DemonicPersuasion

by Kim Knox

  “I can protect her.” And with that Foster pulled the panel shut, leaving her alone.

  Fade pressed a hand to her throat, staring at the now-smooth wall. The silence pushed at her, only the rapid drum of her heart filling it. Her stomach was tight with worry, and the need to run, to pace, to do anything but will the door open and find Foster safe and well on the other side beat through every thought.

  He was putting himself in danger for her and she still didn’t know why. Did he have a grudge against Dolon? Had that man fucked him over as he’d fucked over so many? She knew nothing about Foster’s past. But his helping her would never be for the one reason she wanted.

  The bare walls pressed around her, their only mark strange black lines. She dug her fingers into them and pressed her palm flat. Swore at them. No doubt there were hidden mechanisms buried in the wall, but she was not allowed to access them.

  She sank to the floor and hugged her bag to her, her gaze fixed on the blank stretch of wall that could become her way out. What was happening to Foster? He was a former soldier, but Athanasios had said seven armed killers.

  “Fade.” Athanasios’ voice was warm in her thoughts and she clung to it, not from desire but for comfort. A rough finger brushed her cheek and the hint of coal filled her. “Take out the pyramid. Let us flow over you. I can show you everything.”

  “And the catch?”

  “There is no catch.” A hint of anger threaded through the multitude and Fade forced down a wince. “We need both of you to survive. We’re energy. Unity. A consciousness from another universe. A place where we lost all pleasures. Until we find compatible flesh, I’m bound to the pyramid.” Silence hung over her for a long moment. “As much as we…dislike Foster, he is essential for our bond.”

  Fade had no choice. She dug into the bag and pulled free the carved pyramid. Its metal was warm against her palm and she sucked in a breath as the point of it cracked. Silver light gushed from the top to spill over her hand, her arm and to chase up over her shoulder like twisting vines. They were whispers against her skin, cool and strangely soothing and under their touch her muscles relaxed.

  “Lie down. We have you.”

  Fade willingly slumped and her drowsy eyes stared up at the smooth ceiling. The tendrils of light wound over her, across her eyes, her nose, and she breathed in its essence with every slowing pull of air.

  “That we had time to love you like this.”

  Athanasios’ voice burned against her ear, lips and the hint of sharpened teeth grazing her skin. It rippled a sensual shiver down to her sex. For a brief, tormenting moment a long tongue teased between her legs, deepening the heat growing there, but one word escaped her, “Foster…”

  “As you wish.”

  Fade blinked. She was no longer lying down in the panic room. She…hovered in the long room that overlooked the rambling city. Somewhere in the shadows off to her right, she sensed bodies. Four men. Two dead and two close, their life energy bleeding out of them with every ragged breath.

  But ahead of her was the sound of fighting. Not weapons, but the hard hits of fists and boots and the smack of sharp, white pain. She winced as its energy cut across her.

  “It can’t harm you. We have you safe.”

  The flow of voices eased her fear and she floated forward toward the increasing pain. Four men. Each one a distinct presence against her mind. One shone above the others, seductive and the sudden ache to surround the burning energy, to take it into herself…

  Athanasios’ smile seared her. “It’s how we feel about you. We…yearn.”

  This was how they felt about her? About both of them? The hunger of it caught her, spun her thoughts. It pushed her through the air, through a wall as insubstantial as mist and into Foster’s stark work room.

  Her heart turned over. Athanasios had distracted her. Foster, clamped to the floor with metal restraints, knelt before one of the men. The two others leaned against the wall, one clutching his stomach, the other with his hand supporting his broken arm. The man looming over Foster aimed a weapon between his eyes and the intent was there, the need to kill, to blast Foster’s brains all over the wall behind him.

  “Athanasios!”

  But the presence flowing over and through her said nothing and there was a hint of satisfaction at seeing a man who had denied their need being punished. Fear rushed Fade. They would kill him.

  Blood leaked down Foster’s battered face, his eye purple and swollen shut. But his spine was straight and his chin lifted, and in that moment the ache of loving him was a fierce and bitter joy.

  “Where is she?” Dolon’s thug—his name smacked her—Dagna worked the muzzle of the gun against Foster’s forehead.

  Foster spat blood and it coated Dagna’s expensive shoes. “Who?”

  Dagna swore and a charge shot from the gun. Fade cried out, surging forward, but Foster swayed, yet didn’t fall. A smile tugged at his cracked mouth, drawing fresh blood and he rolled his neck. “Sweet. I’d love another.”

  Dagna’s eyes narrowed. “You have a net?” He swore and turned to his men. The one with the broken arm struggled to straighten. “You didn’t think to do a thorough check? He’s a fucking trooper.” Dagna smacked his gun against the other man’s skull. “He has bio-cybernetic dispersion tech wired into his bones.” He waved his gun. “This thing is fucking useless.” He swore again, but then the darkness pushed at his thoughts, Fade felt the creep of it, an empty soulless horror and his plan spread out before her. “Time to fall back on old-fashioned methods.”

  “Athanasios. You said yourself, you can’t survive without both of us. Without him!”

  “He has to want the merging.” The bitterness was there again in the chorus of voices. “And even now, he’s resisting. He doesn’t want to share you.”

  The flare of joy at his need for sole possession was a sweet rush but it was also a lie. “He does. He did. Only before, he burned with it. The need to see you take me right in front of him.” Her heart clenched with the hot memory and the fact that it would save him. Athanasios had promised. If they merged their energies, then he could solve their problems. She had no idea how, but she trusted him now as much as she had faith in Foster. “Tell him. Give him what he wants.”

  “Fade…”

  Already Dagna had pulled a long-bladed knife from a bag on a nearby bench. The sharp edge glinted in the stark overhead light and the press of what he intended, of how Dagna knew where to slice, nick and cut to inflict excruciating pain played across his thoughts in too much detail. And he enjoyed his work.

  “Athanasios, please.”

  “I have to release you.”

  The pyramid dropped from her loose fingers and hit the floor. Fade put her hand to her head, her mind spinning from the sudden rush of thoughts and senses and she curled onto her side. She groaned into the silence. Her life was a mess, but she hated to think of how long she would’ve been alive without both Foster and Athanasios watching out for her. Events were unfolding in an insane way, but she was still alive, still breathing. It was all good.

  She didn’t know the plan, but she had to be ready. She pulled out clean clothes from her pack, shrugged on the plain gray tunic and trousers and pushed her feet into flat pumps. A band caught her tangle of damp hair. Slinging the bag across her chest, she held the pyramid in tight fingers, its heat and the thin ripple of light a strange comfort.

  The wall whined and her heart jumped. She stepped back as thin, black lines chased around the blank wall to form a door. The edges of the pyramid bit into her palms and she swallowed down her fear. Three assassins were no match for Athanasios and Taras Foster.

  “Miss me?”

  Fade threw herself at Foster, finding his mouth as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her hard against him. His strong fingers pushed under the band of her trousers, squeezing her ass and moving farther to tease across her sex. She mewled against his mouth and drawing in her breath, she tasted it. That hint of coal. Not Foster…but Athanasio
s wearing his flesh.

  The disappointment slammed into her chest and the twist of guilt that came with it wrenched her heart. She wrapped her legs around his waist, linking her arms behind his neck. Taking Foster had healed him. Not one bruise marred his skin, only the smear of blood streaked his forehead. His eyes were different, silvered with a spark of anger and bitterness. Athanasios had felt her reaction. She brushed his mouth. “What now? The men? Are they…?”

  “They are no longer your concern.”

  A shiver ran over her. So much death chased her now. But it was her or them. She’d known that for a long time.

  “You didn’t ask about him.”

  She brushed Foster’s cheek, something she’d often ached to do, but a gentle gesture the man would never accept from her. “You’re keeping him safe.”

  A dark smile pulled at his mouth and the sudden surge in her arousal, the need to push down on the firm hand still gripping her ass, broke over her. “I could be torturing him. I have my hand here.” His fingers dipped into her sex and the spark fired along her veins. She followed her instinct and rolled against him, urging him deeper. “And could so easily make it his dick.”

  Her belly hollowed and the bitter sweep of coal wrapped around her senses. Foster and Athanasios. Both of them together. She had to fight everything in her that wanted to unbutton his trousers and take him inside her. But…it wasn’t Foster.

  With a sigh, she kissed Athanasios, grinning against his mouth as a sly finger teased her asshole. “You’re incorrigible.”

  “I have needs.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “So I’m simply a series of holes for you?”

  The silver in his eyes spiked. “Holes I can get anywhere. From anyone. You.” He sighed against her mouth before he eased away from her skin and let her slip to the floor. He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “You are unique.”

  Fade blushed. It was crude…but oddly sweet. She could hear Athanasios, and logically she knew it was them, but a desperate part of her heard only Foster saying it. “You have a plan?” She followed him as he tugged her forward. “Where can we run?”

  “Foster has a place. We have a short time before Dolon’s men use your trace to track us again.”

  “They won’t stop.”

  Athanasios squeezed her hand. “They’ll never stop.”

  Chapter Seven

  Fade rubbed her hands together and nerves gnawed at her stomach. Athanasios had driven to the far side of Theta-Scorpii-3 to an expensive and sparsely populated complex cut into a mountain.

  The burn of the binary suns flared over the black crags as he landed the transport in the hangar. The gate clunked back into place behind them and Fade willed herself to get out. She pulled in a breath, the filtered air sweet and cool. The rich even breathed differently.

  She followed Athanasios through the shadowy corridors into the main section of the house. Soft crystal light flickered and shone as they passed, their feet silent on the smooth, tiled floor.

  “I can’t hold him much longer.” Athanasios staggered and Fade slipped under his arm to hold him up. His strong hand gripped her shoulder. “It’s a shame. To have you with this body, this flesh.” His low groan with Foster’s voice skittered fresh awareness across her skin. His scent, the man she knew, yet mixed with Athanasios, worked under her skin, deepening as his hands slipped lower to cup her breast, to push the heel of his palm over her tightened nipple. “You could ride me hard. I would see you scream with his eyes.”

  Fade caught her breath, wanting that, wanting it with a fierceness that coiled her flesh tight, but Athanasios stumbled through the arch and into a long room. It pulled him free of her and he collapsed on the couch set before the long line of transparent shielding.

  “Athanasios?”

  Foster’s body exhaled a death rattle and Fade fought not to back away. Her heart kicked over. “Foster?” She wetted her lips. “Taras?”

  He lay sprawled over the wide couch, flopped back into the soft leather. Athanasios had pulled from his body, and she could sense that he was…less. Foster looked simply asleep, his skin warming and the worry lines pushed from his face. Fade couldn’t remember a time she’d seen him almost relaxed.

  She pushed out a sigh. “When will he wake up?”

  “Soon.” Athanasios’ voice tickled her ear, the brush of a rough knuckle against her throat prickling her skin.

  “And we’re safe.” She glanced around the sleek room, so like Foster’s own apartment. An exclusive residence for very special club clients, it was evidence of what power and influence could buy. “You’re sure?”

  “For a time. I can end this, but he—”

  “Is awake.” Foster lurched forward and his head dropped into his hands. He scrubbed at his face. “I remember…” He pulled one hand away, stared at it and frowned. Fade blushed. Athanasios had buried three fingers in her pussy and her scent would still coat Foster’s skin. “You said you wouldn’t touch her.”

  “I lied.”

  Foster swore. “And you expect me to fucking trust you? To give you a permanent place in my head?”

  “Neither of us want it.” Athanasios’ voice was sharp and burned with an old anger. Fade suspected it was an argument that had gone around and around with them. “But for her, we need it.”

  Foster caught his fingers in his hair. “I can get her away from here. I have a new identity and gene mask—”

  “Alone. She’ll be alone.”

  “I am here.” Fade stood before Foster, so close her fingers ached to cover his and ease them from the tight tangle of his dark hair. Something gentle and loving. And something he didn’t want from her. She’d become some kind of twisted duty. It soured the warmth, the love that had grown in her for him. It was time to end it. “I can’t make your mind up for you, Foster. I won’t even try. Give me what you have and I’ll get off this rock.”

  His head snapped up as Athanasios’ sharp “No!” rang in her ears.

  She tilted her head. “I survived before you. I can survive after.”

  Foster pushed himself to his feet, a slow and lethal energy to him that caught her breath. He loomed over her. She’d seen even Gallagher crumble under Foster’s fury. But what right did he have to be angry at her? She hadn’t asked for his help. Now that she intended to take it he was offended?

  “What?” She folded her arms across her chest. Shit, that made her look weak, but she couldn’t unfold them now. She lifted her chin and held his gaze, even as her heart thudded and she wanted to run. “You don’t see anything you want.”

  “You offered.” He looked away, over her left shoulder. Fade frowned. Was he talking to her? “Show me. Then I decide.”

  The scent of coal wrapped around her. He’d been talking to Athanasios…which meant… “Here?”

  “Here’s good.” Foster sank back onto the deep couch, his legs spread, his hand already unbuttoning his fly.

  Fade’s chest burned. She’d stopped breathing and gulped in air. A dull throb pulsed in her belly and she tried—and failed—to suppress it. “Me? You want me to—”

  “As you said before, I want to see them fuck you.” Foster’s smile was dark and her heart turned over, the wickedness in his face only something her fantasies had imagined. “My fantasy.”

  Rough hands moved over her skin, cupping her breasts and Fade bit her lip. Invisible fingers unfastened the buttons to her shirt and yet more pulled it from her back. Foster’s gaze never left her, moving with the fingers that stroked a line down her breastbone. “You can see them.”

  “It’s the net in my bones.” His fingers brushed over his dick, teasing himself and her. “I’ve always seen them.”

  “Then why…” Clawed fingers unclipped her trousers and pushed them down over her hips. A long tongue licked over her mons, dipping between her legs, quick and eager as strong hands gripped her waist, holding her up as others moved to part her thighs. All in a moment. Athanasios was eager for her.

  Tongues
found her clit and teased through her folds, licked farther, chasing along the cleft of her ass. Wild sensation burst through her veins, her skin hot, her nerves already stretched. With Athanasios eager and Foster watching her with hot, dark eyes, she wouldn’t last long.

  A slow rumble pricked her ear and she leaned back into Athanasios’ solid body. “He’s caught. He doesn’t want to share you with us, but now he’s on fire at this sight.”

  “She’s mine.”

  But Foster wrapped his hand around his dick and his gaze slid over her body. A clawed hand grabbed her breast and, mouth parted, Foster’s thumb slicked across the head of his dick. He wanted this. This spectacle.

  “She’s ours.”

  Athanasios’ vow burned against her skin and she cried out as a tongue pushed deep into her sex. More hands parted her thighs, drew them wide and lifted her. Her heart drummed, the rough and rhythmic pleasure of so many hands and mouths and tongues swirling her thoughts.

  Foster watched her. She fought to keep her eyes open, wanting to see him, see the slow stroke of his hand, the beads of sweat breaking out across his forehead. The wild beat of his pulse at his throat and in his temple. It drove her own pleasure deeper and she gasped as a dick pushed over her ass.

  “We promised him a show.”

  A low groan escaped her as the dick breached her ass, a slow, slow push that twisted hard pleasure through her flesh. She fought to breathe, arching against the invasion, offering herself up to Athanasios, to Foster, wanting them both to share in her joy. Foster’s low “fuck” broke a shiver over her skin.

  She willed her eyes open, but found the curve of the ceiling above her. She lay on her back, supported in midair by only the power of Athanasios. The incredible feeling of them surrounding her, of rough skin brushing against her belly, of sharp teeth nipping at her thighs and ass, of the pure joy of the tongues that licked her and the dick that now pushed into her sex.

  She groaned, panting at the aching fullness and another dick brushed against her lips.