Mortal Seductions

by Allyson James

  She smelled good, like a warm flower. Demitri nuzzled her hair, let his lips drift across her face, but pulled back when she tried to catch him with a kiss.

  Val pouted when he pulled away, but she let him hold her hands. He traced circles on her wrists with his thumbs, watched her gaze focus on that.

  “I love your skin,” Demitri whispered. “The feel of it.”

  He looked down at her breasts, firm and high as they’d been all these centuries, Valenarian forever young.

  Val wanted to rage at his slowness, but she wouldn’t let herself. Her need for him boiled through her, at levels he couldn’t begin to understand.

  She held herself still while he ran his thumbs over her wrists, trying not to betray the fires sliding through her body. Feeling his still-clothed body against her naked one was incredibly erotic. Her nipples were tight peaks, tightening even more under his gaze. She wanted to yank his head down to them, bury her breast in his mouth. He’d suckle and suckle, hands gripping her.

  I want him.

  “You’re a bastard,” she whispered.

  Demitri lowered his head so his lips were an inch from hers. “I’ll save you, no matter what it takes.”

  He kissed her. Val relaxed under his lips, snaked her tongue into his mouth. She clamped her hands down on his and turned the kiss hard.

  “No.” Demitri pulled back and deliberately broke his hold. “Slowly.”

  “I can’t.”

  “You can.”

  Tears of rage pricked her eyes. “I can’t, Demitri. It’s not what I am. Either fuck me or leave me alone.”

  He stepped away from her. “I’m not going to do either.”

  The loss of his heat was like a physical blow. Here she was, standing stark naked in the middle of a hotel room, her clothes strewn about her feet, and he didn’t want her. She burned for him, needed him. Her quim was hot and wet. She made a noise of frustration and sank her own fingers into it.

  She had one second of pleasure before Demitri jerked her hand out again. “No.”

  “Damn you.”

  “Wait.”

  The shower went off in the bathroom, and Val’s heartbeat sped. He wanted her to wait until Leon was with them. Her skin warmed. Oh, yes, Demitri was good.

  In a few seconds, Leon walked out with a towel around his waist. Water droplets beaded his shoulders, and his hair was slick and wet. Golden brown hair brushed his chest and narrowed to a point above his navel. He had a nice navel, a firm indent in his taut belly.

  Leon took in naked Val and clothed Demitri. “What the hell?”

  Demitri switched to English and signaled Leon closer. “Val, I want you to touch him. Just his chest, just lightly. Slowly.”

  Val swallowed. “I want him. I want him to take me and you to watch.”

  “Too bad. Touch him. That’s all.”

  Val sauntered to Leon. Leon held his ground, his green eyes steady on her. He didn’t drop the towel, but she saw his arousal outlined behind it.

  She curved her hands into claws, and Leon took a step back.

  “No, Val,” Demitri said quietly. “Fingertips only. Touch him.”

  This would be a challenge. Val sheathed her claws and pressed her fingertips to Leon’s skin, feeling his heart flutter beneath her touch. She drew her hand down, loving the silkiness of the damp hair on his chest.

  She reached his navel, drew her finger around it. She longed to kneel and thrust her tongue into it, like she had when she’d climbed into bed with him in Cairo. She drew her tongue across her lips, reminding him.

  Leon remained motionless, his chest rising. “This is hurting me, too, babe,” he said softly.

  “But you’ll sacrifice yourself to save me?” she purred.

  “Something like that.”

  “Keep touching him,” Demitri said.

  “His ass?” Val suggested hopefully.

  “His arms.”

  “Can’t blame a girl for trying.”

  Leon waited. Val brushed fingertips over his forearms, liking how his muscles moved at her touch. The hair on them was wiry and shone like gold, kissed by the sun.

  Val moved her hands up the insides of his arms to his biceps. He was corded with muscles, such delicious strength. She remembered how he’d held her when they’d made love, tempering himself to not hurt her.

  Val skimmed her fingers up and down his arms, enjoying the heat of his skin. Demitri had something here. Touching was marvelous.

  “Now his face.”

  Val took her fingers over his shoulders, up his strong neck and brushing along his jaw. He’d shaved in the shower, his skin smooth except for the tiny band of golden whiskers he’d missed. The small burn of those made her heart skip.

  She brushed his chin, then his lips, then traced his cheekbones. Forehead next and around the eyes, then his lips again. Leon’s lips were narrow and smooth, light red brown, perfect for kissing. She started to rise to them.

  “No,” Demitri said harshly. “Touch only.”

  Val lowered herself to the floor, scowling. “You’re no fun.”

  “Leon, take off the towel.”

  A muscle moved in Leon’s jaw. He loosened the small scrap of terry cloth and let it drop to the floor.

  Oh, yes. His thighs were hard, like a runner’s, and a thatch of dark brown curled between them. His penis was erect and fully extended, pointing directly at her.

  “Mmm, it wants me.”

  Leon lightly stroked its underside. “It does, chere.”

  Val couldn’t stop herself. His cock was too beautiful. She closed her hand around it, stroking from base to tip. Leon groaned.

  Demitri was at her side faster than she thought he could move. He yanked her hand away and held her wrist. “I didn’t give you permission.”

  “Lover, I see hard cock pointing at me, I grab it.”

  “Not anymore, you don’t.” Demitri released her and nodded at Leon. “She does that again, you spank her.”

  Beads of sweat dotted Leon’s forehead. “Shit, who are you punishing? Her or me?”

  “Me,” Val said. “You can always go find someone else to fuck.”

  “No, chere. I’m staying right here.”

  Val’s heart warmed the slightest bit, then she told herself not to be stupid. Of course Leon would stay. Valenarian’s lure was magical, a seduction no man could resist. Only Demitri had ever resisted.

  “Touch his thighs, his abdomen,” Demitri said. “Everything but his cock, balls, and ass.”

  Val heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, all right.”

  She didn’t say that she was finding touching non-erogenous zones not to be bad at all. Val put her hands on either side of Leon’s navel then drew her fingers down the muscles of his stomach. She circled through the hair at the base of his abdomen, then moved her hands to his thighs.

  “Spread your legs,” she commanded.

  Leon moved his feet apart, as he had for Demitri when they’d played together in the sauna. Under Demitri’s close scrutiny, Val slid her fingers to his inner thighs, drawing her fingertips along the crease between thigh and torso.

  Leon clenched his fists. Val sank to her knees as she circled her fingers along the same path, ending up almost, but not quite, touching his scrotum.

  “Do you like that?” Val asked him.

  “Being tortured?” Leon rasped. “Sure.”

  Val traced the path again, but this time drew her fingers down his legs. She smoothed the skin behind his knees and moved to his ankles, then used the backs of her fingers to make the return journey.

  When she reached his inner thighs again, she couldn’t resist palming his balls, then running her hand on the underside of Leon’s cock. She laughed when Demitri grabbed her wrists.

  “Too late, lover. I already did it.”

  Demitri dragged Val to her feet. “I warned you.”

  Leon took a breath. “You want me to?”

  “Yes,” Demitri said. “On the couch.”

  Leon
moved to the sofa and sat down, his legs spread delectably. Val’s heart beat in excitement as Demitri pushed her over Leon’s left thigh, her bare ass in the air. She nearly screamed when Leon rested his warm hand on her buttock.

  “How many?” Leon said, his voice strained.

  “Ten. For now.”

  “All right.” His voice held tense anticipation.

  Val clenched her fists, waiting, then let out a squeal when the first stinging slap landed on her backside.

  “One.” Leon counted in his beautiful, flowing accent. “Two.”

  He kept spanking her, not very hard, the sting minimal. But Val was so aroused, and the combined pheromones of Leon and Demitri were so heady, that a climax swamped her.

  She screamed and squirmed as Leon kept on with the count. He said “Ten,” and she was completely gone.

  Val bucked and rocked, her face in the cushions of the sofa, Leon’s hard thigh rubbing her clit just right. She heard Demitri’s voice, gentle now.

  “Let her ride it out.”

  Leon kept his hand on her backside, the other stroking her hair as she pleasured herself. She dug harder into him, her demon claws extending and ripping into the sofa.

  “Goddess,” she panted. She sat up, her body tender and raw, and flung her arms around Leon’s neck. “Thank you. Thank you.” She kissed his throat, having no desire to bite. She simply wanted to hang on to him, to have him hold her.

  “You all right?” Leon asked, eyes worried.

  “Fine. Wonderful.” Val kissed him, her quim hot, relaxed with her release.

  “You see,” Demitri said softly behind her. “It is possible. You came and loved it without hurting anyone. You barely touched him.”

  Val collapsed against Leon, feeling an overwhelming need to sleep. “Make him shut up,” she murmured, and Leon grinned.

  10

  THERE’S a problem,” Leon said when Demitri walked out of the bedroom again.

  Demitri had carried Val off and to put her to bed while Leon remained on the sofa, his body throbbing with the excitement of what he’d just done. His hand stung from the spanking, but it had been so pleasurable watching Val squirm in joy. Her ass had been sweet cherry red when he finished, and he’d wanted to screw her so bad it had been physical agony to hold back.

  “What problem?” Demitri asked him.

  “I still have this fucking big hard-on.” Leon scraped his hands through his damp hair. “You made her touch me, you had me spank her and let her cream all over me. What are you going to do for me?”

  “What do you want? A woman?”

  “Screw you. I want Val.” Leon sighed. “Don’t worry, I’ll leave her alone. I know it’s important. I guess I’ll have to make do with my talented hand again.”

  “You don’t have to.” Demitri’s warm gaze was palpable.

  Leon was way out of his depth and he knew it. He remembered what he’d let Demitri do in the sauna, remembered kissing the man, and kissing him again in the temple of Ptah at Karnak. But Val had been there. It had been a show for Val.

  “I’m not gay,” Leon repeated.

  “I know. But we’re both shifters.”

  “I’m not fucking you when we’re both tigers. Forget it.”

  Demitri gave him a ghost of a smile. “I’m not suggesting that. But maybe shifting will help rid us of our frustration.” He ran his hand down the seam of his fly. “I also have, as you say, a fucking big hard-on.”

  He had a point. The energy of the change might release the tension in a different way than a sexual one. It was worth a try.

  Leon was already naked, so he simply stood up and willed the change to come. The tiger came surprisingly quickly. He remembered the sensation of it from their encounter in Cairo, except this time, he wasn’t angry or challenging. In a short time, Leon landed on all four paws and waited to see what Demitri would do.

  Demitri’s eyes were already golden yellow, already slitted like a cat’s. The man ran strong hands across Leon’s back then straightened up and stripped himself down. His naked body gleamed with sweat, his huge cock standing straight out.

  Leon’s tiger brain didn’t much notice or care about Demitri’s nakedness. He butted the man’s sinewy legs with his head. Demitri rubbed Leon behind the ears, then he stepped away to make his change.

  As before, Demitri’s body brightened as his god-energy filled him. Fur rippled itself across his skin, the tiger stripes solidifying as Demitri morphed. He head-butted Leon in greeting, and Leon turned and swiped Demitri with his tongue.

  What seemed wrong or constrained when they were human didn’t seem unnatural when Leon was in animal shape. He licked Demitri across the nose, and Demitri put a huge paw on Leon’s neck.

  Both cats went down to the carpet, not in a dominance contest this time, but in play. Leon rolled over while he let Demitri bat him with a sheathed paw, then Leon righted himself and tugged Demitri’s ear with gentle teeth.

  Demitri licked Leon again, holding him with his paw while he carefully and thoroughly groomed his face. Leon let him, then licked the underside of Demitri’s jaw.

  They rolled closer to each other, licking, nibbling, stroking. Leon felt his sexual tension ease and his affection rise. This was nothing he hadn’t done with his brothers when they’d shifted to bobcats as kids and piled themselves on their long-suffering mother’s best carpet.

  He and his brothers had often groomed one another as wildcats, a sign of acceptance and affection. The grooming sessions would turn to rougher games, he and his brothers romping and playing like overgrown kittens.

  Leon half rose to his feet and tackled Demitri. Demitri growled as he rolled over, and Leon landed on top of him. A table rocked and crashed to the floor, the lamp smashing. Both cats stopped, waiting to see if anyone heard, but Val didn’t wake, and no one came hurrying to the door.

  Demitri huffed, his lips rolling, then he tackled Leon. They wrestled back and forth, not using teeth or claws but plenty of muscle. Demitri was good at swiping, but Leon was excellent at getting the other cat in a headlock. When Demitri broke away, he bounded off into his bedroom, and Leon followed.

  The bed creaked when first one big cat than another jumped on it, and Demitri lay down right away. Leon landed next to him with a foreleg around Demitri’s neck. Demitri resumed the grooming, and Leon followed suit, feeling the pleasant lassitude of sleep coming over him.

  He stretched out, his back to Demitri and let his eyes drift closed. He loved sleeping in an animal form—when animals felt safe, they gave over to sleep without tension. Only baby humans could sleep like that.

  Leon drifted off, feeling the stillness of the night, the bright moon floating outside the windows. Demitri yawned, canines sharp, his eyes closing. Leon felt Demitri lay his great head on Leon’s back, then the sound of a soft tiger snore.

  When Leon woke again, the sun slanted through the windows. He was still a tiger, still stretched out across the mattress, which had sunk some in the middle. Leon yawned, mouth opening so wide that his ears touched in the back. He settled back down, finding himself looking straight into Demitri’s open eyes. Demitri started licking Leon’s face, and Leon returned the greeting.

  As though they’d choreographed it, each man slid back to his human form at the same time. Leon and Demitri lay on their stomachs, side by side, both naked. In the unworried state Leon always found himself in after shifting, he licked Demitri’s human face. He liked the taste of the man’s unshaven whiskers, the salt of his skin.

  Leon met Demitri’s tongue as Demitri licked him back. The licks turned into kisses, full-mouthed, warm and slow. Leon slid his arm around Demitri’s back and settled in.

  They kissed for a long time. The erection Leon had conquered last night by becoming a tiger returned hard and strong.

  I’m getting turned on by another man. The thought seemed dim and far away, the shifter in him simply enjoying sensations.

  Demitri stroked Leon’s hair then his hand moved down Leon’s bac
k to cup his buttocks. Leon tightened his arm around Demitri’s middle and went on kissing him.

  The hotel phone on the nightstand rang, the shrill peal cutting through the tranquility of the morning. Demitri didn’t reach for it. He stopped, nose to nose with Leon, as though wondering what Leon would do.

  The sharp peal of the phone cut through some of the fog in Leon’s brain. Instinct made him wanted to spring away in shock, but he made himself lie still and press a light kiss to Demitri’s lips.

  The phone stopped. “Damn,” Leon whispered.

  “They’ll call back if it’s important.”

  “No, I meant, damn, I don’t hate this.”

  Demitri traced his cheek. “I don’t hate this, either.”

  “I’ve always liked women. Even when I went weeks at a time without seeing a woman, I didn’t want a man. All us men talked about women. Breasts. Pussy.”

  Demitri’s touch was soothing. “The shifters within us connected. Maybe that’s why.”

  “Maybe.” Leon shrugged. “All I know is, I wouldn’t mind kissing you again.”

  For answer, Demitri slanted his lips across Leon’s. Leon answered the kiss, loving the feel of Demitri’s strong tongue inside his mouth.

  The bedroom door opened. Leon rolled over and saw Val standing in the doorway, her eyes wide. They were light blue eyes, and she averted them. Valerie, the good girl, had returned.

  “I knew there was some benefit to letting you help me,” she said, her cheeks red. “I seriously hate to interrupt, but your brother called, Leon.”

  Leon rolled to his feet, looked for his clothes, and realized he’d only worn a towel last night, which he’d dropped in the living room. Demitri propped himself up on his elbow, not seeming to mind.

  “He wants you to come to the dig house,” Val went on. “He and Felicia discovered that more things had gone missing this morning. He hopes you can help him take a look around.”

  VALERIE had recovered herself by the time they arrived at the site and found a worried Remy in the dig house. She wandered the aisles in the storage room, straightening things here and there. Behind her, Demitri and Leon listened to Remy pour out his troubles, but Val couldn’t concentrate on what he said. She kept picturing how she’d walked into Demitri’s bedroom that morning, Valerie once more, to see two naked men kissing each other on Demitri’s bed.