“Thank you for healing me.” She met his gaze and the runes faded once more. “I know how hard that must have been for you.”
“I don’t know that you do,” he replied.
She pushed herself up and wrapped her arms around her knees, drawing them up to her chest.
“Who was that man?” he asked.
“Lorcan.”
“The one who tortured you.”
She stared at him unblinkingly. “I’m sorry Seraphine lied to you back at the office and pretended to be me. It was the only way we knew how to keep you safe.” She reached out and ran her fingers down the slashes on one of his arm.
“We?” He’d never heard her speak about her inner demon as a “we” before.
She blew out a breath. “We have a lot to talk about. But right now we need to make sure the rest of the demons are gone.”
It was strange to hear her being so logical. But he and Mason had taken off so quick, who knew what was happening in the rest of the city.
He got to his feet and helped her up as well. They stood for a minute holding each other.
“This isn’t over. As soon as we are sure everything is fine, we will have this conversation,” he said.
She bit the inside of her cheek and nodded. “I don’t think I could get away from you now if I tried.”
Her passive expression made him wonder what meaning her words really held.
He opened the door and stepped into the front room. Danika was busy on her phone and Mason walked over and hugged Selene.
He pushed her to arm’s length and opened his mouth.
“I know you’re mad at me,” she said. “I don’t blame you. I lied to you. To all of you. But I was trying to do the right thing.”
Mason closed his mouth and pulled her into a hug again. “I’m glad you’re okay, baby sister.”
Danika ended her call and strode over. “William is at the office with Siad and the house security. We should get over there. There are dead demons all over the ground and vamps are starting to gather in the area. We need to get this thing contained.”
“What about Garon and the kings and the Russians?” asked Neeman.
She shook her head. “Alexi is dead. Vinton is dead. Garon and Eliander are missing. Chase is also dead.” She blew out a breath. “This is a huge mess. I don’t know how we’re going to contain it. On top of that, Sinya has gone into labor.”
“The baby’s early,” said Neeman.
“Yes. Doc is with them now.” Danika pinched the bridge of her nose. Mason gathered her in his arms.
“War is coming,” said Mason. “This was only the beginning. Someone has made a deal with the demons. More will come. Many more.”
“This is bigger than a coven war. Vampires will be divided between siding with the demons and fighting against them,” said Danika.
“We need to get on top of this now. Send a message to the High Council. Call all the trackers back,” said Mason.
“I can call every one I know,” said Neeman. “We’ll need them on our side if we are to survive.”
“First things first,” said Danika. “Let’s clean up the mess. Tomorrow we will start strategizing. Garon and Eliander are on the run, if they’re still alive, as is Melton. It will take them a couple of days to regroup.”
“There’s something you’re all missing,” said Selene. “The portal to the demon realm. If we can find it, and close it, we may be able to finish this thing before it starts.”
Danika stared at her. “Can you do that?”
“I’ll need to heal first, but I believe I can.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“Let’s move,” said Danika. “I want my uncle’s sorry remains off my office steps as soon as possible.”
Chapter 25
The mood between Selene and Neeman was tense as they helped carry the bodies of the demons to the SUV’s and stacked them in the back. Neeman had called everyone that was left of the Tracking Squad from Coven House to come help. It was a bleak sight.
Less than two dozen trackers were alive in Chicago. And that included the humans who had been trained. As much as she hated to suggest it, she’d mentioned to Neeman that he might want to ask the human trackers if they wanted to become vampyr. The look he’d given her made the tension between them skyrocket to a new level.
Mason picked up the dead Vampire with the long white hair. Chase, Danika’s uncle. Danika had insisted that Chase be put in the dumpster instead of taken with them. Selene looked on as Mason dumped the body inside and lit it on fire. Selene wished she could gain the same satisfaction by watching Lorcan’s body burn. But his time would come.
“We should get you to Coven House to rest,” Neeman said, throwing two tentacles into the SUV.
“What about up there?” She pointed to the broken window in the side of the building.
“It’s already done. Alexi’s body is in the other SUV as is Vinton’s.”
“And Sherman?”
“He’ll live. His driver picked him up an hour ago.”
She nodded. “Things are going to get ugly here, aren’t they?”
He wiped his palms on his pants. “Yes. But not today.” He slammed the trunk closed. “Come on, let’s get you rested and then we can talk.”
Selene’s body sagged. Seraphine still hadn’t spoken to her since the demon stick incident. But she knew Seraphine was still in there. She felt her, deep inside her cage, curled in a ball. It worried Selene. Maybe Neeman was right, maybe rest would help.
* * * *
Selene trudged up the stairs of Coven House to the second floor landing. All around coven members stared and whispered. News travelled in the Vampire society faster than among mean teenagers in her old high school. Several of the house slaves had gathered in the entryway as well, their eyes frightened and their voices animated. She supposed she should feel the same way. After all, this was about as bad as this world could get.
Beings that were stronger, faster and all around deadlier than any they’d met were about to flood in and destroy everything, or take it prisoner.
Neeman placed his hand on her lower back and guided her up to their room. Their room, what a strange thought.
“Neeman?”
They stopped and turned. William was walking across the landing.
“Danika would like to meet—”
“Not now,” Neeman said.
William’s brows furrowed and he licked his lips. “I…well…”
“Not now, William. Tell Danika I’ll be down later.”
William’s gaze shifted between the two of them and he nodded and headed toward the other side of the house.
Neeman looked at her and she swallowed. His grim expression tied a knot in her stomach.
“After you,” he said.
She continued up to the room. As the door closed behind them, the silence of the room was suffocating.
“Why don’t you go lie down?” Neeman said.
“Are you going to lie down with me?” Why had she asked that?
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” he said.
She sighed. Her nerves were so jittery there was no way she’d be able to sleep. She walked to the couch and sat, crossing her arms and her legs.
“Don’t do this,” he said. “Get some rest. I’ll stay out here and we can talk later.”
“I don’t want to talk later. I want to talk now.”
She stared at his box on the table. The one she’d saved from the collapse.
“Why do you have to be like this?” he asked. “Why can’t you just do as I say, for once?”
“Because I’m not good at taking orders.”
“Oh yeah? Really? Well you’ve been letting someone order you around here.” He threw himself into the overstuffed chair to her left.
And so it began.
She nodded and stared at her hands. “Yes, I have. Lorcan is the High Elder of t
he fae.”
“The one who tortured you.”
“Yes.”
“Your ex-lover.”
She caught his gaze. Telling the truth was the only way they would get through this.
“Yes we had sex. But he was never my lover.”
“So tell me. What were you sent here to do?”
She hung her head in her hands and stared at her feet. Blood stained her shoes and she rubbed them together in an effort to remove some of the spots.
“I was sent here to kidnap Danika and take her to Lorcan.”
“Why?”
She looked up. “Because the fae are afraid of what Mason can do. They wanted to take Danika to their realm where Mason would follow and then trap him there.”
Neeman sat forward resting his hands on his knees. “But what made them think they could contain him? He’s the strongest being I’ve ever seen.”
“He is, but the magick of the fae rivals that of even demons. As a unit, they can combine their power. There are few things more formidable that a collective of fae.” She shifted in her seat. “I meant what I said before. Seraphine knocked you out to save you. We had to get Danika to Lorcan to get him to fulfill the promise he made. I knew that you’d try to stop me. But if we didn’t take her…”
“What?”
“If we hadn’t, then he would’ve taken you to the fae realm instead. On top of that, he wouldn’t have stopped coming until he had her. What we did ensured he wouldn’t be able to harm any of us, ever again.”
“Why me?” he asked.
She stared at him. “Come on, Neeman, I know you aren’t that dumb.”
“Tell me.” His eyes were intense.
She took in his features: his fine Roman nose, his strong jawline, and lush lips, which split slightly in the middle. His handsome face sported a gash above his left eye and the deep shadows under his eyes told her he hadn’t been sleeping well. His blond hair stuck up all over. His scruffy stubble made her heart pound.
For the first time in hours, Seraphine sat up and took notice. “Tell him.”
He was going to make her say it. In a way, she understood. Just a day ago, she’d completely rejected him. He wasn’t going to be made a fool of again.
He moved from his chair to sit on the table in front of her. His nearness made her pulse quicken. He leaned in so that their hands almost touched.
“Tell me,” he said again.
“Tell you what?” Her insides squirmed like a bowl full of caterpillars.
“Tell me why he thought taking me would hold such sway over you.”
He wasn’t going to give her an inch.
“Okay fine.” She threw up her hands. “Do you want to hear I have feelings for you? That you were right and I lied when I said I didn’t have feelings? To tell you I’d do just about anything to keep you safe, including sending my brother’s mate off to be locked up by my sadistic SOB ex? Because that’s all true. And I’d do it again a thousand times to keep you safe. “
“Why?”
“Because I love you. I’ve never been in love before and I’m not entirely sure I like the feeling, but I do. I love you. Is that what you want to hear me say?”
He grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her face close to his.
“Yes.” He lingered an inch from her lips, making Seraphine roar to life. She lurched forward and pressed her lips into his.
His grip on her neck tightened, bringing her closer. She touched the stubble on his cheek and ran her fingers through his hair. His tongue probed and explored her mouth and his fangs grazed her bottom lip. She licked his fangs and pressed her tongue against one of them. A shudder rippled through him. He stood, pulling her to her feet, scooped her into his arms, and headed for the bedroom.
Her chest warmed and she wanted nothing more than to be in his arms. Seraphine fought for control, but Selene kept her at bay.
He laid her on the bed and covered her body with his. The hard planes and contours of his body dropped down on her, making her quake with desire.
Seraphine begged for freedom.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Selene panted. “It’s just…Seraphine wants out.”
He stared at her for a long hard minute. “Let her out.”
“What?” That wasn’t part of the plan.
“Let her out. I want to see her.”
Panic echoed through Selene. Maybe it would be all right. Maybe Seraphine would behave.
“She won’t hurt me,” he said. “She saved me, remember?”
He dipped down and kissed her long and slow, making her temperature rise. He kissed down the side of her neck, grabbed her hands, and pinned them above her head.
It was true. Most everything Seraphine had done in the last twenty-four hours had been to protect Neeman.
“Let her out.” He trailed kisses down the front of her shirt and nipped at her buds through the thin fabric.
Selene moaned. Neeman settled the weight of his hips on hers and rubbed his long, hard length against her core. The seam of her jeans rolled against her most sensitive spot, heating her further.
“Seraphine,” he crooned. “Where are you?”
Selene’s mind floated on a cloud of bliss and her resolve slipped. Before she regained control, Seraphine tore out of her cage and took over.
* * * *
“Hello, loverboy.” Selene’s eyes turned purple and Seraphine shone through. She smiled at him and stroked Neeman’s hair with her long slender fingers.
Relief settled in his chest. He hadn’t even been sure she was really still alive. “You’re still in there.”
“Of course, lover. You don’t think you could get rid of me that easy, did you?”
“Who said I wanted you to go anywhere?”
Her smile faltered and her brows furrowed. “Don’t you?”
“You are a part of Selene, of course I wouldn’t.”
She tried to scoot out from underneath him. “I don’t understand.”
“Don’t you? You’re the one I met in the club that first night, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re the one who saved Selene from the demons.”
“Guilty as charged.”
“Then why would I want you to go anywhere?” He swooped down and kissed her hard. “I love you. Both of you.”
Her body softened against him. She grabbed onto him, digging her fingernails into his back. The feel sent a ripple of pleasure down to his toes. He lifted her t-shirt and ran his hands over her soft flesh. She moaned into his mouth and her fangs descended.
“Neeman.” She broke their kiss and looked into his eyes. “I want you.”
He didn’t need to be asked twice and he didn’t need to be gentle with her this time. He ripped her t-shirt over her head as she reached for his belt buckle and undid his pants. Grabbing his mouth with hers, she bit his lip, making him come even closer to losing control. Ripping her jeans open, he broke the zipper.
She shimmied out of them and pulled down his boxer briefs as he slid off her panties and she unclasped her bra. Then she sprawled before him, The sight had him shaking with need. Her perfect body lay ready and waiting.
He started at her toes and kissed up the inside of her foot, licking from her ankle to behind her knee, making her shudder.
“Neeman,” she moaned. “I don’t need the niceties. I’m happy to just have you fast and rough.”
He continued up the inside of her thigh and over her hip. She fisted her hands in his hair as he swirled his tongue over her belly button and kissed her flat stomach.
“Show me,” he said.
“Anything.”
He looked up and met her eyes. “Show me the real you.”
Her fingers slacked.
“What?” Her voice was a whisper.
He propped himself on one elbow. “Show me the real you. I want to see you.”
Ser
aphine’s eyes flickered from purple to green and back again.
“I can’t,” she said.
“I want you,” he said. “As you are. No spells, no lies, no walls. Just you. Both of you.”
Her expression shifted several times as if having an inward battle. Then her eyes turned green once more. She stared at him and placed one of her hand over her abdomen.
“Manifesto.”
The skin shimmered and revealed not only the old scars but also the new one from Lorcan.
Neeman leaned in and reverently kissed over her stomach and up to her newest scar. Her body trembled beneath his lips.
He kissed up her torso to her breasts, swirling his tongue up over her sensitive peaks, making her arch against him. Spreading her thighs with his, he kissed up the side of her throat and met her gaze. Her eyes continued to flicker from green to purple.
“Take me,” she whispered.
Neeman entered her in a hard precise thrust. Selene cried out and grabbed on to him. Her warmth wrapped around him, cocooning, squeezing, and massaging him closer to climax. Neeman swooped down and kissed her as he thrust inside her again. Her breathing hitched with every thrust of his hips.
Tingling built in his legs and burned up the backs of his thighs, pooling in his groin. The feel and smell of her body connected to his was almost more than he could bear.
Selene broke their kiss and took his face in her hands. Her eyes bright, her fangs long in her mouth. “Bite me,” she said.
He kissed her again, their teeth, tongues, and lips mingling, scraping, and swirling together like their bodies.
He pulled away and struck, sinking his fangs deep into her throat. The taste of her warm sweet blood rushed through him and pulled him to the brink. Their bodies merged faster and harder. She dug her fingers into his hips, forcing him inside her. He moaned and drank from her as she guided his hips. The build inside him tightened till it finally snapped and broke loose. He disengaged his fangs and roared as he came.
Rise of the Fae Page 27