When Darkness Reigns Read online

  His teasing grin almost brought me to my knees. Indicating the towel in my hand I said, “Actually, I think I’m just going to stand here and dry my hair first. Keep going without me and I’ll jump in later.”

  Because I was so not ready to give up this visual yet. I wasn’t generally the voyeur type, but this was too good to miss.

  Shaz didn’t need to be told twice. In the same confident, possessive manner as he’d started this, he fisted Arys’s cock. I held the towel forgotten as my damp hair dripped along my shoulders.

  Arys’s sexy groan was followed by a murmured, “Fuck.” He used his grip on Shaz’s hair to pull him back in for a lusty kiss.

  I couldn’t decide where to devote my attention. I wanted to watch Shaz’s hand explore his lover, but the anguished pleasure all over Arys’s face intrigued me too. He had wanted this for so long.

  The entire scenario was worth committing to memory. When Shaz brought Arys to the edge, the resulting moans he coaxed forth brought a rush of heat and wetness to my core. Hungry for them both, I made myself wait but only with great effort.

  This moment was about the two of them, as it should be. It was Shaz’s declaration, a turning point in his personal journey of self-discovery and love. Witnessing his feelings for Arys in action moved me in ways far beyond the physical.

  The room pulsed with the steady rise of desire and emotion. It crawled over me, drawing me closer to the bed. With slow motions I moved, prowling toward them. I dropped my hair towel on the floor before letting the one that covered my body fall as well.

  Eyeing them up, I couldn’t decide who to start with. The atmosphere was rife with sexual tension and the need for release. I kept my distance, advancing in slow, calculated steps. The power of their desire made my head swim in the most delightful way. I could almost taste Arys’s orgasm on the air.

  Shaz seemed to feel it too. He stopped with the tease and stroked Arys with purposeful motions. I’d almost reached the bed when Arys came with Shaz’s name on his lips.

  Only then did I join them.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “I don’t want to go,” I muttered into my pillow. “I don’t want this to be real.”

  The day had come and gone too fast. Lilah would be sending another piece of Ebyn tonight, and I had to get out of bed to receive it. Next to me Shaz nuzzled his face deeper into my hair, his lips grazing my neck. That made it a whole lot tougher to face cold, hard reality.

  “It’s ok, Lex. You’ve got this.” The warmth of his breath tickled my neck, and that heady masculine wolf scent taunted me. “That demon bitch doesn’t know how much you’ve changed since she last saw you face to face. You’ve got something she doesn’t. Balance.”

  Blood hunger pricked at my insides. Another reminder that my favorite blood donor was being held captive by a psycho demoness. Taking from Shaz wasn’t an option right now. I didn’t want anything to compromise his strength. I’d have to find a willing partner at The Wicked Kiss.

  “She’s got something that I don’t too though. Immortality.” The bitterest of pills forced its way down my throat. Nothing tipped the scales quite like having a foe that couldn’t be killed.

  Arys rolled toward me, sandwiching me tighter between them. “Have you forgotten that you trapped one demon in a stone and turned another human? Stop underestimating yourself.”

  Stretched out between my men in bed, the last thing I should’ve been was racked with worry. But I was. The more power I had, the more I endangered the people in my circle. Somehow I had to keep them all safe, and I’d already failed Ebyn.

  A sudden surge of panic had me throwing the blankets off so I could scramble out of bed. I stood in the middle of the room naked and confused. Where did I start? What was my next move?

  “Alexa, get back into bed. We have half an hour until the sun sets.” Arys propped himself on an elbow and stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

  “Then we have to be ready to walk out the door the moment it does.” I headed for the walk-in closet to haphazardly dig through my clothes. I slipped into a pair of stretchy pants. My hands trembled from the sudden rush of bloodlust. My manic state was pushing my limits.

  When I was halfway into a tank top, Arys entered the closet in all his naked glory. Concern creased his forehead, as he pulled me into his arms. “This is not all on you, my queen. Believe that. We’re in this together. You will do more harm than good to your cause if you feed your doubts and fears with worry. Trust me. Trust yourself.” Arys spoke into my hair, his lips pressed to the top of my head.

  I let myself relax against him, soaking up his reassurance. “Everyone I care about is in danger and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

  “I know, but we’ll figure it out. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself.” Holding me close, Arys swept my hair back from my face so he could lean down and kiss me.

  Moments later Shaz joined us, cramming into the closet, a reminder that it was not as big as I’d have liked. He threw himself into the embrace, wrapping an arm around both Arys and me.

  Nothing like some good wolfy comfort snuggles.

  Their lack of clothing quickly became a focal point that made me laugh. “Naked hugging. I like it. Let’s do this more often.”

  Arys feigned a pout. “But you have clothes on. You can’t take from the naked hug and not give back.”

  “Agreed,” Shaz teased with a grin. “Everyone has to be naked for a naked hug, Lex. Better strip down.”

  With great effort I disentangled myself from them. Before either guy could see it coming, I gave them each a resounding smack on the ass.

  Satisfying as hell.

  Flashing them my own rascally smile, I said, “I’ll keep that in mind for next time. Get dressed. I’m expecting a package, and I’d like to be there when it arrives.”

  * * * *

  Less than thirty minutes after sunset I walked into my nightclub with a ball of tension in my gut. Expecting the worst, it was a small relief to find it as I’d left it. I could feel both Jenner and Willow in the building. They’d been staying here until they found more permanent lodging, which needed to happen sooner than later. It wasn’t safe enough for them here.

  The night was young and so was the crowd. A few patrons trickled in, but the thick of the crowd wouldn’t arrive until closer to midnight. I wasn’t sure I could wait that long. It had been a few nights since I’d fed the bloodlust. It wouldn’t be postponed much longer without becoming a problem.

  Shaz and Arys had gone to Doghead together to touch base with Shaz’s beta, Owen, and fill him in on what he needed to know. Although I doubted Shaz’s pack would end up on Lilah’s radar, we couldn’t be too careful. They would then meet me here so we could figure out our next move.

  All I could do now was wait. Wait for Lilah’s delivery man, wait to see how high she would raise the stakes, wait to discover what it would take for me to hand Shya over.

  So I walked the perimeter of the building before taking up a post near the hall that led to the back. Right on the edge of the action, I could watch the entire nightclub.

  I needed a fix of the human kind. As people began to enter in larger numbers, I scanned them all, carefully choosing my victim for the evening. I seldom partook of the patrons. Between Ebyn and Shaz my need for living blood was met, and then some. Seeing as they were both off the menu tonight, I would have to make do.

  The slightest tickle like butterfly wings brushed my ribcage seconds before Jenner’s sensual voice murmured in my ear. “You look like you’re on the prowl. See anything you like?” His hand slid over my lower back before falling away as he came to stand beside me.

  A black t-shirt stretched over his taut frame, exposing his heavily inked arms. So many of them referenced Las Vegas, like the sexy showgirl hugging his bicep. As I admired the outline of the muscles in his arms, I flashed back to the way he’d dominated me in Vegas.

  “I most certainly do. Unfortunately, I need a taste of something human tonight.” With
a flirtatious wink I touched his arm, tracing the plume of feathers flared out behind the showgirl. “Everything good with you?”

  Jenner nodded his blond head. “Just waiting to hear back from the insurance company on the payout for the club. Loric ran me out, but the paperwork was still in my name. Guess I got lucky there.”

  “Good. Then you can get your own place. Staying here too long can’t be healthy for anyone.” Didn’t I know it? I’d seen it do ruinous things to Kale.

  “You still have an extra room at your house.” Waggling his brows, Jenner bumped his hip against mine.

  I laughed and shook my head. “You want to share a house with Arys? I’m not sure your streak of good luck runs that far. You’ll have to take it up with him.”

  Jenner’s lips curved into a slight smile. “Arys and I have shared a lot more than you probably realize. A house is nothing.”

  “Care to elaborate?” I prodded him with a poke in the ribs.

  He twitched and caught my hand in his, stopping my assault. A playful light filled his icy eyes. “We were both sired by a vampire who enjoyed his weekly orgies. Ask Arys to fill in the details.”

  “I’m not sure I need to know the details. If the two of you were involved, I can fill in the blanks on my own.” I fell against Jenner as he used my hand to pull me closer. His head snapped to one side. Someone on the dance floor had caught his eye. Pressing his lips to my ear, he pointed to where a man and woman danced together. “What do you think of them?”

  We had done this together once before. Right after I’d turned, Jenner had found me here stalking prey. We’d tag teamed two victims from the club, and he’d kept me from killing anyone.

  “I think I like where you’re going with this.” I enjoyed the spikes of blood hunger and lust in his energy. “But this is just a quick feed. I’m expecting to hear from Lilah any time, and I can’t afford to be distracted.”

  “As long as you’ve got time to kill, we might as well make the most of it. Come on.” Jenner forced me to keep up with him as he strode onto the dance floor.

  It didn’t take much convincing. The couple took one look at us and were falling all over themselves to say yes. Our bloodline had gained a reputation here, some of us more than others. They’d glanced at each other excitedly and followed us to the cluster of red furniture where Jenner plopped down in the middle of the couch.

  I shoved him over none too gently to make room for our willing victims on either side of us. If anything the couple seemed relieved that we’d chosen not to take them to a backroom. First timers I was willing to bet. Lucky for them, my self-control had grown, and my most level-headed vampire sat next to me.

  Jenner liked to make it a game, draw it out like a cat with a mouse. Although I appreciated and often enjoyed that angle as well, this was a quick fix. Not only that but I was about to break my own rule of never feeding in the nightclub itself. Back rooms only.

  “Don’t drag it out.” I turned to whisper to Jenner before angling toward the thirty-something man on my other side.

  “That’s funny coming from the queen of tease.”

  That little jibe could not go unpunished. I reached back with one hand to rub Jenner’s thigh, letting my hand dip down so my fingertips strayed dangerously close to his groin. The resulting rise of desire on the air made my head swim. When I knew he was hard with anticipation, I pulled away.

  “What can I say, Jenner? You bring it out in me.” Flashing him a smirk, I turned my full attention to my victim and rolled him hard. No more screwing around.

  Being a first timer, the guy didn’t know what he’d gotten himself into. In the future he’d be disappointed that nobody else’s bite compared to mine. With huge pupils my victim gaped at me in wonder. I’d barely even touched him.

  The power flowed and he responded. It permeated the atmosphere with enough intensity to make Jenner stiffen beside me. Might have to dial it back a bit. Touching my victim’s face, I gently turned his head to expose the pulse in his neck. Taking care not to be too rough, I went for the bite.

  My fangs pierced his vein, and he groaned, a pleasant sound that stimulated my inner hunger for sex and death. Nobody could ever say this succubus thing got easier. It didn’t. I’d simply gotten better at it.

  Blood laced with alcohol hit my tongue. Though it lacked the extra punch I found in werewolf blood, it scratched the itch deep inside. I sucked lightly at the bite, and the poor guy in my grasp almost came right then and there. His arousal satisfied me, but it wasn’t his that I wanted.

  When both he and I had had enough, I gently pushed him against the couch. He sat back relaxed while I turned to the waiting vampire beside me. Jenner had taken a nip of the woman, who hung over the arm of the couch, enthralled and on her way to the best trip of her life.

  Sharing my need for more, Jenner caught my face in his hands and kissed me with blood in his mouth. I drew on the rush of him, drinking in the sensual charge he exuded.

  The weight of a watchful gaze fell upon us. Without looking I knew it was Willow.

  When I did finally manage to break away from Jenner’s persistent affections, I found Willow standing several feet away, staring at me with something akin to horrified desire. After the discussion I’d had with Juliet last night, I worried about the true state of his mental well-being.

  Leaving Jenner on the couch, I went to where my guardian stood looking uncertain and reserved. Try as he might to pretend that it didn’t consume him too, Willow couldn’t hide the glint of hunger in his eyes. Nor could he stop me from feeling it slithering all over him. Willow held himself too tightly reined. I’d seen vampires try and fail to leash themselves. He wanted so much more than he could allow himself to accept.

  “Everything ok?” I asked, wary of infringing on his personal space. I got the feeling that it was difficult for him to be around me now more so than ever, despite my willingness to do everything I could to ease that pressure.

  Willow nodded quickly and shifted ever so slightly away from me. “Yeah, of course. I just didn’t expect to find you here partaking with Jenner. It’s not your usual.”

  “Unfortunately my usual is with Lilah. I’m expecting her to send another piece of him any moment now.” Despite my delicious little high from the feed, my nerves were still frazzled. I kept glancing toward the door, expecting to see Justin with another box.

  I glanced back in time to catch Willow staring at the pulse in my neck before dragging his gaze to the swell of my cleavage. He seemed to be having an especially hard time meeting my eyes. The energy around him jerked and jittered. He raged with bloodlust because of what he’d just witnessed. If he would only admit it to himself, then perhaps he could move past this awkward unease.

  Feeling my attention on him, Willow jerked his gaze to mine. “We’ll find him. Try not to get too far ahead of yourself. You’ve always been bad for that.” Willow’s friendly smile and reassurance warmed me. However, he’d do anything to redirect the focus from his bloodlust.

  “And you’ve always been bad for denying yourself. Sometimes you have to put yourself first, Willow. That means taking what is available to you in order to make this existence a little less painful. You don’t have to suffer.” Turning the tables on Willow felt weird in every way. He normally gave me the much-needed advice and encouragement.

  His next smile was forced and conveyed clearly that this was a discussion he would rather not have. That made two of us. But I cared too much about him to say nothing.

  “Don’t worry about me, Alexa. I’ve managed this long.” Averting his gaze, Willow crammed his hands in his pockets and shrugged, like he could play it cool and have me completely forget about the longing within him.

  Although I wanted to offer him a comforting hug or pat on the arm, I kept my hands to myself. Willow’s vampy vibes buzzed at the high frequency that bordered on loss of control. No matter how tightly he guarded his destabilizing thoughts, he couldn’t hide his desperation from me. This amazing person had put my
needs ahead of his too many times to count, and I hated that he continued toward self-destruction.

  “It’s ok to have needs, and there’s nothing wrong with satisfying them. That doesn’t mean allowing yourself to become some blood-crazed killer. But I’m afraid that, if you don’t learn to walk the line in between, it’s only a matter of time until you become what you’re trying so hard to avoid.” Searching his gold-flecked green eyes, I found him hard to read. The few times I’d gotten a good glimpse inside Willow, the vulnerable exposure had frightened him.

  But it had frightened me too. He was one of the kindest most caring people I’d ever known in this world. He didn’t deserve to suffer this way. Watching him inflict it on himself was even worse.

  A strained silence fell between us. Willow had to have known I was right. He needed to come to a place where he could accept himself as he was now. I couldn’t force him to get there.

  Because he was not yet ready to admit the truth to himself, Willow gestured to the growing number of patrons. “A few minutes with a willing partner is all I need. No big deal. On that note, I’ll be around. Let me know the minute you hear anything from Lilah.”

  Just last night Willow had had an encounter with a willing partner. A vampire with that much power didn’t need to feed nightly. It was only a matter of time until he was forced to accept what we both already knew.

  His hunger was not for blood alone. Not anymore. And until he satisfied that craving, it would only grow.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  As I watched Willow submerge himself in the sea of eager victims, I couldn’t help but feel that this was all my fault. I had given him exactly what he wanted, but maybe it hadn’t been what he needed. Now he needed me in ways he’d never dared to imagine, and it was eating him alive.

  “I told you, wolf, it takes some time to process the reality that is you.”