The Devil's Masquerade: The Poison

by Jennifer Loren

  “I will need proof of this before I can hand over such a dedicated servant of mine. Let me talk to this witness, and verify their truth for myself. If I find this person trustworthy, then I will be more than happy to hand him over.”

  “Oh Dennis, you know very well that you are not allowed to do that. Of course, I will have to put the request through to the High Council first. They will need to have the request reviewed, and if they find it worthy, then they will send down a notice to hear your pleas. Together, they will review your request, along with all your documentation as to why you should be allowed to speak to the witness, and if they agree then by all means, you may speak to the witness.” She smiles happily. “However, all that can be avoided if you happen to die. You can, then, speak to whoever you want without the council’s approval.” You would have to give up all the extracurricular activities that are not appropriate for a Lord of your level, but if Barr is that important to you, I am sure you won’t mind doing that.”

  “Funny. I assure you I have no evils or inappropriateness in my day to day work. I simply do the job as required, nothing more. I run an honorable business that is like any other common man’s self-employment venture. Is it my fault that I am successful at what I do? I would think not.”

  “You may be able to pass that bullshit onto the High Council, but I know those men committing evils are yours and only abiding by the orders you gave them. I will catch you one day, Dennis, but for now, I want Barr.”

  “I’m not giving him to you without a direct order from the Council, Kamini.”

  “I’m not asking. I’m telling you.” She snaps her fingers and two of her people struggle to bring in Barr, placing him in front of me.

  “Sir, I promise, I have done nothing but …”

  “Shut up! Release him now Kamini!” I demand, standing toe to toe with the witch. She smiles at my demand, reminding me that I have no power over her. One day, I will be in control, and I am going to fuck this woman until I tire of her, and then I will tie her to my ceiling, naked, and leave her waiting for my attention. It would be exactly what she deserves.

  Her beauty was gifted to her specifically as a trap for men, to draw out their evil and then punish them with the most horrific torture I have ever witnessed. Murderers, rapists, the worst of the worst of men, she was born to right their wrongs the only way you can once they die. Even I cannot watch it. Their torturous screams alone make my ears bleed. The last man I saw had killed several children, raped many more, and committed other atrocities that sentenced him to her draw. She came in as an angel, relaxed him, and then forced a power on him one hundred times worse than the total horrors he inflicted in his life. The sight of it all is useless to me, and I find no enjoyment out of that torture.

  “Say goodbye, Dennis,” Kamini says, sliding her monogrammed battle gloves onto her hands. There is nothing I can do. This woman is too powerful for me to tangle with right now. I allow her to take Barr and stand stiff and silent as the witch waves goodbye to me.

  I doubt the accusations about Barr are true. Barr has no interest in sex or even women for that matter; he does as I ask nothing less and nothing more. I would never jeopardize my best warrior. She knows that, and I know she would never sentence a man to a wrongful death. She will be forced to return him in time; she is taking him to hinder me for some reason. I don’t know what she is up to, but I can’t do anything about Barr’s loss right now. I need to concentrate on getting Nicholas home so we can begin the war against our enemies. How best to do that? He is so love struck and drowning in family affairs that it is impossible to get him to believe in anything else outside of them. That fucking woman of his! I want her neck broken in front of me. I want her body ripped from this world and her child to become mine. I must find a way to kill her. A thought comes to mind in my rage, a thought to use Nicholas’s love against him and force him to seek my help. For them. For her. To help protect them all.

  All I need to do first is peak Amery’s interest in Nicholas. I send word to the High Council that Nicholas is under my protection and is not allowed to be approached by any other Lord for their armies. The notice will cause an instant interest among all the Lords but even more so to Amery, who believes it is his own duty to make sure every Lord follows the rules. He has become a pain in my ass ever since he took over his father’s realm. Now, I am going to bait Amery into a war he can’t win.

  Chapter 13

  Nick

  I try to finish up some business, but suddenly have a craving for my wife. I look in on her where she is deeply enjoying her shower. I love watching her shower; it makes my dick hurt to see her swaying hips and hear her humming moans. Her motions would send any man into a sexual frenzy. Wetting my lips, I make a desiring sound to gain her attention. Kayla glances over her shoulder at me and winks, causing us both to laugh. Oh I am going to have to fuck her now. I start to get undressed when I trip over the dog, who is also deeply enjoying watching her. What the hell is up with this dog? “Hey!” I yell, and the dog jumps and runs out of the room. Kayla looks at me with a frustrated expression. “The damn dog is sitting here staring at you.”

  “He’s a dog, Nick. What’s he going to do, take pictures?”

  “I don’t know, but it is strange don’t you think?” I ask her, and she shrugs. “Kayla, the dog was just staring at you naked.”

  “He does it all the time. I assume he must be in awe of the shower. He does like water; he gets into the pool all the time and plays.”

  I huff, “I don’t think it’s the shower he is in awe of.”

  Kayla protrudes her bottom lip, mocking me. “Oh baby, then maybe you should have a talk with him. Let him know there will be no more puppy treats if he keeps staring at your wife in the shower.” She laughs hard.

  I strip my pants off, allowing my erection to breathe proudly. “Ha, Ha,” I say, stepping into the shower with her, causing her to back up against the wall. “Don’t mock me and think you are going to get away with that. Come here, beautiful.” She steps into my awaiting arms where I warm her with all I have as a man.

  I play with my wife and then clean us both up before I step out of the shower and find that damn dog again, lying at Kayla’s feet while she combs out her wet hair, naked. “Maybe you should put some clothes on?”

  Kayla looks back at me in confusion. “Who should? Me?” She looks down at the dog and begins laughing. “Oh Nick, he is just a dog, only a dog who happens to enjoy my attention. I am the one who feeds him after all.”

  “And haven’t you fed him enough already tonight?” My wife is so desirable to me. She can erase my thoughts in an instant by simply moving her body or whispering to me, and she knows it. I stand, watching her until I realize … “Damn it Kayla! The dog. I want him out of our room, and keep him out of our room,” I snarl, trying to hide my smile when she begins laughing. At least she respects me enough to put on her robe before sweetly escorting the dog out of our room.

  She thinks she is funny, but there is something about that dog. I swear there is.

  My frustrations and pride force me to ignore her as she comes to bed, sliding off her robe behind her to expose her naked body to me. I try to pretend I don’t notice while reading my reports, but she knows better. From her toes up to her bare legs and across her stomach, my gaze wanders easily up to her full breasts that bounce freely to the pulsations in my dick. Kayla smiles, leaning in to kiss me while her hand dives under the sheet to stroke my dick. “You seem to be hard again, Baby. Is there something I can do to help you with that?” Suddenly, all the frustrations disappear, and my dick enjoys the loving respect of my wife’s mouth.

  “You are going to force me to …”

  “Force you to what?” she asks, sitting up and wiping her lips with a smile. I sharply smile back before taking her hands and lifting her to where I want her. My dick knows where to go. I don’t have to give it any direction; it finds the soft wet place that sends her moaning backwards and me ramming forward.

  �
��You know, Princess, if you wanted to fuck, all you had to do was ask, but I did enjoy the prep work,” I say, twisting her into a better position so I can suck on her breasts and squeeze her ass deeper into my hips. My dick is full and ready to explode when she grips me tight and begins to rub her hips against me even more. Kayla’s lips pinken, becoming fuller and wetter, causing me to want even more. I watch her, feel her come on me, and instantly explode into her with everything I have. I growl my appreciation as I lie her down into the soft bedding. Her angelic image, shining brightly in front of me, is more amazing every day. “I would be lost without you, Kayla.”

  There is something wrong, I have felt it all day, and it is just getting stronger as the day goes on. I continue to search within the shadows for something, or maybe someone, but so far… nothing. I know I am making everyone uneasy, but I bring everyone in and keep them close as we finish out the day. As we make one last stop, the feeling grows stronger, and I demand everyone to be on guard. I search the shadows hard, cursing every movement within. Ryan looks at me and then all around us before looking back at me again with a puzzled expression. “What the hell are we looking for?” I hold up my hand and listen. “I don’t … fuck!”

  They come at us with a walk to destroy, and I am their main goal. They walk up on my bodyguards and throw them aside with ease. There are many and one steps up to challenge me personally with a hardened duty within his black eyes. I square my body towards his and feel my hands tense, with fire building inside of them. I know I can take this man, but my overeager brother decides to go at him first. Ryan makes his way into their path. “Ryan no!” I yell at him, but it is too late. They already realize, and now he has become a target too. There is a leader among them, directing them from here to there and focusing their full force on Ryan and my guards. Now, do I rescue my brother or continue to protect my more vulnerable guards’ backs? Ryan is handling his own, but he is wearing out quickly. The sound of his breaking point sends me searching and watching him fall. A low growl rumbles from my throat and emerges as a death threat to them all. The once mighty and strong stand back in fear, and are ready to retreat just by the feeling of my eyes on them. I remove the attackers from my brother’s back easily which causes the others to step back, and most to run. Their leader loses his smile. I step towards him and bare down my focus. He takes a breath and fights with only a few at his side. He is a warrior for sure but not one that is strong enough to take me on face to face. When the dust clears, my men look upon me in awe, and my brother steps up to stand at my side.

  I believe it is over, but then I look up to the roof of the building in front of me and see one more, a spectator. My swirling eyes meet his, and I can do nothing to detour him. We are of the same body shape, but when he stands into the light, it is clear he comes from another family. His sandy blond hair and his bright eyes begin to swirl gray, warning me to stay away. A curl of my lip sets my intensity into motion, and I match his resilient warning with no fear.

  The man smiles. “Perhaps another time, Nicholas. I am apparently not properly prepared for you. One day though. One day I will give you a shot at me,” he says as I near.

  He leaves, and I look over at my brother as he wipes the blood from his chin. “I had them, you know,” he says. I growl at him, shaking my head. “What is your problem?”

  “Did I not tell you to keep a low profile? I told you to make sure you don’t stand out and make yourself known. You just became a target, Ryan!”

  “Fuck you, Nick!” I can handle them as well as you. If you would just teach me what you know already then I could help you even more. Hell, I was handling them all tonight without you. If you would have given me a chance, I would have finished it, too. They don’t scare me.”

  “It’s not them that I am worried about,” I say as he huffs and tries to walk away from me. I grab him and pull him back. “Ryan, if Savage finds out about you …” Ryan jerks his arm away from me.

  “I got it Nick, but maybe you should start realizing I am not a kid anymore and can handle myself,” he says, reminding me of a conversation I had with his mother once.

  Ryan’s mother asked me to look after him because she knew as well I did that he is stubborn and determined to be at my side, not following behind me. Ryan looks at me now as he has always done, strong and determined to prove he is just as a capable. “Little King, that’s what the name Ryan means,” I say to him as he settles his brave chest down. “That’s why your mother named you that. She thought you were going to be something special. She knew, as well as I do now, that you are something special, and you deserve my protection. I am nothing more than a King’s protector, Ryan. Now let me do my job as I promised your mother.”

  Chapter 14

  Nick

  Kayla insists on us going out to this charity event she has been planning for months. It is a good cause, and good publicity for our family detours people from the rumors of us being criminals. After all, “philanthropist” is a much better title than “criminal. It’s good for our expanding children’s gym business and our boys, too. Kayla says it gives them something to be proud of and talk about with their friends. Of course, she asks to go to this event without knowing the conflict I faced the night before. The only way to convince her to stay home is to tell her, and that is something I am not willing to do. I don’t want her to be in fear any more than she already is. So while she enjoys the night, I keep my eyes on everyone around her. I am tense and ready to pounce on anyone that looks the least bit out of line. Sure enough, a man sneaks in, eyeing Kayla directly. I move in on him, break him, and send him tumbling back out the door where Dwayne takes care of him for me. There are a few more that make their way in from one place or another, and each time, I have to casually scramble to get rid of them. What concerns me is every one of them is focused on getting to her, and none bother to search for me. Someone is out to get to me by killing her, and that makes me even more nervous. As the night winds down, I am more than ready to go when Kayla leaves my side to go to the bathroom, but as I wait for her, I notice her being escorted outside to the alleyway. I am on my feet and out that door in a heartbeat, ready to attack, ready to kill, only when I get there, I see the group laughing and pulling party supplies out of the back of a van. I spot Kayla laughing too as she helps another woman light candles on a cake she is removing from the car. I walk up to her side and sigh.

  “Nick, what’s wrong?” Kayla asks.

  “You said you were going to the bathroom?”

  “I said that to everyone so no one would suspect the cake we got for Nancy. She organized all this, and today is her birthday. I thought we should reward her with something.” She looks over me and my tense posture before ushering Janice inside. “Thank you, Janice. Go ahead and start without me. I will be in a minute.”

  I smile with an apologetic expression until she is gone. Then, I turn back to my wife. “Kayla, you know I don’t like you disappearing from my sight these days. Not even for a few minutes.”

  “Nick, you have been a ball of stress all night. What’s wrong? There is something that you are not telling me.” She reads me better than anyone.

  “I have a bad feeling, and I am just on edge about it,” I say, not appreciating her doubtful expression. “This is not the safest event venue, and that makes me worry a little more than usual.” Before I can say another word, I feel a metal object being pushed into my ribs.

  “Okay mister, I don’t want to hurt you or your lady friend, so just give me your money and that jewelry she has on, and nobody gets hurt,” a man says, poking me in the back with what I assume is a gun. I knew it! I must have missed him coming on me because of Kayla distracting me. Damn it! I tense, meeting Kayla’s eyes.

  “Nick, no!” she yells at me, shaking her head.

  I turn to the man, grab him by the collar, and pick him up off the ground to eye him perfectly. “Oh shit! Never mind. Keep your money! In fact take mine,” he yells as a rumbling growl erupts from my chest.

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nbsp; “Nick, no don’t kill him. He is a friend of mine!” Kayla yells out.

  “Oh, please Nick, please! I can’t die today. My Momma will kill me,” he cries out, annoyingly. He opens his eyes and looks into mine. “Oh what the fuck is up with your eyes? Am I going to hell? Please Nick, please. I didn’t mean any harm. I just wanted to get my Momma a gift for her birthday,” he whines before looking back at Kayla for help.

  “He is harmless, Nick.” Kayla lifts his hand with the gun in it. “See it isn’t even a real gun. Just a water pistol.” The man holds it up nodding before shooting water at me and pissing me off even more. “Oh don’t do that, Ro. Nick, please. He really is harmless, please let him go. I am sure he will never do anything like this again, will you Ro?” Kayla grasps my hands around his neck and tries to ease me off of him.

  “No, I will never, ever do it again, Nick,” the man says with a rickety voice.

  “Stop whining. You’re annoying me,” I say to him.

  “Oh,” he gulps, looking back up at me with a forced smile, shaking to the point that he begins to cause my whole body to vibrate.

  “Stop that shaking,” I say to him, but all he does is close his eyes and shake even harder. I ease up some, and he looks up at me with hopeful eyes. “I can’t kill you when you shake like that. It is distracting,” I say to him.

  “What? No,” he says. “I mean, please don’t hurt me. I tell you what. I can get you a great new watch or tickets to the game or, or, or I know! Great seats for you and the lovely lady to the Ice Capades?” he says, opening his coat to show all kinds of used crap.