Summoning Darkness Lacey Savage All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2007 Lacey Savage
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ISBN: 978-1-59596-602-5
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Editor: Maryam Salim
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Summoning Darkness Lacey Savage It’s been two years since Heidi Cole’s encounter with Luke Howard and the demon that ripped him from her arms. Much has changed during the past twenty-four months, especially Heidi herself. Driven by haunting memories of losing Luke, she’s joined the Scarlet Summoners, a team of demon-hunting conjurers who draw their powers from sexual energy. Her goal is simple: destroy every demon who crosses her path and hope to one day become strong enough to conduct a Summoning -- and rescue her lover from the depths of Hell. But magic makes no guarantees. When Heidi is finally able to open a portal into Hell, she brings back not only Luke but also his cellmate, a man whose raw sex appeal is only matched by the secrets he keeps. Publisher’s Note: Summoning Darkness is the sequel to Lacey’s Jack-O-Lantern, Dark Desire, but it also stands alone as the first book in a new series.
Prologue The depths of the Underworld A long, long time ago It was a damn good day to die. Varin crossed his arms over his bare chest and leaned against a sharply jutting edge of phosphorous black rock. The smell of sulfur and molten lava blended with the acrid stench of fear, drenching the damp air. He sucked in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the heady mixture. Glorious. Like everything else about this place. Although he’d been appointed Demon Guardian Overlord almost a millennium earlier, the euphoria that came with receiving new souls hadn’t yet begun to fade. Time had no meaning in the dark place beneath the mortal realm. Here, there was nothing but suffering and everlasting torment. The culmination of countless lifetimes of sin. An intoxicating, potent rush heated his blood, bringing with it a torrent of pleasure. He reveled in it as he watched vessels carrying newcomers sway on the black waters of the underground river. The roiling turmoil beneath the surface of the stream mirrored the pounding of his heart. Frothy whitecaps blossomed to the top, stirred by the passing of the long, sleek ships. Varin flexed his arms, feeling the rock dig deeper into his back. A tang of pain slid down his spine, shooting a jolt of adrenaline and arousal into his veins. He waited patiently as the newcomers disembarked, mere pale shades of the humans they once were. The occasional scream or wailing sob reached his ears, filling his soul. This was what he was meant to do. Serve the Prince of Darkness as his most trusted Guardian of the Underworld, oversee the arrival of souls and ensure none ever crossed in the other direction, through any means.
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“That’s the last of them, Master.” He shot a glance to his right, where a long, ghostly shadow rippled in the hot breeze. “How many?” “Three hundred and nineteen.” “That’s twice as many as yesterday,” Varin said. “Baal will be pleased.” The souleater bowed low at its shapeless waist, materializing into a solid figure. “If you’ll approve the delivery, we’ll transfer the new souls into your care immediately.” Varin scanned the paperwork the shadow handed him. Etched in black on a pristine white surface, the names of those condemned to spend eternity in torment glistened on the form. The record was separated into two sections, and Varin’s gaze immediately jumped to the bottom, where a dozen names stood apart from the others. His grin broadened. “The list of Forgotten continues to grow. You’ve done well.” The apparition quivered with barely contained excitement. His dark eyes glowed red-hot for a moment, reflecting the unsettled waves of the river. “Do you think the Prince will reward me?” Varin made a show of thinking about it. He’d served Baal for as long as he could remember. In all that time, the Prince of Darkness had never shown a shred of appreciation toward anyone. The Lord of the Underworld was quick to punish for the smallest infraction, but positive reinforcement wasn’t part of his leadership philosophy. “Perhaps.” Varin glanced back at the names that had caught his attention. Forgotten souls belonged to humans captured before their time and hauled into Hell by force rather than by fate. Many had been destined for the Other place, but would now never see it. For that reason, the Forgotten were among the most prized of prisoners. Unlike those who’d earned their stay in the Underworld, the Forgotten maintained their humanity after crossing over. They felt the sweet burn of every whiplash ten-fold. They could never die, and they would never escape the depths of Hell.
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They were Varin’s triumph. Before him, no other Guardian Overlord had ever been able to draw the souls of those who had not yet passed over to linger on the other side. But Varin had known it was possible. He’d trained the souleaters himself. It had taken a century of constant instruction and countless fruitless journeys into the mortal realm, but it had all been worth it. Excitement stirred his blood, jolting his cock. Overseeing the soul transfer to the Underworld always left him eager to fuck. After consulting the record one last time, Varin brought his hand to his mouth and bit down on the pad of his index finger. Blood so dark it was almost black sprung up to the surface. He pressed the glistening drop down on to the paper, where it sizzled slowly, imbuing the air with a scorched scent. Restless and aroused, he tossed the clipboard back to the souleater. “Find a lesser Guardian to take possession.” He strolled away, following the edge of the river until it came to a sharp bend in the uneven trail. Ducking his head beneath a six-foot opening in a side cavern, he pressed his palm to the slick rock. At the contact, the barrier slid aside with a tumultuous rumble that made the ground quake beneath Varin’s feet. He stepped inside and waited while his eyes adjusted to the dim interior. Decorated in a dark mixture of deep violet, crimson and midnight black, the cavernous room allowed him all the space he needed to indulge his cravings. Trickling streams of lava dripped along the stone walls, the light casting a soft glow over the minimal furniture in his chamber. “Welcome home, Master. We were starting to get restless.” Two succubae lounged in leather armchairs on either side of Varin’s bed. Tall and slim, with long black hair, plump breasts with rosy nipples, and hairless cunts, they looked like mirror images of each other. Anger lit a fiery trail through Varin’s veins. “I’ve told you never to enter my chambers uninvited. And yet you insist on defying me at every opportunity.”
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The succubus on the left batted her eyelashes. “We keep hoping you’ll change your mind about letting us entertain you.” She trailed her fingertips over her breasts, pausing to tweak a nipple and roll it between thumb and forefinger. “We pleased you once, remember? We can please you again.” It had been years since he’d allowed either succubus to touch him. Despite their lithe, willing bodies and savage cravings, tonight, just like on countless other nights, Varin craved something -- someone -- else. “Bring her,” he commanded, barely tossing another glance in the succubae’s direction. “Then leave us.” “Her again. You’ve been fucking her exclusively for far too long. I wonder how much longer Baal will continue to ignore your deviant behavior. It’s not natural for a demon to prefer one of the Forgotten to those of his own kind.” The petulant tone in the succubus’s voice didn’t escape Varin. His hand went to his belt. He drew it out slowly, then slipped it through his fingertips and snapped it before letting it land on the black bedspread. He didn’t have the inclination to punish her, even knowing she’d enjoy every slap of the leather against her perfectly shaped ass. No, he wanted nothing to do with either succubus. There was only one woman who could relieve the pressure hardening his cock to painful proportions, and she didn’t have a drop of demonic blood in her. “Do it now,” he ground out between gritted teeth, knowing he didn’t have to repeat his original order. The stone doorway shifted to allow the succubae to leave. Varin removed his loose silk pants, letting the hot air permeating his room ruffle the curls at his groin. Though his back was turned, he knew the exact moment when Lillian arrived. He felt her, even before the sentient stone guarding his chamber slid aside to let her pass. Her scent, musky with a tinge of something floral, even after all this time in the Underworld, taunted him. “You asked for me, M-master?”
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Varin frowned. It had been years since he’d snatched her from the mortal realm and brought her down to the Underworld with a batch of Forgotten. He’d been instantly taken with her and had immediately summoned her to his bed. She’d resisted him at first, but now she came willingly. Yet even though he’d sheltered her and had made sure she endured none of the torment the rest of her human brethren experienced, calling him Master still felt foreign to her. The word halted on her tongue each time she spoke it. He turned to her, his breath catching in his throat. Lillian was the epitome of innocence, the embodiment of everything the Prince of Darkness sought to eliminate from the mortal realm. A full mane of shiny gold-spun hair tumbled around her shoulders and fell down her back. Her brilliant blue eyes glistened as she watched him in expectation, lower lip clenched between her teeth. Crossing the distance between them, he swept her into his arms and pressed her light, curvy body to his much stronger one. She didn’t protest when he claimed her mouth but kissed him back eagerly, her lips parting to allow his tongue to slide inside. He poured everything he had into that one kiss, as though it had been years since he’d last held her rather than merely hours. He spun her around and tossed her on the bed. She bounced lightly, a giggle escaping her throat, the crystalline sound echoing off the walls of his chamber and imbuing the dark interior with an instant pulse of joy. I can almost see it, Varin thought as he lowered his body over hers, the glow she emitted, the golden aura that the Underworld hadn’t been able to rip from her. Her presence seemed to lift the dark shadows lingering in every corner of his chamber. Even her blonde hair shone like a halo in the orange lava glow. He should hate her. He knew that with every ounce of logic he possessed. If Baal learned that Varin’s feelings for Lillian were more than simple infatuation, his punishment would be as severe as hers.
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Yet even that knowledge wasn’t enough to convince Varin to send her away. Everything from her light, spicy scent to the pliant softness of her full lips conspired to drive him out of his mind. He couldn’t get enough of her. He loved her. With every beat of his demonic heart. Varin trailed kisses down the line of her chin. Her pulse fluttered in the delicate hollow at the base of her throat and he paused to lick there, eliciting another giggle from his beloved. The foreign sound should have grated. His Guardian training and his demon heritage should have instantly driven him to eliminate all traces of the exultant harmony. Yet he licked her again, and again, thinking he’d never tire of making her laugh. He continued his path of exploration down between her breasts, his tongue sliding deep in the valley between them. She tasted of sweat and feminine allure, the light, spicy flavor making his mouth water for more of her. Grabbing an ankle in each hand, he tossed her feet over his shoulders and buried his head between her thighs. A soft moan of pleasure escaped her throat. The urge to sample her delicate nether lips was too much to bear, and he swiped his tongue along the length of her slit, parting her labia. Lillian was so different from the succubae. She craved tenderness and gentle lovemaking while they delighted in the sweet burn of never ending pain. Even the feathery thatch of pubic hair was foreign to him. Succubae had no body hair, their smooth, sleek forms perfectly designed for driving a man to the brink of insanity. But Lillian was real. She was human, and even though she was no longer mortal, as a Forgotten, she maintained all her human traits. He plunged deeper inside her, tasting the sweetness of her cream. “Yes!” She quivered beneath him, her hips lifting off the bed and her back arching in an effort to bring him even closer to her pussy. “Take me over the edge, Master. Take me… Bite me. Claim me.”
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She repeated the words like a mantra. He kissed and suckled her sex, filling his lungs with the scent and taste of her. His cock felt like it would explode, and she hadn’t even touched him. Take me. Bite me. Claim me. “Do it. Make me yours.” She’d been asking him the same thing every night for weeks. Somehow, she’d learned more about demons than any lost soul ever had. She knew what his bite would do to her, and she wanted it. Wanted him. Forever. Take me. Bite me. Claim me. The heady chant swam in his head, heightening his libido like a potent aphrodisiac. If he bit her, she’d be his. She’d be like him, transformed from a mere Forgotten mortal into a demon-kin, a half-breed. Baal would have no choice but to accept her. The idea had seemed beyond contemplation when she’d first suggested it. Yet now, with his head buried deep between her thighs, he couldn’t remember why he hadn’t given in sooner. Turning her would solve so many problems. It was the one thing he could give her after everything she’d given him. Varin’s hands moved across her back. He clamped his palms on her ass to steady her, then shifted his mouth slightly to her inner thigh. All his control and common sense was gone now, lost in a sea of lust. He was drowning in it and he had no intention of ever again coming up for air. He bit down hard. She screamed, her cry sending a pang of agony into his heart. He suckled the wound quickly, knowing his saliva would already be traveling through her bloodstream. A few drops were all he needed to pass on to her. Genetics and the nature of things would do the rest. He waited for her cry to subside, but it never did. Instead, it took on a wild keening edge. She pushed him away, shoving at him with her knees, kicking him with
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her feet. He fell backward off the bed, too stunned to speak or resist her sudden tantrum. The world spun around him. The importance of what he’d done slammed into him, shaking him to the core. Surely this was simply a side-effect of the turning. He’d never done it before. To the best of his knowledge, no one had. Fucking a human was sometimes frowned upon, but generally accepted as common practice. Turning one into a half-breed was blasphemy, a desecration of everything the Prince of Darkness held dear. Lillian levitated off the bed and spun in the air, heading straight for him. Her eyes glowed a deep crimson, brighter than that of an excited souleater. A volatile, vivid anger burned within their depths. The sight of it stole his breath. “You!” Her voice sounded raw, filled with enough grief, pain and misery for a thousand tortured souls. “I’ve been dreaming of this moment for years.” Varin rose unsteadily to his feet. The savage fury etched on Lillian’s features clawed at his heart. “You need to learn how to control your powers. I’ll help you. I’ll teach you.” She hissed at him, black claws springing from the pads of her fingertips and scoring the air before him. “Like you taught me to fuck? Like you taught me I was only useful as a vessel for your cock in this place? No more!” Varin lunged for her, but she moved out of his grasp, sliding effortlessly through the air. “I know more than you think! I listened. And I watched you. All of you. I knew I’d need to be prepared when the time came. And I am.” She narrowed her eyes at him and he marveled at the creature he’d created. All the innocence he’d loved had disappeared, leaving in its place a woman he no longer recognized. Knowing he needed to get the situation back under control, Varin began to chant an incantation that would bind her. Tendrils of elemental power sprung up around him, forming a net out of green-tinted energy.
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With another wild shriek, Lillian spit out words of power back at him. Her depth of knowledge stunned him. She’d learned so much! The net he’d carefully constructed began to unravel, then re-knit itself and turned on him instead. She flicked her wrist and sent the magical netting to drape over him. The energy bound him, gagged him, blinded him. With the last blink of his eyes, he saw her tear a veil into the fabric of the Underworld and plunge through it, her pale body a sharp contrast to the deep crimson gash into time and space. A moment later, Baal’s powerful voice boomed through the cavern. The strength of his Lord’s fury swept Varin away, slamming him against a rocky ledge. Pain tore through his body, threatening to tear his limbs apart. He was hurled again and again, like a child’s toy, pummeled against the rocks. The netting keeping him from fighting back, even if he’d wanted to. He didn’t. When the souleaters came for him, he didn’t fight them. Instead, he simply allowed them to take him away, to strip him of his rank and his powers then cast him down into the pits of Hell with the rest of the Forgotten. He was one of them now. The Prince of Darkness had no mercy, no pity for those who failed him. Varin welcomed the eternity of torment Baal promised, knowing that only the sting of everlasting pain would take away the memory of Lillian’s blue eyes, her pale skin, and the permanent imprint of her betrayal on his soul.
Chapter One California, Present Day Heidi Cole tasted blood on her lower lip. She swept the tip of her tongue over the wound. Her chin and right cheek pulsed with a dull pain from the impact of the demon’s closed fist connecting with her jaw line. She tilted her head backward and felt the snap of bone as her neck cracked, spreading some of the tension that had gathered there into the rest of her body. “Please, Sir.” She imbued her voice with as much sincerity as she could muster. “Show some mercy.” Broad-shouldered and built like a football player on steroids, the demon slammed his closed fist into his palm. Behind him, instruments of torture and pleasure vied with one another for prominent spots on the black walls of the dungeon cell. Whips, canes, paddles, straps, floggers and clamps of all sizes hung on the walls, while sleek tables held pincers, cuffs, nipple toys and other devices she couldn’t even name. Heidi tore her gaze from the instruments and focused it on the demon instead. He showed perfect white teeth when he grinned. “You’re not here for mercy, little slut. You’re here to be used and abused. I paid good money for a sex slave. I was told you liked some rough play with your pleasure.” Heidi swallowed back the scathing retort that settled on her tongue and lowered her gaze to the floor. Her eyelashes swept down, hiding her eyes. The demon’s scent intensified, filling the room with the stench of sulfur. Heidi almost smiled. His arousal grew with every blow he dealt her. He fed on her fear, her pain, her discomfort. She shifted slightly and her knees dug into the bare floor, sending another pulsing ache through her limbs. He’d kept her in this position for the last hour,
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wrists shackled behind her, ankles tethered to the floor, nipple clamps dragging her full breasts down with every breath. “Yes, Sir. I’m here only to serve.” He stepped closer. From her vantage point, she could see his muscular calves quiver as he approached her. He stopped in front of her and gripped her chin, then yanked it upward. The tip of his cock, wet with pre-cum, nudged her lips. She opened to his demands, knowing her role and how to play it. His massive shaft stretched her lips. He tasted like he smelled: cloying and potent, almost overwhelming. Any one of Juliet’s real sex slaves might have passed out by now. After two years of hunting demons, Heidi was too familiar with their stench to be put off by it. As he worked his rod deep inside her mouth, nudging the back of her throat with each desperate thrust, Heidi flexed her fingertips. Ragged strands of sparkling magic danced across her nails, pulling at her skin, grazing her knuckles. The demon tangled his fingers in her curls and roughly tugged her head back as he fucked her mouth. Heidi greedily took everything he had to give, feeding on his sexual energy just as he fed on her fear. His cock scraped against her split lip with every motion. She knew he felt her pain and gave herself over to it. A groan slid from her throat. His rod muffled the sound before it could escape, but she was sure he heard it. His shaft stiffened to impossible hardness. Muscles quivering with barely controlled demon power, he prepared to climax inside her mouth. With his seed still flooding her throat, he’d use the magical energy he gathered from her to open a portal into the Underworld. He’d drag her through it with him, where he’d introduce her to a fate worse than death. His movements stilled. He was ready. So was she. The chains holding her wrists snapped first. Delicate tendrils of power cut right through them, freeing her hands. She used the momentum to arch her back and embrace the bulk of sexual magic she’d accumulated. Pulling back in a smooth motion
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so his cum splattered her chest instead of spilling inside her mouth, Heidi grasped outward with her mind, seeking the bond she had with her sisters. A mystical chant fell almost unbidden from her lips. Magical energy swam in front of her eyes, tearing a path straight to the demon’s heart. Though it slammed through him with enough force to knock him backward and make him stumble, it wasn’t enough to destroy him. Not by itself. The door burst inward, spilling shards of silvered metal inside the room. Five women dressed from head to toe in red leather stormed through the doorway. Heidi focused all her energy on sharing the sexual power she’d gathered with each of them, though they barely needed it. They’d been indulging in sex play of their own earlier that evening, though unlike her, their pleasure had been genuine. They’d built up their reserves of magic for the moment they’d have to use them. The room exploded in a shower of light and color. The Scarlet Summoners aimed their collective talents on the demon. Heidi could no longer see him through the haze of magic, but it didn’t matter. She could feel him. And this time, it was his fear that intensified his stench. Sweat trickled down her temples and slid into the valley between her breasts. Her concentration never waned as she joined her sisters in the chant that would ultimately send the demon back where he belonged. To the Underworld. Permanently. Heidi’s eyes watered. Images came unbidden to her mind, flooding her thoughts with mental pictures of a man whose face she could never banish from her thoughts entirely. His thick, silky brown hair fell over his forehead and bordered the proud jut of cheekbones, the straight angle of his nose, the beautiful mouth that curved slightly at the corners when he spoke. Emotions Heidi kept barred behind a wall of courage and determination threatened to pour out as memories of the way he’d claimed her, body and soul, swam through her mind.
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She’d met Luke Howard when she and her sister, Bianca, had attended his “Too Hot To Handle” magic show. She’d been instantly captivated by him, but when they had hid behind the scenes to watch him perform, she could have never imagined how her evening would end. Back then, she wasn’t Heidi Cole -- demon hunter. She was Heidi Cole -- E.R. surgeon and complete loner. She’d been introverted and quiet, completely out of her element in social settings and large crowds. And she’d been a virgin at the ripe age of thirty. Luke Howard had changed all that. With one flick of his wrist, he’d locked her inside a coffin for a magic trick and then proceeded to send his non-corporeal form in there with her. He’d fucked her senseless, showing her pleasures beyond her wildest dreams. He’d fulfilled every fantasy she never knew she had. And just when she’d thought she could spend the rest of her life convincing Luke Howard to give her more of that wondrous bliss, he was snatched from her. By a demon. The creature who’d taken Luke didn’t have a human visage like the monster she and her sisters were sending back to the Underworld tonight. She remembered the way the demon’s black claws raked over Luke’s naked flesh. Its red skin had glowed with an unnatural light, casting its eerie sheen over everything and nothing at all. The sight of the beast alone had promised eternal damnation and torture more cruel than any Heidi could imagine. She had no doubt that the monster had intended to punish Luke for taking Heidi from him. She was to have been its prize, its plaything to use in every vile way imaginable before killing her… if she was lucky. A cry tore from her throat. Her voice sounded raspy in the dry air, savagely unrecognizable to her own ears. A tendril of magic escaped the cloud forming around the demon.
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Her magic. She guided it around the demon’s throat and latched it closed, the incorporeal noose shifting, tightening, yanking. A gap formed out of thin air. It lengthened and tore the fabric of space and time. The demon struggled, its pitiful wail making the walls shake. Raw sexual power slammed against him, shoving him through. The tear sealed closed in the blink of an eye, leaving in its wake a smattering of cloudy dust that fell to the floor. “Damn, hon, what’d it do to you?” Arms closed around Heidi. Warmth enveloped her from all sides, and she found herself grateful for the support, even if she didn’t need it. She smiled shakily and looked at each one of her sisters in turn. They weren’t blood relatives, but they were closer to her than Bianca, her real sister, had ever been. “We got the fucker.” Heidi raked a hand through her unruly curls. Her mass of red hair fell forward, and she blew a few loose strands out of her eyes. “That’s all that matters.” “You were born for this, you know.” Heidi turned toward the sound of the confident voice. She stared into Lillian Smith’s deep blue eyes, pulled by the swirling turmoil she saw in their depths. Not for the first time, Lillian’s penetrating stare sent a shiver of unease down her spine. Heidi shrugged as she tore her gaze away. “Every demon we send back to Hell is one less demon who’ll take an innocent soul. And with each one, I’m one more demon closer to Luke.” “He’s in good hands, your man. I wonder if he knows that.” Jane Milano gave Heidi’s hand a squeeze. Merely twenty-four and just out of college, she had joined the Scarlet Summoners after an encounter with a demon at a bar. Coming close to being a demon’s last meal had changed her entire outlook on life and she decided to leave behind a promising new career in accounting to learn magic. Heidi forced a smile onto her features. “I’ll tell him you said so next time I see him.”
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“Tonight.” Lillian’s statement had everyone turning toward her. Although socially the Summoners treated Lillian like one of the girls, when they hunted, there was no doubt who was in charge of an operation. She’d hand-picked every hunter herself and had put each woman through rigorous magical and combat training. Each of the six Summoners had a compelling reason for dedicating her life toward such a dangerous pursuit. One moment of inattention, and a hunter would forfeit her soul. Heidi didn’t know all their stories, but she guessed Lillian’s past was darker than anyone else’s. The woman clearly held her secrets under close guard, and the shields she’d erected to protect herself were truly impenetrable. Heidi stepped forward. She crossed her arms over her chest, completely unabashed by her nudity. When Luke had taken her virginity, he’d also awakened something in her. Determination, courage, valor. Whatever it was, she’d clung to it with both hands and hadn’t looked back. She no longer had a shy or demure bone in her body. “I don’t think I understand,” Heidi said. Lillian inclined her head, offering a silent acknowledgement of Heidi’s magical development. “You’re ready. After the way you handled that demon tonight, there’s no longer any doubt in my mind that you’re capable of doing what you’re determined to do.” A notch of elation worked its way into Heidi’s belly. It fluttered there with the strength of a thousand butterflies flapping their wings. “You mean…” Lillian nodded. A small smile curved her full lips. “You’re ready to conduct the summoning.”
*** Heidi’s hands shook as she pulled a heavy set of keys from her pocket and inserted one into a metal door. She’d spent the last two hours going over every chant she’d ever learned with Lillian, preparing for any possible scenario she might encounter.
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She was ready. She knew she was. Besides, Lillian would never let her perform a summoning if she thought Heidi couldn’t handle it. She’d participated in dozens of demon slayings. This would be simpler. It wouldn’t require any combat, though her soul would be in more danger than ever before. One wrong syllable in an incantation, and the demons could reach through the tear in the veil and pull her inside before she had a chance to figure out what happened. That’s why she had to do this alone. She couldn’t risk the souls of any of the other Summoners for a battle that was intensely personal. Besides, none of her sisters had ever attempted to perform a summoning. And although they’d all offered to stand at her side, she’d refused. This was something she had to do on her own. Luke was hers to rescue. And if she failed, she didn’t want anyone else’s soul on her conscience for the rest of eternity. Speed would be of utmost importance. She had to focus on Luke, establish his location, and yank him through to the mortal realm faster than the demons could react. If he’s still alive. Heidi shook her head, pushing the unsettling thought away. Lillian had assured her that Hell didn’t work the way everyone thought it did. She’d all but sworn that Luke was still alive and able to be rescued. Although the woman’s intensity and knowledge of all things demonic unnerved Heidi at times, there was no one she trusted more. If Lillian said Luke could still be saved, Heidi believed her. The alternative was too painful to contemplate. Taking a deep breath, Heidi pushed the door open and stepped inside a dungeon cell. The air was cold, making her nipples pucker under her thin cotton shirt. She flicked her hand and used a small amount of magic to light the candles scattered around the room. This cell was identical to the last, though many of the more cruel instruments of pleasure were missing. The Taken By Force dungeon catered to the preferences of diverse clientele. The staff served an array of clients, ranging from those who preferred light spankings to customers who delighted in hearing others scream.
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Nothing was off limits at Taken By Force. That was exactly why it had become so popular with those looking for something off the beaten track. The dungeon was owned by Juliet McCannon, a woman of stunning beauty and quiet grace. Since she was a Scarlet Summoner herself, the other hunters had free rein in the establishment. Empty cells were the perfect lure for a demon on the prowl. Their savage appetites often led them to seek out submissive souls who could be easily bent and distorted to their needs. Heidi slammed a thick metal bar over the door to ensure she wouldn’t be interrupted. Complete concentration was key. Every ounce of conjured energy she poured into the spell had to be precise. She still had enough sexual magic fluttering through her to accomplish the summoning without gathering more, but it had to be done soon. Stored energy would only last for a few hours before it began to dissipate. Fire slid through Heidi’s veins, scorching in its intensity. She trembled with barely contained excitement. Concentrating on placing one foot in front of the other, she neared the summoning circle. While she’d rehearsed the chants, the other Summoners had been busy drawing the needed runes on the stone floor. The circle would serve as a concrete path for Luke to find his way back to the mortal realm. Each etching was imbued with magical energy breathed into it by the Summoner who’d drawn it. In the middle of the circle stood an altar draped with a white sheet. Knowing she couldn’t delay any longer, Heidi pulled her shirt over her head and discarded it on the floor. She sat on the edge of the altar and pried off her boots and socks, then slid out of her jeans and panties. Naked for the second time that night, she lay on the altar, feeling more like a sacrificial virgin than a Summoner about to cast the most important spell of her life. Closing her eyes, Heidi smiled at the irony. She wasn’t a virgin anymore. Luke had seen to that. Though considering she hadn’t allowed another man inside her pussy since the night Luke disappeared, she might as well still be completely pure for all it mattered.
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Passion sizzled in her blood. It sang to her, tempting her to touch herself. She often built up her stores of magical energy by feeling her body respond to the sensual touch of her own hand. She’d slide her fingers inside her wet, tight channel and remember what it felt like to have Luke’s cock buried deep inside her. She’d have that again. Soon. But first she had to summon him to her, to save him as he’d once saved her. “Arayana beestara moi. Ascara den a trembena ekkari ar majid o vannah entri sal. Vii on tres unvidare tro shari vin oi gherasi bu oi yara.” Goddess, protect me. Use the gift of sensual satisfaction to open a portal between worlds. Let me slip inside unnoticed and return with my beloved at my side. She’d practiced the chant a thousand times in preparation for this night, though she’d never been able to tap directly into the Underworld before. She needed the help of every one of her sisters and she felt them with her now, even though they weren’t physically in the room. Their power lingered and came to life around her, pulled forth from the etchings on the floor. You’ve given me the strength to defeat demons. Now give me the strength to blind their gazes to my presence. Heidi’s eyelids felt heavy as her lips continued to move. She concentrated on uttering the ancient words precisely as she’d been taught, all the while holding the clear image of Luke imprinted in her mind. His slate-gray eyes were at the forefront of her mind. She remembered the way they shone with regret as the demon held him high above her then ripped him away. A low hum began to build around her. Potent power slid through her veins, making her arch her back. Her breasts felt heavy, ripe with desire. Her nipples stiffened to tight buds and her pussy fluttered with desperate need. Lust continued to blossom outward from her belly. It swam through every inch of her body, making her aware of every small nerve ending that ached to be touched. And still her lips moved, chanting relentlessly.
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She felt the exact moment when the fabric of reality began to tear. The hole had formed over her body and she propelled her spirit through it furiously, sliding into the Underworld on a potent stream of magical energy. She couldn’t make out anything concrete around her, but the stench of malevolent evil was everywhere. Hands with long black claws reached for her. She had no time to consider what would happen if they grabbed her as she moved incessantly through the stifling heat. The smell clogged her throat and made her eyes water. She pressed on, desperately searching, seeking, pushing aside soul after wailing soul who also reached out for her, demanding her aid. Her questing energy slammed into a familiar force so rapidly it made her cry out. Luke. She grabbed on to him with every ounce of strength she possessed. His shock and confusion combined with shreds of remembered arousal. His emotions projected through clearly, sending heat to curl into her belly. He fought her at every turn. She felt his frustration, his certainty that he was dreaming, that he’d conjured her out of thin air. Her concentration began to slip. The chant slowed, the words coming harder now. The small connection she had to him began to dissipate. She could feel him slipping. “I’m here to take you home.” She skimmed magical fingertips over his torso. Her fingers came away wet. She had no time to think about what that meant. Luke grabbed on to her with both outstretched hands and she yanked him back into the mortal realm at once. But the magical energy that had created the portal quivered and shook. She knew she’d lost the focus she needed when she’d spoken. Fear snaked up her spine. Something heavy attached itself to Luke, dragging him down. She pulled harder, panic clawing at her throat, threatening to gag her. Then the world spun out of control. She lost her grip on Luke and felt him slip away from her. A moment later, a firm male body slammed on top of her, knocking the
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air from her lungs. She grabbed on to him, pressing him hard against her, needing to know she had him in the flesh. Another sound, like something landing hard beside her, echoed through the room. The portal fused with a loud pop, and a smattering of dust fell over her body. Heidi opened her eyes, expecting to look into Luke’s face. Instead of the slategray eyes she’d been picturing, she gazed deep into orbs that were midnight black. Hair that matched the man’s eyes fell unbound around his shoulders. A slanted nose that looked to have been broken a few times, high cheekbones, a square jaw and a hard mouth completed the breathtaking visage. She could also make out wide shoulders and arms the size of tree trunks, as well as a rapidly stiffening cock that nestled much too comfortably in the wet heat of her slit. “Now this is an unexpected surprise.” His deep voice sent a shiver to skim her overheated skin. “Somehow, I don’t think Baal decided to reward my years of service by giving me… you.” A rough chuckle escaped his throat as though he’d made a joke he didn’t expect her to understand. He pushed his groin firmly against hers, the head of his cock nudging her slick entrance. He was so perfectly positioned, he could slide inside her with one quick thrust. Despite her confusion, Heidi’s body responded of its own accord. Her back arched and her hips thrust upward while her pussy pulsed hungrily, eager to be filled. “Heidi.” Luke’s familiar voice slammed into her with agonizing force. It sounded scratchy and raw from disuse, but she’d have recognized it even if it had been a whisper. “What’s going on?”
Chapter Two “Luke!” Heidi’s distressed scream filled the room. Luke lifted his head and tried to raise himself to a sitting position. The rock floor beneath his body felt cool, not scorching hot like the lava-rock he was accustomed to lying on. He’d fallen -- that much he could remember clearly. One moment he was being roughly tossed against the side of his cell after another agonizing torture session, and the next she was there, like an angel breaking through the darkness that eternally surrounded him. A darkness he’d earned. One he deserved. “Where am I?” Luke murmured. Why couldn’t he focus? Fog clouded his brain. Fire blossomed from every nerve in his body, setting his flesh ablaze with thousands of painful stings. Blood coated his skin. He could feel it dripping over his chest and down his back to pool onto the floor. “Get off me!” Heidi commanded. Luke forced his gaze to her. She lay on top of a long altar draped with a white cloth. Although he couldn’t see her face, he could make out her unmistakable curls and the perfectly sleek lines of her body. And he could discern a man’s form lying on top of her. Jealousy burned a hole in his gut. The emotion felt foreign, like some longforgotten part of his past that should have been familiar, but wasn’t. A deep male chuckle slid through the room. That voice he did recognize. Varin. Luke licked his dry lips. “I’m still in Hell, then. Nothing but the scenery has changed.”
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He forced himself to his knees though every muscle in his body protested the movement. Through narrowed eyes, he watched his Underworld cell mate roll off Heidi. Varin landed in a crouch on the other side of the altar. His loose mane of black hair framed his cheekbones, giving him a feral, predatory appearance. For a moment, Luke questioned whether the man standing in front of him was in fact the same man he knew. Since the day Luke had found himself roughly torn from Heidi’s arms, Varin had been his constant companion, whether he’d wanted the company or not. They’d shared a small cell, barely long enough for both of them to lie down in. Twice a day, either wraiths or Demon Guardians came for one of them. They were taken separately, and for a few hours while Varin was being tortured, Luke had peace. But the man bouncing on the balls of his feet as he watched Heidi through narrowed eyes looked more like a stranger than the closest thing Luke had to a friend in the Underworld. This man showed feelings. His emotions were plain to see, from the way he quirked one eyebrow in expectation to the smirk that curved one side of his mouth. And the deep, genuinely amused laughter! That was the strangest of all. Luke had never seen a shred of emotion in Varin’s eyes. It was as though when he’d been ripped from Earth, Varin had left his humanity behind. His face might as well have been carved from stone, the way it revealed nothing about the man beneath. While Luke had screamed in pain after his marathon terror sessions, Varin had done nothing more than curl up in a corner of the cell, his eyes focused on a far away place only he could see. And if anyone had reason to scream, it was Varin. While the Demon Guardians were rough with Luke, they were downright brutal with Varin. Luke had lost count of how many times Varin had been tossed back into the cell unconscious. They’d break every bone in his body only to mend it again and begin the torture anew. It was as though they had some personal vendetta against him and they meant to remind him of it for the rest of eternity.
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Through it all, Varin had never once complained. He’d simply sat there, stonefaced and aloof, waiting for the next session, never looking for a way to escape his fate. Perhaps because, like Luke, he knew there was no way out. Whatever Varin had done to land himself in the belly of the Underworld, he obviously felt he deserved what he got. Just as Luke did. “Oh, Goddess.” Heidi leapt off the altar. Her deep blue eyes widened with fear as her gaze swept over Luke’s body. She cringed as she kneeled before him and gingerly brushed a lock of hair from his eyes. The comforting gesture took Luke’s breath away even as the sight of her body sent a piercing lance of arousal straight into his belly. The sensation was so unexpected, it made his head reel. He spread his palms out on the floor and used them to prop up his body weight. His gaze remained riveted to the swell of her breasts. Though he’d taken her virginity, he’d never seen her naked. It had been dark when he’d made love to her, and although the feel of her body remained forever imprinted in his mind, he’d had to imagine what she looked like underneath her clothes. Now he knew, and he didn’t think he’d ever be able to close his eyes again without picturing the swell of her breast, the long lines of her legs or the deep red thatch of curls that covered her mound. Her skin was pale ivory and looked flawless and smooth, begging to be touched. A shiver of excitement passed through Luke. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he remembered what it meant to respond to a woman. To respond to anything other than pain. “Where am I?” Luke repeated. Although Varin was here, this sure didn’t feel like Hell. He let his gaze wander over the gray walls, taking in the whips, paddles and handcuffs. His heart sank. He recognized a torture room when he saw one.
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“Shh… You’re safe now,” Heidi soothed. “I’ve taken you out of that horrid place. No matter what they’ve done to you in the past, it’s all over now. They can’t hurt you here.” Luke swallowed hard. “How -- how did you find me?” Heidi shook her head. “I’ll tell you everything as soon as we get you out of here.” Behind her, Varin’s mouth flattened into a grim line. He took a step forward, but stopped short of reaching Heidi. His muscles rippled as he flexed his fists, and the crisscrossed scars that marred his chest and shoulders glistened in the light spilling from the dozen white tapered candles flickering around the room. With a slight hesitation, Heidi reached out and placed both palms on Luke’s chest. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she made contact with his skin. Excitement stirred in him at her touch, but he jerked back and struggled to move her hand away. He knew what he looked like. If she kept touching him, she’d be covered in his blood in two seconds flat. “Don’t…” he whispered. His mouth suddenly felt dry, his lips numb. “You don’t have to do that.” Her blue eyes darkened, turning stormy as she watched him. “You saved me once. Now it’s my turn. Let me take care of you.” He didn’t know how to reply so rather than muttering something inanely stupid, he shifted forward and brushed his lips lightly over hers. She didn’t pull back as he’d feared, but she didn’t deepen the kiss, either. Instead, she murmured something he couldn’t understand against his mouth. Her warm breath caressed his skin, sending a curl of heat to spiral through his body. It culminated in his groin and his cock stirred, hardening beneath the silky feel of her soft, sweet lips against his. He barely noticed when his wounds began to heal. The euphoria streaming through his bloodstream and quickening his breathing came from Heidi alone, from her proximity, from her adamant conviction that she’d released him from his demons, both real and imagined. But there was no denying the fact that the pain wracking his body lessened with every low murmur of her sexy voice.
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Startled, he broke away and glanced down to see the crimson blood that had stained his skin dissipate on a light breeze. It lifted from his chest and broke into a million droplets that tumbled through the air and quickly disappeared. “What have you done?” Luke rose to his feet, no longer weak or unsteady. His body felt whole again, and it responded to his commands without pause. Heidi’s chest rose and fell with the force of her breath. Her chin had fallen forward, and her curls tumbled around her cheeks. She looked thoroughly exhausted. Nausea rolled around in Luke’s stomach. Fear sang in his blood. All the anger and frustration he’d trapped inside his soul broke through to the surface. Before he could stop himself, Luke grabbed Heidi’s arm and yanked her to her feet, forcing her to look at him. “You’re in league with them!” Heidi shook her head at his accusation, but he pressed on before she had a chance to answer. “A demon once promised me the ability to cast real magic, and like a fool, I accepted his offer. But magical gifts don’t come free, and the price you’ll be paying for your abilities will be too steep.” “I didn’t --” Luke growled low in his throat. He pushed her and she slammed against the wall, her eyes wide, her cheeks flushed. “Listen to me!” He trapped her with his body, wanting to scare her, to make her realize what she’d done. He’d spent his time in Hell grateful that whatever other sins he might have committed, he hadn’t brought Heidi into his terror-filled world. She was safe, free to live her life in the mortal realm without the threat of torture and never ending pain. Yet now here she was, practicing the same magic that had forever claimed his soul. “You should have left me there. I never asked you to do this. Now you’ve given them everything they couldn’t have when I took the innocence they wanted most.” Heidi shook her head. He felt her pebbled nipples scrape against his skin, and a shiver of lust snaked up his spine. Oh, this would be so much easier if he didn’t
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respond to her every move as though it was meant to arouse and distract him. Her scent, fruity and slightly musky, made him lose his train of thought. “We need to get you out of here,” she said softly as though his outburst never happened. “I healed you as best I could, but you have to see a doctor. If there are any broken bones or internal damage, I won’t be able to fix them.” She curled her fingers around his hand. When she looked up at him, he didn’t see any of the fear or understanding he’d hoped for in her gaze. Instead, he saw only heavy-lidded desire and deep-seated resolve. She slid away and moved around him but stopped when her gaze fell on Varin. She stood perfectly still, as though she’d forgotten he was there. Varin grinned, showing perfect white teeth and a dimple in his left cheek. He leaned against the door, arms crossed over his chest. “No one’s going anywhere.” “The hell you say!” Heidi released Luke’s hand and marched toward the door, fury and single-minded determination evident in her confident walk. If Luke didn’t know better, he’d have thought she intended to push Varin away with her bare hands. Varin side-stepped her easily before she reached him. In the blink of an eye, he lifted his hands and uttered a lyrical stream of words Luke couldn’t understand. The door glowed blue. Runes and symbols flickered to life around the heavy bar that barricaded it closed. Heidi screamed. Her cry tore through his heart and soon he was moving, running to where she stood. Though she wasn’t hurt and he didn’t understand what had just happened, he recognized the terror in her voice. He’d heard it a million times from other tormented souls like himself. When he reached her side, Heidi pushed him away and extended her hand toward the wooden door. Instead of pulling it open, she chanted an elegant melody and began to pull out a stream of blue energy from the deep glow that surrounded the exit. “Don’t bother, witch,” Varin said. “There’s only one way out of this room, and it’s not through there.”
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Heidi’s eyes narrowed to slits. A muscle jumped in her jaw. Luke watched helplessly as she fought to control the energy she gathered to her. Raw streams of color danced erratically in the air. Sweat trickled down her temples. “I hate demons,” she muttered between clenched teeth.
Varin’s ability to practice magic might have been stripped from him along with every other demonic power he possessed the day he was tossed into captivity, but it came back to him quickly now, the ebb and flow of magical energy heating his blood. He yanked a strand of animated power from the mass Heidi had amounted and twirled it around his thumb, binding it to him. He tugged slightly, knocking her off balance and pulling her closer to him. “Did you really think you could steal one of the Forgotten from the Prince of Darkness, witch?” Heidi grimaced. “Actually, yeah. But I didn’t count on the Prince himself coming along for the ride.” Another laugh escaped Varin before he could stop it. It scratched his throat, rasping along his insides. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed before he’d arrived here, yet absurdly, he’d done it repeatedly since he’d met Heidi. But how could he resist? The woman was either an absolute nutcase or one of the most devious witches he’d ever come across. She couldn’t possibly think he was Baal himself, supreme ruler of the Underworld. Could she? He tried to suppress the thrill that zinged down his spine. It had been a long time since any female had regarded him as something more than a whipping toy. Respect mingled with fear in Heidi’s eyes, but there was more to it than that. He’d recognized the genuine arousal in the way she’d responded to him before she knew who -- or what - he was. “No, you’ve got it all wrong.” Luke tried to step between them, but the blue rays of power snapped and sparked against his skin. He stumbled backward, out of the magic’s reach. “Varin’s not a demon. If he was, I’d have known it.”
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Heidi breathed a soft sigh of relief. “Not the Prince, then. Good. I can handle this.” Varin felt the sudden onslaught of accumulated energy begin to spiral outward toward him. A moment later, Heidi’s uttered chant confirmed his suspicions. “Eshara ’em alyyna!” When the vortex of color hit, Varin was ready for it. He reacted instinctively, lunging forward, both hands outstretched. He captured the magic in his open palms. Heat flooded his skin, crawling upward. The power threatened to consume him. He had only a split-second to react before the spell Heidi directed at him took over. “Eshara ’em alyyna!” Using a trick he’d learned from Lillian long ago, Varin echoed Heidi’s words and tossed the ball of magic back at her. Heidi’s eyes widened, the blue orbs reflecting the glow of energy as it hit. Fibers of light spun rapidly around her, binding her wrists and ankles. A thick strand pulled together and wound itself around her eyes, creating a blindfold made of pure magic. Luke scrambled forward and gathered Heidi in his arms. Having already fulfilled its purpose, the magic lay dormant as it touched Luke’s skin, but the powerful strands bound Heidi with the strength of unbendable steel. “Let her go!” Luke demanded. “If you’re upset about the escape, then take me back. This has nothing to do with her.” Heidi struggled, her lithe body glistening with sweat. “The bastard isn’t going to let either one of us go without a fight. That’s not what his Prince would want.” Varin shrugged, fighting to keep his features stony and uninterested. After spending hundreds of years suppressing his emotions, he’d become an expert at denying his feelings. If there’d ever been a part of him that called out for human experience, it had died when Lillian betrayed him. In that moment, he’d vowed he wouldn’t allow himself to feel anything ever again. And while he’d been in Hell, it had been all too easy to keep that promise. But there was something about Heidi that made the strength of his control waver. He’d given in to pure instinctual response since he’d first collapsed on top of her
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when she’d yanked him through to the mortal realm. If that wasn’t bad enough, the more time he spent in her proximity the harder it became to remember to pull on the mask of indifference. “Put her down. No, not on the floor,” Varin instructed when Luke began to kneel. “On the altar. I want to see her.” Luke gritted his teeth so hard the cords in his neck flexed. “What are you going to do?” Varin ignored him. He moved around the foot of the altar and watched while Luke did as he commanded. Heidi lay on her back, her wrists still bound behind her, the magic around her ankles holding her legs closed. She lifted her feet so her knees were bent, and Varin could make out the delicate curve of her ass leading to those smooth, silky long legs. Heidi’s chest rose and fell with the force of her ragged breaths. Her nipples peaked and tightened. A rivulet of sweat ran down between her breasts. The breath hitched in Varin’s throat. His heartbeat quickened and his cock stiffened painfully. He didn’t think he’d ever seen anyone look more beautiful than Heidi did at that exact moment. The light from the myriad candles flickered, casting a pale, eerie sheen over her naked body. And although she had to know she was entirely at his mercy, she didn’t beg or plead, didn’t cry out or try to bargain with him. She simply waited for his next move and prepared to gain the advantage at the first opportunity. He swallowed hard. Damn, but she reminded him so much of Lillian. Except unlike Lillian, she showed him exactly what she was made of. He knew her abilities, and her intentions. She wouldn’t hesitate to take him out at the first opportunity. But to do that, she had to open a portal into Hell. There was no way to truly destroy a demon in the mortal realm. Her only option was to toss him back into the Underworld. And when she did, he’d be ready. Because there was no way he was allowing another Forgotten soul to escape. Falling for Lillian
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and allowing her to take advantage of him had been the biggest mistake he’d made in his entire existence. He wouldn’t repeat it twice. Heidi might not know it, but she was his ticket to redemption, his chance to prove his loyalty to Baal and make up for his lapse in judgment. Once he accomplished that, Baal would have to recognize his devotion and reinstate him among the Demon Guardians. After centuries of waiting, a chance to make amends had presented itself. And there was no way he was letting it slip by because the sight of Heidi’s perfect body taunted him with the promise of a few minutes of ecstasy. No matter what it took, he had to remain in complete control. “Spread her legs.” Varin’s voice echoed off the walls, sounding too loud in the confined space. Luke stared at him, his brows drawn down in confusion. Though he tried to pretend the thought didn’t arouse him, Varin saw the way the man’s cock twitched and began to harden. Heidi cleared her throat. “Do as he says.” Varin couldn’t stifle the smile that tugged at his lips. She understood. It would be so much easier if she went along with what he had in mind. Sexual magic was the key to opening the portal that would allow him entry back into Hell. He could cast the spell that would rip a hole in the fabric of time and space on his own, but to do that he’d need to allow her to arouse him to the point of climax. That was much too risky. While he was in the throes of orgasm, Heidi could simply siphon all that energy and gain the upper hand. Even bound, he didn’t want to underestimate her. No, he’d simply let her do all the hard work. It was clear she’d spent her magical energy reserves on the summoning, and then again on the spells she’d cast to heal Luke, and to try to bind Varin. Until she replenished what she’d lost, she wouldn’t be able to open another portal.
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He’d let her think she had the upper hand. He’d play along and wait for the opportunity when he could snatch Luke and bring him back to Baal. Better yet, he’d bring them both to Baal. That would practically guarantee his redemption. Luke moved forward cautiously. He placed his palms on Heidi’s bent knees and spread them apart, then glanced up, his mouth set in a grim line. “There. Are you happy now?” Varin gazed between Heidi’s legs and nearly groaned. Her pink nether lips were coated with cream and her folds glistened in the pale candlelight. Her dark red thatch of curls was a stunning contrast to her pale, ivory skin. As though taunting him, she arched her back and lifted her hips off the altar. It took all of Varin’s self-control to answer Luke’s question. “Not hardly.” Luke took a step back from the altar. His cock was fully erect now, spearing the air before his stomach. “I’m not doing this again,” Luke said between gritted teeth. “I won’t fuck her this way. Not again.” Varin took two steps forward and closed the distance between them. He clamped his hand around Luke’s neck and lifted the man off his feet. Luke gave a strangled cry and Varin knocked him backward, into the wall. “You’ll do whatever I say, or she dies. Is that what you want?” “Don’t hurt him, you son of a bitch!” The raw, genuine concern in Heidi’s voice tore through Varin’s soul to grip his heart, then lodged there to torture him. Even though she had no idea what Varin planned to do to her, she worried about Luke. “You must really love him,” Varin mused. “Not every woman would have taken the kind of risk you did to pull her lover out of the depths of Hell.” “Yeah, well, I’m not every woman.” Images of Lillian’s face distorted in rage flooded Varin’s mind. Being with her, he’d learned what it felt like to love another person. And he’d also learned what it felt like to be betrayed, to have his heart torn into a million pieces. For centuries, he’d had to pay for the mistake he’d made in allowing himself to feel something other than the pure hatred that was the staple of the Underworld.
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Varin closed his eyes, pushing the memories of Lillian from his mind. His hand tightened around Luke’s neck and the man groaned. “If you hurt him, I swear --” “You’ll what?” Varin blinked his eyes open and loosened his hold. “It seems to me you’re in no position to make demands of any kind. So be a doll and tell your boyfriend to cooperate.” She sighed. “I’ll be all right, Luke. Do as he says and I promise I’ll get us both out of here.” Luke narrowed his eyes. He looked like he was about to argue, but he closed his mouth and nodded firmly instead. “Fine.” Varin released him. Rubbing a hand over his throat, Luke returned to Heidi’s side. “Touch her. I want your fingers in that hot, moist pussy.” Heidi clasped her lower lip between her teeth, then released it. Her mouth glistened wetly and Varin felt his self-control slip another notch. He wanted nothing more than to shove Luke out of the way, bend over the altar and claim her mouth with his. Would she taste as sweet as she looked? If he hadn’t seen her cast a spell, he’d never have thought her capable of standing toe to toe with a demon. From the graceful flow of her body to her sleek red curls, she exuded youthful innocence. But then again, so had Lillian. And he knew full well how that turned out. Luke splayed his right palm over Heidi’s stomach. With the index and middle fingers of his other hand, he parted Heidi’s labia. Her arousal permeated the room and Varin’s body reacted instinctively to her scent. His cock pulsed, aching to bury itself in her tight cunt. His balls drew up into his sac. Gritting his teeth, Varin wrapped his palm around his shaft and stroked himself firmly, stifling a groan. Fuck, but that felt good. It had been so long since he’d allowed himself to experience any kind of pleasure. He’d forgotten what it felt like to give in to his sexual urges.
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“She likes that,” Varin said, smearing a drop of pre-cum over the head of his cock. “Let’s see what else she likes.” Luke clenched his jaw, but Varin saw the excitement glittering in his eyes. He might pretend this wasn’t what he wanted to do, but Varin knew how the man had spent the last two years. Luke’s hunger had already begun to imbue the air with a sizzling heat that would eventually form into usable strands of magic. Although he could order Luke to fuck Heidi immediately, he needed more lingering sexual energy to ensure the portal would open. “Thrust your fingers inside her. Two of them. Slowly.” This time, Luke didn’t waver on the brink of indecision. His fingers slid easily through Heidi’s cream-soaked slit. He lingered momentarily as his fingertips sought her slick entrance, then disappeared inside her channel. Heidi moaned. Her entire body trembled with pent-up desire. Her silky, milkwhite bare skin broke out in goose bumps as Luke worked his fingers in and out of her. Varin’s gaze was fixed on the curve of her small, pert breasts. The tiny, dark points of her nipples beckoned to him, inviting him to lower his head and take one of them between his teeth. He ached with the need to touch her, to feel her nimble body pressed against his. “Yes,” she murmured, her hips driving the motion between her legs. “Oh, God, Luke, I’ve waited so long for this.” She sucked in a deep breath between her teeth. “I hadn’t envisioned it would be quite like this, but I’ve dreamed of having your fingers, your mouth, your cock.” Varin gritted his teeth. His fist worked his shaft harder, tugging on the delicate skin with each thrust. Sexual energy built in the air, gathering like a storm cloud above their heads. Luke lowered his head until his mouth hovered above Heidi’s. He murmured something Varin couldn’t hear and Heidi moaned, lifted her head and pressed her lips to his.
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She writhed beneath Luke’s thrusts, giving him everything he demanded and more. Their mouths seemed fused together. Luke’s eyes were closed. Ecstasy flittered over his features. The fingers of his right hand slid upward and he cupped Heidi’s breast in his hand, rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Bitter agony lodged itself in Varin’s chest. He felt like an intruder. A part of him wanted to tear Luke away from Heidi and convince him she was playing him, that she couldn’t be trusted. She was no different from Lillian, and she’d betray her lover at the first opportunity. And another part of him, the part that the wraiths and the Guardians hadn’t been able to beat out of him, envied Luke fiercely. Everything he felt confused him. His emotions, his concern for Heidi, his envy of Luke, all that was wrong. He was as certain of it as though the Prince of Darkness himself had leaned over and whispered it in his ear, yet he couldn’t help the feelings that roiled through him. For the first time in Varin’s long existence, uncertainty and doubt flittered into his gut, the unfamiliar emotions rapidly tearing through his already wavering self-control. Varin struggled to focus, yet he moved as though in a sexual trance. He trailed his fingertips along Heidi’s inner thigh. Desire arced through him at the feel of her silky leg. When he reached her pussy, he felt the heat emanating from her core. With an agonized groan, he clamped his hand on top of Luke’s. The man started and pulled his mouth from Heidi’s. Varin yanked Luke’s fingers from Heidi’s depths. “Enough. I want to see if she can give as well as she takes.”
Chapter Three A shiver of fear mingled with arousal raced down Heidi’s spine. Darkness surrounded her from all sides. It sent a tremor through her belly, but it felt familiar, too. The first time Luke had made love to her, she’d been locked in a coffin. She’d experienced incredible bliss as he teased her with his fingers and his tongue before ultimately offering her what she wanted most. Then, his cock had been everything she’d dreamed about, and more. It had filled her to capacity, stretched her pussy with every thrust, yet she’d begged for more. And when she came, even though she couldn’t see his eyes, she could imagine her face reflecting in their depths. It felt almost right that he’d fuck her again like this. Although the sensual deprivation should have been terrifying, the darkness offered comfort. It allowed her to extend her other senses and listen for the soft tread of footfalls on stone that signaled Varin nearing the altar. Certain Varin would touch her, she’d swept the tip of her tongue through her parted lips into Luke’s mouth to draw him closer, intent on distracting him from Varin’s approach. The sexual energy thrumming through the room continued to build at a steady pace, but it was still a long way off from accumulating enough power to reopen the portal. She needed Luke, in more ways than one. Without his hunger for her, she couldn’t gather enough magical energy to do what had to be done. And while allowing herself to ride the cresting wave of ecstasy would imbue the magic with her heightened abilities, she couldn’t risk losing control. She’d only allow herself to climax if she knew with absolute certainty Varin was just as distracted and therefore unable to take advantage of the sudden surge in magical power.
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Until then, she had to ensure he believed her desire was genuine. And after two years of longing, it was. “What do you mean?” Suspicion tinged Luke’s voice. “I won’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to do.” The sound emanating from Varin in response sounded to Heidi like a deep growl, starting from low in his chest and spreading outward, until it imbued the room with a feral masculine energy even she couldn’t deny. Her pulse quickened, and the arousal slicking her folds intensified. Damn. It had been too long since she’d been thoroughly fucked. If she’d allowed herself to indulge in some mutually pleasurable sex play, she wouldn’t be so sex starved now as to respond to a demon, of all things. She knew better. Hell, she’d sent enough of them back to the Underworld to understand exactly what they were capable of. Demons were cruel beings who delighted in mortal pain. No matter how irresistible Varin had felt while lying on top of her, and despite the raw masculine stamina that practically oozed from his every pore, she had to remind herself that he was no different. “It’s fine,” Heidi said. She felt the men move aside and could imagine the angry looks they sent one another. Stifling a sigh, she tilted her body to her side, then rose to her knees. The bonds made it difficult to maneuver, but she managed. “What is it you want of me?” Someone’s fingers tangled in her hair. Judging by the way he yanked her by the tresses and pulled her head back, it wasn’t Luke. “I know what you need,” Varin whispered in her ear. His breath was hot, like the way she imagined the air in Hell would be. But instead of decay and the scent of pure evil, he smelled faintly sweet, like he’d eaten strawberries just minutes earlier. “You can’t have him, you know,” Heidi murmured. “I won’t let you take him back.” Varin yanked harder. Tears flooded Heidi’s eyes but her nipples stiffened, and a dewy drop of cream slid down her inner thigh, slicking her skin.
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She’d known why the other Summoners always chose her to perform for the demons. With the exception of Juliet, who ran the Taken By Force dungeon and often availed herself of its particular brand of service, most of the Summoners’ tastes ran to the tamer aspects of sexual pleasure. Heidi, on the other hand, responded to pain. Though getting punched and kicked brought no pleasure, the kiss of a whip sent heat to stream in a flooding spiral straight to her pussy. Likewise a gentle, open-palmed slap against the curve of her ass was often more arousing than an open-mouthed kiss. Perhaps it was the way she’d lost her virginity, locked in a coffin with the threat of annihilation by demon, that had caused her wires to cross, resulting in the ability to find pleasure in pain. Or perhaps she’d always been that way. Part of the reason she’d waited until she was thirty to have sex was because she hadn’t met a man who looked like he could satisfy her. And as far as Heidi was concerned, no sex was always better than mediocre sex. Varin rasped his tongue across the side of her neck. A tremor ran through her, sending blazing heat to stream in her veins. “You’ll be a good girl, won’t you?” he asked, the taunting lilt in his voice only increasing her arousal. “You’ll bring Luke to orgasm, and you’ll let him do the same.” “And what about you?” she found herself asking before she could think better of it. “Who’ll get you off?” His laugh was darker than the amused chuckles she’d heard before. Resting the heel of his palm against the thatch of hair between her legs, he slid his middle finger through her folds. She almost cried out at the unexpected sensation. “You let me worry about that.” From where he stood, she could feel his erection pressing into the small of her back. Thick and long, it prodded her spine, leaving a slick bead of moisture to slide over her skin. Gritting her teeth, Heidi tried to bring up an image of Luke’s face. Damn, she wished she could see him. That would make it so much easier to concentrate on something other than the way Varin made her feel.
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In the eighteen months she’d been tracking down demons and getting up close and personal with them, she’d never responded this way to one. Sure, there were times her arousal was genuine, when her body responded to stimulation of its own accord, but she’d always managed to keep a firm handle on her libido. It never interfered with a well-formulated attack plan, and it never got in the way of the ultimate goal of sending a demon back to the Underworld. And it wouldn’t this time, she told herself firmly. If she enjoyed Varin’s hands on her body, that would only help with the gathering storm of magical energy. But she wouldn’t lose control, and no matter what happened, she wouldn’t lose Luke. “You. Stand in front of her. Now.” Heidi thought she’d have to once again reassure Luke that it was okay, but to her surprise, he obeyed instantly. He placed both hands on her shoulders, his touch gentle and reassuring. I’ve thought of nothing but you. That’s what he’d whispered when he’d leaned down over her mouth a few minutes earlier. Tears had flooded her eyes and she’d pressed her lips to his before he could say any more. There would be plenty of time for heartfelt confessions once they sent Varin back where he belonged. Until then, Heidi needed to keep her wits about her and focus on the task at hand. Varin slipped his fingers from her velvety folds. Though she knew she should have been relieved, her body trembled as he moved away. There was something about him she couldn’t put her finger on. He was a demon, yes, but one unlike any other she’d ever come across. One moment he seemed genuinely amused, confident, almost tender, and the next he could be gruff and unyielding like a piece of lava rock she could slam against for eternity without effect. “Suck him, Heidi. Take him in your mouth. Show the man what he’s been missing.” She lifted her head slightly. Luke touched the tip of his cock to her lips and she opened for him almost instinctively. She’d never tasted him before and after his time in
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Hell, she had no idea what to expect. She started out slowly, savoring the flavor of his skin, slightly salty but not unpleasant. Her fingers itched for the taut muscles of his buttocks. Unable to reach out, she clenched her palms into fists behind her back. Luke released a low growl of pleasure. Encouraged, Heidi ran her tongue appreciatively along the ridge of his cock. She wished she could see him and truly delight in the shape and size of his shaft. Sliding her lips up and down the solid length, she licked it thoroughly before taking it into her mouth in its entirety. Luke continued to groan, each sound making pleasure tighten low in her stomach and pulse into her groin. Sexual hunger vibrated all around her and the magical energy in the air began to hum. She’d been trained to listen for it, but now that she knew its sound she could easily identify the essence of the gathering magic. It was working. Even now, she could use the power that had amassed to tear off her blindfold and her restraints, but she didn’t dare. She’d need all the magical energy she could get her hands on to open the portal. Luke’s cock thickened to impossible hardness. Heidi let it slip from between her lips, then she lowered her head and licked down the length of his shaft to taste the soft texture of his sac. Luke sucked in a sharp breath when she opened her mouth and took one of his testicles inside. She slid her tongue around it even as she cradled it in her mouth, then released it and moved to the next, repeating the act. “You’re pretty good at this sort of thing.” If she didn’t know better, she’d have thought that was agony she heard in Varin’s voice. Unrestrained, raw agony. She could easily have chalked it up to him being sexually frustrated while simply watching her perform, but she had a feeling there was more to it. If she could find out what demons haunted a demon, she might be able to use that to her advantage.
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“In fact,” Varin continued, “I’d say you’ve done this a time or two.” Heidi’s cheeks flushed hotly. She hesitated, wondering how much to reveal, then deliberately chose not to respond. Divulging all she knew about demons and sexual magic could potentially give him the upper hand. Better to have him wondering as to the true extent of her powers than simply to offer that kind of information for the asking. Besides, it didn’t matter what he thought of her. The only thing that mattered was how Luke felt, and even if he believed Varin’s taunts, she could explain later. Ignoring Varin, she trailed her mouth over Luke’s cock and sucked deeply on the head of his rod. When Varin’s fingers dipped in the crevice between her ass cheeks, Luke’s cock almost slipped out of her mouth. What was he doing? He had to know giving in to the needs of his body would make him just as vulnerable as it would make her. And yet he continued, slipping his fingertips lower to touch her pussy and glide some of her cream over his skin. Seconds later, he returned his attention to her ass and circled the rosette of her anus. “You’re not protesting. You’ve done this before a time or two as well, I’m guessing.” Heidi wanted to deny it, but he pressed against her puckered hole and suddenly, she lost her train of thought in favor of the sensations coursing through her. She moaned around a mouthful of cock and sucked Luke’s rod deeper into her mouth while pressing back onto Varin’s finger. Varin chuckled, his warm breath tickling the skin at the nape of her neck. “More? Far be it for me to deny your needs.” Bastard. He knew what she really needed was to stay as far away from the temptation of an orgasm as she could, yet he teased her mercilessly, dipping in and out of her ass with slick, regular strokes.
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He moved his other hand around her and plunged within her folds. Her body writhed in instant reaction. Varin laughed, deep and low, obviously pleased with her response. Heidi didn’t care. Let him think whatever he wanted of her and her body’s responses. In the meantime, the magical energy accumulating over the altar continued to deepen. It still wasn’t nearly enough to open a portal, but it didn’t matter. She felt Luke’s cock pulse and seep another drop of pre-cum onto her tongue. It was only a matter of time until he exploded, his orgasm filling the well of magical energy even more. Heat built within her as Varin thrust two fingers inside her tight pussy. Her every hole filled, Heidi’s muscles tensed, then quaked with barely controlled arousal. She needed to stay alert, to fight the sensations coursing through her. And she did; she struggled to distance herself from every thrust of Varin’s fingers inside her body and concentrate on Luke and his pleasure. Then, just when she’d thought it couldn’t get any harder to fight the pull of climax, Varin tapped her clit gently with his thumb. She screamed, but gagged on Luke’s shaft as he chose that moment to shove his rod farther down her throat and release his seed. The force of the sudden sensations assailing her from all sides was just too much to bear. And just like that, her fight was over. Heidi came, hard and fast, the orgasm rippling inside her sex and blossoming outward to travel through every nerve in her body. She sucked Luke’s cock harder while she climaxed, swallowing every drop of his seed. Her orgasm seemed to last forever, and it no longer mattered what Varin did with her magical energy, though somewhere in the back of her mind, she heard him chant. Panting, she leaned her forehead against Luke’s stomach. His flat abs rippled with the force of his breathing and his softening cock pressed against her chest. The black thatch of curls at the apex of his thighs was matted with her saliva.
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It took Heidi a full moment to comprehend she could see. Shock careened through her, and she reached out to steady herself by gripping Luke’s hips. Her wrists and ankles were free. That realization was just as startling, and she cast a sharp glance behind her, half expecting Varin to have dematerialized. Instead, she found him standing behind her, his arms crossed over his chest. The head of his shaft had turned an agonized deep red color and a drop of pre-cum leaked from its tip. “I thought you’d want to touch him.” Varin cleared his throat. “Luke, I mean. Before I take him from you. I thought you’d want to make love to him as though…” His words drifted off and he grimaced like the admission pained him. “As though it meant something.”
Chapter Four Heidi’s deep blue eyes mirrored the candlelight. Since she’d drawn him through the portal, Varin had marveled repeatedly at the way they changed color, darkening or lightening with her mood. She watched him, brows drawn downward, her mouth set in a firm line, and he’d have had no clue what she was thinking if not for those eyes. At the moment, they were the most magnificent turquoise. The unique pigment made him think of the ocean; at least, what he thought the ocean would look like. He’d never seen it for himself, but he’d heard stories of its stunning hue. Somehow, he had a feeling Heidi’s eyes would surpass the beauty of any natural wonder found above or below ground. “Making love to Luke means everything,” Heidi murmured. She clamped one hand around Luke’s and shifted on the altar so she faced Varin. With her other hand, she rubbed her wrist almost distractedly, but those gorgeous eyes remained glued to his. “You wasted your chance.” Varin shrugged and looked away from her inquisitive gaze. “Not really. There wasn’t enough energy to open the portal. I need more.” She nodded slowly, but he knew she didn’t believe him. Varin squeezed his fist over his cock. A jolt of pure pleasure mixed with unmistakable agony surged through him. He was losing control. His determination and perseverance had been wavering at an alarming rate, but if he chose to, he could still put an end to this. “Do it,” he commanded, his voice hoarse. “Let him fuck you. Hell, pretend it’s your last day on Earth.” He didn’t bother to conceal the sarcasm that dripped from his tone.
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Luke dragged his index finger beneath Heidi’s chin, lifting her face up so she stared at him instead of Varin. “He will take me back. And if not him, someone else will come for me. I made a deal with a demon, and I haven’t carried out the full extent of my sentence.” Heidi shook her head. “That’s not true. I won’t let them.” Luke pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Humor me. Let me pack a lifetime of memories in a few minutes.” He grinned sadly. “I did it before. Let me do it again.” Heidi’s gaze darted back to Varin, her eyes darkening with passion and anger. “It’s not fair, is it, Heidi? How destiny can offer you something with one hand and take it away with the other?” He fought to keep his features stony and uninterested as he spoke, but a twinge of sadness settled low in his belly. Heidi didn’t reply. Instead, she lay on her back, her legs spread open in invitation, her arms snaking around Luke’s neck as she pulled him down on top of her. “This is what you want?” “Yes,” Varin and Luke answered at once. Too late Varin realized she hadn’t been speaking to him. It didn’t matter. The sheer depth of emotion he saw etched on Luke and Heidi’s features as they looked at each other was enough to make him lose what little common sense he had left. Luke settled the lean length of his body between Heidi’s legs. She arched her back and drew her fingers down over her stomach to part her folds. The tip of Luke’s rapidly hardening cock nudged her core, but instead of delving within her soaked slit, he teased her with it, flicking the mushroom head over her clit before sliding it down through her folds. Varin gritted his teeth as he pictured Heidi spreading herself open for him instead. He’d touched her intimately, but he needed more. He had to know what she felt like when her breasts were pressed up against his chest, when her mouth was fused to his, when she screamed his name as she came.
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He trembled and stroked his cock harder, gripping the shaft roughly in his closed palm, moving over his flesh faster and faster. For the first time in centuries, he experienced the rush of adrenaline that came from allowing himself to feel. He’d spent so long closing himself off from everything and everyone while he’d been condemned to drift through eternity in that rotten, dank cell beneath the Earth that he’d almost forgotten what it meant to truly feel. Good things, bad things -- it didn’t matter. Emotions tore through him with enormous fury and he pumped his cock harder, punishing himself for the myriad decisions that had gotten him here. Falling for Lillian. Clinging to Luke when Heidi pulled him through. Letting Heidi get to him and mess up his only chance at redemption in the eyes of his Prince. He bared his teeth while he thrust his cock roughly against his palm, waiting for the onslaught of release. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that when it came, it would only provide temporary relief. Now that Heidi had reminded him of everything he’d been denied, he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to bottle up his emotions again. “Wait.” Heidi’s voice tore through his thoughts. He stopped on the brink of orgasm. A muscle jumped in his jaw. His heart pulsed with a frantic rhythm, and he could hear the whoosh of his blood in his ears. Luke still hovered on top of her. He hadn’t thrust inside her pussy, almost as though he’d waited for her consent before proceeding. His cock looked enormous nestled between Heidi’s folds, almost too big for her to take, but Varin knew she’d welcome him inside her while her body adjusted to the intrusion. Heidi raised herself on her elbows. She beckoned Varin closer with a flick of her fingers, but she kept her eyes on Luke. “I need him to join us.” She tilted her pelvis up a fraction of an inch, and Varin saw Luke grimace. Whether with frustration or renewed desire, Varin couldn’t tell. “You have to trust me. I need him.”
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Varin knew what she meant. His orgasm, when combined with theirs, would create an electrical storm of magical energy stronger than anything either one of them climaxing individually could create. She needed his seed to open the portal and send him back through it before he could claim Luke and return him to Baal. “I don’t understand any of this,” Luke ground out between gritted teeth. “But if I have to share you with him to have you, then damn it, I’d rather have part of you than nothing at all.” This was Varin’s chance to do the right thing and refuse her. He could still maintain a measure of control and when the time came, when Heidi and Luke’s mutual climaxes exploded, he could take advantage of the energy created to do what had to be done. Yet his feet moved almost of their own accord. He stopped at the edge of the altar. Heidi reached out and wrapped her slender fingers around the hand that was still clamped to his cock. He nearly came just from her touch, and she hadn’t even brushed the sensitive skin of his shaft. That’s when he knew he was truly, irrevocably lost. Luke lifted himself off Heidi, giving her room to maneuver. She climbed to her knees and hissed a soft invitation before ducking low and sliding the tip of her tongue over Varin’s engorged rod. If she’d taken him into her mouth, he would have climaxed. She knew better, however, and simply taunted him by squeezing his balls and flicking her soft, hot tongue over different areas of his shaft -- just beneath the ridge of the mushroom head, halfway down the middle, above his sac. With a tormented groan that broke from the depths of his chest, Varin pushed her away. She began to protest, but he shoved her down and gripped her knees, spreading them open. Luke still kneeled between her legs, but there was enough room for Varin to bend his head from the other direction and sweep his tongue into the soft folds of her pussy.
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Varin moaned when her flavor hit his mouth. Her cunt tasted like heaven, sweet and slightly musky, better than any pussy he’d ever sampled in his existence. He sucked her labia between his lips and nibbled at it with his teeth while his fingers dug into her thighs, steadying her. She writhed beneath him, her mound grinding against his chin. When he realized he could stimulate her clit with his jaw as he ate her pussy, he quickened his speed, each swipe of his tongue a well-placed motion that had her bucking. Unlike him and Luke, Heidi could climax multiple times. Each time, her arousal would add to the magical energy already in the air. Yet even if there’d been enough raw power for him to use to open a portal, Varin knew he wouldn’t have done it. Not at that moment. Not when in the blink of an eye, Heidi’s pussy had become more magical than any spell this side of Heaven or Hell. He licked her thoroughly, refusing to leave any part of her cunt undiscovered by his tongue. The whole universe had disappeared while he’d had his head buried between her legs, and when she stilled her movements and ceased panting, he held his own breath, waiting for her climax to hit and praying for the strength to delay his own.
Luke’s vision blurred as he watched the woman he loved brought to climax by the demon who’d see him hurled back into the depths of Hell. Anger burned in his gut and he clenched his fists at his sides but he couldn’t bring himself to pull Varin off her. For all his threats, Varin hadn’t hurt either of them. If Luke had understood correctly, Varin had a chance to open a portal into the Underworld, but had chosen not to take it. And now Heidi insisted on sharing herself with him -- with both of them. She knew more about demons than he did. That much was clear from her earlier demonstration, and from the way she’d dived into Hell to find him. If Luke acted on his jealousy and angered Varin, he’d be responsible for what came next. He wasn’t ready to take that chance. Not yet.
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Heidi’s cries echoed off the walls of the room. Her voice tore through his soul, battering his heart. That was real, genuine satisfaction he heard in her voice, no matter how badly he might have wanted to convince himself otherwise. Varin lifted his head. Heidi’s juices glistened on his chin and he wiped them away with the back of his hand. Panting, Heidi raised her head and looked straight at Luke. Though he wanted to hold her gaze, Luke glanced away. “I’ll explain everything, I promise,” she said. “But right now, I need you here with me.” “It looked like you were doing just fine without me.” Heidi sighed. She climbed to her knees and scooted close to him. Placing a palm on either side of his face, she claimed his mouth with hers. He tried to resist, but the desire surging through his veins made it impossible for his mouth to remain closed. He parted his lips and her tongue snaked inside. For a brief moment he thought he could taste Varin’s cock and almost jerked away before she delved in deeper, her soft tongue swiping against his, demanding his forgiveness, his trust. She pressed soft kisses to the line of his jaw, then to his neck, trailing her lips upward toward his ear. “Sit on the edge of the altar,” she whispered. “I need you inside me.” What she wanted didn’t become clear until he saw the position she had in mind. Luke sat on the altar as she’d asked, his legs hanging over the side. She straddled him, the heat emanating from her pussy warming his stiff cock. He ached to arch upward and impale her on his rod, but he held back, stubbornly waiting for her to make the first move. His soul cried out for reassurance, even as the logical part of his brain insisted that was absurd. He’d been trapped in Hell for years. In all that time, he’d thought of nothing but Heidi, keeping her image in his mind to get him through the horrors he’d had to endure. And now that she was here, in the flesh, he was fighting her? It almost didn’t make any sense. Except when he looked over Heidi’s shoulder and saw Varin positioning himself behind her, it all made too much sense.
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Luke gritted his teeth. A thousand protests lodged in his mind. He was about to give voice to at least a few of them when Heidi slid down his cock and he sank into the tight warmth of her pussy. Fuck, but his cock fit perfectly within her sex. It was as though she’d been made for him. He’d felt the same way the first time he’d fucked her. Then, he’d had to break through the barrier of her hymen. Now, there was nothing barring his way. Heidi took all of him inside herself in one smooth thrust. “Tell me you like this,” she murmured and nibbled at his earlobe. “Tell me you like the way I feel.” “I --” He groaned, then tried again. “I do.” Moisture coated her inner walls and aided his motions. He felt every small movement, each tightening pulse of her cunt around his cock. He kept his thrusts slow and deliberate. Her breasts bounced in his field of vision, and he pressed his lips to her mouth, her neck, her chin, her chest -- everywhere he could reach. When he left red marks from the scrape of his teeth, he laved the hurt away with a swipe of his tongue. “You are so beautiful,” he said between kisses. She sighed and ran her fingertips along his arms. “And you… you’re just like I remembered you. And yet so different.” He knew what she meant. He’d been forever changed by the time he’d spent in Hell and nothing would alter that. At least she understood. Then there were no more words. He watched with undisguised pleasure as she rode him, pinching her nipples between thumb and forefinger, rolling them tightly. A deep blush worked its way from the tips of her breasts to her cheeks, giving her alabaster skin a flushed quality that made her look even sexier than she already did. Luke filed away each response to his lovemaking to cherish later, when he’d need it the most. He’d had no mental images of her reactions to his cock in the past, as they’d first made love in the dark. But now the candlelight provided all the illumination he needed to permanently imprint every inch of her delicious body on his mind.
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Her thighs tightened around him the closer she came to climax. He brought his hand between them and lightly touched her clit. That was all it took. She arched her back and groaned, the sound of her pleasure acting like an aphrodisiac that heightened his senses. When she pushed against him slightly and leaned forward, he didn’t protest. He saw Varin’s massive form move to sandwich her between them, but he no longer cared. The moment her cunt had gripped his cock, an almost supernatural sense of calm took over. Varin would fuck her ass. And Luke would let him. Because deep down, Luke knew she was his.
Chapter Five Varin’s cock nudged the base of Heidi’s spine, then the head slipped lower to nestle between her ass cheeks. “I need to cast a spell.” Varin’s raspy voice sounded almost uncertain as he whispered in her ear. “No.” Heidi’s response was instinctive. She’d allowed him to use his magic once before, and only because she’d been in the throes of orgasm and could do little to stop him. Then, he’d chosen to use his powers to unbind her. She wasn’t willing to take that chance again. “Do you want me?” He pressed up tighter against her, trapping her between his body and Luke’s. The tip of his cock pushed against her tightly puckered hole, slipping in slightly. She grimaced as her body struggled to adjust to the painful thrust. Heidi clenched her teeth. The dying candles laced shadows over Luke’s face. She searched his eyes, finding nothing there but acceptance. Her pussy quivered around Luke’s cock, gripping him tightly as she shuddered with pleasure. “You know I do.” “Then let me make this better for both of us.” Varin gripped her hips tightly, keeping her in place. The head of his cock wasn’t completely inside her, yet she already felt stretched to capacity. “You’re too dry back here. I need to slip inside you, and to do that, I have to cast a spell that will lubricate my cock and prepare me for you. Trust me.” Trust you? Oh, Goddess. Could she?
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An involuntary chill slipped down her spine. She’d heard the raw need in his voice, and she’d seen his desire for her. There was no doubt he wanted her as much as she ached for him. But could she chance him opening a portal? Luke shifted beneath her, his cock settling deep in her pussy. A moan slipped between her lips. Her breasts felt heavy, ripe with wanton desire. She needed more. She needed Varin. Drawing on the lessons Lillian had gone over countless times, Heidi reached upward with her mind and tapped into the energy field that hovered above her. There wasn’t enough there to open a portal to Hell, but there would be. Soon. Gathering her courage, Heidi nodded. “Do it.” “She’la.” Heidi’s breath caught in her throat as the tendrils of power shifted and answered his command. She’d never heard the word he uttered, and she prayed she hadn’t misread him. A second later, Varin pushed his cock inside her. Though it was still a tight fit, her anal passage easily adjusted and welcomed him inside. Moist lubrication coated her back entrance and slid from his cock to drip down her skin. “I’ll have to remember that trick,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips. “Me too.” Luke tweaked one of her nipples between his thumb and forefinger, then pulled it gently. She wished he’d tug harder. The slight promise of pain lingered just beneath the surface, but Luke stopped just short of reaching it. “First though, one of you will have to show me how you do that.” Heidi pressed a kiss to his mouth. To her relief, he responded, his tongue sliding between her lips and sweeping against her teeth. “I promise,” she said when he pulled back. “We’ll have the rest of our lives to teach each other everything we know.” Luke grunted. He thrust upward while Varin stroked her hips, still allowing her body to adjust to his cock.
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“I didn’t learn much from demons,” Luke said. “Varin wasn’t exactly talkative in there.” Heidi chuckled, then gasped as Varin began to move inside her. “I find that hard to believe.” Luke’s hips bucked beneath hers. She held on to his arms, her palms pressed against pale ropes of scar tissue that wound their way from his elbows to his shoulders. Apparently there were some things demons didn’t mind teaching their captives, and they did it none too gently. She pushed the vivid mental image of Luke being tortured out of her mind. Varin had those same types of scars. Whatever had happened in the Underworld, she was beginning to think Varin wasn’t exactly a VIP down there. Varin pulled out his cock, then slammed it inside her ass in one sudden move. A cry tore from her throat as the pain she’d been hoping for blossomed through her body. Pleasure chased it down the length of her limbs, infusing her veins with the sweet blend of stinging ecstasy. “You liked that.” It wasn’t a question. Luke’s eyes were wide, searching, seeking the truth that had to be written clearly on her face. Heat rushed into her cheeks. “Yes.” The admission was barely more than a whisper, but neither man seemed to need more than that. Suddenly, the gentle rhythm they’d set inside her body changed into something else, something savage and needy, something born of deep-seated desires that lingered in all three of them. The energy field above her head writhed and pulsed as their combined pleasure seeped upward to infuse it with more potent sexual magic. Heidi refused to look at it. To do so meant acknowledging the fact that she might only have minutes, perhaps just seconds, before Varin tore Luke away from her. She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t. Varin wound his arms around her legs. He spread them apart and held her as Luke thrust his hips forward, his cock pounding into her pussy again and again. With
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the same frenzied intensity, Varin fucked her ass. He held her in mid-air as though she weighed nothing at all, and Heidi remembered what Lillian had told her about demonic strength. Lillian hadn’t said anything about how incredible it would feel to be cradled in such powerful arms, however. Heidi’s breasts bounced with each movement of the men’s cocks inside her. Their fevered thrusts were unrelenting as they both pulled their cocks nearly all the way out, then sank them back inside her up to their balls. Her entire body quivered, her muscles alternating between tensing and relaxing as their strokes brought her closer and closer to climax. Goddess, but she loved every minute of it. She watched through glazed eyes as Luke grimaced, and she knew he fought to hold back his own release. She didn’t know what Varin looked like, but she had a pretty good idea he was just as close, judging by the heat-filled grunts he emitted when his flesh slapped against hers. The sound of their fucking was the only noise in the room. Varin’s protection spell had shielded them from every outside force, and now the moans, groans and cries of passion echoed off the walls, making her even hotter and wetter than she already was. Luke dragged his fingers across her breasts, by turns pulling on her nipples and massaging the sore peaks. Combined with the other myriad sensations coursing through her, it was suddenly too much. She screamed as an orgasm tore through her sex. Splinters of pleasure segmented her body, filling it to capacity until she thought she’d burst from the sheer magnitude of what she felt. Luke wasn’t far behind. His cock pulsed inside her, his seed spilling out in rapid spurts. She registered every throb through a second wave of climax that caught her entirely by surprise. And then the room shattered into a million pieces. Blue flames licked downward from the energy field, sparking her skin.
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Varin. Oh, Goddess. He didn’t come. He -The door burst open. At that moment, Varin adjusted his grip on her by sliding a massive arm around her middle, holding her to him. He shuddered and cried out, his climax sweeping through them both. She felt his cum jet inside her, impossibly hot, impossibly good. Varin’s hold tightened around Heidi’s ribs in a deeply protective gesture as he came. Luke wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head against her chest, though whether he needed to recuperate from his own orgasm or to shield them both from the energy flames that rapidly spread through the room, she couldn’t tell. Voices reached her ears. Female voices that didn’t belong in her pleasure-filled cocoon of heat and sex and… love. Heidi’s mind could barely make sense of what was happening around her. The walls glowed with blue-hot flames, rapidly banishing the darkness that had curled in around them as the candlelight began to dwindle. When the first black ribbon tore through thin air, ripping through the mortal realm, Heidi shrieked. She fought against the arms that held her, trying to summon up the words that would fuse the portal back together. Random phrases of power slid through her mind and she grasped at them, trying to recall the ones she needed. Everything was happening too fast. She knew she hadn’t cast the spell that opened the portal, and neither had Varin. Which only left -“Lillian.” The agony in Varin’s voice rippled through Heidi, making the hair at the back of her neck stand on end. He still gripped her tightly, and his fingertips dug into her ribs. Lillian’s voice rang out above all others. She chanted with the calm confidence of a demon hunter who’d done this a thousand times, a woman who’d allow nothing to deter her from her goal. She and the other Summoners stood just outside the room, their weapons drawn, their voices joined in a power-filled melodic chorus.
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Then hands broke through the blackened tear. A dozen long, gnarled fingers with black-tipped claws slid through the opening, reaching for Luke. The spell, having been cast from outside the room through a magical barrier, had gone awry. Wraiths were breaching the gap, along with who knew what other creatures of the Underworld. Heidi sucked in a breath between her teeth, gathered up the energy that remained in the room and struggled to make something of it. Shock waves burst through the portal, knocking her out of the men’s arms. She flew through the air, the magical energy she’d gathered sliding between her fingertips to hover harmlessly in the air. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. The world spun around her, faster and faster, as a vortex of fury picked up everything in the room and sucked it through the opening. Luke drifted through the portal first. Hot, sulfur-scented air billowed out in his wake. Tears ran down Heidi’s face and she clawed at the air impotently, reaching for him, grasping for anything that would give her a firm grip on reality. From out of nowhere, a hand closed over her wrist. She felt herself being pressed against a solid chest, but she writhed and kicked, unable to think of anything but Luke’s face as he drifted through the gap between worlds, his lips silently moving as he mouthed her name. The whirlwind intensified. She began to slip out of the arms that held her. The hands clutching for her reached out farther, and one wrapped around her ankle. She almost breathed a sigh of relief. In a few more seconds, she’d be sucked through the opening. She’d be with Luke. In a heart-stopping burst, pain blossomed in her shoulder. She arched her back, a soundless cry ripping from her throat. Agony flooded her body, filling her veins. Yet on the heels of anguish came strength. It whirled through her, imbuing her body with a supernatural drive.
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The firm muscles that had held her with such fierce possessiveness slipped away and she fell forward, free of any restraining force. Varin’s massive physique shot through the air, like a cannonball fired at its target. He slipped through the opening after Luke. A moment later, the words of power Heidi had struggled with only minutes earlier came flooding back. She reached for the magical energy and wrapped it around herself, then used it to slam the portal closed. Heidi collapsed onto her knees. The Summoners circled her, soft voices enveloping her in waves of genuine concern. It was only when Heidi glanced down and saw the blood streaming from her shoulder to trickle between her breasts that she allowed the darkness pulling at the edges of her consciousness to claim her.
*** The impact of falling through the portal into the heart of the Underworld knocked the breath from Varin’s lungs. For a moment, he simply lay there, dazed, trying to gather his thoughts. Wraiths whirled around him, their dark, distorted shapes forming an impenetrable circle of malevolence. They waited for the order to pounce, but judging by the fact they hadn’t attacked yet, Varin guessed the Prince of Darkness wanted a go at him first. That was one encounter he wasn’t looking forward to. At least Heidi was safe. That was all that mattered. He’d gladly spend an eternity in constant torment now that he knew she’d remained in the mortal realm, never to feel the touch of a Demon Guardian’s whip on her flawless skin. Whatever punishment he had to endure, it had been worth it. Imbuing Heidi with his essence, turning her into a demon-kin, had saved her life. She’d be able to take on whatever the world threw at her. Including Lillian herself. Blotches of oozing fungi began to spread under his back, making him itch. Gritting his teeth, Varin rose to his feet, trying to make sense of what he’d seen. With his demon blood surging through her veins, Lillian was practically immortal. He’d
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known there was something familiar about Heidi, but he never would have guessed she’d been trained by Lillian. But no, Heidi had been nothing like Lillian. Where Lillian had been cruel and filled with anger, Heidi was genuine and eager for his touch. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Varin swayed unsteadily as he tested his limbs. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, then relaxed slightly when he realized nothing had been broken in the fall. “That better not be Heidi’s blood on you.” Varin spun around to face Luke. The man glared at him with such fierce hatred in his eyes that Varin took an immediate step back. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “It’s not what you think. I --” The blow came without warning. One moment Varin was staring into Luke’s eyes, and the next he was looking at the man’s clenched fist before it made contact with his jaw. With his demonic powers once again stripped from him, his human body couldn’t take nearly as much punishment as it could have otherwise. Varin heard the sickening crack of breaking bone as agony shattered his skull. So much for nothing being broken. He’d known that luxury wouldn’t last long, but he’d thought it would be Baal himself who’d deal him the first blow. Luke had stolen that little pleasure from the Prince of Darkness. Despite himself, Varin began to laugh. The sound echoed off the stone walls, eerily foreign in the pit of Hell. Here, where screams and whimpers were the norm, Varin’s mirth-filled chuckles agitated the wraiths, deepening their high-pitched wails. They pressed backward into the shadows, opening up the circular space where he and Luke had been unceremoniously dumped. Luke’s lips were pressed firmly together and fire danced in his eyes. Unlike Varin, he wasn’t laughing.
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“You hurt her, you son of a bitch.” Luke swung his fist a second time but Varin was prepared. He caught it in mid-air and wrapped his arm around the other man’s waist, pulling him close. “I promise you she’ll be fine.” He quickly explained what he’d done, using his larger, bulkier frame to keep Luke tightly against him as he spoke. Luke dug his fingers into Varin’s back. Varin thought he’d push away, but instead the man only nestled closer, his chest rising and falling with the force of his breath. “You swear everything you say is true?” “With every beat of my human heart.” Luke looked up at him, but there was no anger left in his gaze. “No powers down here, huh?” Varin shook his head. “I’m as human as you are. And just as much at their mercy.” Luke raised a skeptical eyebrow, but he made no attempt to move away. They remained pressed against one another, hip to hip, soft cocks barely touching. Luke lifted his hand and tenderly brushed his fingertips along the line of Varin’s jaw. “I’m sorry about this.” Varin shrugged. “It’ll get much worse in here. You know that.” “Maybe so. But this time won’t be like the last.” Luke swallowed hard. His gaze dropped to the ground, as though he was no longer able to meet Varin’s eyes. “We have each other now.” If Luke had uttered those words before the summoning, Varin would have thought them absurd. He’d spent two years sharing an enclosed space with the man, and he couldn’t remember ever exchanging two words with him in all that time. But all that had changed. Heidi had changed him. And so had Luke. Varin tilted his head so his forehead leaned against Luke’s. “You’re right. Besides,” he added with as much of a grin as his jaw would allow, “Heidi would kill me if I let anything happen to you.”
Chapter Six A narrow crack of light made its way through the black drapes of Heidi’s bedroom to dance across her face. She woke abruptly, words of power already dancing on her tongue. “Win delera es.” The curtains pulled together, drowning out the only vestige of daylight that dared intrude upon her sanctuary. Heidi sighed, turning on her back to stare at the ceiling. Although there was no visible source of illumination in the room, she could make out the overhead lamp as clearly as if it blazed with the force of a thousand watts. Just one more of the changes that had wracked her body since the day Varin had marked her. Memories flashed across her field of vision. She refused to close her eyes, knowing that if she did, she’d only be tormented by images of the men who haunted every moment of her waking life. As it was, she’d barely been able to shut out the pain lodged in her heart long enough to get three hours’ worth of sleep in the last three days. Her eyelids felt heavy as she blinked, and her head swam in a permanent fog. There would be no rest for her. Not until she got them back. Grimacing against the soreness that still lingered in her muscles, she tossed back the covers and slipped her feet to the floor, careful not to step on any of the glowing runes she’d meticulously inked in magical energy on the navy blue carpet. She picked her way through a disarray of ancient tomes, artifacts and relics, all meant to help her focus her abilities to open a portal into the Underworld. They’d all been useless. She’d attempted the summoning two dozen times since Varin and Luke had been snatched from her, and each time the result had been the same. The spell slipped from her tongue as though she’d known how to utter it her
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entire life, yet when the portal began to open, it was as though Heidi slammed into a brick wall. No amount of praying, chanting or frantic begging ever changed the outcome of the summoning. Eventually, the small tear fused back together, leaving her bedroom as intact as it had been moments earlier, the familiar space mocking her inability to bring back her men. Her men. She almost smiled at that as she flicked on the switch in the bathroom and squinted against the harsh light. At least the effects of artificial illumination weren’t nearly as painful as the ravages of sunlight on her heightened senses, though she still preferred pure darkness to anything else. Her reflection in the wide mirror over the bathroom counter startled her. She leaned in and reached out with her fingertips to touch the cool surface, marveling at her appearance. Outwardly, she looked the same as she had a few days ago. Same blue eyes. Same perpetually untamed red curls. Same pale skin. But inside, she’d been irrevocably changed, altered in a way she couldn’t describe and had no name for. Aside from the extreme light sensitivity and the constant pull of magic that tugged at her soul and instantly called up words of power just when she needed them, there’d been other side effects. She’d inherited Varin’s wild strength. Food held little appeal, and she no longer needed nearly as much to gain the benefits of a three-course meal. But by far, the change that unnerved her the most was her newfound ability to feel the existence of the demons who walked the Earth. They called to her, not in words or images but in the constant knowledge of their lust and burning desires. She experienced the yearnings as if they were her own, and the savage hungers gnawed at her soul, scraping against her heart. Her shoulder burned. She tugged down the wide neck of her cotton nightgown to inspect the bite. It had healed rapidly, forming a round, deep red scar. As she watched, it shimmered in the mirror, heated from the inside with the supernatural
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power that had been Varin’s final gift to her. And his last transgression against the Prince of Darkness. Without his mark, she knew without a doubt she wouldn’t have been able to break free of Hell’s grip. Most of the time, she was grateful for Varin’s sacrifice. And other times, when the pain in her chest grew too hollow to bear, she wished he’d let her go. If he had, then she’d be with them now instead of remaining behind to imagine the vast array of punishments they had to endure for her summoning sin. A rapid knock on her front door startled Heidi out of her thoughts. “I know you’re in there.” Heidi’s heightened senses picked up Lillian’s muffled voice clearly. She gripped the edge of the countertop and pressed her lips together, knowing this time, Lillian wouldn’t leave. She’d come back every day since the night the Scarlet Summoners brought Heidi home. They needed to talk, she’d said as the women left Heidi alone to rest, and promised to return. Heidi had hoped she’d be able to conduct another summoning on her own, but she realized that wasn’t going to happen. She needed to learn what Lillian knew about Hell… and about Varin. She padded to the front hall, her bare feet making no noise as she approached the door and pulled it open. On the other side, Lillian stood frozen for an instant, taking in Heidi’s appearance. Then, graceful as a dancer, she slipped inside and gave Heidi a tentative hug. “We’ve been worried sick about you,” Lillian said when Heidi moved away and locked the door behind her. “Why wouldn’t you let us help you get through this?” “I needed to be alone.” Heidi led the way into her modestly decorated living room and flicked on a small lamp she’d placed on the coffee table. The deep brown lampshade drowned out most of the bulb’s force, while still allowing a little ambient light to escape. Lillian perched on the edge of Heidi’s worn leather couch. “You’re still not going to tell me what happened in there.”
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It wasn’t a question, and Heidi felt no need to answer. Instead, she said, “Tell me how it is you always know exactly where to find a demon.” Lillian’s brows shot up in surprise. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean.” “Sure you do. The way you always lead the Summoners right to a demon’s door is more than a little odd, don’t you think? You’ve never made a mistake. Not once have you pegged a human for a demon or a demon for a human. How is that possible?” Lillian hesitated. She raked a hand through her shimmering mane of blonde hair, then fixed Heidi with a hard gaze. “You’re one of us now, aren’t you?” “I’m not sure I understand what you mean,” Heidi said, coyly echoing Lillian’s words back at her. “There was a demon with you in that room,” Lillian said after another long pause. “He cast the spell of warding around the door, which is why we couldn’t get in and had to resort to casting through the barrier. Damn it, Heidi, we almost lost you. We had to do something.” “No, you didn’t. You just had to trust me.” “Trust you to get yourself sucked into the depths of Hell? Do you have any idea what you’re saying?” Heidi paced the length of her living room. “Actually, I know better than anyone what I’m saying. Luke has spent the last two years down there, being subjected to terrors you and I can only imagine in our worst nightmares.” “Others have spent time in Hell, too, Heidi. Don’t mistake Luke’s plight for the only one that matters.” Heidi spun on her heel, fixing Lillian with a piercing glare. “Others. Like you?” Lillian’s eyes narrowed. “It was a long time ago. I swore then that I would see every single demon who breached the mortal realm perish by my hand, and I’ve kept that promise. They’re all alike, Heidi. Every one of them.” She grimaced as though the words pained her. “They’re cruel and vicious. They treat Earth like it’s their own personal playground, and they delight in tormenting human souls.”
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Heidi recalled the way Varin had held her when Hell itself threatened to tear her away from his arms. He’d fucked her roughly, almost savagely, but only because she demanded it. At other times, he’d been as tender and loving as Luke. And she remembered the way he’d spoken Lillian’s name when he’d recognized her voice. The tenderness and raw hurt in his tone had made the hair on Heidi’s neck stand on end. That wasn’t the reaction of a demon who wanted to terrorize. It was the reaction of a man who’d just seen a ghost. “It must have been difficult,” Heidi mused. “Escaping Hell.” “I did what I had to do.” “Yet you have no scars to show for your time there. I saw Luke’s skin,” she said, deliberately avoiding mentioning Varin. “And I’ve seen yours. They look nothing alike.” Lillian stiffened. “Do you know what it’s like to be torn from your family, from your future husband, from everything and everyone you’ve ever known only to be thrust into the depths of Hell and promised an eternity of darkness? I had to bide my time, to play along with every touch and sexual demand, to pretend I enjoyed every caress. But make no mistake. Scars don’t have to be visible to exist. And I meant it when I said I’d destroy every demon who stepped into our realm.” A shudder ran down Heidi’s spine at the determination in Lillian’s voice. She took a deep breath, then voiced the thought that had been on her mind ever since Lillian stepped through the door. “Tell me how you get there.” Lillian’s eyes widened. “You don’t mean that.” “Something’s happened to me. I’m no longer fully human, and I can’t open a summoning portal no matter what I do, even though other spells come easily. You’ve been there. You can help me find a way to break through the barrier into Hell.” Lillian toyed with the hem of her skirt. “Demons don’t mark humans without a damn good reason. It took me years to convince --” She stopped abruptly and sucked in a breath between her teeth, then shook her head. “The demon who bit you. Who was he? Anyone we know?”
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Although Heidi had suspected Lillian hadn’t managed to get a good look at Varin through the ambient magic that had filled the room, relief still suffused her veins when Lillian confirmed her assumption. “If you’re wondering whether I initiated a summoning for Luke as a cover when I in fact intended to go back after a demon we’d previously sent to Hell, you can stop worrying. It’s no one we’ve dealt with.” Lillian nodded. “I had to be sure. The bite… it’s just strange, that’s all.” “No stranger than what we do on a daily basis would be to most humans. You of all people should know just how quickly the impossible becomes possible.” Lillian slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder and stood. “Why do I get the feeling you’re determined to do this with or without my help?” “Because I am.” Heidi touched the burning bite mark through her cotton nightshirt. “I’m going to bring him back, Lillian. No matter what it takes.” Lillian turned and headed for the front door. There, she hesitated with her hand on the handle, then finally glanced over her shoulder at Heidi. “The next full moon is twelve days away. Meet me that night and I’ll help you pass through to the other side. After that, though, you’re on your own. I’ll call you with further instructions within the next few days.” When Heidi had shut the door behind Lillian, she leaned against it and closed her eyes. Images of two very different men rose in her mind’s eye. She licked her dry lips, a shiver of awareness running through her. “I’m going to bring you both back,” she promised. “No matter what it takes.”
Lacey Savage Lacey Savage began her love affair with romance at an early age. In high school, she checked out steamy romance novels from the public library and would often be found reading them in the middle of class. Lacey still reads more than she cares to admit, and probably more than her husband would like, considering how many books she keeps bringing into the house. Her favorite genres have always been erotica, romance, fantasy, science fiction and mystery, so she tries to incorporate a little of each into her writing. She initially majored in Marketing, then went back to school to major in English Literature. After earning her degrees, she decided to turn her efforts to her true passion: writing. A hopeless romantic, Lacey loves writing about the intimate, sensual side of relationships. She currently resides in Ottawa, Canada, with her loving husband and their mischievous cat. You can learn more about Lacey by visiting her website
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