Ante Up: A Sin City Collectors Novella

by Amanda Carlson

  Diesel lifted his head, his eyebrows coming together. “Why do you think something happened to me?”

  She caressed his face with both hands. “It’s not hard to put the pieces together, Diesel. You have a visceral reaction whenever anyone talks about sex demons. You went after that incubus with a laser focus, and you also just admitted you hate mind tricks. Put it all together, and something had to have caused that.”

  She could see Diesel working it out in his mind before answering her. This was their first intimate moment together, and she certainly didn’t expect him to divulge his secrets to her now. She was willing to wait. It was enough that they were together.

  “You’re right,” Diesel finally said, propping himself up on an elbow as he gazed down at her. “Something did happen to my family a long time ago, but it’s not something I’m willing to discuss now. And you’re right, I did go after that incubus with purpose, but that purpose wasn’t to capture him, or even kill him, which I would’ve done if my legs hadn’t been snapped in multiple places.” He grinned down on her. “It was for a much greater reason.”

  “What was the reason?” she asked curiously.

  “You.” He leaned into her, taking her breath away. His kiss was unbridled and hard. After a long, thorough exploration of her mouth, he finished with, “Once I caught your scent and knew this guy was after you, my wolf was of a single mind to protect you. Nothing would stop him.”

  “Your wolf?” Sofia teased her fingertips along his forehead. “But not you?”

  “We are one and the same,” Diesel answered. “And we are united in the fact we want you, and we’re going to enjoy every single second of this.”

  Sofia’s toes curled in pleasure at his words. “Oh, you’re not the only one who’s going to enjoy this.” She’d been literally turned on for days, and all she could do was fight against the tide. But now she was free to let go, and that’s exactly what she was going to do. “It feels like I’ve been waiting for you my entire life.”

  “Tell me again what you were dreaming of when I tried to wake you.” Diesel leaned down to her ear, his hot breath sending chills racing through her. “And tell me nice and slow.” He drew out the word slow, his hand sliding down the front of her nightie. At the hem he ducked under, caressing his way back up her stomach, stopping only when he found one of her tight peaks. He took it between his fingers and gave it a delicious pinch.

  Sofia drew in a sharp breath and arched herself into his hand.

  She couldn’t help it. Her arousal earned another groan from Diesel, and then his mouth was back on hers as he moved over her and lowered himself fully onto her again, pushing his hardness between her legs. He still wore his boxer-briefs, but the friction between them, the sensation of him rubbing between her legs, ignited her like an inferno. She dug her nails into his back and rocked her pelvis into him. She wanted to savor this. “Diesel, you are everything I want in a man—” Something in her brain blinked, and a familiar pressure built right behind her eyes. “No, no, no…” she cried as she began to thrash back and forth.

  “Sofia!” Diesel shouted, immediately alarmed. “What’s wrong?” He sprang out of bed, his hands landing on her shoulders. “Answer me. What’s happening?”

  Her mind felt like it was going to burst. The pressure was a thousand times worse than before. “Can’t…talk…he’s…back…”

  She heard Diesel roar as her eyes slid shut.

  “Sofia, answer me!” Diesel was frantic. He had his hands around her shoulders, but was careful not to hurt her. His roar had reverberated throughout the house and had brought Luke and Ginger running.

  “What’s going on?” Luke was inside the bedroom before Diesel could figure out his next move. A sleepy Ginger followed him in.

  Once Ginger saw her friend lying unresponsive, she rushed to her side.

  “I don’t know,” Diesel answered. “We were”—he gestured to the bed—“together, and then she just blanked out. The last thing she said was ‘he’s back.’” He turned to Ginger and tried to hold back his rage. “You said the incubus wouldn’t be back tonight.”

  Ginger glanced up and met Diesel’s hard stare without flinching. “This is not my brother’s doing. He’s not strong enough to knock her out. They must be unified in her mind.”

  “They? Who the hell are they?” Diesel growled. “And how can incubi be ‘unified in her mind’?” He was one sentence short of punching his fist through a wall. Fur began to erupt all over his body. He had to calm down. The moon had set, but his anger could still trigger a moon lust.

  “The Sumerians have an ability, as a group, that is particular.” Ginger rose off the bed to face him. “Their leader is an incubus, but also a spellcaster. Some say he is half-sorcerer, but regardless, he is a very powerful supernatural.” She glanced down at Sofia. “I neglected to mention that tonight, but I should have. The incubi rally around him. He is unique—no other incubus or succubus has the ability to meld their minds together as one. I’ve witnessed this with my own eyes—and it was horrific. The host’s free will is disabled, and once they are done with her…there is usually nothing left.” Diesel watched Ginger wring her hands and waited impatiently for her to tell him the rest. “You asked if sex is the way we feed, and I was truthful. It is not. We eat like regular humans. But to enhance and keep our power strong, we do need to consume emotion. We absorb it into our bodies, and in turn, it feeds our power. The act of lovemaking, between two individuals who truly care for each other, is the most powerful way to gain strength. Those few sex demons who use coercion, to make the individual think it’s consensual, give us a bad name. The leader of The Sumerians is at the top of that list. He doesn’t ever ask, he takes. Sofia has proven too strong for their regular tactics. He must feel this is his only option.”

  Diesel wanted one more thing from her. “What’s the leader’s name? The spellcaster?”

  “His first name is Mason. I don’t know his last name—”

  Diesel’s gaze shot to Luke’s as he fisted his hands and bellowed, his head arching back toward the ceiling. Mason, the leader of The Sumerians, was the incubus who’d killed their father.

  “We are getting her out of here. Now!” Diesel yelled. The only thing keeping him from a full change was making sure Sofia was safe. He had to hold it together. There was no way this incubus was going to take Sofia from him. His father had lost his life, but that’s all this bastard was going to get.

  Luke rushed forward, his fury almost equal to Diesel’s own. Luke took Ginger by the shoulders as Diesel picked Sofia up off the bed, cradling her in his arms once again. She was unresponsive. He’d have given anything if a cold shower could have taken care of this.

  “Ginger”—Luke’s voice was low and controlled—“are the incubi close by? Does Mason have to be within a set radius for his powers to work? Or can we drive Sofia far enough away to get her out of range?”

  “I don’t know for sure…usually a demon has to be close by, but when Mason uses his powers, and combines the power of the incubi as one, I don’t think it calculates the same,” she stammered. “Please stop. You’re hurting me.”

  Luke let go immediately, turning in a full circle, running both hands through his hair.

  Frustration and anger pounded through Diesel’s veins. “It doesn’t matter.” He turned to his brother. “We’re leaving anyway. Go get the truck. See if you can scent anything along the way. They’d be stupid to be too close. While you’re getting the vehicle, call Jake and have them meet us. Go!”

  Sofia felt herself being moved and then the vibrations of a vehicle, but that was it. She had no conscious thoughts or feelings outside of what was in her mind. But on the inside, it was tumultuous and so very clear.

  You will acquiesce to us, or you will die, the voices all told her as one.

  Many voices came in and out, but one stood out.

  I promise you, my love, I will give you the greatest pleasure of your life.

  Sofia gritted her teet
h together. This was not the same incubus who had been in her brain before. This one was much more powerful. Get out of my head, you filthy beast. I want nothing to do with you! I’ll never go willingly, so why don’t you just give the hell up?

  We do not give up, cherie. You are what we want.

  Why me? Sofia shouted in her mind. I’m not special.

  Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. The voice was hard. You are one of the top spellcasters in the world. Isn’t that so?

  How did he know that? No one but her blood relations and a few very close friends knew what she was. She’d always kept that part of her life quiet for a reason.

  You are also one of the only unwed masters. Sofia knew instinctively she was dealing with the leader of The Sumerians. We have been searching for you for a long time.

  Creepy. I don’t care how long you’ve been searching, she said. I’m not interested, and if you don’t leave me alone, you’re going to pay dearly.

  I don’t think so, my love. The voice changed its tone, becoming softer as it caressed the inside of her mind. Once you experience the pleasures that only I can give you, you won’t turn away. But if you are still obstinate, we will take you anyway. We don’t need your consent. I’m only being kind, giving you time to adjust, because your acquiescence makes your power more potent.

  Sofia tried to thrash her body from side to side. She heard muffled shouting, but she knew she didn’t have enough brainpower to oust these guys on her own. She was going to have to find another way.

  You will give in to us, or you will feel our wrath.

  No, buddy, you’re going to feel mine.

  Diesel flew down a dirt road few knew about in the Clark County Wetlands Park, leading them to a secluded area simply called The Pond. After Luke had called Jake, Jake had been adamant about meeting them here. Diesel had made damn sure they hadn’t been followed.

  It was just before dawn, so it was still dark enough to give them cover. With relief, he spotted Jake and Neve waiting in a grove of trees. Sofia hadn’t magically shaken the incubi from her mind, but she had called out and thrashed a bit, which was good.

  She was a fighter.

  Diesel spun to a stop, but before he could put the truck in park, Neve was at his window. She was all business, and for once she didn’t have a pissy expression on her face. “I went back and researched The Sumerians,” she told him as he got out and slammed the door, “and we have to take these assholes in. They’re huge into human trafficking. I found some info on some old message boards, and then called in a favor to a Collector I know who works out of the GCC. He gave me some very curious information, but overall it looks like Ginger was telling us the truth.”

  “That’s all well and good,” Diesel answered as he walked around the truck, “and I wholeheartedly agree we should take them in, but first we have to get the bastards out of Sofia’s brain. The incubi are in there, collectively, and Ginger said it’s dangerous. I don’t want to think about what they’re doing in there. After that, we take them all out. Every last one of them. The Sumerians will be dead or Collected by the end of today.”

  He yanked open the passenger door, and Luke took Sofia into his arms and passed her to Diesel.

  “Bring her over here,” Jake gestured. Diesel moved to the area Jake was motioning to. It was sheltered, only a few feet from the water. Once he was there he laid her down.

  “How do we help her?” Diesel asked, his hand possessively on Sofia’s arm. He’d flung a small robe around her in the truck, one Ginger had managed to grab, and while it covered most of her, it was the same flimsy material as her nightgown.

  Neve walked to the edge of The Pond. “We’re here for a reason, big guy,” she called to Diesel. “My contact had good intel. He learned some key things when he infiltrated the group several years ago. Their leader has magical abilities, powerful, but there are a few tricks. The only way to mute the leader’s magic is to submerge her in water. It muffles their signal, and the moment she loses true consciousness, they’ll be forced out of her brain. Can’t be a pool, has to be a natural body of water. This is it around here, unless we haul ass to Lake Mead.”

  Diesel growled up at Ginger. “Did you know water would work?”

  “No,” Ginger said. “No one needs to go to these lengths to get a regular incubus or succubus out of their heads. Only Mason can do that.”

  At the mention of the leader’s name again, Diesel gnashed his teeth. He picked Sofia up and walked directly into the water without pausing. He knew why Neve had chosen to meet here. The Pond was known in the supernatural community for its healing qualities. Some supes came here for restorative purposes, which was why it was warded and unknown to most humans.

  He strode forward until they were both submerged. His body was dense enough to sink and, to make doubly sure, he triggered his animal side so that his muscles grew thicker and heavier. His attention was focused on Sofia. She thrashed for a moment once she was under, but then calmed. He held her tightly to him, waiting for her body to lose its tension. He wouldn’t keep her under for any longer than necessary. Most supernaturals couldn’t die from drowning, because they had amazing healing capabilities, but he wasn’t going to risk it. Diesel had no idea how long it would take Sofia to recover once the link with the incubi was broken, but he was extremely grateful to the dhampir for coming through.

  They were under for four and a half minutes before Sofia’s body went limp. The entire time he’d been under the water with her, he’d felt calm. He wasn’t even close to passing out. His capacity to keep air in his lungs, especially when he called on his animal side, was huge.

  He’d realized quickly that this was no ordinary body of water either. There was a huge drop-off right in front of him, one that was too deep for a lake this size. His hackles were up, and he’d been on alert, but nothing came to investigate them.

  Wolves didn’t love the water.

  Once he emerged, he laid Sofia on shore. He hoped like hell this had been enough to eject them from her mind. “Should I pump the water out of her lungs?” He glanced up at Jake. “Or should I let her work it out on her own?” He didn’t want to hurt her any more than necessary.

  “I think trying to clear her lungs is a good idea,” Jake answered. “She’s going to be mighty uncomfortable when she comes to.”

  Neve stood next to him. “Do what you can while she’s out. It can only help her.”

  Diesel arched an eyebrow at the dhampir while he placed a flat palm against Sofia’s sternum, pressing down gently. He could easily break all her ribs with very little effort, so he had to be careful. “Feeling a little attached to the witch now, Neve? She finally get under your skin? She’s crafty like that, not to mention likable.”

  “No, she got into my bank account.” Neve’s voice stayed even, but Diesel knew the dhampir was worried about Sofia. “She’s loaded, and I’m feeling happily employed.”

  “Yeah, right, dhampir, keep telling yourself that. Did she pay you for all the research you did when you got home?” Diesel focused on giving Sofia small compressions to help clear her lungs. It looked to be working, because water was pouring out.

  “No, but she will.”

  He stopped pumping for a moment, leaning down to examine Sofia to see if she was close to waking. “Is it really so hard for you to give her some grudging respect? She’s earned—” Sofia’s sweet lips met his mid-sentence.

  His eyebrows hit his hairline, but he kissed her back with pleasure.

  Neve chuckled before she muttered, “Respect is hard-earned, but I’ll give her props for that move.”

  Sofia broke the kiss, smiling. “They’re gone,” she said happily. “The voices in my head are totally gone.” She snaked a hand up behind his neck and pulled him down for another long kiss. “Thank you for helping me,” she whispered as she broke away. Without missing a beat, or looking at Neve, she added, “And you, too, dhampir. I was able to separate my thoughts from theirs in the end, and I heard this was your idea.
This lake was genius. I suppose you had no idea that we witches call lakes like these ‘fault lakes.’”

  “Nope,” Neve said, trying to sound unaffected, but Diesel heard otherwise. She was relieved, as they all were, that Sofia was okay. “But do tell.”

  Sofia smiled another brilliant smile. She looked no worse for the wear, which was incredible after what she’d just been through. Sofia sat up, pulling her soaked robe together as best she could. “This lake—”

  “Pond,” Neve interjected.

  “Pond,” Sofia corrected smoothly, “lies on a natural fault line, and all fault lines carry and distribute raw energy and magic. A witch’s power comes straight from the Earth, so our magic is a manifestation of raw energy. Going into that pond, which is really a very deep reservoir, was like giving me a power boost equivalent to jump-starting a car with an airplane battery.” She stood, grabbing on to Diesel’s hand, and muttered something under her breath. Suddenly, she was dry.

  Witches were amazing.

  “I know where they are,” Sofia announced, trying to knot the ridiculous robe tighter around her body. It was one of those short, flowy robes that went with the nightgown for looks. It wasn’t meant to be a serious article of clothing. “Well, I should say, I have a picture of their location in my mind, but since I’m not from around here, I’m going to need a little help figuring out where to direct us.”

  Ginger hugged her. “How did you manage to see them?”

  “I did like you taught me,” Sofia said with pride. “I concentrated all my efforts on the space the demons inhabited in my brain, but this time I couldn’t eject them, so I added a spell of my own. I put a visual monitor on that part of my brain. It took awhile, but once I had it up, I could see them, as well as hear them. I’d almost succeeded in separating my thoughts from them when Diesel took me into the water.”

  “You were always brilliant like that,” Ginger said softly. “That’s why you’re a master, and as far as I’m concerned, there is no witch who is your equal anywhere on the planet.”