Demon Lover (Supernatural Alphas)

by Tee, Marian

  He drove for a long time after that. I know it was long because I fell asleep. Then he woke us up again and made us walk. Then he told us to stop. That's when he took our eyes just before pushing us into the hole.

  When I woke up, it was just like he said.

  I wasn't hungry anymore.

  ZARI DID HER BEST TO contain her emotions as Martin finished recounting the last minutes of his life. She felt angry and frustrated, but more than anything she felt helpless, knowing by now that there was truly nothing she could do to put a permanent end to such evil.

  The bad would always exist with the good; that was just how life was, and you just had to keep doing your part, which - in this case - figuring out if there was more to the story about the missing thirteenth boy.

  After assuring Martin that he could go back "home" and play with Elsa, she turned back to Alexandru and found her Master had already jumped down into the grave and was now crouching down on one knee to slowly run his fingers over the soil.

  "Devil's apples..."

  Zari, startled to hear Alexandru seemingly murmur the words to himself, couldn't help asking, "You know about it?"

  "I should think you would, too," her Master answered rather enigmatically as he swung himself back up on the ground.

  "Well, I don't, actually." Zari couldn't help frowning as she watched Alexandru brush off the dirt from his hands. "When Martin used the same term, I had no idea what he was talking about. I didn't even know they were just another word for mandrakes until I got to AGNEX's library to look it up." She saw the way Alexandru's gaze had suddenly narrowed at her and felt uneasy. "Is it really something I should know about?"

  But Alexandru only continued to look at her, and she tried not to squirm.

  "I met with your boss earlier..."

  Her eyes widened. Of all the things she had expected him to say, it was definitely not that.

  "He tells me you had tipped him off some months ago, and both of us know that only means you had one of your visions."

  Zari could feel herself going pale, and she had to bite her lip hard to keep it from trembling. She had tried so, so hard not to think of that, and she still didn't want to think of it.

  Please don't make me say it, Master.

  She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to cry, but the moment she found herself in his arms, it was all over, and the tears rushed faster down her cheeks when she felt him brush his lips against her hair.

  "Then I shall be the one to speak of it."

  No!

  She tried to shove him off at that, but of course he was too strong for her, and his arms were so tight around her that she couldn't even free her hands to cover her ears.

  Please, Master—-

  But Alexandru had already begun to speak.

  "I remember that one night you were crying and drinking yourself to sleep, asking me if I'd hate you if doing the right thing meant you'd risk losing me forever."

  Please stop—-

  "It was not easy getting a message to you from where I was at that time, but I eventually found a way, and you received my answer, did you not?"

  I don't want to talk about it!

  "I'll take that as a yes, which means you know..." And at this, Alexandru's tone became sober for a moment. "I would never hate you. No matter what you did, pet, I would never be able to hate you."

  Zari was sobbing hard now and doing her best to get away as she pounded his chest with her fists and tried kicking him in the groin. While his strength was more than enough to restrain her, the sound of her pain had him breathing hard, and he had to force himself to go on and finish what he had to say.

  "You never told me what your vision was about, but I think I know what it is now."

  It doesn't matter what I saw!

  "You saw someone working for AGNEX open a Devil's Door in New York."

  Shut up!

  "You saw this result in death if you didn't do something about it."

  I'm not going to let it happen!

  "But if you did something about it..."

  Zari sagged against him.

  "You saw something else, didn't you?"

  Zari's fingers curled desperately against his chest. Please...

  "Tell me." And this time, Alexandru spoke as a Master to his pet. "Tell me what you saw."

  Even though her heart was already breaking at what he was asking for her to do, she just couldn't make herself disobey him, and so she heard herself whisper brokenly, "I s-saw y-you dying."

  He wanted to ask her how, but even as exhausted as his pet looked now, he could also sense her determination not to say anything beyond this.

  Zari heard her Master sigh in her mind. You think to save me from death, yes?

  Zari just had to raise her head so she could glower at him. You don't think I can?

  Her Master sighed again. I know you fancy yourself a big, bad trapper now...

  Despite everything, Zari couldn't help releasing a teary little laugh at the gravely spoken words.

  And you think of me as this weak old man you need to protect...

  Zari couldn't help rolling her eyes, knowing full well that her Master was only deliberately teasing her this time.

  However...

  Alexandru suddenly cupped her chin.

  "Do have a little more faith in us, pet."

  Her breath caught as the import of his words sank in, and her eyes started tearing up again. It almost seemed an eternity ago, but there had been a time that her greatest wish was just to be strong enough so she could proudly stand next to him and never have to worry about Alexandru risking his life to protect her.

  And now, he was reminding her...

  That day had already come.

  And together...

  A smile slowly wobbled its way over his pet's lips, and the tightness in his chest gradually eased.

  "I've been a fool..." Zari's tone was part rueful, part shaken. "Haven't I, Master?"

  "Not at all." Her Master spoke in the same (fake) grave tone he had used earlier. "You just didn't want to lose me, and that's why you were incapable of thinking clearly. It's to be expected, considering how incredible a lover I am—-"

  Master.

  The way she wrinkled her nose up at him was too cute, and it had him cupping her face so he could have another taste of her lips. He kissed her with unconcealed hunger, and she kissed him back just as eagerly, her body immediately pressing close—-

  A groan escaped him, and Alexandru had to swiftly cut things off before he ended up fucking her right next to a crime scene.

  There's something else we should talk about, he told her, and after that we can get back to fucking.

  Zari could only nod, not yet trusting herself to speak. She had a feeling if she opened her mouth, she'd only end up begging her Master for a quickie.

  What else do you know about devil's apples?

  Not much, Zara felt rather ashamed to admit. All I know is that they can be used as some sort of cocoon or vessel until demons...

  Alexandru saw the moment the penny dropped, with the way his pet suddenly gasped.

  As you've probably guessed by now, he confirmed grimly, mandrakes are one of the simplest ways to open a demon's door from this side. It is also very likely that the demon responsible for these killings is the same one that you and your boss have been on the lookout for.

  Zari was so startled at her Master's revelation that it had her stammering out loud. "How d-did you know—-"

  "Your boss and I have made a deal."

  Zari didn't know how to feel about this. Exactly what kind of deal is it?

  "The specifics of it are nothing you have to be concerned about," Alexandru dismissed. "But we can talk about it after we solve our current case, if you wish. For now, however...can you call out Martin again?"

  A moment later, the boy was back standing between them.

  "Zari tells me that you know of devil's apples because of your mother."

  "Yes, sir."

 
"Can you recall of any other time you smelled it?"

  "Here in the grave?" Martin asked uncertainly.

  "I meant when you were still alive," Alexandru clarified.

  "Well..." The boy's voice turned thoughtful.

  "Take your time."

  "Oh!" He suddenly looked up, and even with his sockets still empty, it was so easy to imagine the boy's eyes shining with excitement, and Zari had to quickly blink back tears.

  "I remember now. I smelled it again," Martin revealed eagerly, "when the thirteenth boy arrived."

  Zari blinked. I don't get it.

  Alexandru, however, understood all too well.

  Your thirteenth boy, my love, is the demon we're looking for.

  The Apartment Wherein

  She Sees

  Chapter Fifteen

  ALEXANDRU NOTICED ZARI's confusion when she saw him hail a cab as soon as they were out of the park, but her expression changed the moment they had slid into the backseat, and she heard him supply the driver with an address.

  "So you do know about my properties," Alexandru confronted her without preamble as he leaned back against the seat. "When I realized where you were living, it made me wonder if Mihail had neglected to tell you—-"

  "It's not that at all." Zari was horrified that she had made him think such a thing of his older brother. "Mihail tried his best to convince me to live in one of your, um, properties, but..." She lifted her shoulders in an awkward shrug. "It just didn't feel right."

  He raised a brow. "None of them was suitable?"

  "In a way."

  Alexandru felt a little stung. "You truly didn't like any of my homes?"

  "No, no, no." Zari almost cringed, having realized just how much of a mess she was at explaining things. "What I mean is...it didn't feel right because..." Feeling a little self-conscious, she couldn't help looking away from her Master as she mumbled under her breath.

  "What was that?"

  "I said—-" Zari could feel her cheeks turning red as she forced herself to repeat the words. "It didn't feel right because...you...weren't...with me."

  Her face was on fire by the end, and her voice was barely above a whisper, but as soon as she heard her Master chuckle lazily, she realized too late that he had heard her the first time.

  Master!

  But he was already reaching for her, and Zari, conscious of the fact that they weren't exactly alone in the cab, was hard pressed not to struggle as Alexandru dragged her onto his lap.

  The cab's driver staring at us!

  So?

  Can't you please just behave, Master?

  Only if you can try being a little less cute, Alexandru drawled, but I don't think that's possible, pet. You're just too fucking cute—-

  Oh God, he was just too good at making her want to kiss and strangle him all at the same time.

  I can't help but want you.

  She jerked in his lap at the words. Wait—-

  Sssh.

  Zari could feel her cheeks burning up anew even as her body went entirely still the moment she felt both of her Master's hands slid under her sweater.

  M-Master—-

  His hands trailed up ever so slowly, and her heart slammed against her chest.

  P-Please—-

  She sucked her breath in hard when she felt his fingers brush against the undersides of her breasts.

  Oh God.

  Alexandru palmed her breasts with his large, strong hands, and Zari barely managed to swallow her gasp. She quickly pulled the sides of her trench coat close in a futile attempt to conceal her Master's actions, and she had just crossed her arms over her chest when she felt him start kneading and squeezing her already swollen flesh.

  Master, please...

  Please what, Alexandru asked mockingly. Harder, do you mean?

  Zari couldn't speak, with her Master already playing with her breasts more roughly...more forcefully, and oh God, but it just made her feel all the hotter and—-

  I can smell you getting wet, pet.

  Zari bit back a cry.

  Even hear your juices flowing out, soaking your panties.

  The words were too much, the images they evoked in her mind making Zari blindly reach down as her nails dug into the hard muscles of his thighs.

  M-Master...

  She could no longer think, was only conscious of the way he was so expertly playing with her breasts, and when he started rubbing her nipples between his fingers—-

  "We're here, folks."

  A rather dazed Zari could only blink as the hands under her sweater suddenly disappeared, and she found herself unceremoniously dumped back on the car seat while Alexandru opened the door and stepped out of the cab.

  As her Master helped her out, she saw a doorman bow in their direction before going around the car to pay the cab driver, and this turned out to be her first taste of the royal treatment Alexandru received as part of the vampire race's ruling family.

  Alexandru kept a possessive grip on her hand as he led her inside what she knew was one of the city's most expensive residential buildings. Its interior was as elegant and palatial as she expected, but what almost had her tripping was all the familiar faces she saw. Just about every well-known otherworlder in the state seemed to be living here, and she could only mentally wince as she thought about what the other trappers would say, once they found out about Zari moving into Alexandru's fancy digs.

  Although there were other people inside the elevator, her Master didn't hesitate to pull her close and have her completely leaning against his chest.

  Master, Zari found herself pleading again. PDA with humans around were one thing, but PDA in the vicinity of otherworlders whose senses were so many times more acute than humans?

  I'm just holding you close, pet.

  Zari struggled to resist the urge to stomp on her Master's foot, hard. He might just be holding her close right now, that much was true. But there was also the fact that he was fully aroused, and she was excruciatingly conscious of the feel of his thick, hard cock twitching and throbbing against her ass.

  She managed to wait until the last of the other residents stepped out of the lift, but as soon as the doors closed—-

  Alexandru smirked when his pet tore out of his hold the moment they were alone.

  "You're such a bully," Zari gritted out.

  Amused at how easy it still was to rile his pet up, Alexandru spent a moment seriously contemplating on how else he could toy with her. Annoy her more or maybe shake things up a bit?

  Mm.

  Zari couldn't help feeling wary when she saw her Master's expression turn brooding.

  "I'm sorry, pet."

  His tone was rather subdued all of a sudden, and her wariness quickly turned into concern. What's wrong, Master?

  He deliberately held back from answering and instead stepped out of the lift as soon as the doors opened to their floor. Zari soon caught up with him and looked rather anxious as she tugged on his sleeve. Alexandru?

  I'm sorry, he made himself say again. It's the time we've been apart, I suppose. I only make a joke of it so you wouldn't notice anything amiss, but the truth is...there are still times when I have a hard time believing I finally have you back in my life again.

  Oh, Master.

  His steps slowed, and when he turned to face his pet, the look on her lovely face told him she was just about ready to do anything for him.

  But I would never want you to force yourself to bear my touch—-

  No, no, Master! You can touch me anywhere anytime-—And to prove this, she quickly reached for his hand and placed it on her breast. "See?" she asked eagerly. "I was...I was joking, too, but I truly always love your touch—-" But then she felt Alexandru trying to gently pull his hand away, and Zari panicked. "I'm serious, Master,” she insisted. "If you want, you can even, um...you can even p-pinch my n-nipples—-" Zari's tongue ended up all twisted by the time she got the last words out. "And I would never..." She stopped speaking.

  Because right n
ow, her Master's broad shoulders had started to shake...

  Oh my God, he had done it again!

  Alexandru threw his head back with a laugh even as he easily avoided Zari's subsequent attempts to kick and knee him.

  "BULLY!"

  "I'm sorry, my love. I just couldn't resist—-" It was his turn to suddenly stop speaking. "Zari?"

  But his pet's eyes had already rolled back, and he had to lunge forward to catch Zari in his arms as her vision sucked her in, and she started to see.

  The Truth Always Burns

  Chapter Sixteen

  ALEXANDRU KEPT A TIGHT leash on his emotions as he carefully lowered a still-unconscious Zari on the couch in his apartment. It always killed him to see his pet like this, and it killed him even more, knowing that he was still powerless to keep her safe while she was lost in one of her visions.

  The thought of this happening while she was hunting down some poltergeist or ghost chilled his blood—-

  Thank fuck for Elsa and Martin, he found himself thinking while running his gaze over Zari's form, just to make sure that she wasn't suddenly injured or bleeding anywhere. If this were to happen when Alexandru wasn't around to help his pet, he could at least be certain those ghosts would protect her at all costs.

  Zari. He tried reaching her through their blood bond, which he had successfully done numerous times in the past. Can you hear me?

  He waited tautly for her response, and Alexandru's powerful form grew increasingly rigid with every second that passed in silence. Thanks to demons burning down entire libraries about heartkeeping and soul seer magic, every one of Alexandru's attempts to learn more about how Zari's powers worked had been a frustrating waste of time. What little he knew was based on his own observations of Zari alone, and that much told him the longer Zari remained out of reach, the more dangerous—-

  His pet's slender body suddenly jerked.

  And then she was crying and choking, her terrified expression like that of a prey being hunted, and when Alexandru reached for her—-

  A curse almost slipped past his lips.

  Her temper was beyond feverish, her body seemingly burning from within, that the barest touch on her skin nearly scalded him.