Stigmata

by L M Adams

  “Please… can you refrain from killing people for trespassing?” I ask calmly.

  “Fine, Bloodsucker, if it will make you happy and get you off my back.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But I get to kiss your body for five minutes tonight.”

  “What?!”

  “You want something, I want something.”

  “What kind of barter system is this?!”

  “One in which you get to save a trespasser’s life and I get to nibble on your flesh until you cry.”

  My cock gets instantly hard and I hate him all the more for it.

  “May I have pain first? Real pain?” I ask in a small whisper.

  “No.”

  “Please,” my voice cracks with my begging.

  But he opens his book, and I know that the conversation is over.

  Five minutes of love touch, my gut sickens at the thought. Why can’t he just give me what I need?! Love me the way that I need?

  Instead of thoughts and plans for our wedding, my mind is filled with confusing feelings about what tonight will bring. I keep telling myself it’s only five minutes, I can survive five minutes of it – but that fact doesn’t seem to calm me down.

  Five minutes of my stepfather’s voice in my head as Lucien kisses my body. Five minutes of those disgusting names running through my thoughts as Lucien sucks and bites on my flesh.

  My cock coming against my will, harrowing empty orgasms forced from my body like a shameful wet dream that will not end… Lucien comforting me as I cry afterwards.

  He doesn’t even notice my distress, far too caught up in his book. The words are written in a language I wouldn’t even begin to understand how to translate.

  It looks like an earlier or perhaps later version of Coptic. The book is handwritten, not printed. It has dates in the top right of the pages, at least what I think is a date. I can’t really say what ‘little case a – upper case b – squiggle line – triangle’ is, but it’s in the spot one would usually write a date. Perhaps this book is a journal?

  I want to ask, I want to know what he’s reading, what he’s thinking, how he’s feeling since we burned his tutor’s body and sent his spirit on.

  Azazael had killed the man, Henenu, for no reason, no reason at all other than to hurt Lucien, to hurt us for not releasing the gods of old – Azazael’s brethren.

  I can’t help but to feel a sense of responsibility. I am a direct descendant of Azazael – all vampires are. We are the cursed, the forked tongues, the sons of perdition.

  We didn’t even have a ceremony before Lucien set Henenu’s body ablaze. Lucien didn’t want to have one, and he didn’t want to talk about it, and he hasn’t talked about it since.

  All he does is study as hard as possible, perhaps in a last-ditch effort to make his old tutor proud of him.

  But, none the less, I want to know… does he blame me for what has happened? At least on some level?

  After all, how can he look at me and not see the jackal that whispered such evil into the hearts of the ones that killed his mother so long ago?

  Perhaps that is why he enjoys seeing me so low, so consumed with filth and heartache – perhaps that is why he won’t make our touch enjoyable tonight.

  Because I deserve to be the catamite and he my punisher for my wicked ways.

  Perhaps my father was right.

  20

  Jack

  We drive to D.C., mostly in silence. I’m left to stew in my own thoughts of self-pity, love, hope, despair… plans for world domination. By the time we reach the upper echelon clothier, To Die For, I’m mostly calm, collected, and have accepted the fact that for five minutes tonight I will completely lose my shit.

  I am a bit put off by Lucien’s casual demand and complete nonchalant attitude towards my distress. But to mention it would make me a prima donna or churlish at best.

  Besides, I have a bigger fish to fry.

  As we pull up in front of the downtown swanky building, my shoulders tighten slightly. I have to put up with Demetri. Is he to be included in our daily family lives now as well? Why can’t the bastard go slink back into the night from whence he came?

  Harper and Frank send out the signal for us to turn on our direct talk features of our tablets. Lucien tucks his book away and loops in his own earpiece as I do the same.

  Right now, it’s all business. I’ve worked hard to keep Jaevia’s schedule top secret. No one should know she’s going to be here today. But we can’t afford to be careless.

  Not with our Queen.

  “Hold,” Frank’s voice comes across clearly in the earpiece.

  I press my earpiece, “Copy,” I whisper.

  Lucien is scanning the street, looking for anything that looks remotely out of place, we both are.

  Frank and Harper get out of the car and walk over to the building. It’s a large brick building with show windows across the entire front façade. Nicole has the latest fashions she’s dressed famous people in on display. Gorgeous storefront designs. Each bay made to accentuate the clothing on display there. Miniature winter wonderlands. Futuristic space battles with sharply cut suits and waistcoats. Trees with dresses designed after the wonder of Gaia.

  She’s not afraid of taking risks in her designs, a visionary with a needle and thread really.

  Jaevia wouldn’t let me have any input on the wedding gown. She wants me to be… surprised, like a normal groom. I was a bit worried until Sidra gave me a word of encouragement. It’s not that I don’t believe in Jaevia, I do. But I can’t put it past her to not show up in black leather and biker boots with a T-shirt that says ‘Marrying Stupid and Stupider’ or something equally outrageous. The thought makes me smile and fills me with horror simultaneously – which pretty much sums up being with Jaevia.

  Frank and Harper ring the doorbell to the shop. To Die For isn’t the kind of place you just walk into. Nicole is by appointment only, and god help you trying to get one.

  My guess, disgraced or not, dressing the new Queen wasn’t something Nicole White was going to pass up on. And Sidra has a way about her. She seems to know how to get anyone to do exactly what she wants while making them feel like it was their idea all along.

  But what else can you expect from a jewel of Peitho? The Kindred had made her Domina of Peitho, I believe to mollify the loyalists of the Knightley family after Kendon didn’t win the council seat. Jaevia comes from Kindred royalty, and she’s been a queen since the day she was born. It’s the rest of the world, it’s her, that has yet to realize it.

  The door opens and Sebastian, Nicole’s primary assistant and apprentice, appears. He’s a bit on the younger side, human, perhaps Bâtardi. Creamy olive skin, dark hair, angular features.

  “Clear,” Frank says over the mic.

  Lucien and I get out of the truck.

  We are acting as guards more than customers, at least until we get Jaevia safely inside.

  I move to open the door to the truck Jaevia is in. Lucien takes up a position closer to the bumper of the truck. His face impassive as he concentrates on spotting anything that isn’t quite right.

  Of course Demetri is the first one out. Him and Jaevia laughing together.

  I start to move to give her my arm to help her dismount from the truck, but Demetri beats me to it.

  I bite down and my fangs nick the sides of my tongue as she accepts his help, as if it’s the most natural thing ever.

  “Thank you, Dem.” She doesn’t even notice me; her eyes never even meet mine.

  I turn and open Sidra’s door, she graciously takes my arm, and has a wonderful smile for me. “Jack.”

  “Sidra,” I nod my head towards her.

  She pats my hand gently and I breathe out, relaxing. She is a soothing balm.

  We turn to the sight of the manly men, Lucien and Kendon, standing formable, scanning the street. People that approach decide to cross the street spontaneously before they cross their paths.

  Dem flitters a hand, he has a
blood red handkerchief doing his best impression of a distressing damsel, “Oh Jaevia, please let us get out of this sun.”

  She laughs, “The sun doesn’t bother you.”

  “It is taxing, Vee-Vee…”

  Vee-Vee? Since when does he have a pet name for MY WIFE?!

  “… I haven’t fed for some hours now. I am not as powerful as others to have the heavens to call my power base.” He bats his eyelashes, looking sad.

  “Oh,” she sounds horribly empathetic. “Come on then, let’s get inside. Jack, Lucien, go on to your fitting, Da, you too.”

  A round of “yes, my Queens,” and we’re all but collectively forgotten.

  Sidra gives me an exasperated pitying look as she leaves my arm to follow Jae and Dem into the building.

  I look at Lucien. He doesn’t seem bothered even a little by Dem and ‘Vee-Vee’. Any other time he’s the most jealous bastard the world has ever seen! But not with Dem? Dem gets a fucking pass?!

  I had to step on eggshells the entire first year after Jaevia and I started dating, bowing out to him, keeping my distance when he wanted Jae to himself, watching what I said, making sure I didn’t act too possessive in front of him. Accepting my place as second to him. It took me months to prove my worth to him, but Dem here gets to flitter about and take our woman without a peep from him?!

  My anger at Jaevia boils right over into Lucien and for the first time, in a long time, I open myself up to Neoma to keep myself from losing my shit and embarrassing myself in front of everyone.

  Jaevia is queen, if she wants to add to her harem, I am but a loyal slave.

  Right?

  21

  Jack

  “Please let us get this over with,” Kendon grumbles.

  He hates the fuss, but anything for his daughter.

  “And that dandy of a vampire will not be riding with me again, endless witless prattle. I do not understand how Jaevia can stand it.”

  I could kiss the man.

  I huff, “He’s not riding with us; he can hitchhike with a serial killer for all I care.”

  Kendon laughs, a loud booming sound. “Come then, there must be libations about, a man needs a drink after that.”

  And for once I think he sees me as that… as a man.

  Perhaps Demetri is what he feared I was, but after forty-five minutes with Demetri, he sees I’m not that at all.

  Frank and Harper remain outside, on full guard duty. Their final fittings are scheduled for tomorrow, along with Kitty, Tricia, Tabari, Némion and Dani to round out our wedding party.

  The inside of To Die For is sleek and elegant, powder white carpet, walls… everything – except the clothing. Nicole doesn’t have many ‘off rack’ items. But there are a few pieces and they’re positioned and styled to be art and break the startling white of the room apart.

  Jaevia, Sidra and Demetri have already moved on to the larger private room on this level, towards the right. The large sliding doors sit closed. If like previous visits, we’ll be guided up to the second level and a bit of a smaller area as the ‘entourage’. We all cater to the Queen.

  There isn’t anything like a cash register in the place. All transactions happen over bank transfer and if you have to ask how much something is you already couldn’t afford it.

  “Right this way,” Sebastian guides us to the left and upstairs to the second floor.

  The room is opulent. Plush dark gray carpet, strategically placed shelves and tables with a few silk dress shirts, ties, and bow ties. The shelves are filled with hand tooled Italian leather shoes. Diamond and ruby cufflinks and tie tacks. Handkerchiefs and colorful pocket squares.

  A full mini living room with a large chaise and two overstuffed high-back chairs frame an old wood-burning fireplace that sits at the other end of the room. Four large windows on either side of the fireplace, the heavy dark gray drapes are currently pulled giving the room an air of secrecy and privacy.

  There is a round fitting platform for us to step up on as our clothing is measured and tailored in front of a large bank of mirrors on one side.

  I head for the table with the decanters of various alcohol. There’s also a bottle of expensive champagne on ice.

  Sebastian wants to start with Kendon.

  “Yes, yes, let’s get it over with.”

  Sebastian goes to the wooden roller rack and looks through the pants hanging there as Kendon strips down to a pair of red silk boxers. Not the kind of underwear I would have guessed he frequented.

  Lucien raises an eyebrow looking at them, I can’t help but do a double take.

  Kendon looks down at himself, a little embarrassed I do believe.

  “Yes well, Sidra likes them.”

  I turn away understanding, what a Knightley woman wants – a Knightley woman gets. “What would you like to drink, Kendon?”

  “Vodka man and make it a double.”

  I chuckle low and pour myself and Lucien bourbons. I serve Lucien and Kendon first and go back for my own drink.

  Lucien takes one of the large chairs and I take the other, they face the room enough that we can talk to Kendon without it being awkward.

  The room has the smell of sandalwood and cigar smoke. It reminds me of days long past and private clubs where men would do business, some of it not being completely honest.

  I settle back into my seat a bit, “How have your travels been?”

  Kendon huffs, “If I have to admit it, I miss Ra’suá. This world is strange, but much of it is still wild and beautiful, I will make do.”

  I’m sure both Kendon and Sidra have visited human Earth before, but it was just that, a visit. This is probably the longest he’s ever been on this world and seen so much of it.

  “Aye, it does take time to adjust.”

  Kendon nods and puts on the pants Sebastian holds out. The boy works silently, almost unnoticed, but he hears and takes note of everything. A certain expectation of privacy is usually extended in these types of establishments. And Nicole White is expensive enough to know the unspoken rule. Yet we’ll still keep guard of our words.

  We speak of other non-consequential things as Kendon has his final fitting. Lucien takes out his book and goes back to reading which leaves Kendon and I to talk directly to one another… probably more than we ever have before.

  One thing we find in common, we prefer horseflesh over cars.

  “That is one thing I do regret, we did not bring our stable with us,” he slurs just a bit, sounding mostly wistful.

  At this point, we’re both a bit sauced. Sebastian has had to send for fresh bottles of bourbon and vodka. The inebriation will last all of fifteen minutes, but it’ll be a good fifteen minutes.

  “Jaevia and this younger generation – they just don’t understand the good old days.”

  I huff agreeing wholeheartedly, “Everything at everyone’s fingertips. Instant gratification. Want to go here? Zoom zoom all over the road. Jaevia is a lead foot let me tell you.”

  “She must get that from her mother, but I taught her how to handle a team of four like an expert. Thick leathers in your hands. Nothing but your strength and wit to keep control of the barely tamed beasts, each one with a mind of its own.”

  “Sounds like my relationship with Lucien and Jaevia.” I mumble without thinking, my eyes widen realizing it may be taken as an insult.

  Kendon stares at me and then laughs again a booming sound. “I can only imagine.”

  “I am sitting right here, Bloodsucker,” Lucien says finally looking up from his book.

  “Sorry Lucien.”

  He huffs.

  Kendon is done his fitting and gets dressed in his clothes again. Sebastian is going to bring in my rack next.

  “Well, this is a good a time as any,” Kendon proclaims as he walks over to join us in the seating area.

  He doesn’t sit down, instead he stands, hands clasped behind his back.

  “As a father of a little girl – I believe a part of me will always see her as my littl
e girl. I still see my precious Jaevia that way, but I also see the woman she has blossomed into. Of course, I would only want the best for her. A man… or men, that would see her protected and cared for… and… and loved. Because love is important.”

  I nod and glance at Lucien, “I love Jaevia more than words can describe.

  “As do I, Kendon.”

  “I believe this, which is why I have faith that you two will get her through… this path that she is on. That you will stick by her side no matter what. I do not believe I need to warn you both to treat her with care – I did after all, teach her how to gut a man by the time she was nine.” He beams with pride.

  Good god.

  “But the bit of advice I can lend to you, not as Jaevia’s father; but as the husband of a daughter of Lilith,” He sighs deeply, “…you will always come second to her love of love for love’s sake. Even the most of us would not be enough for one of them, they are not meant to exist in perpetual matrimony, but they will… if you can bend enough to their will and love them for what they are. They are daughters of the first daughter – they are queens.”

  His words come right on time for me. A succubus will never be the kind of woman that does… monogamy – but you can be loved above all others as long you love a succubus for what they are and don’t try to turn them into what they are not.

  Lucien had almost lost Jaevia when he tried to confine her sexuality. I’ve always been the one okay with her being with others, until Demetri anyway.

  No matter what, I can’t try to change her – or I will risk losing her completely.

  For some reason, I believe he’s talking to me more than Lucien. Lucien’s position in Jaevia’s life is firm, he is first, loved above all others. It is me that will always have to prove my worth to her.

  I nod and Kendon nods back, and for the first time I feel like I have his support to be with his daughter.

  The door to the room opens just a bit and Nicole White steps in. Tall, all legs, bone thin, startling white skin, blaring red hair. She’s dressed in an off-white dress with a thin leather black belt to break up the white.