by Eve Newton
His incredulous look from before has turned to one of stone. I can see him grinding his teeth as he takes in what I’ve said.
“He pushes my buttons,” he complains.
“I know that but you play into it. Please, Cole, let it go.”
He hesitates but then he nods. “Fine. I will try.”
“Try hard,” I order him. “Now will you just fucking kiss me and do what you said you would do?”
“Gee, how can a guy resist an offer like that?”
“You aren’t supposed to. So, come here,” I say. He acquiesces to my delight. He pushes me towards the bed and kisses me hungrily, ravaging me as he drops his fangs and rakes his claws over me. My bikini falls away as it is torn to shreds. He picks me up and throws me onto the bed, getting rid of his own swimsuit in the process. He growls and goes completely Vampire on me as I revel in his harsh touch. Ripping and nipping at me, I am on fire for him as I turn around and offer him a choice. As expected, he chooses the more forbidden passage as he pulls me back to him and inserts himself into me with a rough thrust which makes me cry out. He rakes his claws down my sides as my back is a no-go zone due to my Dragon who lies there. Even for him that She cherishes, She burnt him for running his claws down my back and now She is respected and remains unharmed even in the face of such passion.
“Oh, Liv,” he groans as he comes inside me. I am not left to feel unfulfilled very long as he quickly flips me over and plunges his mouth to my aching, wet pussy and proceeds to thrust his tongue inside me as he circles my clit with his fingers.
“Oh, fuck, yes,” I cry out as he causes all sorts of pleasure to shoot through me. I come against his mouth and while I am still throbbing, he lifts up and crawls over me to push himself inside me. I am about ready to explode as he ignites the dying fire inside me.
“Tell me how much you love me,” he murmurs before he kisses me.
“I love you. I love you so much,” I cry out before I come again, and he does too. I let him feed from me as I pant breathless. He collapses to the bed and I follow suit climbing half on top of him and falling promptly asleep.
I ’m at Ponte, in my old room. I see CK and Sebastian and they are talking…about me? I try to find out where I’m standing. Did I Astral in? But I appear to be almost hovering in some weird out-of-body experience.
“So, what's next?” Sebastian says as he leans casually against my dresser. “She seems pretty adamant.”
“Fuck that,” CK says. “I refuse to sit by and watch her make this mistake.”
“What will you do?”
“Continue to pursue her. She won’t hold out much longer, but I do need your help,” he says slyly, and Sebastian raises his eyebrows.
“Oh? How so? I didn’t think you would need any help in this area,” he adds with a sly tone of his own.
CK glares at him. “I admit she is being far too stubborn, and short of killing him…”
“Hm, like sire, like charge,” he chuckles.
“Shut it,” CK snaps.
“So, why not just kill him? Wouldn’t it be easier than going through all of this bullshit?”
“She would never forgive me if I did that. I have far too much to lose.”
“Oh? Who’s to say she’d have to know?” Sebastian says.
“Oh, please. It would be kind of obvious. Besides which, I would be the first person she would look to if anything happened to him. And I don’t want her that way,” CK says forlornly, ignoring the first question.
“But having my help is any better?” Sebastian asks. “If anything, I would say it is the same.”
“Not really. At least he would be alive, and she would still be able to care for him and receive affection from him.”
“Really? After everything, you still want her to be with him?”
“I don’t have anything against him personally, and I would never ask her to give up a charge. I just want her to give up her husband. It’s different,” CK says in a huff now.
“So, what can I do?”
“I need you to convince her that it is in her best interests to give him up,” CK says blandly.
“I have tried that already.”
“Not with your gift you haven’t,” he snaps.
“I thought you would kill me if I ever used it on her… again,” Sebastian states.
“Not when I am asking you to do it,” CK says patiently. “Just persuade her that she needs to leave him and be with me.”
“Simple as that,” Sebastian says.
“No, over several weeks or even months,” CK amends seriously. “You cannot just cut her off. She is too smart for that and too strong. You need a subtle approach. A gentle push here and there. I am sure you can convince her.”
“Why don’t you just do it yourself?” he asks.
“No. She knows nothing of my powers, and I intend to keep it that way. I made a promise to myself that I would never use it on her. Even now, and I don’t want her unwilling,” CK says with a huge sigh.
Sebastian snorts. “Yeah, I understand that feeling all too well. I don’t see how this would be any different though.”
“Your gift can bring her around slowly, so she comes to the decision for herself. If I do it, it is sudden and crushing.”
“Hm, fine, I will help you. But what do I get in return?” Sebastian says with a glint in his eye.
“Not her,” CK growls at him. “I said persuasion, not fucking.”
“Now I know I can get her into a position to be persuaded but that usually leads to fucking,” he says innocently.
“Oh?” CK barks at him.
Sebastian taps his neck. “She knows now. Has tasted it. She will crave it, but I will crave her too.”
CK thinks it over and relents. “Once in a while. Not every time. If I find out you are taking advantage, I will end you this time. I already told her that was your plan, so she will probably be expecting it.”
“What? Why would you tell her that?” Sebastian asks in disbelief.
“She wanted an explanation and I couldn’t tell her the truth, not then. She didn’t know.”
“Why did you have to tell her anything?”
“She called it rape. I had to explain it away somehow why I didn’t kill you for it.”
“Rape?” Sebastian asks in horror. “Shit. Shit. That’s what she thinks?”
“She said you violated her. Which you did, by the way,” CK growls at him. “I know you had your reasons, but you should have gone after someone else.”
“Fuck. She never said. I explained my reasons to her, and she just accepted it,” he says.
“What? When?”
“We had a few moments alone before the whole bathroom incident earlier. I wanted to tell her why I did what I did.”
“And she just accepted it?”
“Seemed to. But now she knows that one of us is lying.”
He sighs. “Let me deal with that. Are you in or out?”
“Oh, in,” Sebastian says happily. “Although, I can’t imagine she will go for it that easily. She didn’t last time.”
“That’s where you need to be creative. She is weakest when she is Xerxei. Convince her to Shift.”
“Just like that?”
“She already knows you find that form sexy. Just go with it,” CK grumps, not at all happy.
“I’m sure I can persuade her to, but I really think I need more of an incentive,” Sebastian says confidently.
“What more? You already have my permission to be with her,” CK says quietly.
“While that is a prize, I’ll admit. Even though it’s her actual husband’s permission that would hold more weight.” Sebastian goads him.
CK growls at him again. “Even better that he doesn’t know. Maybe the guilt will help her leave him. Or better yet, he finds out later and leaves her.”
“Why is it better if he leaves her? And if that’s the case shouldn’t I be going after him instead?” Sebastian says, confused.
I growl myse
lf now but neither of them hears me.
“It is better because it is the original agreement. No one can argue with it. But no, you can’t go after him. He is too new, and she will know you had something to do with it if he just leaves her now,” he says with a sigh of magnitude.
“Fine. But this is a risky business. If she finds out, she will never speak to me again and I don’t want that.”
“What do you want?” CK asks warily.
“I think you know,” Sebastian says. “It has been so long. Just once, with her.”
CK closes his eyes in pain and thinks for a while. He runs his hand through his hair. “Just this once, and I have your word you will help me and not take advantage.”
“Of course. You know I would do anything for you,” Sebastian says, genially now happy to have gotten his way. “Wait here.” He Teleports out as CK sighs heavily and twirls the ring I gave him. He pulls it off his finger. I try to protest but again he can’t hear me. He kisses it and places it carefully on the dresser. “Forgive me, my sweet,” he whispers as Sebastian Teleports back in with Vivienne.
I cringe as I realize the bargain that has been struck.
“I didn’t expect you out to play anytime soon,” Vivienne coos at him.“Does the Queen know what you are up to?” she asks slyly.
“No,” he growls, “and nor will she. This is part of a deal. Nothing more.”
She tilts her head. “I am not sure it is in my best interests to go against her wishes.” She frowns.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll see no harm comes to you,” he says stiffly. I am now furious on top of the nauseous feeling.
“I will take what I can get. Here?” She points to my bed and again I yell, “No!” but it falls on deaf ears.
“No!” CK snaps at her. “Down the corridor.”
I am somewhat relieved that my bedroom isn’t about to get defiled. At least not by him and some skank bitch. Sebastian takes her hand and leads her out of the room. She grabs my sire’s hand and drags him along behind her with a seductive smile that makes me want to hurl.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-ONE
I wake up with a start, sitting upright in bed with my hand on my racing heart. Cole is half draped over me and Lincoln is sitting next to me, staring at me. “You okay?” he whispers.
I shake my head. “No.”
“Bad dream?”
“More like a fucking nightmare. Shit, that was…” I trail off, relieved to be awake in my own bed and not watching some debauched bargaining dream three-way. Thank the gods it was just a dream. I don’t think I could bear it if CK was plotting the breakup of my marriage with Sebastian’s help and using that woman as a bargaining tool. Christ, I’m really starting to get paranoid.
“Why are you here?” I whisper then, concerned.
“You were calling out for me,” Lincoln says. “In my dreams, you were calling for me. I had to make sure you were okay.”
“Huh, so my dreams were calling to yours.” I smile at him and he shrugs.
“Can we talk?”
“Sure.” I climb out of bed, careful not to disturb Cole. Lincoln’s eyes rove over my naked body in lust but I pull on a robe and tie it tight as I walk from the room.
Lincoln follows me and we go out to the sitting room balcony. I close the door quietly.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“Drink?” he asks in return.
“Okay,” I say and sit on one of the sun loungers. I eye him up dressed in sweats and a tight-fitting vest. Oh, my. He pours us both a Scotch and comes to sit next to me, handing me a glass. He takes a long sip of his and turns to me. He takes my face in his hand, I swallow. This isn’t going to be good.
“Liv, I said I wouldn’t ask anything of you, but I wasn’t being honest,” he starts. He shushes me as I open my mouth. “Wait,” he says. “I do need something from you. It’s not sexual and it’s not any more of your attention than you can give, but… I need you… I need you to be more of an…Alpha to me.”
“How so?” I ask, not offended, just curious, as he has never told me anything that he wants from me in this regard and, personally, I have no clue.
He looks relieved that I’m not about to take his head off and smiles. “It’s one thing to have you as my Alpha mate but we need to start acting like it.” He pauses.
“Is this something to do with the ‘will you’ question you had for me?”
“Yes. But I will get to that in a minute. First thing, I need to feel a proper connection with you. I mean, I know I can read your thoughts when your blocks are down, and you can call me and vice versa but can you read me? Have you tried?”
I shake my head. “No. I haven’t tried.”
“Then try,” he says firmly, taking my glass from me and putting it next to his on the floor.
“How?”
He shrugs. “Drop your blocks, I guess and just try.”
Learn by doing…again. I sigh inwardly but turn fully toward him. I get on my knees and place my hand over his heart, mostly to feel his heartbeat but also so that I can feel his rock-hard muscles under my hand. He grins at my action as he knows my mind and places his own hand over mine.
“Close your eyes,” he whispers. “What am I thinking?”
I close my eyes and concentrate. They pop open again and I say, scandalized, “Linc!” to which he chuckles deeply.
“I guess you got that accurately,” he says wryly.
“Can I do that? I mean the Shift?”
“I don’t see why not. You can Shift into everything else, why not a Wolf? Try.”
I look up at the third quarter moon. “Now? Don’t I need a full one?”
“I’m sure that it won’t stop you. Just try.”
I climb off the sun lounger and disrobe. He is staring at me now not in desire, but with interest. To see if I can do what he asks.
“How will I know what to Shift to? I don’t know what I will look like,” I say, suddenly worried.
“Use the same principle as when you Shifted to ValamAtrux. Just think ‘Wolf’ and do it.”
I nod firmly, determined to succeed first time at this. I feel myself change and then I’m on all fours. He is on his knees in front of me, crooning to me and stroking me. My first thought is that I actually have coherent thoughts. I may be in the form of an animal and unable to speak but there is nothing different about the way my brain functions.
Lincoln is speaking to me in delight, scratching behind my ears and rubbing me under my chin.
“You are beautiful, just perfect,” he says over and over. I cast a quick look down and note my fur is a golden color. I suppose that makes sense, as Lincoln in Wolf form is black just as his hair is black and his eyes are green like his human ones. “I love you,” he murmurs. “Next time at the full moon, I’m taking you out with me. I don’t care who you are supposed to be with, you will be with me. With me,” he whispers, and I lick his nose to his delight. I Shift back. I fling myself naked into Lincoln’s arms. He, being the perfect gentleman, though, pulls my robe back over me and I tie it. I smile shyly up at him and he beams at me adoringly.
“Thank you,” he whispers as he brushes his lips lightly across mine before he steps back.
I grab his hand and chew on my lip.
He chuckles at me and says, “Don’t worry, I will do all the work.” I look away embarrassed that he caught on to my worry of what is required of me during mating.
“Hey, don’t be shy,” he says quietly. “Think of it just the same as when you Shift to have Vamp sex, or Demon sex, or whatever.”
I nod, still not comfortable as it will be completely different, but he takes me in his strong arms and I immediately feel comforted. “Why did you wait so long to ask?”
“Why did it never occur to you sooner that I wanted you to?” he asks back in all seriousness.
“I don’t know. I guess it never occurred to me because of changing to a Wolf,” I say, confused.
“But you knew you had to change into a D
ragon,” he points out.
“That was different. I am Dragon. I didn’t realize I was also Wolf.”
“You are all of us now, Liv,” he says lightly. I guess he is right.
“I will be everything you need me to be,” I say to him and he nods.
“Good. I can’t wait. We will be in London at the next full moon. We will be American Werewolves in London!” he lets out with a loud guffaw and I bash him to keep quiet as Cole is still sleeping.
“Well, you maybe. I shall be an English Werewolf in London,” I say haughtily to which he snorts in amusement.
“Either way, we need to think of where we can go and also who you are supposed to be with that night.”
I nod again, serious. “I will.”
He nods too. “Good. If you are sure you are okay, I will head back to bed.”
“Me too,” I say, glancing at his watch which only says 3:30 AM. I couldn’t have been asleep all that long until that horrible dream woke me up.
“I’ll see you in a few,” he says. I kiss him quickly and head back to bed where I immediately get pulled into Cole’s embrace in his sleep. I want him desperately, but I am also so tired. I lean forward to kiss him but yawn instead and flop down on his chest completely worn out from the Shift and no blood for a long time.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-TWO
I ’m back at Ponte. Only this time, I am in a different room. One further down from mine. Just as lavish but modernized, unlike mine. My eyes land on the three of them in the middle of the huge bed and I resist the urge to throw up. All three are naked and quite aroused, I must have missed part of the proceedings, I think irrationally. What am I doing here? And why can no one see me or hear me?
“Constantine,” I call out desperately as he sinks his fangs into Vivienne’s wrist. He pauses slightly as if he has heard me but then continues with his task. Sebastian is suckling at her other wrist and she is in heaven.