Thirst (Incubus Tamed, Book 1)

by Theresa Hissong

  “Cassius!” Victor bellows. When I shake the bloodlust from my mind, I glance around the room and see the bodies of Kieran’s men. They’re in pieces as my gargoyles and the ones who came to help are nursing their own wounds.

  The demon disappears as soon as I see Victor on his knees, his wrist pressing against Ashera’s lips. There isn’t anything for me to clean my hands with as I cross the room. I don’t want to touch her with that demon’s blood on me.

  I don’t know if I said it aloud or if Xavier already knew, but he thrusts his shirt into my hands as I cross the room. I clean myself as best as I can before falling to my knees.

  “My love,” I whisper as I lean over her face. Her eyes aren’t as dead as they were while she was on her knees next to Kieran’s desk. The fucking collar and leash are still around her neck, and it’s covered in her blood. Someone has already removed the silver shackle, and her eyes are filling with blood.

  I can’t see her collared like that. It’s too much. My hands move frantically over the clasp, ripping it away from her skin as soon as it comes free. As soon as it is gone, she blinks, and I see life rush back into her gaze, but her face is starting to pale from the loss of blood.

  “Cass,” she breathes. “You came.”

  “I’ll always come for you, Ashera,” I promise and scoop her up off the floor. She turns her face into my neck as I disappear from the house. I don’t know what Victor will do, but I hope he torches the place.

  Salvatore is waiting for us the moment I reappear in the foyer of our home. His eyes flash red. “Everything is prepared in your room.”

  I nod and take her up the stairs. Fagan has drawn a bath and left several towels on the floor for cleanup. I use my own magic to remove my clothes and step into the water. Ashera sighs as we sink below the warmth.

  “I’m okay,” she vows, touching my cheek. “I just shut down while he had me again.”

  “You’re also weak,” I say, using my thumb to touch underneath her eye. She needs energy and more blood. I’m not too far behind her on the depletion.

  “We both are,” she agrees and scoops water up in her hand, using it to clean dried blood off my arm. “Let’s bathe. Then we will feed.”

  “First, I want to know what happened,” I inquire, reaching for a cloth and soap. She doesn’t immediately talk, and I don’t push her. Instead, I clean her upper body, focusing on the blood where her throat was slit. The wound has healed, thanks to Victor’s blood.

  “He tried to have sex with me, but I fought him,” she admits. I feel my anger bubbling beneath the surface, but I hold it back. She’s been through another abduction, and I’m sure she won’t react well to seeing my demon for who he really is.

  It’s easy to remember she’s new to this life. In some ways, she’s naïve to our ways, but in others, she fits right in. We’re products of Lucifer. We have to have human blood and souls to live. There isn’t ever going to be a time we can live off of each other.

  “You did well.” I praise her while I continue to wash away the blood from both of our bodies. The water is starting to turn a pink color, and I should probably drain the tub, but she’s curled up against me. I don’t want to let her go just yet.

  “Are the gargoyles available for feedings?” she asks, tilting her head back so she can look into my eyes. She touches my jaw with her soft fingers, and I close my eyes when she presses her lips to mine. “I need to feed, but I want to make love to you first. I need this, Cassius.”

  “I need you, too,” I whisper and kiss her softly for several seconds.

  I toe the drain and carefully stand from the tub. Ashera wraps her legs around my waist as I walk us toward the bed. Her lips are soft, but her kisses are demanding. I can scent her, and my cock hardens as she rubs her pussy up and down my shaft while I attempt to get us to the bed.

  She doesn’t stop kissing me as I lay her down, finding her core with ease. I don’t know how long we can handle making love to each other in our conditions, but I’m going to try to stay with her for as long as I can.

  “Call down and have the gargoyles come up in ten minutes,” she begs, rolling her hips up so I sink deeper into her body. “We’re going to need them.”

  Chapter 17

  Ashera

  I feel my powers draining faster than he can give me energy. We’re both weak, and as bad as I would prefer to spend the night with him buried between my legs, we need blood and sex from someone else.

  A knock on the door signals the gargoyles who were brought here for us. Briley and Lacey enter with Laran, and they don’t hesitate to undress. My fangs extend as I eye Briley’s vein. It throbs as her steel-gray eyes darken.

  Gargoyles are our servants in so many ways. Cassius told me we could feed off of them in a pinch, but usually they don’t like to because it takes the gargoyles away from their usual tasks of caring for the Incubi’s home.

  “Ms. Andrews,” Briley greets me, laying down next to me. Cassius slips from my body and I feel the loss, but I don’t protest. Briley takes my nipple between her middle and forefinger, rolling it until I moan from the pinch of pain. “I’m here for your needs, mistress.”

  “As are we,” Laran announces, taking Lacey’s hand. They approach the bed, and I find the energy to reach up and pull Lacey down on my other side. The three of us are laying there with our legs hanging off the bed at our knees.

  “Cassius, fuck her,” I order, pointing to Lacey. She’s beautiful with hair a shade darker than my own. Seeing him stalk her with his hand on his cock excites me.

  “Laran, tend to my mate and her new play toy.” Cassius nods toward Briley. “I saw you eyeing the vein in her neck, my love.”

  Briley’s hair is short and jet black. There’s enough for a handful when I tangle my fingers in it, making a fist to bring her to my lips. She tastes of power, and I feel Laran at my pussy. His cock is hot against my core as he nestles himself between my legs.

  The room is dark, but I do not need light to see as I release the female gargoyle. Lacey moans beside me as Cassius takes her pussy and wraps his hands around her thick hips, slowing thrusting into her body. His eyes haven’t left mine, and I know he’s making silent promises of things to come after we feed.

  “Laran,” I moan and reach for his cock, guiding it into my body. His body is made for pleasure, and I pant as he buries himself at my core. His energy bleeds into me immediately, and I feel the need overcome me. My head swivels, and I need blood. Briley sees the need in my eyes and comes in, turning her neck to face me at the last second.

  I strike her vein with no warning, blood filling my mouth. I drink and roll my hips, silently telling Laran I need him just as much. I’m beyond weak from my encounter with Kieran. I will never tell Cassius that my maker fed off of me for the first four hours I was in his dungeon again. There are things I will keep to myself, and I will hold it for eternity.

  “Mistress?” Briley calls out. Her voice is fading.

  I hiss at Cassius as he pulls her away. My demon wants to protect its prey, and I realize I’m in need of more blood than I thought. Laran’s eyes widen when I come off the bed, wrapping my legs around his waist in one swift movement. His cock never leaves my body as I strike his vein. The male turns and sits on the bed, holding me tight. I feel his cock swell, and I know I’m about to receive the blast of energy I need.

  When my eyes scan the room, I see Cassius at Lacey’s neck, his hips thrusting as he finds his own release. His eyes are cast upward so they’re tracking my every move. I hear him growl as he’s taking what he needs to refuel. Briley is sitting up on the bed, already recovered from my attack. Her steel-gray eyes darken as she licks her lips. She’s aching for release, and I want to give that to her.

  My body jerks as Laran comes, his energy like a strike of lightning to my system. I feel my power explode, and the demon inside me snarls, pushing away from the male to stand. He falls back on the bed, panting from his release.

  Briley moves to face me as I stalk her
. Cassius releases his hold on Lacey’s hip to stroke my hair as I crawl toward the other gargoyle. My eyes are only on her. “Lay down, gargoyle. I want to taste you.”

  The female sighs and lays on her back as I slide my hands between her legs. She’s wet for me, and I take my time giving her what she’s craving while I take what I need from her.

  Chapter 18

  Cassius

  My mate is giving the gargoyle the wildest orgasm, and my cock swells again inside Lacey from the sight before me. I’ve fed, and I want more, but the female beneath me is spent. I cannot take anymore from her. Even in my state, I know it’s too dangerous.

  Laran has moved across the room to dress. He sits heavily in the chair by the door and leans over, resting his elbows on his knees. Briley has her hands buried in Ashera’s hair, riding my mate’s face with her impending release.

  “I’m going to fuck your mouth, Briley,” I announced as I climb on the bed.

  “Please, master,” she moans and reaches for me, tilting her head back to take me into her mouth.

  The gargoyle shifts her hips rapidly as she swallows my cock. Ashera raises her eyes to look at me over Briley’s mound. I see the corner of my mate’s lips lift in a saucy smirk. I know she’s enjoying this female, and I will have to talk to her owner to see if I can negotiate Briley’s employment. Ashera will need a female to tend to her at the house, and I think this gargoyle is exactly what she needs.

  “Make her come, Ashera,” I order, leaning over to touch my mate’s hair. The silky strands beneath my fingers urges me on to pump my seed into Briley’s mouth. The moment I orgasm, she comes on my mate’s tongue. The blast of energy from the gargoyle soaks into my soul, and I pull free of her mouth, falling back against the pillows. I watch as Ashera lifts from Briley’s pussy to kiss the female as a way of saying thank you.

  We all rest for several minutes. Naked bodies are sprawled out across my large bed. Laran is still in the chair across the room, and he’s sitting up straight now. A gargoyle’s energy will return quicker than a human’s, and within twenty minutes, our guests have dressed and slipped out of the room.

  “I want her,” Ashera begs, a small pout tilting her bottom lip. I can’t resist and lean over to nip at it.

  “I’ll speak with Caspian to see if we can hire her here to be your gargoyle,” I promise and pull her body close to mine. “Now, I need to get some food.”

  “Can Fagan bring it in here? Because I have no desire to get dress or leave this room,” she chuckles. As energized as we are, the marathon sex we had with the three gargoyles was tiring.

  “Let me call down,” I say, reaching for the phone.

  Fagan brings a tray of food twenty minutes later, setting it on the top of the dresser by the door. He closes the door without a word, and I crawl from my spot to bring the tray over so we can eat in bed. By now, I’ve turned on the television and Ashera is watching a televised broadcast of a rock band she recently discovered and loves.

  “I like their name,” she admits as she bites into a piece of chicken. “I mean, Cycle of Sin is a badass name for a rock band.”

  “You have a point there,” I reply. I’m not paying much attention to the television or the music playing. My eyes are only for her, and I can’t believe she is mine.

  “What’s wrong?” she asks as she licks the spices off her fingertips.

  “I didn’t know I would find someone to make this life less miserable,” I admit. She freezes mid-lick and drops her hand to her lap.

  “Oh, Cassius,” she coos and raises up on her knees, tackling me to the bed. The food spills on the floor, but I ignore it. The carpets can be cleaned. “I don’t want you to think this life is miserable.”

  “It was until I found you,” I explain.

  “Me?” she laughs. “I’m not that interesting.”

  “You are everything,” I whisper and capture her lips. My hand cups her face and I absorb her scent.

  “Can we find love as demons?” she asks as I release her.

  “I think we are still part human,” I reply, kissing her quickly. “If there is such a thing as love among us, I’m very certain I found it with you.”

  “I love you, Cassius,” she says, smiling as I cup her face again. “I still feel human in a lot of ways, and this is one thing Kieran couldn’t take from me…my ability to love. He tried, but he didn’t succeed.”

  “I will love you for an eternity, Ashera Andrews,” I promise and roll her over. “I’m going to make love to you tonight.”

  “Take your time, Incubus.”

  Chapter 19

  Ashera

  I stand at the window and wait. It’s been a month since I was saved from my maker. Cassius and I have found a new life together, living at Salvatore’s mansion. He is my territory leader now, and he prefers we stay close.

  Fagan hurries up the stairs behind me to finish preparations on the guest room that will now belong to my own personal gargoyle. Caspian agreed to us hiring Briley, and she is due to arrive any moment.

  Cassius flew her first class from Washington. I’ve planned a shopping trip for her as soon as she gets settled. I want her comfortable here. My mate told me I didn’t have to spoil her, but I ignored him. I want her to be happy.

  “Here she comes!” I yell for the entire household to hear.

  Cassius, Sal, and Vic exit from the office while Memphis, Xavier, and Fagan all descend the stairs. I wrench the door open and meet the cab driver.

  “You’re here!” I giggle and pull her into my arms. We hug while Cassius and Fagan remove her bags from the trunk. “Come inside. We have your room ready.”

  “Thank you for hiring me,” she blushes. “I’m so happy to be here.”

  “Come on,” I urge, pulling her by the hand. As soon as we walk inside, the males leave us and we hurry up the stairs. Her room is next to ours, and I push the door open wide. “We will go shopping after you’ve rested and get you whatever you need.”

  “Thank you, but I’m here to serve you,” she reminds me.

  “Right now, I want you to get comfortable,” I urge and pull her over to a chair by the window. “Fagan has a meal schedule, and he sticks to it. You do not have to come to dinner if you’d like to sleep. I know you’ve had a long day getting here.”

  “I want to work,” Briley states, looking around the room. “It’s in my nature to do for my mistress.”

  “I know,” I laugh, shaking my head. “I really wish you’d just call me Ashera.”

  “Oh, I…um, I guess I can,” she stammers. “Is there anything you need from me? Do you need to feed?” She asks the question, but I see a heat in her eyes.

  “Maybe later,” I answer honestly. Fagan arrives with her bags, setting them inside the walk-in closet. Her room is almost identical to my own, and she has her own bathroom. “I’ll leave you to get situated.”

  “Thank you,” she says and I leave her to unpack.

  Cassius is at the kitchen table, pouring a glass of wine. He holds up an empty glass. “Drink?”

  “Please,” I reply and take a seat next to his.

  “You know, we should talk about what happened at Kieran’s,” he begins, but like I’ve done over the last few days, I shake my head and deny his questions.

  “I really don’t want to talk about him,” I say through gritted teeth.

  “It’s time we discuss his claim that you are able to bear children,” he states, ignoring my denial.

  “I think he is lying,” I reply and sip my wine. Whatever that psycho motherfucker had to say is a lie in my eyes. He was a manipulator, a narcissist, and worse than anything the devil could produce. I hope he’s rotting at the lowest pits of Hades right now.

  “But what if he’s not?” Cassius asks.

  “I have yet to have a cycle,” I tick off. “I’ve never had any type of fertile days where I felt like a dog in heat, and I sure as hell don’t have any cravings to be a mother.”

  “We’ve been doing research,” he in
forms me, taking a healthy sip of his drink. The faraway look in his eyes worries me. It wasn’t until recently that he admitted he hated the fact he was still alive after all this time. If it wasn’t for me, he would’ve roamed this earth a miserable man until the end of time.

  “What type of research?” I press, needing to know what he knows.

  “There are others like you,” he reveals. “There are succubi who’ve reared children.”

  “We don’t know if I am one of those women,” I remind him. “Kieran was a sadist, and he wanted power. There’s no way he could’ve known I was one of those women. All he did was fuck me, feed from me, slit my throat, and bury me in the ground until I had to claw my way out.”

  I don’t mention the torturing part. Cassius has no business knowing those details. Kieran is dead, and bringing up what happened wouldn’t do anything other than cause my mate grief…grief he didn’t need to experience.

  “I would like for you to see a doc…” he begins, but I stand up quickly from my seat.

  “No, Cassius!” I walk over to the sink and set my empty glass inside. “And that’s final.”

  I don’t want to see any doctors. I’m fucking immortal, and I died that day almost a year ago. There is no fucking way I can get pregnant.

  None.

  Not happening…

  Ever.

  The End…

  Look for more from Cassius and Ashera

  Coming Soon…

  A Letter from the Author:

  Hello loves!

  I hope you enjoyed Thirst. It was so much fun writing, and I hope you enjoyed meeting Cassius and Ashera.

  This book was on fire from the moment I opened the computer to write the beginning of their story. Once I had the idea, the words flowed, and I was able to write it in just under 11 days. I’ve never written a book that quickly before, and I can’t wait to dive into book 2 in this trilogy.