Magic and Mayhem: The Lie, the Witch, and the Warlock (Kindle Worlds Novella)
Author: Renea Mason
Date: 2016-06-19T18:30:00+00:00
Publisher: Kindle Worlds

Text copyright ©2016 by the Author.

This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Robyn Peterman. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Magic and Mayhem remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Robyn Peterman, or their affiliates or licensors.

For more information on Kindle Worlds: http://www.amazon.com/kindleworlds

The Lie,
the Witch,
and the Warlock

Written by Renea Mason

Cover designed by Dreams2Media

Edited by Nancy Cassidy at The Red Pen Coach

Mad Mason Beatreaders – Crissy Sutcliffe, Amy Habel, Ashley Bodette,

Elizabeth Robbins, Sky Tillery, Dina Alexander, and Tammy Becraft.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 1

Tight

“Would you look at his ass? It’s so tight, I bet it doesn’t even jiggle when you spank it.” Wendy, who looked amazingly like the redheaded American restaurant icon, leaned across the counter, resting her elbows on the knotty pine surface. Her red pigtails bounced while she smacked her chewing gum. Her gaze was fixed on the man who had entered the large, ironbound doors moments ago, instead of the woman standing in front of her, who cleared her throat in annoyance.

From my place behind the counter to the right of Wendy, I watched as the blonde woman’s pale aquamarine eyes drifted to her stack of books on the counter and then lifted, scrutinizing Wendy. “Since it’s doubtful you’ll ever have the pleasure of seeing Marcus’s ass”—she shot Wendy a condemning stare, and then leaned across the counter, nearly exposing her breasts,—“it doesn’t jiggle. But when it comes to Marcus, I prefer to be on the receiving end of a good spanking. Now would you stop mentally masturbating and check out my books?”

Wendy’s mouth fell open in shock. “You bedded him? Damn. So fuckin’ lucky. Are all the stories true about vampires?” She slid the woman’s stack of books across the counter. “Are these all of your books?”

I watched as the man named Marcus worked his way through the library, engaging with starry-eyed woman after starry-eyed woman. He was the vampire king after all, and he took advantage of every fringe benefit that title afforded him. Frankly, I hated him. Womanizing blow-hard. He seemed to think he could fuck anything that moved just because he was the new king of Halloween Town—that’s what I called this supernatural subculture freak show of a life. It was his ilk that landed me in this mess. I was never supposed to be here. Never supposed to know of their existence.

Wendy finished processing the blonde’s books and then added her name to the list of Marcus’s conquests she kept on a sheet of paper pinned behind the counter. Her obsession with him wasn’t healthy, but since he’d begun gracing us with his presence every Wednesday, she’d had to flip the sheet over to make room for more names.

Wendy shot the woman a fake smile. “Those are due back in two weeks, and if they aren’t sitting on this desk before midnight two Saturdays from now, the collectors will be by to pay you a visit.”

“I know how it works. I’ve been coming here for centuries,” the woman snapped.

Wendy grinned. “Maybe so, but the Council recently allowed us to upgrade the spell. Seems the old incantation wasn’t incentive enough to return the library’s property in a timely manner. You’ll still get those annoying little demons banging on your door, but you’ll also experience your greatest fear, every night when you sleep until you return the book. So don’t say I didn’t tell you.” Wendy tied the bow on the ribbon that bound the books together.

The woman narrowed her eyes and scooped up the books in her arms. “Consider me warned.”

When the woman turned her back, Wendy flipped her the bird and then turned to look at me. “What do you suppose her greatest fear is, Dora?”

I rubbed my finger along the gem-encrusted metal collar that encircled my neck. You would think that after half a decade of wearing it, it would get easier. But the damn thing itched like a motherfucker. I slid my finger between the collar where my name had been branded—Eudora Spence—and my skin, then spit out, “Cellulite.” I tucked a pesky dark curl behind my ear.

Wendy slid a book onto the shelf behind us. “I was going to say saggy boobs.”

I nodded. “It’s probably a tie for first place, but it’s not like she’s going to have to worry about that. She’s a witch. She’ll be at the peak of physical perfection for eternity. Lucky bitch.”

Wendy’s mouth gaped open. “Look who’s talkin’. You’re a witch. I’m just a human with psychic powers. I’m not even supposed to exist. And what powers I do have, I can’t even control. I can hear some kid ramble on about whether he wants chocolate or vanilla ice cream, but I can’t read that sexy vamp’s mind. I’m a human touched by the arcane, so they tolerate me, but you…”

“I’m what? The Council’s minion? I might be a witch now, but I wasn’t always one. Those supernatural assholes brought me here and basically neutered me. They’ll never take off this collar. What good is it being a witch, when I can’t use magic? Not to mention, I’m basically an indentured servant. I’ll never be able to leave this fucking library. Hell, I even live here. The proverbial prisoner in the ivory tower.”

“The tower’s made of stone.”

“Fuck you, Wendy.”

“Why do you always have to be such a negative Nelly? You don’t age. I had to actually fight to get my job here and they handed it to you. That’s a lot better than being clueless in the mortal world and not knowing all this is going on behind the scenes.” She smoothed the wrinkles from her black and white polka dot dress.

“If you say so. I actually liked my life before…all of this. Now I get to manage the card catalog for a bunch of supernatural pains in the ass for the rest of eternity. Excuse me if I’m not excited.”

Wendy leaned back onto the glass counter top. “At least the eye candy is better on this side of the ley line.”

I stared at her. “That reference doesn’t even make sense if you know anything about ley lines, but if you’re meaning him…” I pointed at the vampire king, who sat beside a dark-haired witch on one of the leather couches that were scattered throughout the space, with his hand on her thigh. “That’s not even appealing to me. I want a man who wants to get to know me and not just tickle my tonsils for an hour.”

A stupid grin pulled at her lips. “Oh, I’m sure he’d tickle more than just your tonsils. You’ve heard about a vampire’s bite, right? If your orgasm could have an orgasm, that’s what it’s supposed to be like.” She shivered. “Besides…look at him. He has to be over 6’ 4”, not an ounce of body fat, perfect bronze skin and those chocolate brown eyes…and I heard his cock is in proportion to the rest of him, if you know what I mean.”

“There’s more to attraction than looks and the size of his dick.”

“Maybe so, but a big dick can make up for a lot. Surely, Julian had something going on down there. He was handsome too, but no offense, he was always so gloomy and dark. How did you even manage to get to know him?”

I stared down at my hands as images of Julian’s amber eyes washed through my mind. It had been five years since his death. “That’s none of your business, and he wasn’t so gloomy once you got to know him.” His work had made him that way. Julian’s profession was just another reason the vampire king held no appeal for me. Marcus Valentine was Julian’s successor as the head of the Imperium Magicae—basically the supernatural government, which was different from “the Council.” The Council was more like the United Nations, overseeing the use of magic across all realms whereas the Imperium Magicae dealt with all matters political between the magical factions. Only an avid liar could rise to that position, hence the reason Julian was such a splendid leader. I was still struggling with the knowledge that everything I loved about Julian was a lie.

My heart ached with both the pain of his loss and anger for what he had done to me—hiding his true identity until that very last moment when he sealed my fate. The witch’s kiss they called it—with his final breath, he transferred all his power into me. It was only after his death and after I learned the truth of magic that I understood the full implication of what he had done.

Wendy turned to face me and quirked an eyebrow. “You know, I never have asked you why the warlock king would take up with a mortal. It’s forbidden. How did you manage it?”

“Not that this is any of your business either, I didn’t. He pursued me.”

“No fucking way. Why would he do that? Sleeping with a mortal is a death sentence.”

“Well not in his case. The Council didn’t kill him, the vampires did, and I suspect it was so that fiend over there could take his place.”

“What was it like? I’ve never been with anyone supernatural.”

The question was so quintessentially Wendy. I’d just implied that supernatural espionage had led to the vampire king’s rise in power and she wanted the gossipy details of my sex life. “I wouldn’t know. I never knew he was supernatural.” I sighed. “I know there’s a lot of curiosity surrounding how a little no-name mortal like me could land the warlock king, but he pursued me and finding out why is going to be impossible, because he’s dead. And now, thanks to him, I’m going to live forever a fifth-class citizen with all these pretentious fucks. They are afraid of me, so I’m collared. Neutralized. I can never be mortal, and I can never be one of them. All I can do is stamp their supernatural library cards and visualize all the ways I’d fuck them over if I ever got a chance to use my magic.”

“Don’t be such a downer. I get to know this all exists and die anyway.” She took a deep breath. “But if you do get to use your powers, let me know. I’ve been making a list of people who abuse their library privileges. They could use a serious ass whoopin’.” She pointed to another slip of paper pinned behind the counter. Wendy was always making lists. It was how she managed stress.

She stood up. “Oh look, here he comes.”

Marcus approached the counter. In the dozens of Wednesday visits he had made, he’d never bothered to check out any books himself. He usually sent his latest conquest to procure them for him.

Wendy curtsied and bowed her head. “Your Highness, what can I do for you?”

I made no effort to recognize him. He wasn’t my king. I submitted to no one.

He smiled at Wendy, then turned his gaze on me. He must have registered my lack of respect, because his brow furrowed and eyes narrowed. His old-world sophisticated, almost British, accent surprised me; I had assumed incorrectly that he was American. He placed his book on the counter. “Are you not going to acknowledge your king?”

“I would if he were here.” I crossed my arms.

He took a step closer.

Was that drool on the counter? Wendy needed to close her mouth and get a grip. His royal vampiness was attractive, but for me that subtracted from his appeal. Attractive men were too much work. And immortal men in a position of power over the goddamn supernatural nether realm were probably impossible. Had I known who Julian really was… I stopped the thought, because if I’d known then what he was, I would have checked myself into a mental institution.

Marcus leaned across the counter. His deep brown eyes held an abyss any other woman could drown in, but not me. I stood my ground, arching an eyebrow.

Wendy cracked her gum.

He shot her a disapproving glance before fixating on my disobedient stance. His voice was as deep and rich as the color of his dark-bronzed skin. “You must be new. Let me introduce myself. I’m Marcus Valentine, your king.”

He had to have known I wasn’t new. How many times had he been here? Granted, he may not have had a conversation with me, but was I that unmemorable? I quieted the growl threatening to erupt from my chest. After a deep breath, I mustered an ultra professional tone. “It’s very nice to meet you, Marcus. How many days would you like to keep the book?” I raised the stamper with the rolling rubber numbers for him to see and readied my fingers to scroll, while I wrapped my flippant statement in a smile.

He raised an eyebrow. “Are you not going to bow? Lower your head? Or perhaps offer me your body?”

I snorted a laugh, but quickly covered my mouth as it echoed through the vast quiet space.

Wendy gasped.

I struggled to catch my breath through the laughter contained behind my palm. I took a deep breath, hissed through my teeth on the exhale, and willed myself to stop. I stared back at him and even though I tried to hide my amusement, my twitching lips would not behave. A quick snicker. “I’m afraid not.”

“I’m your king. You’d be wise to recognize me.” His gaze drifted from my eyes to my collar. “Wait…you’re that mortal. My predecessor’s pet.” He reached out and with one finger and traced the outline of the metal. “I’m going to pretend that Julian was as piss poor of a master as he was a leader and cut you a break, little one. But the next time we meet, you’ll have three options—bow, lower your eyes or…” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Or remove your pants and present to me what’s mine.”

“Or what? You’ll kill me?”

“Yes.”

“Goody. Then I’ll wait for the day when I stare you straight in the eyes and see the astonishment in them when you realize my pants are still on and my lips remain silent. Do I get to decide how you kill me or will it be a surprise? I do love a surprise.” I held him with my unwavering gaze.

A hiss escaped between his teeth.

Wendy grabbed the book and stamped it. “Your, Highness. You can keep the book for as long as you like; you are the king, after all.” She bowed her head.

I stiffened my stance.

He addressed Wendy, but his eyes fixed me in place. “No. There are rules. Magical books are precious and rare. Not even the king is above following the rules. Magic is absolute. I am not foolish enough to disrespect something more powerful than me. Perhaps that’s a lesson you should heed, young lady.”

I tightened my jaw. “I’ll take it under advisement.”

Wendy-kiss-ass to the rescue. “Anything else we can do for you, your highness. My apologies for my associate. She’s new and…”

He grabbed the book, tucked it under his arm, turned, and strode away. When he reached the halfway point in the room, he glanced back over his shoulder.

I still stood with my arms crossed and grumbled, “I am not new. I’ve been here five years.”

Wendy turned to me and in a much too loud whisper said, “Are you fucking insane?”

I sighed, teetering on the edge of irritation and anticipation. “No, Wendy. I’m completely sane and obviously the only one sober. Everyone here is drunk on his bullshit. I have yet to see one redeeming quality in that man. I didn’t ask to be here in their world. They took my life. And worst of all, because of them, I’ll never love again. Julian mated with me before he died. I didn’t know it at the time, because he never bothered to tell me, but you know that you can only ever have one mate. So not only have they denied me death, a finality, an ending, I’m also denied love. But there is one thing that pain in the ass bloodsucker does give me.”

“What’s that?” Worry caused her voice to shake.

“Hope. If I can irritate him enough, perhaps he’ll follow through on his threat to kill me. With Julian’s magic in me, he’s one of only a few who can.”

Marcus stopped before reaching the door. He turned around and stared at me for a moment, and then his eyes searched the room full of library patrons who were quietly sifting through magical tomes. His gaze fixed on a tall, voluptuous woman with long black hair. She was stunning in her four-inch heels made to look like spider webs. I had never seen her before, but she was in the predator’s sights. Marcus sauntered toward her with the grace of a tiger—stealthy and majestic. Why he kept glancing my direction while stalking his prey was puzzling. Perhaps he liked his sex with a side of murder.

He clasped the book in both hands, navigating the shelves, ottomans, and couches strewn throughout the expansive room until he stood behind his victim.

Wendy clicked her gum so loud it echoed.

“Would you stop that?” I elbowed her.

“You shush. This is better than watching daytime TV. Damn, what I wouldn’t give to be vampyra over there. Marcus is going to rock her world.”

I leaned in and whispered in Wendy’s ear, “I wonder if she’s a spider shifter? Looks like she could be one. If she is, Marcus better watch himself or he might end up the main course.”

“I doubt he’d complain if she tried to eat him, if you know what I mean. In fact, I’m sure he’d encourage her.”

I laughed softly. “If she is a spider shifter, he’s in for a rough ride—if he survives, that is. And I hope he wants a lot of children. But it’s probably just wishful thinking on my part, since spider shifters usually don’t come out during the day.”

Wendy turned to me. “How do you know all of that?”

“I’ve worked in this library for five years with nothing else to do. I read a lot.” I exhaled a deep breath and leaned forward with my face in my hands, resting on my elbows while Marcus went in for the kill.

Marcus placed his lips against the woman’s ear and whispered something. Another quick glance in my direction and then his arm snaked around her waist. She sat the book on the shelf and linked her arm with his, showing off her blood red nails. She smiled a wicked grin as he led her to the door.

He opened the door and waved her through the doorway, resting his hand on the small of her back.

Before the door closed behind them, he turned, met my gaze, and winked.

With the final swish of the door, I mumbled under my breath. “Bloodsucking pig.”

Wendy stared at me. “What the fuck just happened?”

I picked up a book from the counter and wrapped my arms around it. “I’m not entirely sure, but I think that’s how you say, “Fuck you,” in vampire. Even their insults are pretentious. Bloodsucking fuckhead.”

Chapter 2

Sticky

I locked the door behind Wendy. She usually left at closing, but I stayed behind because I had to. Not only did I live here but it was my job to return all of the books to their proper shelf. One of those supernatural assholes could have easily weaved a spell to do the work, but then what would they have me do? There was nothing more irritating than busy work.

The part of the library where most of the books resided was a tower—twenty-seven stories high and twenty-seven stories deep. Witches! Three factors of three in each direction. They really took their symbolism seriously. And of course, there was no elevator.

On the main floor of the library, patrons could peruse the most popular books, but any rare or valuable tome was kept locked away. I was the only retrieval system. I first sorted the books by magic type and subject, then gathered those that needed to be taken to the hell levels—that’s what I called any of the floors in the tower below ground—and loaded them into the backpack. The tomes were large, and it was a tight fit. Each level below ground was creepy as fuck and I hummed to myself to ease the tension.

Over the years, I had become efficient at eliminating trips. With the backpack in place and a stack of books wrapped in my arms, I carefully nudged the handle on the rough wooden door leading to hell. First stop—curses.

A cool breeze blew through the passage. I always wondered how the airflow was possible underground but assumed it must be magic. The stone walls left the corridor dank and cold but surprisingly dry.

I sat the stack of books on the floor, shrugged off my backpack, and retrieved the tomes containing curses from the bag. I looked at the spine of the first one and found its location on the shelf—Gastrointestinal Curses. Who could be so cruel? I opened the book to see who had checked it out last. The university chancellor’s assistant. Yikes. Someone was going to have a really shitty day soon.

I put away the next book and then the next, until all of the curse texts had been shelved in their proper place. Next stop, dark magics.

The magic-lit candles that lined the walls in sconces added to the gloomy feel of the space as they cast shadows around the room. With careful footsteps, I took the staircase down to the next level. I paused when I heard a shriek echo up from below. Followed by mumbled yelling.

The hairs raised on my arms in warning. Should I go see? Anything going on down there couldn’t be good. I paused, trying to quiet my thundering heart. Before I could convince myself that I had imagined the entire thing, a cry sounded out. “Help me!” an accented voice screamed, but the sound was faint, given the distance.

How in the hell had someone gotten down there? My collar was the magical key to the tower. They’d placed a spell on it so that I was the only one who could enter the rare book section, with the exception of certain members of the library council, but I hadn’t seen them in years.

I dropped the books and backpack, and bounded down the stairs, steadying myself with a hand on the smooth stone.

“Help.” The voice was distinctly male.

Running my fingers over the uneven surface, I passed entranceway after entranceway. I had never been all the way to the bottom. In fact, I had been warned to avoid it. They called it the abyss. I stopped on the stair next to the twenty-sixth level of hell—the realm of fiend—and I paused, staring into the darkness below.

“You bitch. I will find you, and you will pay for this.” The man bellowed; his tone strangely familiar.

My only course of action was clear. I couldn’t allow that man to die. No one would ever find him down here, but the Council was serious about their rules. I could easily be blamed for whoever it was getting down here in the first place. I took a deep breath.

“Fuck it,” I mumbled to myself and grabbed the last magical candle that illuminated the first step to the abyss.

“Damn it,” his scream bounded through the corridor.

I pushed my fear aside and took the stairs two at a time, outrunning the candlelight.

A loud thud sounded as I hit something solid, and I fell backward onto my ass.

“Son of a bitch,” the man cried out.

You’d think that immortality would make pain unnecessary, but my behind hurt like a bitch. I braced myself into a sitting position with one hand behind me and the other raising the candle to see what caused my unfortunate fall. The words left my mouth before I could pull them back, “No fucking way.”

He made no effort to hide his irritation. “I think you broke my nose.”

I pushed off the floor with my palm and stood, extending the candle in the man’s direction, making sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me. “I knew it.”

“Get me down from here, now.”

I smirked. “It’s seems you’ve got yourself into a bit of a sticky situation.”

“As your king, I order you to get me down.”

I laughed and took two steps to the left, allowing the candlelight to fall over the length of his body. “So she was a spider shifter.” His highness was encased in a cocoon of webs from neck to ankle and hanging suspended upside down. “I wasn’t positive, since they typically only come out at night.”

“It matters not what may have landed me in this unfortunate situation, you need to release me now, before she returns.”

“Believe me, I know. The things she’s going to do to you…they are outright brutal.” I sat down on the floor, crossed my legs, and set the candle in front of me. “You didn’t have sex with her, did you?”

“I will kill you if you don’t release me.”

I snorted. “No, you won’t. Because if you slept with her, she’s coming back to finish the job. Want to know what she’ll do? I’ve had a lot of time to read. The spider people are fascinating.”

“Use the candle. Do it now.”

“Funny, what was it you said about Julian? Piss poor leader? Well, your royal vampiness, as a warlock, this situation would have been no problem for Julian. A little magical fire, applied to those magical webs, and presto, you’re free. Who’s the shitty leader now?”

“She’ll kill you too when she returns.”

“She can’t. I’m too powerful. She might be a spider shifter, but the magic in me is ancient and it won’t let me die. Plus, they only kill for a purpose. I don’t have anything she wants. I’m hardly a threat. How did you manage to bang her all strung up like that?”

“This happened…ah…after.” He cleared his throat. “She wasn’t just a spider shifter, she’s the bloody spider queen. She’s trying to breed with me to strengthen her line.”

We said at the same time, “But she can only breed in spider form.”

The crease in his brow spoke volumes. He knew the outcome would not be pleasant. Not only would he be forced to do the nasty with a human-sized spider, but… “You do know that after she wraps those eight legs around you and humps you like a rabbit in spring, she is going to bite your neck and lay her eggs. After they hatch, they’ll eat their way inside your head and feast on your brain. I’ve heard the process is agonizing.”

The webs shook around him. Was that a shiver?

“None of that is going to happen because you are going to get me down.”

“Maybe.”

“Damn it, woman. Do you have any idea how serious this is?”

I snorted. “For you, yes. I’ve seen the photos. Do you know that once your brains turn to mush the baby spiders crawl out of your ears, nostrils, and eye sockets? Not pretty at all.”

“Then why are you stalling?”

“Because I want something.”

He growled. “Whatever it is, consider it done.”

I stood raising the candle to cast light on his beautiful face. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

“You don’t.”

“Blood oath then.”

“No, absolutely not. How do you even know about that?”

I waved my hands toward the ceiling. “Books, lots of books, and lots and lots of time.”

He tried to shake his head but the webbing was too tight. “Anything else, just not that.”

“You’re lying to me then. Good luck. I’m sure your children will be beautiful. Oh…that’s right…you won’t get to see them. They will have eaten your eyes from the inside out. Such a shame.”

“I command you.”

A cold breeze made the light from my candle flicker; walking to the far wall, I held out the light source. A tunnel, but leading to where? Clattering echoed through the passage. I turned toward the suspended vampire. “Did you hear that? It’s now or never.” I glanced into his wide, frightened eyes and paused. The pang of sympathy I felt startled me. What was it about his eyes that unsettled me? Beyond the rich espresso color, there was something captivating, alluring even. I shrugged off the thought and glanced away from him. It was probably some kind of vampire glamour trick. Clenching my fist at my side, I renewed my focus. “Are you going to give me what I want?”

He let out a long, frustrated sigh. “Fine. What is it you demand?”

“I want you to kill me.”

“What? That’s insane. The Council will have my head.”

“Make it look like an accident.”

“Kill yourself.”

“I tried. I can’t. It takes someone of equal power. I already know you killed Julian.”

A clattering of rocks sounded from the rough stone passage. “I didn’t kill Julian. I never wanted to be king. I wanted my blood and my women, not all this responsibility.”

“Then who killed him?”

“I don’t know. No one does. I don’t kill people, I just…use them.”

“Well…you’ll be ‘using’ a giant, hairy-ass spider soon.”

“You really want to die that badly?”

“Yes, there’s no future for me. The immortals hate me. I was bound to Julian. I’ll be stuck in this library for eternity.”

“He bound himself to you?”

“Yes.”

“He knew you were mortal?”

“Yes.”

He closed his eyes and stabbed his fang into his lower lip. “Kiss me and your wish shall be my command.”

I took two steps toward him and bit my lip as hard as I could until the metal taste of blood registered on my tongue. It would be my little secret. Adding my blood changed the spell to a curse. I had a special fondness for curses and since he spent most of his time philandering in the library, instead of reading, I was quite sure this tiny detail would escape him.

I bent at the waist. In slow motion, I closed my mouth over his. His lips were full and soft, and his blood tangy, overshadowing the taste of my own on my tongue.

Something I didn’t expect overcame me. Arousal. My mouth moved in time with his—frantic, full of passion. His moan brought me back from the edge, and I stared into his beautiful, deep brown eyes.

He swallowed hard, licked his lips and captured me with his gaze. “It’s done.” Another swipe of his tongue collected the tiny droplet of our mingled blood that lingered on the corner of his mouth. “Now get me down.”

I held the candle against the webs, forging a trail down the center of the cocoon. The bindings gave way all at once, and he fell with a thud to the floor. More rocks crumbled in the passageway.

“Blood hell. You could have warned me.”

I bent and grabbed his hand. There was no time to inspect him for injury. “Come on, before she gets here and releases you from your promise. I gotta keep you alive so you can kill me.” I pulled him toward the spiral staircase.

Chapter 3

Naked

We bounded through the doorway at the top of the twenty-seven flights of stairs and onto the main level of the library. My breathing labored as I slammed the door closed. “There, she’ll have to take the long way around. The door is warded so only I can enter. Well…and a few select members of the library council, but those lazy fucks never come to help.” I inhaled deeply, interrupting my rant. “You were able to come with me because I held your hand and extended the magic to you. But she won’t be able to enter.” I turned and my next word caught in my throat.

In the glow of the magically lit lanterns that lined the walls and the iron chandeliers suspended from the ceiling was the most unbelievable sight. Marcus. Naked. I sucked in a deep breath. No wonder he never spent a night alone. His dark-bronze skin glowed in the flickering light. Every plane of muscle a new adventure. I wanted to touch him, to see if his skin was as silky as it looked. The books painted vampires as pasty, pale creatures, but not Marcus. His dark skin was a cloak hiding what he truly was—so vibrant, seemingly full of life, but just like every other bloodsucker, he was anything but alive.

“See something you like, little one?” He wiggled his hips, causing his mammoth cock to bounce.

Son of a bitch, he was huge. No wonder his dance card was always filled.

I pointed at his oversize member. “Isn’t that what got you into this mess?”

“Me? How about us? You’re in this as deep as I am.”

I placed my hands on my hips. “Am not.” I forced myself to look away from his… “You’re the one she wants. She needs you to complete the mating ritual.”

He took two long strides toward me.

I swallowed hard. He was so close I could feel his body heat. And his scent…dear God… “That may have been true before you released me.”

I turned my head completely to my left, my back stiff as a board. “But she can’t kill me, so what’s the worst she could do? Besides, I’m as good as dead anyway.”

His nose grazed my neck, his words a whisper, “The worst she could do is keep you prisoner and torture you for eternity. The gilded library seems like paradise compared to that, does it not?” His lips caressed the skin just behind my ear. “My sweet…” He paused, and the tone of his voice changed, seduction gone. “What was your name again?”

I rolled my eyes and answered flatly, “Dora. Short for Eudora.” Lover boy’s cock must have made up for his lack of social skills.

The swagger returned and low accented words flowed from his lips. “Dora, that’s a lovely name. I may now be fated to kill you and only my death can keep me from fulfilling my oath, but I get to decide when and where your demise happens. Right now, you’re useful.”

“Don’t make me wait, please. I have no life.”

His lips closed over my earlobe. “I love to hear a woman beg.”

I jerked back from him and headed toward the door to the top half of the tower, where I resided on the twenty-seventh floor. Yes, those magical assholes had decided that at the end of a long day, to toss twenty-seven flights of stairs in for good measure.

He chased after me. “Where are you going?”

“To sleep. I’ll ask you again next week if you’re ready to kill me.” With my hand on the doorknob, I turned and stared up into his deep brown eyes. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“You can, but that doesn’t mean I’ll honor it. You’ve already demanded enough.”

“Can you make it a surprise? Don’t let me know it’s coming. Make it quick.”

He said nothing, but stared back into my eyes. Frightened by the intensity of his gaze, I turned, and mumbled a quick, “Please consider it.” In a lightning fast maneuver, I opened the door and slid through the doorway.

The lock clicked and he bellowed, “Wait! You cannot leave me here. Dora, wait.”

I cracked open the door. “Why? Don’t you have somewhere to be? An army to amass? You are the vampire king after all, head of the governing body. Only Baba Yaga and the Council of Nine have more power than you. What could you possibly need from me?”

He braced his hand on the doorframe and sighed, “If I go home, she’ll find me. Sleeping with her may have been an act of war.”

“War?”

“It’s against the rules to copulate with other leaders. It could compromise the sovereignty of the vampire nation. So even if my own people forgive me, a supposition which is doubtful, I’m going to need some help. Until I can get in touch with Baba Yaga and ask for her help, I can’t go anywhere. I can’t even think of venturing out at night. I’ll be safer during the day.”

“Don’t you have a bat phone or something to get you out of this kind of bullshit?”

“Not exactly.”

He tapped on the door. “Is this one of those specially warded doors that only you can enter?”

I nodded and narrowed my eyes.

“Aren’t you going to invite me up for a drink?”

I considered it for a moment. He couldn’t fulfill his oath if he was dead, really dead. “I swear to God, if you pull any of your bullshit, I’ll call the spider queen myself and shove a GPS up your ass.”

“That’s no way to speak to your king.”

“Fuck you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I should punish you for that.”

“Then double fuck you.” I crossed my arms. “Fine. I’m making another request.”

He arched an eyebrow.

“You’re taking me out for my last meal. Jambalaya. And no pre-made or Northern bullshit, jambalaya made by Mr. Ted’s in Louisiana and you’re getting Baba Yaga to let me out of here so I can have that one last wish.”

“Isn’t Mr. Ted’s actually known for their crawfish? And their slogan is, “Got me some good head at Ted’s?”

“Yeah, but it’s really the jambalaya that’s to die for. And maybe I will see him again. My father took me there when I…” I caught myself before I told him too much. “Promise?”

“OK. But only if Baba Yaga lets you go.”

I grabbed his arm and pulled him through the door. “Come on.”

Chapter 4

Twitch

Twenty-seven flights of stairs and, I stumbled through the doorway. Absolute exhaustion. I couldn’t even hold the door for him.

“Ow,” he grumbled from behind me.

My room was one large space, much like a loft apartment. A small kitchenette with all the modern conveniences took up the far corner of the cavernous space. The vaulted ceiling and sparse furnishings caused my footsteps to echo as my shoes tapped against the stone floors. My bed sat in the opposite corner against the white stucco walls next to my desk with my computer—my only access to the outside world.

I walked to the bed and collapsed across the fluffy white linens. I didn’t care that I had a guest. I was far too tired. I smoothed the comforter and gave rare thanks for useful witches—the spells Baba Yaga cast that automatically made my bed each morning, did the dishes and laundry. She even had my meals made magically, which was the best, because I couldn’t imagine lugging groceries up twenty-seven fucking flights of stairs. I buried my face in the pillows and groaned.

My eyes were about to drift shut when Marcus cleared his throat. “Are you going to sleep?”

I rolled over and propped myself up on my elbows and my breath caught in my throat. He was gorgeous. I had admired him downstairs, but the realization that he stood just feet away in all his glory made my palms sweat, among other things. Glory, glory, glory be…he was fine. And…aroused. I swallowed hard. “I should probably get you some clothes.”

“I doubt you have any that fit me.” He didn’t move other than the slight twitch of his cock.

The hunger in his eyes set me on fire. Something I thought I’d never feel after Julian. I had read that bonded mates weren’t supposed to be able to be aroused by other people, so why was I wet at the sight of his mammoth erection? Maybe his sex appeal was some kind of voodoo. Only a magical influence could explain it.

“Here, let me see what Baba Yaga left for me in the closet.” I had taken to wearing the same outfit everyday. The white button down shirt and the short plaid skirt, resembling one of those trampy Halloween schoolgirl costumes. But it was the only thing that didn’t look like it had to be pried from Michael Jackson’s cold dead hands—circa 1982. With Baba Yaga as my only conduit for fashion, it was this, which fit in better at the library, or banana clips, lace gloves and parachute pants. At least I looked studious. I often wondered how hard Baba Yaga had to try to find clothes that bad. I struggled to sit up on ultra soft bedding.

Marcus walked toward me. His cock bobbed with each step. What was he doing? He stopped when he reached the bed, never releasing my gaze, and paused.

I ceased moving. Leaning one more inch forward would have put me into direct contact with Marcus’s not-so-little problem. Bracing myself in an awkward position, I waited for him to do something. Anything. But he just stood there. I cleared my throat. “Ahhhhh… Do you have a license for that thing?” I glanced at the hard straining tip.

He raised an eyebrow. “What thing?”

I nudged my chin toward his twitching cock. “That.”

He laughed and extended a hand to help me up. “Would you license a paint brush, a piano, or a dancer’s feet?”

My brow furrowed. “No, of course not.”

“Then there’s no need. Trust me, little one. I only use it to create art.”

“But the size… I mean… It could be a weapon of mass destruction.”

He leaned down, placing his arms on either side of me, causing his arousal to rest against my leg. His breath blew hot against my neck.

I gulped, and tried to hold back the shiver growing from inside. “Oh…trust me. Sit back, open those legs for me, and I’ll show you an explosion.”

“Ah… I…you…I mean.” The shiver overcame me and he noticed. Fuck.

His smirk fueled my resolve. I used my feet to propel myself backward across the bed and in the process rolled over the edge. Son of a bitch. Before I could stand, he was there grabbing me by the arms and pulling me to my feet. In slow motion, my eyes drifted lower to the large erection resting against my stomach. “Dear God… Don’t you have a holster or something?”

“No, but I can think of a warm, wet sheath I could put it in.”

I smacked his chest repeatedly. “Get out of my way.”

He stepped aside, allowing me to pass on my way to the closet.

What a freak show. I pulled a leg warmer from one of the shelves and held it up in front of me. I closed one eye and compared the size of the warmer to the size of Marcus’s member. “Here. Why don’t you put this blinder on that bad boy?”

“Why? Are you distracted? I assure you, he’s rather fond of you.” He crossed his arms.

“Ewwww… That thing has plundered every hole in the nether realm. I can only imagine the diseases.”

His brow furrowed. “I’m a vampire. I’m immune to disease, and you’re immortal.”

“But just the thought.” I crossed my arms. “Do I need to remind you that you fucked a spider tonight? A spider. Did you run out of human woman to screw?” I turned back to the closet and mumbled loud enough for him to hear me. “How do you fuck a spider anyway? I mean…do they even have vaginas?”

“Do you have to use such unladylike language? Besides, as I’ve already told you, she was completely human during the deed,” he grumbled.

I tossed a Gem and the Holograms T-shirt at him and laughed. “Unladylike? If I’m unladylike, what are the hordes of women who lined up for a one-night stand with you? Jesus Christ, you have some fucking nerve.” I probably could have left off the adjective, but why pass up a way to irritate him.

“I don’t care what they say or who they are, I just don’t like hearing profanity coming from you.” He stared at the shirt. “This is a woman’s size six. It’ll never fit.” He tossed it back at me.

“Why the fuck do you care what I say?”

Growling he commanded, “Stop saying it.” His stare grew icy. “I don’t know why. Maybe because it doesn’t match how I see you. But either way, you need to stop.”

Looking over my shoulder, I raised an eyebrow. “How the fuck do you see me? I’m not even sure how you’ve made any type of judgment about me, we just fucking met.” I slammed the closet door shut in frustration. “Nothing’s gonna fit.”

“We could climb into bed. You won’t be able to see me under the covers.”

“Oh, great idea.” I ran to the bed and pulled back the blankets revealing the crisp white sheet. I pulled it free. “Here wrap this around your waist.”

He did as I instructed, but the tented front made me giggle.

“What now?” he groused, crossing his arms.

“It looks like you’re surrendering.”

His gaze drifted lower to his protruding shaft. He stared for a moment, and then slowly lifted his chin until his eyes met mine. “If anyone is going to surrender, it’s you.”

I laughed. “You’d have to kill me. Oh that’s right, you’re going to anyway.” I walked to the sink on the other side of the room, stopped, and spun. “You’re undead?”

“Yes.” He quirked an eyebrow.

“I swear to God if you defile my body after I’m dead—”

He cut me off. “That is beyond disgusting. There is a big difference between dead and undead. Is that what you really think of me?”

I picked up the glass and stared into it. “Not necessarily, but it never hurts to clarify.”

He walked toward me, but didn’t come too close, instead taking a seat on the sofa. “I’m trying to think of the best way to summon Baba Yaga.”

“So you’re king and you don’t know how to summon good ol’ Baba herself?”

“No, I have people that can do that for me.” He stretched his arms, locking his hands behind his head while staring at the ceiling.

I took a sip of water and peered at the ripples on the surface. “I have an idea.”

Chapter 5

Lace

With scissors in hand, I ran to the closet, pulled out a pair of cheap lace underwear Baba Yaga had included in her dysfunction junction clothes collection and cut them in half. I paused. Nothing. I closed the blades over the cloth again and shredded the fabric. I waited. Still nothing. “Fuck.”

“Language,” he chided.

I quieted the urge that grew inside telling me to throw the scissors at him. “Son of a bitch. That should have worked.”

He growled. “I’m going to start punishing you every time you don’t act like a lady.”

“I manipulated you into promising to kill me, do you honestly think I’d fear your punishment? And a lady? Please…”

He rose from the sofa and stalked toward me like a lion on the hunt. His dark skin and sculpted body no less majestic than the king of the beasts. As he approached, something overcame me. A feeling I didn’t understand. Lust perhaps? If I didn’t know better, I’d call it longing, but that was impossible.

Before I could register what had happened, I was pinned to the wall, my arms stretched up above my head and grasped in his fists. He pressed his body against mine and seemed to almost purr. “There are so many ways to punish you. It makes my mouth water just thinking about them.” He leaned his head back and bared his fangs. “It would be a shame for you to die having not known one of the greatest pleasures—a vampire’s bite. It can be addictive.” He ran his fangs up the side of my neck, grazing my skin with his teeth.

I shivered. I didn’t want to enjoy his touch, but my body was on fire. Fucking vampire mojo.

“You want to know a secret, little one?”

I swallowed as he pressed his erection harder against my belly. “Maybe.” Did I really want to know? Could I stand not knowing?

His tongue drew a hot, wet trail up my neck to my ear. “The reason I sleep around so much is not for the reasons you think.” His lips pressed against my skin, causing me to shiver. “It’s because if I bite the same person three times, I become bound to them. It’s impossible for me to plunge my cock into a woman and not sample her blood. I’m a vampire, remember? Consider my promiscuous ways a bit of insurance.” He licked my earlobe.

So that’s how he justified it. “Why should I care what you do?”

“Because…” he placed a kiss beside my lips. “That’s the thing about the blood oath, I get to decide when I kill you, and until then you’re mine to do with as I please. Can’t you feel it? My blood in your veins. You won’t be able to leave me, which means I can take my time and dish out the sweetest torture.” His mouth closed over mine and even though I wanted to push him away, my body betrayed me. How the fuck could he do this to me? The blood oath? I wasn’t supposed to be able to feel these things for anyone.

I pulled away and managed to catch my breath. “I guess I won’t have to wait too long. You’ll never take it as far as the third fuck.”

He growled in my ear. “Bend over.”

“What?”

“I’m no longer warning you. You either correct that vulgar mouth of yours, or I redden your bottom.” His wicked grin sent a shiver through my body like an omen. “Or I could put your mouth to better use. You can suck my cock a million times and we never risk a bond.” The rumble grew from deep in his chest. “Hmmmmmm… I like that idea so much better. Would you like to rephrase your comment in a more appropriate manner, or would you like to get on your knees? The choice, this time, is a luxury.” He clutched my chin. “Decide.”

The “fuck you” had already formed in my head when a scream tore through the room.

“How could you?” Baba Yaga smoothed her broomstick skirt.

I stared at her feet in fascination. “Are those jelly shoes?” I had never worn the plastic footwear myself; they looked like something a child might eat rather than something a grown woman would put on her feet.

“Yes. How could you? I bought those clothes especially for you.”

I lowered my head out of respect for the ancient leader of all the witches, hell, the entire supernatural world. Even though I hated her on one hand for imprisoning me because of the political pressure to keep me under control, I could always see the regret in her eyes and her attempts to make my life easier did not go unnoticed.

I was about speak when she focused in on my guest.

“Marcus, what are you doing here, and why are you dressed like that? You weren’t doing unsavory things to my darling Eudora, were you? She deserves better.”

His drooping sheet hung low between his legs, covering his assets. Thank God. But I answered for him. “He got himself into a bit of a bind, and I helped him out of it.” I glanced at him, trying to decide if I should tell her about the little arachnid problem he had or enjoy the hell out of watching him grovel before Baba Yaga. I moved to the sofa, flopped into the seat, perched my elbow on the back of the sofa, and rested my chin upon my arm, ready for the entertainment to begin.

Baba Yaga cocked her head to the left and looked up at the ceiling for a moment. She zeroed in on Marcus again. “What have you done?”

Amazing. The woman had powers beyond anyone or anything I had ever seen, but you would never tell it given the one sleeve, gold lame shirt she wore.

She growled through gritted teeth. “You gave her your blood?” She accused.

He stood taller, seeming to want to reclaim his dignity. “I had no choice.”

“Who coerced you into such a thing?”

I sat up, waved one hand, and smiled. “I did.”

They both glared at me, but it was Baba who spoke. “Why on earth would you do that? You know that he has some control over you now.”

“Yes, but it was a small price to pay. Besides, he can’t have too much control, he hasn’t been able to shut me up yet.” I winked at Marcus. “He’s going to fulfill that very special request that you always deny me.” I had begged Baba Yaga to kill me many times, but she refused. Something about time not passing like it did when I was human, my inability to process it, and this was why it was forbidden to even associate with humans, let alone date them.

Her head snapped in Marcus’s direction. “You agreed to kill her?”

“Yes, he did.” A satisfied smirk crossed my face.

“You can’t do that, Marcus. We need her here. She doesn’t know what she’s doing. She’s only been here five years. That is nothing for an immortal.”

I cleared my throat. “Yes, and the thought of living forever without knowing love, never fitting in, and being stuck in the godforsaken library would make me kill myself if I could. So Marcus was kind enough to pledge me the favor.”

“Was he now?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “You know what this means don’t you? You know what happens if you don’t fulfill the oath?” She focused her attention on Marcus’s expression.

It was impossible to miss the worried look on his face, but he saved that for Baba Yaga, all I got was his death stare.

“No…” He spoke to Baba but kept his penetrating stare fixed on me. “What does it mean?”

“If you don’t kill her soon, you’ll grow weaker every day until you do or you will perish.”

“What? That’s impossible. It was just a blood oath. I get to decide when and until then she’s under my influence.”

Baba laughed. “If you weren’t so arrogant, I might feel bad for you, but Eudora has a little secret don’t you, dear? She didn’t just ingest your blood, you ingested hers—blood infused with the power of an ancient warlock. That exchange turned your spell into a curse.”

“Oops.” I covered my mouth with my fingertips and feigned innocence.

Marcus sucked in a deep breath. “That’s impossible.”

I tried to wipe the smug look off my face, but couldn’t. “It only takes a drop, and you were a bit distracted, if I remember correctly.”

His nostrils flared. “How could you?”

“I wasn’t going to be your slave, too Marcus. I needed a little insurance.”

Baba Yaga put her hand on her hip. She looked like she was heading to an audition for Flashdance. “I take great offense to the slave comment. I have seen to your comforts.”

“Even a gilded cage is still a prison.” I narrowed my eyes at her.

She shifted her stance. “Well, if that’s how you see it.” She took two long steps toward Marcus and smiled. “Marcus, if you kill her, I’ll have no choice but to hand you over to Leticia.”

His eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes, I know about your little eight-legged indiscretion. That’s going to be quite a mess to clean up. Until I have everything smoothed over with her, you’ll need to stay here with Eudora.”

I groaned. I didn’t want him here; it was way too dangerous with all the strange things I had been feeling since meeting him. Perhaps there was more connection in the curse than I’d realized.

Baba Yaga turned so she could see us both. “So, if you kill her, you’re dead. If you don’t, you’re dead. Kind of sucks to be you, but I’ll let you in on a little secret.” She stepped closer to him and even though she addressed him directly, she did so loud enough for me to hear. “The mating bond is stronger than the blood curse. It would completely cancel the effect, but that might cramp your style, Marcus. Then again so would being dead-dead, instead of undead.” She shook her long blonde locks. “Oh and Eudora, the next time you destroy any of the clothes I bought you, I’m cancelling your cleaning spell. Immortality with dishpan hands—the horror. Tootles.”

With that, she disappeared.

“Bloody goddamn witches,” Marcus groused, and then he looked up at me and gave me the most sinister grin. “I know how to solve this problem.”

A wave of fear rushed through me as I registered the look on his face.

An instant later, Baba Yaga reappeared and tapped Marcus on the chest. Her finger impacted his hard pec with each punctuated word. “I heard that.” She waved her hand, and with the other flung a glittery substance at him, while chanting three indiscernible words. On the last syllable, she smacked him upside the head. “There, that should fix my almost unfortunate mistake.”

He growled. “What did you do?”

“Mating has to be consensual now. I wanted to make sure that you didn’t get the bright idea of taking what my precious Eudora doesn’t want to give you.”

“What?” He growled.

“You heard me. Win her over with sincerity or you’ll melt into a puddle of vampire goo.”

He stabbed his finger in her direction. “Wait until I tell the Council about your behavior.”

She tapped him on the forehead with her index finger. “Wait until I tell the Council your penis may have incited a war.”

“They’ll never let you get away with it.” He crossed his arms.

“As far as they know, you’re missing, and without Eudora escorting you out of this tower, you’re stuck here. I’ll just let them know that the spider queen said you were delicious.”

“You bitch.”

“That’s witch to you. Tata for now.” A flurry of glitter particles floated to the floor in the place where Baba Yaga once stood.

Chapter 6

Spanking

Hours passed and Marcus said nothing. Silent but for the rumble emanating from his chest while he paced the room.

When he stopped and stared up at the stucco ceiling, I took my opportunity. I couldn’t handle the silence any more. “Talk about damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I’m really sorry you’re going to have to die.”

He spun his head toward me. “Not an option.”

I grinned. “Afraid so. Living for-fucking-ever mated to you is a fate worse than death so—”

He grabbed me by the throat and pressed my body into the couch cushion with his weight. “I thought I told you that I will not tolerate profanity from you. Was I somehow unclear?”

I swallowed against the firm grasp he had on my throat. “How can you even worry about something so fucking trivial at a time like this?”

“Because if you’re going to be my mate you will have to learn to obey me.” The tips of his fangs pressed against his bottom lip.

I laughed. “You trying to gain my obedience will be the death of us. Remember, I have a death wish.” I squirmed. “Let me up. I need some air.”

“Why should I?”

“Because you’re harder than a diamond, and I’m not willingly going to give myself to you. But if you don’t let me up I’m going to continue to do this…” I rubbed my pelvis against his cock. “…until you do.”

He squeezed tighter. “That’s very naughty of you, and you know what I do to naughty girls?”

He didn’t give me time to respond before he rolled me over and planted one swift smack to my bottom.

“Son of a bitch.” I clenched my teeth.

Another smack.

“What the fuck?”

And another. “Keep going, I can do this all night.” His palm planted against my back made it impossible to move. “Anything else you want to say?”

“Fuck you.”

The crack sounded through the room. He lowered himself until his breath blew hot against my ear. “You must love this, since you keep asking for more. I wonder…” He slipped his fingers between my legs and into my underwear. “There is hope. You’re sopping wet. This situation is starting to show promise.”

“You are such a bastard.”

Smack.

“What? Bastard isn’t swearing.”

“You’re insulting my mother. Close enough.” He plastered his body against my back.

“Let me up.”

He rubbed his cock between the cheeks of my ass and pressed his lips to my ear. “You know that word you’re so fond of? The one that drives me crazy every time I hear you say it? Well… I’ve been doing it for hundreds of years. Perfecting my technique. Making women scream with pleasure.” He set a subtle rhythm with his hips against my ass.

My body was on fire. I didn’t want to want him, but that place between my thighs ached to have him fill me. It had been so long, but still… What the fuck was wrong with me? Heat flooded my cheeks, and I pushed back against him.

He groaned. “All I need to do is lift this tiny skirt of yours and slide those already soaked panties aside and my cock will slide right in.” He placed his hand on my hip and coaxed me into angling my pelvis upward so that his cock rubbed against my sex as he moved. “Don’t you want to know what it would feel like? To come like you never have before? It’s only one time, we won’t be mated, and don’t you think you owe it to yourself before you die? To feel my fangs in your neck and my cock inside you?” He panted against my ear.

I was weak with need. It had been so long since my body had felt such things. He was an attractive man. I was about to die after all, one time wouldn’t kill me and it might help pass the time. “You really think you’re that great of a fuck?”

He leaned to the side, slapped my ass, and said, “Yes.” He ran his fangs along my neck. “How about you stop saying that word and start doing it?” He worked my skirt around my waist and hooked his fingers in the corners of my panties. “Come on. What do you have to lose? Let me fuck you, little one. Just say that one simple word.”

I could no longer resist. “What do you want me to say?”

“I want you to say, yes.” He rubbed his cock harder against my sex. “I’m going to ask you again. Do you want me to fuck you?”

The friction had me on the brink of madness. I stifled my moan. Letting him know the impact he had on my body was not an option.

“Just think about it. Think about how my cock will feel sliding into you. Stretching you.” He inhaled, allowing the air to linger in his lungs before speaking. “You know I can smell you—your desire.” He leaned to the side and slipped his hand between us. “So wet. So ready. Do you want me to take you hard or slow, little one?”

I squeezed my eyes shut and cursed my traitorous body.

He licked my neck while his finger slipped up and down between my folds. “Hmmmmm…” He ran his nose up the side of my neck. “You smell absolutely delicious.” His fangs grazed my skin. “Let me have just a taste.”

I couldn’t have answered him if I wanted to—paralyzed as I was with need, want, and determination to not give in. But I was losing the battle. With each touch, my lust-fueled curiosity threatened to win.

“Come on, Dora, what do you have to lose?” His fingers moved faster, bringing me to the edge.

So good. So long. My body gave into his touch even when I couldn’t give him the words. Without my consent, I moaned.

He hissed, “Yes. That’s it. And think…this is just my fingers. Wait until you take my cock.”

I pressed my pelvis harder against his hand. So close to falling.

“Say it. Say yes. Give me your body.”

I swallowed hard as euphoria crested within me. A second later all I felt was the cool air of the room. No hand. No friction. No motherfucking orgasm. “What the fuck?” I sat up, arms wobbly and stared at him.

He stood nude, cock pointing to the ceiling, with his arms crossed. “You didn’t say yes. I won’t let you use me. Either we both get what we want or neither of us does. Isn’t this so poetic for our situation? We either learn to love fucking each other or we’ll be fucked out of existence. Why don’t you think about that for a while? Sweet dreams.”

I growled. “I so fucking hate you.”

“That’s two I owe you.”

“Two what?”

“Spankings. Don’t think I’m going to let any of them slide.” He walked to the door and opened it, but paused.

I called to him from across the room, “You know you can’t get out of the tower.”

“I know.”

I crossed my arms, feeling some trepidation about his answer to my next question. “Where are you going?”

“To do some research. Wet dreams, Dora. Wait…sweet dreams. Actually, either way works.” He winked and stepped through the door.

“Motherfucking son of a bitch.”

From the other side of the door his voice carried, “That’s three.”

Chapter 7

Confessions

I groaned and rolled over in my bed. Again. I’d gotten little sleep. My head had whirled all night from the events on the sofa four nights ago. I had almost given myself to him. Almost made the biggest mistake of my life. Wait…second biggest mistake. Loving and trusting Julian was my first. But he felt so good against my skin. His scent. His warmth. I never expected a vampire to be warm, but he was. And soft. Damn it. I crawled under the covers and sighed. I could still smell him on my skin. Why did he have to smell so good? Feel so good? Fuck. I needed to avoid him. Trusting myself would only get harder.

I tried to avoid him. But each night he returned to my quarters after searching the library for answers, to what I’ll never know. Baba Yaga hadn’t made an appearance since the night I shredded the Tina Turner inspired underwear she had so graciously gifted me, and it had been nearly a week of me trying to find excuses to stay clear of Marcus. I quickly corrected myself. Stay clear of fuck head. I couldn’t afford to humanize him, but every night when he returned to rest on the sofa, I wanted nothing more than to ask him what he had been doing. Was it loneliness that drew me to him? Whatever it was, I couldn’t allow it.

The door opened and he stepped through like he did each night. To the washroom and then his place on the couch. Tonight, when I heard the sound of his body settling into the fabric of the sofa, it was followed by a long sigh. I almost asked him what was wrong, but caught myself before my dastardly mistake.

Another lingering sigh.

I placed my hand over my mouth to keep from inquiring, but before I could finish chastising myself for even contemplating asking him to unburden himself, he spoke, “Dora?”

Shit. “Yes.”

“Remember that first day, when you tricked me?”

I cleared my throat. “I remember rescuing you, yes.”

He sat up and looked at me over the back of the sofa. My bed a mere ten feet or so away. “Extorting me in a moment of weakness is a more apt description, little one, but yes, that is the day I’m speaking of.”

I rolled onto my side facing him and tucked my arm under my pillow, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. Why was his interest so important to me? “What of it?”

“Do you remember what you asked me?”

“Yes, I wanted you to kill me.”

He let out a placating chuckle. “Yes, but remember the special request you made? About how I should get Baba Yaga’s permission to take you to Louisiana?”

“Oh, yes. The jambalaya.” I smiled at the thought.

“When you asked me, I wasn’t thinking straight, given the circumstances. But before our webbed encounter in the basement, I couldn’t help but think that we had met before. I generally have perfect recall, but how you were so familiar eluded me. For the past few days I’ve been spending my time on the third floor looking for clues.”

“Regional magics.”

“Yes. A decade or so ago, I lived in New Orleans. Vampires run the city, but you probably already knew that.”

“I figured as much since the bookshelf for that area is riddled with books on vampire lore.”

“It didn’t occur to me then, but your last name is Spence.”

“What of it?” My brow furrowed with curiosity.

He took a deep breath. “The reason you love jambalaya is because you visited your family in the French Quarter often, correct?”

“Yes, I went with my father.” The memories overcame me. “He even took me to a masked ball the year before he died. I felt like a princess in my fancy dress and tiara.”

He rubbed his hand across his brow. “That’s what I thought. It explains everything. How could I be so stupid?”

I sat up. “What?”

He stood, walked to me, and in a most unexpected action kneeled on the floor before me. Placing his hand over mine, he stared up into my eyes. Turmoil stirred in his gaze. “Do you know what your father did for a living, Dora?”

“My father worked as a recruiter. He traveled a lot.”

Inhaling a deep breath, he squeezed my hand. “Recruiter, is that what he called it? It explains why you were so familiar to me. Why when I saw you that first day in the library, I couldn’t keep myself from coming back.”

“What are you talking about?”

“In my research, I came across a book about the vampire slave trade in Louisiana. I try to block that night from my mind. But when I read the history and saw your family name…”

“Marcus, please…” I needed him to get to the point. Sexually frustrated Marcus I could deal with. Worried Marcus left me disconcerted.

“When someone is inducted into the vampire royal family, for lack of a better word, they get certain…benefits. Much like politicians in human society might receive favors either considered illegal or immoral to the general populous. Think drugs, prostitutes, and the like. Vampire leaders are no different.”

“Like you need prostitutes.”

He closed his eyes. “You’re right I don’t, but it’s hard for a vampire to turn down a blood slave.”

“Blood slave?”

“Yes.” He opened his eyes and stared into mine. “I was new and every year the new members of the governing council are summoned to New Orleans to receive their first perk of leadership. The Spence family arranged and coordinated the victims. All we had to do was show up and claim our right of position.”

I gasped. “Oh my God. That’s what you think my father did? Led the lambs to slaughter? That can’t be true. My father wasn’t like that. Why are you doing this?” Crossing my arms over my chest, I prayed for some other explanation.

Marcus sighed. “He didn’t know that’s what he was doing, exactly. He thought he was recruiting young women for an exclusive overseas finishing school. With his help, we were able to gain the family’s permission, which made it easier for all of us when dealing with the repercussions in the mortal world. Each student was assigned a sponsor—her master.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “How could my father not have known? That’s crazy. Wait… Finishing school? No—”

He interrupted me. “We have lived a long time and can be very convincing. Plus, when compensated well, people tend to avoid questions.”

“I don’t believe this. It can’t be true.” Squeezing my arms tighter around me, I broke eye contact.

He bowed his head, staring at his hand holding mine. “My slave was beautiful. She was soft, supple, and had a smile that lit up the room. I remembered thinking how hard it would be to not mate with her.”

His womanizing ways irritated me so much that my sarcastic remark cut through my fear and anxiety. “Yeah, I can imagine that would be a real struggle for you, given that you’ll pretty much screw anything, even spiders.”

“You don’t need to remind me.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “The senior most member of the vampire council had seen my potential, so I was gifted the most prized blood slave. Though she was human, there was something about her that drew me to her the moment I saw her. Not something that happens for me often. I remember thinking how lucky I was.”

My skin tingled with worry at his shaky words. His story could only lead one place. My legs trembled as I waited to hear his acknowledgement.

“At the masquerade ball her father gave me her hand, transitioning her care to what he thought was her sponsor, teacher. I remember how vivid and alive her eyes looked as she stared back at me from behind her mask. Her scent was like ambrosia. I had never felt that way about a human female. It frightened me.”

I covered my mouth with my hand, stifling my sob.

“You know how I am, it was all I could do not to take her there, in front of everyone. We danced and she consumed my every thought. After the final dance, I pulled her into the hallway and kissed her like I had never kissed anyone before. Knowing even then, in my soul, she would not be good for me. Too much temptation. But sometimes self-destruction is the siren’s call. In my frantic haste to feel her body under mine, she whispered to me, “Please, be gentle.” I stopped and pulled back to look at her. She was young, so young. Sixteen maybe. I came to my senses as her innocence stared back at me. I refused to victimize her.”

Tears filled my eyes. “It was you.”

He squeezed my hand and on a whisper said a simple, “Yes.”

My voice was shaky. “I remember my father being so happy that I had been accepted to the academy. He told me you, my sponsor, were the son of some dignitary, and you would make a good husband if I minded my manners. When you ran away after kissing me, I thought you hated me.”

“No, no, no, little one. Quite the opposite. You were perfect. Too perfect. I wanted you too much. I could feast on your blood as often as I wanted, but if I bit you while having sex with you three times, we would be bound. Mating with mortals is forbidden. That includes blood slaves. They would have killed us both.”

“My father was angry with me. I felt like I failed him. They expelled me from the academy.”

“I was the only vampire ever to reject a blood slave. He thought he was giving you a better life. He was so proud that you had been accepted, but didn’t understand our end game. Had he known the truth, he would have been most pleased that I refused to sponsor you.”

I slapped him. “How could you do that? Those poor girls.”

Before my hand could impact him again, he grabbed it. “Listen to me. Please… The first thing I did when I became king was outlaw blood slaves.”

I froze and stared at him. That couldn’t have made him popular with his people.

“Little one, please understand…” He wiped a tear from my eye with his thumb. “I know you see me as a philandering sod, and in many ways, you’re right. I’ve never turned down a willful participant, but you were too young to consent, didn’t know what you were being asked to do, and I refused to take advantage of you.”

The emotions that boiled through me ranged from disappointment to fury and confusion. Marcus, noble? It was such a contradiction to how I saw him.

His next assertion interrupted my mind storm. “Your father was so disappointed that I rejected you. He went in search of other opportunities for you. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you meeting Julian wasn’t an accident.”

All I could do was stare at him as tears flowed down my face.

“There’s something special about you, Dora. Something that makes you dangerous to my kind. Perhaps all of supernatural kind. I also suspect it’s the real reason they keep you here under lock and key.”

“This is fucking unbelievable.”

He grabbed me by the chin. “I can still see your innocence through all your pain. I’ll spare you my punishment tonight. But you need to start acting like the lady I know you are.”

“Fuck you.”

His jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing with anger. I waited for him to bend me over his knee or something, but instead he released his hold on my face, stood and after placing a kiss on my forehead, he returned to the sofa. “Sweet dreams, little one.”

Son of a bitch. I was never going to be able to sleep after that.

Chapter 8

Tease

Given Marcus’s behavior, it was hard to believe he was the same person who made his confession the night before. He was completely back to his old self, which in many ways made things over the past week significantly easier. I couldn’t afford to feel things for him, especially sympathy or worse yet, admiration. “Would you put some clothes on?” I scowled at him as he entered through the ironbound door to my room.

He paused, looked down at his bobbing cock and then back up me. “No.” He strode to the kitchenette in all his glory.

The past two weeks had been torture. Since the episode on my couch where I nearly fucked him, and the revelation that this was not the first time we had met, he had been relentless, refusing to wear any clothes. But I wouldn’t give in to his ridiculous tactics.

He picked a muffin from the tray of magically summoned food and tossed it to me. By the time I realized what he was doing it had already smacked me in the chest and thudded to the floor. “Ow… why in the hell did you do that?”

“Because you need to eat.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do. You need your strength.”

I raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“I need to eat. I’m just about out of energy.”

I bent and picked up the muffin. “Then here…” I whaled it at him, completely missing him, causing the moist pastry to stick to the wall. “You eat the muffin.”

He rotated his head slowly to take in the sight of my mutilated muffin only to turn back and fix his gaze on me, revealing his fangs. “Vampires do not eat muffins.”

“What exactly—” The thought brought me up short. “Oh shit. No way.” It had been bad enough that every thought I’d had of him since that night he mounted me on my sofa featured us fucking in one of a million different ways. I was so horny and wound so tight, that if the tales of the vampire bite were even the slightest bit true, I’d be screwed. Literally. Multiple times, and that would be devastating.

“You’re the only one who can help me. I’m getting weak.”

“You’re going to die anyway, so I fail to see what the difference is.”

“So shall I let you die of starvation? You do want to die. That will surely do it.” He took two steps toward me.

“That’s not fair.”

“Exactly. You have something I need. We need each other to survive. I don’t plan on dying. So I ask you again… Please give me what I need. Trust me, I won’t be the only one who gets something out of the bite.” He winked.

I ran toward the door and bounded down the stairs before he could touch me. He had to stay in the tower, I didn’t. I had to get away from him. Besides, I was needed at the desk in the morning. Wednesdays were always busy.

I fell through the door at the bottom of the tower and slammed it closed with a thud. The library patrons looked up from their books. Wendy shot me a death stare and pressed her extended finger to her lips. In an overly loud whisper she chastised, “Nice of you to join me.” She stamped the book of the woman in front of her.

“I had some things to take care of.” I lied.

“Every day? What has been up with you?”

I looked around the room. “Wow, things are light for a Wednesday.”

“Well, ever since the vampire king went missing, he’s not here to draw the female crowds on Wednesdays, and they stopped coming.”

“You have got to be kidding me. How trampy do you have to be to only hang out at the library hoping to get laid?”

Wendy coughed, “I, for one, wouldn’t have complained if he asked me.”

“He’s not that great.”

“Oh yes he is. Have you seen his ass?”

I glared at her. If she only knew. “Yes, but he’s a womanizing prick.”

“Just think of how experienced he must be. I’d take my piece.”

I wrinkled my features in disgust. “Gah… You are impossible.”

“But it doesn’t matter, rumor is, he’s dead.”

“No, he’s not.”

She spun her head to look at me. “How would you know?”

“I…ahhh…I mean…he’s a vampire and all. Can’t die.” Shit. I changed the subject. “Where are the books that need to be taken downstairs?”

She pointed to the huge stack of books in the corner. “Right. All of those.” I loaded my backpack and headed to the doorway down, praying the spider queen wasn’t waiting for me.

It took nearly all day to get all of the tomes back into their proper locations. Wendy stood and grabbed her bag, ready to leave for the day. “Hey, I can’t be here tomorrow, so it’s all you. Sorry to do that to you, but Fifi has an appointment at the vet.” Wendy was notoriously unreliable.

Normally I would have been irritated, but it gave me a reason to stay out of the tower. “No problem.”

“Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

“You just don’t seem to be yourself.”

“I just have a lot on my mind.”

“You know, if you were anyone else I might buy it, but you’re stuck here, there’s not exactly a lot of drama in a library.”

“There’s more than you’d think.”

“Whatever you say. You might want to call Baba Yaga and see if she can get you an appointment with a supernatural shrink.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll take it under advisement.”

“Fine, don’t then.” With a hop and a skip in her step, she strolled through the room while I followed.

With the closing of the door, one word left my lips, “Fuck.” I reached up, flipped the latches on the magical locks, and leaned my back against the door. Time to face Marcus again.

Nearly out of breath when I reached the top floor, I expected to find Marcus milling about in the books, but he was nowhere to be found. When I stepped into my home, the first thing I noticed was the lump on my bed. He lay on his side away from me, thankfully under the covers.

I summoned my dinner, but he didn’t stir. The book I devoured on the sofa was completely uninterrupted as he lay still in my bed. Funny, I didn’t think vampires slept, and he needed to get out of my bed. “Come on. Nice try. But I know you don’t sleep and that’s my bed. Take the couch like you always do.”

Without complaint, he tossed back the covers and slid out of my bed. His steps were slow and deliberate. Before he could take a seat on the sofa, he collapsed.

Without thinking, I ran to him. “Marcus, are you OK?”

When I lifted his head, his eyes were dark and distant. I wrapped my arms around him and tried to sit him up, but he was a large man and my efforts proved difficult. His eyes were closed. “Marcus, wake up.” I slapped my palm against his cheek trying to get him to respond. Nothing. “Fuck.”

Managing to right him somewhat, I felt for a heartbeat. How fucking stupid could I be? He had no heartbeat, he was dead. Well, undead actually but…fuck. “Look, you massive fucking pain in the ass, you better open your eyes. You better start spanking my ass for cussing up a fucking storm.” I shook him. “Who the hell is going to parade around my kitchen driving me half fucking insane everyday?” I slapped him hard. “Huh? Come on. Fucking answer me.”

This was not supposed to be the way things went. He wasn’t supposed to die. Well, at least not when I had to deal with it. He stirred.

I grabbed his face between my hands. “Marcus, what’s wrong? How can I help you?”

He groaned.

“You stupid motherfucker, there has to be a way to fix this? What happened?”

He mumbled a whisper. “The hunger makes me sleep.”

“But you’re not sleeping.”

“I know. It’s like a coma. I’ve gone too long without feeding. I’ll keep losing consciousness off and on, until I finally succumb altogether. It’s one of the most dangerous things that can happen to us.” His eyes rolled back in his head, and he was out again.

Oh shit. “Marcus, please…” It wasn’t as though he could hear me. Droplets of water peppered his face. With a swipe of my thumb, I smeared the tears across his cheek. I closed my eyes. They weren’t his tears, but rather mine. It was stupid to be sentimental. Stupid to even care. In the end, we were both doomed.

I propped him up and sat with my arms around him. Why had he not pressured me? Other than the muffin incident earlier that morning, he hadn’t said a word.

He clutched my arm as he came to. I maneuvered so that I could focus on his face.

Before I could say anything, he placed his palm on the side of my cheek. His voice was raspy and soft. “Promise me something, please.” The sadness in his eyes was overwhelming.

“What do you need?”

“Please keep me safe. Don’t let them take my body. You’re all I have to protect me.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. The thoughts that traveled through my head were most unwelcome. Sympathy. Compassion. Neither one could lead to anything good. I was done with this life. But his eyes stared through me, into my soul. A selfish stray thought told me that he couldn’t possibly fulfill his oath if he were sleeping and that he needed to live to pay his debt—give me the death he owed me. But it was silenced by my need to save him, so I could talk to him, torment him, discover more about him. I didn’t want to care about him. Fuck!

“Please,” he breathed on a whisper.

“Fine,” I huffed. “I won’t let anyone kill you. That’s supposed to be my job anyway.”

Air hissed through his lips, and he was out again. I tried to stop the tears, but they refused. It was as though something in me beyond my own selfish need was grieving him, seeing things I couldn’t. Was I really ready to go? Did knowing that he saved me from a life as his slave once and spared countless young girls a similar fate make me see him differently?

His eyes fluttered open.

Not sure if it was his vulnerability, or if I had finally gone insane, since there was no sign of selfish need, but I leaned in and inclined my head.

“Here…drink. Try to keep it from hurting.”

“No,” he whispered.

“Why not? I thought you needed to eat. I’m offering myself as your personal buffet. Are you seriously turning it down?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“The withering from the curse you cast has started. With that, along with the hunger, it won’t be long until I die. The withering hurts. My body aches, but in the hunger there is nothingness. I can’t kill you, Dora. I’ve watched you, held you, seen you as more than someone to fulfill my needs, even that first time when you were offered to me. I can’t kill you willingly.”

“Marcus, I—” I touched his face.

“Don’t worry. You’ll get your wish. Your curse linked our souls. You will die with me. From what I studied, the curse is designed for there to be no way out. Your wish will be fulfilled either by my hand or by my death. But at least this way I won’t have to see it. Your heart will simply stop when the last of me turns to dust. But please don’t let them take my body before it’s time, spare me the humiliation.”

Even faced with to the certainty that my dying wish would be fulfilled, I still could not quiet my need to save him. I wiped the tears from my cheeks, sniffling. “But if you eat…”

“What? I’ll live? I’ll be in agony for the remainder of my time because you’d rather be dead than bound to me. Trust me, my choice is selfish. By not feeding from you, I’ll suffer less in the long run. I’d drain you dry right now and let Baba Yaga strike me dead, but she’d make it even more excruciating. So this is the only option. It’s the only way I can fulfill your wish.”

“No!” I shook him. “I mean… Fuck.”

I wanted him to respond. To deliver on one of his spankings for my cursing, but his head slumped to the side. This was not how it was supposed to happen. But honestly what did I expect? A clean death? I wanted no attachment. No feelings. A stranger delivering a single blow, but that Goddamn Baba Yaga. She screwed everything up. Now there were feelings and complications. Motherfucking witches. They were what got me into this mess. Julian, why?

My tears cascaded down Marcus’s face, dragging with them the reality of the situation. My fantasy of freedom shattered with each drop.

He moaned and his body jerked.

I whispered under my breath. “You son of a bitch.” I held my wrist to his mouth. “I wanted nothing more than for all of this to end, but now it can’t. My death can’t be at your expense. Please…” I begged, hoping he might hear me.

His eyes opened.

“Feed,” I demanded.

He tossed his head from side to side. His fangs protruding over his lip. “No. No. No.”

“Do it.” Anger and desperation laced each word.

“I can’t.”

“You know; I should be insulted. You’ve drunk from nearly everything that has a vagina and walks, and yet here I am offering myself to you…”

He cupped my face in both of his hands. “That should tell you everything you need to know about how I feel about you. I gave you up once to save you, why would this be any different? If you truly see living as torture, how can I deny you?” His hands fell to his side and his eyes drifted closed.

Even though he couldn’t hear me, I spoke out loud, “You know, I didn’t ask your permission when I set the curse, why should I start now?”

I stuck my finger between his front teeth and pried his mouth open. Placing a hand on the back of his head, I pressed his fangs into my wrist. “Fuck.” Pain radiated through my arm. Even though the initial strike hurt like a bitch, holding still until he woke up again would be the biggest challenge.

I made the mistake of glancing at the clock. Ten minutes had passed. The muscles in my arm ached as I held it to his mouth.

Fifteen minutes. “Son of a bitch.”

Thirty minutes. “Fuck. This hurts.”

Forty-five minutes. “This motherfucker is going to stay asleep just to spite me. I can’t take this much longer.”

Fifty-two minutes. Searing pain caused a scream to tear through me as his teeth clamped down on my wrist. With each pull, I could feel my resistance fold. He hadn’t acknowledged me, but his hand clamped around my arm, holding me in place.

A groan escaped his lips with each draw and a matching pleasure built deep within me—wave after wave of euphoric delight caused me to crest and fall. Those rumors about the vampire bite weren’t exaggerating. I moaned and a delicious intoxication overcame me. I would have done anything he wanted.

In one sudden movement, he withdrew his fangs and darted across the room. “What did you do?” he growled.

I rolled my head from side to side, trying to focus through the ecstasy. A sigh of contentment escaped. “I saved your life.”

Before I could register what was happening, he had his hand around my throat. “You had no right.”

I didn’t heed his warning. “Since when have I been worried about what’s right where you’re concerned?” Whether it was his bite, or the heady feeling that came with doing a good deed, or both, I didn’t know, but I wanted him. He had been torturing me, and I was done playing games. I stared into his eyes and issued my ultimatum. “Let me answer that for you…never. The question is… What are you going to fucking do about it?”

In an instant, I found myself face down on the couch again, in the position that had been the subject of all of my fantasies for the past week. I squealed with the impact of the first smack across my ass. He wound his fist in the side of my panties.

I screamed, “No!”

“You’ve got to be joking. No one has ever refused me after receiving my bite. I’m beginning to wonder if you’re the devil in school girl clothing.”

“Huh? What? Oh… No…just don’t rip the panties. I don’t want Baba Yaga dropping in while you’re fucking my brains out.”

Smack.

“Fuck, that hurts.”

Smack.

He melded his body to my back and whispered in my ear, “I’m going to take that as consent. You agreed. There is no going back.” He licked the side of my neck. “This collar has to go, it’s in my way.”

I grabbed his hand. “You can’t remove it. It suppresses my magic.”

He leaned up and slid my panties down my legs. “I thought you were human. You certainly taste human. In fact…” he pulled my panties free from one foot and then the next and used his palms to spread my legs.

He buried his face between my legs and with the first touch of his tongue to my sex, I shuddered. He lapped at the wetness that pooled there. “I would venture to say you are the most delicious woman I’ve ever tasted. Pure ambrosia.” His tongue delved between my folds, and I gasped with each swipe. “Ummm we don’t have to worry about that collar, I have a better idea.” He shoved two fingers inside me, and I let out a whimper.

He worked his digits in and out of me, building a rhythm. “That’s it. I can feel you growing tight around me. I can’t wait to take you…but first…” He plunged his fangs into the artery on my inner thigh. The piercing sensation gave way to euphoria as his fingers and mouth worked me to climax. I shook under his control. Not giving me a moment to respond before withdrawing his fangs and angling my hips, he buried his cock in my welcoming wetness.

“So good. Perfect,” he all but purred as he pressed himself deep inside me.

The instant connection that overcame me with his penetration was unlike anything I had ever felt. The only thing that made sense was the fact that my blood flowed through his veins. That it drew us closer, heightened the sensation.

“Dora, feel me inside you? Don’t you love the way we feel? So perfect. It’s never been like this.”

Drunk on all the sensations running through me, he was right. I couldn’t deny what could only be described as completion with the way he filled me. Completed me.

His pelvis slammed against my ass as he thrust his cock in and out of my sex. Wrapping his fist in my hair, he chanted to himself, “So good. Not possible.”

His nose nudged the space between my collarbone and my collar. “I can make this work.” He licked my neck. “I want you to feel what it’s like to have me inside you, running through your veins while feeling my cock inside at the same time.” He inhaled sharply, and then snaked his wrist around to my mouth, offering me the blood that dripped from the puncture wounds visible on his dark skin. “Drink. Take me inside you.”

I hesitated for a moment. I had tasted his blood before, but this was different. Either way, I didn’t have the will to fight him. I lapped at the wound that oozed thick red liquid and then locked my lips over the punctures and sucked.

His cock glided in and out of my heat. “That’s it, suck it. Take all you can. I’m going to give you all of me.”

I swirled my tongue over his skin and he cried out, “Fuck, Dora, I’m coming.” The next moment he sank his fangs into my shoulder just below my collar.

Deep, syncopated thrusts and he emptied inside me. At the same time, a new rush ran through me. It was as though I was feeling his orgasm, too—intense, cleansing, and satisfying. But so strange.

He stayed still for some time, allowing me to savor the fullness while he kissed my shoulder and breathed, “Beautiful.”

I sighed. Now what was I going to do? That was by far the best sex of my life, but would I be satisfied to experience it only one more time before I died? What if I could experience it forever? Could I trade one prison for another? Some options. Pushing aside my thoughts, I closed my eyes and lost myself in the feel of him. Tomorrow, I’d figure out what to do.

Chapter 9

Indulgence

Marcus was gone when I finally woke up. At some point, he had moved me to the bed. I stretched while yawning. My muscles ached, but the feeling was satisfying. I strode into the bathroom and stared at my matted hair, but my face held the glow of a well-fucked woman. Vampires… No wonder every woman wanted their turn with him. I stared at my reflection. If I were to indulge with him two more times, we would be forever connected.

I stared and examined the hollow look behind my eyes. Into that emptiness that had been there for so long. I now understood. My resentment of him wasn’t really about his promiscuity. What must it be like for him? To taste the pleasure but never savor that deep connection with someone? Like the bond I’d once had with Julian, but the warlock’s lie stripped me of my gift and left me to suffer alone. It wasn’t the hordes of women I hated Marcus for, it was the fact that I saw the same haze in his eyes as mine—a reflection, a reminder of my own misery. Whereas I suffered in silence, losing myself in books and solitude, he tried to lose himself in every woman he bedded. And if we had really met before, did I somehow recognize him, too? The mask he wore at the ball only concealed so much. Did my subconscious recognize him and my reaction was really jealousy, not disgust? I had wanted to meet that masked man again, to kiss him again. Perhaps to be his.

I blinked, turned on the water, and cupped my hands together to gather the cool liquid. I splashed it onto my face, wiping away the melancholy. Another look in the mirror. “What the fuck is wrong with me?” I get laid and all of a sudden, I’m rationalizing. “Fuck.”

*****

I stumbled through the door that lead to the library’s main floor and staggered to the counter. It was closing time, and Wendy looked as chipper as she did when she first arrived that morning.

I slumped my head onto my folded arms on the counter. “I swear I must have climbed two hundred flights of stairs today. I’m exhausted.”

She stared at me. “Actually, you only put away half as many books as you normally do. Are you feeling OK?” She tilted her head and examined me.

I sighed and closed my eyes. “I’m fine, just tired.”

She gasped. “What the hell is that on your neck?”

Oh shit. Play dumb. No one could know he was here. I ran my fingers over the place just under my collar where Marcus bit me. “What?” I touched the skin above the binding circlet too, pretending not to know what she meant to help embellish my lie.

“Are those bite marks?”

“Bite marks? No. How on Earth would I get bite marks?” I stood up. “I’d better go check it out. Might be a rash or something. See you tomorrow.” I didn’t give her a chance to respond before running to the tower door. Once on the other side, I leaned my back against the door and sighed. This was not what I needed. How could I get out of this mess?

*****

I sat on the floor of the thirteenth floor of the tower, surrounded by books. I leafed through page after page. Even if I found something that might work, I still had Baba Yaga to convince, but my endeavors were turning into a whole lot of nothing.

The light cast by the magical candle in the stairway flickered and I spun my head to look. Marcus stood tall, majestic even, in my pink, feather accented satin robe.

I let out a soft giggle. “What are you wearing?”

“Well…being nude seemed to upset you and the sheet wasn’t easy to keep up, so I hope you don’t mind I went rummaging through the closet and found this. It’s a little sexier than my usual choices, but it was the only thing I saw that would fit.”

“I think you might have to hand in your badass vampire card.”

He folded himself onto the floor beside me and leaned in to whisper in my ear. His hot breath tickled. “Even after last night?” He kissed the puncture wounds that peeked out from under my collar.

I shivered.

He sighed. “Can I make a confession?”

“Sure.”

“I…” He paused. “What are you researching?” He picked up the book and read the cover. “101 Spells to Make You Fall in Love.” He stared at me, but I concentrated on the floor. “Why are you reading this?”

I didn’t want to answer him. Embarrassment heated my cheeks. “I was mated to Julian, so from my understanding, I’ll never be able to feel that way for anyone else.”

“Do you want to feel that way for someone?”

I cleared my throat. “I wouldn’t say I want to. It’s more a need. If I can have Baba Yaga cast a spell for me, perhaps it will let me love someone again.”

He brushed my hair from my face. “Anyone you have in mind?”

On barely a whisper, I let one word drift on the air. “Yes.”

He asked, his words barely audible, “May I ask who?”

I looked up into his eyes not wanting to show him the intense fear I felt. “You.”

He wrapped his arms around me and my confession flowed with my tears. “I’m not a murderer. I’ve looked over and over for a way to undo the curse, but it’s so binding not even Baba Yaga could undo it. But she’s right. If you’re mated to me, it negates everything. I can’t kill you even with a curse and you can’t kill me if we’re bound. But I don’t want to be a prisoner, and I don’t want to be a burden. So I thought if I could be compelled to love you and you me, it might make an intolerable situation tolerable.” I sniffled and wiped my tears with the back of my hand. “Because I can’t be responsible for your death, not after all you’ve done for me.”

He unwound his arms from around me. “Look at me, Dora.”

A tear fell from my eyes and dotted the satin of the pink robe. I blinked away the salty water from my lashes. “What?”

“Is it so hard to believe that you might fall in love without the help of magic?”

“Yes, because I was mated to Julian.”

He smiled. “Ahhhh…but Julian was a warlock. I am not.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Mating is mating.”

“See I’ve been doing a little research of my own, and under normal circumstances, that’s true. Had you been a witch and selected him as your mate, there would be only one. But you could have also as easily chosen a vampire or a were or ghost.”

“Ghost? How in the hell does someone mate with a ghost?”

“I have no bloody idea, but… Do you know one of the reasons why we’re not supposed to mate with humans?”

“Because you’re not supposed to interfere in the mortal world.”

“That’s one reason, but there is another. Because you can’t mate with us. It doesn’t stick. Most supernaturals aren’t willing to take that kind of one-sided risk. See, Julian was bound by all of the mystical forces that come with mating, but you were not. You simply loved him as any human loves another human.”

“But he did the ritual. I didn’t know what it was at the time, but I read all about it.”

“The book probably left out that little tidbit about humans. It’s so strictly forbidden, it isn’t surprising the book didn’t address it. You’re not mated to Julian, but he was mated to you.”

“Well… That’s just wonderful. Now we’re both fucked because even if I figure out the love spell, the mating won’t reverse the curse if I’m immune.”

He smiled. “But you’re no longer human. You’re a witch. When Julian gave you his powers, it changed you. You are free to mate with any supernatural being you choose.”

“But—”

He cut me off. “As for your love spell…” He leaned his head in until his lips were nearly pressed against mine. “I think you are a more powerful witch than you realize. Even hampered by your collar you were able to bewitch me. Was that your plan? Because I’ve been looking for centuries for someone I felt anything more than lust for and just five minutes ago, I fell in love.” He pressed his lips against mine and the caress was soft and gentle. He breathed against my mouth. “Not in five-hundred years has anyone been so selfless. You considered my burden and are willing to spare my life by giving up your only path to peace.”

His lips lingered on the place just under my jaw. “I’d love to tell you I’m as selfless and that I’m going to decline your offer and die with you, but I’ll make you a deal.” His lips were soft and teasing against my skin. “How about I give you a reason to live?” He pulled me into his lap, reached down under my skirt, and slid my underwear to the side. A quick swipe of his fingers over my wet flesh, and he lifted me by the hips and impaled me on his cock.

I gasped.

“Tell me this doesn’t feel right? Tell me that you don’t feel the completeness I do?”

I couldn’t, but I didn’t have the courage to answer him. I closed my eyes and savored him. The only thing I could manage to say was, “If I’m fucking you, you have to lose the robe.”

He laughed, but smacked my ass, causing me to slide along his cock. With a quick tug of the string, he shrugged it from his shoulders. “Better?”

“Much.”

With his hands on my hips, he urged me to set the rhythm. “You don’t have to answer the question I asked, I will. No matter how irritating you’ve been, how angry I was at you for trapping me, or how tightly wound I’ve been around you for the past few weeks, when we made love last night, it was different. It was perfection, just as it is now.”

I had been taught for most of my upbringing to never allow sex to form a connection in my relationships, but I also knew that the supernatural world played by different rules. Forces and energy were consumers of will, changing it to something different. Making it their own. Choice was nothing more than an illusion.

“You know what this means, Dora?” He kissed the base of my throat.

I tossed my head back giving him better access. “No, I really don’t know what any of this means.”

“You were meant to be my mate.”

“So what you’re saying is that fucking the spider queen was something you were fated to do.” The slap that reverberated off my left butt cheek echoed through the room. “Hey!”

“It explains everything. Why I used to come into the library every Wednesday? I now know it was to see you.”

“You were coming there to see me?”

“Yes, I knew what I felt for you wasn’t lust, so I kept my distance. I’ve spent my whole life running from love, and I guess it took the world, or you rather, taking away my choices to finally embrace it.”

I lifted and sank down onto his cock. “But you pretended you didn’t know me.”

He moaned. “I didn’t know you. I remembered the things you made me feel, but didn’t recognize your face. You’re older. No mask. When you wouldn’t bow to me, after I took so long to work up the courage, it infuriated me. I had finally taken the chance and given into that nagging and foolish notion to come to you, and you wouldn’t even acknowledge me.”

“So you’re saying I drove you into the arms of that sexy arachnid.”

“Well…if you had obeyed…”

I leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “Never.”

“Then be prepared to be punished…a lot.” He lifted his hips and drove into me before smacking my ass again.

“I should probably be upset about that.”

“Yes, you should. But I have a few other things I can have you do with that smart mouth of yours that might keep you quiet.”

“Promises, promises.” Our bodies continued to move in that slow, steady rhythm.

“Dora, watch me.” He lowered his head to my breast and lathed the skin with his tongue. He pulled back for a moment and then struck, piercing the soft skin with his fangs. With every draw of my blood, the intensity inside me grew. He sliced his fingernail across his neck, causing his blood to bubble to the surface. “Drink,” he commanded.

The moment the taste of salted chocolate touched my tongue, I was lost. Him drinking me and me drinking him with our bodies entwined completed a circuit. I trembled in his arms.

Moments later, he filled me with his pleasure and removed his fangs from my breast. Cupping my face in both hands, he said, “If you have any doubts about what I feel, know this. In five-hundred years, I’ve never given anyone my blood. It’s considered the most intimate of acts among my people and usually only done between mates, but last night there was no other choice. It’s why I refused the blood oath initially, but you are a fierce negotiator. So now you know. You fascinated me before this all started, and I’ve shared parts of me with you I’ve never given another. Why not put away your spell book and let me put you to bed?”

I stood and then bent to pick up the pink robe from the floor. I handed it to him. “Will you serve me breakfast while wearing this in the morning?”

“It doesn’t hide my erection, cooking could be hazardous.”

“Who said you’d be serving food?”

He rose from the floor and gripped my upper arms, gazing deep into my eyes. “Well…if I serve you anything else…” Worry creased his brow. “If we make love again, Dora, there is no going back. I spared you a life with me once, I’ll do again if need be, because when this is all said and done, if you’re to be by my side, I want it to be because you want to be and not because you have no other choice.” He grabbed the robe in one hand and kissed my forehead. Before I could respond, he swatted my ass.

“Hey, I didn’t swear. I didn’t say anything.”

“Oh that’s one I owe you from before. How many are you up to now? Let me think…” He stroked his chin with his thumb and forefinger before pressing his lips to my ear. “Fifteen, I believe. But wait until you see how I plan to punish you for being good.”

I shivered, but then grabbed him by the arm. “When… How… I mean…”

He kissed my forehead again, knowing what I meant without me saying it. “When you’re ready. Everything has happened so fast. I want to give you some time to process it. To make sure it’s what you want.” He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “You know I was ready to die for you once. I’ll do it again, if that’s what you choose. Just let me know, when or if you’re ready. I’ll follow—whether it be life or death.” He grabbed my hand and led me to the stairs.

Goddamn magical forces. There wasn’t a choice. There never had been. Fuck.

Chapter 10

Naughty

Three days had passed and I got to know more about Marcus. How he became the vampire king by accident. His dislike of the governing council of witches, those early rebellious years, his love of art and music. As with anything destined, it was easy. Comforting even.

Wendy bounded through the double doors of the library. “Sorry I’m late.”

I raised my finger to my lips. “Shhhh. This is a library.”

“Sorry.” She shrugged off her coat and stowed it under the counter. “And I’m going to need to leave early.” She shot me a pleading look.

“Of course.” She rarely completed a full shift, and for the next hour or so, she tapped her fingers on the counter.

“Could you stop that please?”

“Well… Things are so slow. Wednesdays used to be the best days when his vampire hotness used to show up, but since he’s gone missing, this place is a ghost town.”

I clenched my hands at my side remembering how insanely angry I used to get seeing him leave with woman after woman. It was becoming more apparent by the moment that my distaste had always been jealousy in disguise. Had I known then he was meant to be mine? Fucking supernatural bullshit.

Wendy let out a big sigh.

I rearranged the ink pad and pencil caddy on the counter. “Why don’t you just go ahead and go? There’s nothing going on here. I can handle it.”

She stood up straight, already reaching for her jacket. “You sure?”

I nodded, but she was already headed to the door.

“You’re the best. I have a hot date tonight. OK, so he’s not hot, but he’s a date, and I’ll take it.”

“Have fun.”

I looked around the library seating area for things to tidy up while Wendy trotted through the door. I straightened the latest copies of the Mystical Times scattered across the coffee table and then heard the slight whine of the front door hinges.

When I turned around, my heart started to race. It was her. The spider queen. Fuckity, fuck, fuck. She looked like she had aged fifty years. I returned my stare to the newspapers for a moment, trying to formulate my strategy. Maybe she didn’t know I was involved.

Slowly rounding the occasional table, I picked up my pace as soon as my shoes hit the carpet. But today I had no luck. I was almost to the desk when she grabbed me by the back of the throat, pinning me to the wall. My face smashed against the textured paint. That bitch was so strong, my feet dangled.

“You have something of mine,” she hissed. “I can smell him on you. He has a job to finish.”

“I don’t know where he is.” I rasped against the tips of her long fingers.

Just then, a terrible racket sounded from behind the door. “Dora, open the door. Let me help you. Dora.” More pounding.

She released my throat, and I tumbled to the floor. “Never mind, I don’t need you.” She laughed. “I didn’t think it would be this easy.” She walked to the door and grabbed the handle.

I stood and rounded the counter looking for anything I could use as a weapon.

Marcus screamed from behind the door. “Dora, now! I can feel your fear. Let me help you. Open the door.”

Spider bitch kept pulling on the handle, but it would not budge. She turned to face me, focusing all her rage on me. “Open the door.”

I grabbed the scissors from atop the desk. “Never.” I started to run toward the door that lead to the basement, but she was too fast. Before I could reach the door, she kicked me in the back, propelling me back toward the tower door.

“Fuck,” I cried out as my face impacted against the wood.

Marcus screamed, “Open the door, Dora.”

The spider queen hissed, “Yes, do as he says.” Her matted black hair made her look like a warrior, not the runway model that left on Marcus’s arm all those weeks ago.

“No,” I breathed. My only hope was to slip inside the door and close it behind me, but Marcus was in the way. I turned around to face her.

“What the hell happened to your face?”

The deep lines and wrinkles had not been there before. Her sunken, ghostly eyes narrowed even further. “He did. He needs to finish what he started. Now open the door.”

This was the moment of truth. We would either both die as originally planned or I’d outsmart this arachnid menace.

With my hand on the handle, I looked at her. “Fine, I’ll open it.” I said it loud enough for Marcus to hear hoping he’d take the hint.

No such luck. As soon as the latch clicked, he barreled through the door, knocking me to the ground and lunged at the spider queen while shouting, “Dora get inside.” The pink robe billowed out behind him like a flamboyant superhero cape.

I couldn’t leave him to fight her alone. She was strong enough to kill us both in our weakened states.

She knocked him backward into the door, but he righted himself a second later and bared his fangs. His ferocity was something to behold. Powerful. Frightening.

He bounded toward her.

She laughed. “Ahhh…foreplay. How nice.”

I stood feeling helpless. I looked down at the scissors in my hands. I wouldn’t be able to get close enough to her to strike.

Marcus groaned as his head slammed against the counter.

She cackled. “I do like it rough. Our babies are going to be beautiful.”

He sat up. “This is all against the rules. You can’t force me into it.”

“Do you think I care about your fucking rules? My children will give me the advantage. My colony will double in size overnight. Once they are grown, the araca people will rule all. And to think, I owe it all to you. Now come here love, and be a good boy.”

I clutched the scissors tighter in my hand. Scissors. Oh please, let this work. I grabbed my shirt and yanked it over my head, standing in the middle of combat in only my bra. I took the scissors and began shredding the shirt into strips.

Marcus leaped up onto the counter and then dived onto the spider queen. They were a tangle of arms and legs while they wrestled on the ground for control.

Meanwhile, I prayed, mumbling to myself, “Come on you pain in the ass witch. If you’re ever going to be pissed at me. Now’s the time. Come on.” I threw the fragments of shirt into the air like confetti, watching as each piece fell to the ground.

Marcus screamed.

Leticia guffawed, “Did you think you were the only one who could bite?”

I waited, seconds passing like hours. Where was that fucking witch? It suddenly occurred to me that the last time I called for Baba Yaga, it was underwear I shredded. Perhaps miss high and mighty had a panty fetish. I reached under my skirt and worked my panties down my legs. I didn’t bother to step out of them; I used the scissors to slice through each side. In a fit of rage, I mutilated the undergarment to background noise filled with thuds, screams of pain and wicked laughter.

Balling up the tiny pieces of cloth in my fist, I waited. Nothing. “Motherfucking useless piece of shit witches.” I threw the scraps like a high-speed baseball only to see them abruptly stop and float to the ground.

Someone tapped on my shoulder.

I turned.

Baba Yaga stood inspecting her purple glittery fingernails. “You know it’s not very nice to call me names. You interrupted my nail appointment. What is it you have against my underwear choices?”

“Fuck your underwear. Help Marcus.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You want me to help Marcus? I thought you hated him.”

“I do. I mean… I did. Please stop fucking around, she’s going to kill him.”

“You mean you want me to save him so that you can kill him?”

“No.”

She shot me a mischievous smirk. “Well, you’re not mated to him yet. I can tell. Are you saying you’ve overcome your disdain for the vampire Casanova?”

“Yes. Now fucking help him.”

She winked at me. “Well…will wonders never cease.” She sauntered past me toward the whirling battle. She waved her hands in the air. “Now would you two please settle down?”

A blinding flash lit up the room and Marcus and the spider queen hung motionless as though Baba Yaga had somehow stopped time. She looked over her shoulder at me. “Care to come help untangle him from her? I don’t want to chip a nail.”

She admired the sparkling glittering tips of her fingers. I ran to Marcus and unwound his hand from the spider queen’s throat and hers from his.

I stood up and ran toward the counter. “I have an idea. One second.” I grabbed the spool of ribbon we used to wrap stacks of books to make them easier to carry. With piece after piece, I bound the spider queen’s wrists and ankles. I tied strong knots around her appendages many times, knowing the strength she possessed.

Baba Yaga whined, “Are you about done? Do you know how long it takes to get on my manicurist’s schedule, if she leaves—”

“There!” I stood. “That should slow her down.”

“Now Dora, when I release the spell. I want you to run with Marcus to the tower. I’ll take care of your arachnid infestation, but she is a leader and Marcus did cross the line. There is only one way to truly protect him. It’s illegal to interfere with someone’s mate.” She winked. “I think you know what you need to do.”

My moment of relief was stifled by my abrupt realization. “You knew I could mate with him? You fucking knew and never said anything.”

“Dearest Dora, do you honestly think you would have listened to me? I had hoped me requiring him to visit the library often for his council project would allow one thing to lead to another. I thought for sure when he kept coming back even after his project was completed that things would have blossomed between you two. But you are exceptionally willful. Given more time, it may have worked, but Marcus’s eight-legged mistake and you cursing him complicated matters. Hard to kindle that romantic flame when your future wife smacks you with a death curse. You certainly are enterprising even without magic.” She glanced at her nails again. “Now get ready.”

She raised her hand into the air. “Oh and Dora, the underwear… We need to find a new way for you to call me. It pains me to see good clothing ruined.” She flicked her wrist and time in the sphere surrounding Marcus and Leticia resumed. In seconds, Marcus’s hands were around the spider queen’s throat again.

The spider queen screamed, “What the hell? Baba Yaga you’ll pay for this.” She pulled at her restraints.

I grabbed Marcus’s forearm. “Come on, Baba Yaga has this handled.”

He looked at me and squinted for a moment, comprehension finally penetrating his mind. He released her throat and stood.

Baba Yaga looked bored. She stared at her nails as she addressed the spider queen, “You have a few things to answer for.”

Leticia hissed, “I did nothing wrong. It was all him.” She glared at Marcus.

Baba Yaga glanced toward Marcus. “Well…he’s not getting out of this easily either.” She clasped her fingers together in front of her. “Oh and Marcus… Nice robe.”

I urged him to stand and ran, dragging him behind me before he could respond to Baba Yaga’s comment.

The door closed, the magical wards snapping into place, and I turned around, jumped into his arms, and crushed my mouth to his.

I peppered his face with kisses and trailed my lips down his neck.

“What are you—”

I bit his neck. Hard.

“Oh…now you’ve done it.”

I grinned.

He spun me and placed my hands and knees on the stairs.

He didn’t give me a second to breathe before he thrust into me. “Remember when you’re pissed at me about something like dirty dishes, or not hanging up my towels, or biting you in public, that you asked for this.”

“Shut up and fuck me.”

Smack.

“Ow…is that any way to treat your mate?”

He grabbed my hair in one fist. “Oh you’re right…I should have done it harder.” Crack.

“Fuck!”

Slap.

I bit my lip and groaned.

With one word, he sealed our fate. “Mine.” His fangs bit into my shoulder and at the same time, his bleeding wrist pressed against my mouth, inviting me to suck.

Pleasure, beyond any pleasure I had ever known, coursed through me as we consumed each other and Marcus sealed our future with his release. Magic surged through us as we embraced our destiny.

My euphoric haze was interrupted by the clanking of something metal falling to the floor.

Marcus released my hair and apologized, “I’m sorry, I wanted to buy you flowers, have candlelight and all that lovey-dovey nonsense.” He pulled out of me and stood.

I turned, rested my ass on the stairs, and gazed up at him. “It was perfect. It was unplanned, raw, and chaotic, just like us.”

He bent to kiss me but paused. “Dora, your collar.” He picked it up from the stairs.

I immediately brought my hand to my throat. “That cryptic fucking witch. I remember asking her years after they bound me if there was ever a chance for me to lose the collar and she said, ‘Well, there might be a way someday, if you’re open to it, but let’s just say, it would really suck.’” I smacked him. “She meant you. You suck.”

“Is that anyway to treat your mate?”

I adjusted the feather collar of his pink satin robe and considered my promise to make him wear it and serve me breakfast sans food. “Sorry. But what if I told you I wanted breakfast, would you forgive me?”

He grinned, bent, and scooped me up in his arms. “I think I have just what you ordered.”

I shot him a wicked smile. “I can’t fucking wait.”

He stopped mid stride, cradled me with one arm, and swatted my ass. Adjusting me again in his arm, he continued to climb.

“Hey!”

Chapter 11

Feathers

“You know for a bloodsucker, you’re not a bad cook.” I stuffed another one of the succulent shrimp into my mouth and turned to stare at Marcus from my stool at the breakfast nook.

He strode to my side, the pink robe flowing behind him, and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. “From you, little one, that’s high praise.” Rubbing his hands up and down my arms he said, “Sorry, I haven’t been able to get you to Louisiana so you can get your favorite jambalaya.”

“Well…since I asked for it to be my last meal, if you had taken me to Ted’s I’d be a little suspicious.” I smiled, and it amazed me how often I had been doing just that since the night we had the showdown with Leticia in the library and more importantly, the moment I decided to live.

“I’m going to take you there someday. In fact, I’d like to retrace all of the steps in your life and do everything again, so that it’s new…ours.”

As I stared up into his eyes, I couldn’t help but give my thanks to good ol’ Baba Yaga. Her batshit crazy plan worked. I still wasn’t allowed to use my magic until I received the proper training, but I was free. As soon as Baba Yaga finished smoothing over things for Marcus, we could leave the tower.

“When Baba Yaga gives us the all clear, will you come back to visit?”

He leaned back and gave me the most bewildered look. “Visit? Why would I visit?”

Something in my chest tightened as my heart fell, proof that I had fallen in love with him. “I’m sorry… I just…”

His gaze intensified, brow furrowing. “Do you not want to live with me? In my home, as my mate? My wife? I’m sorry, I had assumed you’d be coming with me.”

I tried to hide the surprise and relief from my face. “Oh…of course, I do. It’s just—”

His mouth closed over mine before I could finish the sentence. The kiss was a completion, a vow, an oath to always be what each other needed. “I’m glad, because I think it would be really difficult to raise our children here. Could you imagine lugging strollers up twenty-seven flights of stairs?”

“Children?” I tried not to hyperventilate. “You’re a vampire. I didn’t… I mean… I didn’t think we could have children.”

“But you’re not a vampire. It will take a little magic, but it’s entirely possible. Why do you look so frightened?” He smoothed his hands up and down my arms.

“I guess since everything happened so fast I hadn’t considered all the ramifications.”

He grinned. “Just you wait. You also haven’t considered all the benefits. There’s this thing I can do with my tongue—”

“Not another word. How many times have we had sex today?”

He nuzzled my neck, inhaling deeply. “Not nearly enough, little one. Not nearly enough.”

“You’re going to kill me.”

In a flash, he had me off the stool and landing on my back in the middle of the bed. He pressed his pelvis tight against mine as he loomed over me. “Isn’t that exactly what you asked me to do?” He bent and kissed me. “Only this time, I’ll do it slowly. I’ll fulfill my oath by taking forever to deliver your demise—one torturous pleasure at a time. How does that sound?”

I couldn’t wipe the grin from my face. “Fan-fucking-tastic.”

Smack.

“Hey!”

Other Great Magic & Mayhem Series Authors

Robyn Peterman (Kindle World Creator)

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Michele Bardsley

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Kris Calvert

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Deanna Chase

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Claudy Conn

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Melinda DuChamp

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Renee George

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Melanie James

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Renea Mason

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Donna McDonald

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H.M. McQueen

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Isabel Micheals

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Rose Pressey

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Lori Ryan

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Table of Contents

- Chapter 1 Tight
- Chapter 2 Sticky
- Chapter 3 Naked
- Chapter 4 Twitch
- Chapter 5 Lace
- Chapter 6 Spanking
- Chapter 7 Confessions
- Chapter 8 Tease
- Chapter 9 Indulgence
- Chapter 10 Naughty
- Chapter 11 Feathers