by C. M. Owens
Then I taste divinity in the mouth of my enemy as Kane picks me up and slams me into the wall once more while devouring me in a way I never thought he would again. With one hand he holds me, while the other strips off my shorts.
I kiss him back for so many reasons. It's like his mouth is the only place I can find air right now.
I gasp as I feel his body surging into mine, filling me in a way I've craved for too long. It's as though someone has just zapped me with life.
His deep thrusts force me to cry out, but not because I'm in pain. This is the best I've felt in so long. His tongue slides down my neck, and before I know it, the heat of his bite finds my flesh again.
It only adds to the entangled passion so darkly encompassing us. He lifts his mouth to mine, and the taste of my own blood mingling with his delicious breath becomes intoxicating. He tastes so incredible.
He slams into me with more force than he's ever used, and his glowing blue eyes only add to the dangerous arousal. He grips me tighter, and my head falls back against the wall as I let him own me, free me from the pain, and fill me with ecstasy.
The wall slides against my back, but my shirt keeps me protected as he thoroughly sates my pent-up frustrations. I cling to him, pulling him closer as his dark hair gets tugged harder by my greedy hands.
His name falls through my lips over and over in a whispered, almost crying prayer as he brings me closer to that release that has evaded me. Feeling so connected with him feels so wrong and so right in a confusing stew of emotions.
He kisses me again, an explosively powerful kiss as he steals my breath. It almost feels as though he's been struggling with this for as long as I have, but I know it's not so. I did him a favor by offering my blood, and now he's saving me from the pain by offering me pleasure. Gloriously surreal pleasure.
Tingles shoot to my toes as I drink him in, reveling in the forbidden touch. I stiffen, and his name comes out in a cry as I'm pushed over the edge, screaming out before I realize it.
He stills himself inside me at the deepest point, claiming me his prize once again, and then he breathlessly kisses me so softly, making me forget how much he hates my very existence.
I want to tell him I love him, cry out the tears of proof, but I refrain as I enjoy what's left of the moment.
He just stands there, holding me, kissing me, deceiving me with this false second of bliss. I let him. I've needed this, and it feels so good to have my hunger sated... for now. I think it'll only make this connection between us all the worse, but I'm too scared to think about it right now.
"Did I hurt you?" he almost whispers against my lips, the concern in his tone sounding deceptively genuine.
The irony is almost laughable. A night stalker asking if he's hurt a witch. It's too absurd to dwell on though.
"Not in any way I didn't love the pain." I hadn't meant for that to come out so blatantly crude.
I apparently lost my dignity when he took my virginity.
I swear I see a small smile try to twitch on his lips, but he quickly banishes it before I can be certain. He stays inside me as he pulls me away from the wall, and without thinking, I bring my lips back to his as he slides to the floor, keeping me in his lap.
He doesn't fight me. He simply returns the kiss with the soft touch of a lover. His hand slides into my hair and then he trails his lips down my chin and the front of my neck before backing away.
With one swift motion, he lifts me and pulls out, leaving me aching already. How is it possible I need him so soon?
"You should get your shorts on. They send a guy down here a few times a day to make sure I haven't succeeded in killing myself."
I gasp by accident, not moving my bare lower half from his lap. I really don't have any shame because I refuse to cover up. He stares down at me, his hand sliding around to cup my rear and pull me a little closer.
"Why would you try to kill yourself?" I ask, sounding heartbroken.
His lips find mine again, much to my surprise, as he grinds against me. He pulls me almost too tightly to him before releasing me in the same breath.
"Get dressed. Now that I've got a little strength, I'm going to try to take him. Don't show them you're a witch unless absolutely necessary. Castine is clueless. Let's keep it that way."
Again, I swear there's concern in his voice, and I lean down to press one last kiss on his lips before standing. He walks toward the door, ready attack the guard who doesn't expect a stronger night stalker. Even if he had drained a human of all their blood, he wouldn't feel a tenth of the strength my blood just gave him.
"What's your plan?" I ask as I pull my shorts up.
I head over to pick up Gage's abandoned jacket, and I quickly wrap it around me to provide me with some warmth. Kane's still bare upper half taunts me, calling for my touch.
"Kill the guard and get you out of here while I find Castine and go for round two. Maybe I'll have better luck this time."
"Or you could end up right back in here. We should just run while we have the chance."
He shakes his head, a huff of a sardonic laugh floating from his breath.
"You don't know Castine very well. She won't stop until she finds me, and she'll figure out what you are. I won't give her the satisfaction of draining you dry before my eyes. Just do as I say, and you'll get out of here alive."
He's confusing as hell. If he doesn't care about me, then why is he worried about what she'll do to me?
"Kane, this is suicide. I can't let you-"
"Stop arguing. You can't do anything to stop me. Just get ready to run."
The door starts to creak open, and I steady my breath. Kane is caught off guard as the man steps in with a few friends. He's thrown backwards by a gust of power as a powerful, dark aura clouds up the room.
"Ah... Castine's pet. You're nowhere nearly as strong as she boasts," he says as the other men fill the room.
His red eyes stir, telling me his dirty little secret as Kane struggles for air, pinned against the wall behind him.
Demon.
"Fuck you, Jude. I thought Castine dumped you centuries ago," Kane growls through a strangled breath.
The demon laughs, and then his eyes fall on me. The look he gives me chills me to the bone. He licks his lips, and the glowing blue eyes of his accompanying night stalkers turn their sights on me.
"She's definitely a beauty. I see why Castine is so hell bent on getting rid of her." He turns his attention back to Kane. "Too bad I want to be rid of you just as badly. You've been the thorn in my side for far too long."
Kane struggles harder, but he can't break free from the demon's hold. I watch the red eyes find me once more, raking over me with sadistic delight.
"Have your way with her. I'll make sure he gets to watch," he says to the hoard of foaming-at-the-mouth fanged ones.
"No! You fucking son of a bitch, I'll kill you if you-"
"Don't waste your breath, Kane. You know as well as I do you can't touch me."
Jude laughs, enjoying his powerful hold over the night stalker I thought to be untouchable by any magic. Apparently he's only protected from witchcraft.
The blue eyes surround me, malice teeming in their twisted thoughts, as they slowly stalk toward me. I don't care what Gage or Kane said about not using my power. I refuse to go down without a fight.
"Alyssa, get the hell out of here!" Kane yells, essentially telling me to do what I was already planning, but before I can, Jude falls to the ground, choking on the air he can't find.
What the hell?
Kane looks to me, questioning whether or not I'm strong enough to take down a demon, and I shake my head.
The night stalkers look to their fallen leader, and the hold he has on Kane collapses as Jude struggles more beneath the phantom force. Then the chill, the scent, and the taste find me, igniting a depth of dread I'd forgotten.
The night stalkers in the room fall to their knees, crumbling from the force. Kane falls, too, and I rush to his side, instantly for
cing out my magic to surround him with the protection only I can offer without a blessing from the wielder of this invisible power.
"What the fuck?" He stands to his feet, but before he can back away, I pull him to me.
"If you let go of me, you'll die with them."
He looks at me, stumped by the fact he's the one feeling naive for a change.
"You're doing this?"
"No, but I know who is, and you're going to want to run. I can't protect you for long. Once he loses it, you'll be crushed."
"Once who loses it?"
I take a shaky breath as shadows pass through the dungeon, the whispering spirits slinking back into the grasp of the undead force radiating throughout the walls.
"Drackus."
Chapter 8
Daddy's Girl
The word rests heavily in the air, causing confusion and more disbelief in the eyes of the night stalker holding onto me.
"Why the hell would Drackus be here? How would he have gotten out of his prison?"
That's laughable. The world really does know very little about him.
It's not a prison; it's a home he stays in by choice. He's only barricaded by pointless magic - the light and dark's feeble attempt to feel in control of the man they fear more than anything else in the world. Good thing they don't know how strong Mom is.
I can't believe Drackus is here instead of Mom.
"That prison was futile to begin with. You need to go," I murmur forcefully while entwining my fingers with his. "He won't spare you no matter how hard I beg. He'll blame you for this."
Jude curses under his breath as his eyes find mine, and he gurgles out, "You. It's you. Fuck!"
His breath is stolen by death when he finally loses his connection to the world he never belonged in.
I start dragging Kane behind me, his dumbfounded steps quickly catching up as we race down the hall.
"He just killed a demon without even being in the room. Why is he here to save you?"
"Just get out of here, Kane. I'm serious. He'll kill you without so much as batting an eye. You've already felt his power, and that was just a taste of the pain you would have endured if I hadn't realized what was going on. You're obviously not immune to him the way you are the rest of us."
Suddenly, Thad rounds the corner, blood staining his hands and mouth - blood of the men he's apparently killed on his way to find me. He rushes toward me, but I hold a hand up.
"You can't touch me. I'm blocking out his power to keep Kane from becoming a pile of broken bones. If you touch me, it'll shock the fuck out of you."
He stops and glares at Kane with venom. "Maybe you should let Drackus finish them all before they have the chance to come after you later."
Kane growls, but I step between them. "Just shut the hell up and get out of the way. I'm losing my strength, and I won't be able to hold it much longer. I have to get him out of here."
Thad's lips tighten, and then Gage materializes in front of us, throwing out heaps of his dark energy to fold the night stalkers already crumbling under my father's power.
"This is almost too easy," he quips while falling in behind us.
"I can't believe you two called him," I scold, but Gage rushes up beside me, careful not to touch me when he feels the energy flowing through me.
"We had to. Desperate times and all. I refused to let you just die."
Kane grumbles under his breath, and his hold on me tightens. It's almost painful to be touching him without being tangled around him, but I have to keep my focus.
"How the hell is a light witch involved with Drackus to the point he would break out of his prison and come to save you? Please don't tell me he's in love with you," Kane says with a bit of a pained tone.
"Gross," I dramatically release, making Thad cough out his laughter.
"Well then, why?"
"Because he's her-"
"Because he used to be involved with my mother. That's why he sent Thad to help me out," I say to interrupt Thad.
My eyes cut to the blabbermouth changer who was so willing to expose my dirty little secret.
"Your mother? Callie Coldwell?" Kane asks, sounding confused as we briskly stride through the labyrinth of corridors.
This is so not the time for this.
Gage's eyes are locked on my hand that is entwined with Kane's, and his jaw clenches tightly as he throws forth another powerful shot of energy to blast the wall open to the outside.
"Shortcut," he says curtly, and Thad lets out a teasing chuckle as he stares at him.
Once outside, I see Kane's friends rushing toward us, with a wave of my hand, I blow them back, keeping them away from the point where I sense Drackus's power reaches.
"What the-"
"They almost tasted power they wouldn't survive," I say to interrupt Kane's angry question.
"Stay back," he yells as we close in on the line, sprinting toward them now. "You'll get killed if you come any closer."
Amy growls at me, her eyes flashing orange as she stares me down, her lips curled back in a defiant snarl. But her eyes quickly fall back to Kane, tears springing free as she takes him in and sees he's safe and alive.
The nagging pang of jealousy strikes when we reach safety and I release him only to see Amy leap into his arms. Her lips find his, and I'm forced to turn away.
"Damn it, Amy," he softly scolds, breaking free from her clutches and gently pushing her away. "Don't keep doing this to yourself."
I almost breathe out a sigh of relief, but I hold it back. She wipes her tears while shaking her head.
"Sorry, I just-"
"I know," he says a little softer, and then he gives her a kind hug. "I'm fine."
"I need to go help Drackus," Gage says to draw my attention away. Then he looks toward Thad. "Get her out of here."
"Drackus?" Sierra gasps while covering her mouth.
Amy proves she's new to all this by seeming completely stumped as to what that name means.
"I'm coming with you. I need to make sure this is the only place he destroys," I mumble in objection.
"Oh hell no," Thad interjects while picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. "I've got orders to get you out of here. I sure as hell am not going to piss off the boss."
I would laugh if I wasn't so worried. I don't have time for this. If Drackus loses all control, I have to be there to talk him down. Mom has been the only one to ever do such a thing, but I'm hoping I might stand a chance, since I am his flesh and blood.
"Sorry, Thad. I hate to do this."
"Do what?"
I answer by pressing my hand to his back and forcing a shock through him that's strong enough to knock him unconscious. He falls like a giant from a beanstalk, and I bounce to my feet before anyone knows what I've done.
"You're a pain in the ass," Gage gripes as I join his side.
"You missed me," I say with a wink.
His anger flees and his eyes soften as guilt flashes over them.
"Alyssa, you can't go back in there," Zee interjects. "You're still just mortal."
"I'll be safe. Just get Thad out of here, please. He'll wake up pissed, and I'd like for him to cool down before I see him again."
Kane starts to say something, but Amy tugs on his hand, distracting him long enough for me to lean into Gage's arms.
"Vaporize us, dark boy."
He smirks, and then we're splitting the planes, just a shadow to the others. Only the hands of a night stalker could stop us, and night stalkers don't want to be anywhere close to where we're going right now.
Before I realize it, I feel the cool silver of a lip ring sliding against my lips before his tongue finds mine. I smile, realizing this is the first time he's ever tried kissing me when we weren't trying to do much more.
At the same time, I feel like a slut, considering what I just did with Kane. It seems pointless to have given myself to him now since my rescuers showed up directly after. It did calm my overwhelming desire to be touched, though it certa
inly didn't fully quell it.
"You're right. I missed you. I've been worried to death," he says as we materialize in a part of this castle-like place I've never seen.
"I'm fine. Just a scratched knee. How'd you find me?"
He smiles as he tugs at his jacket I'm wearing.
"She masked your scent, but she didn't realize you were wearing my jacket. She never thought to get rid of it. That was her fatal mistake. Drackus will rip her heart out."
"So he knows you're here with me now?"
"Hell no. Thad told him he was the one trying to get you out of town before Castine did a sneak attack. We need to find Drackus and see if we can bring him down before the high takes him."
The exploding sounds in the darkness ring out, and we follow the sounds at a brisk pace. Gage humors me by keeping my speed, not vaporizing. I know he won't leave me alone though.
We stumble into a wide, spiral stairwell. The cylindrical middle gives us a glimpse of the battle raging on below between my father and Castine.
His black leather duster jacket sweeps behind him as he spins out of the reach of the deadly blast she shouldn't have disposable at her fingertips. Drackus killed a demon without so much as touching him, yet he has to fight to beat the Vampiress. That doesn't make any sense. What did our kind do to help her get this much power?
She shrieks as the dark eyes of my father glisten, and he sends a shot so deadly at her she shouldn't be standing. She does stand though, and she tries to use her powers of subduing against him.
It proves fruitless when he grabs her hand and breaks it in his. She screams out again, but she slips free from his clutches before he can catch her by the neck.
His jet black hair is shorter than the last time I saw him. His misleading appearance would make you think he's in his early thirties. His centuries of death and destruction would prove otherwise.
Just as he's about to finish her off, a dark shadow appears. A dark-haired man materializes beside Castine, and then they begin to vaporize. Drackus growls as he lunges at the shadow, but they're gone before he reaches it.