by Nikki Sex
My demon vibrates with excitement.
Violence! Blood! Flesh! Death!
Anticipating a heady hit of death magic, my inner monster is delighted. Paradox isn’t dead, but he’s close. I hold my blood-frenzied demon back. Thankfully, he’s an obedient child, despite his urgent desire to join in the slaughter.
What will I do the day he disobeys me?
Without warning, there’s a loud scraping sound of rock upon rock. Leonidas calls out as he blurs past me, pushing against the massive bolder with all his strength. The huge rock inexorably grinds along the gutter built for that purpose. Leonidas pulls away just in time. It lands with a heavy thud and a cloud of dust, completely cutting off what may be our only exit.
Stay calm! Be calm! I reassure myself. My Jugulo can flash us out of here, or can he?
I look down at the mortally wounded monarch and the pool of blood beneath him. Paradox has lost consciousness—Stafford tightly presses down on the vamp’s wound. My inner wolf whimpers at the thought of being trapped, while my demon sings with ecstasy.
Naturally, I am conflicted.
Paradox may die.
We may all be imprisoned in this dark tomb forever.
And yet, the delicious spear of magic, energy, and heat thrusting through my body makes me shut my eyes with sensory pleasure. My breath comes in small, chest-heaving gulps. Nearly blinded by the high-voltage power running through my veins, my pulse beats loud and fast in my throat.
Will Paradox die?
To my shame, a large, greedy part of me hopes so. Don’t judge. You try sharing your life and your body with a demon. See if you don’t get strange appetites, too.
A scalding rush of anticipation tightens everything low in my body. Blood! Blood and power! I wallow in the scent of violence. Death is extraordinarily intoxicating, yet also dark and unpleasant.
My lust-addled brain, joins hands with despair.
I’m happy, I’m sad.
I’m ecstatic, I’m scared.
In the back of my mind, I hear music from the song, “The Sound of Silence,” by Simon and Garfunkel. Hello, cognitive dissonance, my old friend.
Yeah, this is my normal. The story of my life.
Chapter 50.
I stand motionless, feeling both cold and hot.
Owen rushes toward our fallen ally. Slipping in a pool of Paradox’s blood, he falls, slides three feet on his skinny ass. Recently changed into a shifter, and only a teenager, he isn’t as graceful as older wolves.
His frickin’ laser light flashes in my eyes, snapping me out of my trance. Realizing I’m holding my breath, I force myself to inhale.
“Fucking hell!” I fall to my knees beside Paradox. He looks bad, his neck sliced wide open. “Can we save him?”
“We can,” Leonidas replies mildly. “If he is immediately provided life essence.”
“Can he feed on you, Jugulo?” Stafford asks.
“He could, if we were magically bonded as mates.” Sword in hand, hyper alert, our vampire looks as if he’s guarding us from attack. “Regrettably, the Vampire King and I have no such connection.”
The Beast Lord crouches down, slips off Paradox’s headlamp, so it doesn’t blind us. “You’re not donating blood, Jan,” he growls, jealous at the thought. “Neither will I.” He turns, momentarily shining his spotlight on Owen’s young, frightened face. “If Paradox dies we’ll be at war with the vampires. It must be you, Owen. Will you willingly share your blood with the Master of Vancouver?”
“Of course, my Lord,” Owen replies earnestly, his green eyes wide and trusting. “What do you need me to do?”
I sigh. Poor Owen, he’s had some hard hits in his seventeen years of life. Abusive father, tortured by a demon, bitten by a werewolf. Recently asked to use his nose to track a corpse, then finding more than one. Now, donating blood to a vampire, which will likely be his first sexual experience. Stafford told me werewolves grow up fast, but this is ridiculous.
Stafford grasps Owen’s arm with one hand, a long wolf claw glides out from the other hand. Using the sharp talon, he neatly slices deep into an artery on Owen’s wrist.
I nearly moan as his pulsing blood pours directly down the vampire’s throat.
Mmm. Blood! Fresh blood!
Raw, red, blood-magic spills into the vampire. Within moments, Paradox’s hands rise. Trembling fingers clutch Owen’s wrist as the vampire latches on, sucking with more pressure per square inch than a top-of-the-line Dyson vacuum cleaner. My inner demon hums, absorbing power, magic, and sexual energy.
Owen shakes, his face screws up in a rictus of agony. What he’s feeling is far from pain. In this moment, vampire venom is sending billions of impulses to his brain, causing him to register toe-curling, chest heaving, mind-blowing pleasure.
I shouldn’t watch this intimate moment, but I can’t take my eyes off him. With a trembling groan, Owen’s entire body stiffens. Then he bucks and shudders in a violent climax. Moments later, he releases again.
And again.
And again, already!
Each and every orgasm is an explosion. Hard not to be impressed.
Christ, what’s the saying? Young, dumb, and full of cum? Damn, the magic these two are generating tastes delicious and is sexy as hell.
Stafford raises his eyebrows, flashes me a quick, wry smile. No wonder he declined this honor. Vulnerable, defenseless, bucking, and shuddering from continuous climaxes. No, feeding Paradox is not an Alpha in charge activity.
Having experienced Leonidas’s highly seductive fangs, I know how Owen feels. Desire is a hot beating pulse between my legs. I lick my lips, resisting the need to touch myself. If Stafford kissed me, or bit my neck, or barely brushed between my legs—I’d come instantly, panting like a locomotive with a full head of steam.
Talk about embarrassing. How would I explain that?
The Beast Lord watches his pack member with concern, but it’s Leonidas who puts a stop to the multi-orgasmic feeding frenzy. The Jugulo forcibly wrenches Paradox’s jaws open, freeing the young wolf. Taking Owen’s wrist, he licks and seals the wound.
With the injury closed, Stafford effortlessly picks up his pack member, setting him down so he’s seated against the wall. “Thank you, Owen—you’ll feel more yourself presently,” he assures in his deep, husky voice.
Those eyes, that hair, his face! I want him inside me. The Beast Lord is so damn hot! I grit my teeth, force myself to take a breath.
Must. Not. Orgasm!
Leonidas drags Paradox to the opposite wall, props him against it. The Vampire King coughs, runs his tongue over his lips to catch every last drop of blood.
“More,” the injured vamp groans.
“Soon,” Leonidas assures him.
“More!”
I crouch down, take Owen’s hand. “You OK?”
“That was incredible!” the young werewolf artlessly gasps, drunk with pleasure. “Even better than being behind the bleachers and reaching third base with Caitlyn Griffiths.”
Stafford meets my gaze, we laugh out loud.
“Feeding the vampire was a necessity,” I say. “Let’s not make it a habit. How’s your strength?”
“I’m a little dizzy, but I’ll be OK.”
For balance, I rest my hand on the wall behind Owen. I’m surprised by how smooth it feels. Curious, I shine my light on it. “Check this out, Stafford. The walls are jet black and glassy. This room is nothing like the tunnel we just went through. This rock is obsidian.”
“I agree.”
Attempting to move the boulder, I hear Leonidas mutter a sudden oath under his breath.
“What is it?”
The Jugulo rises to his feet. “I tried to call the void, but could not reach it. Naturally occurring volcanic rock or not, it has been magically altered to prevent void travel. The damned boulder is also enchanted—I am unable to move it. I believe this place may have been built as a paranormal prison.”
“Shit.”
Frowning, a look of
concentration comes over Stafford’s face. “I can’t contact my pack second, either.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket, shakes his head. “Some magical property is blocking all communications in or out.”
Dread sucks the air from my lungs. My pulse kicks up, catching Stafford’s attention. Visions of being trapped skip viciously through my head. When caught in a ball of demon-cursed sorcery, I’d been buried alive. I was frozen and alone in the dark forever—or so I thought.
One thing I’ve learned, fear is contagious. If I ruthlessly stifle it, even terror can be contained. If I give in, it spreads like wildfire.
“I hear water running.” Stafford pushes to his feet. Strong, arrogant, and commanding, he’s aware I’m terrified. “There’ll be another way out. We’ll find it.”
“What’s wrong?” he sends mentally.
“Meh. A little phobia of mine. I’ve been trapped before.”
He takes my hand, pulls me into his arms. A minute ago, his touch would’ve triggered an orgasm. Stabbed by bad memories, my cresting arousal has disappeared.
“I’ll get us out of here.”
His absolute confidence extinguishes my fear like water quenching a fire. He’s comfortable and self-assured in this damn cave. Oddly, that makes me feel at ease, too. A result of mate-bonding, perhaps?
I pull back from him, exhale loudly. “OK. What’s the plan?” I ask, astonished my voice is even.
“Paradox must remain here,” Leonidas says. “He needs more blood. I suggest we find Taboo, and bring her back so he can feed from her. While we search for Taboo, we’ll also look for another way out.”
Weak and desperate for blood, Paradox stares at me hungrily, as if I’m an uneaten dinner. Female and ultra-powerful, I’m his idea of a perfect meal. As his “Jan-cola,” at least I’d have an orgasm. The Vampire King wouldn’t need much, not with my demon-charged blood.
Paradox offers riches, influence, and power, but nothing budges my mate an inch. Stafford’s stern, pissed off, adamant. Teeth bared with the threat of bloodshed, his menacing glower isn’t a look he’s ever given me. Yeah, the Beast Lord has a super scary side.
“Absolutely not,” Stafford says. “You’ve fed—you’ll live. We need our strength to find Taboo—”
“But I’m so hungry!” Paradox whines. I turn away so the vampire can’t see me smile. Pain or sickness can cause even the toughest guy to behave like a petulant child.
“No,” Stafford snarls. “Get a grip, Paradox. We need to focus on getting out of this mess. As it is, our pack’s not at full strength, thanks to your traitorous bodyguard. We will bring you your blood-bond. Be happy with that.”
The matter decided, we make Paradox as comfortable as possible, place his sword in his hand, prepare to move on.
At that moment, a low, deep moan, echoes throughout the cavern. My magical ring throbs—her version of a warning.
I wince, my shoulders hunch. There’s alluring, yet dangerous energy in that sound—I feel it humming deep in my bones. Worse, I recognize the blood-red aura of the scary ass entity. Hundreds of dead starlings and killer whales would also recognize it, if they were still alive.
Oh shit. This is the creature that wants to eat me. If I’m not careful, I’ll end up on the menu after all.
Chapter 51.
This is bad. Very, very bad. Demons are connoisseurs of energy, they appreciate minute variance, and subtlest nuance. My inner friend can satisfy his appetite with a human, yet he’s particularly fond of anything with a paranormal energy signature. That kind of buzz infatuates him.
Whatever this malevolent entity is, it draws my inner monster. This isn’t attraction, it’s obsession. My demon loves this evil creature. He’s like a dog, seeking something truly foul to roll in—the stinkier and more disgusting the better.
“Right, let’s find Taboo and get out of here.” Stafford says. “Are you strong enough to continue, Owen?”
“I’m good.”
Paradox weakly protests being left alone, but we can’t carry him. He has a sword for protection. He must manage on his own.
Every sound we make echoes loudly as we creep another two-hundred-feet through a narrow tunnel. Stafford reaches toward me with his free hand. The moment we touch, our magic merges.
I sigh with unexpected relief. I didn’t realize how freaked out I was until his contact calmed and grounded me.
“Are you OK?” he sends.
“Yeah, now that I’m holding your hand.”
Eventually, we enter a larger chamber. The large open space holds what appears to be a subterranean lake, yet it isn’t a lake. It’s a vast river of leisurely moving water. Radiance shimmers from the river, magically illuminating the area.
My entire body rebels at being underground, yet in this open space I feel less confined. Something evil is down here with us. Still, in a larger space, near light and freshwater, I breathe easier.
“This way,” Owen says. Following Taboo’s scent, he turns right, keeping a steady pace.
“Check this out,” I say out loud, awed by the sight of the sparkling blue energy before us.
“Impressive,” Stafford agrees. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“No?” I ask. “To me, it looks like sea sparkle, a type of luminescent plankton. A single drop of water contains thousands of them. They float under the surface of the ocean, flashing brightly when disturbed. But this light show is so spectacular, it’s like sea sparkle on steroids.”
Like my magical ring, are these little guys disturbed?
“You think it’s sea sparkle?” I ask our vampire, who’s trudging along behind Owen.
Leonidas gives a half shoulder shrug. “Either that, or an enchantment.”
In this soft glowing light, we extinguish our headlamps. I find myself walking on an honest-to-God sandy beach, along bright, cobalt blue water. In deeper areas of the river, the water is a rich ultramarine. The reflective nature of the cave makes the ceiling look like stars in a night sky.
Owen stops, studies the surroundings. “It’s so beautiful here.”
The Beast Lord nods. “Very much so.”
“Beautiful, but warded,” Leonidas says. “John would tell you that obsidian grounds spiritual energy in the physical plane. Perhaps that explains my inability to sense the void. If necessary, I will swim downstream to locate an exit. I don’t require air. Most likely I will be expelled into the Pacific Ocean. Once I escape, I will return with assistance to free you.”
“Don’t go,” I blurt out, surprising myself. “I have a bad feeling about this place. For now, I think we should all stay together.”
Leonidas’s blue eyes shine brightly in the dim light. “Your heart raced the instant you heard that sound. It is still elevated. Do you know what that was?”
“Jan and I have sensed it before,” the Beast Lord replies.
“It’s powerful, ancient, and starving,” I add. “I’ve felt its hunger. The creature lives on life force. It recently consumed the flock of starlings that kamikazed into a Vancouver high rise. It’s the reason behind those beached whales. I’m fairly certain it intends to devour me next.”
Leonidas protectively moves closer, intently scans the area for danger. “Do you sense it now?”
“Yes, I taste its magic.”
Stafford looks at Owen. “Is Taboo close?”
“I believe so.”
“Let’s find her, wherever she is, and get the fuck out of here.”
We keep moving alongside the river until the large chamber narrows, gradually climbing upward. Owen leads the way, then Leonidas and me, with Stafford protectively following behind. No longer walking on sand, we watch our step on the slippery, obsidian floor. It’s impossible to hear anything with the volume of water loudly rushing over waterfalls.
The blue sea sparkles, lighting way, begin to dim. We switch on our headlamps.
After trudging along for about an hour, we enter another large cavern. The slowly moving lake returns, so do the sea spar
kles. The walls, black and glassy, once more reflect light from the river. We move as noiselessly as possible, until we go around a bend.
Round the bend is right!
I gasp as I see row after row of silver-barred jail cubicles before us. Probably six by eight foot, not one cell is empty. Each contain one or more skeletons.
Stunned, we pause, but no one says a word.
Is this for real? As we move forward, we realize not all the skeletons are human. Others are animal, or human and animal hybrids. Many skeletons have partially crumbled, others have turned to piles of dust. These creatures must have starved to death. At least they’ve been dead for a very long time.
This is seriously fucked up. I swear, I’ve seen horror movies less disturbing. Dark and twisted is my everyday life, but this is too dark, even for me.
Where the hell are all the ghosts? Considering how they died, it’s difficult to believe they’ve all passed over.
“Do you think these are sorcery experiments?” I send to Leonidas and Stafford. It’s tricky, but I’m getting the hang of simultaneously mentally communicating.
Neither of them has a clue.
My demon hums with interest, my wolf sniffs with curiosity. One skeleton seems to be half horse, half human. Another part mountain lion, or bear. One skull has a horn protruding from the center of its thick forehead, others have horns on either side. When alive, they would’ve looked like the devil himself.
What in the hell were these beast creatures?
Hell, indeed.
Excited about something he’s scented, Owen’s green eyes glitter. He silently points to an opening that leads to another, darker tunnel. A dry cavern, there will be no sea sparkles in there.
Stafford goes first. Within moments his fiery anger washes over me. Whatever’s in there makes him furious. He’s pissed off, yet saddened, and seriously upset.
“Are you OK?” I send.
“No,” he snaps back.
Striding closer, I step inside, astonished to see more bodies—lots and lots of dead people. I don’t hear a single heartbeat, breath, or movement from any of them. As far as surprises go, this one’s a doozy. These corpses are different, they still have flesh on them.