Darkness Taunts

by Susan Illene

  I set my notebooks down on the couch and moved over to the kitchen. Micah stirred the pot in lazy circles. His shoulders were stiff as if he expected me to attack. I grabbed a coke out of the fridge and popped it open.

  “Smells good,” I said.

  He grunted.

  That was less than encouraging, but I had to try. I could be friendly and resist the urge to bang him over the head again. “Sorry for earlier. I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

  Micah paused his stirring. “You didn’t make me mad.”

  “Okay.” I went around the counter and sat on a bar stool directly in front of him. “Well, I’m sorry for whatever I did that sent you wandering around the woods outside for the last hour.”

  He shot me a disgruntled look. “It’s not all about you, you know.”

  I set my elbows on the counter and rested my chin on my cupped hands to look at him. “Sometimes, Lucas makes me think it is. He’s always made it clear he doesn’t like me, but I’ve never done anything to him.”

  Micah dipped a spoon into the stew and tasted it. I grew hungrier watching him. It really did smell mouth watering. He made me wait a minute while he added some salt before replying. “There is a lot you don’t know, but Lucas has his reasons for behaving the way he does.”

  Time to dig deeper. “Do you know how I first met your brother?”

  “He never gave the details.”

  I blew out a breath and forced myself to bring up one of my worst memories. “I was eighteen, ready to go off to college and start my life. He showed up at my house with no warning and cut my guardian’s body in half with his sword. I had no family left and he killed the one person who seemed to care about me. It wasn’t until last year he explained why he did it, but for all that time he let me to believe I was next.”

  Micah didn’t look up or say anything.

  I got off the stool and gripped the counter. “So I’m sorry if I irritate you and your brother with my very existence, but I’m not my ancestors…or anyone else who may have wronged you. I didn’t do anything to deserve all this blind hatred. Yeah, the world is cruel and unfair. I get that. Believe me, I do, but why can’t you people stay the hell away from me if I’m so revolting to be around!”

  I walked away. It had been my intention to make peace, but the memories from all those years ago and my frustration over recent events had made it impossible to maintain my emotional facade. Micah wasn’t worth the effort it would take to get on his good side. I thought I could use sympathy as a way in, but it hurt too much.

  “Melena,” Micah called out. He had the same voice as Lucas, but now I could differentiate the subtle differences between them.

  I paused but didn’t turn around. “What?”

  “Come taste this and see what you think.”

  He was throwing out a peace offering. It took a few deep breaths to pull myself back together. I’d be damned if he saw how upset I’d really become. When I felt I had my face back to its usual mask of control I went back and stood next to them.

  “Here.” He had been blowing on the spoon to cool the stew.

  I let him guide it to my mouth. It tasted even better than it had smelled. Full of spices, vegetables, and deer meat. I closed my eyes and savored it before swallowing.

  “Thanks,” I said. “It’s good.”

  He nodded. “Glad to hear it.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Lucas’ eyes narrowed when I walked into the living room. We were about to head to The Asylum to meet with the owner. He’d made it clear that I should wear something that would fit into a supernatural club known for its erotic tastes. About a year before, I’d bought a dress for an exclusive club my friend Lisette had planned to drag me to. I ended up never wearing it because I came down with the flu, but it was perfect for this occasion.

  The black dress had long sleeves that widened at the wrists—perfect for concealing a knife so long as I didn’t raise my arms up high—a v-neck that enhanced what cleavage I had, and a very short skirt. It barely covered my butt and it had slits on the sides. The material had a subtle see-through quality that made it eye catching. I almost felt naked in it, but a part of me enjoyed the sexy look.

  Micah almost dropped the glass of wine he held when he saw me. I pretended not to notice. Lucas walked up and helped me put on my dark overcoat. It was made of quality material and perfect for times when my outfits were a little too skimpy for cold weather. He managed to adjust it over my shoulders without touching my skin at all. Somehow, his avoidance made it that much more tense between us.

  “You understand your role tonight?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I said. As if I could forget. He’d called to check on me twice today to go over the details. We hadn’t actually seen each other since this morning. I’d been busy getting ready when he arrived back at the cabin.

  “Good. Let’s go.”

  “Wait.” I turned to go back to the bedroom. “I need my purse.”

  He grabbed my arm. “Leave it.”

  I glanced at the hand holding me and lifted my brows. The sparks were already flying. “I’m not going out without money or an ID.”

  He loosened his hold. “You’ll be with me. I’ll take care of anything you need. It is understood that humans who come to the club belong to the supernatural man or woman who brings them. None of the staff will even talk to you.”

  “I’m not some kind of property,” I said through gritted teeth.

  His eyes ran up and down my body. They almost bored a hole through my coat. I knew he could remember exactly what I wore underneath. “Tonight you have dressed the part and you will play it.”

  A moment of indecision overtook me. Could I do this? The independent woman inside railed against the idea, but it was the only way inside the club if we wanted to keep a low profile. The owner wasn’t supposed to let anyone know about our true purpose. I’d have to pretend for one night that I did belong to Lucas—whatever that meant. My pride would have to take another hit for the sake of saving innocent lives. I’d deal with it, somehow.

  “Fine, let’s go.”

  ***

  I didn’t see much of the The Asylum before a stuffy vampire ushered us to the private area in the back. We did have to pass through part of the club to get there and what I saw made me glad for all times Nik had exposed me to the wilder side of supernatural behavior. No rules held anyone back here.

  They’d taken my coat at the door, but suddenly my dress didn’t feel all that revealing. Most women wore little or nothing at all. With the men it varied, but the majority didn’t have much on. I did notice an older vampire and a strong werewolf—each at opposite ends of the room—who both had considerable power and all their clothes on, but they surrounded themselves with nude servants. There was definitely a hierarchy around here.

  Lucas kept his hand at my back the whole time and stared down anyone who looked at me too closely. I knew he intended it as a statement, but at least at the end of the night it would be over. Tomorrow we could go back to outwardly hating each other.

  We were led into an office where a vampire with long red hair pulled back in a queue sat behind a desk pecking away at his laptop keyboard. He might have been alive for almost six hundred years, but it seemed the art of typing still eluded him. Expensive furniture filled the room, but it was cluttered with papers and the occasional random box. He stood up as soon as he saw us and held out his hand to Lucas.

  “Master Aeson told me to expect you,” he said. “I am Othello, owner of The Asylum.”

  “You may call me Lucas.” Sups didn’t like to give up their full names if they could help it. That whole “names have power” thing kept them from revealing anything more than necessary. Neither of them paid any attention to me.

  “Please, have a seat,” Othello indicated the chairs in front of his desk. Lucas nodded at me as if I had to have some kind of secondary permission. This posturing was so stupid.

  The vampire sat down as well. “Would you like someth
ing to drink?”

  Lucas didn’t bother to look at me before answering. “Wine, preferably Pinot Noir.”

  Damn him, he knew I didn’t care for red wine.

  “Excellent.” Othello clasped his hands together. “Carmen will be here in a moment to serve it.”

  It didn’t take long. A female werewolf arrived with three glasses and an unopened bottle a few minutes later. I’d sensed Othello had used mental communication as soon as Lucas gave his drink order. My abilities didn’t extend to telling me what he said, but I knew he communicated with her again when she arrived. She uncorked the bottle right in front of us before handing the glasses around and filling them.

  Her nostrils flared more than normal when she leaned close to me and her lips twitched. For some reason the female werewolf went from vaguely annoyed when she came in, to pleased. More communication between her and her boss followed. Too bad I couldn’t tell Lucas what was happening. Having to sit there and keep quiet grated on my nerves. Her lust-filled eyes roved over him a few times, but he didn’t appear to notice. That gave me an uncomfortable sense of satisfaction.

  She left the room after we all had our glasses full. Her generous hips sashayed as she went. Maybe she was in heat—that’d explain a lot, though my abilities couldn’t pick up on that sort of thing. I sipped my drink and pretended to enjoy it. No doubt it was some special vintage, but it was lost on me.

  Lucas swirled the wine in his glass, studying it closely, before speaking. “Why don’t you describe the night of the attack for me.”

  Othello leaned back in his chair. “It all happened in less than five minutes. The vampire stationed at the front door alerted me when two humans, as he believed they were, began to cause trouble. I sent a few of my stronger men to assist him, but by the time they got there he’d already been killed. The show of power made us realize we weren’t dealing with ordinary humans. The entry area sustained quite a bit of damage—not to mention the casualties—before my men could kill one of the demon hosts. The other fled and we were unable to catch him.”

  Lucas looked bored, but I sensed he had all his focus on the vampire. “Have you had any trouble since then?”

  “No,” Othello said, shaking his head. “We had to close for two days to repair the damage. This incident has driven some of my best customers away. I want these things stopped before they do anything worse.”

  The guy didn’t show any emotional response to the loss of five lives, but he did give off strong feelings about the harm to his business. Idiotic supernaturals. Their priorities were never where they should be.

  “What signs did you see to confirm demons possessed these humans?” Lucas asked.

  Othello shrugged. “I didn’t actually see them. I was occupied at the time and unable to get away until it was over. My people tell me their eyes glowed red when they began to fight. The werewolves who were here all confirmed the distinct odor of brimstone. Other than that, though, nothing. We have no idea how to identify them when they’re not openly revealing themselves, much less how to keep them out.”

  I shifted in my seat. It hadn’t taken me that long to find out what to do to keep demons out. Did they really have no one in Juneau who knew this stuff? I hadn’t sensed as many sups here as in Fairbanks, but surely someone knew something. Othello noticed my restlessness and studied me closely.

  “This is your demonologist, correct?” he asked.

  It was kind of hard to act like a professional in this dress, but I tried to keep a mature air about me.

  Lucas glanced my way. “She has some knowledge in how to deal with the demons if you’d like to speak with her.”

  “Does she have a name?” Othello asked.

  Lucas’ voice turned cold. “Not one you need to know.”

  So I’d be a nameless expert. That was probably for the best. I didn’t want anyone in this place knowing my true identity anyway.

  The vampire’s body tensed. “I’m surprised. Carmen has informed me you’ve not claimed her. She has almost no trace of your scent on her. Considering her looks, there are those who would want a taste of her, including myself. Leaving her unclaimed in our world is a dangerous thing.”

  Lucas stretched his lips in a smile that couldn’t be construed as friendly. “No one touches her if they wish to live. She is mine to do with as I please…whether I physically claim her or not.”

  Othello’s jaw ticked. I could almost see his hands shaking with the anger he tried to hide as he fought to keep in control. Vamps didn’t like being challenged on their own turf, but he had to know Lucas was too powerful to fight.

  “Very well,” he said in a tight voice. “I would like to ask her how we might handle these demons so that an incident like this does not happen again.”

  Lucas gave me the nod. I leaned forward and kept my face impassive so the guy wouldn’t see how much he disgusted me. “Keeping them out of the inside of your club is the easy part. Pour lines of salt across all possible entryways and make sure they stay solid. Demons can’t cross them. You could burn sage to repel them as well, but if they’re really determined they’ll get through.”

  Othello listened to me with rapt attention, but the seediness in his eyes made me feel uncomfortable. I almost wondered if he wasn’t plotting a way to steal me from Lucas. Maybe my imagination had grown wild, but a part of me felt the urge to scoot closer to the nephilim. The knife I had on me wouldn’t be enough to defeat the vampire.

  He rubbed his chin. “I’d heard of these methods, but dismissed them as old wives tales. You’re sure they really have some kind of effect?”

  “I am, and from a reliable source. The real problem is stopping them from getting close. They could still attack the outside of your club. For now, I’d keep your strongest men at the door. If an unescorted human comes close, let them test the person out and see if they are something more.”

  His gaze dropped to my cleavage. “I’ll keep that in mind. Anything else?”

  Lucas stood up. “She has told you enough. If you have any more of these incidents, I expect you to call me right away.” He handed the vamp a card. “Don’t put the salt down yet. I’ll be staying for a while this evening to see if any demons show up. Should any come, I plan to take them alive for questioning.”

  He took my arm and began walking to the door.

  Othello’s voice rang out. “If you’re keeping the woman with you, Master Lucas, you really should claim her. I’d rather not have any of my patrons hurt over a simple misunderstanding. She has already drawn enough attention among my staff.”

  Power vibrated out from Lucas as he stared down the vampire. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Before I could catch Othello’s reaction, we were out the door.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The vampire who’d escorted us to the office waited down the corridor. He straightened from leaning against the wall when he saw us. Lucas put up a spell so our voices wouldn’t carry.

  “I’m contacting Micah to take you back,” he said.

  Oh, no, he wouldn’t. I glared at him. “You’re not staying here without me. I can sense the demons if they get close.”

  He grabbed my arm and pulled us to a stop. “As much as I hate to admit it, Othello is correct. If you stay, I must prove my claim over you.”

  My voice hissed out. “You’re more powerful than him or anyone else in this place. Why do you have to do anything he says?”

  “I don’t,” anger laced his voice, “but I also don’t have any desire to draw unwanted attention. Keeping an unclaimed human in this club is asking for trouble. I have every intention of blending in while I’m here.”

  He meant that after I left, he’d find someone else to entertain him while he stayed. It had little to do with protecting me. He didn’t have faith I could keep up my part. I’d always known he must have relationships with other women, and that he probably treated them a whole lot better, but it never bothered me until now. The logical side of me said to take the out he offered a
nd go with Micah. The side that felt tingles racing through my arm where he’d grabbed me said not to go—to find out what he’d do to stake his claim over me.

  I knew it was irrational, but my curiosity about him grew with every moment we spent together. My senses told me desire ran as strongly through him as it did me. We could tell ourselves it was part of the job; a means to an end. Afterward we could walk away and pretend it never happened. Return to being the enemies who hated each other.

  “I’m staying,” I said.

  The impatient vampire down the hall moved toward us. Lucas hit him with his gaze and ordered him back. Then his eyes bored into mine as he pulled me closer. “Do you know what you’re asking?”

  I nodded. For some reason my voice had decided to quit working.

  Lucas’ hand ran up the back of my thigh until it reached underneath my skirt. He squeezed the bare skin of my ass where the g-string didn’t cover it. I shivered. “If you stay, you’re giving me permission to touch you wherever I want, to claim you—in front of others. There cannot be a scene if you get nervous and change your mind. You’ll have to keep playing along until we leave. Are you sure you can handle that?”

  My mind grew fuzzier with every moment we stood together, but some sense came back to me. “This is just for tonight. Whatever happens, we never talk about it again after we leave this place.”

  He searched my face. “That’s your only demand?”

  “Yes.” I was a fool.

  “Very well.”

  He pulled away and took my arm again. Another command to the vampire and we were led to a corner booth in the main room. The table was on a raised platform like the others around it and covered with a red cloth that reached the floor. The seats were high, giving us some privacy, but anyone across the room would be able to see us. I had a case of the nerves when we separated long enough to slide in.