by Tl Reeve
She buried her face at the juncture of his throat and breathed deep. He smelled so good. Fear of what she’d become warred with need. She took her time, nibbling and sucking on the spot where she wanted to sink her teeth. Maël moaned her name, burying his hand in her hair. He held her in place while his thrusts became more determined and frantic.
Everything inside her coiled with anticipation. She stood on the precipice of what was and what could be. All she had to do was trust him. Trust herself. So many things had changed in such a short amount of time and, though it might be scary, she knew she had to make the leap or continue to walk oblivious to those around her.
Natasha bit him. Maël slammed into her twice more as the first trickles of blood slid down her throat. Everything building inside of her, the anticipation, the fear, the excitement, shattered within her. Her climax hit her with a blinding impact. She thought she’d float away until he bit her as well. Pleasure shot through her once more, causing her to climax again.
“Easy, princess. Don’t drain me.” She could hear the humor in his tone, but she should have been more aware.
“Sorry,” she whispered, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Don’t be.” Maël caressed her cheek then brushed his lips over hers. “Tonight, was a crash course, next time you’ll know.”
“You sound pretty sure of yourself,” Natasha teased.
He laughed. “It’s because I am.”
****
“So, tell me about this battle.” She tucked herself into his side and a sense of peace descended over her. She hadn’t expected to start her evening by screwing one of the guys who made her body tingle. She also hadn’t anticipated drinking his blood or unlocking her abilities. God, that’s some next level superhero shit ...
“It’s better to show you,” he answered.
“What’s with all the secrets?” She glanced up at him with narrowed eyes.
“Can’t be giving away all surprises.”
“It’s like you think I haven’t ever been around others before,” she teased. “Besides, I’ve seen some of your tricks, mister.”
He shrugged. “You have, but this is different.” He lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers. “More intense.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
He chuckled as she jumped from the bottom step. The house was mostly quiet. Hayden and Nico were off doing some kind of mate thing. Emma and Bodhi had left a few hours before Maël arrived. The only ones there were Joy and Shelly, along with a few of the newest members. It was one thing she liked about the house. At certain parts of the day, no one was there. She could sleep, work on homework, or just veg before heading to the station for work.
“You’ve got sass,” he said, opening the front door for her.
“I’ve been told such,” she replied.
“You should show it more.”
It was her turn to laugh. “You’re opening a can of worms even suggesting that.”
“It might be fun.”
“Okay, mister. You’re on.” She smacked his ass and yelped in joy. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”
He growled. “Have you?”
She nodded. “Oh yeah.”
Maël palmed her naked rear and squeezed. “Feelings are mutual.” He then leaned in. “I love that you’ve foregone your panties. Holding your ass in my hands while fucking you was a dream come true.”
A hot rush of arousal shot through her. She hadn’t been prepared for the way her body reacted to the sexy Romanian vampire. The way he made her burn for him. The way he made her crave him with one kiss. None of it made any sense to her. She shouldn’t be lusting after three men, however all three of them occupied her mind 24/7. And, after their little episode in her room, she didn’t think she’d be able to resist them even if she wanted to.
“So, three of you...” she hedged, not even sure how to broach the subject with him. They were friends after all.
“Yes,” he answered. “The three of us.”
“Don’t you get... I don’t know, jealous? Because you’re vying for the same girl.”
“No,” he said. “It’s different. It turns me on hearing about you and Taichi at the station. It made me even hotter thinking about you and Keiji and, when I tell them about us, they’ll feel the same way I do. Do you have problem with Keiji and Taichi’s relationship?”
Did she have a problem with them? No. The thought of seeing them doing anything made her hot and bothered. “No.” She didn’t hesitate with her answer.
“You shouldn’t answer yet,” he said leading her toward where the arena that had been setup days before.
“Because I might freak out?” She snorted. “Keiji and Taichi making out would be hot enough, seeing them do anything else ... I’m sure I’ll lose my shit.” She turned to him, stopping them in their tracks to glance up at him. “Question is, if I get all hot and bothered, are you going to cool me off?” Natasha ran her finger down the middle of his chest to his rock-hard stomach. Fuck, he’s sexy.
He hissed. “You’re playing with fire.”
“Let me guess, I’m going to get burned?” She licked her lips. “What if I want to feel the flames of passion lap at my flesh?” She hadn’t meant to be corny about it all, however, his eyes swirled with desire. She flipped his switch.
“I’d say you’re about to get your wish granted.” He growled.
“Fuck, that’s sexy too.” She let out a shuddered breath.
Maël snatched her hand and tugged her to him. “Not out here.” His fingertips brushed over her hip, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. “I want to savor you next time. Sip from your neck while you scream my name.”
Oh. Damn. She had a feeling it would only get worse before the evening was over. “You’re naughty.”
“You have no idea.” He grinned.
She took a step backward, then another before spinning around, following the path towards Williams Tower. Nervous energy built within her. “Tell me what I’m about to see.”
“And ruin the surprise? Never,” he said in a mocking tone. “Tonight, you’ll celebrate with the rest of us night creatures. Enjoy it.”
“So infuriating.” She rolled her eyes, stepping into his embrace when he wrapped his arm around her.
“Part of the perks of being an upper classman.” Maël lead her over to the entrance of the roped area. “We’ll have fun, don’t worry.”
Seven
When they’d met at the fire pit the other night, the place hadn’t looked like this. Two large, red and black Japanese gates sat at either end of the space. Inside, a square bamboo ring had been erected. The twinkle of light from nearby trees caught Natasha’s attention. She gasped. Beautifully ornate paper lanterns hung from the limbs. They were perfectly arranged to give the space the maximum amount of light and atmosphere without being garish or too outlandish. There were also words written in Kanji along the sides and front of them.
“Whoa...” she whispered.
“There is more to show you,” Maël said. “Keiji and Taichi are popular around here.”
She figured as much. Over near the second gate, a long table rested. Face painting supplies were strewn about while some of the students sat in chairs. Those wearing artist T-shirts moved about, while others sat with the person in front of them going over the different designs. One student had a kabuki mask. Another had a red-nosed demon, like Keiji. Some were made up to look like a beautiful Geisha. Then there were garish masks. Those meant to frighten anyone who might walk upon the person by accident.
“Would you like to get one?”
She nodded. “Yes!”
Maël led her over to the table to an empty chair. While she waited, she looked over the drawings laminated in little hand out. There were so many masks and ways to paint her face she couldn’t choose—until she had the perfect idea. She’d wear Keiji and Taichi’s mask. Half of her face would be blue, and the other half would be red.
&nbs
p; When the artist joined them, Natasha explained what she wanted, then waited as the girl worked her magic. By the time she was done, she couldn’t believe it. She hoped Keiji and Taichi liked it. She glanced up at Maël and grinned. “Well, what do you think?”
He gave her a once over. “I think you’re going to have two horny demons eating out of the palm of your hand.”
“What about a certain vampire?” She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth.
“Very much so,” he growled.
She paid the artist, then took Maël’s hand. They meandered through the crowd, checking out the different stands setup for everyone. Some had strange smelling foods, while others had jewelry or pottery. Another booth had a shirt commemorating the weeklong event and announced where all the money raised went to—a local charity for domestic violence survivors. When Natasha glanced around, everything that seemed so out of place days ago seemed normal now.
Maël guided her back to where all the chairs had been setup around the ring. He placed her at the end of the row towards the aisle. She gave him a quizzical look. “Just wait. It’s a surprise.” He pointed towards the squared ring. “Watch.”
The same druid from the other night appeared out of a puff of smoke. The roar of the enthusiastic crowd became deafening. She wondered for a second how Maël dealt with it.
As if hearing her thought, he leaned in and said, “It gets easier with time. Focus on the druid. Soon the other noise will drift to the background.”
Natasha nodded.
The druid raised his hand to silence the crowd. Natasha’s heart hammered. Her palms were sweaty from the anxious energy racing through her. She’d never seen anything like this. Once the rowdy crowd settled, the silence became a bit unnerving. He waited another beat before speaking.
“The, Aka-oni to Tengu no karakai dates back to 940 in the Heian period. It is a battle between the red demon and the protector, the long-nosed demon. The lore has been passed down from generation to generation, celebrated by a festival in their honor.”
A group of drummers she hadn’t seen until that moment began to play. The dramatic rhythm spiked the excitement cooling in her veins. Soft chatter behind her drew her attention. She glanced over her shoulder and almost swallowed her tongue. Keiji—she didn’t know how she knew it’d been him, other than she could feel him—stepped toward them in his demon form. He easily stood over seven feet tall. His slight muscular form was bulked out. The tattoos she’d seen peeking from the collar of his shirt became Japanese Kanji characters, and an orange light pulsed from them, giving him an eerie glow.
Her gaze lifted as she took in every inch of him. He was all brawn, demanding attention as he stomped towards them. When she got to his face, she was struck by how much it reminded her of those Tengu masks she’d coveted back home, only it was his true form. A thrill skittered down her spine. This guy was hers. A feeling of rightness settled over her in those scant few seconds.
Keiji put on a show, darting into the personal spaces of those around him, causing them to jump then laugh. When he spotted Natasha, he creeped along the path almost as if he stalked her. Her breath hitched. She trembled in his looming presence as he bent to her and sniffed. “Sweet.” He licked the junction of her neck and growled. “Mine.”
Natasha blew out a tremulous breath. “Domo arigato, Aka-oni.”
His lips curled into an awkward smile. “Amaimono no tame no amaimono.” He bowed low, then produced a piece of candy out of thin air. “Anata no tame ni watashi no kawaī hachidori.”
Keiji could speak to her in Japanese all day long. She giggled. Had he really just called her his hummingbird? “Watashi wa kōeidesu.” She’d fallen in love with the Japanese language watching way too much anime. To be able to use her skills with the guy she liked overjoyed her.
Keiji grunted then strode to the ring, his head held high. She could tell he thrived off the attention as he stepped into the middle of the square. The drummers began again, and a blue light appeared at the other end of the area. As it drew near, it intensified, growing bigger by the second. She’d never seen anything like it. When Taichi appeared in front of Keiji, he stood a good three inches taller. His body was built like a warrior’s should be, and like Keiji, he was shirtless. He wore traditional hakama pants, along with a haidate thigh guard. She wondered for a moment if this is what Samurais looked like thousands of years ago.
Maël leaned in. “Intense, yeah?”
She nodded. “Yes, very.”
The drummers ceased playing and the demons faced off in the ring. Anticipation crawled through her belly. Though she knew what the outcome would be to this fight, it didn’t stop her from wanting to cheer each of them on. She didn’t have to choose who she wanted to win. Keiji and Taichi circled each other, their gazes were locked in a battle of wills. The tension between the men rolled off of them in waves adding to the atmosphere surrounding the match.
Maël placed his hand on her thigh and gave a squeeze. “If you think this is extreme, I can promise you that later it will get more so.”
She couldn’t take her eyes off of the match as Keiji and Taichi launched into their contest, grappling with each other. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean is,” Maël pulled her onto his lap. “Those two will be so worked up by their battle, they probably won’t make it back to their room. We’ll stumble upon them fucking, hard. Relentless.” He nuzzled her neck and groaned. “Question is, do you want to watch them or participate?”
She shivered. Images of the men fucking flashed in her mind. Her skin heated. Her breath came in a soft pant. The idea of watching them turned her on. It made her ache. Her nipples hardened, and a tinge of embarrassment accompanied her desire. She’d never gotten this hot and bothered by the thought of watching anyone have sex, but those two ... shit.
“Both,” she answered.
Maël nipped the area where he’d bitten her earlier. “Good answer.”
Natasha’s skin felt warm and tight. Even with the short skirt and top, a fine sheen of sweat formed on her brow as she watched the two demons in the ring teasing and taunting each other. The crowd’s anticipation hung heavy in the air, almost tangible as it built for the battle. She didn’t stand a chance. More so after Maël put ideas of finding Keiji and Taichi going at it afterwards. It made her wonder if they fucked in human form or demon and would they allow her to join them.
Being taken by one demon could be hot, but two…well that was downright dirty and beyond thrilling.
Focusing on the battle was becoming impossible.
Natasha clenched her thighs together as need flowed through her body. Maël placed his hand on her exposed leg, giving the firm flesh a healthy squeeze. His touch was not helping. Instead, it inflamed her need more. If it wasn’t for the fact that she wanted to watch Keiji and Taichi battle, she’d suggest going back to her room and doing what they’d done earlier.
“Here we go,” Maël said before wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer to his big body.
Keiji went after Taichi first, succeeding in knocking him to the ground. It surprised her when the crowd booed and hissed in response. Taichi, unphased by landing on his ass, did a kick up from his back, stomping his feet as he approached a smirking Keiji.
Taichi took Keiji out with a sweeping leg kick. The red demon hit the ground so hard the earth vibrated, and the chairs shook. People rushed to their feet to cheer and chant Taichi’s name.
“How long does this last?” Natasha inquired, fascinated by what she was watching.
“It’s scheduled to go fifteen minutes. Last year they went back and forth for a full half hour, effectively working the crowd into a frenzy.” Maël chuckled. “The school was not amused.”
Natasha didn’t doubt it. The guys had only touched each other twice and already those who supported Keiji and Taichi were chanting their names in tandem. It was deafening and exciting all at once.
Keiji recovered, grabbing Taichi in a headlock, befor
e taking him to the mat. The guys rolled around, getting in blows here and there. The roar of the crowd got louder becoming deafening at one point.
Natasha found it hard to cheer for either guy since either advantage was only held for a second before the other demon took it back.
From where she sat, she could see the muscles on their big bodies straining and flexing with each move. Sweat glistened on their skin, and Natasha yearned to lick it off both guys.
She had it bad.
Back and forth it went for what seemed like hours, until Taichi chased Keiji from the arena. She stood up, craning her neck to keep them in her line of sight, but she lost them once they hit the woods.
“Watch,” Maël said.
Smoke filled the arena once more and when it cleared, there in the middle of the ring, stood a dozen druids, arms raised to the sky and chanting. The clouds shifted, and she gasped. Little dots appeared and began to fall like rain. Natasha held out her hand and caught one of bright red and blue wrapped “drops” in the palm of her hand.
“Candy,” she whispered, her tone filled with awe.
Coolest thing ever.
Maël nudged her. “You going to stare at it or eat it?”
When he went to pluck the candy from her hand, she snatched her hand away from him. “Mine.”
He chuckled. “Then eat it. Druids make the best fucking candy.” Maël unwrapped one he picked up from the ground and popped the morsel into his mouth. A look of utter pleasure flashed across his features. “Blood candy.”
Natasha unwrapped hers then popped it into her mouth. An explosion of flavors splashed across her tongue. “Wow.” It reminded her of cotton candy and funnel cake.
“The candy here is a hot commodity.”