Inferno

by Bianca D'Arc

  “They feel even uglier now than they did last night, Duncan.”

  “I don’t doubt that.” He stacked the books and set them aside some distance from the kitchen table. “They are evil texts from an even less civilized time.”

  He pulled out her chair and she sat, placing her breakfast plate in front of her. Duncan poured their coffee before taking his place at the table opposite her.

  “Our Siobhan had some surprisingly ancient texts. One of them is an original copy of the Munich Manual. I’ve seen that one only once before. It was written in the fifteenth century, I believe. It deals with demons extensively and unfortunately a few copies remain. I’ve learned a misguided scholar even republished it, in part, a few years ago. I hope you don’t mind—” Duncan gestured with his fork, “—I took the liberty of using your computer to search the web. Dante’s been trying to get me to use your modern technology and I will admit, for some things it is very convenient. I learned a great deal about the subsequent history of this book and the other two from a quick search.”

  Megan chuckled to think of this old world knight surfing the web. Duncan was very intelligent, and she had no doubt he had learned how to make a computer sing for him with only a few lessons from Dante.

  “What else did you find out?”

  “The second book is the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, which lists the hierarchy of demons and specifies ways to conjure them. And the third is the most surprising of all. It is the Liber officiorum spirituum de principibus et regibus daemonum. In short, a book about demons. I thought never to see another copy of that ancient tome. When I was last in this realm, all copies were thought to have been destroyed. In the sixteenth century, a Dutchman named Johannes was thought to have the last copy. He used it as a reference to write his own grimoire. Johannes’s copy was destroyed. That I know for certain. Yet somehow, Siobhan had a copy. It must have been handed down in secret from generation to generation, either within her family, or perhaps from teacher to student. I don’t know how they managed to hide this one from us, but it will end now.”

  Duncan’s eyes had gone as cold as steel, and Megan could read the determination on his face. This was no doubt important to him, though she didn’t really understand why destroying a few old books would matter so much.

  “I’m just sorry we didn’t get to see the rest of her house.” Megan thought about what they might’ve missed. Whatever those phantom warriors were protecting, it probably was something important.

  “I don’t think she could’ve been hiding anything more important than these. Remember, we at first thought the black smoke could be a diversion—a red herring. What if the ghost warriors were the real diversion, and we actually found the prize?”

  “Those books are that important?”

  “Yes, my dear. They truly are. I take it you haven’t had many dealings with magic users before?”

  “I’ve never really mixed with any sort of supernatural before. Not socially, at any rate. I went where I was sent and did what I was told. I tried not to get too involved with the people I was sent to meet, or spy on. And it’s not as if I’ve been doing this for very long. Only a few years, and only a few missions per year.”

  “Well, in time you’ll learn that a magic user’s book of spells is something rare and highly valuable. The older the book, the more precious. And if you’re a practitioner of dark magic, the books are very rare indeed because of people like me who have made it our task to destroy them wherever we find them.”

  “Because you’re a knight, right?” She thought she understood now why he’d taken it upon himself to destroy the evil books.

  Since his revelation of the night before, she had to rethink the motivation behind almost everything he’d done. He was working for a higher power. He was working for the Lady Herself. Megan still couldn’t quite grasp the enormity of that. As a were, she had great love and respect for the Lady. She was Mother Nature, Gaia, the Earth Spirit all weres served.

  “Yes, Megan. That is one part of my duties, to prevent the spread of otherrealm magic in places it could do great harm. The mortal realm has few protections against certain dark magics and needs to be protected.”

  “That’s quite a task, Duncan. I’m just glad there are actually beings like you out there doing it. I find it sort of sad that the rest of the world will never know what you sacrifice for them.”

  “They cannot know. In fact, you must swear your silence on the matter of my identity. I told you because we are comrades in arms in this fight. Generally speaking, we like to keep our identities as quiet as possible since Knights are natural targets for anything or anyone who oppose our mission. If they take us out, what little protection we can give the mortal realm and those beyond will be gone.”

  “I see your predicament, and I swear I won’t reveal your identity, Duncan. I’m honored you would trust me with the knowledge.”

  “I do trust you, Megan. Even so, I’m going to have to ask you to submit to a binding so you can never be forced to reveal the information.” His expression became pained, but he held firm on his request. “I know it’s difficult for you. Magic has been worked upon you before without your knowledge or consent. This time, I’m asking you to submit voluntarily. Will you?”

  She sat back and considered. “I guess I’ve already proven that I can be manipulated into doing things I really didn’t want to do.” She hated it, but there it was. “You’re right to want some guarantee other than my word.” She gave a hearty sigh, sick of magic. She would have to accept it as part of her life whether she wanted it or not. “What do you want me to do?”

  “We’ll wait for Dante to rise. I’d like him to witness the binding for your comfort and his. I don’t think he’ll like the idea of working magic on you at all. Hopefully, he’ll see the reason for it as you have, once I get a chance to explain it to him.”

  “Would you rather I do it?” She saw the grimace on his face and felt heartened that he thought Dante would object. Still, she understood the need.

  “No, I’ll do it, though you may want to protect yourself from the inevitable bellowing and foul language.”

  She laughed out loud at his prediction, and they finished their meal in a good mood.

  As expected, when Dante rose at sunset, he and Duncan exchanged some rather heated words over Duncan’s plan to put yet another layer of magic prohibitions on Megan’s thin shoulders. Dante didn’t like it. Not one bit.

  “Let me get this straight.” Dante eyed Duncan across the coffee table in the living room where the men had retired to discuss the situation. “You want to burden her with more magic on top of what’s already been done to her and despite the poison circulating in her veins? Duncan, it’s too much, I tell you.”

  “I don’t see any other alternative. Look, the prohibition doesn’t have to be done the same way her keeper bespelled her. In fact, it would be better to seek another avenue. We could do it while we work to cleanse her of the poison.”

  “During sex, you mean.” Dante spit the words out. They left a bitter taste in his mouth.

  “It’s the only way I know to weaken the poison. Unless and until we kill the mage who put it in her bloodstream, she’ll be a danger to you and everyone else. All we can do is weaken his hold so when the time comes, she’s strong enough to fight against it.”

  “I detest this.” Dante stood and paced to the fireplace, idly fingering some of the photos that sat in frames on the polished wood mantle.

  “I know, my friend. I can see how you care for her.”

  Dante looked at Duncan sharply. “She is mortal and shifter. She is not for me.”

  “I know that and you know that, but does your heart hear and obey? I think not, laddie. I see the way you look at her, the way you make love to her. And that’s what it is, lovemaking, not just fucking. Your heart has already claimed her, but even I can’t tell if your path will lead to disaster or something more sublime than I have ever witnessed. All I can tell you is that it is a dangerous roa
d, and I don’t envy either of you who walk it.”

  Dante was shocked. He knew Duncan had a touch of the Sight, though it wasn’t always informative or conveniently available when they really needed it. The idea that Duncan had seen so much of Dante’s motivations—things he hadn’t wanted to recognize or come to terms with yet himself—was daunting, to say the least.

  And through it all, Duncan was there, helping them. He was the truest of friends and someone Dante could trust. Beyond a doubt, Duncan was on the right side in this whole sordid mess. Dante had known him long enough to know that if Duncan said something had to be done, there was a damned good reason for it.

  “Have I been an ungrateful lout?” Dante deflated and sank onto the couch.

  “Never that, my old friend. Just blinded by a want and desire so grand it may well overwhelm you in the end. Whether that will be for good or ill, I cannot say.”

  “I’m on a collision course with fate, Duncan. Have been my whole life. I gave up worrying about it a long time ago. I try to live in the moment as best I can.”

  “A wise move, but what of your lady? I’m not sure our Megan can do the same. She’s much younger than either of us can even remember being, and mortal. She doesn’t have the same luxury of time to learn to be as jaded as you, my friend.”

  Dante barked out a laugh at Duncan’s joking insults. Duncan always had a way of putting things in perspective. He’d been a good friend centuries ago and it had been a pleasant surprise to find he still was.

  “Megan must be protected as best we can. She is precious, Duncan.” Dante felt the ice of resolve flowing through his veins. “Even if she is my end, she must endure.”

  Duncan seemed to measure his words. “So be it.” The half-fey knight held out his hand. “Do you accept my aid or will you go it alone?”

  Dante reached for his hand and clasped it tightly. “We’re in this together, for better or worse.”

  Dante was still conflicted, deep in his soul.

  On the one hand, he wanted to do all in his power to weaken evil’s hold over her. If that meant allowing Duncan into their bed again, he didn’t have to like it, but he would allow it.

  On the other hand, he’d seen how much pleasure she derived from having both of them at once. He liked giving that to her and while he hated Duncan for making love to the woman he ached to claim fully, he also had to thank Duncan for being careful with her. It was a strange position to be in. The idea that Duncan followed his lead when they were all together like that appealed to Dante’s intense need to dominate Megan’s pleasure. Of course, he still felt a small, lingering resentment that Duncan had to be allowed to make love to her.

  And then Dante realized the root of the problem. Without Duncan’s help, Dante couldn’t protect her. That, which he saw as his own failure, was what irked him most. His inability to take her fully—to claim her body and blood at the same time—was feeding the jealous fire inside him. The reminder of his failure to release her from her keeper’s thrall only added fuel to the blaze. It added insult to the injury of not being able to sink his teeth into her neck and sip of her delicate essence. He wanted that simple act more than anything he could ever remember wanting before.

  The thought should have bothered him for all the reasons they’d already discussed. She was mortal and had shifter blood. Such beings were all right for occasional amusement, but Dante was thinking of something much more long-term. Permanent—if she’d have him—regardless of how that might be received by both the shifter and immortal communities. He’d have her no matter what anyone said and if she chose to join him in his endless dark, he’d take her there in an instant.

  The thought should have been shocking. It wasn’t. It was appealing in a forbidden sort of way. Dante was fast approaching the point of no return where Megan was concerned. The idea of turning her—which should have been abhorrent considering that she was were and therefore forbidden to turn—preyed upon his mind.

  “So what’s on the agenda for this evening?” Megan bounced into the room with a smile that brought an echo of sunshine to his dark existence. She plopped onto the sofa and looked at them with an expectant smile.

  Dante couldn’t resist her. Slowly, he stalked forward, cornering her on the soft sofa between his outstretched arms. She looked up at him with no fear, only sexy expectation. He growled and dipped his lips to claim hers in a quick, hard kiss.

  He let her up but didn’t let go. “We’ll go back to my place…eventually.”

  “Mmm. I think I like the sound of that.” She grinned at him. “So what did you have in mind to pass the time before then?”

  “You know sexual pleasure is sustenance to my kind, right?” He waited until she nodded. “Well, you’ve eaten. Now it’s my turn.” Dante rose with her in his arms and headed toward her bedroom.

  There was also the little matter of allowing Duncan to use the energy released in the sex act to loosen the hold her keeper had over her and bind her from revealing Duncan’s true identity. Dante wouldn’t speak of it. She’d agreed. Duncan would do the magic. All she had to do was enjoy. If all went well, she wouldn’t feel anything except pleasure as Duncan did his thing.

  Dante stood at the side of her bed, grateful she had opted for a large size and jealous at the same time. Why would a lone woman have such a large bed unless she shared it frequently? Of course, she was a werewolf and they were known to like their space, so perhaps the existence of the decadent bed wasn’t so sinister after all.

  He wouldn’t ask. Not now. He knew enough about women to know she’d take offense. His jealousy would only ruin the mood and derail his plans. That was the last thing he wanted to do, but the thought lingered in his mind. He vowed he would make her forget all who had come before him. He’d give her more pleasure than any of those shadows in her past. It was his mission and his goal.

  The lamp beside the bed switched on, bathing the room in a soft golden glow. Dante looked over to find Duncan had followed them into the room and was regarding him with solemn eyes.

  A nod was all it took to make Duncan aware of Dante’s intent. Duncan came up behind Megan, joining them.

  Four strong hands caressed her body as Dante seduced her senses once again. Duncan was his able assistant and willing accomplice. Both men were focused on her pleasure, and she knew without a doubt they would bring her passion as she’d only imagined before meeting them.

  Dante alone was potent, but when he directed Duncan in their little love drama, he was unparalleled. He was always a dominant sort of man. When they came together like this, his dominant streak went full throttle. And she loved it.

  She loved the way he ordered her around. The way he told Duncan what he wanted him to do her. What he orchestrated for them to do together to her. The passion, the pleasure, the purity of their time together was something she couldn’t have imagined or anticipated. It was something totally outside her prior experience.

  Had she thought about actually living the fantasy of being with two men at once, she never could have come up with such a scenario. She never would have expected the way she felt. There was nothing tawdry about the way they were together. Nothing sleazy. Instead, she felt honored and cherished. Totally respected by both men.

  The only thing she could have wished for was love. She knew in her heart of hearts that such a thing was impossible between her and a vampire, much less a half-fey Knight of the Light. She had to enjoy this moment while it lasted because she knew all too soon, it could be over. They were involved in a dangerous situation and any one of them could be killed easily.

  More than likely it would be her. She was the weakest link of their little chain. Very little could damage a being as magical as Duncan, and Dante hadn’t lasted for so many centuries by being weak. No, if there was a vulnerable party in this group, it was her. Young, only half-shifter and under the compulsion of a sinister mage who’d tricked her and her family into doing heaven-knew-what for him, she was the one who’d be the easiest target for their
enemies.

  But such thoughts were for later. For now, there was pleasure to be had and two men devoted to bringing her the greatest passion she’d ever known. She’d be a fool to ruin this moment with fearful thoughts of an unknown and nebulous future. No, this moment was for savoring.

  Dante demanded her full attention with his dark gaze. He leaned down to graze her skin with his mouth, working his way toward her lips. As he kissed her deeply, Duncan’s hands were at her waist, removing her jeans and skimming them over her legs. She shivered as his hands lingered on her calves, working their way slowly back up her thighs and then to her panties. He dragged them down too, allowing them to pool at her feet with the denim of her blue jeans.

  Dante lifted her out of the wad of fabric, placing her on the bed with gentle hands. He sat at her side, caressing her shirt up and off over her shoulders. The bra followed, and she was bare to his gaze and his roaming, arousing hands.

  The bed dipped and Duncan joined them, sitting on her other side. She was surrounded by them, but not overwhelmed. Not yet. She figured that would come later, and she was really looking forward to it.

  “Take off your shirts,” she requested with a purr. Dante looked at her slyly, and she wasn’t sure he’d comply. He gave in after a moment’s consideration.

  Both of them shrugged out of their shirts, and she was rewarded with the vision of two of the most perfect male chests she’d ever seen. Both men were built on the muscular side and she loved the way they looked, one on either side of her, ready to make love to her. How did a girl get so lucky? She didn’t know, but she wasn’t going to argue with her good fortune.

  They were hers for as long as it lasted, and she would enjoy every moment she had with Dante and Duncan while she could. Dante was the most compelling man she’d ever known and his half-fey friend wasn’t bad either. To her mind though, it was clearly Dante who made this encounter so special.