Redemption: A Custos Novel

by Emjay Soren

  “Tavern Madley right?” He asked, and I cringed back. How and why did he know who I was?

  “Leave or I call my guard.” I was calm and ready for anything. I had experienced torture on all levels at the hands of Nex, I wasn’t afraid of two measly ones.

  “Who? The dog?” He asks and looks over his shoulder indicating that they know Bastian and what he is.

  London , oblivious to what was happening, continued looking through racks. Jesus, she really did have a one track mind when surrounded by silk and soft, pretty things. “That very dog indeed.” I acknowledged Bastian and stood a little taller, making sure the Nex knew that while I was nervous, I wasn’t afraid.

  I took in the features of the one who'd spoke first. He had on a suit, which I found interesting, black and double breasted he was clean and pressed. His eyes had that same marble factor, all white with swirling blood sliding through the whites. I had spent days, months even, staring into the eyes of Nex. I had learned their secrets, their way of seduction. I knew it all, I was a physical version of the Nex encyclopedia. “So listen, I’m a little busy guys.” I forced a nonchalant tone, when really I was nauseous being this close to a Nex again. “What can I do for you?” I continued to peruse the racks as if I wasn’t bothered in the slightest when he grabbed my elbow.

  “There are a lot of things I would love for you to do for me… again.” His grip wasn’t hurting me, that wasn’t why I cringed. I cringed because what he said implied that he had been one of my many … clients at Bliss.

  “Well I clearly don’t remember you, so it must not have been that awesome.”

  He laughed and the sound was terrifying. “Whores never remember the johns. I remember your pussy though, I remember you crying as I used various tools to get myself off…licking your blood after I made you bleed for me.” He licked his lips and I had to swallow the bile rising in my throat. Oh fuck, I did remember him. “I remember everything I did to you repeatedly, while you begged for it.”

  “I was high, that was it. I never would let something like you touch me. So, if you are here to reminisce, then I’m sorry that I'm unable to establish a difference between you and the hundreds of others who raped me.”

  He was pissed now, and I liked it. Loved it even. I smiled as he squeezed my arm harder, cutting off my circulation. It hurt, but I wasn’t backing down. He glared down at me. “I’ll get another chance soon enough, maybe the next time I’ll bleed you dry and kill you for good.”

  I shrugged, but inside my stomach plummeted. “Well, if I die I won’t go without a fight. And I have a little back-up now, so you may want to think twice before threatening to make me your chew toy.” Just then his friend saw London as she gasped, finally seeing what was happening.

  “Bastian!” London screamed, and tried to run around the second Nex. He was dressed similar to his counterpart, but with red hair that somehow made him seem less sinister. He stepped in front of London and grasped her around the waist.

  Game over.

  This wasn’t supposed to include London being hurt or worse.

  “Fine!” I yelled and realized we had a crowd around us. There was only so much Infatuation that a Nex could use inside a mall full of innocents. You can’t wipe them all, and the last thing the human world needed was learning of vampires. “Fine. Tell me what you want and I’ll do it, as long as you leave her alone.” I was much quieter this time, but my tone was of no use when a loud roar sounded from the door.

  Looks like there was no hope of secrets in Victoria’s anymore.

  Bastian was phasing right then and there. His features distorted as the long snarling snout of the universes only werewolf decided to let his alter ego out.

  “Bas don’t do this. There is only so much we can hide after you kill these dicks.” London sneered. God love her she was angry, not an ounce of fear in her voice as she stared them down. Remembering that she had killed a Nex with her bare hands, I felt our odds were good.

  “Leave!” He growled. Through his fangs and the unnatural dislocation of his jaw, he looked like death come to party.

  The Nex who had my arm still firmly locked in his fist leaned in close, and though they all smell like some form of earth, I caught the stench deep beneath. He was foul. “Tell your boyfriend we'll be seeing him soon.” The Nex dropped my arm as the redheaded one moved back from London.

  Passing Bastian, whose entire body was shaking and vibrating with a need to phase, the Nex who'd spoken to me stopped before him. “Bastian, good to see you again.”

  How did these nasty vamps know Bas? Before I could ask the question out loud, Bastian came storming towards London and I as the two Nex left. He grabbed us both and with a swift lift he had us each under an arm in a football hold and took off for the parking lot.

  Completely shocked, I let him carry me without argument, as did London. Something was up with that final goodbye. He had referenced Preacher, calling him my boyfriend, even though it wasn't even close to the truth. And his little comment to Bas about it being good to see him again…yeah something was definitely up.

  He got to the car and busted a side window to unlock the doors. I figured it was because his hands were full with us and all our bags, but I didn’t think that a three second wait would have mattered so he could get his keys. Setting us down he demanded, “Get in!” He popped the trunk and threw the bags in. By the time we were in our seats and buckling up Bastian had the car in reverse and was tearing out of the lot.

  I knew this whole thing was about me. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and asked, “What was that, Bastian?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Preacher

  I hated sleeping alone after a morning of fucking. The woman had me locked down the way she opened so fully to my desires. This morning had been a first though, and even thinking about it had me hard. She had come to me at seven after she had woken up. I had been out all night fighting and looking for info on how she came to Seattle. We knew she was here because of London, but we didn’t know how she physically got here.

  Vampires are able to dematerialize, just like the myth, minus turning into a bat. Nothing more than a bit of mist before we transport to a new place. Our bodies don't break down to particles and rebuild, it's simply speed, and it's fast. We're in one place, and then with a jerk, recklessly pulled to another. London can't shift like that, but because Leushus could, we'd thought maybe it happened for Tavern due to the connection to Leushus via London.

  Then we learned that the Cado had physically brought her. Last night, after searching any leads for Bliss, thinking that the Cado had set Tavern up, we received a call from an old friend in Vegas named Klem. The Cado had been looking for any loose ends we may have left behind, anything that would dissolve the bond between London and Leushus.

  Around four months ago, when Conlin was looking for London, Leushus had fed her his blood knowing that she was going to be found. By drinking it he protected her soul, and when the Cado came to collect her, her soul belonged to Leushus, not them. The bold move cost Leushus his wings, and now the Cado were down a soul and looking. It was beginning to look like the soul they were after was Tavern.

  Klem informed us that he had seen Darcallion, the enforcer, in his club, Doubt. It looked as if each and every human female that he approached matched Taverns description. When Klem confronted Darcallion, he said that they had lost touch with the girl about a month ago.

  That had us thinking that for two weeks before we found her, Tavern was searching in dumpsters and filthy alley ways for Bliss. Based on the after effects of the drug, it was then that she had started withdrawing. We needed to find out how long it had been since she last used. Leushus thought they were tracking her through the drug somehow, when it was through us all along.

  Something changed recently because they lost her, and they were even more pissed now.

  I wanted to warn Tavern, tell her to stay in and not leave the mansion until we had more answers from Leushus. As a member of the Angel
society he was keeping his ear to the ground hoping to get a lead. He was officially knocking heads today though. He was fast tracking through every source until he had answers.

  That morning, the instant I saw her blue eyes, I lost all track of any thought in my head and went for her. Hard. News of the Cado and that they had been using her so callously, made me lethal and burning with white hot anger. Seeing her safe in my room as I left the shower, left me with only a single outlet for my desperation. It had been her body.

  I had walked to the bed and pulled her up, spinning her so she was on all fours. I wasted no time in getting inside and releasing almost instantly. I didn’t pull out after my orgasm, I stayed inside stroking and kept the high going. I gripped her hips until my knuckles were white. She was panting and begging for me to grip harder, dig deeper.

  In all my years I had never fully released my inner desires. I had been mind blown with Emigen, but not like I was with my Bird. She was as hard core as I was. She liked the punishing rhythm with which I fucked her, always begging for me to pound harder and faster. Always encouraging my filthy words, wanting it dirtier each time. She was the fuel to my already out of control fire.

  But I never felt like I was degrading her, never felt like I was going too far. At times I felt she didn’t think I had gone far enough. She would beg for my mouth on her, “eat me out, Preacher” she would beg, knowing I liked a beggar. And oh, how I liked making her beg.

  We got up to some interesting shit for sure, but this morning had taken me to new heights.

  I was inside of her from behind, driving away the thoughts of her being a weapon against Leushus. I could feel my second orgasm coming on, and desperate to make it last, I dropped a hand to my balls and squeezed, hoping the pain would slow the pleasure, but it only enhanced it. When I let out an intense growl Tavern wanted to know why.

  “A lil’ bit a pain, Bird, made it even better.”

  “I’m almost there, make me come, Preacher, and I’ll show you pain in the best way.”

  If that hadn’t been incentive enough, I could feel her little fingers as the stroked the base of my cock while they rubbed her clit. Knowing she was about to explode, I held her hips close and drove short, hard thrusts right up against the wall of her pussy. I felt her break immediately, tightening like a fist on my dick. I could only hope not to shoot into her right then. It had been a basic sexual encounter and I was going crazy, but nothing like when she pulled forward and I fell from the grip of her trembling pussy.

  “Lay back Preacher.”

  I did as she said hoping she would climb aboard and fuck me wild. It was then she turned her body and sat upon my face. Nothing new to us or to my former sexual encounters, however, as I brought her pussy to my mouth, she placed my wet dick between her breast and began thrusting against my face. The movement had my dick sliding along her chest bone and cushioned between her two beautiful breasts. She was pinching her nipples as she pulled them tight against me and I could have come at the sight.

  I watched her slide over my body, that sweet pussy of hers bobbing against my tongue. I was as close to heaven as a man with my sins could get. Knowing I was about to come I slapped a hand against her ass before gripping her hips and sliding her faster, lifting my own hips against each slide. As the first pulses shot from the tip of my dick Tavern dropped her head low and sucked my nuts into her hot mouth and released with a loud pop! I blew apart, coating her skin with everything I had, cursing and growling louder than I had before.

  But the sensation didn’t stop, I was in a sexual standoff and my body was on auto pilot. My dick kicked against her chest, coating her nipples and the soft swells beneath and still I shot. Creamy warmth spread over her chest and I continued attacking her clit unaware of how rough I was getting.

  Caught in the moment of a complete sexual frenzy unlike any I had before, my fangs dropped and without permission, as though they had a mind of their own, I snapped them quickly, piercing her clit before rocketing into insanity as her blood hit my tongue.

  Her screams of pleasure were so loud I covered her mouth with my hand trying to drown out the noise we were making. There was no hiding or covering what we were getting down to in my room. She bit her tiny blunt teeth into the palm of my hand as my release came to an end, all the while hers was still at its peak. Releasing her bite, my name became the sole chant from her lips.

  “Preacher…Preacher…Preacher…” She cried and slid her cunt across my face, punctuating my name with each hit to her clit.

  The sex was beyond phenomenal; the orgasms were unparalleled to any before it. “Bleedin’ hell Bird, you keep comin’ on my face like this and I’ll bite you every damn time.” I rubbed my hands in circles across the round soft globes of her ass, soothing her as she continued to shake sporadically. Her head was resting against my thigh, the puffs of air coming from that perfect mouth could be felt along the semi-swollen and drenched shaft of my dick. I was so close to her mouth it would take but a shift…

  As if she knew what I was thinking she giggled and then placed a soft, chaste kiss to the sensitive strip beneath the head. My cock jerked in response to her touch, she was a live wire electrifying my system on a fuckin’ hourly basis.

  She, as always, jumped from the bed and started gathering her clothes. I found myself, as always, wishing she would stay for a bit, let me hold her, maybe get another round in. It was always the same though, her rush to leave and then my rush to forget how fuckin’ perfect she was. I loved only my Emme, had nothing to offer this girl outside my dick. Just because she was warm and almost always wet, definitely always willing, didn’t mean we had a spark that could bring us to the fire.

  I watched her as she dressed, wiping my come from her chest with a towel. “Make sure to stay to the mansion today. We're waiting on Leushus to bring info.” I yawn, and feel like a tool, but the sex was astounding and it was past sunrise. I was bound to be tired.

  She nodded and then did something she had never done before. She climbed on the bed, falling to all fours she crawled towards me. Dropping a kiss to my cheek, “Night, night Preacher.” She said and got up and left the room.

  I didn’t have the energy or the mindset right then to think of why she did that. Even more disturbing was the orgasm and my reaction to it. I had never come that long or hard in my very long life. I had lost complete sexual control, didn't have a single thought other than to mark her. I snapped my fangs into that pretty clit and her reaction had been as mine had. It had to mean something, both of us coming with such intensity. It was the last thing I thought of before falling into a peaceful slumber.

  *

  Preacher

  “Wake up Preacher!” Cash bellowed from beside my bed, his hands over his eyes as he roared my name. “Please for the love of God, get up so I can get out of here.”

  My eyes open and see him standing there, shielding his eyes and it takes a minute to focus on why. It would be my giant naked body on the bed, no blankets no clothes. Just me and my cock lying in the bed, where I’m sure remnants from that morning were lining the sheets. Tinkling about it made me hard again, and I thanked the Almighty that Cash’s eyes were covered. Whipping the sheet over my hips I muttered a curse. “Open your eyes you bleedin’ tit. You have seen one before, it’s just a cock.”

  I laugh knowing he's uncomfortable. “Not like that I haven’t.” He glances down and sees the sheet is now covering me. “Thank you. Jesus, talk about being blessed. That’s a fuckin weapon you’re holding Preacher.”

  “Are you really commenting about my dick?” I ask, laughing even harder.

  “It’s fuckin terrifying.” He doesn’t seem offended and I know he's trying to make me uncomfortable. I'm the one with the big dick, so it only makes me laugh.

  “What the bleedin' hell do ya want?”

  He laughs harder and shakes his head. “I’m going to get the girls, Leush is on his way.”

  That had my stomach on the high dive. “Where are they?” I ask while I j
ump from the bed and start throwing on clothes.

  He shrugs. “Taverns room I suppose. Princess wrote me a cute little note saying not to worry when I woke, that she was with your girl.”

  That little comment had my stomach taking the plunge from the high dive. “I would be careful with where you throw that term. MY girl is dead.” I knew I sound like a fuckin’ twat but I can't, not even for a minute, think that Emme isn’t mine anymore. Cash thinking that I would replace Emme with Tavern for even a second makes my ire all the darker.

  I can’t explain the look he gives me or what it means and I don’t bother. There are too many emotions and ideas and actions from me lately, and I refuse to acknowledge or be accountable for any of them right now. I know Tavern and I may seem like an us, but we are, and will always be nothing more than her and me. Separate beds, separate rooms, hell, separate breeds for fucks sake. There is no my girl when speaking of Tavern Madley.

  “Look, just get dressed and meet us in the kitchen.” He sounds disappointed as he leaves and I know exactly what he is thinking. But I just can’t seem to care. He may want me all mated up and happy like his arse, but it’s not in the cards for me. I had my happily ever after, and it was perfect while it lasted. I was never promised forever with Emme and nothing would ever hold a candle to my love for her. It wasn’t fair to ask another to stand beneath her, to never be as great as her. No, I was alone forever, disappointing as it seemed, there would be no changing my mind.

  I made my way to the kitchen and heard Cash belting out warnings and threats before I entered the room. “So help me London, I will shred every piece of clothing in those bags if your ass ain't through this door in five seconds.” He was pacing back and forth, his phone on the table, Cookie on speakerphone.