by Amy Sumida
“He's a friend who offered to help,” I said simply.
Lucifer's smile spread slowly across his face. It wasn't smug, it simply conveyed joy.
“I'm a friend,” he repeated my words to Apollo.
Apollo sighed. “I suppose we could use all the help we can get.”
“Speaking of help, this issue threatens the whole Beneath,” Torin said. “We should notify the other races.”
Apollo nodded. “I'll see to it that announcements are made but for now, tell me everything you know.”
We told him. It wasn't much but after Apollo heard the names of the missing Greeks, he scowled. I had a feeling that I had looked much the same after I heard them.
“There's something about those four, isn't there?” I asked him. “What connects them? It's right on the tip of my tongue.”
“Oh, let me get that for you.” Declan leaned toward me with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
I gave Declan a quick peck on the cheek for his attempt at levity. He wove his fingers through my hair and kept them there, massaging my scalp absently as I looked back at Apollo for an answer.
“Nothing really,” Apollo murmured, not even noticing my distraction, but then his eyes widened in epiphany. “Except that they all believe in the power of science.”
“Science?” Darcraxis asked in confusion.
“The human term for observation of the physical and natural world,” Apollo explained. “As opposed to magic.”
“The natural world is magic,” Darc protested.
“Yes and no,” I countered. “Most realms have magic within their natural elements, but Earth has very little. Most of the magic there was imported by Beneathers.”
“And most of us who have moved to Earth from other realms rely on our magic for power,” Apollo added. “But there are also those who have embraced what their new home has to offer and seek to merge magic with science.”
“Those like the four missing Greeks,” I concluded. “That's right; I remember Megaera showing me one of her inventions. She mentioned the other three as well. They were in some kind of an inventor's guild together.”
“Divine Matter,” Apollo said.
“Of course, the divine matters,” Lucifer said as if it were obvious.
“No, that's the name of their guild,” Apollo explained. “Matter is a scientific term for anything that has mass and occupies space.”
“Right,” Luke murmured with a glance my way. “But the question is; does this matter?”
“I think it does.” I swung my gaze to Apollo. “I think Poseidon had a reason for abducting these people, in particular.”
“He's always been good at tricks,” Apollo muttered. “I think he's about to pull one on the entire world.”
“And he needs magical scientists to help him,” I concluded.
“I'm going to warn the other Greek gods and spread the word to the Beneath.” Apollo stood.
“Wait.” I stood up as well. “I want you to take a traveling stone with you so you can get to sanctuary quickly if you need to. And by sanctuary, I mean here.”
Apollo blinked at me then gave me a soft smile. It made him ten times more attractive but it wasn't his otherworldly beauty that struck me. It was the look in his eyes; one of gratitude and relief. Apollo was scared and that's not something that happens often. But now he had support; people on his side who believed him. Nearly anything can be faced if you have friends to face it with.
“Here.” Gage pulled his stone out of his pocket. “Take mine. El can get me a new one.”
Apollo transferred his grin to Gage. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” Gage nodded and tossed him the stone. “And remember; retreat in the face of overwhelming odds is not weakness, it's wisdom.”
“Oh, believe me, I won't try to stand up to Poseidon on my own,” Apollo assured us. “I'm not so foolish as that.”
As he disappeared, we all glanced in Lucifer's direction.
“He's not a real god,” Lucifer said and this time, his smile was definitely smug.
Chapter Eight
Lucifer promised to keep me updated on the doppelganger situation then headed back to Heaven. After he was gone, I had a guest tower prepared for my parents then contacted Banning and Slate to warn them about Poseidon and the assassin killing doppelgangers. Slate's zone was pretty secure, but I was worried about Banning's country club becoming a target. Its location did help to ease my mind a little, at least on the Poseidon front. I couldn't imagine the Sea God transporting his army to Kansas or even why he'd bother. I doubted that he'd want help from Blooders. As transformed humans, Blooders are considered to be the lowest rung on the Beneather ladder by many beneathers. Some people think of them as parasites, not Beneathers at all. I used to be one of those racists. Falling in love with Banning had changed that.
“It's going to be fine,” Banning's velvety voice brushed up against my back.
I turned with a smile, pulling the contact charm out of my ear. I'd been mid-conversation with Banning but it looked as though he decided that in-person would be better. Declan, Darc, and Gage were downstairs in the living room with my parents. I'd come up to the bedroom to make my calls to Slate and Bann in private. The stars of Tír na nÓg had lured me out onto the balcony while we spoke, and I had to turn my back on them to go to my husband. It was no hardship. For me, Banning shone brighter than any star could.
Moonlight caught Banning's golden-blond hair and set it to glowing. They called the color Blooder Blond; a shade only seen on older vampires. It leans toward metallic with the gleam of pale, polished gold but the cool light turned it platinum. He'd left it loose, and I followed the waves down to his broad shoulders. Banning's body wasn't simply a gift of genetics, it was honed when he was still human, by years of hard work. All of those rippling muscles had been built back in the 1600s. Strapping; I believe that's what they called men like him back then. Or maybe they stuck to “Your Highness.” Banning hadn't been born royal; he'd been a soldier in Romania until King Sorin decided to kill then resurrect Banning, making him his blood-son and heir to the Blooder Throne. Bann had been 24 years old at the time.
Of course, a 24-year-old man back in 1641, when Banning was blooded, looked far different than a 24-year-old of this century. Life was harsher then and it showed on people's faces, at least the human ones. That being said, Blooder magic smooths the signs of aging, taking away more and more the longer a Blooder survives. In my past-life memories of Banning—made when I was Fortune Selwyn—there are lines around his eyes and lips. Today, however, there was only a fine tracery of them at the corners of his vibrant, forest-green eyes. In another century or two, they'd probably disappear altogether. Then he might even look younger than me. I could be mistaken for a cougar. How titillating.
“I know it'll be fine,” I murmured as I slid into his arms. “We'll figure it out. It's just...”
“Yes?” Banning angled his head back to stare down at me.
“The way Poseidon looked at me... I can't stop thinking about it,” I admitted. “We could have stayed and fought his army but something about him scared me.”
“He scared you?” Banning asked in surprise. “He's only a false god.”
“A false god.” I chuckled. “I like that. Lucifer will probably adore it. I need to remember to tell him.”
“Speaking of the ex-Devil,” Banning muttered, “what are we going to do about the fact that someone is hunting your twins?”
“For now, I'm staying away from Earth. Beyond that.” I shrugged. “Lucifer will let us know if anything else happens.”
“It might have been worth the effort to search every apartment.”
“And deal with all of those humans?” I asked skeptically. “I don't think so.”
“Perhaps not.” Banning bracketed my face with his hands and slid them back into my hair. “I just don't like the thought of you being in danger. That unsettles me.”
“I'm perfectly safe here.”
&n
bsp; “Where's your pendant?” Banning's hands slid down to my neck.
“It's on the bedside table.”
“You need to wear it; especially now. Torin's pendant saved his life.”
“Yes, I remember it vividly,” I said softly.
The pendant Banning referred to was made from a piece of raw onyx that had been formed when I accidentally united my magic with Torin's, Darc's, Rath's, and Lucifer's. I'd been training with Rathlin—a Phoenix who had been teaching me to control my fire magic—and Lucifer while Torin and Darc watched. We were trying to figure out a way to control my Goddess magics of Light and Fire. I had finally realized that I needed to unite them with my Spellsong and empower them with my emotions. The emotions I used were the ones I had for the men who'd been present; love, admiration, and respect. Not only did I unite my magic, but I also connected us with it and directed all of our magic into one; the magic of creation. Together, we formed a stone with a foundation of Onyx enchanted by Darkness, Fire, Light, and Spellsong.
Lucifer had split the jewel into five fragments and crafted pendants for us with them. Later, when Luke and I were under the influence of Bliss, Torin had tried to separate us, and the drugged Luke took it badly. In a blind rage, Lucifer attacked Torin with his light. Luckily, Torin had been wearing his amulet and the stone absorbed Lucifer's magic, took the hit into itself, and protected Torin. Unfortunately, it was destroyed in the process.
“I'll put it on if I leave the realm,” I added. “But Torin is making me an onyx choker as we speak. It will protect me from anything that strikes my throat.”
Banning blinked. “That's a good idea, but I still think you should wear the pendant.”
“I will,” I promised. “Now, let's stop talking about it. I need to think about other things. How's business on Earth?”
“Business is good.” He shrugged and took my hand to pull me toward the bed. “But I have a better way to distract you.”
Banning started kissing me, his hands wandering as his mouth conquered. I started to sink into the pleasure but then I stiffened.
“What's wrong?” He asked in confusion.
“Did I mention that my parents are downstairs?”
“We can be quiet.” Banning grinned. “Well, I can be. You'll have to scream into a pillow or something.”
“Haha,” I said dryly. “I don't know if I'm comfortable with having sex directly above my parents.”
“It's not as if we're hovering above their heads.” Banning laughed.
“Still.”
“We're married, El.”
“I know.”
“It isn't shameful.”
“I know that too,” I huffed.
“And your husband is parched.”
I blinked. “You need blood? Why didn't you just say so?”
“Because drinking from you while making love to you is far more enjoyable than just sipping from your wrist.”
“Fair enough.” I started to smile. “Lock the door, O' Thirsty One.”
Banning hurried to the bedroom door and locked it. On his way back to me, he stripped. First, went his shirt. He undid the buttons at his wrists with sharp movements before flicking open the line of them going down the front. The soft light from the bedside lamp warmed his pale skin as he slid out of the shirt and tossed it aside. In seconds he went from businessman to barbarian; muscles bulging beneath the cascade of tattoos that ran down his arms. He unbuckled his belt and yanked it away sharply, casting it aside with the same movement. Next, his hands went to his waistband; a button popped free then the zipper rolled down. My heart sped up.
“You had better have something removed by the time I reach you,” Banning warned me. “I'm not merely here for your entertainment, Your Majesty.”
I chuckled softly as I lifted my skirts. By the time I had my dress pulled over my head, Banning was standing before me. Naked. I still wore a lace bra and panty set in fuchsia. His eyes widened at the bright color then heated as he appreciated what the lace covered. Cool, Blooder hands coasted up my stomach, making me shiver. Banning pressed in closer, thumbs rubbing my nipples through the lace; rough and soft all at once. His breath ruffled my hair and tickled the skin of my neck. I leaned forward and bent my head, offering my husband what he needed; not only to survive but also to remain powerful. My blood gave Banning the ability to withstand sunlight and magnified his strength.
Banning's arms closed around me and yanked me against him. His sex stood hard and thick between us and my breasts conformed to the planes of his sculpted chest. He undid my bra and a Stevie Nick's song entered my head. Take away my lace, sweetheart. I felt Banning's heartbeat through my skin and let the song slip away in exchange for a more primal music. And yes, Blooders have heartbeats. They're not the undead monsters of myth.
If you want to get scientific about it, Blooders are a type of endothermic poikilotherm. Poikilotherms are animals who adjust their body temperature depending on the environment. Another word for this is “coldblooded.” Endothermic poikilotherms also have the ability to produce their own heat. These are the creatures who can put their bodies into hibernation; something that Blooders can do as well. It's all about survival; the Blooder magic does its best to make its host immortal. But, just as it is with endothermic poikilotherms, Blooders need more energy than humans to produce heat. That energy comes from blood. So, when they've been without blood for awhile, they tend to go cold. If they keep denying themselves blood, their bodies will go into hibernation. All that is to say that I should have known my husband was in need as soon as he touched me.
Those cool fingers slipped into my panties and pushed down. Banning's lips coasted down my chest with the movement of his hands, away from my offered neck and toward my belly. Right; he wanted sex with his blood. I smiled to myself as he pushed my panties to my feet but that smile faded when Banning nudged my legs apart and nuzzled his face against my core. His tongue rolled against me, parting my flesh so it could slip deeper, and I lifted one knee, setting it on his strong shoulder to give him better access.
Banning groaned and ground his face against me, sucking me into his mouth. I grabbed his head for leverage, my back arching with the pleasure that spun up from his kiss. Soft sounds moaned past my lips and my hips starting undulating without any prompting from me. A cool finger slid into my wet heat, sending me into erotic convulsions. Banning chuckled against my flesh a second before he bit.
I cried out, my eyes popping open to stare down at him in shock. His mouth was closed around my sex; teeth piercing my most-sensitive place and lips pressed tightly against me to create a seal. His eyes started to glow, casting light across my belly, and he started sucking hard. Electrifying pleasure bolted through my body from the suction, enhanced by the sting of Banning's bite and the magic that made a Blooder's prey enjoy being consumed. His tongue replaced his finger, thrusting into me while he sucked, and his wet fingertip circled my other entrance.
I started to thrash as my climax approached, slammed up to that crest by magic, lust, and Banning's talented tongue. My husband bit deeper, holding me in place with his teeth. One of his hands gripped my thigh while the other stroked my ass, that naughty finger creeping inside me. Just before I came, he shoved the entire length of his pinky in, and I exploded with ecstasy.
As I came, Banning withdrew his teeth and licked at my wounds. I was still shaking violently, barely able to stand, when he shoved me back onto the bed, following me down to the mattress. As I clawed my husband closer, he surged into me, his face resting in the curve of my throat as if it were meant to be there. The pound of his hips pushed my thighs further apart until I wrapped them around his waist to keep them from flopping wildly.
“I love you,” Banning whispered against my throat before he bit me once again.
“I love you too,” I panted.
The ecstasy of Banning's magic surged through my body as he sucked at my throat and the pound of his sex into mine sent me running up that erotic cliff again. I was just jump
ing over the edge, screaming as Banning had predicted, when Slate appeared.
Chapter Nine
“Well, I'm glad to see you're not going mad with worry over me.” Slate smirked as he leaned casually against the wall.
He angled his head to get a better view.
“Get out,” Banning growled over his shoulder.
“All right.” Slate held up his hands and laughed. “I'll go wait downstairs. Unless you were done? In which case...” He started shrugging out of his suit jacket.
Banning growled, blood dripping from his lips. His eyes flashed and his shoulders bunched. My men—thanks to RS—were good about sharing me with each other, but if you interrupted a one-on-one session, they got very put-out. Add Blooder feeding to the mix and things got even dicier. I was losing Banning to that primal instinct of protecting his mate and his food.