Netherworld II: Blood Potion No. 9

by Tracy St. John

  Crap. He was cursing and not apologizing for it. I was in big trouble.

  I lowered my head. “I’m sorry. You know I wouldn’t do this lightly.”

  “I already have to share you with Tristan, and that’s more than I can stomach. What, two men isn’t enough for you?” His gravelly voice was almost a shout.

  My insides churned. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I blinked them back with all the effort I could muster. I faced him because he deserved the respect. “You know better. It wasn’t my body, and I was really scared for Bane. That’s the only reason I did it.”

  His tone was scathing, and I cringed at every word he spat out. “That’s nice and convenient, Brandilynn. Using someone else’s body keeps you clean? And you didn’t enjoy it, right?”

  I couldn’t answer him. I’d liked screwing the werewolf, all right. God, I wish I could lie, if only to spare Dan’s feelings.

  As I sat there mute, my silence telling Dan what he didn’t want to know, he gave me a look of absolute disgust. I wanted to shrink into myself and hide from him at that moment. I’d been an escort in life, one that sold sex to my regular customers. But until now, Dan had never given me a look that made me feel dirty.

  I don’t how much uglier it would have gotten had Tristan and Patricia not chosen that moment to arrive. Materializing next to me, Tristan didn’t take time to notice the heavy atmosphere of the room.

  “Good morning,” he said, kissing me right off the bat.

  “Hi Tristan. Good morning, Patricia,” I said, marveling at how steady my voice came out.

  Patricia picked up on the tension right away. She gave me a quick nod. “Brandilynn.” Then she eyed Boyfriend Number One with an arched brow. “Dan, you look like someone licked all the red off your candy.”

  He turned away, pretended to busy himself with something on the desk. “Brandilynn has something to report.”

  Tristan looked from me to Dan to me to Dan again like he was watching a tennis match. The smirk on his face told me he didn’t mind the obvious unhappiness between us one bit. “Oh well, let’s have it,” he invited pleasantly.

  Tristan as a human ghost is just as elegant and urbane as he is as a vampire. But he’s so much warmer. His skin reverts to the tan he left mortal life with, his dark eyes, while still almost black, aren’t nearly as predatory. There’s no hunger to sharpen the planes of his face. He doesn’t look at others as if wondering how good they taste. This is the man I love.

  I started off with the revelation that C.K. and Hazel were directly responsible for the tainted blood supplies and followed up with the even bigger news that they planned to infect the norms with Zoo Flu. Tristan and Patricia both turned appropriately pale at the murderous pairs’ plot. Even Dan let go of enough anger to be aghast.

  But Tristan’s horror didn’t preclude him from scheming to take advantage of the situation. Boyfriend Number Two is always interested in what’s in it for him, whether he’s vampire or human. If he didn’t actually care about others, it would definitely turn me off.

  He said, “This is huge. If we can find out when the shipment of tainted blood is due to come in, we’ll have that hateful little pig right where we want him.”

  I scowled. “You can’t screw up Bane’s investigation, Tristan. Not if you want the Beasts put out of commission here in Fulton Falls permanently. Hands off the case.”

  He waggled a paternal finger at me. “You’re there on my behalf, Brandilynn. Surely the ATF can share the credit with us.”

  I snorted in a most unladylike fashion, but Tristan’s ambitions were ticking me off just a bit. “And further your political career?”

  He folded his arms over his chest and gave me a level look. “So sue me for being ambitious. If my people just happen to be on hand when the bust goes down, everyone wins.”

  At least he’s honest about his less-than-stellar motivations. I can’t fault that.

  Dan finally joined the conversation. “I can pick the Beasts back up now, Tristan. I think Brandilynn’s done enough.” The glare he gave me let me know he wasn’t referring to spying.

  “I prefer you to stay with the main ATF office so you can keep us abreast of the plans they have.”

  “Then I’ll do both,” Dan said doggedly.

  Patricia stared at him. “What is your problem?”

  I answered because it was up to me to tell Tristan what I’d done, not Dan. “His problem is that I took over a living woman’s body and had sex with Bane.”

  Tristan started. He turned to me, his expression a mix of anger and disbelief. When he could speak, his tone was still cultured but noticeably furious. And he cursed. “Why the hell would you do that?”

  Shamefaced, I repeated the sordid tale. Dan turned away again while I spoke.

  When I was finished, Patricia said, “Way to take one for the team, Brandilynn.”

  I couldn’t tell if she was being sarcastic or sincere. I was betting on sarcastic.

  Tristan stared at me, his expression wiped clean of any feeling. His eyes gave away the internal struggle he was fighting though. It was the longest ten seconds of my life, that silence.

  Finally he spoke, shaking his head and letting his disappointment in me come through. “I can see why you’d sacrifice yourself in such a way, but I can’t say I’m happy about it either. This relationship is crowded as it is.”

  I’ll admit I got defensive. I’d hurt two men with my need to save Bane, and it was easy to give into the shelter of anger. Anger is simpler than shame. So, true to Brandilynn form, I pointed out, “You have your blood groupies. You have sex with other women, what, two or three times a night? If anyone has no right to argue, it’s you.”

  Dan swung around to face us all. He spoke through gritted teeth. “Keep her away from the Beasts, Tristan. I don’t want her saving that agent again.”

  I was still in anger’s thrall, and I turned it on Boyfriend Number One. “Why don’t you just come right out and call me a whore, Dan? I did what I felt I had to. I didn’t have sex with Bane to hurt you or get my jollies.”

  “But you had it. Why didn’t you go poltergeist and distract them that way instead? Thrown some beer bottles around, smashed some glasses? You could have done that.”

  That shut me up. Holy crap, he was right. I could have sucked up energy from somewhere and trashed the club, putting an end to C.K.’s homicidal homo hunt.

  All the righteous fury drained out of me. I really had screwed up big time. All I had to offer was, “I swear, that never occurred to me. I panicked, okay?”

  Scarier than the white-hot rage he’d displayed earlier was Dan’s crystalline iciness. “No, Brandilynn. It’s not okay. Not okay at all.”

  He disappeared.

  I burst into tears despite it being the thing I most hate doing. I had ruined a great relationship with a man I adored. Worse than that, I had hurt Dan, destroying trust in the most horrible way a woman could. Stupid, stupid Brandilynn.

  Over my sobs I heard Patricia sigh, “Oh boy. Should I go after Dan, see if I can find him?”

  Tristan’s voice was heavy. “I’d appreciate it. Thanks sweetie.”

  “No problem.” Patricia left, leaving me alone with Angry Boyfriend Number Two. The day just refused to look up.

  Chapter 6

  I brought myself under control with a lot of effort. When I had a handle on my upset, I saw that Tristan had sat down on the leather couch in the periodicals section of the room. I moved to stand close to him.

  He watched me with a look I couldn’t quite read. I didn’t dare speak first. Dan had already walked – okay, de-materialized – out on me. I was afraid Tristan would too.

  Finally he said, “Did you really think we’d be okay with you doing that?”

  “It was stupid of me. But as God is my witness, Tristan, it was all I could think to do at the moment.”

  He rubbed his forehead, looking really tired. Ghosts don’t get tired, at least not physically. Tristan rarely let people see him as any
thing but cool and unflappable. “That really cut what you said about I didn’t have any reason to be upset because I have sex with other women. You have a point though.”

  I regretted my choice of words. I knelt at his feet, wanting to touch him but not having the guts to do so. “Forget I said anything, okay? You’re a vampire. Blood and sex go together. I know that.”

  His dark eyes searched my face. He shook his head almost violently. “It doesn’t have to. Plenty of my kind get along on the bottled and pouched stuff. I could too.”

  Then joy of joys, he reached for me. His hands closed over my upper arms and he pulled me into his lap. I fought the urge to cry again as I snuggled against him.

  I had to make this right, somehow. I had to keep Tristan. “The bottled stuff isn’t as good. No vampire who can get it fresh from a donor drinks from a bottle.”

  I wouldn’t do Tristan as a vampire if I could. It is just too freaky even for me. But I’ll be honest. It did hurt to know my sweetie had intimacies with other women, even though as one of the fanged, he’s a very different man from his ghostly aspect. Still, I’d put up with it. I love him that much.

  I was totally shocked when Tristan said, “If the vampire loves someone enough, he will find a way to stay monogamous with her.”

  I pulled back to look him in the face. “What are you saying?”

  “If I gave up the blood groupies for you, would you give up Dan for me?”

  I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. Emotions swirled within me: terror, delight, love, and dread.

  Tristan chuckled. “My little commitment-phobe.” He turned serious again. “No need to answer right now, Brandilynn. But once the blood supplies are safe again, I’m willing to take that step. It’s time to choose one man. Neither of us is going to share you much longer.”

  The words popped out without me thinking about them. “But I love you both.”

  He grinned, flashing perfectly straight teeth in a killer smile. “That’s why you’ve got to make one of us happy and give the other his freedom. You didn’t think this triangle would work forever, did you?”

  I sank against him once more. “No. I know I haven’t been fair to you two. But it’s hard, Tristan.”

  “I realize that. I haven’t been fair to you either. Did you really just use the ‘L’ word?”

  I had to laugh. “I did. And I meant it, you conniving, ambitious vampire, you.”

  His finger curled beneath my chin, and he lifted my face to his. His slow, gentle, and sweet kiss made my insides a gooey mess.

  “I want to make love to you, Brandilynn. No Dom and sub stuff. Just … us. Together.”

  I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Sometimes vanilla is the best flavor.”

  His clothes disappeared and mine followed suit. He lowered me to the couch, the leather cool against my back. We melded quickly, both of us wanting that connection that made us one. And it was wonderful. Ghosts don’t usually do much in the way of body heat, but he made himself warm for me, which felt so good. His smooth chest was hard, bringing my nipples to eager points as he moved up and down against me. I knotted my arms and legs around him, holding him close. His slow thrusts rocked our bodies, and I exulted in every movement of his cock rubbing in long, determined strokes. We alternated between deep, penetrating kisses and staring into each other’s eyes, as if we could pierce the other’s soul.

  After a little while, we rolled over so that Tristan lay beneath me. I rode him as languorously and as thoroughly as he had me. My hands braced against that sculpted chest as I lifted and fell over him, working my hips in tight circles. I reached behind me to caress his scrotum, making him moan a sweet tune. He clutched my breasts, not too hard, but with a firmness that made me gasp.

  I leaned back, propping my hands on his long thighs. He watched his cock slip in and out of my wetness, his lips parted and his eyes dark. My body begged for me to take him hard and fast, to reach orgasm, but his groans of, “Beautiful, Brandilynn. So beautiful to see you like this,” stayed my selfish urges.

  It was beautiful. His swollen cock, blushing slightly darker than his golden-brown skin, gleamed from my moisture when I let it slide almost all the way out of me. And watching as well as feeling it slip back in … oh, it was so good. Despite my desire clamoring for release, I thought I could have done this forever.

  We’d had amazing sex that had given me climaxes so intense that I was rendered blind and deaf while I orgasmed. Tristan had put me in positions to give the most talented contortionist nightmares. But until today, I thought perhaps we’d never made love before.

  His hands were all over me as I moved on him, rubbing my breasts, ribs, belly, and mound. After awhile, he settled his thumb over my clit, rubbing around and all over in intricate patterns. I groaned and lost my rhythm as lightning flashes of sensation bolted through me.

  “God, Tristan! What are you doing?”

  “Practicing my A-B-Cs.” He grinned as he played with the swollen nub.

  “Are you kidding me?” I laughed between gasps.

  “Nope. See? A…” he drew the capital letter over my clit with his thumb. “B…”

  Hilarity warred with intense arousal. “You lunatic. I don’t know whether to laugh or scream.” I was working on both, breathless chuckles mingling with little shrieks of sensual delight.

  “C … D…”

  “I swear if you start singing it, I’ll strangle you.”

  “E … F…”

  “Gold stars for penmanship,” I moaned. Arousal was winning out over amusement. I was heating up to a boil fast. Climax would soon bubble over. I didn’t think I’d make it to Z.

  “G … H … I…”

  Oh boy. The pressure built higher. A slow spasm started from my clit, rippled up my passage, clenched my womb. Warning shot number one. Tristan sighed in reaction.

  “J … K … L … M…”

  Everything below flexed, tightening like a fist. Warning shot number two. Tristan’s eyes rolled a little then he grinned pure deviltry at me. He knew I was about to lose it.

  “N … O … P…”

  Pure heat billowed from my nether regions. I was at the cusp now, so close to climax I could taste it. Tristan groaned. Final warning.

  “Q … R…”

  I flung myself forward, planting my hands on his chest and digging my toes into the couch beneath us. I rode him furiously, pistoning my sex over his, ending his schoolboy recitation in a flurry of pounding flesh. His hands closed over my hips, helping me by driving me up and down.

  Igniting. Detonating. Exploding. Flinging wide into space in a billion burning pieces. Oh God, yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

  Tristan’s groans joined mine, and I went off again when I felt his cock twitch its surrender inside me. I rode the pulses of elation with happy cries until he quit jerking beneath me.

  I wilted over him, snuggling against his body in the warmth of afterglow. His arms banded around me, holding me with a combination of strength and care.

  “No other men besides Dan and me, Brandilynn,” he whispered.

  “I suppose I should be punished,” I said. “I did you and Dan wrong.” Heavens, I sounded like a bad country song.

  “Maybe giving you discipline will make things right between you and him again. Not that I particularly want that to happen, but I’d do it to make you feel better.”

  He was so generous, and gratitude swelled within me. “Thanks. I’ll leave the particulars up to you.” I swallowed as I said that. Tristan was the textbook perfect Dom. Giving him the power to truly punish me for cheating on him and Dan would mean real discipline, the kind that didn’t have any part of sexual fun and games.

  And it might be for nothing. For all I knew, Dan had already quit after my betrayal. Tristan might just win Brandilynn’s One and Only Derby by default.

  * * * *

  It was late afternoon when I returned to the Beasts club, and I discovered it was almost empty. The place was oddly quiet, and I realized that for once
the music system wasn’t pounding. No one played pool or foosball, adding to the strange silence. Only a couple of women were there, along with Bane and a weregator wearing an enforcer patch like the werewolf’s. They seemed to be wrapping up a conversation.

  Bane fist bumped the weregator. “Yeah, I’ll be back around seven or eight.”

  Gator’s skin was greenish-gray, and he had scales in patches where his open vest showed skin. His face was elongated and unpleasant with sharp teeth. It occurred to me that of all the Beasts, Bane and the couple of werebears I’d seen were the only attractive men in the bunch. Hogs and gators just don’t meld well with humans physically.