Her taste became intoxicating. And he licked and tasted his way down her stomach until his tongue lapped at the honeyed juices glistening off her pussy. She pressed his head against her and he rotated his fingers, needed her to come, knowing exactly what would drive her crazy. Something about the way she responded niggled an alarm in the back of his mind. He shoved it away and pressed against her pussy, lightly lapping and sucking until she called his name. He could taste the change in her skin, her body, telling him she was close. Her muscles tightened, building… he pulled his fingers from her dripping pussy and buried his mouth as deep as it could go in her soft folds. She pressed his face harder against her and rocked against him. His tongue delved deep and she hissed.
The bell rang and Shad jerked from her, growling toward the door, breathing heavy, the juices of her pussy slick on his chin. He could hear her harsh breaths echoing his. Blood roared in his head and cock. So close…
A cool hand touched his shoulder and he turned. She brushed her fingers against his ear and she dropped to her knees in front of him. Her trembling hands cleaned his face with cloth that smelled enticingly like her.
She leaned close and kissed him, inhaling deeply with each brush of her tongue. “You smell like me,” she whispered. Something close to awe lit her eyes and Shad tried to get his head clear. Something was happening. Something very important was happening soon.
She cleared her throat and rose, lightly walking around him. “What time is it?” She caressed his shoulder and looked around the room. Her fingers still trembled as she touched him and her sweet scent told him she wasn’t as unaffected as she seemed.
Shad put his hands on his hips and glared at her. His cock ached to fuck the hell out of her and she wanted to know the time? He bit back a snide question and drew on his patience. “Close to midnight, why?”
“We have to go back to the parlor.” She tossed his clothes to him. The heated look in her gaze gave him some satisfaction. She’d been too close to coming. He wanted to bury his cock deep in her tight pussy and make them both forget everything.
“Why?” He had a bad feeling about this.
“I have to meet up with someone and if it turns out the way I imagine it will, you’ve got some explaining to do.”
The blood stopped pounding through his skull and he could breathe a bit easier. “You really need to get out of here while you can, you know.” Whoa, a clear thought. Wow!
She pulled jeans and a T-shirt out of a drawer and shimmied into them. “What did they give me at dinner?”
He pulled on his slacks. “A potent aphrodisiac.”
“Magick doesn’t work on me though.”
“It wasn’t magick. It was a chemical change in your body. Not the same thing.”
She paused in her movements and stared at him. “I thought I was immune to stuff like that.”
He strode across the room and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he pushed her against the wall. “I see your lust in the way your eyes change, the way your skin flushes under my touch.” He leaned closer and ground his cock against her jeans-covered pussy. “I can smell the heat coming off of you and it’s the sexiest fucking thing in the world.” Her breathing became ragged and he lowered his lips to brush against hers. “You want me to fuck you right here.”
“Yes.” She didn’t deny it. A perfect human, who knew?
“Does it feel like before?”
She let her head fall back against the wall and he let her legs go. Lust was replaced with a contemplative air and she nibbled on her lower lip. “No. It’s not the same.”
“Worse or better?” He told himself it was just curiosity and not some odd quirk of ego that had him asking.
“Right now? Better. I had a lot of fun before, but I lost my mind a bit and some of the first time is a little foggy.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and a wicked smile spread across her lips. “I prefer to remember every single detail.” Her lips brushed against his and he wrapped her in his arms.
“We have to go, Shad.” The reminder sent warning bells shooting through his head.
“I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
“You’re supposed to be my escort, right? What happens if you’re not with me?”
Shad stepped back, letting his hands fall to his sides. “He wasn’t kidding about you dying.”
A delicate snort came out of her mouth. “Seriously? Kill me for wandering?”
Shad didn’t say a word, just waited for her to take it in.
Her face paled and she leaned back against the wall. “You’re kidding, right? He wouldn’t really kill someone for walking around.”
“He’s killed people for less.”
She shoved her hands deep in her jeans pockets and shrugged. “Scaring me won’t keep me from going to the parlor and we’re wasting time, so if you’re gonna escort me, let’s get going.”
She was gonna get in a helluva lot of trouble. He was a fox, after all. No one knew trouble like he did. Hell, he had a nose for it, but it had been a while since he’d had this much fun.
“You’re the boss.” He gestured for her to go ahead. In two seconds he had an illusion planted showing them having sex in the bed. With a longing sigh toward a more pleasurable pastime, he fogged the cameras, making their exit less noticeable in the rest of the mansion. Maintaining too many illusions would drain him, but it was necessary.
“What is everyone else doing?” They walked down the dimly lit hallway.
“What we were doing.” He couldn’t quite hide the irritation in his voice.
“Oh.” The surprised exclamation was cute and he reached over to grab her hand. They walked on in silence until they reached the parlor. The mood was squelched immediately.
Alaya dropped his hand and stared at the bloody sheet covering the corpse. “Is she really dead?”
Shad looked at the clock. “Yes, for a few more minutes anyway.”
Alaya turned and stared at him. “What?”
“Just wait. You’ll see.”
Chapter Ten
His shuttered expression told her nothing. “How can you be dead and then not?”
His lips flickered in a ghost of a smile. “You’re talking to a fictional creature in a mansion built of magick.”
“Point taken.” Alaya shook her head and stared at the blood-crusted sheet covering the body. She reached out and pulled it away. Nausea reared its ugly head and she turned to the side, dry heaving. Shad stayed behind her, not saying a word, but a comfort at her back.
She should be pissed about the aphrodisiac, but she was more terrified than she could ever remember. Would her host stop at that? Was she actually on a hallucinogen?
The poor girl lying on the carpet. Dead. Don’t trust Devonshire, stick with Shad. Two complete strangers. One dead. Mind-blowing sex and a house of insanity. What the hell had her mother gotten her into?
Alaya brushed the tangles of hair from her face and bit back a sob. Dead is dead. A bell rang and she closed her eyes. Midnight. She could feel it down to the deepest marrow of her bones.
“You might want to step back.” Shad’s voice cut through the parlor.
Before Alaya could respond, the girl’s eyes opened and she launched at Alaya, an inhuman screech tearing from her throat. Alaya screamed back and Shad clamped a hand over her mouth. They fell back against the carpet in a tangle of limbs. The reek of dried blood and sweat permeated her nostrils and Alaya gagged. The girl collapsed on top of Alaya and cried against her chest in body-wracking sobs.
Alaya moved her face and Shad dropped his hold. He rolled away from them and rose to his feet. She looked at him and saw the raw pain etched on his features. “Explain. Please God, explain what the fuck is going on here.”
“We’re trapped,” the girl whispered through a raw throat. “All of us who work for Devonshire are his puppets, forced into slavery.”
“Maggs, I’m so sorry.” Alaya watched as Shad reached out to comfort her and then clenched his
fist. “This is all my fault.”
She barked a hollow laugh. “None of this is your fault, fox. We’re all stuck and I’d be willing to bet you’re in it thicker than the rest of us.” She pushed off Alaya and rolled over.
“You were dead.” Alaya couldn’t help it.
“Yes and I’ll die again another night.” She trembled as though cold and Alaya looked around for something to wrap her in.
“How?”
“I’m immortal with a curse. I’ve died a thousand times and still come back to life. Maggie, by the way, but you can call me Maggs.”
“Alaya. Nice to meet you.” Alaya swallowed back her disbelief. She’d seen it. “Is there a limit?”
Maggs laughed. “Not yet, but some days I wish there were.”
“Don’t say that,” Shad whispered.
Maggie rolled over and looked at the Kitsune. “You have the same thoughts. We all do.”
Shad said nothing.
“How are you trapped here?”
“We’re imprisoned by magickal means. He holds a part of my soul trapped somewhere in this manse. Almost everyone’s willing to talk about it, except Shad here.”
Alaya helped the woman up.
Shad’s tails twitched in an agitated fashion. Alaya narrowed her eyes at him. “What caught you, fox?”
He said nothing, but by the way his jaw clenched, she could tell he was getting really irritated.
Maggie grabbed Alaya hard and stared into her eyes. “Shad, what have you done?”
“I couldn’t help it.”
“What couldn’t you help?” They were ignoring her and it was pissing her off.
“If he finds her like this, he’ll kill you both.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“Finds me like what, and I swear to all that’s holy if you keep ignoring me, I’m getting the hell out of here.” And getting her mom somewhere safe from this insanity.
“You can’t,” they said in unison.
“The mansion is sealed until morning. It’s not an illusion you can see through. It’s a physical manifestation. The doors are locked and any attempt to open them will…” Maggie paused. “Let’s just say it won’t be pretty.”
Maggie clenched a fist over her stomach where the stab wound appeared to be sealing through the slit in her dress. The muscles wriggled and Alaya jerked her gaze to the woman’s expression. Color drained from her face and she moaned. Alaya wrapped her arms around the woman. “Why does he do this?” They sat on one of the padded benches.
“For the effect, of course.”
“Don’t lie to her, Maggs.” Shad squatted down next to them. “He’s evil through and through. There are many creatures who ride the lines between the two extremes, but he’s a baron of the nine hells.”
“What does that mean?”
“Shad thinks Devonshire is immortal.”
“No, I think he’s metaphysically tied to an object. That’s not the same thing.”
Alaya threw her hands up in irritation. “What can I do to help?”
Shad blinked. “Nothing. Get as far from here as possible.”
“No one’s ever escaped, Shad.” Maggie’s soft words filled Alaya with a quiet terror. Trapped? No way.
“There has to be a way to stop him.”
“There are several ways.” Jake stepped from the shadows of the entrance.
Fury, immediate and devastating, filled her with recklessness. Anything was better than terror and panic. “You got me into this.” Alaya jumped up and Shad grabbed her arm. “You got the wrong chick, buddy, and nobody, I mean nobody fucks with my family.” She almost said Mom. She clenched her fists and tried to jerk out of Shad’s hold, but he held fast.
“I was just doing my job.” Jake said nothing else.
“What kind of magick do you have? Since I seem to be the only one without any of my own.”
“I wouldn’t say that too loudly if I were you. Devonshire finds out he has a null on his hands and your death will be quick.” Jake crossed his arms over a massive chest.
“Why would he kill me? I’m no good to him dead or alive.”
Shad said nothing but his hold grew tighter and he stepped close as though suddenly protective.
“Your death means he can use your null ability as a personal shield and the curse that keeps him trapped in this mansion could be counteracted. He’s been looking for something like you for quite a while.”
Shad wrapped his arm around her waist, steadying her suddenly weak knees. “He doesn’t know what she is.”
“No, fox, but we have to stop him before morning. When he sees that she has no seal, he’ll kill you both.”
“Look, spells just don’t work on me, okay? So let him do his worst.”
“Knives can still pierce your flesh, hon.” Maggie’s reminder brought Alaya up short. “And there are so many worse ways to die. Starvation, physical manifestations, drugs. He’ll use whatever it takes and trust me when I tell you his torture is unstoppable.” She shuddered and Alaya caught a glimpse of worry on Jake’s face, but then it was gone. Had she imagined it?
“So how do we stop him? All of you, I suppose, are trapped.”
Jake stared at Shad and nodded slowly. “I suppose you’d be right.”
“She is.”
“Oh for God’s sake, will you two stop posturing?” Maggie’s exasperation mirrored Alaya’s own. “Jake can’t betray us to Devonshire, Shad. We’re mated. And Jake” -- her voice grew noticeably softer -- “Shad has more reason than either one of us to escape. He’s dying here.”
“Mated?” Shad sounded surprised.
“I suppose mating for you two is significantly different than mating for most humans.” Alaya couldn’t stop the wry sarcastic tone.
“It means that I die if I betray her.” Jake’s tone was steel.
“That’s a pretty effective deterrent.” She held Shad’s hand against her body. “What do you mean Shad’s dying? I assume you don’t mean of boredom.”
“That too,” Shad muttered and she smiled. He lifted her hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “It means I can’t remain trapped like this, in human form, for too long or the fox dies. When it dies, the rest of me follows.”
Her stomach twisted in a pain so fierce it took her breath away. “So what do we do and can I help?”
Shad shifted behind her. “We have to go into the sanctum, the heart of the manse, and tear apart his spell.”
“We don’t know what he used.” Jake held a hand out to Maggie and she rose with him.
“I do. I was the first. It’s a house of cards; you pull one out of the core and the rest fall.”
Another bell rang through the room and they all stared at the clock.
“We have three hours. Is that enough time?” Maggie’s question was full of quiet fear.
“It’ll have to be.” Shad tugged on Alaya’s hand, dragging her behind him.
Jake fell in next to him. “I assume you’ve done your fogging the cameras bit by now.”
“Yes.”
Alaya looked back at Maggie, who said, “He makes the cameras unfocused with his illusions. Jake’s been watching him do it for months.”
Shad grunted and Jake laughed.
“We have one way into the sanctum. I hope your girlfriend here can actually stop some serious spells, because we’ve got very little time to spare.”
“They kind of fizzle when they strike me.” Both of them ignored the girlfriend label and he interlaced his fingers with hers.
They stopped in a circular room. Here there was no beauty, no luxurious fabrics, just dark and dank. In the back of the room was a door, ornate with hinges that had probably not seen oil since the turn of the twentieth century.
“He certainly didn’t feel the need to decorate this room, did he? Keeps the would-be thieves away, I guess.”
All three looked at her.
“What?”
“Do you see a door?”
“Yes.”
“Point it out, would you?” Jake asked the question very quietly.
It was creeping her out the way they stared at her. She pointed to the door and they all followed the direction she’d indicated.
“Don’t tell me you guys see something else?”
“You weren’t kidding when you said you couldn’t see illusion, were you, honey?” Maggie’s question came out in a laughing wheeze.
Jake wrapped his arm around her. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“Where will I go? I’m with you, always.”
Alaya squeezed Shad’s hand and they moved forward. “We see a room full of beauty, and nothing else. No doors, no windows, no locks. None of us have been able to see how to get inside.”
Alaya shrugged. “Finding a door doesn’t mean easy entry. It could be locked.”
Shad chuckled. He reached against the wall and pressed his hand against an invisible barrier in front of the door. “An illusion is a powerful thing. You can convince a man that he has no air and he’ll suffocate out of panic, show a cage and they can’t escape. We can’t see the door so we’re barred from it.”
Alaya remembered her mother saying much the same thing when she was younger. “Well, I’ve done things like this before.” Too many times to count. “So you three need to stand back and be prepared. I once opened this chest for my mom and it self-destructed. Backlash or something.”
Shad stopped her hand before it could break the seal. “Wait. What if it does backfire?” Concern etched his face and she smoothed the line between his brows.
“Magick can’t hurt me.” She pressed a kiss to his lips. “When I break the seal you’ll be able to see the door.” She closed her eyes. “I hope,” she whispered and pushed.
Chapter Eleven
“That’s damned inconvenient,” Jake growled as another sneeze wracked Alaya’s body.
“Jake!” Maggie hit his arm.
“What? It’s kind of hard to be tactical when she’s raising all kinds of hell with that sneezing.”
Masqued Tails Page 6