―Aloysius is awake and wants her.‖ I stiffened. Wants her could mean anything. Sex – which I hated but would endure – or torture, or something else. Anything else. I‘d learned not to anticipate his moods or his thoughts. The men moved to me and pulled me down, unhooking the handcuffs from where I‘d been strung to a hook from the ceiling. I sagged to the ground as they released me – no one moved to catch me. Probably too scared of Aloysius. ―Get up,‖ the man said in a hard voice. ―The master wants you in the main room.‖ I ignored his command and remained where I was. ―Tell the master to come and fucking get me, then.‖ The man‘s face mottled with anger, but he didn‘t backhand me. Instead, he grabbed me by the arm and hauled me bodily down the hall and into the main hall. The room was full of people once more, dressed as they had been the night before. Aloysius lounged in his chair, perking up at the sight of me, bloody and bruised. The men removed my cuffs and dropped me at his feet.

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―Well, don‘t you smell delicious?‖ He said, running his fingers down my back and leaving a sharp stab of pain in its place. I batted his hand away, hating the revulsion that crawled through me. He kicked me with a heavy boot. Fire spread along my back as I landed on my raw wounds. ―Ah, Olivia. I have missed you all these years. We shall have a great time trying to catch up, shall we? I‘ve brought some of your favorite toys along.‖ He held out a goblet and shook it at me. Small metal things clinked inside it, and I felt a quiver of fear in my stomach. Razor blades. His favorite game. I swallowed hard. ―But first,‖ he said, and waved a careless hand at me. ―Fix me a drink. You know the way I like it.‖ I did know the way he liked it – he liked a goblet of wine spiked with my blood. I trembled for a moment, thinking about the holy water in my bra. The compulsion dragged me to my feet and turned me automatically to the wet bar, and I moved like a jerky automaton, my limbs quivering with exhaustion but unable to resist. No one paid attention to me, though, and I methodically moved behind the bar, reaching for bottles. Aloysius liked Scotch mixed with a heavy dose of my blood, because he knew it bothered me. So I poured the scotch, neat, and then sliced my palm with a nearby knife, letting the blood pour into the cup. I glanced up as I bled into the glass. Aloysius was playing with one of his human pets, fingering her hair as she stared up at him with a blankly adoring look on her face. It made me sick. As I watched them, I reached into my tattered bra and retrieved the holy water, uncorking it with shaking, bloody fingers. Any moment now, someone would see what I was doing. They would stop me, and then my punishment would be severe.

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But no one stopped me. A few people wandered in and out of the room, laughing and talking. The one closest to the bar rubbed her forehead, as if she had a headache, and slipped out the back door. She was quickly followed by another man, and then another. No one was paying the slightest bit of attention to me – which was perfect. I tossed the vial aside and stirred the scotch until it blended. Keeping my face carefully neutral, I moved back across the room and offered it to Aloysius. He didn‘t reach for it, so I placed it at the table beside him as he stroked and petted the woman that clung to his knees. He gave me a dismissive look as I turned to leave, hoping to sneak away before my deception was found out. He pushed the human woman away, and she scuttled to the back of the room. Aloysius leaned forward in his chair. ―Stop.‖ I halted, hating him with every fiber of my being. ―Come and lick my feet, Olivia. Show me your appreciation.‖ Fury rushed through me, even as I knelt on the floor and began to remove his shoes. I wanted to rip his black heart out. My hands were rough as I tore his boot off, exposing one smooth, corpse-pale foot. Compelled, I fought with every fiber of my being even as I knelt over his foot and touched my tongue to the arch of it, shuddering at the taste. Fuck him, I thought as I licked his pale foot. As soon as I could, I‘d torch him. Reduce him to nothing but ashes. Set the whole building on fire, even if I had to go down with it. Furious tears burned in my eyes, my humiliation complete. ―What‘s the matter, Olivia? Not enjoying my taste? I thought you always enjoyed me, even when you professed hate.‖ His voice was mocking, cruel. ―Isn‘t that what your kind do? Get off on everything?‖

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I hated him. I hated him so much it hurt. I said nothing, giving his foot another tentative lick, as little as the curse would allow. I hoped the holy water gutted him like a fish. ―After this, I think we‘ll get out the razor blades and have ourselves some fun. What do you think, my pet?‖ He kicked my face with his foot. ―Lick harder. I want you to clean all the grime off of it from this filthy place.‖ I clenched my hands, even as my tongue touched his foot again. My stomach roiled, threatening to throw up its contents— ―Stop,‖ said a furious voice. ―Get away from him.‖ The compulsion stopped seizing me and a mixture of hope and dread clutched at my insides. No. Please no. Aloysius‘s hand fisted in my hair, yanking me back against him. The wounds on my back flared with agony and the world flashed black in front of my eyes. I bit back a cry, blinking rapidly to try and clear my fuzzy vision. A lone man stood in the center of the room, dressed in one of the white robes of the monastery Enforcers. He was alone, his expression barely containing his anger as he stared down at my bloody, humiliated form. In one hand, he clenched a necklace of bells, garlic, and dried objects that clanked as he approached. In the other, he lifted a white candle and blew it out, and I watched the flame flare a bright red with magic before extinguishing. David. He‘d found me somehow. Idiot. Couldn‘t the man just let a woman trying to martyr herself for the damn cause and save his ass? ―Don‘t you touch her, brother,‖ David said in a fierce voice. ―Not one finger.‖ ―Brother…‖ Aloysius breathed, then stiffened in his chair. ―How did you get in?‖

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David dropped the spell implements on the ground and stepped over them. ―You‘re not the only one that‘s learned a little magic, Aloysius. Noah has a friend that knows a little voodoo, and she gave me a charm that repels humans. Handy little trick for clearing out a room, don‘t you think?‖ I looked around sharply. Sure enough, the room had emptied. I had seen a few people leave over the last few minutes but hadn‘t put two and two together. Aloysius stood as David approached, dragging me upright against him. ―My brother,‖ he said in a low, pleased voice. ―You‘re here. I see my little pet finally awoke you.‖ Aloysius stroked my throat as David approached the two of us. ―Welcome to the new world, my friend. You‘ll find a few things have changed since we last spoke.‖ David‘s expression remained grim, his gaze on me. ―Let her go. She has no stake in this.‖ He leaned in and licked my cheek with his disgusting tongue. ―I think she is what ties us together, do you not?‖ ―Olivia,‖ David said softly, his gaze on Aloysius. ―Join me at my side.‖ I stepped forward, only to have my head jerked backward by Aloysius‘s hand again, ripping at my hair. ―Bad, bad little pet,‖ Aloysius sneered. ―On your knees.‖ I dropped to the floor, giving David a helpless look. ―She is not a doll, Aloysius,‖ David gritted. ―Isn‘t she?‖ The vampire laughed and tugged at my hair. ―Suck me off, Olivia. Let‘s see that sweet mouth of yours move.‖ The compulsion grabbed me and my hands automatically went to his belt buckle. Methodically, I began to remove Aloysius‘s clothing, my mind screaming a protest.

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Please, David, step in. The men seemed to be engaged in a silent clash of wills, glaring at each other. Helpless, I moved slowly and methodically, unbuckling Aloysius‘s pants and dragging them downward, exposing his groin. He was soft, which meant I‘d have to work even harder to bring him to come. Please, step in. Please. I reached out to touch Aloysius-David touched my shoulder. ―No,‖ he said. ―Stop. He takes these games too far.‖ Relief washed over me, so much that I didn‘t even mind that he‘d touched my raw, whip-marked back. I pushed Aloysius away with disgust. ―Poor David,‖ Aloysius sneered, hitching his pants around his waist again and redoing the button as if he didn‘t have a care. ―Ever the gentleman, bound by society‘s rules. Don‘t you realize how freeing it is to give yourself over to pleasure? To decide that you are done with their silly angel games? They‘re not coming back for you, David. No matter if you‘re a good boy or not, no one‘s going to swoop down and rescue you and bring you back to Heaven.‖ ―That doesn‘t give you any right to manipulate Olivia,‖ David said, his voice soft and strong. ―I made her,‖ Aloysius snarled. ―She is my creation. I made her immortal, and she must serve me for it.‖ His eyes narrowed. ―Unless you wish to offer something in exchange for her?‖ David had nothing. What could he exchange other than his life? I reached for him, shaking my head. ―No, David no—― But David ignored my words and my grasping hands. ―What do you want from me, Aloysius?‖

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For once, the vampire didn‘t sneer or mock or laugh. ―I want my friend at my side, David.‖ His pale hand gripped David‘s shoulder. ―Take up dark wings and be my brother again. We shall rule the night and regret nothing.‖ My breath caught in my throat. A second vampire…? I could think of nothing worse. But David shook his head and flicked Aloysius‘s hand off his arm, the way someone would shoo a bug. His gaze was cold. ―I will never do such a thing. If you wish to possess Olivia, you must duel me for her, brother. A fight to the death – winner takes all. I gasped. ―What? No!‖ David didn‘t look my way. Unease clenched in my stomach. Aloysius‘s smile was thin. ―You would risk your life for hers?‖ ―I would,‖ said David calmly. ―You stole a hundred years of my life and hers. It is up to me to correct this.‖ Aloysius sauntered back to his throne, staring at his now-empty room, devoid of admirers and supplicants. ―What if I don‘t want your life, David?‖ he said in a tired voice. ―What if I simply want my friend back? Join me instead. We shall be brothers once more.‖ David shook his head. ―We ceased to be brothers the day you betrayed me.‖ Aloysius stared at David, as if trying to decide if he could break him down or not. His hand reached for the glass on the table, and I sucked in a breath. ―Olivia,‖ he said, and patted his lap. ―Come.‖ ―No,‖ David said before I could move. ―Stop. She is not yours.‖ ―No? She tastes delicious.‖ The vampire smiled, this time baring all of his teeth, and took a swig of the whiskey. I laughed.

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Slowly, Aloysius‘s expression changed. He looked merely confused for a moment, and then pain – and fear – flitted across his debauched features. He dropped the tumbler, the glass breaking and scattering shards across the wooden floorboards. Smoke billowed from his mouth and his hands went to his throat. ―What‘s the matter, master,‖ I said mockingly. ―Cat got your tongue?‖ Aloysius‘s lip curled into a snarl, but his hand went to his throat, clutching it. No words came out. He staggered and fell back on his chair, writhing with pain. ―Olivia, what did you do?‖ David looked at Aloysius‘s struggling figure, then back at me. I couldn‘t tell if he was upset with me or not. I shouldn‘t have cared, but the look in David‘s eyes was emotionless, and that bothered me. I wanted him to look at me with affection, not unease. I shrugged. ―Holy water in his drink. It‘ll burn him for a few hours from the inside out.‖ Aloysius convulsed on his throne, his limbs jerking. I watched with avid eyes. I shouldn‘t have enjoyed another person‘s torture, but…I did. It was delicious. David tore his gaze from my gleeful expression and looked back at the throne. He shook his head. ―I‘ll get the stakes.‖ I followed close behind, though I hated to turn my back on the vampire. Everything in my body said that was a mistake, and I would regret it. What if he got away? But he didn‘t, and David retrieved my bag full of stakes, holy water and crosses. He tried to hand it to me, a silent gesture to see if I wanted to do the honors.

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I shook my head. ―I would love nothing more than to destroy him, but you need to rid yourself of your Serim vow.‖ I didn‘t add that Aloysius could recover, turn on me and force me to stab myself instead of him. That was obvious to both of us. ―Is this what you want to do, Olivia?‖ David said, looking at me. ―There is no going back.‖ I stared at him, not sure what he wanted me to say. Did he want me to change my mind, sigh prettily and let the man go? Aloysius had been my tormentor for a hundred and twenty years, I couldn‘t even fathom how many awful things he‘d made me do, how many times he‘d tortured me only to let me escape, and then drag me back because he knew that was the worst torture of all, so close to freedom and yet so far. He‘d destroyed everyone I‘d ever loved. ―We could leave him in a spell like mine,‖ David said softly. ―Let him sleep the next few hundred years away. I‘m sure Noah‘s friend has a spell if you want to show mercy.‖ I couldn‘t meet David‘s eyes. No, I didn‘t want to show mercy. Fuck mercy. How could he even ask me that? But then I looked at David‘s sad face, his eyes hollow with sorrow. This was his brother he‘d be killing. A brother who had only turned a few short days ago in his mind, not the 120 years I knew of. ―I still want it,‖ I said in a hard voice, knowing that David would be disappointed. ―I still want him dead. I can‘t rest until I‘m free of him. How can you even ask me that?‖ He flinched at my anger, anguish showing on his face. ―He is my brother.‖ ―He is my torturer,‖ I said furiously. ―Doesn‘t that mean anything to you?‖ His head bent with sadness, and he heaved a long, sorrowful sigh. ―I know. I had simply hoped…but no.‖ David looked down at Aloysius with a mixture of betrayal and grief. ―The man

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I thought I knew died long ago, did he not? And that is why we cannot allow you to live. I am sorry, my brother.‖ ―You fucking bitch,‖ Aloysius rasped, then gave David a bloody half-smile. ―I have always thought of you first, brother. Even if you let this little whore come between us.‖ David bent over him, his shoulders hunched. I watched him struggle with the grief and betrayal he felt. Would he choose me – an interloper – over several thousand years of exile with a man he had treated as a brother? A man who had betrayed him so recently in his memory? I held my breath, waiting. Would he pick me over Aloysius? What if he thought the vampire was still worth saving? But David was a good man, even if he was conflicted. He tilted his head back, eyes closed, as if seeking strength. Then he looked over at me, his eyes tortured. Not seeing salvation in my eyes, he took a long breath and leaned over Aloysius. He placed the stake at the center of the vampire‘s heart and slammed it home.

#

Once the vampire was staked, we burned him and poured his ashes down the sink. It gave me a repulsive sort of pleasure to realize that his final resting place would be someplace so very ignominious. My tormentor had been destroyed forever and tossed into the garbage disposal. I liked it. As the vampire‘s body had been slowly destroyed by fire, I‘d felt the connection – the leash between us – snapping and crackling inside me as if it was being burned up as well. I said nothing of my pain, enjoying it. The presence of it told me that I was close to being free, so very

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close, and I welcomed every moment of it. A succubus is tied to both her masters, and I welcomed the pain of the bond severing between the two of us. Once he was ash and the burning shivers of pain receded, I felt nothing but a strange hollowness that I couldn‘t quite place. I was thrilled Aloysius was gone – so what was wrong with me? Why did I feel that odd anxiety? I soon found out. David moved close to me again and his scent enveloped me, and I could feel the pulse of his heart the closer he stood to me. The anxiety ebbed away and I realized it was connected to my succubus tether. The bond that tied me to the well-being of my masters had just been neatly cut in half, with only one master remaining. A magical form of self-preservation was kicking in, and the presence of David was a soothing balm. If he left the room, I felt that twinge of anxiety all over again. This was simply part of the curse that I‘d have to get used to. I could live with it. A bit of anxiety was far preferable to living in fear, eating razorblades and fucking a vampire that I loathed. And if I‘d somehow lost any hope of David‘s love, I could get past the pain of that too. I ignored the grief that I felt at the thought. I‘d told him. Told him what an angry, bitter, broken creature I was. It wasn‘t my fault if he hadn‘t believed it. He‘d look to me to see if I had an ounce of compassion in my soul, but I had none. That wasn‘t my fault. That was Aloysius‘s doing. Wasn‘t it? ―What do you want to do now, Olivia?‖ David said to me. ―We go home. Go our separate ways,‖ I said in a listless tone. ―You go back to the monastery. Everyone‘s happy.‖

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I felt anything but happy.

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Chapter Six

We returned to Noah‘s apartment in silence. Despite the events of the evening, no one felt like talking. No sooner did we cross the threshold than the enormity of the day sunk in and I began to tremble – a body-deep shiver that I couldn‘t seem to shake. ―She‘s in shock,‖ Noah said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and moving forward to the sofa. ―Get her a drink of water from the kitchen, David. I‘ll help her sit down.‖ I collapsed on the couch with Noah‘s help, unable to process the thought. David‘s heartbeat faded as he left the room, leaving behind only the anxiety. I focused my thoughts, trying to stop trembling. Aloysius would never bother me again. Ever. One hundred and twenty years of burning hatred, all used up and gone. I had accomplished my goal, and I was boneless without it to support my spine. But as soon as I sat down on the couch, Noah gave my shoulder a brotherly pat. ―You‘ll get used to it.‖ I looked up at him in surprise. ―Used to what?‖ ―The heartbeat. Hearing David‘s vitals. My succubus friend – her name is Delilah. She told me that losing one of your masters puts the connection with the other on overload. And that you get used to it. It makes the bond more intimate, over time.‖ Noah‘s face was kind as he looked down on me. ―Or so I am told.‖ ―And the anxiety?‖ I said. ―Does it fade too?‖ He shrugged. ―I‘m not aware of any anxiety.‖

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No anxiety? Then why did I feel like my chest was being crushed every time David left the room? Even now, I felt the edges of panic. David returned to the room, his attention focused completely on me. He handed me a glass of water. ―Drink this.‖ He sat next to me, stroking my cheek as I drank, and I realized why I felt the anxiety. He was going to leave me again, and I didn‘t want him to. The thought made me shiver all over again. He hated me for insisting that he destroy Aloysius, and now that he was gone, there was nothing tying us together any longer. He‘d be welcomed back to the monastery with open arms, and I‘d…well, I‘d try to find a new man to sate my Itch. The thought made me a little sick to my stomach. Noah got up from the couch and picked up a few pieces of a broken vase. ―I‘ll have to call the maid service to come in early tomorrow and get this place cleaned up.‖ ―I‘ll do it,‖ I said in a soft voice. ―I need something to occupy my mind tonight, after you two go to sleep.‖ ―Which is my cue to leave,‖ Noah said, giving my shoulder one last squeeze and heading to his room. That left me alone with David. I kept gulping the water because I didn‘t know what else to say. ―Come,‖ he said, standing up. ―Let‘s check out your back.‖ The command had to be obeyed. I stood and followed him into the bedroom. Once there, I stood awkwardly, uncertain. Not something that happened often in my long life. ―Do you need help?‖ David said, ever solicitous.

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―I‘m fine,‖ I said, then proved it wrong by wincing when I reached for the shirt. The blood was drying and the scraps of it were sticking to my wounds. ―Stop Olivia,‖ he said in a gentle voice. ―Let me help you.‖ With gentle hands, he helped me remove the shredded shirt, and the cold air bit into the wounds of my back. They were already closing over – succubi heal fast – but I would need a few days (or several rounds of sex) in order to heal entirely. I remained stock-still as he got a damp cloth and wet it as he went over my back, slowly removing the remnants of the shirt stuck to the bloody mess of my back. It was the least of my concerns, but if he wanted to fuss over me, I was going to let him. It might be the last chance I‘d have with him. Heat flared at the thought, and I fought the desire that built inside my body. The Itch was insinuating itself, reminding me that I needed sex within the next short while to facilitate the healing of my wounded body. Already the Itch crawled through my skin, making my pulse slow and beat in a sultry reminder that I could never escape the desire that ruled me. But with David…I didn‘t think about escaping it. I just wanted him to touch me. At last my shirt was freed from my body, and I let it slither to the floor. David unhooked my bra and I gave a small, gasping sigh of relief as my torso was exposed to the air. ―Lay on the bed, Olivia. On your stomach. I‘m going to ask Noah for some salve.‖ I did as he commanded. For some reason, David‘s orders didn‘t bother me too much. Sure, I was helpless to resist, but there was no bitter taste in my mouth at his commands. I knew why he commanded me. He was concerned for me. Perhaps someday he‘d have even cared for me, if I hadn‘t ruined it all. My fingers dug into the blankets and I pressed my cheek into them, wishing they would swallow me whole.

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David returned a few moments later, and he pulled off my jeans as I lay, stomach down, on the bed. Now I wore nothing but a brief scrap of panties, and the Itch flared through my body even harder. I bit my lip to stifle a moan when he got onto the bed and straddled my hips, knowing it wasn‘t sexual. I didn‘t want to turn it into something sexual – I wanted David to want me for me, not because he felt like I was in need. I needed him to want Olivia the woman, not feel responsible for Olivia the obligation. And that was just all kinds of fucked up, wasn‘t it? Icy cold hands touched my burning skin and I hissed, tensing as pain flared through my shoulders. His fingers were gentle despite my wounds, and I soon relaxed again, biting my lip. David‘s steady heartbeat, his nearness, his hands on my back – it soothed away the anxiety of the pain, leaving me in a dull trance of contentment. Nothing existed but David and his touch. After a moment, he spoke. ―I don‘t understand you, Olivia.‖ Like a soap-bubble, my contentment vanished, and I twisted handfuls of the blankets in my hands. Pain lanced through my body, but it had nothing to do with my wounds and everything to do with my heart. ―I‘m sorry,‖ was all I said. What could I say? His hand stroked the cream over my shoulder and down my arm, and I looked at his strong hands, kneading my bare flesh, and felt the Itch pound through me again. ―I see your promise is gone from your arm,‖ I said, noting the bare arm, devoid of any Serim promise-marking. ―You must be relieved.‖ ―Don‘t make me command you not to change the subject.‖ ―You just did.‖ I couldn‘t help but tease him. ―Olivia…why did you run away and leave no instructions as to where you went? The plan was for us to stick together. For me to take down Aloysius so he wouldn‘t hurt you.‖ I swallowed hard. ―Plans change.‖

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―Tell me the truth,‖ he said in a low voice, and then added a ―Please‖ to take the sting out of the command. ―I wanted to protect you,‖ I said softly. ―Keep you safe.‖ ―Olivia,‖ he said, and his gentle hands pulled me up from the bed. He pulled me to a standing position, then took my by the elbows and gently turned me to face him, ever careful of my back. David‘s eyes were shining with regret as he looked at me. He brushed a lock of hair from my face. ―It‘s my job to keep you safe.‖ ―But I forced you to destroy your brother.‖ I pointed out. ―You offered to let me take the charitable way out, but I can‘t. I told you – I‘m an evil, twisted creature and I can‘t be the old, soft Olivia you knew. I‘m just the new Olivia. The one that had her life torn apart by a vampire.‖ And now you hate me, I thought. ―Olivia,‖ he said, then stopped, gathering his thoughts. He shook his head, his fingers brushing my cheek as if he couldn‘t help that he wanted to touch me. ―I want to apologize to you.‖ ―Apologize to me?‖ I stared at him, uncomprehending. ―Why?‖ ―Aloysius tortured you for years and you came to me for help. You saved yourself by poisoning him with holy water. All you needed from me was someone to deliver the final blow, and yet when it came time to do that…I hesitated.‖ He gave me such a sad, sad look. ―It is hard for me to reconcile his betrayal – it is still fresh in my mind. To me, he is still the man I once knew, sad and lost but not evil. I did not see the evil that you saw. And I should have trusted you. I shouldn‘t have hesitated.‖ ―You were his brother,‖ I said softly. ―I understand. You knew him for eternity. I‘m just some girl that strolled in and got all fucked up along the way.‖

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He shook his head at my words. ―Who you are – what you are – you act as if it is something wrong. Something awful.‖ His smile was gentle as his fingers brushed my cheek. ―You are not awful in my eyes. You are strong and beautiful and independent. I remember the old Olivia, and I liked her, but I care deeply for the new one and I want to see her happy.‖ Nice words, but ultimately meaningless. I gave him a brittle smile. ―And now we‘ll go on our separate ways, right? Aloysius is gone, the damsel in distress is saved, and you‘re free again. They‘ll be happy to have you back at the monastery.‖ Pain lanced through my body at the thought, and grief made me clench my hands, fingernails digging into my flesh. I‘d miss him terribly. He shook his head. ―I am not going back to the monastery.‖ I met his gaze again, confused. ―I don‘t understand. You belong there.‖ ―Says who? Master Julian?‖ His thumb grazed my full lower lip, his gaze moving there. ―When I fell, I did not agree to hide away from the world. I fell because human life was vital and wondrous and that love was what drove humans to such great heights. That has not changed.‖ He smiled at me, his face so beautiful that it made my body ache. ―And I have responsibilities here.‖ Horror washed over me, and I slapped his hand away. ―I don‘t want to be your responsibility, David.‖ I want you to love me. ―So untrusting,‖ he said with a small grin. ―But actually, I was referring to Noah. He is going away for a time and needs help handling his business.‖ ―His business?‖ My brow wrinkled as I tried to process that. ―You don‘t know anything about day-trading. It‘s going to be a bit of a jump for you to run a multi-million dollar corporation--‖

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―Not that part of his business,‖ David said. ―He acts as a point of contact for several immortals in this area and needs someone to take up the reins.‖ ―Oh,‖ I said. ―Is he all right?‖ Noah had been rather silent and taciturn through our whole ordeal, but he seemed like a nice man. I hadn‘t realized something was wrong. ―Just immortal troubles,‖ David said. ―Something about a friend in need. He didn‘t share it, but I saw…‖ David frowned, thinking. ―When we went to rescue you, his shirt tore open and…I saw him covered in angelic vows. He‘s made deals, promises for tasks to be completed. Not just one or two, but dozens. He‘s gotten himself into some kind of trouble, but…‖ He shook his head. ―Noah won‘t let me help him. He refuses my offers of assistance on that front, so I will help him with his business.‖ ―I see,‖ I said. He didn‘t need me. He was just fine without me. I pulled my hand from his. ―I don‘t think you do,‖ David said softly, and caught my hand in his. ―Else, why would you look so sad?‖ How to answer that? How could I tell him that I was being irrational and wanted him to declare love for me? I couldn‘t, so I said nothing. He touched my cheek, turning my face to his, and his gaze locked on my blue eyes. His silver ones immediately melted to blue, and I felt the surge of desire when it hit his body as well as mine. He gripped my face, pulling me closer and closer, and I resisted the urge to melt against him. ―Olivia…I‘m not saying this right, am I?‖ His breath rasped close, his lips a bare inch from my own. His gaze focused on my face, devouring me with his eyes. ―I could sit here and

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tell you all day about how I am coping just fine, but that‘s the wrong thing to say, isn‘t it? Because I feel like you want to leave, and I want to beg you to stay, and I don‘t know how.‖ I licked my dry lips, heart fluttering. ―You could start with a ‗please‘.‖ ―Please don‘t leave me, Olivia,‖ David whispered huskily against my mouth. His lips dipped against mine, tasting me. His tongue stroked lightly between my lips, a tease of a caress. ―I need you at my side.‖ It was what I wanted, and yet… ―David, I don‘t know. What if I keep pushing and pushing and showing you the awful side of me until you find me just as dark and terrible as Aloysius?‖ ―Why would I ever think that?‖ His mouth brushed against mine, softly. Not pushing, just promising. ―I have seen you at your most desperate, Olivia. You were strong and resolute. You stood up to him. And you did all of it to save me. How could I possibly hate that in you?‖ He kissed the tip of my nose. ―What can I do to convince you?‖ Tears pricked my eyes. ―I‘m not the same girl you knew from before. I‘m a broken, foul creature. I don‘t think I know how to trust – or to love – anymore.‖ He kissed me, ever so gently. ―Then let me show you, Olivia. We‘ll figure it out together.‖ I gave a sharp, jerky nod, sucking in a breath. ―I…all right.‖ His hand slid to my hips. ―Your eyes are blue.‖ ―I can‘t help it,‖ I said, feeling the need to explain my nature. My nipples hardened under his gaze, my small breasts tightening. ―I need sex to heal myself, and you‘re so close…‖

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―Then we must heal you,‖ he said in a low voice that warmed my insides. His mouth went to my neck, pressing light, ticklish kisses there. ―Do you trust me to make love to you without hurting you? Without hurting your back?‖ I nodded at him, my hands going to his shirt and unbuttoning it. ―I do.‖ ―Then be still,‖ he said, his hands moving to my waist. ―And let me make love to you, Olivia.‖ My body quivered with the command and I ceased moving, my fingers locked in his shirt. His hands went to the waist of my panties and slid them lower on my hips until they fell to the floor. He lifted me into his arms, large hands supporting me as he carefully slid the panties down my hips, then set me back down the bed again and teased them off of my legs. I sat in front of him, nude, my nipples hard points, my legs quivering with need. My sex was slick and wet, and throbbed with want as his beautiful mouth parted and kissed my neck once more. Then he looked over at me. ―I need you to be very still for this next part, Olivia. Do you trust me?‖ I nodded at him. ―Put your hands on my head, then,‖ he said, the words a command. And he sank to his knees in front of me, parting my legs. ―Hold on to me.‖ I sucked in a breath as I realized what he was going to do. Would a hundred years with David be like this? Calm, effortless companionship? Smiles and laughter and discovering the world together? Sex with a man that wanted to please me, and doing so, pleased himself? My body quivered at the thought.

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David‘s hands moved to my hips and pulled me to the edge of the bed, until I felt his hot breath at the vee of my sex. My fingers clenched in the blonde curls of his hair. ―Do you trust me, Olivia?‖ I breathed hard. ―Yes, David.‖ ―Do you want this? Do you want me? For me? Not because I‘m your master?‖ My hips practically bucked off the bed at the thought, but his hands gripped me in place, not allowing me to move. ―Yes. Please, David.‖ He moved one of my legs over his shoulder, and then the other, and I nearly fell backward as his mouth descended on my hot, wet sex. Only my hands in his hair kept me from falling backward, and I locked my ankles against his back, anchoring his mouth to my core. His tongue slipped into the heated slit, teasing and running along it until I gave a full body shiver and a small whimpering cry. I felt his tongue flick against my clit, then danced away again. A rush of wetness pulsed through my sex and I bit my lip, moaning in response. His tongue played along the hard bud of my clit, feathering and teasing against it. ―David,‖ I said, fingers clenching in his hair. Oh god, I wasn‘t going to last long and I wanted this to last forever. But his tongue was moving just perfectly, and I was so turned on, my body needing sex so badly that I wasn‘t going to last. ―Please. David, I need…‖ He seemed to sense my encroaching orgasm and changed tactics. Instead of the soft, feathery teases he‘d been giving me with his tongue, he began to lap hard at my clit. One hand that had been supporting my thighs slid lower, and I felt him thrust a finger into my core just as he nuzzled my sex. I shattered instantly. ―Oh god, David!‖ My thighs tightened around his face, my hips jerking as I came hard. He continued to lap at my core, leaving me quivering at the peak for an

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inordinately long time, and then sending little aftershocks through my body with each lap of his tongue. Eventually he pulled away, leaving me a panting, quivering mess. He moved back up, leaning in and kissing me on the mouth with a pleased smile. ―I guess we‘ll have to do that a few times a day until you‘re healed.‖ I clung to him, my arms wrapping around his neck, boneless and warm. ―But David, I…you didn‘t…‖ I sighed. ―I wanted it to last longer, and I came too fast.‖ He chuckled and kissed me one more time. ―We have forever, Olivia. What‘s your rush?‖ I gave him a slight smile at that. The look in his eyes brightened, and I nearly wept at the tenderness there. He reached out and brushed a lock of hair from my cheek, then his thumb skimmed my lips. ―I‘ve missed that.‖ ―Missed what?‖ ―Your smile. A real, genuine Olivia smile. I was wondering if I‘d ever see it again.‖ My smile broadened, though I felt tears prick my eyes. Damn. I was getting all emotional. What happened to my heart of steel? ―I haven‘t felt like smiling in a long, long time.‖ ―That‘s going to change,‖ he said, leaning in close. His forehead pressed to mine and I could feel the warmth of him all over. It was like I‘d embraced sunshine. I swallowed hard, suddenly nervous. ―What…what if it takes me a long time to change?‖ I hadn‘t trusted anyone in so long – it‘d take a while for me to open up and fully give myself to anyone. ―What if…I can‘t?‖ ―Shhh.‖ He said, leaning in close, and his forehead pressed to mine. Our noses touched, and he breathed one last, soft sentence to me. ―We have forever, Olivia. What‘s your rush?‖ I smiled at that.

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Slave to Her Desires

A Slave to Her Passions

Her Driving Desires

Her Warrior Slave

Her Warrior Slave

Slave to Fashion

Slave to Sensation

Slave To Sensation

Slave to Sensation

Slave to the Blood

Slave To Sensation

Slave to Sensation

Slave to Sensation

Slave to Sensation

Slave to Love

Slave

Slave

Slave

Slave to Passion

Slave to Sensation

Slave To Sensation

Slave To Sensation

Slave To Sensation

Slave to Love

Slave to Passion

Slave to the Crown

Slave To Pleasure

Slave to Sensation

SLAVE TO SENSATION

Slave to Passion

Slave to Sensation

Slave to Her Desires

A Slave to Her Passions

Her Driving Desires

Her Warrior Slave

Her Warrior Slave

Slave to Fashion

Slave to Sensation

Slave To Sensation

Slave to Sensation

Slave to the Blood

Slave To Sensation

Slave to Sensation

Slave to Sensation

Slave to Sensation

Slave to Love

Slave

Slave

Slave

Slave to Passion

Slave to Sensation

Slave To Sensation

Slave To Sensation

Slave To Sensation

Slave to Love

Slave to Passion

Slave to the Crown

Slave To Pleasure

Slave to Sensation

SLAVE TO SENSATION

Slave to Passion

Slave to Sensation

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