These wishes came in the form of a white light and a breeze, filling every corner of her being. They flowed through her, around her. They surrounded her and pushed away all else. She felt strong and capable.
The necklace grew hot. Shadows played on the marble shower walls. Dark rainbows blended into them as the white light overflowed her body. While the shadows remained, the dark crystalline stone took on glimmers of its former magic. The pendant flared with the blended power. She felt the new magic soak into her pores, becoming a part of her.
A splintering pop rang out. The noise snapped Sabrina out of her vision. The bathroom mirror had split.
* * * *
Brandon left Sabrina on the bed, walked to the living room, and flopped down on the couch. Putting his hands over his face, he let out a heavy sigh. He rubbed his eyes and took his hands from his face. He looked over at a tense Hadrian, who was watching him back.
“So. You think Delilah’s right about Thanatos?”
Hadrian shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s possible. I never really thought about how Aradia created Sabrina. She’s a goddess. Nothing is supposed to be impossible for them. It never occurred to me that Sabrina came from a magical mix and not something physical.” He got up and walked out on the balcony.
Brandon joined him. They both leaned on the railing and looked down at Atlanta stretched out below them. The only sounds came from street noises below and wind whipping between the buildings.
Brandon broke the silence. “Is there a way around this?” He stared straight ahead, not wanting to betray his inner turmoil.
She was his whole world now, the last woman who would ever mean anything to him. The possibility of losing her gnawed at him. Life without her would become one endless night of despair.
In a moment of clarity, he finally understood Hadrian’s loneliness separated from Aradia. The stoic emperor gave up a prosperous empire, a family, and his natural life for the woman he loved. He lived as a fugitive with her for centuries only to have her captured and imprisoned. He saw her every night, her energy dispersed in the sky, but could not touch her.
Hadrian exhaled in a huff. He ran his fingers through his thick pile of black curly hair, grabbing a fistful and hanging onto it. “I don’t know. If this were a rival group of some sort, I would say to be very cautious but go on with life as usual. You don’t want to give away that you’re on to them. It might force their hand and make them jump the gun on their plans. Delilah’s right on that point. We need time to figure out what he wants.” He let go of his hair and turned to face Brandon.
“Mea Dulcis is everything to me, but the gods are jealous creatures. They don’t like to think anyone can best them. I know you vowed to never let anyone take her. Your determination is commendable, but don’t make promises that you might not be able to keep,” Hadrian told him.
Brandon stayed leaned on the rail and looked at his father-in-law. “Are you saying there is no hope?” Inside, he needed to scream at the prospect.
“I didn’t say that. We’re going to get her through this. I’m just saying don’t overextend. It’s easier to ride to the rescue when there’s not a broken promise involved,” Hadrian advised.
The wind blowing between the tall buildings shifted. The French doors banged open. A flurry of curtain fabric fluttered around, allowing the light to pour out onto the balcony. Shadows played everywhere. A tendril of energy began bending the dark shapes toward the apartment.
They swirled into a vortex just inside the door. Dark rainbows danced around the room. Within the vortex, lightning bounced from side to side. In a brilliant flash, a single bolt jumped from the vortex. It streaked further into the apartment. An ear-splitting pop came from the bathroom.
Brandon held his breath, expecting to hear Sabrina scream. Nothing. If his heart worked, it would have stopped. Fear flooded his system. He sprinted to the master bedroom, not knowing what he might find. He stopped short in the doorway to the empty room.
Hadrian bowled him over, and they tumbled into the room together.
“Where is she?” Hadrian sounded almost frantic.
The hiss of running water led Brandon to the bathroom. He rapped on the door. No reply came. His stomach clenched.
“Sabrina, honey, are you in there?” He did his best to keep the anxiety out of his voice.
Again, no answer came. He tried the knob. It was hot enough to burn his hand. He jerked back the stinging flesh and gave Hadrian a shocked look.
The elder vampire waved him away from the door. Once Brandon removed himself, Hadrian kicked in the door. Splintering wood scattered all over the room.
A thick black fog rolled out into the bedroom. Hadrian stepped back, gesturing for Brandon to go ahead of him. As Brandon entered, he realized the emperor did not follow.
He looked around to find Sabrina still in the shower. A white glow surrounded her briefly and faded. He took another moment to make sure she seemed okay.
“She’s still here,” he called back to her father.
“Is she safe?” Uncertainty colored Hadrian’s tone.
“I think so. She’s still in the shower,” Brandon warned, hoping Hadrian stayed outside the room.
“What’s that glow coming from?”
“Her. There’s a hazy shadow and rainbows coming from the necklace, but she has a fading white light around her,” Brandon explained.
The sight of a wet, naked Sabrina made his cock stiffen. Something about her called to him like a siren calls a ship. He throbbed with need, ached with it deep down to his marrow. The sound of Hadrian stirring in the bedroom distracted him just enough to not rush forward and claim her.
“Brandon, what the hell is going on?” Hadrian’s hard tone and gruff voice snapped.
Forcing himself to look away from Sabrina, Brandon turned his head to address Hadrian. “I’m not sure. I think we should let her get dressed,” he said.
Hadrian nodded. He locked and closed the bedroom door behind him.
Before Brandon could turn his attention back to Sabrina, a streak hit him full force. He lost his balance on the door debris and stumbled back into the wall. For a moment, his vision blurred when he hit his head. A wet body pressed against him.
* * * *
Sabrina did not understand what made her do it nor did she care. A primal instinct took over. His looking away triggered a power deep within her. The prey was vulnerable.
He smelled of desire, of need. His hard cock strained against the denim. Everything about him said he wanted her.
She twined her fingers through his dark hair and crushed her lips on his. Her nipples hardened as they brushed the soft knit fabric of his tee. She felt her pussy cream.
At first, he seemed too shocked to respond. Then, arms encircled her. The crush of lips became returned kissing. The arms dropped down, embraced her round ass, and lifted her up.
She wrapped her legs around him as he pushed off the wall. She nuzzled into his neck when he stepped over the mess, helping him keep them balanced. Suddenly, hands pulled her legs from his hips and a quick push dropped her onto the bed.
Chapter 5
Brandon stared down at her. A range of expression flicked across his face. Anger, desire, curiosity, need, pain, and joy mingled to create a stern face fighting to maintain self-control.
The primal instinct cried out to be taken. She ran her hands up her body and over her breasts. Giving her nipples a light roll between her thumb and forefinger, she arched her back and gave a soft groan. Allowing her hands to drift back down, she rubbed across her flat stomach and back up to her breasts.
“Please,” she whispered. Inside the whisper screamed. The scream reverberated throughout her body. She thought she might be torn apart by passion.
Brandon’s mixed emotions seemed to dissipate with her plea. Lust filled his eyes. He stripped off the white tee and dropped to his knees beside the bed.
The power within pulsed through her, sending a surge of need. She parted her thighs,
inviting him between them. A trickle of nectar dripped out as she did. The scent of adrenaline and sex perfumed the air. Cupping her breast again, she closed her eyes.
“Please, Brandon, put your hands on my body. Touch me. Taste me. Finger me. Fuck me. I don’t care what you do, as long as you do it now,” Sabrina begged.
Without warning, Brandon plunged forward. His wet tongue ran the length of her slit, lapping the cream from her soft folds. He sucked and rolled her clit under his tongue. Fangs pressed hard against the surrounding flesh. If he broke the skin, she paid no attention.
The primal power roared with triumph in her head like a lioness. Uninhibited and unforced, it showed Sabrina what lay buried deep in her soul, a goddess who held both light and dark magic. She craved his worship, his sex.
This man worshiped her body. His love for her laid bare and raw in her thoughts. There was nothing he would not do for her, nothing too precious to give. At a command, his life force was hers for the taking. With the knowledge came a heady high.
Brandon’s aura became visible for a brief moment. Shades of purple and black flecked with gray burned bright. The more she desired him, the more the shades tried to shift to red and flecked with copper. The colors shifted, fluctuated, and faded from her sight. For whatever reason, she lost the ability to see his aura.
She enjoyed his licking and sucking of her soft flesh. The flick of his tongue along her pussy brought her close to the edge of an orgasm. He slipped a finger into her slick tunnel and applied pressure in just the right spot. A flood of juices flowed, until she could hear him slurping to keep up. Grabbing her breasts and pinching her nipples, she nearly cried out as he fingered her off.
Brandon pulled back, gasping. He unbuttoned his pants and pushed them past his hips. He gripped his stiff cock and gave it a few strokes. Pulling her to the edge of the bed, he placed the tip of his cock against her opening. Then, he paused. His expression shifted from wild abandon to determined and collected.
“If you want it, you’re going to have to ask for it,” he told her. He looked down on her with a smoldering heat. His jaw worked like it did when he fought to maintain his self-control.
The obvious internal struggle made her want him more. “Give it to me,” she whispered. It was as loud as she could manage. The lioness in her head growled and paced to be satisfied.
His aura flickered back into her view. She noticed his aura shifted back to the shades of purple and black. The coppery flecks and red evaporated. Whatever magical influence she possessed waned. The lioness quieted down as it did. Unhappy, the primal power waited, but it left Sabrina desperate for Brandon.
“You can do better than that,” he said, teasing her pussy with the mushroom-shaped head and pulling it back out.
She cleared her throat, slowed her breathing, and tried again. “Please, be inside me,” she pleaded. She meant every syllable. The lioness needed more than fingers and tongues provided. She needed sex.
Brandon applied steady pressure and slipped his dick into her pussy. Once he reached her limits, he held still for a few moments. He smiled as she whimpered for more. The little noises seemed to please him. He leaned over her, sucked her nipple into his mouth and let go quickly. Fang marks showed on her breast. Two tiny, red, pearls welled up on her creamy skin. He chuckled and licked them clean.
“You want more?”
Sabrina nodded her head. It felt like the lioness started pacing back and forth in her mind again, insisting it be let loose. The primal power demanded Brandon comply with its desire to be worshiped. The magic practically whispered. If only he gave her what she needed, she would have nothing and no one to fear. A goddess deserved to be worshiped, deserved the disciple between her thighs and filling her with his cock.
Brandon’s aura tried to shift again to the reds and copper, but it flickered back to his usual colors each time. He shook his head and made a tsking noise at her.
“Naughty girl,” he said, “I don’t know what you are trying to do, but I’m not so easily won.”
With that, he pulled free of her body and plunged back in to the full depth. She gasped, and he repeated the motion again. Instead of a third time, he began thrusting the full length of his cock.
Her sticky fluids coated them both. A wet, sloppy noise went along with his movements. She reached down between her legs and worked her swollen clit. The stroking and the tingling sensations built higher and higher. The world seemed to spin. For a few seconds, she thought she might pass out and then, she came. Ripple after ripple of pleasure rolled through her. Her pussy quivered and gave over to spasms with her orgasm.
Brandon maintained a constant rhythm. His grip on her hips tightened as he pounded into her. A deep, throaty groan preceded a throb along his cock. He released, filling her with his cum. Only when completely spent did he stop his relentless strokes.
Falling forward, he braced his hands on either side of her head. He allowed himself to slip free of her body. Heavy panting made his voice seem wispy. She knew it to be the exertion of both strength and energy needed to resist her primal power.
“I don’t know what just happened, but I love you, Mrs. Thorpe. No amount of magic can change that,” he managed to say. It came out in a near whisper.
The lioness bedded back down, satisfied for the time being. The primal urge faded into the background of her mind along with the beast. Sabrina felt more like herself again.
“I think another shower is in order. You go ahead. I need to get someone to clean up our room,” Brandon said, giving her navel a quick kiss.
“All right, but don’t be long,” she said.
* * * *
He got up off his knees and offered her his hand. A little tug had her standing. He watched as she padded off to the bathroom, stepping over the door.
“If you get finished before I get back, use the other bedroom. I can’t get another door delivered before morning,” he instructed her.
“Okay,” she said, smiled, and retreated further into the large bath.
The water came on and the glass shower door clicked closed. He waited until he heard splashing before leaving the room. Locking the bedroom door, he went looking for Hadrian.
As he passed the servants, he spoke quietly to them. He asked only that they quietly strip the sheets and pick up anything in the bedroom. To another, he asked to have a door brought up out of storage and installed. In a building full of supernaturals, accidents happened frequently. Cautioning them against entering the bathroom, he released them to do their work and gave them the rest of the night off. It was a small concession, as dawn’s arrival was a mere hour and a half away.
The emperor sat on the balcony, sipping a cup of blood and reading the newspaper. He did not look up as Brandon took the chair across from him. The paper rattled when the next page turned. The awkward silence felt uncomfortable.
“I take it she has some new magical malady?” Hadrian kept his eyes on the paper.
“I don’t know what the hell is going on. I would say it was like a siren’s call, but she’s a vampire. That’s not possible,” Brandon said with a questioning lilt.
“I wish I could say that was true, but with her, anything is possible. Don’t give me all the gory details. Just tell me what happened,” Hadrian said. A near visible shudder ran through him.
Brandon knew he meant magic, not sex. He recounted about how it felt to be drawn in by her. When she first came to him with her Aunt Eleanor, an untapped magic based in sex flared between them. It was a gift she inherited from her mother, Hadrian told him later. This was different. The magic did not flare as much as it attempted to smother his free will. It wanted his attention. Attention? No. It demanded his devotion. Before, they were equally affected, but not now.
He told Hadrian how Sabrina seemed overwhelmed by her power. Her begging desperately for contact was out of character. He needed a great deal of strength to remain himself. Giving in to her wishes was consensual, not a blind act of the mindless. The power felt sep
arate from her, making it easier to brush aside once he acclimated to its presence. He felt if he had been a younger, less experienced vampire, he might not have escaped her call.
Hadrian drummed his fingers on the chair arm. He seemed to be lost in thought. Taking his phone out of his pocket, he dialed. The concerned man shifted to a more calm and business-like demeanor.
The silent room and the close proximity of the two men allowed Brandon to hear the ringing. He knew when someone picked up the other end. A woman’s voice chirped a cheery guttural greeting he did not know. The voice he did. In the background, wailing and screaming mixed with the sound of loud pops and cracking.
“Delilah, dear. We’ve had a development. Mea Dulcis seems to be gathering magic. Siren-like magic. Do you have an explanation or a solution?”
“Siren-like, did you say? I wouldn’t have thought that likely. The last lot of them was hunted to extinction centuries ago. It’s bad for commerce to have your ships sent off course and sunk, you know. The only place their magic exists these days is….” Her voice trailed off. “Well, well! Someone listened better than expected. I’ll be right there. I’m in the middle of something, but this is an emergency.” The line went dead.
Hadrian stared at his phone as if it had just bitten him. The sour expression on his face told how displeased he was with her dismissal. He crammed the phone back into his pocket and stood.
A whooshing sound came from the entrance hall. A heavy thump on the wall sounded like the security guards going down. Deep growling and barking came next.
“Hadrian, please tell Wolfie here I’m expected,” Delilah called out.
Brandon went to the door. He listened carefully before opening it.
On the other side, he saw a large, gray-and-white wolf. Camilla’s hackles were raised. She was crouched low, ready to spring. Snapping, she threatened a relaxed Delilah, dressed as a black-clad dominatrix.
The Jewel of Darkness Page 4