Dark Surrender

by Rachel Van Dyken

  Because a siren in love — was a dangerous thing.

  And a part of me wondered if that was what Cassius had planned all along. In order for me to be at my strongest, I needed to be in love.

  Something I’d never experienced in all of my years of living, screwing, and toying with males and females alike.

  “What.” I gave her a menacing glare. “The hell, do you think you’re doing?”

  “I’m scared of earthquakes,” she whispered, licking her lips repeatedly until I thought I was going to go mad with the motion of her tongue sliding across the pink of her mouth. “Terrified, actually.”

  “This is Seattle.” I was still holding her, for reasons beyond my realm of understanding.

  “They say the next earthquake is going to be really big and half of downtown is going to slide into the Puget Sound, so excuse me for being scared!”

  “And you live downtown?”

  “Well… no.” Her brown eyes focused in on mine.

  “Then you must visit there often?”

  “No.”

  I sighed impatiently. “So your fears are completely unfounded and illogical. Simply stop fearing it.”

  “Easy for you to say.”

  “I tire of holding you, human.” The lie fell easy; in fact, I had forgotten I was holding her until she fidgeted in my arms like she was the offended party, when I was the one who had just been assaulted. “The only thing you need to fear is me.”

  “Because you…” She sighed. “You’re going to sacrifice me?”

  I tried to hold the laugh in.

  But it was all too ridiculous.

  “Yes.” I nodded seriously, my lips twitching with the urge to smile. “The process will be painless. I’ll tie your hands and feet to the bedposts — strip you naked, and then plunge an immortal sword into your heart. You’ll need to repeat the words ut animam meam and then once you drink my blood — if it accepts you, you will live.”

  Her face paled as she struggled to get out of my arms.

  And then I lost it, dropping her back to her feet, laughing so hard I felt my body shook with it.

  “I don’t even remember the phrase!” Her wild eyes darted between me and the bed, clearly not catching on. Joke. It was a joke.

  “Well,” I lifted a shoulder and shrugged. “Then I guess you die.”

  “But—”

  “Better do it quickly, less pain that way.”

  “What about the plants?”

  My smile froze. “Either you’re extremely simple minded or mentally ill. What the hell are you talking about?”

  “The—” She tugged at her low ponytail. “The plants, you know, around the grounds. I take care of them and Cassius—” Her eyes lit up. “Cassius said I was getting a promotion, so sorry, but you can’t kill me.”

  I grinned. “Okay.”

  She frowned.

  I was still confused how she was shielding herself from my essence, but already I was mentally drained from the energy it took to get her to worship me — instead I returned to my normal everyday state and held out my hand.

  She stared at it.

  “Take my hand.”

  “No.” She swallowed. “I think I’ll just wait for Cassius.”

  “He’s already mated.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not mating him.”

  “No.” This, this was my favorite part, watching humans try to logically put together all of the pieces of the puzzle only to realize their brains were too small to comprehend the different parts they held, the angles, the colors, “You’re going to mate with me.”

  I expected her to cry.

  Maybe throw something.

  Instead, she froze and then with a scream ran head first directly into my body sending me sailing backward against the marble floor.

  I was caught unaware.

  Meaning, I barely had time to stop myself before my head slammed back against the hard ground.

  She tried to run toward the door.

  “Cat and mouse.” I sighed from my position on the ground. “I always did like foreplay.”

  She jerked against the doors with fervor, I’d give her that, but they wouldn’t budge.

  Not until she was mine.

  Not until the doors sensed my blood running through her veins.

  “Why won’t it open?” Her voice was strangled as pieces of her hair fell out of its restraint and brushed against her shoulders. “You can’t keep me here forever.”

  “I can.” I yawned. “I will.”

  “Cassius!” She started banging against the wood panels.

  While I went over to the bed and sat.

  She would tire eventually.

  Which would be good.

  Since I needed energy and the only way to gain it — was currently trying to escape me.

  Hope

  THIS WAS BAD.

  Really bad.

  His purple and amber eyes glowed for a brief few seconds then returned to an icy blue that reminded me of fresh water — the effect was assaulting especially combined with the scent of rain as it filled my nostrils with the most cleansing feeling of euphoria I’d ever experienced.

  I mentally gave myself a good slap in the face and banged on the door again.

  Someone had to hear me.

  Anyone.

  I pounded harder, bruising my hand in the process as I screamed for help.

  When I glanced back at Alex, he was yawning, he pulled out a cell phone and turned on some music.

  “You have a phone?”

  “My phone,” he said in a sultry voice. “If you want it, you’ll have to take it.” His eyes did that freaky glowing thing again as a wave of hot air hit me, this time, the air tasted like a sweet milk chocolate. Heat wrapped itself around my midsection and then drifted down my belly.

  Um.

  The heat moved.

  Alex’s lips curved into a wicked smile as the heat slowly spread down my legs and between my thighs.

  I squeezed my legs together with a whimper. “What are you doing?”

  “Nothing.” He yawned.

  “Y-yes you are!” I accused as the heat began to pulse. “Oh, my—“ I braced my hands against my legs and took a few deep breaths trying my best to push away the heat or at least focus on something else, anything but the fact that he was quite literally giving me an orgasm from across the room.

  With nothing but a smirk.

  Oh, this was not good.

  Not good, not good.

  I’d had sex.

  It felt nothing like this.

  At all.

  Not even close.

  “Why don’t you come sit?” Alex patted the bed next to him.

  I shook my head no.

  The heat intensified. “I can do this all day.”

  “M-me too.”

  He gasped. “How selfish. And when will it be my turn? I do like to keep things fair. Tell you what, I’ll keep track of all sexual favors given just in case you forget. I know how humans can be with numbers.”

  “I’d rather you didn’t keep track of those… things.” The heat tugged and pulsed between my legs, until finally, I clenched my teeth together and started walking toward him.

  The minute I did, the heat stopped, and I could finally breathe.

  “There, was that so hard?” His grin was too beautiful for words. Wisps of white-blond hair fell in perfect waves around his face only to change to a beautiful red the minute I sat down next to him.

  “Fun trick.” I crossed my arms to keep myself from shaking and managed to look into his eyes without screaming.

  He tilted his head; it was animalistic, calculating, and way too fast, like a blur. My eyes almost didn’t catch the movement until after it was over with. “Which one?”

  My cheeks heated with embarrassment. “Please, let me go.”

  “Let’s discuss where you would go. I typically can hear thoughts from anyone a few feet from me, but yours are so scattered it gives me a headache. Tell me, where is
home?”

  “And if I tell you… I can leave?”

  “That’s a risk you need to be willing to take, but any option is better than bruising your hands in an effort to escape. Besides, it’s not like I can open the doors.”

  Panic surged through me. “But you’re immortal. Of course you can! I’m just not strong enough.”

  “Neither am I,” he said in a serious tone, his smile faltering. “At least not yet.”

  “You’re just… lying again.” Appalled by the quaver in my voice, I scooted away.

  “I wish I were.” His wry smile twisted one side of his lips upward. “Trust me when I say this, neither of us will be leaving… not yet.”

  I wasn’t sure if I found it comforting that he couldn’t get out either, that he was just as trapped as I was… or if I was more terrified.

  “So…” His hand grazed my left arm, and then as if puzzled he pulled his fingers away and lifted them to his lips, licking them like I was honey and he’d just dipped them into a pot. “Hell.”

  I cringed, as insecurity washed over me, right along with a lot of anger that I was still sitting in that stupid room. I was sweaty. It wasn’t like I wasn’t aware of my dirty fingers, or that sweat caked my body, and my hair was probably a mess.

  Before I could defend my state of disarray, he touched me again with one finger, licked, and then in a blur of movements pressed me back against the bed, his large frame making even me feel small.

  His eyes were a crazed mess of amber and blue, wildly changing from one color to another as his hair stayed the color of fire.

  Without warning, his mouth swept down on mine.

  I was too shocked to push him away.

  Shock was quickly replaced with pleasure.

  And the same heat that had been dancing along my legs, invaded my body like I’d just taken a shot of the smoothest whiskey.

  He pulled away and cursed.

  Leaving my body shaking, pulsing, wanting, and needing more of it.

  I lifted my trembling fingers to my mouth while he jerked away from the bed and stomped over to the door.

  With a curse, he banged his hands against it.

  The door moved, it groaned and grumbled, but it didn’t open.

  “Damn it, Cassius! Open the door, NOW!”

  Nothing.

  The walls shook.

  The bed shook.

  I shook.

  But the door didn’t move.

  Alex turned his venomous expression toward me and cursed as ice filled my veins. “You bitch!”

  My mouth gaped open. “E-excuse me?” What did I DO?

  “What. Did. You. Do?” He repeated back to me like I was dumb. “Well you were born, so there’s the first misfortune. Then again, you wouldn’t even know your own age now, would you? Somewhere between twenty-five and forty? A little fuzzy? Those memories? Damn it!” He kept hitting the door with one hand. “Cassius, I will murder you!”

  I frowned.

  Could he murder an angel? Or Dark One?

  “Cassius!” He roared as the lights flickered around the room then went completely out, blanketing us in darkness.

  I shivered, and pulled my knees to my chest, absolutely terrified of what he would do. I didn’t know much about sirens, but I did know that they had very extreme emotions.

  Obviously.

  Suddenly a hand was on my arm.

  Alex gripped me hard, his fingers pressing into my skin, and then his teeth tore into part of my wrist.

  With a cry, I tried to jerk my hand away, but he was too strong.

  He flipped my hand over.

  And then quickly snapped his fingers onto the wound.

  A small fire started below my wrist.

  On the bed.

  It was blue.

  He cursed again.

  While I was mesmerized by the flames that didn’t burn.

  “Elf.”

  Alex

  London England 1815

  “YOU’RE SO PRETTY.” Her fingernails scraped across my naked back while I dressed. “When can I see you again?”

  I slept with her because I wanted to — no other reason.

  I didn’t love her.

  And I sure as hell didn’t like her.

  But the invasive heat inside my chest demanded to be let loose, so I slept with her, which wasn’t saying much since I slept with anything and everything that gave me relief from the pain.

  God, I just wanted relief.

  Once in my life.

  And the one woman I wanted to spend that life with — wouldn’t understand, I couldn’t tarnish her with what I was. Though God knew I wanted to, every touch with her was pure torture making it so I had to leave and find my pleasure elsewhere.

  There was love.

  And there was sex.

  This? This was sex.

  “I’ll find you.” I said in a haughty tone so she’d know I was dismissing her. “I always do.”

  Because I was desperate.

  Because I protect those I loved.

  Because I was a bastard.

  She grinned, her smile once captivating was tired. I’d taken too much of her energy, even now her heart beat slowed, but when you were a human you died.

  Cause and effect.

  By the looks of her, she wouldn’t last another ten years.

  Pity because I’d have to find someone else that tasted like she did, and her taste was rare.

  Not as rare as some.

  But rare all the same.

  My mind flashed back to the woman waiting for me, the one my heart sang for, the only one I desired.

  Control.

  I had to control myself because I’d always had this sickening feeling that if I didn’t — if I hurt her — all would be lost. And not just between us — but the world.

  It was insanity.

  Complete and utter madness.

  I rarely shared my fears with others, least of all her.

  And I wouldn’t burden her ever.

  It was not hers to carry.

  The minute the lingering perfume dissipated, and the sound of her footsteps ended, I collapsed against one of the large chairs in my study and waited for it.

  Within minutes, Cassius charged into my room.

  “Please, do come in.” I reached for a glass of wine, but it was hit out of my hands by a very pissed off Dark One.

  “Do you have ANY idea what we’ve been going through? And you’re here screwing humans? We need help, Alex. We saved you so you could do a job.”

  “I just did it.” I forced a smirk I didn’t feel. “Four times.”

  “Hell.” Cassius looked ready to toss me into the fire. “The elves are nearly extinct. Their race can only do so much to keep hope alive and here you are, carousing with a human who’s going to die in a few years from an STD she catches by trying to find someone who matches up to you!”

  “Ahhh,” I snapped my fingers. “I knew something was weird about her body chemistry but—”

  “Alex.” Cassius glared daggers at me. “Get off your ass and protect the last few. It is your job! There are only five women left since the Great War. I swore I’d protect them, and protect them I will.” He stormed off.

  And I sat there.

  In a trance.

  And I had no idea why, why the idea of protecting the innocent made me angry, especially considering what I knew of the elves.

  An hour later, I finally grumbled out a curse and walked down to where I knew the defenseless little elves were waiting.

  Where she was waiting.

  I knew the females would judge me by my indiscretions and for once, I didn’t want to have to deal with it, deal with another woman’s scent on my skin while I made promises I knew I would never be able to keep.

  The hotel was new by London standards, hardly big enough to house more than a hundred or so guests.

  The door was opened for me by a man in a black hat and white-gloved fingers.

  I glided through the open lobby,
enjoying the stares of women as they moaned behind their fans.

  I passed a gentleman who nearly ran into one of the plants and laughed when the elderly lady walking with him whimpered. It did wonders for my bad mood, it was like marching to my death — if the elves only knew.

  They’d probably kill me themselves.

  Once I made it to the correct room, I let myself in. And froze.

  Blue, shiny blood was everywhere.

  Everywhere.

  Four elves.

  Were dead.

  Hope

  “WHY ARE YOU looking at me like that?” I asked, rubbing my wrist with my right hand. My skin felt funny, and I was still hot, so, so hot that I wanted to cry. I would sell my arm for a glass of water.

  Elf? Was that some sort of derogatory word? Like an immortal curse word?

  Alex’s eyes pierced right through me as if he was staring through my body and glaring at the far cement wall, the faraway look would be creepy if he didn’t look so beautiful while doing it.

  I studied his bow-shaped lips, the way they parted just enough to suck in a breath of air. His chest rose and fell in an even cadence, and then his eyes snapped shut. “Cassius, damn you!”

  Why was he shouting?

  It was almost as if he was afraid of me.

  My lips twitched.

  Add super human hearing to his many lists of attributes, his eyes flashed and a snarl curled his beautiful lips as he leaned forward close enough to kiss me. “I do not like you.”

  “Um.” It was hard not to feel rejected when a being who looked like that, told you that they didn’t like you. Not to mention he had spent the last five minutes cursing everyone and everything to Hell only to yell elf at me about a million times before finally pouting on the opposite end of the bed with his arms crossed over the deeply muscled rivets of this stomach. “I’m sorry?”

  His eyes narrowed and then snapped shut before he let out a breath and started pacing in front of me. “You,” He spat the you like a curse. “Are not normal.”

  I jerked like he’d slapped me. And the compliments just kept coming.

  “Weaker than the average human,” He pressed his lips together in a hard line, “Defenseless, weak, nothing but an elf.”

  I frowned. “You mean like the ones who make cookies? Those elves?” My stomach growled on cue. My cheeks heated in embarrassment.