Mortal Seductions

by Allyson James

  Val remembered running her hands down his back, feeling his firm ass against the cup of her palms. She remembered how deeply he’d penetrated her. The ecstasy had been beautiful, and had grown even more beautiful when she’d started falling in love with him.

  “Demitri,” she whispered. She slid her hand behind his neck, under his warm hair, and rose up to kiss him.

  Demitri made a faint noise in his throat and laced his arm around her back. His kiss parted her lips.

  It was still there, the spark that had ignited her, the brief happiness she’d thrown away. The love. The desire.

  “You haven’t changed at all, lover,” she murmured, feeling hot inside. “Why don’t you spread me as wide as I can go and put that fucking enormous cock inside me?”

  Demitri shoved her away. He was breathing hard, his eyes wide, the tiger in him changing their color.

  Val gasped. The demon laughed and ripped from her. With a final chuckle, Valenarian disappeared, leaving Val weak and terrified.

  Sweat shone on Demitri’s face. “The full moon is in two days. During that time, I think I’d better lock you in your hotel room.”

  Val nodded, shaken. “That would be best.”

  “Let’s find Leon and leave this place.”

  Demitri made Val walk in front of him, and she heard his heavy footsteps behind her. They left the beautiful room behind them, with its erotic reminders of what Val had lost. The blank passage was like her life now, long and empty, undecorated, while the wild eroticism of the colorful tomb was like the world she’d left behind.

  As they emerged, the elderly Egyptian still stood in his place to point tourists toward the tomb. The look on his face was one of great amusement. Demitri ignored him, but Val turned to stare at him. She wasn’t certain, but his eyes and smile looked very much like those of the carpet shop owner in Cairo.

  “STAY here tonight,” Remy said to Leon when Leon returned to the dig house. “You can bunk with me.”

  Leon thought about Val and the scared look in her eyes when Demitri said she had to be taken for judgment for what she’d done. They might believe all the bleating about Aphrodite and demons, but Leon didn’t. He wasn’t sure what Demitri really meant to do to her, but Leon wanted to be there to prevent whatever it was.

  “I can’t. Not yet.”

  Remy looked past Leon to where Val and Demitri were picking their way back toward the camp, and he grinned. “I get it. She’s a fine woman, Leon. Is she with him?”

  “No. At least, not anymore.”

  “And you’re sliding in? Does she like army medics from Louisiana?”

  Leon shrugged. “I don’t know yet.”

  Remy laughed. “Well, good luck. Let me know when you want me to find you a room you can share with her.”

  Leon couldn’t say anything more, because Val and Demitri had caught up to them. Both of them looked unhappy; Val looked worried.

  “What happened?” Leon asked them as they headed back to where the driver waited with the car.

  Val answered, her voice shaking. “Valenarian almost came out again. We need to go back to Luxor.”

  They wouldn’t say anything more. Once across the Nile and back at the hotel, Demitri took Val by the elbow and steered her into her room. The doors had old-fashioned locks, needing a key to open and close them. Val handed Demitri her key.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Leon demanded.

  “She can’t be trusted.”

  “Yeah? Neither can you.”

  Demitri gave him a cold stare. “Valenarian emerged for a brief moment after you left the tomb. Val can’t control her. She has to be locked in until we leave for the temple, just in case.”

  “He’s right, Leon.” Val’s eyes were very light blue, no mistaking the change in them now. “It’s safer for all of us if I stay secluded.”

  “Why don’t you go back to the dig?” Demitri said pointedly. “I’m sure your brother will welcome your help.”

  “No way am I leaving her at your mercy. I don’t want you deciding you need to take her to this temple and do a ritual murder or something.”

  Demitri closed his fist on the key. “I’d never hurt her. What Aphrodite decides, she decides, but I’d never hurt Val.”

  “Even though taking her to the temple might kill her?”

  Val interrupted. “He’s doing what has to be done, Leon. You have no idea how destructive Valenarian is. She could kill you without thinking about it. She’s evil and brutal and can’t be trusted. I’d sacrifice myself to keep that from happening. I’m tired of my half existence anyway.”

  Leon lost his temper completely. “This is bullshit. Both of you are crazy. There is no Aphrodite or sacred space in Luxor Temple, and I’m not letting this nut job kill you because you had sex with me.”

  Val’s voice remained soft and matter-of-fact. “It’s not the same as a human death. I’ll simply cease to be. It won’t hurt me.”

  “I don’t give a damn. I’m not letting him do it.”

  “You have to,” Demitri said tightly. “The goddess won’t allow you to stand in her way. She’ll obliterate you if you do.”

  Leon studied Demitri’s immovable face, dark eyes that glittered with both rage and sorrow. Leon didn’t understand what was going on here, but he knew he wasn’t going to win the argument. He held out his hand.

  “Give me the key.”

  Demitri’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

  “I don’t trust you. I’m fine with keeping her in there, as long as you can’t get to her.”

  Power rippled through Demitri, like it had before he’d changed to his tiger. A thread touched Leon like a crackle of lightning. “You know nothing of this, mortal.”

  “I’m not exactly mortal, as Val keeps reminding you. I’ll take you on any day.”

  Val folded her arms and frowned at Demitri. “Give him the key, Demitri. I trust him.”

  “And you don’t trust me?” Demitri asked softly.

  “No,” Val said. She turned away from both of them and slammed the door.

  DEMITRI slept fitfully. He lay naked under a thin sheet, the warm air making him restless.

  He was acutely aware of Val on the other side of the wall. He knew each warm, even breath she took, when she turned over in bed, when she sighed in her sleep, when her hand drifted down to cup between her legs. She didn’t rub herself; she only held her hand there, as though she found the touch comforting.

  Demitri as well felt the almost human aura of Leon in the room beyond Val’s, the man as wakeful as Demitri. Leon didn’t trust Demitri, didn’t believe any of this was true. Demitri couldn’t really blame him, but it didn’t matter whether Leon believed or not. Aphrodite had to be faced sooner or later. Better at a place of Demitri’s choosing than waiting for her to strike.

  Demitri sat up, punched his pillow, then lay back down and drifted into dreams.

  He dreamed of the sunny plaza in Athens where he’d met Val for the first time. He saw her across the square, dressed in a gauzy wrap and veil that left her arms bare and showed a shadow of deep cleavage. Her glorious length of red-streaked black curls spilled down her back.

  Men stared at her without bothering to hide either lust or disapproval. No woman seen walking the streets in Athens was respectable, by the fact of her simply being outdoors. Dutiful wives and daughters confined themselves to the home, while men and prostitutes had the run of the city.

  Demitri let Val catch his eye. When she smiled at him, he moved to her, feeling her dark aura tingle in his blood.

  It was easy to persuade her to come with him to the small, whitewashed room he rented, which contained little more than his bed and clothing. Demitri let her think she enticed him there. When they both were naked, she arched against him, her nails piercing the skin of his back.

  At the small bite of pain, Demitri whirled her around and pinned her face-first against the wall. Val struggled, shocked, but she was no match for Demitri’s strength.

  “What a
re you?” she gasped.

  “I’m Demetrius.”

  “My name is Val,” she said, softening against the wall. “Nice to meet you.”

  Demitri leaned down and closed his teeth on her ear. “I’ve heard you’ve been a very, very bad girl.”

  “I have.” She gave him a sultry smile over her shoulder. “I’ll be as bad as you want me to be, lover.”

  Demitri licked the line of her jaw, his cock high and hard. He’d been told to seduce her, and never had a command been so easy to obey. He lifted her and leaned her forward, maneuvering until his cock slid right into her cleft. He pinned her wrists above her head on the wall, bracing her with his weight.

  “Very nice to meet you,” she laughed. “Are you always this friendly?”

  “Stop talking.”

  “Anything you say, lover.”

  It was a raw, brutal fuck, and didn’t last very long. Both of them were shouting in climax within minutes, then Demitri dragged her over to the bed and fell on it with her.

  Val traced his cheek as he caught his breath, her eyes flickering from midnight to a blue like the twilight sky. “Who are you?” she whispered.

  “I told you.”

  “Demetrius.” She let the name roll off her tongue. “I’ll call you Demitri. That will be my pet name for you.”

  Demitri had no interest in a pet name, but hearing her say it made his heart beat with sudden joy. He gently kissed the lips he’d bruised before. Valenarian couldn’t hurt him—Aphrodite had reinforced his magic with her own to make sure of it. But Demitri could hurt her.

  He nuzzled her hair, liking how it smelled. He pushed her back on the bed and pressed little kisses from her throat to her breasts. He moved to her navel, taking time to lick his way around it.

  Val whimpered when he pressed his lips to the swirl of hair above her mons. She smelled damn good, and when he dipped his tongue between her quim’s lips, he found she tasted good, too.

  He drank her, then rose over her and put his lips to her mouth. “Taste.”

  She slowly licked his lips then pulled him down to her and kissed him. They kissed for a long time, exploring, tasting, getting to know how each other felt. Demitri rolled flat on his back, and she grinned and slid herself down on the bed to study his cock.

  She knew exactly how to pleasure with her teeth and tongue and hands. Demitri’s hips came off the bed, and his fists ground into the bedding. Val worked him while he spread his legs for her, letting her do anything she damn well pleased.

  You must seduce her to capture her, Aphrodite had ordered. You know how to do that, Demitri, from what I hear.

  Perhaps, but Val was seducing Demitri at the same time, making him want her like he’d never wanted a woman before. He was coming in her mouth in hardly any time, and Val smiled around his cock as she swallowed him down.

  Demitri collapsed, panting, but he was barely spent. “Your turn.”

  He pushed her down into the bed and drank her again. When he lifted his mouth to hers, he nudged her knees open and plunged his cock inside her. They made love until they both fell asleep, two half gods with the strength to pleasure each other all night.

  Demitri woke near dawn to see the pale smudge of her dress against the blue-painted door, Val trying to leave the dark little room. Demitri hooked one arm behind his head and watched as she opened the door. She took a step forward then stopped.

  She stilled, puzzled, then put out her hand. She met nothing but empty air, but when she tried to walk forward, she ran into the shield of Demitri’s will.

  “You can’t go until I say you can,” Demitri rumbled from the bed.

  Val whirled. He saw the rage in her eyes as her body brightened. “You have no idea who you are dealing with.”

  “Neither do you.”

  “You’re a demigod. I figured that out.”

  “That’s only part of it.”

  “This is only part of me, too, lover.”

  Val unwound her scarf and wrap, tossed them aside, and became a demon.

  5

  VAL was not what Demitri expected. Her body elongated and became so bright it was like looking into the heart of fire. Her limbs were strong and supple, her demon body even more shapely and beautiful than her human one.

  She radiated power. Val could destroy the room, the house, the entire street, if she wanted to. Everyone would die, and only dust would be left. She laughed, stretching her bright arms, letting fire flow from her fingertips.

  “I could bury you here, demigod, trap you forever. How would you stop me?”

  Demitri pushed back the covers. He felt the familiar pull and twist of muscles as his body morphed, watched the world become black and white. Scents he’d ignored as a human assailed him—the people in rooms around them, the food they’d eaten, the sex he’d had with Val.

  His tiger claws dug into the bed as he laid his ears back and snarled. Val stared at him in shock, then her sudden laughter rang to the ceiling.

  “Oh, my, what a beauty you are.” The demon flared once, then became Val the woman again. She climbed onto the bed, sinking her hands into his fur. “Why have you hidden your true self from me?”

  Demitri let her stroke his head and back, but rumbled a warning. He could kill her quickly if he had to.

  “How did you know I liked cats?” Val crooned. She lay down next to him and rested her face against his broad forehead. “You really do know how to tame me, don’t you? My sweet Demitri, you don’t have to hold me prisoner to get me to stay with you. I’ll stay as long as you like.”

  She snuggled against him and went peacefully to sleep. Later, when full sunlight streamed through the shutters at the tiny window, Demitri morphed back to his human form and made love to her again, gently this time.

  He’d made his decision. He wouldn’t simply take her to Aphrodite. He’d watch over her, find out everything about her, give her a chance. She could do as she pleased, as long as he was with her.

  So began the happiest weeks of his life. Demitri quickly discovered that he liked Valenarian. She had a quirky sense of humor, her laugh could warm him to his toes, and for some reason he could talk to her. Demitri conversed easily with his friends, but with Val he found himself opening up, telling her his deepest dreams and hopes and fears.

  When she was with him, she was with him entirely. They walked together hand in hand; they sat on Demitri’s rooftop late into the night watching the thick stars overhead. Sometimes they did nothing but lie on the bed together, holding each other; at other times they had sex that could start earthquakes. Val was skilled. She amazed Demitri with the things she could do, when Demitri had thought himself worldly and experienced.

  Sometimes they’d go out into the countryside, where Demitri would change to a tiger, and Val would ride on his back while he ran. He’d charge into the woods and lie down so Val toppled off, then he’d morph back into his human form and take her with tiger ferocity.

  I don’t need to give her to Aphrodite, he told himself. As long as she’s with me, I can keep her under control. Aphrodite would kill Val, and as Demitri fell harder in love, he knew he couldn’t let that happen.

  Should he tell Val how he felt? He often started to, then Val would kiss him or do something flamingly erotic, and Demitri would remain silent. Valenarian didn’t want love; she wanted excitement and sex. Demitri could give that to her and take everything she offered back. He wouldn’t demand more.

  He’d convinced himself that he could keep Val alive and with him forever—until the day he walked back into their room to find her on the bed astride a terrified man. She wasn’t sexing him, but her hands were fiery claws that she’d started to bury in his chest.

  The man stared at Demitri in wide-eyed hope. “Help me,” he gasped.

  “Val, let him go.”

  Val glared at Demitri, not moving he hands. Her hair was kinked into tight curls, her eyes midnight blue. “Adulterers must pay.”

  “I’m not,” the man gibbered. “I looked,
but my wife is dear to me. Please, I have children.”

  “Val.” Demitri stood poised, his tiger ready to tackle her. But he wanted her to make the choice, wanted her to spare the man of her own free will.

  “I’m not interested in his pleadings,” Val said. “I want to taste his blood.” She dug her fingers deeper, and the man cried out. Demitri’s heightened senses heard the man’s pounding heartbeat, smelled his blood.

  “Val, please stop.”

  “Let me have him, lover. Let me devour him. Share him with me.”

  Demitri grabbed Val and yanked her off him. She hissed and snarled, her body turning to demon under his hands.

  “Run,” Demitri advised the man.

  The man leapt to his feet and fled out the door. People would see him running, his clothes in bloody shreds. They’d be coming.

  Val’s fire burned as she fought. Demitri had thought he could put her down fast, but in her rage she didn’t care whether she hurt him. Demitri changed to his tiger and pinned her on the bed, claws biting into her chest.

  “If this is what you want, lover . . . ,” she said, stretching.

  Demitri became human again, and so did she. “It’s not what I want. We have to leave.”

  “Why?”

  “They’ll come for you. They’ll drive us out.”

  “Who will?”

  “The good people of Athens. They don’t like to see their citizens mauled.”

  “Why do you care about what paltry humans want? We go where we please, do as we wish. They worship us and fear us. Let them come.”

  Demitri got to his feet and hauled her up. “No. We’re leaving.”

  Val pouted. “Oh, well, I suppose I can punish adulterers as easily in Sparta or Persia, wherever you want. There are so many of them.”

  “You’ll not punish anyone. That man hadn’t even done anything.”

  She gave him a deprecating look. “Men all think about cheating on their wives and lovers. They should all die.” She smiled a crazed smile. “Help me kill then, Demitri. Your tiger could hunt them down, and my demon can rip out their hearts.”