“We have a new resident—someone eager to complain about her treatment in the other realm and tell stories to entertain us. Even now, she’ll be lobbying to have you turned over to her to punish you.”
Gabriella shivered. “Inanna.”
“Do not worry. She has no status here except what her sister confers. Thus far, Irkalla has been content to see Inanna suffer. Inanna’s husband, Dumuzi, was given her leash.”
Mention of the demon they’d expelled, the Devourer, sent a chill shivering down her spine. “They both know I’m here?”
“Of course,” he said, shrugging as though he didn’t care. “Although I have been with you since you arrived, I am sure Irkalla’s spies have been busy. She will ensure that her sister and her brother-in-law know.”
“Is that why you think I’ll stay here? Because I fear them?”
“Of course not. You are a fierce warrior in your own right. But they are not your greatest fear.”
All this talk of fear filled her with an uneasy impatience. She didn’t dwell on her fears, had never allowed herself to dwell too deeply on them. “Is it you? Are you the one I should fear?”
“No, my love, but you will discover it,” he said matter-of-factly. “And I will be there to soothe you afterward. Then you will be content to remain with me.”
Xalia’s hands replaced the cloth and slid over the tight muscles of her shoulders, massaging them.
Gabriella didn’t want to enjoy the other woman’s touch, but couldn’t stop the deep sigh of pleasure that eased from her. Her eyes closed as the long, spindly fingers curved over her shoulders and slid down to massage her breasts. “I don’t understand this place,” Gabriella said, ignoring her body’s reaction to the soft, slick fingers sliding over her nipples. “The people in the hall where I arrived—they sat with demons.”
“They are the dead,” he murmured. “And they entertain the demons, who feed on them. They pay for their sins for eternity … unless they earn favor.”
“That hall is so different from the rest of the fortress. It appears stuck in the Middle Ages, and yet this feels more ancient.”
“Time, architecture—they have no real meaning. Lord Malphus built the fortress and the palace according to our queen’s preferences. Her preferences were flavored by her birthplace, Sumer. The Hall of the Dead, where the newest arrivals are kept, isn’t of any interest to her. Malphus appreciated the ruggedness of the medieval keeps, therefore he built it according to his own tastes.”
Gabriella wrinkled her nose. “Malphus. I’m confused now. Everything here originates from the time before the Christians, but Malphus was one of the fallen angels.”
“This fortress is but one destination. Did you think nothing else lies beyond the sands?”
Tired of trying to get her mind around something she knew she was better off never fully understanding, she changed the topic. “What will I do with myself when you aren’t here?” she asked, even though she had an inkling from the casual way the other woman stroked her skin while she cleansed her. They both expected she’d succumb to the pleasures offered. “I’m not accustomed to inactivity. I’ll go mad.”
“When you want to stretch your legs, I will take you to the desert.”
She opened her eyes to meet his dark gaze. “I can’t go for a walk by myself?”
“You will not want to be unaccompanied. As much as I would protect you, even spare you, I think it is a lesson you will have to learn.” His head canted, listening to something she couldn’t hear, and then he rose, giving Xalia a long, silent gaze.
“You’re leaving me?” Gabriella said, then bit her lip. She’d sounded … clingy, womanly.
“I have duties,” he said, his expression shuttering. “And calls to make upon our rulers.”
“Can’t I come with you?”
“Not yet. I want the excitement of your being here to die down first. They will be curious. Some lustful to touch and taste you. I must make sure they honor my protection.”
Gabriella watched him go, and then slid a sideways glance at her companion.
“Do you want to play?” the creature said in an oddly girlish voice, her hands closing around Gabriella’s breasts.
Gabriella’s lip curled with disgust. “Is sex all that you think about?”
Xalia’s smile was guileless. “It is what I am made for.”
“Just bathe me,” Gabriella bit out. “That’s all I want from you.”
As Xalia continued gliding her soapy hands over Gabriella’s body, heaving a disappointed sigh, Gabriella contemplated donning her wolfskin to subdue Xalia and attempt an escape. But it was too soon. No doubt the Master would have others watching the door to report if she attempted an escape.
No, she’d take a page from Guntram’s book and wait and watch. The opportunity would come. Somehow, she would find a way back to her world, and then Alex and his vampires would learn the true meaning of “hell on Earth.”
CHAPTER
6
With their expressions grim, the vampires’ Security Force members ringed the inside of the conference room, armed with an assortment of weapons and ready for any contingency. Some were dressed in solid black uniforms, some in varying shades of camouflage, but all were wearing the same stoic looks.
Guntram’s appreciation for Nicolas’s training grew. Not one of the men betrayed misgivings about allowing a wolf to accompany their mage into another realm.
Simon set a canvas bag on the conference-room table, and then raised his glance to everyone assembled there. “You should draw swords now. If anything comes through, destroy it.”
“Remember,” Nic said, his glance sweeping the room. “Take the head.”
Guntram eased his hand to the hilt of his own weapon, but stepped toward Simon, whom he’d follow once the portal was activated.
The mage untied the twine enclosing the bag and reached inside to draw out a metallic stand shaped like the talons of a large bird or reptile. Then he drew out a round object wrapped in quilted fabric. When he stripped away the covering, he placed a black crystal ball atop the claw base.
Guntram grimaced, uneasy with evidence of more of the sorcerer’s trappings. Crystal talismans, crystal keys, crystal balls—all just fucking rocks, made strange and dangerous in Simon’s hands.
Simon caught his expression and gave him a little smile. “Don’t worry, my friend, I do know how to use this.” The last thing he pulled from the bag was a rolled scrap of parchment paper, yellowed and frayed with age. He placed one corner of the parchment under the metallic base and smoothed the rest flat. Then he stood back and lifted his gaze to Guntram. “Ready?”
At Guntram’s sharp nod, Simon picked up the crystal and held it cupped in one palm. Reading from the parchment, he began to chant in a language Guntram didn’t understand. It was melodic, rolling, like water burbling in a stream.
The first thing Guntram noticed was the hair on his arms lifting as though the air around him had become charged with static electricity. Then the air began to move; softly at first, barely noticeable, like a breath or soft sigh. It built in intensity until it gusted and swirled, lifting the heavy curtains at the windows and pulling at Guntram’s hair.
Guntram gazed around him at the men with their swords drawn, their expressions set. They’d seen this before. So, he quelled his own unease and turned to Simon again. The orb resting on his hand had begun to glow as though a small flame flickered inside it—softly at first, like fire licking at kindling. Then suddenly, the flame burst, filling the crystal, and finally, exploding like glass shattering into silvery shards, shooting outward and expanding to brighten every corner of the room.
Guntram blinked, blinded momentarily. When he opened his eyes again, the rays bursting from the tiny star-like mass bent at sharp angles. The angles softened, curving, lapping over one another until they formed a solid circle, spinning around and around the edge of the blinding light. Then the center of the circle began to dim and shimmer, the surface rippling li
ke a vertical pond.
“We go now!” Simon shouted, because the wind inside the room was rushing past them. “Grab the bag from the table and step through the circle, Guntram. I’ll be right behind you.”
Guntram grunted and grabbed the bag. Then, without bothering to give the room and its occupants a final glance, he wrapped his fist around the pommel of his sword and ducked through the portal. For a second, his body felt stretched then compacted. Air whooshed from his lungs.
On the other side of the portal, he stepped onto solid ground and glanced back. Simon followed on his heels. The light emanating from the ball blinked out.
Bright spots danced in front of Guntram’s eyes, fading slowly. It was pitch-black where they stood. “We should have brought flashlights,” he grumbled.
“They wouldn’t have worked here, anyway. Just wait a moment until your sight adjusts, but I would advise that you start stomping your feet.”
Something chirped beside his left boot, and then the sound was repeated over and over. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as the sound rose to a noisy chorus. He lifted his feet, stomping in place and cursing softly to himself.
As his eyes adjusted, he made out small figures scurrying across the dark floor, lit like fireflies, but with a blue fluorescent glow, lighting up one at a time—spiders, hundreds of them, and all scurrying toward them and beginning to sidle down the sides of what appeared to be a tunnel or a cave.
“Move,” Simon said, shoving him forward. “They’re meat eaters and will swarm us if we stand still. They can strip a man to his bones in minutes.”
With the spiders providing scant light, they forged ahead.
“Give me the bag,” Simon said behind him.
Guntram handed over the canvas bag, and Simon tucked the crystal inside it, still moving forward. They’d only gone about thirty feet when Simon grabbed his arm to stop him and bent to stow the bag behind a rock. “Can’t be caught with this.” Then they were off again, the walls of the cave thickening with glowing spiders of all sizes.
“Are they poisonous?” Guntram asked, brushing his shoulders and head as spiders fell from the ceiling.
“Just hungry, but they don’t like external light. We don’t have much farther to go.”
The tunnel turned and suddenly they were poised at an opening that overlooked a vast desert lit by silver moonlight, tall dunes rippling in the distance like waves on a sea as wind shifted the sand.
“This isn’t the room in the mirror,” Guntram muttered, hoping like hell they hadn’t landed in the wrong place.
“Be glad it’s not,” Simon said, staring out. “We wouldn’t have made it five feet inside the hall before the hellhounds tore us apart.”
“But Gabriella isn’t here.”
“Don’t worry. We’re just outside the fortress. We’ll have to make our way back inside, but this is the safest route to avoid detection.”
Guntram glanced down, guessing they were about a hundred fifty feet off the desert floor. “You didn’t think to bring a rope?”
“We won’t need it. We’re climbing up. The fortress’s curtain wall is above us.”
Guntram aimed a glare at the mage. “I’m not a damn goat.”
“But you are an agile wolf,” Simon said, smiling. “The edges of the stones are worn and curved. We’ll find hand-and footholds. You’ve done this before.”
He shook his head. “I beg to differ. I’ve never scaled a wall in my life. Explain.”
Simon clapped his hand on Guntram’s shoulder. “Guntram, I’m a time traveler. I’ve lived this before—with you. Believe me, this is the least of the challenges we’ll face.”
Marduk strode into Irkalla’s private rooms, knowing that he entered a den of vipers.
Where his own chamber was sunlit and airy, Irkalla’s was necessarily dark and filled with shadows, the air thick with perfume and incense. Lushly upholstered sofas, hassocks, and woven rugs ensured that every surface was soft enough to provide for her pleasure.
In the dark, candlelit room, the bloodred fabrics and gilt furniture hinted at her bloodthirsty and avaricious nature.
Marduk had no doubt that Irkalla’s consort, the Dark One, and her sister Inanna had been apprised of the capture of the woman now ensconced in his chamber. Already Irkalla’s sycophants filled every available seat, and more milled around the entrance as he passed through. All waiting to see whether Irkalla would rail at him for bringing a living creature across the breach without consulting her first.
Thankfully, there was no sign of Inanna. So far, she hadn’t been allowed the privilege of attending her sister.
Marduk secretly thought Irkalla feared her sister would poison her, and that she enjoyed dangling incrementally escalating boons to keep Inanna’s ambitions in check.
While he pretended unconcern, inside, his stomach roiled. If Irkalla’s interest had been piqued, his hopes of keeping Gabriella safe would be dashed. Guilt, an emotion he hadn’t indulged in a long time, swept through him. If anything happened, he’d be to blame for letting his boredom and loneliness drag the woman through the mirror.
“Lord Marduk.” The voice, soft and seductive, came from behind him.
Forcing a smile, he turned, glancing down to find Irkalla’s sharp-eyed gaze raking his body. Marduk relaxed. If she was seeking sex, she wasn’t too perturbed with his actions.
Dressed in an opaque golden robe that dragged on the floor behind her, Irkalla radiated confidence and majesty. As always, his breath caught at her beauty. Her black hair fell in a thick, straight curtain down her back. Perfectly arched brows, dark brown eyes, and dusky skin would have pleased even the most discerning man.
But there was also a deceptive innocence to her beautiful features—the slightly rounded cheeks, the dewiness of her skin—that disarmed those who didn’t know her better.
However, her figure bore the truth of her licentious nature—full breasts and hips, a narrow waist, and long curved legs. Once upon a time, a mere glimpse of her body could heat his blood, but he was bored. Her self-centered search for pleasure no longer offered him any challenge.
Irkalla held out her hand, and he crooked his elbow automatically, inviting her to slide closer.
Her red lips pouted as she peered up at him. “Little birds are atwitter with news,” she murmured.
“How convenient,” he said dryly. “I’ve been occupied or I would have told you first myself.”
Her head tilted, and her piercing gaze watched him from beneath the dark fringe of her thick lashes. “And yet you answered my summons promptly. Should I be relieved your little pet hasn’t replaced me in your affections?”
“Ma’am, you are first in my heart,” he lied easily. “These millennia would have been dismal without your company.”
Her fingers tightened like talons on his arms. “I would never remind you of your obligation,” she lied, “but it does please me that you remember my many kindnesses.”
“I remember more than kindness, lady.” Mindful of everyone watching, he bent to whisper into her ear. “My blood quickens at the thought of the pleasures we have shared.”
Her cheeks flooded with a rosy hue, and he knew he’d pleased her. He breathed easier.
“I awoke with a fierce hunger, lover,” she whispered.
“Your husband did not offer a vein?”
Her lips formed a girlish moue. “You’re teasing now. I keep him enthralled, weakened with my love. But my appetite is immense—as is yours. Are you completely sapped?” she said, turning and lifting her heavy-lidded eyes to give him the look that spelled a quick death to his hope for a hasty exit.
Impatience heated his cheeks. His cock could barely manage a stir of interest after the lush buffet Gabriella had offered. Recalling how wetly and tightly Gabriella’s sex had clasped his cock, Marduk willed his sex to fill.
In full view of her court, he forced Irkalla’s hand from his arm to the front of his trousers, ignoring her sharp gasp at the bold action. “My gues
t only scratched at my hunger.”
Her fingers curved around the ridge growing steadily beneath the fabric. Her happy smile stretched lush red lips. “I find I want you all to myself.” No sooner had she spoken the words then her courtiers fled the room, leaving them alone.
Irkalla opened the single golden clasp that closed her robe and let the silky fabric slide off her shoulders to the floor.
Likewise, he held her gaze and removed his clothing, then came to one knee in front of her, bowing his head. “How may I please you, mistress?”
Irkalla’s dainty hands bracketed his face and tilted it upward. “I would pleasure you first. I would like to know the many flavors of your new lover.”
Marduk felt heat rise on his cheeks again. He hadn’t time to bathe before he’d left Gabriella, and the bitch knew it. But he bit his tongue and nodded. “Whatever you desire.”
“Come,” she said, leading him toward her bed. “I’d have something soft beneath my knees when I sup from you.”
He had to keep Irkalla in the dark about his growing impatience with the monarch’s possessiveness. With his passions not completely assuaged by his new sex slave, Marduk followed. His cock hardened steadily while his heart thudded dully in his chest.
She stepped up the small riser to the comfort of her soft, down-filled bed, eagerly tossing sumptuous cushions covered in the same bloodred velvet and gold thread to the floor to make room for them both. Not that her large bed couldn’t have held another set of lovers—it had, whenever the queen’s hungers grew insatiable.
Now, Irkalla’s face beamed as she patted the center of the mattress. “Come. Why are you so slow? I’ve been waiting for you for hours.”
Marduk grew still inside, careful not to let her see how much she had disturbed him. Hours? She’d starved herself purposely, waiting to unleash her passions on him—as punishment for his actions? As a vicious reminder of where his loyalties would forever lie?
He’d had enough. In her present mood, she’d savage his cock. Tamping down his distress over Gabriella’s safety, he decided to deliver a reminder of his own—one that would satisfy both their lusts, but leave her with no doubts about why she kept him as a paramour.
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