Mortal Seductions

by Allyson James

  Watching her do Demitri got him more excited than he’d been in a long time. She knew how—suckling and then backing off and licking under Demitri’s tip before taking him again.

  At the same time, Demitri stroked Leon’s hard cock. Demitri’s hand was big and strong, powerful. Leon parted his legs so Demitri could reach farther, his own fists balling on his hips.

  Never in a million years would Leon have figured he’d be standing in a sauna watching a woman suck off another man while that man gave Leon a hand job. He’d never thought he’d let another man touch him.

  But he had to admit that a man would know what another man liked. Demitri flicked his thumb under Leon’s tip at the same time Val licked Demitri there. When Val took Demitri fully into her mouth, Demitri closed his big hand around Leon.

  “Son of a bitch,” Leon whispered. He rocked his hips a little, fucking Demitri’s fist while Demitri fucked Val’s mouth. Leon wanted to come, felt the buildup, the tingling rise that made him rock faster.

  Not yet, not yet. Enjoy it. You’ll get back to reality soon enough.

  Val was so damn beautiful. She had her hands spread on Demitri’s ass, sucking him for all she was worth. Demitri must be having one hell of a good time.

  The big man’s head was back, his eyes closed in rapture. His ponytail had come loose, and glistening black hair brushed his shoulders. Leon reached over and ran his hand through it.

  Demitri opened his eyes halfway, a slow smile on his face. He sped up his assault on Leon’s penis, while Leon let his arm come around the other man’s back. He caressed Demitri’s skin, liking how warm and smooth it was.

  Demitri leaned to Leon, and before Leon could decide what he meant to do, Demitri slid his tongue into Leon’s mouth.

  Leon had never kissed another man, not even his brothers, and certainly not with tongue. He made himself stand still, unflinching, while Demitri explored his mouth.

  A man’s kiss. Women were softer, more questioning—Do you like this?

  Demitri’s kiss commanded, You will like this, mortal man.

  Leon answered with his tongue and lips, liking the strange burn of whiskers against his mouth. Only with this guy, he told himself. We’re not going to pick out wallpaper together. Just damn good pleasure and sharing a fucking beautiful woman.

  Demitri kissed Leon harder, demanding acceptance. Leon kissed him back just as hard, refusing to surrender.

  Then Demitri jerked his head back and groaned, his eyes closing. At the same time, he stroked Leon in short, quick pulls, and Leon felt his seed release.

  “Fuck,” he said, his fingers biting down on Demitri’s shoulder in pure joy.

  Valerie laughed. She caught Demitri’s come on her tongue, then turned and tasted Leon’s as it trickled out. “My lovers,” she crooned.

  Demitri pulled her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. Val arched against him, her breasts tight against his chest.

  “Hey,” Leon said, kissing Val’s cheek. “Share some of that with me.”

  Val broke from Demitri and kissed him. Demitri pulled her back to him almost right away, then he eased away from her and kissed Leon himself.

  This was wild, the most sexual thing Leon had ever done. And there hadn’t even been any true sex. Not yet anyway.

  They shared kisses for a while longer, Leon and Val, Demitri and Val, Demitri and Leon. Tongues and lips, hands and bodies. It was fantastic.

  Val gasped out loud, then she stumbled, her wide eyes going a shade of light blue. Demitri caught her before she fell.

  “Are you all right?” Leon asked in concern.

  “She’s gone.” Val put her hands to her face. “Valenarian is gone. Oh, Demitri, what have I done?”

  Val gave them a wild look, and Leon couldn’t hold back his disappointment. He’d wanted to fuck her until both he and Val screamed with it, but now she looked at them with frightened eyes.

  Leon leaned over and retrieved her robe. He helped her slide it on, then tied the belt at her waist. “It’s all right, baby,” he said.

  Demitri stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. He looked subdued, almost sad. “Come,” he said. “I’ll take you back to your room.”

  7

  DEMITRI ate breakfast with Val in her room, and hid his irritation when Leon insisted on joining them. Leon seemed uncomfortable, but Demitri ignored him. If the man couldn’t handle mutual pleasuring, he could go to his brother’s dig and bandage scraped knees.

  What Val had given them was a beautiful gift. She knew she’d soon face the wrath of a goddess, but instead of taking her unhappiness out on Demitri and Leon, she’d given them pleasure. Great pleasure. Something to remember me by, she’d said. As though Demitri could ever forget her.

  Leon might not be able to look Demitri in the eye, but the glances he gave Val were of a man falling for a woman. Trouble. Leon couldn’t understand the danger a loose demon could cause, especially one as volatile as Valenarian. She’d only been gentle last night because she liked them.

  “So what do we do today?” Leon asked as he scraped an American breakfast of steak, eggs, and potatoes around his plate. Demitri satisfied himself with bread and hummus, and Val demurely ate yogurt.

  “I’m staying here,” Val said. “Less risk.”

  Demitri put a hand on hers. “Are you sure? I’ll be close to you if you want to go somewhere. I won’t let her come back.”

  “And I’ll be on the other side of you,” Leon put in grimly. He’d returned to his belligerence, and Demitri knew he’d have to fight Leon tonight.

  Val looked wistful. “Perhaps if I could see Karnak one last time . . .”

  “Of course.” Demitri started to squeeze her hand, but she snatched it away. “I’ll take you there.”

  “And me,” Leon said. Yes, he could become a problem. “Something I meant to ask you yesterday, Demitri. What is the deal with that necklace you were looking at? The one at my brother’s excavation?”

  Demitri recalled the long necklace of faience with the broken pendant. “It may mean nothing. It’s a necklace made to curse someone, but it’s a curse that can be undone.”

  Val’s sad look was replaced with one of interest. “You said the pendant had been deliberately split?”

  “It’s a broken woman. The pendant was whole at first. In ancient times, a person would buy the pendant from a maker of magic objects. They’d give it as a gift to someone they wanted to curse, then break the pendant. The broken bit would be destroyed or hidden. If the cursed person could find the broken part and put the pendant back together, the curse would be lifted.”

  “What kind of curse?” Leon asked. “What was supposed to happen when the pendant broke?”

  “Insanity. The broken woman means a broken mind. Someone who has been split in half inside, who might be mended if the two halves of the pendant are rejoined.”

  Leon looked at Val, and she raised her brows. “An interesting idea. But I wasn’t cursed by an Egyptian buying a trinket from a magician. Aphrodite erased my personality, or tried to. She didn’t quite succeed, obviously.”

  “It’s worth a try,” Demitri insisted. “If we find the second half of the pendant, the magic might work in reverse. Perhaps it could be used to make a broken woman whole again.”

  “Why would you want me to be whole? Don’t you want Valenarian gone for good?”

  “Because I think it’s the key. You can’t be Valenarian, because she’s too deadly. As Valerie you can’t control the demon, can’t even remember what you do when the demon takes over. But if you can be both, in equal balance, maybe then you won’t have to be destroyed.”

  “Then I say let’s find the pendant,” Leon said.

  Demitri knew what the man was thinking. Leon didn’t believe Aphrodite or Valenarian were real, but he’d go along with finding a “magic” cure for Val if it kept Demitri from talking about Val being judged and eradicated. Leon was protective of Val, which Demitri liked, even if he was protective
for the wrong reasons.

  “We don’t have time,” Val pointed out. “The full moon is tonight.”

  “We can look. We can also ask Aphrodite for the time to find it and try it. She doesn’t necessarily want you dead, Val, she wants Valenarian stopped. She said she wanted you whole. If we can make the broken woman whole, maybe we can save you.”

  “I’m all for that,” Leon said.

  Val sighed. “Do I have room to argue? I can’t say ‘No, please, Demitri, don’t try to save me.’ I think it’s futile, but I won’t stop you from trying.”

  “I’m glad you have so much confidence in me,” Demitri said dryly.

  “I do in you, but not in Aphrodite. She can be arbitrary and odd.”

  “Like all the gods in the Greek pantheon,” Demitri agreed. “They’re arrogant and egotistical and enjoy making our lives hell.”

  Leon stared at them. “My very Catholic mother would be crossing herself about now. Maybe sprinkling holy water over the two of you.”

  “Her belief doesn’t mean the gods aren’t real,” Demitri said. “They don’t interfere in the lives of humans much anymore, but they squabble among themselves, and with the demigods they sired.”

  “Fine, just don’t mention it around my mother.”

  “I’d love to meet her,” Valerie said, turning her smile on Leon. “She must be very strong, having to raise four boys all on her own.”

  A fond light entered Leon’s eyes. “She is. She never pushed us to do what she wanted us to; she just gave us the tools and sent us off. She’s a good woman.”

  “You deserve a good woman, too,” Val said softly. “One to take care of your children.”

  “I don’t have any children.”

  “You know what I mean. To bear you strong sons and daughters.”

  Leon snorted. “I’m not thinking about getting married anytime soon. I’m too restless and messed up. Besides,” he added, “I’ve already met the woman of my dreams.”

  “Felicia?”

  Leon nearly choked on his coffee. “Felicia? The archaeologist woman making eyes at my brother?”

  “You didn’t find her attractive?”

  Leon looked blank. “I didn’t find her anything. She’s obviously in love with Remy, except he’s too stuck in his artifacts to see it.”

  “You think she’s in love with him?” Val sounded baffled.

  “Didn’t you see her? She couldn’t take her eyes off him.”

  “But she approached you yesterday in the restaurant. Came right to you.”

  “Because I look like Remy. I bet she thought I was him sitting there, which is why she rushed over. She only remembered he had a brother coming to visit when she realized I wasn’t Remy.”

  “But that’s not—” Val broke off and clamped her lips shut.

  “That’s not what?”

  “Nothing. Never mind.”

  “What?” Leon peered at her. Val shook her head quickly and went back to eating her yogurt.

  “I think you’re crazy,” Leon said. “But I guess you already know that.”

  “You’re right,” Val agreed. “Valenarian is mad. But Demitri is wrong about one thing.” She licked her spoon. “What Valenarian did last night—that, I remember.”

  Demitri came alert. “You remember the sauna?”

  “Oh, yes.” Her eyes went a darker shade of blue. “I wasn’t in control, I had no will, but I remember.” She gave the yogurt spoon another thoughtful lick.

  Leon flushed. “I remember, too.”

  Val glanced at Leon through lowered lashes. “Of course you do. And I remember what a very fine cock you have, and how nice it tasted. Thank you for giving me the memory.”

  Leon’s face grew redder. “Sure.”

  “I think he’s shy, Demitri.”

  “Not exactly,” Leon said. “But I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention, outside of the three of us, that you saw me kiss a man.”

  “You liked it.” Val smiled.

  “Yeah, I did. Keep it to yourself.”

  Demitri remembered the fire of kissing Leon. Demitri had never touched a mortal male before, finding them too crude for his tastes, but Leon was different. Perhaps because Leon had some magic in him? Demitri didn’t know. All he knew was that Leon’s tongue was talented, and his cock had felt fine against Demitri’s palm.

  I don’t have to live with him and buy him gifts, he told himself. I enjoyed him, and it is over.

  Leon dug into his breakfast, concentrating on it to hide his embarrassment, not looking at Val or Demitri. Val finished her yogurt and drifted to the bathroom to ready herself for their outing to Karnak. The conversation about what happened in the sauna was finished. For now.

  Demitri’s hired driver took them the short distance to the temples at Karnak, crowded with tourists. Buses lined the road outside, and flocks of people of all races and nationalities followed tour guides like ducklings behind mother ducks.

  Val looked about with nostalgic wistfulness as they walked past the small sphinxes to the entrance. “There was a canal here,” she said, pointing to the paved courtyard. “It led to the Nile. I remember how, at the Festival of Opet, they’d bring out the statues of the gods and take them up the river to Luxor Temple. It was quite a celebration. Everyone in the country would come, and the pharaoh would honor the gods, especially Amun and Mut. There was food and drink, dancing and acrobats. Wonderful times.”

  “When was this?” Leon asked.

  “About thirty-five hundred years ago.”

  Leon stared at her in disbelief, then looked away, clearly deciding this was part of Val’s madness.

  “Hatshepsut ruled then,” Val went on. “A woman who had the courage and wherewithal to become pharaoh herself. I liked her. I didn’t mind helping her rise to power.”

  She confirmed what Demitri had suspected, that Valenarian’s hand had been in the oracle that declared that Hatshepsut would become a female pharaoh. When Hatshepsut died and Val left Egypt, the new pharaoh, Hatshepsut’s nephew Tuthmosis, did his best to obliterate all traces of Hatshepsut from the records. No coincidence there, Demitri thought. Val’s magic had departed.

  Today, Val didn’t seem to have a destination in mind as she wandered through Karnak. She looked around her as though seeing the halls and sanctuaries as they had been in the past. The huge papyrus columns that now held up nothing had supported a roof covered with pictures, the walls telling tales of the gods.

  Val moved through the huge columns, Leon studying the hieroglyphs with interest but no understanding. Val eventually left the main temple and hiked across uneven, treacherous, weed-strewn ground to the north side of the complex. No tourists lingered here; they preferred the wonders of the pylons and obelisks in the main temple. Val stopped near a wall and a series of half-ruined gates that led in a straight line to an inner sanctuary.

  “What’s this place?” Leon looked at the brochure and map of Karnak he’d picked up. “The Temple of Ptah. Who’s Ptah?”

  “The father of all the gods,” Val said. “Like Saturn, and Uranus of the Greek pantheon.”

  Leon looked doubtful. “I’ve heard of Isis. That’s about all I know about Egyptian gods.”

  Val gave him a sorrowful look. “They’re so forgotten now.”

  No other tourists seemed interested in the Temple of Ptah. The door to the inner temple was locked, but Demitri found an attendant to open it for them.

  Val walked slowly, studying the walls and the black granite statue of Sekhmet, lost in her thoughts. Leon stayed near her protectively, and Demitri watched them both from the doorway.

  “I would have thought you’d prefer the Hatshepsut monuments,” Demitri said. “To remember your achievements.”

  Val shrugged. “Too many people tramping over things nowadays. They don’t reverence things like the priests of old did. Hatshepsut was a god on earth, even if she had a mortal body, but no one believes that now.”

  “Do you remember everything Valenarian did back
then?” Demitri asked in curiosity.

  “I have all of Valenarian’s memories—well, most of them. And all of Valerie’s. Valenarian is right: Valerie is a dull woman.”

  “I don’t think so,” Leon said defensively. “I think you’re just right.”

  He kissed her lightly on the lips. Val flinched, and Demitri held his breath, waiting for Valenarian to come out.

  Nothing happened. Val smiled at Leon. “Thank you.”

  Demitri went to them and turned Val’s face up to his for a kiss. She darted her tongue into his mouth, but the kiss remained sweet, no demon fire. Demitri kissed her again, then studied her eyes, which remained light blue.

  Val stepped away from him, her look hopeful. “Perhaps we sated her yesterday,” she said.

  Leon flushed. “It was intense. I’ve never done a threesome before.”

  “You still haven’t,” Demitri said.

  “Because we didn’t have full sex? Doesn’t matter. That was the closest I’ve ever come. I still don’t know why I did that. I’ve always been a vanilla kind of boy.”

  Val smiled. “Valenarian is good at releasing inhibitions. But it doesn’t matter. You’ll forget all about me when I’m gone.”

  “No, I won’t.” Leon kissed her again. “I’ll never forget you.”

  He would. Mortals who survived Valenarian always forgot her, for their own good.

  “But you’ll still have Demitri,” she said.

  Leon glanced at him. “Not without you.”

  “I agree,” Demitri said.

  Val grinned. “I don’t know. You were enjoying each other’s company when I walked in.”

  “We were horny,” Leon said. “Nothing we could do about it.”

  “Kiss him now,” Val said to Leon. “While you’re not aroused.”

  Leon shook his head. “I was pretty wound up last night.”

  “Please. I want to see you.”