by Eve Newton
The little girl is looking up at me wide-eyed and asks, “Are you going to be Uncle Xane’s wife?”
I choke back a horrified response as Xane just chuckles into his hand. Xandra admonishes her daughter for being rude. An awkward silence ensues as she is clearly waiting for an answer, as is her mother, although not quite so obviously. I glare at Xane, but he just shrugs, leaving me to bat this one. I bend down to Xaria and take her hand in mine. “No, sweetie. Your uncle and I are just friends. I am already married. See?” I show her my black diamond wedding rings and she stares at them.
“They are pretty. Just like you,” she says.
“Thank you. You are pretty, too,” I say with a smile and she glows under my praise.
“If you are just friends, why were you kissing?” she asks then, in that blunt way that only children have, as I seem to recall.
“It’s what friends do when they like each other,” I say at a complete loss and cast a quick glance up at Xandra.
She is hiding her smile behind her hand, but takes pity on me and says, “Come now, Xaria. Let us leave the Queen and your uncle to their… business.” She says this with a knowing look at the two of us. “I will let Mother know you are here. She will want to see you before you go.”
Xane holds his hand out to me and helps me rise. “Later,” he mutters, and she snickers. Leaving the room, I can hear Xaria telling anyone who will listen that Uncle Xane is kissing the Queen in his bedroom. Oh, dear. This is a disaster.
“You have no reason to be terrified. You would be a great mother,” he says to me.
Why do people keep telling me that? I would be a dreadful, awful mother.
“Humph,” I say, before he pulls me in for another lingering kiss.
“Xane,” I say and pull away, my hand on his chest. “I’m not doing this with you.”
“Yes, you are. Don’t tell me you can’t feel it,” he says again.
“Feel what?”
“Our bond.”
“We don’t have a bond,” I say, hoping that is true. Otherwise Constantine – never mind Cole – is going to have a freak out. I’m so lucky that Devon and Lincoln seem to be more laid back .
“Oh, yes we do. The ritual we performed tied us together. We are one,” he says, cupping my face with his hands. He kisses me again, pushing me back towards the bed. Despite myself, I get lost in his kisses and, encouraged, he picks me up and lays me down on the bed. He takes off my shoes and murmurs, “Why a pantsuit?” to himself as he goes about removing it from me.
“Xane,” I say again, sitting up. “I can’t do this.”
He ignores me, kneels in front of me and pushes me back down as he inserts his tongue inside my pussy with a low growl.
Oh, fuck.
I feel a rush of pleasure right where he is now licking me.
“Xane,” I whisper, pushing my hands into his hair to get him to move away, but instead he moves closer, pushing his tongue deep inside me. He alternates between thrusts and licking my clit, sucking and grinding it between his teeth. He licks up over my shaven mound, over my flat stomach to my breasts, which are now aching to be touched. He roughly sucks my nipple into his mouth and I cry out.
“Still want me to stop?” he murmurs huskily, as he knows he has me right where he wants me.
I shake my head feeling the guilt but brushing it aside to deal with later. In a magick move similar to my own, he loses his clothes and he is naked and ready on top of me.
He clasps my hands and looks into my eyes intently. “Do you feel it?” he whispers.
I do. I feel like I am on fire. The good fire from yesterday’s ritual. It is racing through my veins, heating me up. A clear knowledge of what we did enters my head and I part my lips as I gasp. “You should have told me,” I say, before he plunges his mouth to mine and thrusts inside me at the same time. I start throbbing almost straight away but it’s not like any other orgasm I have had before. The rush hasn’t come yet, just this steady pulsing that matches my heartbeat, which matches his. I can hear it. I lose myself in the steady pounding and I cry out as the wave of pleasure hits me, like a red-hot fire.
“Oh, fuck yes,” he murmurs. “It feels right. It feels perfect. Show me,” he whispers. “Show me.”
Show him what, exactly? I form the thought before I roll us over and straddle him. He grabs my hips. I move over him slowly, the link from the Blood Magick ritual spurring me on. The most powerful of spells, amped up by our Dragon and Demon lineage, performed correctly with good intent has invariably bound us together forever. Not just in the way that Lance had his Romani perform it, full of malice and bad intentions. This is more. More than just if one of us dies, the other will too. It is if one of us dies, the other won’t be able to live, won’t want to carry on living without the other. We are two perfect halves, needing the other to be whole.
“Oh, Liv,” he groans as I speed up my movements, needing another release.
My mind sharpens and my focus becomes clearer. I grab him by the throat and pull him up to me. He stares into my eyes in rapture as I see mine reflected back as my Dragon eyes, only red, not green. I feel my hair getting longer as it falls into my eyes like a heavy black curtain. It tickles me down my back and my Dragon flutters in delight, the motion of Her wings causing my hair to fly up in the sudden wind.
I hiss at him in a husky, sexy voice, “I am Xerxei of the House of Dracul. I am Mistress of this Domain. I claim you as my own.”
He groans as I kiss him, his hands coming up to pull roughly on my hair. “I accept your claim on me and I choose you,” he murmurs. I feel myself Shift back to Liv, as I throb around him again and he spurts inside me, mingling our cum together. I have the presence of mind, probably just a fraction too late, to quickly chant the curse in my head, sounding it out like he said. Who knows if it is accurate, but this is going to be bad enough to explain without me being overwhelmed with a batch of baby Dragons and-or Demons. Oh, fuck, Linc, I think with horror. What if? No, I tell myself, it can’t be possible. My body just isn’t going to change to suddenly be able to reproduce. It’s ridiculous.
We fall back to the bed in a heap, breathing heavily.
“Xerxei of the House of Dracul, eh?” he asks in half-wonder, half-amusement. “My father will be pleased.”
I push the hair out of my eyes, somewhat embarrassed, as I have no idea where that came from. “Why?”
“He always wanted a daughter named after him. My mother would never let him. It’s clear why now. It wasn’t meant to be, as she was saving it for you.”
“Daughter?” I ask, a bit worried.
“Well, not a daughter by blood, but by other means,” he says with a wicked glint and I remember what he said: “I choose you.”
“Oh, Xane. No. No. This is…”
“Don’t say a mistake,” he interrupts me quietly. “It isn’t. We belong together.”
“I belong to others,” I say, shaking my head. Get in line indeed, I think without a hint of modesty.
“For now,” he says.
I climb off him and get dressed, slipping my shoes on, when there is a knock at the door. Xanthe opens it without waiting for an answer and I thank the old gods that I am fully clothed now and not naked and straddling her son. He, however, is still naked on the very rumpled bed and I’m sure my hair is a tangled mess.
“Mother,” he snaps, pulling the covers over him. “Wait until you are bid,” he adds with authority, which has me raising my brows at him as his mother inclines her head in apology. Well, I suppose he is Overlord. Even a mother has to respect that.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” she says to me. “I don’t mean to intrude, but there is an unexpected guest and I wondered to the cause.” She looks between me and Xane and the messy bed and adds, “I see now why.” She tries to hide her pleased look but doesn’t succeed very well.
“Who is here?” Xane snaps at her.
She crosses to the windows and pulls the half-drawn curtains open. The windowpanes on e
ither side of the stained glass are clear and I can see out for the first time. The sky is the same orange as the Dragon Realms with rumbling black clouds overhead. I move closer, curious about the mystery guest. Xane, now also dressed, stands behind me and I turn to him. Oh, crap. We glance at each other. This is going from bad to worse.
“Tiamat,” Xane breathes and I heave a big sigh.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY
We make haste down the stairs. Xane pulls open the heavy wooden door, while I adjust my clothing, straightening the cuffs of my jacket as I have seen Constantine do a thousand times when he is uncomfortable, and smoothing down the legs of my pants. I fluff out my hair and I think briefly if I should change but Xane hurries me outside with a hand under my elbow. He leads me through a very strange garden of black bushes the likes I have never seen before, but then I suppose I wouldn’t have, really. We go through a black rose garden, very pretty, and into an area that is enclosed by a small wall but is still big enough for a Dragon to land.
And She does. Swooping down in front of us, nearly knocking us back with the force of Her wing beat. She lumbers forward and drops Her head to glare at us standing there, Xane’s hand still on my elbow. He lets me go. She huffs gently and transforms into me, right down to my rings and the Hellfire necklace. I don’t know why She does this, but the last two times I have seen Her in human form, She has adopted the exact same look as me. Maybe to intimidate me, as it is very unnerving. She smooths down Her suit, much like I did, and adjusts Her jacket. She stands in front of us with far more poise and grace than I claim to have, and Her authority is clear. Empress of the Dragon Realms and Underworld. As close to a god as you can get.
“ValamAtrux,” She says.
I incline my head. “Mother,” I say. She insists I call Her that.
“Xane,” She glowers at him.
“Tiamat,” he bows low and She nods at him. “It’s good to see you again,” he says with a charming smile. She smiles slowly, seductively almost, as She replies, “And you.” She looks between the two of us. We shuffle uncomfortably under Her steely gaze.
“I am pleased that you have made acquaintance, finally,” She says, the last word clearly a reprimand at me. “But I am not altogether certain this is the best course of action,” She says and points to us both.
Me either, I have to agree.
“It is done,” Xane says boldly. “The ritual had to be done and it has drawn us closer, far beyond what anyone could have predicted. We belong together,” he adds, and I frown at him.
What the fuck is he doing? Does he want us both dead and buried in this garden?
She narrows Her eyes at him in undisguised fury. “She belongs to someone else.” She is very defensive of Cole for some reason. I think maybe because he was Her last hope of ever getting me back to my rightful place.
“Maybe so, but Blood Magick won’t be denied, Tiamat. You know how powerful it is.”
“Indeed,” She muses.
“Especially with us,” he presses.
Us? Us, me and him, or us, a Dragon and a Demon?
“I am aware of the connection between our kinds, young Draconis,” She hisses at him, but he doesn’t falter. “Leave me to speak with my daughter,” Mother dismisses him. He hesitates but makes the decision to kiss me and murmurs, “I will be close by.”
I nod briefly, but I’m not worried…much. She is my mother, after all.
She waits for him to go out of earshot and turns back to me. She takes my hands and says, “ValamAtrux.” She purses her lips, “Be wise, my child.”
I wait, expecting more, but there is no more.
“I’m trying,” I say sullenly. “Things just happen.”
“Poor reasoning, my dear. Everyone makes choices. You make bad choices. You are too ruled by your Vampire side. You need to suppress it. Now! Bring your true nature to the forefront. You are a Dragon. You need to start acting like one,” She scolds. Her wrath at me and my bad choices is evident, and I gulp. Well, fuck me if that’s not me just told. Even Constantine doesn’t have the ability to make me feel like a small child being told off anymore.
“How am I supposed to do that?” I ask. “I am a Vampire. I have been one for over a thousand years. I can’t just suppress it on a whim.”
“You can, and you will,” She snaps at me.
“Then tell me how,” I say, getting annoyed. “I am tired of being in the dark and expecting to just know how things work and how to do things and who people are.”
“The only way to learn is by doing,” She says, and I sigh.
“I have to be a Vampire; I have to feed on blood. Even more so now. I can’t change that, and the consequences of abstinence are not pretty.”
“You can change that. Use your Dragon to sustain you. You don’t need the blood, ValamAtrux.”
“Then show me how. I can’t be who you want me to be without a bit of guidance. Show me and I will.”
She thinks it over and eventually seeing that I clearly need all the help I can get, sighs and let’s go of my hands. She holds Hers out, palms down. “Put yours under mine,” She instructs me. I do.
“Dragons feed off energy. Try.”
By doing what? But I know this is all I am going to get from Her, the rest is up to me.
I concentrate, drawing on the spell from the Grimoire for instruction, with a few minor twists to make it a more positive experience. An inky black glow, that is my signature essence, rolls out of my hands and pulls out Her purpley glow, absorbing it, before sinking back into my palms.
I was hungry before, needing blood, but now I feel just fine. Better than fine. Great, even. I smile with pride
She says gruffly, “A bit rough around the edges but at least you can manage it.”
Gee, such praise.
“Who can I do this with?” I ask a necessary question. Wouldn’t do to end up killing or hurting someone I love.
“Anyone. As with blood, the stronger the being, the more you can take.”
“Will they feel it? Feel drained?”
“Not as long as you take small doses. You realize the danger of this, yes? It is powerful magick, capable of killing.”
“Yes, that is why I need to know the limits.”
She nods, pleased with my foresight. “Once you have become used to getting your energy this way, you will cease to need blood and your Vampire self can rest. It is time now for the Dragon to reign. You need to enforce your Power, your authority, your birthright.” She smacks Her fist into Her palm and again I gulp and nod. Christ, a whole new me. Yikes.
“What about the Demon?”
“She has shown herself?” Tiamat asked, surprised.
“Yes. Xerxei of the House of Dracul,” I cringe even as I say it.
“Hm, I am sure I don’t have to ask what you were doing when you Shifted,” She says with a steely glare at me.
I look away, embarrassed to discuss that with my mother.
“You are strong, my child. Your various forms are all required to be ruler, the magick is more powerful and easier to use when in that form. But remember who you are. Remember the Dragon way is different to what you know. You should make adjustments, not be so swayed by the willfulness of the Vampire.”
So, true to one then. Somehow, I don’t think that even if I wanted to – which I don’t – it wouldn’t be as easy as all that.
“That reminds me. I had a plan to come and see you next week. In the Dragon Realms,” I say, remembering.
“Oh?” She asks, suddenly pleased that I was coming to see Her.
“Yes, we have questions.”
“We? I assume that you mean you and Constantine,” She says and sighs. “Such a handsome young man,” She adds quietly. She is so smitten with him it is almost amusing. But this is the effect he has. “He has found the book?”
“Yes.”
“Has he translated it yet?” She asks eagerly. “He is so clever, so worldly. I knew he would find it.” Yep, smitten I tell you.
&nb
sp; “Sort of. He wants me to come and see you to ask about it.”
“What does he want to know?” She asks.
Erm, everything?
“You caught me off guard. We hadn’t got around to discussing his questions, what with one thing and another,” I admit.
“I see. Well, in that case, I look forward to seeing you. You remember how to get there?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Bring him with you.”
“How? I thought only Dragons in Dragon form could get there,” I say.
“I will allow it. Just this once. You must bring him in your Dragon form.”
Hm, so not so much an impossibility, but a rule, it seems.
“Fine. I am sure he will be happy to see you again.” I leave out the ‘infuriating creature’ and ‘thorn in my side’ remarks.
“As will I. He will make you an excellent partner for a while, when the time is right,” She says with conviction.
For a while? Oh, dear. Best not mention that to CK, he will likely blow every gasket he has.
“Mother, can I ask you something?”
She looks at me warily – seems even in the Dragon Realms that question usually precedes an unpleasant topic. “Of course.”
“Xane mentioned it may be possible for me to reproduce. Do you think that is something that is possible?”
“Do you want to have children?” She asks instead.
“I don’t think so. But I want to be prepared in case it happens, with…” I trail off as She is glaring at me again now as I, apparently, haven’t heard a word of what She has been saying to me about my willful Vampire self.
“ValamAtrux, anything is possible. You are no longer an ordinary Vampire. But know that you will never breed with your Vampire lovers. They are incapable. If you choose that path you will have to rethink your commitments,” She warns. Okay, breed? What am I? Some kind of mare?
“Do you want me to? Have children?” I ask hesitantly. She beams at me.
“With one of your own kind, yes. However, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. You have too many other distractions.” She frowns. “Heed my warning, my daughter, the path you are on is uncertain. You need to be clearer about what you want. There will be others vying for your attentions and even you cannot have them all.”