by Aubrey Ross
Only her underwear remained when she paused and looked at Darius. “Will you undress too? It feels odd --”
“The slave does not command the master.” His tone was stern, his dark eyes narrowed.
“I’m sorry, sir. This is all new to me.”
To Anthony’s surprise, his father cupped the side of her face and gently kissed her brow. “The rewards will be great, but you must learn the rules. I cannot pretend to be other than I am.”
“Yes, sir.” Staring into the distance, she unclasped her bra.
Darius took it from her and stepped back. “Now the panties.”
Without hesitation, she pushed them past her hips and wiggled out of her last garment. She dared a glance into her master’s eyes as she kicked them aside. Determination had replaced her fear. Anthony was intrigued by the transformation. She looked older now, less vulnerable. Her body was lithe and willowy, her breasts small and round.
Darius raised her arms and placed her hands on the back of her head. She thrust out her breasts and moved her feet farther apart. “Very nice.” Starting at her shoulders, Darius ran his hands over her body, learning her shape and memorizing her textures. He cupped her breasts, his thumbs teasing the nipples. She licked her lips and swayed into his touch.
Anthony looked at Jacob, fascinated by the rapt hunger in his expression. The Scotsman folded his fingers into fists as he followed the lazy progress of Darius’s hands. How long had it been since Jacob indulged his carnal appetites? Jacob seldom left the compound without him and he discreetly turned his back whenever Anthony fed. Was there a reason for his self-imposed celibacy?
Ever aware of those around him, Darius captured the Scotsman’s gaze and said, “You are here for her. Touch her and taste her, but do not fuck her. I can’t allow you that pleasure until after she has accepted the bond.”
Jacob nodded, his throat working stiffly as he struggled to swallow.
Moving behind her, Darius banished his clothes. She had not yet earned the right to see his naked body. There were many privileges she would be earning in the next few nights.
Darius pressed against her back and lightly cupped her breasts. “Here, my son, suckle. Kiss her if you must, but I will also need her mouth.”
Their hands slid and their teeth scraped over her sensitive skin. She shivered and sighed, leaning against Darius as Jacob sank to his knees. The Scotsman stroked her hips and thighs, soothing and calming her before he pushed one hand between her legs.
His throaty groan made Darius raise his head and look over her shoulder. “Is she wet?”
“Gods, yes.” Jacob eased his middle finger into her core and groaned. “Snug and hot, more than ready… for your cock.”
“Soon,” Darius muttered, his gaze returning to the smooth, white skin of her throat. “Lick her pussy, make her come, infuse her blood with energy.”
Happy to oblige, Jacob pressed his face against the apex of her thighs and found her clit with the tip of his tongue. His hand pumped between her legs, drawing his finger in and out of her body.
The scent of her arousal intoxicated Anthony, stirring his bloodlust as well as his sexual hunger. He suckled, caressing one breast while his mouth worked on the other.
Darius sliced his thumb with the tip of one fang and pressed the wound against her lips. “Suck, Erin. Know my taste. This is the first step.”
Her tongue snaked out and captured the blood trailing across his flesh. She shuddered then licked again, fastening her lips around the shallow wound. Her body tensed and her eyes closed as energy rushed through her. Darius was ancient, his blood more potent and powerful than this mortal woman could possibly know.
Jacob drew his finger out of her passage and parted her folds, exposing her swollen clit. He carefully sucked the tender nub, until she cried out, coming in short, sharp bursts. Anthony drew deeply on her nipple, mindful of his distended fangs. His father hadn’t given him permission to drink, so he must control his urges.
Sexual energy swirled through Anthony, making him anxious and wild. He wanted to thrust balls deep into her pulsing cunt and feast from her breast. The scent of her arousal and her silken flesh urged him on, dared him to challenge his father. He shoved the instinct back and focused on the fantasy. The time might come when he would challenge his father; it was an inevitable part of life’s cycle, but a thrall would not be at the center of the conflict.
Darius wrapped his arms around her torso and bit into her shoulder, using his teeth to control her rather than feed. Erin screamed, twisting wildly within his embrace. Lost in dark hunger, Anthony watched the struggle, mesmerized by the elemental battle between male and female, master and slave.
Jacob sat back on his heels, hands fisted on his thighs. He understood the battle too. This was between Darius and Erin. Darius must overpower her, subdue her… master her.
Erin’s knees buckled and Jacob scrambled out of the way. Darius followed her down. He urged her forward, guiding her hands to the floor as his knees wedged her legs apart. With one brutal thrust, he buried his cock in her pussy and released his hold on her throat.
“Yield!” Darius snapped. “Open your mind and accept the link. It hurts more when you resist.”
She tossed her head and bucked against him, driving his cock deeper in the process. Anthony ran his tongue over his fangs and groaned. The smell of blood and aroused woman was testing his control.
His father grasped the back of her neck and urged her head toward the floor. His hips drew back then slammed forward, drawing another startled cry from Erin. Anthony could almost feel her passage grip him, while her body thrashed beneath him. He snarled softly and turned away.
The unmistakable slap of flesh against flesh filled the room. A moment later Erin’s soft yelps became cries of pleasure. Anthony closed his eyes and forced back his hunger and his lust.
“Say it!” His father’s tone cracked with authority and demand. “Say my name.”
Anthony opened his eyes, waiting for her reply. Would she submit so easily? Why would his father want a prize so easily won?
“Master,” she whispered and Darius came, shaking with the force of his climax.
He ground his crotch against her ass, his cock buried inside her. Without warning, he tangled his fingers in her hair and drew her head back and to the side. Light gleamed off his fangs for an instant before he bit into her throat.
She trembled, eyes wide and staring. Anthony had seen it all before. Darius had kept thralls for longer than Anthony could remember. Her body would absorb his father’s essence as he fed on her blood. Their bond would strengthen and his hold over her mind would increase. He would take her over and over until she submitted without thought or hesitation. Her gaze clouded and her features relaxed. The first cycle was nearly complete.
Darius drew his hips back then drove into her pliant body. Vampires could control their bodies, remaining hard until they were utterly sated. Erin’s head sagged forward and Darius tugged on her hair. “Offer your mouth to Jacob. He served you selflessly before. Pleasure him as you would pleasure me.”
Jacob’s startled gaze shot toward Anthony, his expression troubled, yet eager.
Go on. Sharing his thralls makes Father feel more powerful, Anthony urged.
Needing no further convincing, Jacob unfastened his jeans and exposed his erection. He approached the woman with far more hesitation than his bobbing cock conveyed.
She opened her mouth and sucked him inside, dragging a strangled cry from Jacob’s throat. “Oh, that’s a good lass. Just like that.”
Anthony watched the steady slide of Jacob’s shaft, wishing he could inspire the same urgent longing in the handsome Scotsman. Jacob begrudgingly allowed Anthony to fuck him once a year to sustain their link. Jacob no longer pretended not to enjoy their intimacies, but as soon as they were finished, he became remote and professional again until the following year.
Jacob’s features tensed with the pleasure Erin gave him. He touched her face with distu
rbing reverence as he pumped his hips. Anthony wanted to shove Jacob back and force him to admit he felt more than obligation. With one mental shove, Anthony could bind Jacob to him fully, as Erin was now bound to his father. He sighed. That wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted Jacob to welcome his embrace, to crave his body with unabashed desperation.
Darius threw back his head and arched his back, shuddering with another powerful climax. Erin’s body echoed the tremors and she tilted her head back, taking Jacob into her throat. Jacob moaned, holding her face between his hands as he came.
“Lick him clean, sweet slave.” Darius pulled out of her sopping pussy with a deep sigh. She obediently licked every drop of cum off Jacob’s shaft before turning him loose. “As soon as you catch your breath, Anthony is going to fuck your ass.”
Anthony drew his father’s attention with a subtle shake of his head. I’d rather not.
Why? Has buggering Jacob ruined you for women? She’s never taken a cock up her ass. Imagine how tightly she’ll grip you.
The question took them far too close to the truth. Had he lost his appetite for females? No, it just had to mean more than this. Carefully reinforcing his mental shields, he responded, I need to feed. I’d rather satisfy both hungers at the same time.
If you say so. Darius slapped Erin on the ass. “On second thought, I really should be your first. Go to my bedroom and tell Megan and Jessie to prepare you for my cock. They’ll know what I mean.” Erin scrambled up off the floor and reached for her clothes. “Leave them. You haven’t earned the privilege of covering yourself.”
“Yes, sir.” She glanced at her clothing with obvious longing then left the office.
“She’ll do well,” Darius muttered. “She has a strong spirit and a responsive body. Carrie has a hearty constitution. Hopefully her sister has as well.”
“Have any of your blood slaves developed anemia?” Anthony seldom spoke with his father about the specifics of thralldom. Early on Anthony decided against the practice, yet he found himself curious now.
“It’s difficult for a single thrall to keep up with my needs. They develop various health issues, anemia among them. That’s why I experimented with multiple bondings. Two females are almost guaranteed to fight. They’re too damn competitive. Any more than three and they break off into smaller groups and create all sorts of complications. I’ve found three creates the perfect balance of harmony and variety.”
Anthony looked at Jacob, possibilities tumbling through his mind. Darius had been talking about blood thralls, but Anthony easily applied the concept to a slightly different scenario. Was it possible a third would bridge the emotional gap between him and his reluctant bodyguard? Jacob needed a woman in his life, and Anthony was willing to share if sharing meant Jacob would honestly examine the full scope of his sexuality.
Darius conjured clothes and dragged his chair back behind his desk. “Now, the real reason I summoned you.” He sat and waited for Anthony to join him at the desk.
“I’m listening.” Anthony let the intriguing possibility drift to the back of his mind, for the time being.
“As I told Erin, I’m trying to wrap my mind around modern concepts. If this clan doesn’t adapt soon, I fear we’ll fade into obscurity. My success has been marginal at best. I’m too set in my ways, but I have every confidence you and your brothers can… assimilate, for lack of a better word.”
“Resistance is futile?” Anthony smiled, but his father appeared oblivious to the Star Trek reference. “What do I need to do to assimilate into modern society?”
“That’s what your tutor is going to explain. I’ve arranged separate instructors for you and your brothers. I figured teaching all three of you was too much for any one person.”
“You’re probably right.” He crossed his legs and tried not to show how ludicrous he found the entire concept. They might be isolated, but they were far from ignorant about the modern world. He and his brothers chose to minimize their contact with those outside Zoltan clan. The practice kept their bloodline strong and their priorities focused. “When will my ‘tutor’ arrive and who have you commissioned for these lessons?”
“You will be joining her at a nightclub called Station X and her name is Monique Vasco.”
Anthony’s jaw dropped. Had his father lost his mind? Vasco clan owned a string of hotel/casinos scattered across three continents. No one asked Vasco clan for help unless they were willing to pay, and pay dearly.
If the other clan leaders found out about this lunacy, they might see it as weakness and make a move on Zoltan clan. “Vasco? Is she related to Samcillian Vasco?” Please, let her be some unknown nobody.
“His eldest daughter and heir.” Darius scratched his nose then pushed a strand of hair off his forehead. “I expect you to treat her with the respect due any organic female.”
Respect wasn’t going to be the problem. If Vasco clan had agreed to participate in this farce, they had an ulterior motive. No one ever accused Samcillian of generosity. Anthony gave himself a mental shake. Dwelling on the problem never solved anything. Could he uncover their true motivation while he played country bumpkin for their amusement? He doubted anyone was that good an actor.
“The heir to Vasco clan is going to teach me how to assimilate into modern society?” His mind refused to absorb the possibility.
“Don’t use that tone with me.” His father scowled. “This can and will be done. Take Jacob with you if you like. He could use some modernizing too!”
* * *
“You want me to do what?” Monique Vasco looked at her father with a mixture of amusement and dread. Each time he summoned her to his penthouse in the Twilight Jewel, she expected bad news. The Jewel was his pride and joy, the posh epicenter of his gaming empire. Still, this had to be some sort of joke. “Sophie was nearly killed because of your alliance with Zoltan clan. Surely you’re not moving forward with this idiotic agreement.”
“I promised Darius I’d help him, and I’m a man of my word.” Her father turned from the picture windows overlooking the Las Vegas strip and crossed his arms over his chest.
Shit. She knew that look. He wasn’t going to give in without a fight. “I would think the near murder of your daughter would render the alliance invalid.” She kept her voice calm and controlled. If there was one thing her father couldn’t abide, it was emotional women. He was a businessman first and foremost; being her father came in a distant second.
“Edmond Duarte is dead.” He dismissed her concern with the wave of his hand. “The danger is past.”
“Bullshit,” she said in a soft, even tone. “Vampires never slink away into the shadows. Duarte’s son started plotting revenge before Edmond’s ashes were swept up off the floor.”
Her father made a sound suspiciously like a snort. “You’ve never met Emit. He couldn’t plot his way out of a traffic jam.”
“Even so, I’m not going to put myself in danger because some xenophobic hermit decided to pull his head out of the sand.” With the issue settled in her mind, she turned toward the door.
“Monique.” Her father’s imperious tone brought her up short. She closed her eyes and started counting, hoping to mute her temper with tedium. “I need you to do this, even if you think it’s unreasonable.”
“Why is this so important?” She looked over her shoulder, not bothering to disguise her hostility. “Does Zoltan clan have something you want or do they have something on you?”
“The details aren’t important. Just spend some time with Anthony. Take him to a show or have him watch TV. Think of him as a foreign dignitary. Introduce him to America. If you relax a little, this could even be fun.”
Chapter Two
Monique fidgeted on a barstool the following evening as she waited for her unwanted guest. The nightly crowd wouldn’t descend on Station X for another hour or so. Hopefully, she could convince Anthony to select another destination before they were overrun by pleasure seekers. She had nothing against the popular bar. In fact her father h
ad commissioned the Bronsteins to open a similar club in the Twilight Jewel. Even so, the rowdy atmosphere was counterproductive to her agenda.
Anthony Zoltan. His name echoed through her mind. She wasn’t sure what to expect. Would he stride into Station X looking like an escapee from Excalibur or would he be intimidated by the overtly sexual atmosphere? Intimidated? She shook her head. He was a male vampire. Few were intimidated by anything.
She sensed him before she saw him. A slow, intoxicating pull turned her head toward the main entrance on the far side of the room. A tall, muscular human opened the door then quickly stepped aside. Monique noted the pleasing arrangement of his features and the impressive breadth of his shoulders a moment before Anthony moved into view.
There was no doubt the second man was Anthony. He emanated authority and danger with effortless ease. He wasn’t extremely handsome. His tall companion was better looking. Still, she couldn’t drag her gaze away from his captivating face.
Each of his features was average, wide brow, straight nose, full lips, and high cheekbones. The only exception was his deep blue eyes. One glance into those soulful depths and his appearance transformed into something far more striking than the individual components.
Dressed in charcoal-colored pants and a royal blue shirt, there was nothing about him that should account for his… magnetism. Even so, she felt drawn, fascinated, and aroused. Shaking away the sensations, she extended her hand. “Monique Vasco. I’ll be your guide.”
Anthony’s fingers encompassed hers as he raised her hand to his lips. “I presume you know my name. You were expecting me.”
His lips brushed her skin, and tingles crawled up her arm. She was an organic vampire, for God’s sake. Why was he affecting her so powerfully? “How would you prefer to be addressed?”
The men exchanged wicked smiles. “Please, call me Anthony.”
“Am I missing something?” She pulled her hand out of his light grasp.