“Well, Mr. Deveroux, it’s difficult to define exactly whether I like it or not,” she said at last.
“Go on,” he replied with an incline of his head. He had picked up the opium pipe, and began to prepare it, setting out a small lamp and preparing a small dab of opium tar over the flame. He kept his eyes on her as he stretched the dark paste over and over again with a practiced hand.
Violet watched, wondering at the deftness with which he prepared the drug. “It’s like nothing I’ve experienced,” she said at last, “somehow, it’s more foreign than anywhere I’ve been in Europe…stranger…” she trailed off.
Oliver inserted the opium into his pipe, and held it over the flame, inhaling deeply. Tendrils of white smoke rose from the pipe, and the air of the room became sweet and hazy.
“Of course if Lucas hadn’t ended up in your backyard, you might be having a singularly mundane experience of the place.”
Violet laughed. “That may be true,” she conceded. “But there is something in the air here. It’s like a smell or, electricity or something.”
Oliver smiled at her, flashing his fangs. “That’s one of the things that drew my family here from up North, so many moons ago.”
“I was born and raised, here, but I’ve never wanted to live in another state,” Lucas said, moving across the room to join Oliver on the couch.
The older vampire passed him the opium pipe, and he took the delicately painted ceramic stem in his hands, leaning over the flame and inhaling deeply. He set the pipe down and let the smoke escape in slow-curling wisps as he leaned comfortably against Oliver’s shoulder. He stroked Lucas’s dark hair, brushing it back from his face. Before Violet could wonder about the nature of their relationship, Oliver took him in a slow and tender kiss. Lucas’s eyes fluttered shut, and he let out a low moan. The redheaded conjure man’s eyes were on Violet as he nibbled Lucas’s lower lip. She felt her cheeks grow red as she watched the two men in their embrace. Perhaps it was the sweet vapors from the opium pipe, but she had begun to feel warm and relaxed. There seemed to be no place for jealousy in her heart as desire flared in her loins. The kiss was broken, and Lucas turned to look at Violet, smirking.
“Lucas told me that you’re the only woman he’s ever desired—even before he met you,” Oliver said as he casually began unfastening buttons of the other man’s shirt.
Violet raised her eyebrows. She guessed that this meant that he had seen her in the movies. She wondered if it had truly been by chance that she had found him in her backyard that evening.
“He says he wants to paint you,” Oliver continued, as he unbuttoned the final button of Lucas’s shirt. It fell open, and he caressed the other man’s chest and stomach. “Why don’t you show me what has driven my sweet Lucas so mad?”
Violet understood what he meant at once. All of her inhibitions melted away in the opium haze under the attentive gaze of the two men. She slowly pushed the sheet down, revealing the black lace chemise and stockings that she wore beneath. The feeling of having both men watching her undress, taking her in with a look of absolute hunger in their dark eyes, was a sensation unlike anything Violet had experienced. She felt as if she were teetering on the brink of absolute euphoria. She shrugged one of the straps of her chemise off, allowing it to slip down her shoulder. Oliver’s hand was moving lower down Lucas’s stomach. He was aroused. She could see the outline of his manhood, straining against the front of his trousers as he watched her. Oliver caressed him, and he moaned aloud. He looked as if he might succumb to lust. Violet let her slip drop to the floor. She stood there now in only her stockings, her slender body completely exposed. Her small breasts and soft thighs were for Oliver and Lucas to feast their eyes on.
“Good girl,” Oliver murmured. In spite of having taken opium, and the passionate scene unwinding around him, he seemed to be in complete control. Violet couldn’t tell if he was enjoying himself or not. His face was neutral and perfect in its ageless beauty. He was undoing Lucas’s trousers now, pulling the buttons of his union suit apart in rapid succession, revealing his body to her. Lucas looked wanton. He pushed his hips against Oliver’s touch, but his eyes were on Violet.
“Come, Violet, let’s give our Lucas a little bit of what he wants, shall we?” Oliver said with a slight smile as he released Lucas’s manhood.
Violet dropped to her knees in front of them. She felt it now, the hunger that she saw in the men’s faces. She wanted to taste Lucas. She wanted him to take her in front of Oliver. She wanted to be devoured whole by these men. She crawled to the sofa and nestled herself between Lucas’s legs, taking him into her mouth. He let out a hiss of pleasure and grasped a handful of her hair. Oliver was pinching his nipples and biting at his neck, leaving little red dots across his pale skin. He remained there for an instant, watching Violet on her hands and knees, ass up in the air as she pleasured Lucas. He stood up suddenly, crossing behind her. In a swift motion he dropped to his knees, caressing the smooth skin of her bottom before giving it a good hard slap with the flat of his hand. Violet gasped in surprise. He slapped her again. Her skin flushed red under each assault. He caressed her, and then rested a finger teasingly between her thighs. She moaned and pushed back against him. Lucas was immobilized by her ministrations, his breath ragged as he moaned aloud.
“Lucas,” came Oliver’s voice from behind her, his voice portrayed complete calm, “I’m going to take your woman. Would you like that?”
Violet could sense him moving behind her, undoing his button fly. One hand rested on her hip, then she felt him push against her, easing into her heat. She couldn’t help but gasp aloud at the sensation. She braced herself against the couch, looking up at Lucas. His dark eyes were clouded with desire as he watched Oliver thrust into her. He reached for the opium pipe and held it over the flame once more as he inhaled. Tendrils of white smoke drifted up from his lips in lazy spirals. His expression was one of absolute bliss. Violet moaned as Oliver filled her to her core, moving slowly, ever restrained in his desire. She pushed back against him, demanding more, and he pulled away, leaving her wanting.
Without a word exchanged, Lucas got to his feet and took his place behind her. Violet cried out and thrust against him, grabbing at his thighs as pleasure shot through her, electric and unrestrained.
“My beautiful Violet,” Lucas was murmuring as he grasped her hips.
Oliver sat back on the sofa, watching the two of them. He had never seen Lucas so passionate about a lover before. This Violet Miller—a famous muse from New York City—would she want to stay with them? The love that Oliver felt for Lucas was one of father and lover combined. He couldn’t bear the thought of what his unhappiness might be if Violet left Louisiana and returned back to her charmed life up North.
Violet was lost in ecstasy now. It was as if she had fallen into a trance again. Her hands were braced against the couch as she offered herself in nothing but her stockings to the man behind her. It was strange that she trusted him implicitly. The rest of her life faded into obscurity as Lucas thrust against her, hands around her slender waist as he increased his pace. She could feel pleasure building inside her, threatening to explode.
Oliver was undressing now. Letting his white linen drop to the floor as he pulled off his shirt and trousers. Violet took in the sight of him hungrily, admiring his powerful build. His white skin was covered in black tattoos. Voodoo symbols and coats of arms. An elaborate cross was tattooed on his chest, which rose and fell rapidly, betraying his desire as he moved to embrace Lucas from behind. Without a word, Lucas withdrew, and Violet moved up to the couch, spreading her thighs apart and resting a hand there as she watched as Oliver kissed Lucas’s cheeks. He nibbled his neck from behind as he stroked his manhood and slipped a skilled finger inside of him. Lucas was beside himself with arousal. He surged forward, thrusting into Violet as Oliver spread him apart, pushing inside of him—taking him whole. He let out a strangled moan of pleasure and bit down hard on Violet’s neck. Oliver thrust hard into him, an
d his face transformed into a mask of ferocious desire. Each thrust drove him closer to the edge—closer into Violet’s heat. She writhed against them. Lucas was sucking at her neck now, and the pain of it mixed with the pleasure, as he drank of her body and soul. She was barely conscious of Oliver whispering.
“Take her. Take her, Lucas,” he was murmuring over and over again in the younger man’s ear as he thrust into him. “Together.” He was taller than Lucas, and he leaned over him, sinking his fangs into the other side of Violet’s neck. She writhed and moaned at the mercy of the men. Lucas pushed into her one final time, bellowing into the crook of her neck as he came to his crisis, filling her with his seed. Violet bucked against him, lost in a haze of absolute pain and pleasure, losing control as her orgasm crashed over her. Her eyes rolled back, and the room went dark.
When she awoke hours later, she found herself nestled in between Lucas and Oliver in a large four-poster bed. Each man had thrown a protective arm across her as they slept. She was surprised to find that her neck was free of pain. Her teeth felt unfamiliar and strangely oblong. They were sharp. And then she knew. Her heart swelled with a strange happiness as she felt the steady breathing of the men beside her. She had fallen in love with them. She had fallen in love with New Orleans.
THE END
Bonus Story 6 of 40
Forbidden Love
Jeremih
“My son, we must discuss a matter.” I glanced behind me as my father’s baritone voice echoed across the marble floor of the great room. I had been looking out over the gardens as the servants readied for the party my father was throwing to welcome the delegates of nearby covens. Every three months he held meetings for the covens to discuss ways to keep the peace between all three in Rochester. Before the actual discussions and negotiations, he would host an extravagant party to welcome the coven leaders and the members of their court.
“Yes father?” I asked as I turned around to face him. Nicolai was in many ways my exact copy, apart from the years that showed in the silver of his once blond hair and the wrinkles, only heightened vision could make out, around his eyes and the corners of his mouth. That and his yellow eyes were different from my golden ones. Otherwise we had the same square jaw, intense brow, hawk like nose, and high cheekbones.
He came to a stop directly in front of me. We had the same strong build, though I was slightly taller than my father, another product of his age. “It is time you take the position as leader of this coven Jeremih. You have sat in on enough council meetings and coven delegations and I believe you may be ready.” I hid my surprise because I knew he would take it as some form of weakness. I couldn’t deny that I had been wondering when my father would recognize that it was time he step down.
“Are you certain father?” I asked him and he nodded, his brows wrinkled together as he formulated some thought.
“Yes Jeremih, you know that I am old for our kind and it is time I passed on leadership to you. You have proven yourself to be smart and observant, but I would like to test you,” he said slowly. Yet another surprise. What trial would he have me do?
“I need to know that you are cunning and capable of truly leading. You are aware of the troubles we’ve been having of late?” he asked and I nodded.
“Yes, the hunters are back and they are threatening all vampires in Rochester. What would you have me do about this?” my father tipped his head towards me and gave me an obvious look.
“What would a leader of a prominent coven of vampires do?” I glanced out at the gardens once more and saw all of the preparations taking place. A leader wouldn’t let our way of life get destroyed, I wouldn’t stand for it. A leader would go out and meet the problem head on to eradicate it.
“I would gather a team and hunt those who hunt us, to ensure our survival and that fear doesn’t spread throughout the race in our region,” I said resolutely, and my father nodded with the ghost of a smile touching his lips.
“You always know the right thing to say and how to say it. But I need to see action from you. You know your people and you know their strengths, gather your team and report back to me before the party tonight.” With that, my father turned on his heel and walked from the room just as silently as he came in. Our coven did have its own militia and I knew just who I needed. I turned around to open the balcony doors and quickly crossed the space to the stone railing to jump over it. I landed lightly on the ground below and ran through the gardens to the training fields. My father’s estate was large and many of the vampires in our coven frequented the grounds much like if it were a palace or town center.
I slowed my pace when I reached the stables as I heard the sounds of someone practicing their archery. The stable doors were closed. I neared them and heard the whiz and thump of an arrow hitting its target, which must have been mounted on the doors. I knocked twice and entered after the familiar voice of Alistair bid me to enter.
“Brother!” Alistair greeted me with his customary huge grin. I smiled as I walked towards him. He was dressed in riding clothes, and had a quiver of arrows on his back and his new modified bow in hand. Alistair wasn’t actually my brother, but my closest friend for a long time. He had a shock of naturally white hair that was pulled back into a bun and his handsome features were enhanced by his oddly, amethyst-colored eyes.
“Having a bit of target practice I see?” I gestured to the huge dummy hanging from the stable door, it had more holes in its silicone body than I cared to count.
“Yes, I’ve just engineered these new arrows. After release, it ejects the arrowhead which propels it even faster into the enemy’s body, where it can release any toxin I injected into the arrowhead,” Alistair explained. He was the only vampire that hadn’t completely switched to more efficient weapons.
“Bullets can do that also Alistair,” I said, and he rolled his eyes.
“Bullets are boring. I’ve modernized my bow and arrows, that’s all I need,” he said, and I chuckled.
“Which is why I am here. I need you for a special task,” I informed him, and Alistair perked up in excited curiosity.
“So get on with it, what do you need?” he was impatient, as always, to get to the point.
“I’m putting together a team to track down the hunters that have taken up residence in Rochester,” I said, and Alistair grinned eagerly.
“Oh you know I do love a bit of hunter tracking. We should make it a sport,” he said, and I laughed.
“One day perhaps. I must go and gather the rest of my team. Meet me at my father’s study in an hour and be ready for anything,” I said, and Alistair sprang into action, gathering his arrows and dismounting the dummy from the door. I left the stable through the back entrance and continued on to the training grounds.
**
Alina
“Hey Lina! Come take a look at this.” Brody called me over to the body of the fang he just killed. We were out at a local nature preserve in Rochester and the vampire had been hunting for humans. They usually stuck close to seedy areas where they could hide and hunt easily. “I shot it from that tree there. He was hiding pretty good too, but I just knew something was up there.” Brody boasted his kill while I walked over and watched the unnaturally long-lived body quickly decompose into dust.
“Which round did you use to kill it?” I asked, and Brody unloaded his clip to show me, while he pulled out a vial to collect some of the vampire dirt. I took out a bullet that was made from copper and loaded that with what Brody was collecting. It was strange how he had figured out the best way to kill a vampire; with their own kind’s poisonous DNA.
“See that. I told you they’d work like a charm.” I put the bullet back into the clip and handed it to Brody. “It’s pretty much renewable too, the more vamps we kill the more ammo we have to kill more with. My genius will make us the baddest hunters on the continent.” I rolled my eyes, Brody had a severe narcissistic complex, but I couldn’t deny that his discovery and innovation helped us out a lot. All we had to do was shoot one with
the poisonous DNA inside the bullet and it was dead.
“You did good Brody. Now really impress me, and kill more of those fangs alright?” I patted Brody on the shoulder and he got fired up to go hunt more vampires down the trail. We had just recently found out that this park was one of their feeding grounds and my team was all over exterminating it. It was silent in the tree-shrouded preserve and I knew I wouldn’t hear any sounds other than the occasional vampire body hitting the ground. My team had specialized weapons made to be both silent and visually discreet. I was confident that my team of fifteen highly trained hunters could clean up the preserve fairly quickly so I decided to take a break.
I walked over to a tree stump and sat down so I could pull out a granola bar and some water. I was getting tired of granola bars. Our commanding officer, so to speak, was sending my team out more and more frequently now because we were getting the most kills. Rick had high expectations of us, but I felt a burnout coming soon. The guys were getting less excited to go out hunting, Brody for one was becoming more weirdly erratic and overexcited, meanwhile I was just getting sick of staring at trees and dead vampires.
After I finished my lunch, I pulled out my compact to make sure my earpiece was still well hidden behind my curly black hair. The wire I also wore underneath my parka was tucked away too. My shooter was still strapped to my arm under my sleeve so I was all set.
“Hey Lina, we have a problem by the deer path… we need five hunters over here, Brody, Kevin, and Ron are nearest to you.” Jackson’s voice sounded from my earpiece and I quickly jumped into motion. I pulled put my phone and used the tracker to get to Brody, who was closest to me, so we could meet up with Kevin and Ron then head to Jackson’s location.
Jackson and I sometimes didn’t see eye to eye and he tried to take lead from time to time. I was the first female lead in a hunting team and Jack thought I was too laid back and not really fit to lead. I proved myself often enough to keep him quiet and earn his respect, but we still had our disagreements. It was getting darker as the sun was setting and with the lack of light I grew confidence. My team worked best after dusk as I had hand picked guys that were stealthier and knew how to innately blend in with the surroundings once night fell. The vampires did have the advantage when it came to seeing in the dark, so I made sure my team had an advantage also.
Alien Mate Page 28