by Nina Bangs
Kellen sounded cheerful, but something about his happy voice seemed false. Or maybe Ivy was growing more paranoid the longer she stayed in the castle. She tried to relax and accept what her brother said as truth. “So what’re you doing?”
“I’m in my room. Doing research. Asima gave me a bunch of info about things.”
Ivy just bet Asima had. “Great. I’ll pick you up for dinner later, and then we can talk.” Now who was sounding falsely cheerful?
“Sure. Oh, and I talked to Mom. She said it’s okay for me to stay for a while as long as you don’t mind. Dad didn’t want me here, but he couldn’t give any good reasons why I shouldn’t stay, so Mom overruled him.”
She controlled her sigh. Of course Dad couldn’t reveal the real reason why he didn’t want his son here. Could he? Maybe he should brave Mom’s disbelief and tell her the truth. Right, and I don’t see you rushing to call Mom with all the gory details of life in the Castle of Dark Dreams. But she’d have to lay out the facts for Mom when things settled down. Ivy would invite her mother for a visit, and then introduce her to the impossible.
Ivy wasn’t sure where Kellen would be safer—here, where there were powerful beings to help protect him, or back home. What if she sent him home and one of the fae spotted him there? She couldn’t follow him around for the rest of his life.
“We’ll see about getting you into school tomorrow.” That was one ordinary act she could perform amid all the extraordinary stuff going on.
And as much as she hated the thought, she hoped the faery Murmur had promised to send could teach Kellen ways to protect himself. Maybe she could learn something as well. Not that Ivy really believed she had any powers.
Ivy was still thinking about Murmur and Kellen when she walked into Sweet Indulgence. Sparkle was sitting on her stool behind the counter looking morose and working her way through an open box of chocolates in front of her. Braeden was nowhere in sight. Ivy breathed a sigh of relief.
“Where’s Braeden?” She peered into the display case. Maybe she’d buy a bag of candy to share with her brother.
Sparkle made a face. “He said he wanted a challenge, but he really didn’t. He’s out hunting easier prey.”
“Really?” Ivy studied Sparkle. Did she look as though she was having withdrawal symptoms?
“No. I said I needed time to cleanse my system of the Mede virus. He’s amusing himself until I’m Mede-free.” She bit into a chocolate. “Caramel. All gooey and sweet. Just like my Mede.”
Sparkle closed her eyes and slowly slid her tongue across her lower lip—sexy, provocative. And she wasn’t even trying. Ivy was impressed.
“If you say so.”
Sparkle opened her eyes. She smiled at Ivy. “I could teach you how to do that.”
“What?”
“Make men lust after you with just a few simple actions.”
Ivy didn’t think her shrug looked very convincing. “I don’t care about men lusting after me.” She was such a liar. She wanted Murmur to lust after her. And she was already thinking about ways she could use the chocolate and lip-licking thing.
Sparkle laughed. “Of course you do. Every woman does. But not every woman is lucky enough to have the queen of sex and sin as a boss. I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”
A scary but intriguing offer. Ivy tried to ignore her immediate surge of excitement. “Anyway, Ganymede’s really worried that you won’t forgive him.”
Sparkle put on a militant expression. “As he should be. He has to realize, though, that he can’t walk all over me.”
Ivy bit her lip. She should probably keep her mouth shut, but all she could picture was Braeden out there somewhere seducing an innocent woman. “Whoever Braeden chooses, they’ll die when he leaves.”
Sparkle waved Ivy’s worry away. “I sent him to Asima. I told him that she was an even greater challenge than I was. He was all motivated when he left.” Her smile was spitefully malicious. “He’ll keep the little bitch busy and out of my hair.” She pushed the chocolates away. “Anything else to report?”
Ivy only hesitated a moment. Sparkle was her boss, so she owed her loyalty. “Ganymede wants to know why Murmur’s music drew Braeden to the castle. Murmur set up a meeting at seven tonight in his room. Bain and Tirron will be there to talk with Ganymede. I’ll be there too. I have to know what’s going on so I can protect my brother.”
“And no one told me?” Anger simmered and boiled as Sparkle tapped one perfect nail on the counter.
Ivy decided she didn’t want to be anywhere near when Sparkle brought her hammer down.
“Hmm.”
Sparkle could terrify with one word.
“You’re going to bring a guest tonight, Ivy. Someone who will look out for your interests. Someone who owns this freaking castle, and damn well better be part of any meetings.”
Without warning, the remaining chocolates in the box exploded into geysers of cream filling and marshmallow fluff. A sticky cherry plopped onto the counter in front of Ivy.
“Great.” She was so not looking forward to this meeting.
“Now that we have that settled, let’s talk about you.”
Let’s not. Ivy just wanted to get out of there.
“I assume the sex was spectacular.”
“What?” Ivy widened her eyes. She had definitely not expected Sparkle to lead with that comment.
Sparkle’s laughter was light and frightening. “I’ve been in the sexual chaos business for thousands of years. I recognize the signs of a woman coming down from an incredible orgasm. Of course, I expected nothing less from Murmur.”
Ivy didn’t know where to look or what to say. “Incredible. Very.” Ugh. Had she actually said that?
“Tell me all the delicious details.” Sparkle leaned forward.
Delicious details? “We made love. That’s it.” She might work for Sparkle, but once Ivy closed the bedroom door, her life was her own.
Sparkle frowned. She straightened. “Well, that’s disappointing. At least tell me if you were completely satisfied.”
Ivy hadn’t intended to tell Sparkle anything. Really. It wasn’t her business. But surprisingly, she found she wanted to tell her boss. Who else could she confide in? Who else would understand men well enough to figure out what was going on with Murmur?
“He took my breath away. It was the most amazing moment of my life.” She clasped her hands in front of her and tried not to look too nervous.
“Yes?” Sparkle was leaning forward again.
“But he made love to me with his music.” She exhaled. There. She’d said it.
Sparkle looked puzzled. “You mean his music was playing in the background while you touched each other’s bodies with unspeakable, lust-filled, ecstatically joyous passion?”
Okay, she was going to have to give Sparkle a few details. “I mean that, except for the very beginning and the very end, the only thing that touched me was his music. It takes color and shape. It can physically… do things to you.” Now she was embarrassed.
“Why? Why would he do such a thing? Not touch you with his hands, his mouth?” She sounded outraged.
Ivy shrugged. “He said something about it not being safe.” She wished she hadn’t said anything now. Sparkle looked way too horrified.
“Not safe?” Sparkle’s expression turned thoughtful. “I’ll have to look into this.”
Please, please don’t. Ivy would be mortified if Murmur found out that she’d blabbed to Sparkle. “I’m sure he had good reasons.”
She didn’t believe that, couldn’t believe that she’d never feel his hands and mouth on her body. Listen to yourself. The last thing Ivy should want is any kind of relationship with a demon. But she kept forgetting what he was in the joy of discovering who he was.
“No, he didn’t. There are no good excuses for not touching a woman. I won’t allow him to hide behind his music.” Sparkle narrowed her amber eyes.
Oh boy. Ivy had done it now. “Maybe I overstated—”
“Quiet. Let me think.” Sparkle slipped from her stool and walked around the counter to join Ivy. “Come with me. We’ll go to my apartment and begin your lessons.”
“Lessons?” Did she just squeak?
Sparkle beckoned and Ivy followed. All the way into the castle and up to Sparkle and Ganymede’s apartment, Ivy tried to make excuses for her wimpy attitude. Sparkle was her boss. Sparkle was a force of nature. Sparkle was totally scary. But the truth was that Ivy wanted those lessons, wanted to drive Murmur crazy until he was forced to lay hands on her. She smiled at the thought.
Ivy stepped into Sparkle’s place and froze. Whoa. Sensual explosion alert. Erotic paintings lined the walls. Erotic sculptures rested on every surface. Coffee-table books dedicated to erotica were tastefully arranged on the, well, coffee table. Candles somehow managed to scent the air with lust. And finally, dim lighting set the mood for sex. At least Sparkle had the good sense not to have any sensual music playing.
“Welcome to my home.” Sparkle frowned at the bowl of popcorn planted among the erotic books on the coffee table. “Mede is such a pig. He doesn’t understand the importance of perception. You need to stage a sensual home, and a bowl of popcorn really doesn’t send the right message.” She whipped the bowl off the table and dumped it into the trash.
Ivy had the feeling Sparkle would get lots of chuckles if she could do that to all of Ganymede’s things. “This is all so…”
“Overwhelming? Exactly. Now, let’s get started on your lessons.” Sparkle pointed to the couch. “Sit.”
Ivy gingerly sat on the edge, ready to bolt.
Sparkle leaned over her. “Sit back. Relax. And learn.”
The queen of sex and sin smiled.
Oh, crap.
12
Murmur lay on the bed staring at the closed door. She didn’t understand. He didn’t understand. Sex was always a physical release for him, nothing more. This had felt like a whole lot more. He’d had to take his hands off her before… Before what? Before he lost control and hurt her? Wouldn’t have happened because he never lost control. Then what?
Maybe she wasn’t the one in danger. He’d never wanted to touch a woman more than he’d wanted to slide his fingers the length of her bared body, had never needed to taste, to feel a woman’s flesh beneath him more than he’d needed to do all those things with her. But he’d denied himself the pleasure. A survival instinct? No, that didn’t make sense. He frowned. He hated things that didn’t make sense, so he tried to stop thinking about it.
He got up and dressed, then headed for his room. Klepoth would be waiting for him. Murmur had to come to some sort of agreement with the other demon. Waiting for Klepoth to ambush him from every shadowed corner would get old fast.
Murmur opened his door, stepped inside, and then froze. What the hell? Klepoth had found a way to amuse himself while he waited. The demon was hopping and bopping to one of Murmur’s CDs.
Murmur took a moment to really study Klepoth. When he was enjoying himself and not busy being a pain in the ass, Klepoth looked almost as young as Ivy’s brother.
The other demon was smiling as he turned and saw Murmur watching him. He stopped dancing. Murmur could almost see him wrapping his evil-demon persona around him like a hooded monk’s cloak.
Klepoth frowned. “About time you showed up.” He flung himself onto a chair.
Murmur sat on the chair opposite him. “I had things to take care of.”
Klepoth’s expression turned sly. “Yeah, I get it. She’s hot.”
Jealousy slammed Murmur with enough force to make his virtual teeth rattle. He wanted to leap from his chair, wrap his fingers around the bastard’s throat, and see how he enjoyed the illusion of dying. He took a deep breath and stayed seated. Wow, payback was a bitch. He’d felt superior when Ganymede had gone berserk over Braeden, but now Murmur knew exactly how the troublemaker had felt. And that was all kinds of scary.
Something in his expression must have alerted Klepoth, because he shut up. Smart demon.
Murmur leaned back and tried to look calm and detached. “Do you really think your illusions will convince me to return to the Underworld?”
Klepoth ran his fingers through his spiked hair. “I have to keep trying. You understand, Murmur. If I don’t…” He shrugged.
“The Master will hurt you.” Pain was the go-to solution for all of the Master’s problems.
“Yeah.”
When Klepoth wasn’t working his illusions, his eyes were a bright blue. Right now, the rest of him might look like a teenager, but those eyes showed every one of his thousands of years of existence.
Something was forming in Murmur’s mind. An idea. Crazy, but maybe possible. The emerging music in his mind was still faint but carried a hopeful backbeat with it. “You’ve gained lots of power since the first time I saw you.” He narrowed his eyes, thinking. “I have too.”
Klepoth looked puzzled. “So?”
Murmur paused. Once said, the words couldn’t be recalled. “We’re both almost as powerful as the Master now.”
The silence seemed to drag on forever. He watched Klepoth’s eyes widen, and then narrow. Finally, they just looked speculative.
“Explain.”
Murmur nodded. “If we both refused to return home, what would the Master do?”
Klepoth’s laughter had a hysterical edge. “He’s a fucking arch demon. What do you think he’d do?”
Murmur leaned forward. “Think about it, Klepoth. He couldn’t just leave our punishment to his minions. We’re too strong. He can’t compel us to return. Once again, we’re too strong. He’d have to come himself.”
“Yeah, and he’d bring half of the Underworld with him.”
“But if he came, it would be his first trip to the mortal plane in millennia. Think back to how weak we were when we first entered this world. We’d have the advantage because we’ve existed on this plane longer. And we each command legions of demons. Do you think he wants a very visible war, with humanity watching?”
For the first time, Klepoth seemed to be considering it. “We’d have to stick together.”
“I think he’d cut his losses and forget about us.” Here was the clincher. “Because if he came after us and lost, Lucifer would remove his ass from power. No one would respect an arch demon who couldn’t defeat those he was supposed to command.”
Klepoth looked uncertain. “Do you really think that’s the way it would play out?”
“I can’t be certain, but if I were the Master, I wouldn’t think we were worth all that trouble.” Now the decision was in Klepoth’s hands. Did the other demon want to stay on the mortal plane badly enough to rebel?
“I like it here. I want to stay, but…” He bit his lip. “If I lost, I’d end up back in the Underworld. Not a great place to be with the Master pissed at me. I’ll have to think about it.”
“Take your time.” Murmur couldn’t believe what he’d just suggested. His music was still tentative but growing stronger by the minute. He’d added some bass to keep the beat of hope going.
When had he subconsciously decided he wasn’t going back? About a half hour ago in Ivy’s bed. Not that staying here would mean anything, because he didn’t see Ivy settling into a long-term relationship with him. Did he want one? He didn’t know, and he hated the not knowing.
Klepoth got up to leave. “Uh, could I borrow your CD?” His expression said he didn’t expect Murmur to loan him anything.
Murmur saw himself in Klepoth. Old demons didn’t expect kindness, let alone friendship, from others. That’s why he valued what he had with Bain. “Take it.”
“Thanks.” The other demon grinned and grabbed the CD from the player. He headed for the door.
“Oh, and Klepoth, lay off the illusions. They’re not working. They’re just ticking me off.”
Klepoth left without making a comment.
Murmur remained seated as he thought about tonight’s meeting. He hoped Bain was practicing his groveling
and begging. While he was at it, Bain had better come up with a few good reasons why Ganymede shouldn’t chuck him out of the castle.
He gave up worrying about tonight and allowed his thoughts to return to Ivy. Murmur relived every moment of their lovemaking. He pictured her eyes glowing with heat and desire. For him.
That last thought made him feel… happy. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d experienced that particular emotion. It felt damn good.
Ivy was nervous. She was getting ready to close herself in a room with a group of powerful nonhumans who weren’t afraid to express their anger in terrifying ways.
And one of those nonhumans walked beside her. Okay, so Sparkle didn’t walk. She swayed down the hallway to her own sensual rhythm while balanced on heels high enough to double as stilts. Awesome.
Ivy should back out of the meeting. No one would miss her. But she wouldn’t. Because she needed to keep her brother safe. And also because of him. Murmur. Her obsession was pitiful. She wanted to be wherever he was. And it had nothing to do with her admittedly spectacular musical orgasm. Even when they were arguing, he made her feel good. Weird, but true.
They reached Murmur’s door, and Sparkle knocked. Ivy stood behind her. Sparkle wore a shimmery black dress that molded to her bottom and stopped somewhere around the top of her thighs. It plunged in the back, and dipped even farther in the front. Long dangly earrings glittered in the hall lights, and her nails were long, scarlet, and should have been registered with the police as lethal weapons. Sparkle was ready for battle.
She felt like Sparkle’s shadow, but a shiny shadow nonetheless. If Ivy had been one of the kick-butt heroines in the urban fantasies she read, she wouldn’t worry about how she looked. Hey, kick-butt heroines didn’t care about attracting men. They were totally focused on the next kill. And they were all so naturally gorgeous that they didn’t need artificial enhancements. A little lip gloss to combat chapped lips, and they were good to go.
Ivy didn’t fool herself. She might not be focused on the next kill, but she was waging her own brand of covert action. Call her shallow, but she wanted to look good when she walked into that room. For Murmur.