“Fitting,” I said in approval. “But why have you not brought Justine here to live? Anna would welcome the company.”
“I do not want her involved in this life we lead,” Danial said vehemently. “Not until I know for certain that she wants to be.”
“She must be protected,” I said firmly. “Bring her here, Danial. Anything could befall her in this city. She’ll adjust in time.”
“This is exactly why I didn’t tell you,” Danial grated out. “She is not a plaything; she is a woman who is entitled to her own life. She is just beginning to come out of her shell, to smile again. She does not need to add supernatural horrors to all the human ones she’s already endured.”
“Have it your way,” I said grumpily. “But don’t blame me if she is killed accidentally some night, as your other lover was killed.”
“Your tact is amazing,” Danial said coldly, getting to his feet. “I’ll be out working, if you should need me.” He walked out.
That next week, Danial avoided me. I left him alone, as I had my hands full mending fences with Uther. After agreeing to mate him and his bride to be—I felt I had to, as she was already pregnant—he agreed to come back, with an additional raise in pay. I also began working with Quentin to prepare for Louis’s arrival. There were performances for which tickets needed to be purchased, accommodations and guards to arrange, and most of all, blood to secure. Louis had a voracious appetite, and the first time he came, I’d not laid in enough of a supply of humans—he preferred neither sex to the other—and we’d been scrambling for more. I wasn’t about to make that mistake, or any other, again.
In keeping with this, I told Anna that she must not go anywhere outside of the house without at least one of the werebats and Levi with her at all times. I sweetened the news with the gift of several new evening gowns, as I thought that would guarantee her acquiescence. Unexpectedly, she rebelled.
“I will go outside if I choose to, Dev, when I choose to. There is no danger to befall me sitting in the sun mere steps from the door of my own home.”
All that could still happen flooded my mind: Anna seized by a magician and teleported instantly, Anna shot with an arrow or bullet from the forest yards away, Anna ravaged and killed by a human for her jewelry...
“There is danger. You will not do it.”
“Eva is with me at all times, except at night when you or Danial is there. She is werewolf, and stronger than a human—”
“I’ve said no, and I will not repeat it again, Anna.”
“I’ll do as I please,” she shouted at me. “You don’t own me, Devlin!”
“I do own you! You promised to obey me!”
“This is not for my safety,” she said hatefully. “This is because you want me with you in bed, and not enjoying the sunlight. I miss it, Devlin! I want to be outside, to feel its warmth! Summer is nearly over!”
“That is not true,” I said angrily. “It hurts me you would believe that.”
“I believe only what you give me cause to,” she said pointedly, and stormed off.
Eva entered a second later. I waited for her to defend Anna, but again I was surprised.
“I heard it all,” she said quietly. “I’ll make sure she does not leave the house without additional guards.”
That she accepted this so readily meant one thing. “When was the attempt made on you?”
“When I was newly oathed,” she replied. “I was sitting in the sun outside pressing flowers in a book. Guy was sleeping inside. As you know, the werebats were our enemies then. A large male swooped down and quickly carried me off. Luckily Levi was nearby, and shot him with his long rifle, just before he got out of range.”
“You must have fallen.”
“He caught me,” she said lovingly, her eyes looking inward at her memory. “He beheaded the bat and burned the body. I never again left the house during the day without him and his musket.”
“Tell that to Anna,” I said, giving her a quick cheek kiss of gratitude. “Please.”
Eva nodded, and left.
The next week, things greatly improved with Anna. Some of that was likely Eva’s tale of warning, but I wagered the rest was of my doing. I’d mastered Quentin’s teachings, and our sex life had improved as a direct result. I admit, it is much more fun to take your time recovering when you have no responsibilities and have all night for lovemaking. When you are busy, being experienced enough to recover quickly maximizes both your partner’s pleasure and your own. But enough about that. Suffice to say that Anna accepted her new rules, doing as I asked.
Then, a week before Louis was to appear, Lady Jezebel sent me a letter, asking that I come to visit her. Anna was invited, as was Danial.
I showed it to them later that evening. “Danial, are you available? Anna should not go, of course, but I think we should see what she has to say.”
“No,” Danial said, wrinkling his nose. “I will not go under any circumstances. I met her once. That was more than enough.”
“Why not?” I said cajolingly. “What do we have to fear, especially together?”
“What does she say she wants?” he replied.
“To meet us and Anna for food and drink at her home.”
“We cannot eat, and I would not allow Anna to eat anything that goblin served,” Danial said darkly. “Throw the invite in the trash where it belongs.”
“Very well,” I said, putting it down on my desk. “I must go out of town in a few days, just overnight. Quentin will go with me, as will some werebats. Please watch over Anna, if you would?”
“Of course,” Danial said. Then he excused himself and left.
“Don’t go,” Anna said at once, coming over to me. “I’m worried about Louis’s visit. It’s very soon. What if he arrives early?”
“He will not arrive a week early,” I reassured her. “I’ll only be gone one night. I must see those crops for myself. Quentin says that some are being salvaged, that the frost struck unevenly. There is hope they will not be a complete loss.”
“Am I not more important than crops?” Anna said angrily. “We have enough money, Devlin. Why must you spend so much time trying to make more? We will never spend it all, and we have no one to leave it to. Everyone is dead!”
“Must you constantly find fault with everything I do?” I snapped at her. “I’m trying the best I can to take care of you. I have to ensure you are safe and have everything you desire.”
“You cannot give me everything I desire,” she sneered, and went to leave.
This time, I went after her. “What do you mean by that? Answer me, Anna.”
“You’ve changed,” she said despairingly. “I believed you, when you said you loved me. But now I’m wondering if you ever loved me.”
I was dumbfounded. “How can you say that? Of course I love you.”
“You love that I am where you want me when you want me,” she whispered. “That’s not love, Devlin. That’s possession.”
“No more talk of owners and slaves,” I said angrily. “I give you rules only to protect you, Anna. Do you think I want you to have to be cooped up inside? I like to see your eyes bright and alive, to hear your happiness in your voice, to touch your skin darkened by the sun’s light. This is only for a short time, until Louis leaves again.”
“He will always come back again,” she said, despair again in her words. “Even if he dies, there will always be some new danger, Devlin.”
The truth in those horrible words cut to the heart of me. I hugged her close, searching for some words of comfort to give not only to her, but also to myself.
A throat was cleared from behind us. I looked over to see Quentin standing there.
“The coach is ready and waiting,” he said. “We must leave, Devlin.”
“I’ll return soon,” I said, kissing Anna lightly on her forehead. “I love you, dearest.”
I strode out with him, not looking back. He didn’t speak until we were underway to the tavern where we would meet Rip.
I didn’t reply, looking out into the night, as if the stars might hold some answer for me.
* * * *
The crops were salvageable, at least my opium and Danial’s cotton. Pleased with those results, I headed home the next night with Quentin in the carriage, after leaving Rip to his drinking.
“Where shall we go to celebrate?” Quentin asked happily. “How about the tavern on the edges of the werebat colony? They can fly us home after, if it gets too close to sunrise.”
“No,” I said maliciously, my eyes glinting. “Driver, take us to Lady Jezebel’s home.”
Chapter Fourteen
The driver turned the carriage, even as Quentin began having a crisis.
“No! We cannot go to her, Devlin! She is a witch, not just a goblin! She’ll do something to both of us!”
“I’ve been invited twice now,” I said coolly, enjoying his panic. “I’m Lord here, and I will find out just what she wants with me. You can be a man for once and accompany me.”
Quentin bared his fangs at me, but didn’t reply.
We were there in about an hour. The estate was lovely, with many lights on the driveway and in the house. Not all were gaslight; some were magical, glowing balls of light that seemed to hang in the air.
“She is an accomplished sorceress,” I said in amazement. “Rene does not have any of these.”
We drove up to the door, where I got out, pulling Quentin with me.
The main door opened. Silhouetted in the light from within was a shapely buxom woman with long black hair.
“So you’ve finally come,” she said sultrily. “I was beginning to think you were afraid.”
“I’m here for dinner,” I said, striding up the steps. “I’ve brought my friend with me, as Danial could not make it.”
“Nor Anna, I see,” Jezebel said, her red lips curving in a wide smile. “Pity. Do come in, my Lord.”
We followed her inside to her fireplace. She sat in an elaborate chair before the steadily burning fire, gesturing for us to do the same in the two chairs opposite her.
“What do you want?” I said when we were all seated.
“An alliance with you,” she said sweetly. “I have a bad reputation, you see.”
“That is well earned,” Quentin muttered.
Jezebel laughed. “So it is! I had a good time earning it. The problem is I’ve all this and no one to share it with, no friends, no lovers, not even an acquaintance.”
“You could pay people to be here,” I said flatly. “I’ll ask one more time; what is it you want from me?”
“To be your ally, if not more.” She winked, implying what “more” meant.
“I have a lover,” I replied. “You have nothing to offer me I want.”
“But I do,” Jezebel said, eye flashing. “I have myself. My blood, goblin blood, is very powerful. You could gain power swiftly, if I was but to let you have a little on a regular basis.”
“What would that cost me?”
“Just your protection,” she said, lowering her eyes. “And affection.”
“I can offer you only protection,” I said. “My affection is spoken for.”
“I am agreeable to that,” Jezebel said, shrugging. “For now.”
“You are powerful enough not to need Devlin’s protection,” Quentin said in a low voice.
“Yes, but I’m lonely,” Jezebel said. She snapped her fingers, and a glass of wine appeared out of thin air. She took it absently from midair, sipping the dark red fluid, then put it down on the table at her side. “Even goblins get lonely, my dear vampire.”
“Why not get another of your kind?” I asked, curious. “You are comely enough.”
“It’s all an illusion,” Jezebel replied, chuckling. “Illusion put on for you both. My real countenance is ugly and twisted, even for a goblin. My own kind can see that. Our nature makes all goblins resistant to any magical illusions.” She drank her wine down in one long pull. “Just as vampires do not keep company with vampires of the opposite sex, I cannot keep company with other goblins. I am too vain to be thought ordinary, or worse, ill-formed.” She put her glass down. “Enough of depressing thoughts. Who will be first?”
“First?” Quentin echoed.
“Likely you, as your master will not want to risk himself.” She got up, and unfastened her dress, letting it fall to her feet. “Come to me, Quentin.”
I fell out of the chair, my lust for her was so powerful. Her flesh was perfect, her breasts heavy and full, and her hips curvy and ample. Her long black hair hung down her back, glittering and glistening in the firelight.
Quentin went to her awkwardly, but as soon as he touched her, he lost all control. Within seconds, he had her down on the rug, his pants down as he pounded into her, his teeth buried in one breast. That itself was enough to make me painfully hard, but the moment he began drinking, Jezebel went wild. She began moaning loudly, climaxing within minutes. As he drank and loved her, she came again and again, her cries of passion driving me wild with need to push him from her and seize her for my own. Quentin was also crying out repeatedly, his cries muffled by her flesh.
I fought myself, the minutes ticking by like hours. Ten minutes later, Quentin screamed loudly one last time, and collapsed on her.
I looked at their entangled panting bodies, the sweat gleaming on them. Then I realized that my fingers had become talons that were now buried in the chair. Quickly, I made them become normal fingers again, embarrassed at my desire.
Quentin pushed up from her. Jezebel stretched beneath him like a cat in her satisfaction.
“You are one of the sensitive ones,” he said slowly. “I’ve heard of them, but never experienced one before myself.”
“We’re rare,” Jezebel said, stretching again languidly. “We can be loved to death easily, yet we seek out vampires always, almost self-destructive in our desire for the pleasure they bring us.”
“I wanted to drink more,” Quentin said drunkenly, rolling onto his back. “I wanted to not stop, for your screams to go on and on.”
“They would have until you killed me,” Jezebel said deliciously, shivering in anticipation. “But I trusted Devlin to step in and save me.” She looked over at me. “You did give me your protection, after all.”
What I wanted was her: to bury myself in her and love her until she died. I thanked God silently that Quentin was here, or I’d have done exactly that.
“Come, Devlin,” she said invitingly. “Your turn.”
“I’ll watch over you,” Quentin said, fastening his pants. “Take your pleasure, Devlin.”
I almost did it. She was there before the fire, light shining on her soft skin, utterly irresistible. If I had gotten up, I would have. Knowing that, I stayed where I was.
“Come to me,” I said instead. “Wrap your body first, please.”
Jezebel got to her feet, and draped a blanket over her curves. Then she sat on my lap, throwing her head back.
I bit into her as deeply as I could, not caring I would hurt her, not caring about anything except the insatiable need I had for her. She moaned loudly, and clutched at me, her arms enfolding my head.
Her blood was rich, the richest I’d ever tasted. It was sweet too, almost as sweet as Anna’s. Yet there was something dark within it, something almost too thick. And laced under the thick sweetness was something mature, over mature, really.
Still, that was in the noise. All I could think about was the sounds she was making, the moans and screams of pleasure as she came again and again, holding onto me with a death grip. I wanted her to keep making them, to keep drinking, until every last cry had been wrung from her...
I drank until Quentin cuffed me hard. I took my mouth off her to snarl at him.
“You must stop, she’s unconscious,” he said quickly, moving out of range. “Look.”
I looked down. Jezebel wa
s indeed unconscious, her lips parted in ecstasy, her eyes half lidded. In her writhing, her blanket had parted, and one large breast lay temptingly before me, inches from my mouth.
I had a wild desire to seize it my mouth, to bite into her again. Instead, I quickly covered her, wrapping her blanket securely over it.
“That was something,” Quentin said, his mind obviously blown. “God, her blood was so sweet. I’ve never tasted anything that good before.”
It was on my lips to say I had many times, but I kept silent. Anna’s blood was a secret I intended to keep. “Yes. I thank you for stopping me.”
“I was a fool to protest coming here,” Quentin said blissfully. “I beg you to take me the next time you come, and not Danial. I’ll give you money, whatever you want.”
Looking down at Jezebel in my arms, I wondered that Quentin’s infatuated mood hadn’t been intended for me and Danial. I’d likely have felt the same, if it hadn’t been for my experiences with Anna...
“Please, Devlin. I’ve never tasted anything so good—”
The raw desire in Quentin’s voice was like cold water down my back. If he thought Jezebel’s blood was good, how much more would he desire Anna’s if he knew of its taste? I bit my lip, drawing blood.
“—you must let me return with you, please—”
“Of course,” I said quickly. “Danial would not participate in this manner of feeding, and I’ve no other vampire I trust, save you and he.”
“Thanks for your charity,” Quentin said sarcastically, coming back to himself abruptly.
“Let’s place her in her bed,” I said, getting up with her limp form in my arms.
“No,” Quentin said quietly. “Leave her in the sofa there, and cover her. If she had wanted us in her bedroom, she’d have invited us there, and not copulated with me before the fire. It is bad luck to explore a sorceress’s home uninvited.”
“All right.” I did as he asked, and then we both left.
“Send a message,” I said as we were riding back. “Tell her when she recovers her strength to send for us again. And if she needs my protection, she has but to call.”
Immortal Confessions Page 17