Flynn was so very close to losing control.
The pent up release of his breath was followed by a low guttural groan of pleasure.
“Jolie, that’s mean and cruel,” he whispered out loud, uncaring who in the room heard him at that point. If she pushed him further, they would be very late for the council meeting, and the lesser vampyres in the room were going to get one hell of a show.
Jacques stifled a weak laugh, knowing what torture his friend and mate was experiencing. He could feel the waves of desire seeping from Flynn as they threatened to take him under as well.
Shit!
She wasn’t even drinking from him yet.
Oh, how Jacques hoped it wasn’t as bad as it looked.
“It’s definitely worse,” muttered Flynn, hearing his friend’s thoughts. His fangs pierced his lip and all he tasted was his own metallic flavor.
Jolie barely managed to keep herself from choking on his blood. With one long suck, Flynn’s excitement grew. It was time to cut him a break. As she slowly pulled her teeth from his throat, preparing to lick across the pinpricks, she couldn’t.
They immediately healed shut.
Jolie inhaled sharply, surprised at what she’d just seen. Granted, they had taken even more of his humanity, and healing fast was expected, but that rapidly was very…vampyre-esque.
He glanced over his shoulder at her.
“Healed fast, didn’t they?” Flynn asked, already knowing what she was thinking. “I nicked my face in the shower, and it healed before I could get my hand to the cut,” he said with no emotion in his voice. In all honesty, Flynn wasn’t sure how he felt about this turn of events.
“Yes, they did,” she whispered into his ear. Jolie knew that her ancient blood was the reason it was happening. The bonding in New Orleans was merely the beginning. Apparently, he was still evolving, and it had to be the blood sharing during their mating. It was just shocking to see, since she wasn’t expecting him to heal like they would.
Damn fate and having their hands forced.
While they may have had no choice, it still bothered Jolie. “Thank you, Flynn, for feeding me. I love you.” As she left a kiss on his lips, Jolie licked up the blood from his chin.
Flynn desperately tried to focus on something other than her body wrapped around his.
“I feel the same, but later, we need to discuss your mean streak,” he whispered, as she ran her fingers erotically across the muscles in his back. She stroked his flesh so lovingly, that it made him think about what was coming later
“You can bet on it.” Jolie kissed him again, and then lovingly caressed his cheek. Their eyes met, and so much was shared between them. While their time as mates was short, it was like they had known each other forever.
It was certainly hard for her to feel too sorry that they had made him more like themselves. He had indelibly drawn his name on her heart, much like Jacques had.
Clariel and Trina sat silently, enthralled by it all. When Flynn stared unabashed into their eyes, both women fanned themselves and winked. Flynn couldn’t help but laugh at them and their silliness. It was hard to be offended. Living with the undead taught him one thing--sex was a norm for them. They needed touch to survive.
Jolie took her place behind Jacques before whispering in his ear. “I love you,” she said softly, before offering him a kiss.
“Forever, mon amour,” he replied against her lips. Their love and devotion was obvious to everyone in the room. You would have to be blind to not see it in everything they did.
She ran fingertips across his pale flesh, enjoying the feel of his skin. “Are you ready, my love?”
“Yes.” Jacques rested his head in the crook of her arm, mimicking his mate’s previous position.
Jolie kissed him just below the earlobe. It was an erogenous zone for him, and she knew it.
Leaning back, he prepared himself for what was coming. Now all he could do was hope he survived it all. Then, it hit him full force.
Pleasure.
Bliss.
Lust.
Jolie nibbled across his throat to his jumping pulse, right before sinking her fangs into his flesh. The smell of her mate overpowered her, making Jolie want to swallow him down in greedy gulps.
Jacques’s eyes, until this moment, had been open, but once he felt the predator clawing its way from his body, he slammed them shut. It was his hope that the darkness found behind the closed lids would allow him to hang on to control a little longer.
Jolie felt his body tense. It seemed like it would shatter beneath her hands. Wanting to offer peace, she reached into his mind.
‘Later we’ll play--the three of us, I promise.’
‘Mon Dieu! End this, Jolie,’ he hissed into her mind, struggling with the lust. They’d not mated that waking, and he was on the edge. He only had a limited supply of patience, and Jolie was pushing his limit.
Flynn felt for him. That was why he wanted to go first. Jacques had to feel his lust, and now his own.
Jolie ignored his begging as she slowed the pace. Now she was lazily sucking on his neck as she stroked him with her tongue. His body shook as she teased him unmercifully.
Her mate was close.
‘Jolie!’
‘I’m finished, Jacques, for now.’ Her laughter caressed the intimate parts of his body. When he growled possessively, deep in his chest, Jolie lovingly wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Okay, my loves, I’m quite satiated.”
As the men stood, Jolie went to get their shirts, so they could dress. Immediately, she could see Mathew watching them from the corner.
“Please don’t let anyone into the house while we’re gone, Mathew. We trust you to guard Chloe with your life. She’s not to go anywhere without us. Please be aware of everything. I need to know that she’s safe, Mathew, so don’t fail me,” she said, giving him a motherly kiss on the forehead.
He stood there dumbstruck at both the awesome responsibility that she had bestowed on him and the kiss.
Jolie held up Flynn’s shirt. When he approached, she helped him into it. Then, she mimicked the same action with Jacques.
“Be safe,” Jacques said, directing it at Mathew. While in all likelihood they would be fine, he was still worried.
Mathew nodded, still watching the threesome.
Both took a moment to savor the time they had together. They wrapped themselves around her, cocooning Jolie between their torsos. The energy vibrated around them, pulling the fangs from the vampyres in the room.
It was a mix of death and lust.
Before long, they broke apart. “Shall we?” Jolie hated to ruin the moment, but it was time.
Both men took their position at her sides, hands firmly locked together.
“Good luck, Mistress,” called Clariel, affectionately blowing her a kiss. When they were out of earshot, she turned to her mate.
“Wow,” she whispered to Trina.
“I know! Master Flynn almost makes me want to go straight,” answered Trina. “Holy human hotness!”
There was a pause.
“Almost,” they said together, before breaking into laughter.
Mathew couldn’t help but feel jealous of what he had just watched.
He’d kill for what his masters had found, and he was ashamed to admit it.
CHAPTER Four
Silence had settled across the car, and Jolie knew both men were thinking about what was to come at the council. In the past, they had had quite a few unpleasant surprises, and they assumed tonight would be about the same. History had a way of repeating itself.
Jacques met her gaze in the mirror before speaking. “You should give my sister a heads up that we’re coming. We don’t need anyone in the council thinking that we’re trying to attack.”
Flynn looked worried. “What?”
Jolie patted him on the arm. “Take a deep breath, my love.”
He shook his head. He really didn't want them anywhere near this meeting. The bad taste, which th
e last one left in his mouth, plus his gut feeling, was making him edgy.
Her hand remained on his arm until their eyes met.
“Just do it,” he stated, knowing that she was waiting for him to calm down. Despite the vote, Flynn knew that she loved him enough to call it off if he pushed the issue.
Jolie dialed and was surprised when Jasmine answered on the first ring. It was obvious that she was expecting the call, or the vampyre was sitting on top of her phone, ready to pounce. “Jasmine, we’ll be attending the council meeting tonight. We’ve agreed to see what they have to say, but we’re not promising anything more. I’m sorry, but that’s all I can give you for now.”
“Thank you, Jolie. We really need you here with us. Just the fact that you are taking the time to attend means a great deal.”
“Please only tell those who must know we’re attending,” Jolie added, still being cautious about the entire situation. When it came down to it, she was unwilling to risk her mates. “We don’t trust those we don’t know.”
“Oui, does Jacques realize that my parents will be there?”
Jolie felt her mate tense behind the wheel. Jacques was forever the one prepared for everything, and she knew this would be no different. The man was like a general in an army--always ready for battle.
“He’s well aware. I can’t guarantee that he’ll attend the meeting, but Flynn and I will. I promise we’ll listen and keep an open mind regarding the situation.”
“I hope he does attend, but I understand why this makes him uncomfortable. Our father is a difficult man to love. I’ll prepare for your arrival. Je t’aime, Jolie,” she blurted in excitement.
Jolie ended the call before her eyes met his in the rearview mirror. Gone was the serene green, and in their place, a storm was definitely brewing. “You don’t have to attend with us, my love. I’ll be quite safe with Flynn.”
He sat in silence behind the wheel, contemplating the out that she had just given him. He was both grateful and scared to take it.
Could he live with himself if he hid from his own father?
What kind of warrior and mate would that make him?
If possible, his knuckles were whiter than his skin, as he clutched the steering wheel.
“Jacques, my friend, I’ll take care of her. You don’t have to worry,” added Flynn, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. From the little said about his father, he understood the tension.
“No. I’m going with you. I can’t turn my back on our unit. I’m Jolie’s mate too, so it’s my duty to stand by her side, despite the situation.”
Apparently, Jacques’s mind was made up.
He continued driving in silence, knowing that she was watching him from the back seat of the Mercedes. Little familiar wisps touched his mind, and he opened for his Jolie, desperate for her comforting touch.
‘Mon amour, you don’t have to do this.’
‘Yes, Jolie, I do. I’m going to prove that he was wrong those many centuries ago. I haven’t wasted my life. I did matter to the ones I’m loyal to.’
‘Jacques, you have nothing to prove to your father. You chose the path that you needed to take. Thanks to that one decision, we’re a happy family. If you didn’t become my guardian, then we wouldn’t be here today.’
He looked over at her briefly, and then turned away. ‘I know, mon amour. I’ve chosen correctly, but his stubbornness was wrong, and I won’t hide from him.’
‘What he did was very wrong, Jacques. Flynn and I stand behind you. We’ll keep your heart safe. Don’t forget that I love you.’
Jolie reached out and took his hand in hers, squeezing it in a show of support. She knew that this was going to be very difficult for him. Facing your past was always a hard pill to swallow. Lately, she had to learn that very lesson.
“Are we going to have a difficult time?” asked Brogan, trying not to jinx them, but he needed to know.
“No, we’re going to be fine. The European societies are nowhere near as cutthroat as the American ones. All of the primuses at this council will be at least my age or older. Few will be younger, and almost none will be willing to risk their lives.”
“Good, because I really don’t feel like shooting anyone tonight. Since we’re on vacation, it would be nice to actually avoid a bloodbath.”
Jolie reached between the seats to take his hand in her other one. “Flynn, I didn’t say that they wouldn’t challenge me. I only stated that they weren’t as cutthroat. I’m not likely to be killed, but if you tickle the fancy of any of the family heads, they could request a challenge.”
“Well, hell, again? Baby, I don’t think I can handle watching another challenge. I don’t like watching the woman I love getting beat up.”
Jolie grinned. “WOW! Ye of little faith in me. I don’t think I was beat up last time.”
He turned to look at her. “Do you forget the silver dagger dipped in mercury?”
Jolie winked at him, trying to keep their human mate calm. He was an outsider to their lives and still needed to adjust to what it meant to be the undead.
“Is this going to go badly?” he asked again, when she didn't reply. Now, he was worried.
Jolie smiled with as much encouragement as possible. “Not likely. If the hunters are here killing vampyres, then they will need more allies in this fight. They won’t risk turning away any primus who has power. Basically, they need me more than I need them. We can always hop a flight home. This is their mess--not ours.”
“So, they won’t challenge you?”
“They may wish to see exactly what I can do, but not to the death. That won’t benefit them in the long run. Think of it as a test drive. They will want to see how much power we have under the hood.”
“Well, hell.” He almost wanted to laugh at her car reference. The only thing holding him back was that Jolie was going to be the one tested, and that scared him shitless.
This time, Jacques spoke up, “Flynn, Jolie is most likely still one of the ancients. Plus, we know what’s in her arsenal. They haven’t a clue what they’ll be up against.”
Flynn mulled it over for a while. “What if they realize that you’re Death’s harbinger?”
“They’ll either realize that my gift can be used for their benefit, or they’ll be afraid and send us away. Again, it’s fifty/fifty. We won’t know until we’re in there.”
“Do you need a gun?”
“No, Flynn, I won’t,” she said softly, touching his cheek to offer him some calm.
Flynn closed his eyes to hide for a second. None of this sat well with him. This was why he voted against this mess. Vampyres were damn crazy.
There was laughter in his head.
‘I heard that,’ she whispered into his mind. ‘Nothing is going to happen to me tonight. After all, I have plans for us later.’
Flynn opened his eyes. “Fine, but I’m going to hold you to that. Plus, if you get hurt, I’m going to be pissed off, and we’re not talking a little angry.”
“Jolie gave him a mental kiss before leaning back in her seat. For now, she’d stay calm for her human mate. Deep down, there was always the possibility that this was going to go to hell in a hand basket. Silently, her hands slid into the black leather boots until she found the hidden knife sheaths. She was packing silver, and that gave her a little extra security. Then, the darkness rolled through her, reminding Jolie that Death also had her back. Well, at least she was prepared.
She was glad.
Who knew what was coming?
While she told Flynn not to worry, Jolie was. Not for herself, no, but for the men she loved.
She didn't like the feeling brewing in her gut.
Now, she only needed to hope it wasn’t some ominous sign, destined to come true.
Death’s laughter filled her, and Jolie wanted to curse. Bad shit was coming, and they were walking headlong into it.
* * * H a r c o u r t e * * *
Entering the clearing, all three noticed that there were already cars fill
ing the parking area. This was more attendance than a normal society meeting garnered.
That meant one thing.
Jolie and her mates were expected.
With this turn of events, they wouldn’t be going in with the element of surprise on their side. It appeared that word had traveled, and fast. The society would already be waiting for them, and that meant they had time to prepare for a test.
Yeah, this sucked.
Jolie slipped out of the car and applied another coat of blood red lipstick. When going into battle, be ready for anything. Without looking back at her human mate, she sent a wave of calm into his body.
This was their worst case scenario, and she only hoped that Flynn didn't feel their worry.
He watched her primp and check her makeup in the side mirror. It befuddled him as to what the hell she was doing. “Are we going to the prom?” asked Brogan, feeling edgy. While he tried to keep it from his voice, both vampyres must have detected it. Now, they were watching him.
“We’re in no rush, Flynn,” said Jolie, as her eyes flickered over toward her other mate. Jolie could see the steely determination in them, and she knew, without mentally calling to him, that Jacques was preparing too.
Flynn went with what gave him the most security. Pulling his side arms from his dual shoulder holsters, he checked the silver rounds in his guns. The telltale click of the safety being released offered him reassurance.
“What?” he asked when he noticed they were watching him.
“Flynn, you can’t go in there with guns blazing,” Jacques warned.
He laughed. “Want to bet?”
Jolie glided toward him. If Flynn was ready to shoot first and ask questions later, then he was close to losing it. When she approached his body, his arms immediately opened for her. Jolie cuddled against his chest.
As he rubbed his chin against the top of her head, Flynn stared at their other mate, waiting for a good reason why he should holster his weapons.
Dangerous Misery (The Harcourte Vampyre Society Book 3) Page 8