Corrupt Cravings

by Jennifer Salaiz

  Crossing his arms over his chest, Samael turned to Dominic. “So, you wanna go help out your boy over there, or you just gonna sit here and watch your brother kick all these alphas’ asses?”

  Dominic looked in Ambrose’s direction and shrugged. “If you ask me, I think he’s having way too much fun. There are barely any more wolves standing by him. He should be fine.”

  “Yeah, you better hope so.”

  Samael turned his attention back to the fight and watched Donavon sink his teeth into the back leg of the brown-furred alpha. It seemed both of the leaders had said to hell with the tradition and decided to gang up on him. If Samael had to guess, it was that they didn’t like their wolves reacting to the howl Donavon had let out. As soon as it hit the air, wolves from the newly arrived Austin pack went apeshit crazy to join the side of his other followers. There weren’t that many, maybe seven, but it didn’t change the fact that they’d betrayed their leader at the drop of a dime.

  Dominic turned back to him. “I’m guessing this isn’t how things usually go? I mean the fighting for alpha thing.”

  “Nope. They’re really intent on taking him out. Why, you thinking of offering a hand?”

  “Not at all. I’ll chill here with you. Seems like we weren’t really needed here after all. Damn, I was really wanting a challenge.”

  “You could always fight me.” Samael looked over at him and smiled.

  “Yeah, I bet you would like that. But you see, if I hurt you, I have no doubt you’ll hold a grudge and cart my ass back off to hell. Nope. Not going to happen.”

  “Pity. I was kind of feeling restless, myself. You’re probably smart, though, not to fight me. Not that I’m worried about you inflicting any pain. You might, but that would only fuel my anger. That, you don’t want to do. I might forget who you are, and, well, we both know it won’t end well.”

  A yelp had Samael’s eyes shooting back to the fight. One more down, one to go. It looked from the gaping wound in the Houston leader’s neck that he wasn’t going to be leading a pack any time in the future. The guy was deader than a doorknob.

  Dominic opened his mouth, but Samael lifted his hand for him to be quiet. “Donavon, you want to hurry this up? Queen. Waiting. In a dungeon? Are you remembering any of this? Now quit playing around and finish him off.”

  “What makes you think he’s playing?”

  Samael turned to look at Dominic, annoyed. “It would seem your brother has kept a major secret from everyone. The guy’s not a wolf. At least. Not a true wolf. He’s a shifter. Why he’s chosen a wolf is beyond me. Hell, he might not even know what he is. I guess if he grew up in a pack, then he’d do what came natural, but the guy is way stronger than any of us thought.”

  “No shit. Well, hell. Who would have thought?”

  Samael looked over at him. “Our queen, maybe? She is the one who assigned him.”

  Dominic’s eyes widened, and his vision shot to where Donavon was finishing off the last alpha. Blood sprayed while his teeth sunk deep into the neck of red fur. “You think Marcella knew?”

  “I think it makes sense. She might not even know why she did it, but I think deep down she has something big planned. I just wish I knew it was.” Samael watched Donavon turn into human form. His nude body was covered in blood as he walked forward. Whether it was his or the others’, Samael didn’t have a clue. Donavon was injured, he knew that for sure, but it wasn’t anything the guy couldn’t heal himself.

  “Pack!” The blue and golden of his eyes blazed as Donavon looked around. Samael couldn’t stop from staring. The power coming from the shifter made his skin crawl. There was no doubt the blood he’d just ingested was the cause. The more powerful the creature, the more authority he would carry. But the wildness in Donavon’s gaze was what made Samael watch him closely.

  “Would you like me to, uh, clean you up a little before I hand you your clothes?” Samael asked.

  “Yeah, sure. Whatever.” The dark angel waved his hand at Donavon, making the blood disappear, and watched as he got dressed. The pack, along with Ambrose and the vampires, came forward. Everyone waited in silence for what the new alpha was going to say.

  “I just wanted to thank all of you who decided to give this a chance. You won’t regret it. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back home. Samael? Dominic? Can we get some more cars? We’re going to need them. As for me, I’m taking my own. Aaron and Gabe, you both ride with me.”

  Donavon took off toward the Mercedes SUV without so much as looking at Samael, Dominic, or Ambrose. No one moved for a few seconds. Confused, Samael shook his head. “All right. Everyone load up. We have a good drive ahead of us. Until we have everything worked out between you two groups, vampires and wolves need to be separated.”

  “Hey, what’s wrong with him?” Dominic’s hand stopped Samael from heading to his car.

  “I’m not sure. I think Donavon’s trying to process everything. Just give him some time. Make more cars appear, and let’s head out.”

  Finally, they could go home. Home. Odd, Samael had never felt like he belonged in the middle of all those men, but suddenly, the thought of the fortress being the place he wanted to be the most just felt damn good. Shit. Who was he kidding? He’d always loved the queen, but what he feared the most was happening. Samael was falling in love with her all over again. Great. What were next, roses and chocolates, maybe a serenade or two? Heaven forbid.

  * * * *

  Marcella had been walking in circles for what felt like hours. Gripping the sheet tighter around her body, she took the small length of the room again. The dragon had left, leaving Jason tired. Listening to the soft hum of his snores was driving her crazy. Other than him, the silence was deafening. Anything would have been better than nothing at all. Hell, right now she’d settle for the sound of water dripping.

  So many things kept going through her mind. What was she going to do about Nemmy? Just the look in his eyes when he’d assumed she’d had sex with Jason made her stomach turn. He was unstable, but was he a murderer? Whether Jason died or not was irrelevant. If the angel’s finger pulled the trigger, he’d be intent to kill. She knew that for a fact.

  Whatever was going to happen between them wasn’t going to be good. Deep down, in some place Marcella couldn’t reach in her subconscious, she knew Nemmy was going to be her biggest problem. What was she going to do with him? She thought she knew earlier, but Marcella had a feeling that pretending was only going to last so long. The angel wanted something, and she was almost afraid to know what it was. It couldn’t just be the dealing of souls.

  “Well, well, don’t you look edible, draped in a sheet. You weren’t thinking too hard now, were you?”

  Marcella spun toward the cell bars in time to see her men step through the door. Rushing forward, she threw herself into Donavon’s arms. “Oh, God, I missed you all so much! Is everyone okay?”

  “Yes, everyone is fine,” Samael assured her. “I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to them. Not that they really needed me there to begin with.”

  “You did say that. Thank you for watching out for them.” Marcella made her way to Dominic and Ambrose, hugging them tightly. When she got to Samael, she paused. “I owe you.”

  “You owe me nothing. But if you insist, you can maybe find me a room. I wish to stay.”

  Feeling her eyes grow big, Marcella quickly looked down. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her surprise. “A room? Done. How would you like to have the other tower? It’s connected to my balcony, and I think it would be perfect. You’re right there if I need anything.”

  “Sounds great. I needed to find a new place, anyway. The last thing I want is a surprise visit from those pesky angels again.”

  “Speaking of which!” Jason flew from the bed, half asleep. “That damn Nemmy almost shot my ass! You wait till I see him again. I won’t have these bars to hold me back, that’s for damn sure. What would have happened if that moron would have missed and the bullet would have r
icocheted and hit Marcella? I fucking swear, I don’t know him, but I hate him already.”

  “They’ve been here? What the hell happened?”

  Marcella groaned and looked up at Samael. “I meant to talk to you about it when we had time. Things aren’t good. Nemmy totally freaked when he thought Jason and I were together. You see, I don’t have any clothes, and when they came up, Jason and I were in bed together…naked. He went ballistic. The thought of me being impure really got him going. If it wasn’t for Caspius, I know he would have shot Jason.”

  “Shit. Fuck.” Samael used one of his hands to pull back his long, black hair. “All right, let’s go to the great hall so you can meet your new wolves. Your shifter did well gathering you followers. You’re going to like them. We’ll have to make a plan. I’m afraid I’m at a loss for what to do at the moment.”

  “I know what you mean.” At the thought of her new wolves, she smiled. Turning to Donavon, she looked up into his eyes. “Did you get everyone from the pack to come?”

  “The majority of them, but I acquired quite a bit more.”

  Confused, Marcella lightly shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

  “Let’s just say I am now the alpha for Austin and Houston, too. I’ve already put out orders for the packs to meet with me. We’ll see where it goes from there. If they want to stay, they can. If not, they still have to come to the meetings once a month, but they don’t have to live under this roof.”

  Donavon laughed when Marcy didn’t say anything. She was utterly speechless. It wasn’t until her wolf mate started circling his hand in the air that she cleared her throat. “So, you took out three alphas while you were there?”

  “Sure did.”

  “By yourself?”

  “I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

  “Well, congratulations. You kicked some major ass. I wish I could have seen it for myself.” Marcella cut her eyes to Samael. “But, I have to admit, Jason and I are better now, aren’t we?”

  Jason’s hands gripped around her waist, pulling her back against him. “Oh, yes. Things are back to normal.”

  Looking up, Marcella gave him a look. “I wouldn’t say normal. You were holding back with me. I’d say they were better, by far.”

  Red blossomed on Jason’s face. He spun her around and smacked her hard on the ass. Through the sheet, fire still scorched her bottom. A moan passed her lips as she felt wetness collect between her thighs.

  “Are you saying I was lacking before?” The playfulness on his face made her smile.

  “If I say yes, will you spank me again?”

  Jason’s groan vibrated her body. Wrapping his arms under her bottom, he pulled her up to be level with his face. “I may have not whipped your ass before, but let me assure you, lacking is something I wasn’t. Now, let’s get you out of this cell so you can get dressed before I make them close the door and disappear again for a few days.”

  “No way, bro. You have to share. We’ve missed her more than you know.” Donavon held out his arms, and Jason sighed but passed her over. The nuzzling of his face in her neck had her locking her arms around him tighter. As they walked into the main room of the dungeon, Donavon placed her on the ground.

  Marcella dropped the sheet to make clothes appear. Looking up, she locked eyes with Samael and froze. She’d become so comfortable around her men, nudity was a second thought. The fact the he didn’t blush or turn around made a million things run through her mind. Those blue eyes practically glowed as he took in her body.

  “He’s one of us, isn’t he?” Dominic’s voice barely cut through the connection she had going on with Samael.

  “Yes, I believe he is. There’s something…”

  Samael walked forward until there were but only inches between them. “I always said I’d never share you. Don’t”

  A laugh burst from Marcella’s mouth at his serious tone. “Do you still feel the same way? I don’t think you do. Men.” Turning around, she took in all of their faces. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but they all seemed just as amused as her. Well, except for Donavon, who looked just flat out pissed.

  “Who here thinks Samael has hidden things from us?”

  “I know he has,” Jason said calmly.

  Donavon and Dominic both raised their hands at the same time, as if mirroring each other. It almost made Marcella positive they were twins. Ambrose just looked down to the floor as if he knew something he couldn’t say.

  “So I’m not the only one. Good. Now which one of you believes that Samael and I carry some sort of bond?”

  One by one they nodded their heads. Marcella turned back to Samael. “We know you’re hiding something, and we both know I’m going to find out what it is. You do know that, right?”

  “I pray you don’t. The repercussions will be disastrous. Trust me.”

  “You let me decide that for myself. When you’re ready to give in, come to me. Unless I come to you first.” Marcella winked at Samael and made a dark blue gown appear. Waving her hand, she dressed everyone in clothes to match. “It’s time. We have a great hall full of wonderful people, and they’re waiting on us. Men?”

  Linking her arms to Dominic and Jason, they began walking toward the entrance of the dungeon. Not able to help herself, Marcella turned and threw Samael a challenging look. Everything felt like it stopped as he met her stare head on. She could tell he wasn’t as scared as he used to be. With him deciding to move in, Marcella obviously wasn’t the only one fighting the feelings of lust that were growing between them. Only one thought came to mind at the sight of the hunger he held in those blue eyes. We’ll be together, and soon.

  The next few weeks would consist of getting everyone settled. But once she, Dominic, and Samael hit the road to start recruiting, what then? The other men would be off at different times on their own missions, and she’d have no one but the dark angel and Dom. Could the three of them keep it together long enough to reach their ultimate mission, or would putting the demon and his master together be nothing but hell? Literally.

  Marcella wasn’t sure, but she was dying to find out. Maybe the heat needed to rise before she got the steamy result she desired. Of course, taking two men of darkness into the Wiccan community might result in exactly that. Deadly desires. Smiling, Marcella couldn’t help but like that sound of that.

  THE END

  http://jennifersalaiz.com/

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  I live in a small Texas town along the Gulf of Mexico. Family is everything to me. My mother always encouraged my reading growing up. Looking back, my earliest memories revolve around my grandmother, who was always glued to a book. Her passion for mystery is probably the reason I’m so comfortable around a police scanner. Hers was on twenty-four hours a day.

  When I'm not writing, cooking, or brainstorming new ideas, you'll see me with a book in my hand. Briefly before I started writing, I was devouring a romance novel every day. For some reason, I couldn't get enough. My husband asked me the question that ultimately changed my life forever. “Why don't you try writing a book?”

  At first, I laughed. Write a book? Who, me? Never written a story in my life, I was intimidated. To satisfy my husband and to sate the curiosity that began to fester inside of me, I did. My first story was my husband’s favorite. There was something that ultimately bothered me about it, though. I couldn't write a love scene to save my life. Not one that would fit inside of a “romance” book, anyway. It was way too graphic.

  After doing research I came across the erotica genre and knew this is where I belonged. Details are important and with my books, the more details during their “coupling”, the better.

  Also by Jennifer Salaiz

  Passion Projected

  Projected Pleasure

  Stalk Me

  Blissful Bets 1: Engaging Evelyn

  Blissful Bets 2: Saving Sarah

  Soul Collector 1: Poisonous Pleasure

  Blissful Bets 3: Melissa’s Mates

 
Available at

  BOOKSTRAND.COM

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15