OnsetofDanger (18 page)

She lowered her gaze, unsure how to act with this new
Desmond. “I shouldn’t have doubted you. I’m sorry.”

His cold, assessing gaze swept her from head to foot then he
grasped the shoulder seam of her blouse and ripped it nearly apart. “Lose the
jeans. There’s no way Garrett would bring you to Tara until he’d fucked you at
least once.”

The observation made her feel empty and cold. Was rape and
degradation always to be her lot? She unzipped her jeans and wiggled out of
them, not letting the darkness overtake her completely. She wasn’t sure what
Desmond hoped to accomplish by this visit but she wasn’t going to argue with
him. Her blouse was just long enough to cover her crotch if she kept her arms
down, which wasn’t easy with Desmond yanking on them.

He flashed them closer to the compound then dragged her
toward the main gate. A guard stepped out of the control booth, confusion clear
in his expression. “Why are you on foot? Mr. Mansfield?”

Desmond snickered and pulled her in front of him as he
boldly cupped her breast. “She’s a wild one.” He pinched her nipple hard as if
to remind her that she wasn’t playing her part very well. She cried out and
twisted, stomping on his foot and smacking his chest with the back of her head.
“I wasn’t taking any chances. The vehicle will still be there when I’ve
finished taming her.”

“If you need an extra pair of hands, I’d be happy to
oblige.” The guard’s gaze zeroed in on her exposed sex with obvious hunger.

“You’re both cowards!” She kicked out at the guard, which
only gave him a better view of her pussy. “The only way you can have a woman is
to take one by force.” Desmond grasped the back of her hair and twisted hard.
Stars danced before her eyes and she whimpered.

“Enough! You will be respectful or your punishment will be
severe.” He turned toward the gate with obvious expectation.

The guard returned to his post and activated the gate.

Desmond walked her toward the front door as if they had
every right to be there. No one else questioned them and the door was opened by
a uniformed doorman as they reached the front entrance.

“General Kovac is waiting in her office,” the doorman told
them.

Desmond only nodded and dragged his struggling companion
down the main corridor. “You’re making me so damn hot,” he whispered in her
ear. “Maybe I’ll fuck you in front of Tara to make sure she believes.”

Equal parts dark titillation and dread made her feel antsy.
He’d been harsh and cruel since they left the Levari safe house. Was it just
his struggle for control or were his Strigo symbionts changing his personality?

Tara stepped into the hallway, impatience gleaming in her
eyes. “What are you doing here? My orders were specific.”

“I have a present for you.” He reached down and cupped
Caresse’s sex, middle finger sinking between her folds.

“Looks like you’ve been enjoying my ‘present’. I’m not sure
I want it now.”

“Oh you want it. Trust me.” He shoved Caresse into Tara’s
office and waited until Tara closed the door before he went on. “This is one of
the Levari hosts who kidnapped Eloise.”

Tara tensed but her features only reflected irritation.
“Eloise is dead, so her kidnapping is irrelevant.”

“They snatched your daughter right out from under your nose.
Aren’t you curious how they did it?”

“Mildly.” She looked at Caresse directly for the first time.
“How did you do it?”

“Turn on the privacy shield,” Desmond insisted. “This is for
your ears only.”

With an impatient huff, Tara reached across her desk and
swiped a control recessed in the desktop. “Get on with it. I have things to do
and you have a project to oversee.”

Desmond released Caresse and crossed to Tara. “It’s quite
simple really.” He reached into his pocket as he released the shift and laughed
at her startled expression. “I’m a shape changer.” Taking full advantage of her
shock, he jabbed a needle into the side of her neck and injected her with the
Levari serum.

She screamed and slapped the syringe out of his hand,
tearing her flesh in the process. “What the fuck was that?” Not waiting for his
answer, she lunged for the desk, but he jerked her back and forced her to her
knees. With an exasperated cry, she tried to dissolve into mist. Her body
contorted, thinning and dimming for only a moment before it solidified again.
“What did you… What is wrong with me?” She clawed his calves, shredding his
pant legs as she twisted and hissed, desperately trying to free herself from
his grasp.

Desmond grabbed her hair with one hand and skewered her
throat with the other, fingernails instantaneously transforming into long,
sharp claws. “What was contained in the message you intercepted from Strigoia
Prime?”

She glared at him with mutinous rage yet held perfectly
still. “What was in that syringe?”

“A gift from the Levari Brethren. Now speak truthfully and I
might let you live.”

Caresse watched the struggle with cautious fascination. Tara
was rumored to be the oldest and most powerful host on Earth. And yet Desmond
had her on her knees. The realization sent excitement coursing through Caresse.
Perhaps his aspirations weren’t as misguided as she’d first thought.

Tara’s only reply was her renewed struggle. She grabbed his
wrist with both hands and tried to pull his claw out of her neck.

“Your strength is fading fast,” he taunted. “Soon you’ll be
helpless. Why prolong this?”

Blood trickled down her neck, but a twist of his wrist would
turn the trickle into a torrent. Even so, she sneered, “Fuck you!”

“
Really
not interested.” He tightened the hand in her
hair until tears leaked from her eyes. “Last chance. Tell me what I want to
know or I’ll go searching and I’m not very good at it yet.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He scoffed, savage cruelty twisting his features. “Wrong
answer.”

She screamed.

He laughed.

She screamed even louder.

Caresse looked at the door and then the wide windows. Would
the privacy shield block out all this?

Desmond pressed his forehead against Tara’s and slowly
withdrew his claws. The slashes closed, leaving four streaks of blood trailing
down her neck. He shoved her away. She rocked back onto her ass, legs curved
awkwardly to one side. She stared into space, expressionless, utterly blank.

“What did you do?” Caresse whispered. Was this temporary
shock or a permanent stupor?

“I told her I wasn’t very good at it. She should have
believed me.” He laughed again and held out his hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Did you get what you came for?” She still wasn’t sure what
he’d been hoping to find.

“I think so, but time will tell. Now let’s go.” He motioned
impatiently with his fingers, so she rushed forward and took his hand.

Bronik’s first instinct had been to return Eloise to the
gatehouse, but mid-teleportation he changed his mind. Eloise was still
struggling to understand and accept her new role in life. The last thing she
needed was to feel like a prisoner again.

She was still recovering from the effects of the paralytic,
so he materialized in the foyer of Edrick’s house. The hunting party had
returned with eleven new feeders. He was hoping Eloise would agree to let one
of the humans supplement his blood.

It took her a moment to lift her head from his chest and look
around. She felt so good snuggled against him that he didn’t rush her.

“Where are we?”

Her hands slid down his arms as she stepped back. It was all
Bronik could do not to pull her back into his arms and kiss her senseless.
“Strigo headquarters.” She tensed so he added, “No one will harm you. They’re
honor-bound to respect my vow.”

Edrick strode across the foyer, a cautious smile parting his
lips. “You found her. No harm done, I hope.”

“There was an assassin, but I arrived in time to minimize
the damage.”

Eloise said nothing and her stance remained defensive.

“I suspect you know who I am, but we haven’t been formally
introduced.” Edrick held out his hand toward Eloise. “I’m Edrick Yeager.”

“I know who you are.” She sounded prickly but she shook his
hand.

“As Bronik’s guest you’re entitled to my full hospitality.
Please, make yourself at home.”

She acknowledged the offer with a stiff nod but said nothing
more.

Bronik ignored her rude behavior. She’d had a lifetime to
learn to hate Strigo strain. It would doubtlessly take some time for her to
accept that they weren’t going to throw her back in chains. “Eloise was able to
meld with Garrett. What she saw was confusing, but it looked as if the Rom
captives are being held in some sort of prison. Windowless rooms with remote
surveillance, that sort of thing.”

Edrick glanced at her to see if she would elaborate. When
she said nothing he nodded at Bronik and said, “I’ll tell the others. If she
remembers anything more specific, let me know.”

“Will do.” Edrick turned to go, but Bronik asked, “Where’s
Kris? Has he kept himself out of trouble?”

“For the most part.” Edrick made a bland gesture toward the
back of the house. “He’s taken a liking to one of the new feeders and he hasn’t
left her side. I’ll allow it for a few days but eventually he’ll have to share
her. There are simply too many mouths to feed.”

“I’ll make sure he understands.”

She waited until Edrick left to ask, “Does everyone here
feed from the vein?” She sounded shocked by the possibility.

“Most would prefer it that way, but it isn’t always
possible.” He took her hand, intertwining their fingers. “How do most Vladya
hosts feed?”

“Tara keeps blood-slaves but the troops are issued bagged
rations.”

“Which keeps them dependent on her.” He shook his head. The
more he learned about Tara, the more convinced he was that she needed to be
replaced or destroyed. “Are they allowed to hunt?”

“They do a lot of things they’re not ‘allowed’ to do.”

“I can see why.” He led her down the main corridor and into
the game room. The spacious area was dominated by a pool table at one end and
an entertainment center at the other. A spontaneous party had erupted when the
hunters returned the night before and apparently the festivities had resumed as
the sun went down tonight. Couples and small groups of revelers danced to the
beat of the music pulsing from the entertainment center and the large sectional
had become a tangle of naked and half-naked bodies.

He looked at Eloise, waiting for her reaction to the
hedonistic atmosphere. She looked around with dispassionate curiosity then
shook her head. “This is not my scene.”

“Mine either, but you need blood.”

She looked at him and licked her lips. “So feed me.”

Not expecting her playfulness, he chuckled. “You need
something a little easier to digest until you’re at full strength again. Choose
someone and we’ll take them up to my room.”

“Anyone I want?” Her gaze shot to a handsome man surrounded
by flirtatious females. His dazzling smile and comfortable pose made it obvious
he was used to attention.

“Anyone,” he countered, though his hands folded into fists.
What if she wanted to fuck while she fed? Most hosts did. Could he stand by and
watch her touch another male, taste and take him deep into her body? His fangs
burned and his eyes stung as his symbionts echoed his displeasure.

“And you won’t interfere until I’m sated?”

She was testing him, trying to regain some measure of
control.

Control. He understood how precious it was and how helpless
one felt without it. She needed this, needed to command her own life, if only
in this one area.

“I won’t interfere but I intend to watch. So choose
carefully.”

Mischief made her eyes sparkle and she pressed her teeth
into her lower lip. The expression was so damn adorable he couldn’t stop
smiling.

She prolonged his torment by meandering about the room. She
paused by the pool table, where two members of Alexi’s crew were halfheartedly
engaged in a game. They were sharing a female feeder, passing her back and
forth as they each went to take his turn at the table.

Next Eloise watched a pretty blonde female. She was bent
over the back of the sectional while a host fucked her from behind. Another was
fucking her mouth, while a third fed from her shoulder. Being physically
attractive was a disadvantage in situations like this. Still, she arched into
each thrust and her muffled cries made it obvious she was enjoying the
experience.

Is she willing or did someone compel her?

Emotions rolled into Bronik’s mind along with Eloise’s
question. Anger and resentment twisted around desire. The spectacle aroused
her, yet she feared for the female.

All the feeders are willing. Edrick banned blood-slaves
years ago.
Of course the bite of a Strigo host created a rush of sensation
unlike anything human drugs could replicate. The pleasure was intense and
addictive, so determining the willingness of a feeder could be tricky.

Are they allowed to leave if they decide they’ve had
enough?
she persisted.

Their memories must be muddled before they’re released,
so the estate is locked down while we sleep. But the feeders are free to go
whenever we’re awake. Why is this so troubling to you?

Tara and Garrett are horrible to their blood-slaves. I
was just hoping Strigo strain was less…selfish.
Eloise rounded the
sectional so she could see the people interacting on the wide cushions. There
were so many people engaged in various sexual acts, it was hard to determine
who was pleasuring whom.

Her anxiety gradually ebbed as her hunger escalated. She
might be struggling with her conscience right now, but she was still a host
with an inescapable need for blood.

Pick someone
, he urged.
I’m not going to wait all
night.

She looked at him and grinned. Her fangs were visible and
her cheeks were flushed. She was obviously overcoming her misgivings.

“What is she doing here?” Kristof’s sharp tone drew Bronik’s
attention away from Eloise. “Fuck that. Why is she still alive?”

Bronik tensed. He understood his brother’s bitterness but he
tolerated insolence from no one. “She’s helping us find the Rom captives, which
has made her a traitor to Vladya strain.”

“How can you believe one word she utters?Isn’t that
the bitch who interrogated you?”

If the questions had come from anyone but Kristof, Bronik
would have told him to butt the hell out. “She’s seen the error of her ways.”

“Then she’s your prisoner?”

“Not anymore.”

“Why not?” His voice became almost shrill and he grabbed
Bronik’s arm. “She should be in chains!”

“She’s not your concern.” Bronik jerked his arm out of
Kristof’s grasp and used a deep, commanding tone to warn his brother that he
would be pushed no further. “She’s mine and that’s all you need to know.”

“But—”

“Enough.” The flash of his gaze finally silenced Kristof and
Bronik noticed the fresh-faced blonde standing a step back from them. She must
be the feeder Edrick had mentioned. “Who’s your friend?”

“New recruit. Her name is Sheila.”

“Edrick said you can enjoy her for a few more days but she
isn’t yours to keep.”

The girl’s eyes widened at his words and she moved closer to
Kristof.

“And if I’m not okay with that?” Kristof wrapped his arm
around Sheila’s waist and drew her close against his side.

“This is Edrick’s house. He makes the rules. Abide by them
or leave.”

Kristof nodded but the mutinous gleam in his eyes left
Bronik with a bad taste in his mouth. Kristof was still young and impulsive. It
would be like him to start a fight over a feeder. Bronik would have to monitor
the situation carefully.

The young couple left the game room and Bronik looked for
Eloise. She wasn’t by the entertainment center or the pool table. He found her
in the corridor talking with a brown-haired man.

“There you are.” Eloise smiled at him then motioned toward
the human. “This is Heath.”

Bronik looked at the human again. Had his initial glance
missed something important? With a room full of eager feeders to choose from,
why had Eloise selected this one? His hair was simply styled from a side part.
His eyes a common shade of blue. His features were well balanced, but…ordinary.
Average height, average weight, utterly ordinary. So why had Eloise chosen him?

“Are you sure?” He shifted his gaze back to Eloise, unable
to disguise his confusion.

“Absolutely.” Their gazes locked and desire sizzled across
their link.

Eloise took Heath’s hand and led him down the corridor,
which left Bronik to follow behind them. No one spoke again until they reached
his bedroom on the third floor of the mansion. Heath paused to look around
while Eloise silently watched him. Bronik found himself watching Eloise,
fascinated by her intent expression. What was it about this human that had her
captivated?

“Heath.”

The human turned toward Eloise at the sound of his name.
“Yes?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Eloise corrected. “You told me you’re a
trained submissive. Now show me your skills.”

Heath lowered his gaze and softened his tone. “Yes,
Mistress.”

Bronik smiled, finally understanding the appeal. Eloise knew
she would be locked into the submissive role as soon as they were alone. This
would sate her need for control without compromising their arrangement. He
moved to a chair adjacent to the bed, content to watch for the moment.

“Undress slowly. Display your body for both me and my mate.”

Mate? The word sent scalding desire crashing over Bronik.
Did she think of him as her mate or had it simply been a figure of speech? His
cock hardened in an instant, aching for the firm embrace of his mate’s slick
cunt. He willed her to look at him but her gaze was fixed on her new toy.

Heath kicked off his shoes and pulled off his socks then
released the first few buttons on his shirt. Then he pulled the garment off
over his head. Lean and toned, his torso was far more interesting without
clothing. His chest was hairless and his nipples were pierced. He turned in a
slow circle, giving Eloise plenty of time to look before he started on his
pants.

“You told me you’ll pleasure either, but do you prefer men
or women?” Eloise sat on the end of the bed, legs crossed, gaze locked on
Heath.

“It depends on the person.” He unzipped his pants and eased
them down over his hips, revealing silk boxers. His legs were lean,
well-muscled without being bulky.

“Lose the shorts.”

Heath hooked his thumbs over the waistband of the boxers and
pushed them down. He smiled at Eloise and paused for effect before the big
reveal. His sex came into view, long and lean like the rest of him. Bronik
fought back a smile. The human might be well endowed for his size, but Bronik
had nothing to worry about. The hair had been removed from the human’s balls
and the tip of his cock was pierced. Bronik observed it all with mild
curiosity. He’d never been attracted to men.

“Very nice.”

“Thank you, Mistress.” Without having to be told, he turned
in a final circle, allowing Eloise to view him from every angle.

“On your knees,” she said as he faced her again.

Heath knelt then locked his hands behind his head and spread
his thighs. It was a classical submissive pose, designed to display the body.

“Why aren’t you hard?”

“I’m sorry, Mistress. It sometimes takes pain to arouse me.”

Her gaze narrowed and lust surged across their link. Despite
her guilt over possible abuse of the feeders, she was obviously aroused by the
idea of hurting him. “You honestly find pleasure in pain? You’re not just
saying that because you think it will please me?”

“No, Mistress.” He raised his gaze and looked into her eyes.
“I generally can’t come unless I’m in pain. I’ve always been that way.”

“Thank you for your honesty. Now crawl over here and undress
me.”

A flirtatious smile bowed Heath’s lips as he crawled across
the floor. He glanced at Bronik briefly but the majority of his attention
remained on Eloise.

Bronik shifted his feet farther apart and adjusted his
erection, hoping to find a position that would ease some of the considerable
pressure. It was no use. He hadn’t expected to enjoy this, had thought he’d
patiently enjoy Eloise’s rebellion and then get on with the rest of the night.
Instead she’d found a way to tantalize and tease him, keeping his hunger
smoldering while she had her fun.

Naked and smiling, Heath knelt between Eloise’s knees.
Eloise raised her arms and Heath pulled her borrowed shirt off. She wasn’t
wearing a bra and the human looked at her breasts with obvious interest. She
guided Heath’s mouth to her breast, her desire obvious. Using only his mouth,
Heath licked and sucked and nibbled until Eloise’s nipple was hard and red.
Then Eloise moved him to the other side.