by Erin R Flynn
“Deal,” I blurted, my wolf and siren riding me. “Be careful how you tease around the full moon, Bri. We’re going slow, but if you wind me up, I’ll still have sex.”
“Yes, but I’m a voyeur,” he chuckled.
“Is he really human?” someone muttered.
“Right? He’s dirtier than half the paranormals I know,” I agreed even as I moved closer to Brian and pulled his head down for a kiss. “Thank you.”
“Thank you for loving me and putting me first even though I’ve done so much wrong,” he murmured against my lips. “Okay, let’s get through the shifters and everyone fed so you can stuff us all at motels before taking on the vampires.” He gave me a look that said not to insult his intelligence and of course I would make the humans stay out of it.
He got another kiss for understanding that and not fighting me.
I felt better when the groups transporting came back with food and found out that the first plane was sent out. That was a good dent fast.
Plus, someone got me gyros.
I blinked at them and went to ask the council guy, but he was already carrying pizzas over to the ones we cleared. I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“The fairy asked someone get you gyros, so I assume you thought of them,” Axel muttered as he accepted containers from some of his team.
“I did,” I admitted, shaking my head. “It was just one thought that we were probably going to eat a lot of pizza since it’s good here and easy, but gyros sounded really good.” We dropped it, and I wasn’t even sure I should thank Jonik, as that might encourage him. I had enough men and problems on my plate without inviting more.
We were all sitting on one of the blankets someone had found in a few of the wolves’ vehicles, stuffing our faces when Brian chuckled. I glanced up and saw the smile on his face as he nodded to my container. It took me a moment to catch on, but then I snickered.
“You know what I’m thinking of, right?” he checked.
“Yes, and you’re a brat.”
“Yes, but it was just—it’s one of my favorite memories of working together.”
I gave him a shocked look. “That’s one of your favorite memories? I thought I was dying, you dick.”
He made the “rewind” gesture. “So we were on assignment not in the US and we were supposed to work with local law enforcement and the regional FBI office. Except the locals were dirty. The whole thing was a huge setup and all kinds of fucked up. So we ditch out when Sera figures that out and are holed up at some dive place while plotting our next move.”
“Where were you?” Axel asked.
“Doesn’t matter,” I muttered, defaulting to keeping information on cases locked down. “Not the point.”
“The point is the regional food was spicy and someone picked the spiciest options on accident,” Brian explained.
“I knew the language. I think they did it on purpose to fuck with tourists,” I grumbled.
“And you’re not good with spicy?” someone checked.
Corbin snorted. “It’s a well known fact in our office she can’t handle most ‘mild’ sauces. The labels got mixed up when we ordered from a Mexican place near the office, and she not only turned bright red, but I could swear she was going to breathe fire.”
“Anyways, I got sick. Like really sick,” I drawled. “I was whimpering on the ground of this crappy motel, whimpering I was going to die on the worst assignment ever.”
“She was so fucking adorable,” Brian chuckled, shaking his head. “She begged me to put her in an ice bath and was muttering that we got food from demons who wanted to melt her insides.”
“I don’t remember that. The spices were the delayed kind where I inhaled a bunch of food before it kicked in,” I admitted, rolling my eyes when people burst out laughing. “And no, that hasn’t changed with me being a wolf. I’m still just as sensitive. Hell, I smell something too spicy and my eyes water and I get a headache. I am not built for hot foods.”
“I’m going to miss that you can’t get sick now,” he admitted, shrugging when people gave him shocked looks. “She’s like a kitten when she’s sick. I remember her coming to the door in a tiny nothing because she had a fever and was burning up and gushed that I brought her soup and Gatorade.”
I shrugged, suddenly finding my food interesting. “It was the first time anyone ever cared when I was sick or took care of me. It was right after I finished training and this flu knocked me on my ass and my super hot, super popular and badass boss comes over with food and all sorts of supplies to make me feel better. It was maybe one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for me.”
Sometimes I should just keep my mouth shut. The atmosphere turned awkward and a few people cleared their throats nervously at the tension. Oh well. My social ineptness had to come out at least once a day or pigs would fly.
5
It took another hour to finish sorting the shifters and getting out the ones who were going directly to the council. Melicent headed out with her people to secure rooms from three different motels all a block away from each other along with most of the wolves. We took a dozen with us to the Alpha house, and they made quick work of boxing what the FBI teams would need to get started since they wanted to be near Melicent and her protection.
I, however, took a shower in the house of the man I’d just killed. Awkward, but needed as we had to handle the vampires, and that always meant games, and not playing them wasn’t allowed.
“I added some things to your bags, guessing you wouldn’t dress as needed to make this happen,” Carter said as he laid out what I was to wear.
He got the look he deserved when I saw how little there was to the dress and heels.
“It’s winter and I’m going in as FBI.”
“Help will also be there. Please trust me.”
I tried to push him for more info, but he was like a vault which annoyed me given he was one of my vampires. Still, I trusted his judgement and got ready. With help from Emilio, my hair was even dried and with some sexy curls in it before I finished my makeup. I hadn’t packed a fancy coat, so Carter actually let me borrow his and we loaded up in the SUVs. The fairies came with us since Melicent had the wolves and FBI covered.
And she had made me a promise she would protect Brian with her life. I didn’t like separating from him with this much shit going on, especially when I’d asked him to come help me handle it, but she swore they would protect him, and I believed her.
I understood the attire a bit better when we arrived at the coven and it looked like something out of Underworld with the dark and Gothic vibe the whole estate gave. It was huge though. Not just the grounds but the actual mansion. I wasn’t sure what the line was for mansion vs. estate vs. castle, but whatever was the biggest one was what the coven house was.
Carter and Orson were on either side with Axel and Eugene flanking us along with Jonik and a few others. Basically there was a circle of badass around me, which was good as I was unarmed, in a tiny dress, and high heels. Though those could be weapons sometimes too.
No, not really.
The main doors were opened for us, which made me raise an eyebrow. My jacket was taken, and we were escorted to the ballroom because they had a ballroom. Oh boy. Down the next rabbit hole we went, walking into a huge room with at least a hundred vampires.
“Get that dog out of my house!” someone bellowed.
“This is why people don’t like vampires,” I sighed. “The fairies call me ‘princess,’ and you call me ‘dog?’ If you know who I am, you know it’s Mistress. How uncivilized and disappointing.”
“Well, we can’t have you disappointed,” a deep voice chuckled as he stepped out from among others.
“Apollo,” I gasped, blinking at him before recovering and dipping my head. “Councilman Papadopoulos, I apologize. I didn’t know you were coming.”
“That was half the fun,” he teased me, laughing when I gave Carter a look like I was going to throttle him. “Yes, spank him later,
but I did travel a long way to aid you when you needed it.”
It was my turn to laugh as we approached him. “More like you got a chance to see me during the full moon.”
“Yes, there is that,” he agreed as he took my hand, eyeing me over like dessert. “You look delicious.”
I went to thank him but caught images from his mind since I’d left the ring in my bag. “There are games already started I don’t understand.”
“We took the coven.”
“We?” I murmured, glancing around.
“I brought a friend,” he chuckled, frowning when I tried to pull my hand away. “I did not mean that as you are taking it.”
I swallowed down what I really wanted to say and took a deep breath. “Forgive me, but I’m getting images from you that you want to bite and fuck me for all these people to see, and then you joke you brought another councilman in the way men here say they brought someone else to fuck the woman like I’m a mistress you just pass around.”
“He will not touch you,” Apollo said firmly as he bent over and kissed my hand. “And yes, I do want that, but I believe I’ve shown you that I never treat you as anything but treasured.”
I nodded that I heard him. He was protecting me again. The whole coven wouldn’t be taken in, but I would still be Alpha of New York where they were. He wanted it crystal fucking clear that I had his protection and to not be stupid. Then he said something that really had me interested in playing.
“I also told you I would want a rematch, Seraphine,” he purred, his eyes dancing with mirth. “I travel all this way and secure the coven so you are safe, bringing two dozen of my men along with another councilman and his people to help. Do you not think that is worth a rematch and—”
I moved closer and brushed my lips over his. “No, since I’m not for sale. But I would give you a rematch just because you asked for it and we have fun playing. Thank you for the rest and securing them or whatever we’ll get into. Yes, let’s play again.”
“You are so different than any others,” he chuckled, giving me another quick kiss. “Is a kiss all I get?”
I smirked at him. “You can have a taste, but you know from where.” I gasped as he moved me over to the nearest table and laid me on it. He was careful of my dress so he didn’t make me flash everyone, and licked me between the legs before biting me there and making me orgasm.
“She truly makes you submit and bite her there for a taste,” a very old vampire muttered, his tone amused. “I did not believe it. I thought you teased me.”
“She is very worth it, and to her it’s not submitting.”
“It’s just fucking fun,” I panted, smiling up at him. “Now that he’s seen me orgasm, are you going to introduce me to your friend?”
“Of course,” Apollo chuckled as he helped me stand. He took my arm and brought me over to a handsome but very dark vampire from the look in his eyes. “Seraphine Thomas, may I introduce Councilman Enzo Dubois. He is one of our more conservative and old school council members.”
“Councilman,” I greeted, dipping my head to him. He frowned at me, and I just smirked. “I don’t show my neck to anyone who I haven’t seen fight. You might be more powerful than me, but that doesn’t always mean a better fighter. I prefer to skip the bullshit of who’s on top and just be friends.”
“I promised Apollo to behave and try things his way to see the fun he’s had,” he muttered, not sounding happy about it. He took my hand and kissed it as a gentleman, but he didn’t hide in his eyes that I was leagues below him.
“And fun we will have,” Apollo promised as he moved his arm around me. “Now I know there are many problems in New York, but as I’ve now cleared up your night, you have time to play, yes?”
“Yes, but it’s still an early morning and you can’t completely wear me out,” I answered, smirking at him even as my wolf and siren practically vibrated with excitement.
He leaned in and kissed my neck. “Of course. But I also want to be a bit mean as I heard that while your human lover did not accept, you offered to be on your knees for him, and you have never given me that.”
I didn’t hide my shock. “I’ve done it before I even met you. I don’t care he’s human, Apollo. We’re much more—he goes in a different category. You know that.”
“I do, but it made me want to include him in the fun.” He nodded towards the door, and my head turned so fast something in my neck popped. Sure enough, Brian stood there looking a bit nervous. “He agreed of his own volition.”
“You’re an idiot,” I seethed as I pulled away from Apollo and went to Brian.
“I love you,” he replied as if it said it all.
It didn’t.
“We have both given him our full protection,” Apollo interjected. I slowly turned and looked back at both the councilmen, my eyes going wide when they nodded. “He is high ranking with the human law enforcement and covered by our laws to not endanger. We want no qualms with this government, and all our people know that.”
“He still doesn’t understand vampire games and stuff,” I worried. “Hell, I don’t even know all the everything with you guys, as it seems to change all the time on me. I can take the hit if I accidentally insult someone, but he doesn’t—”
“He is completely exempt,” Councilman Dubois promised firmly. “You have our word and of all our people.”
“All it takes is one blink of an eye and he’s dead if someone gets mad,” I whispered, realizing I was shaking with fear that Brian was involved.
“Sera, they’re not Igor,” Carter said gently. “No one here is Dencil or any of those monsters. They gave their word. You know what that means. They lose everything if they or their people break it. They would never let that happen.”
Apollo moved in front of me and cupped my face. “There have been other humans we allow into our games or have to behave around, Seraphine. The human you love is safe, I swear it.”
I nodded even as I looked over his shoulder to Brian. “You idiot voyeur. You heard from someone that when he came and I sirened Goran we had some crazy fun, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but as they said, they would start a ton of shit with the US government if they screwed with me, and I would call in NYPD if this councilman I don’t know even looked like he might pull what I heard that Igor guy did.”
“How many times do I have to remind you that you are a guppy trying to protect me from huge ass fucking sharks, Bri?”
He shrugged. “At least a dozen more.” He waved off whatever I was going to say next. “Just have fun, babe. You’ve been too stressed, and I trust Councilman Papadopoulos. Carter would never let anyone hurt you even if it was his old master. Axel and Eugene would eat all the bad vampires here if they even disrespected you.” He nodded it was okay. “You were excited before you knew I was here. Be excited. I’ll go stand with the fairies.”
“Okay, fine, but if you so much as get a booboo, you go in a bubble to protect humans.”
“Deal.”
I let out a slow breath and met Apollo’s eyes. “You are so getting spanked for plotting all of this and bringing him into this.”
He shrugged. “I might enjoy that. Is that a yes we can play?”
“What did you have in mind?” I checked, knowing it was always smart with a vampire.
“First, if you will not get on your knees for me, I very much wish to see you please either your tiger or dire wolf who I hear is in the running to be your mate.”
Before I could open my mouth, a throat cleared loudly, getting our focus. It was Eugene, and he shared a look with Axel before speaking. “With all due respect, Councilman, if Sera does ever decide to give us that pleasure, I would not like it to be in this sort of setting. She is a treasure and a goddess, and if I ever get such a gift from her, I wish it to be in private, alone, and only if I could make love to her all night after.”
“I feel the same, Councilman,” Axel added. “In addition, I humbly ask you play a different game, as Sera might be w
illing, as she does not like the labels when it comes to sex, but we both know there are men here who will never see her as more than a woman who was on her knees for a man if they see that.”
“Yes, you are right,” he sighed, sounding frustrated.
“Hey, we had way more fun without playing that,” I reminded him, kissing his cheek before moving away. I headed towards Eugene and crooked my finger so he leaned down. I kissed him, feeding deeply so he enjoyed it before doing the same to Axel. “Thank you for making sure I understood and treasuring me like that.”
“You deserve nothing less,” Axel said firmly, Eugene nodding.
I felt my face flush and hurried to turn back to Apollo, noting he saw it from his smirk. “What other fun do you wish to have?”
“What does your siren suggest?” he asked instead, but then shook his head. “Wait, I wish to see you with someone new.” He smiled widely at me then, and instead of nervous, it made my stomach do flips. “Yes, I will pick five from those we trust and you met today who want a chance to be with you most, and you will pick one.”
“Ten,” I countered. “And you have to last longer than he does.” He raised an eyebrow at that, but I just smirked. “I thought this was a rematch? Are we not playing for prizes again? We’ve got the authorization to bottle and sell our blood drinks. I will put up four bottles of just my blood instead of four cases of drinks with my blood.”
“Both. I want the cases and those bottles,” he pushed, smiling when I nodded. “You truly don’t care what prize I offer or that it was a good prize last time, do you?”
“Not at all,” I chuckled, shaking my head as he moved his arm around me, pulling me against him. “It was just really fun.”
“It was,” he agreed, brushing his lips over mine. “No additions this time? Longevity only?”
“Yes, but I think we should have another round of who can make who finish first.”
“You have an unfair advantage on that,” he argued.