by H. C. Brown
He withdrew completely from Tanz's quivering hole, reached for a pot on his nightstand, and lathered his shaft with an aphrodisiac lube. Bending, he rammed his fangs into Tanz ass cheek, injecting his venom deep into his trembling flesh. He would take him so high he would never look at another male. Grasping Tanz's hips, he gazed down at his puckered star, glossy with lube, slightly open and begging for more. Roaring, he drove into his sizzling ass and rode him hard, feeling him shudder at every stroke. Tanz moaned and began to rock back to meet each thrust. He laughed. "You like this, don't you?"
"Damn you, Rio." Tanz cursed, his fingers bunching in the sheet. Rio slowed the pace and rocked against him, reaching around his slim waist to caress his ridged shaft. At his touch, Tanz began to shudder and cry out, spilling in long hot spurts over his hand. Rio chuckled and rolled his hips, pushing hard against Tanz's pleasure spot. Out of control, he grabbed Tanz's hips and thrust wildly. The aphrodisiac took hold and drove him to madness; the world split into a rainbow of colors as he fell over the edge.
He collapsed on top of Tanz, pinning him beneath him. They lay still, breathing in long gasps. He slid across Tanz's slick skin and licked the sweat from his neck.
"Promise you'll be mine . . . forever."
"I would have promised before you tied me up . . . . I love you, Rio." Rio bit down on the tender lobe of his ear.
" Promise me."
"I promise."
Chapter Sixteen
Thryll jerked awake at the knock on the door. He gazed around, disorientated, and then sat up on the sofa, rubbing his neck. Outside, darkness still pressed against the ice-covered windows. Tanz had mentioned that food arrived before daybreak; how quaint. Rising to his feet, he stretched, yawned, and threw a couple more logs on the fire, before heading for the bathroom. After using the toilet, he stopped in front of the vanity, washed his face, and gazed at his bleary eyes in the mirror.
"I'm starving." A female voice exclaimed from the doorway. "Has breakfast arrived?"
Thryll turned, towel in hand, and smiled. "Hello, I'm Thryll—"
"What?" She broke across his words. "Where's Tanz? Oh, don't tell me, he made a mistake and now you're here for your turn."
She took his breath away, standing naked, shimmering in the overhead lights. Thryll dropped the towel and held up his hands. "I don't want you, Aria. I'm just here to tell you, Tanz went back to Rio for—"
"Oh! Well fuck him . . . fuck both of them," she roared, her eyes turning to amber. She turned and stomped out of the bathroom. Thryll followed, wishing Tanz would return. If he could get a word in, he would explain everything. He must try to calm her.
Remembering the food cooling in the hallway, he walked slowly to the door and swung it open. At his feet, a long tray covered with a white cloth gave off delicious aromas.
"You're hungry. I'll get the food, and we can talk while you eat." He bent to lift the tray, heard a growl and cursed. Before he could react, a lioness leapt over his shoulder and bounded down the hall. He yelled at the top of his voice until the cat disappeared round a corner. "Aria, come back. Tanz will be back soon." Hell, what was he to do? His orders were to remain in the room and not leave for fear of recognition. Should he follow? If he ventured outside in this formidable realm, would he find his way back? Pushing the tray onto the table, he wedged the door open with a chair and ran down the hall. He found a flight of stairs running up and made his way to the roof, taking the steps three at a time. No, not this way, he decided, lifting his nose to catch her scent. Turning, he ran back down and moved slowly across the small lobby, noting the dark opening to a stairwell. He crept forward cautiously, sniffing the air. Yes, she had come this way.
Leaping down each flight, he cringed at the sound of screaming echoing up the dark abyss. The noise continued until he reached the foyer. Charging into the open, he froze. Humans carrying brooms and buckets pressed against the opposite wall; one female lay near his feet, whimpering in terror. The lioness paced up and down the plush red carpet, snarling and waving her head from left to right. He watched in horror while a Human male darted across the room and threw open a window then ducked for cover behind a chair.
"Aria, no."
Too late. The cat bounded toward the opening and in one magnificent jump, leaped through the gaping window into the darkness. All eyes turned toward him. Thryll shrank back into the dimly lit stairwell, spun around, and fled up the stairs back to the room.
* * * * *
Rio traced a hand down Tanz's arm, nuzzled his ear and buried his nose into his damp hair to inhale his unique scent. He smiled, satisfied at last the faerie belonged to him forever. Running his tongue over the bite on his shoulder, he purred in contented triumph with the knowledge he had pushed his lover to the limit, taking him repeatedly until they slid into a sweat soaked delirium. He should let Tanz sleep. Now, all he needed was Aria, his sweet beautiful mate, to share their bed.
"Rio," Tanz said sleepily and stretched languidly against him.
"I'm here, waiting to feel you quiver under me again."
"I must go back to Aria; if she wakes and sees Thryll . . . ." Rio grasped Tanz's cock; it bucked and swelled under his touch. Rolling Tanz onto his back, he surveyed the bites covering his body with an odd sense of pride He bent to brush a kiss across his lips and then slipped down his body to take him in his mouth. Gods, he loved the sound Tanz made while he sucked him and the little shudder each time he ran his fangs up his swollen shaft. His hand cupped Tanz's sac, his fingers trailed up to his puckered star, still slippery from lube, and pushed inside. He groaned with every slide of Tanz's velvet skin across his tongue and the blistering heat surrounding his pumping fingers. When Tanz's fingers twisted in his hair, he increased the pace, until Tanz cried out his name in a shuddering scream and emptied his hot, salty load over his tongue.
He lifted his head and gazed into Tanz's sultry jade eyes. “I miss her too, desperately. I want her here with us right now. I am soothed in the knowledge that under your spell she's not suffering. It's better to let her sleep. You can go to her after we've bathed and eaten. It's barely daybreak, and you know, in London it's night until mid morning."
"I'm worried about her, she's fragile—no, not in body," he said as Rio rolled his eyes. "She's fragile in her trust, Rio. She's not sure about you. She craves you but insists you don't want her. I think if she wakes without me and sees another Pride male, hell, Rio, she'll think we used her for sex."
Rio frowned. "Hell, I hope not . . . but in truth, my scent on you won't help either. You really need to wash. I'll have a tray brought up. Another few minutes won't hurt."
* * * * *
Tanz stepped through the Circle of Light into his bedroom at the hotel. Immediately, Thryll ran from the sitting room, his face ashen.
"Aria has escaped!"
"What? When? What happened?
"She woke while I was in the bathroom; she lost her mind and morphed . . . ." He grabbed Thryll's shoulders and gave him a shake. "Aria morphed, hell, where did she go? How did she get out of the room?"
"I went to collect the food and she ran out the door . . . I searched for her . . . found her downstairs . . . she jumped out the window. The Humans were screaming as if they'd never seen a cat before; I think they want to kill her." Running a hand through his hair, Tanz walked toward the window and stared out into the grey fog. "How long ago?"
"An hour or so," he replied, his face twisted with anxiety. "She headed north, from what I could tell."
Toward the park, and snow had fallen overnight; they could track her.
"I'll need Rio. We'll go back to Feltich Castle, and it’s your job to inform Blaise that Rio has left Dryad. Tell Blaise to inform Nox; we may need his help."
* * * * *
Rio pulled on his boots and dragged on his long, black cloak. Too bad if the Humans saw him. Anger welled up inside him and his cat roared to be free. Turning his head, he growled at the sight of Thryll striding into the room. "It would be better for y
our health, whelp, to keep your distance from me."
"I came to inform you that Nox will travel to the Human realm shortly and you may contact him in the usual way, if you need help," Thryll said, standing his ground.
"Answer one question, what Pride is she?"
"Lyoness, with a coat of burnished copper," said Thryll, his eyes dancing with amusement. "This is the first time a princess from Lyoness has been given to Arious Pride. Gods, Rio, Lyoness with Fae blood, fire and ice; she will be a challenge even for you." He chuckled.
Turning away, Rio grunted in disgust.
"She belongs to both of us," said Tanz, pulling on an oversized thick jacket. "Aria was given to us because of her blood lines."
Rio pushed his dagger into the sheath at his back. "Enough of this prattle, Tanz; draw the circle to take us straight to the park."
* * * * *
Icy wind drove snowflakes into the bare skin of Tanz's cheeks; he stood downwind, to allow Rio to scent Aria. Cold seeped through his clothes while a blizzard buffered his ridged body and obliterated any tracks. In the distance, sirens wailed and his stomach became jittery. The Human militia carried weapons that fired hot lead pellets. If they cornered Aria, it was not beyond reason that they would shoot her. He waited until Rio beckoned him forward. Hell, his eyes were amber, his jaw set, battle ready; if he changed now, all would be lost.
"Try to control your cat, Rio. Those sirens are the militia. If they find Aria before we do they will kill her."
"This place is so putrid with odors it's difficult to track her. I think we need to move west, toward the forest. Her cat will instinctively seek cover, and I'm guessing the snow will be undisturbed in the shelter of the trees," said Rio. He pulled up the hood of his cloak and smiled grimly. "We'll find her; trust in the Lady to guide our way." The arctic wind did little to improve Rio's temper as they trudged knee-deep in the freezing snow. Tanz spoke to him softly, as if he were a cub. "Are you pleased she is a lioness?"
"Any cat will please me, but in truth, she will be difficult to live with, demanding, jealous. Although," he said, turning to give Tanz a small smile, "I hear they're insatiable."
Laying a hand on Rio's arm, Tanz moved closer. Rio was regaining control "I want the first cub to be yours; I hope she gives you a fine son."
"Our son, he will be our son . . . or daughter," Rio replied, closing his hand over Tanz's arm. "I would hope you'll never withhold your seed from our mate, Tanz." Tanz frowned. If he fathered Aria's first child, the cub would be a faerie, and if male, definitely not a Knight Watch prince. He squeezed Rio's arm and stopped to pull him around to face him. "Aria is more Fae than Pride, Rio; my cubs will be faeries . . . with wings. Arious decrees you produce Pride cubs."
"Not so," said Rio, pushing on through the driving snow.”Nox will grant me a wish that our seed be joined, to create Pride cubs."
"I can't agree to that, Rio I want a Fae child."
"I think I'd like that too," said Rio, touching his cheek. "So, it's agreed, we let the Lady decide, in the knowledge that Pride or Fae our cubs will be loved and protected."
Rio stopped walking and gazed into the distance, the perimeter of the forest, a dark blot against the pristine landscape. There, deep in the blackened woods, against the velvet shadows, he saw a flash of chestnut—Aria. The sirens wailed, closer this time, and Rio could make out flashing lights moving slowly on a road in the distance.
"I think I see her. Run, the Humans are getting closer." Not caring if Tanz could keep up, Rio bounded through the snow, using every ounce of his cat's skill and speed. Reaching the edge of the woods, he slowed and tipped back his head to drink in the crisp woodland scents. Yes, she was close. Over there, not five paces away, embedded in the snowy pathway, her footprints led toward a mistletoe-covered thicket. Moving forward slowly, he skirted around the dense brown bushes, and then he saw her. He stopped and swung around to signal Tanz to remain silent. He crouched, some paces away. The lioness swung around, baring her teeth in a rumbling, warning growl. Gods, she was beautiful; golden fur stretched over powerful muscles. A big cat to match his own, so much raw power in one magnificent creature—
and she belonged to him.
Aria fought her cat to morph; the beast hummed with excitement and wanted only to kill and eat the first warm-blooded creature they encountered. The scent of Rio flooded through her and she could see him through a strange, amber haze. Then Rio began to purr, and she understood him. ' Mine' she purred in reply and her cat began to shimmer around her.
Cold shot through her as if a bucket of freezing water had tipped over her. Good grief, she was naked and lying in the snow! So cold, her teeth chattered as she looked around wildly for Rio. "Rio?"
Behind her, the snow crunched with every step he made toward her. Pushing up, she tried to rise, just as a group of police crashed through the bushes and surrounded them.
"What have we here then? Got yourself a girl to rape, 'ave you?"A police officer waved his gun at Rio. "Step away from the girl."
Rio stepped over her and placed one leather boot on each side of her head. The warmth from Rio's body surrounded her. Enclosed beneath his long, leather cloak, Aria pulled her knees under her body and crawled up his back, into his heat. She inhaled, dragging his scent deep into her lungs. She purred and her cat rolled in his essence, delirious to be close to her mate.
"I said, step away from the girl," said the police officer."Hand her over and we'll take you down to the station for a nice little talk."
"She belongs to me," growled Rio, his entire body vibrating with anger against her cold skin.
Fury so molten, so intense, roared through Rio and inside his head the cat howled its distress. Trapped, his instinct was to morph and tear the Humans to pieces. Rio snorted in anger, exhaling a cloud of white mist. As a man, he could protect Aria with his body, take any punishment necessary to keep her safe. Drawing his magyck, he hesitated. Humans were unpredictable and likely to discharge their weapons indiscriminately. If he repelled them, there would not be enough time to escape through a Circle of Light. The need to protect his mate paramount, he tensed, growling a warning. One of the Human militia stepped forward, pointing a metal fire stick at his heart. All eyes were upon the frail body shivering at his back. How dare they stare at her nakedness that way?
Trying hard to keep control of his cat, he spread his arms wide in an effort to convince the men he was not a threat. At his back, Aria trembled against him, making small mewing noises, her icy fingers moving tentatively around his waist. The sound of her deep distress drove stakes into his heart. He wanted to draw her close and kiss her fear away. He purred deep in his chest, to sooth her. Thank the Lady she had come to him without hesitation.
Evaluating the five armed Humans, he met the eyes of each of them. Without the fire sticks, defeating them would be easy, no more than a training exercise. He knew by personal experience the destruction the Human weapons inflicted on a body. Similar fire sticks had pushed hot metal into Nox to put him down in the battle against the Druiks, and Nox was immortal. A Knight Watch prince would not survive five of them at close range and what of Aria, naked and defenseless at his back? His eyes flitted around the woodlands. Where the hell is Tanz?
The militia moved forward and Rio dropped his glamor and bared his fangs with a hiss. "She belongs to me, Human, stay back."
"What the hell are you?" The Human leader spat as they all dropped into fighting stance and aimed their weapons.
Inside his head, his cat whined, wanting to spring free. Placing his hand protectively over Aria's freezing fingers, he fell back into his only recourse. The first line of defense when completely outnumbered ―negotiation.
"You think she would cling to me if she feared me? She stands beside me as my mate, without restraint. Go on your way; this has nothing to do with you."
"Likely story. Let her go and if it's true she can tell us herself," replied the Human, his fire stick unnervingly steady in his hand.
The sno
w behind the group of blue militia shimmered and the trees distorted in black contrasting shapes. As zebra shadows fell across the trampled snow, Nox appeared, with Tanz at his side. Lady's blood, Nox looked magnificent, dressed in black, his long, leather coat brushing the snow, his midnight hair sizzling with magyck. Inside his head, Nox's voice came clear and loud.
" Hold, Rio; don't move. Let me deal with this."
Rio drew in a cold, steadying breath, relieved. Aria grasped his shoulders, lifted her legs up to encircle his hips and her freezing naked body nestled hard against the contours of his back. He could fight like this; she weighed practically nothing. Pulling his cloak tightly around his body to keep her warm, he whispered to her. "Hold tight, honey, things might get rough."
Beyond the line of trees, Rio glimpsed a flash of gold then the weak winter sun streaked across Allure the Fair's wings. The faerie stood perched in the top of a grand old oak tree and lifted his hand in greeting. Hell, what if the Humans saw him? His attention moved to Tanz, who'd shifted silently into place. The three Fae males formed an arc, mimicking the militia's position around him.
"Can I be of any assistance," said Nox. "I know this man; I'm sure you're making a dreadful mistake."
Only one of the Humans looked over his shoulder, as the effect of Faerie glamor poured over them. Rio chuckled, watching their weapons drop, disappearing into the snow at their feet. They froze where they stood, staring into space, their faces blank.
"Take them home, Tanz; I'll clean up this unfortunate mess." Nox ordered as Allure fluttered down to stand next to him.