Bite Here Too

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Bite Here Too ISBN 978-1-60592-176-1 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Bite Here Too Copyright 2010 Stormy Glenn and H. C. Brown Cover Art by Fiona Jayde This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any existing means without written permission from the publisher. Contact Noble Romance Publishing, LLC at PO Box 467423, Atlanta, GA 31146. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The characters are products of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.

Book Blurb Blood Sacrifice by Stormy Glenn Being a demon isn't always fun. Being a demon summoned to a satanic ritual is downright miserable. Isaac Braden spends most of his time being a rich recluse but every so often he's introduced to someone new when he's summoned . . . a blood sacrifice. And tonight Jory Daniels has been chosen to be that sacrifice. In a satanic ritual summoning gone bad, Isaac finds himself eternally bound to Jory. He has to have the man's blood in order to survive. But when Jory wants something in return, can Isaac submit enough to allow it or will his demon nature take over and cause him to lose the best thing that ever happened to him? Enslaved by H.C. Brown At midnight on All Hallows Eve, the Gates between the realms are wide open. Good and evil in equal measure seek to slake their desire. Be careful for what you wish for Humans, once the Gates shut, there is no going back.

Blood Sacrifice By Stormy Glenn Chapter One Being suspended from a hook in the ceiling by a rope tied around his wrists was not how Jordan Daniels planned to spend his summer vacation when he joined his friends for a backpacking trip across Europe. The plan was to spend a month seeing the sights, meeting girls—or guys, in his case—and partying until they all dropped. Jordy still couldn't figure out exactly how he ended up where he was. He wasn't even sure where he was. The last thing he remembered was drinking beer at some pub in a little village in the English countryside. Jory didn't even remember the name of the damn village. He did know it wasn't far from the historical monument they'd come to see, Stonehenge. Well, the monument he had come to see it. His friends were more interested in partying. Jory actually wanted to come see Stonehenge so he could do some research. He'd been fascinated with ancient lore since he was a child, and his grandmother told him stories of times past to explain to him his own uniqueness. The large, stone structure seemed to have an emphasis on almost all of the stories, from witchcraft to demons—basically all things supernatural. And everything supernatural fascinated Jory. Jory lifted his head and looked around, wondering if the legends he'd heard about Stonehenge were true. No one was absolutely certain what the stone monolith was originally created for, but according to some theories, these days they were used for satanic rituals. Considering the condition of the room he presently hung in, Jory felt pretty damn sure those theories might have some basis in truth. Directly opposite him, on the far side of the room, was a raised dais, with two stone steps leading up to it. In the center of the dais sat a large, rectangular stone altar. Just the sight of it gave Jory the creeps.

Candles—some red, some white, but most of them black—sat on every available surface. Braziers of fire burned in every corner. The walls of the room looked smooth as if carefully carved right out of the stone. Intricate designs were carved into the pillars that lined the room, six on each side of a large open area. Jory hung from the ceiling at one end of the room. His friends, Carl and Philip, hung from ropes on either side of him. With the way their heads dropped forward on their chests, Jory was pretty sure neither of them were conscious. As his mind began to clear, Jory caught his breath. Both his friends were naked. He quickly glanced down at himself and realized he was also naked. Someone had also shaved him, and his body gleamed in the candlelight as if oil had been rubbed over his skin. Jory shuddered at the thought of some unknown person touching him while he was unconscious and unable to defend himself. He was especially nauseated by his now-hairless groin, knowing exactly what someone needed to do to shave the area. The sudden sound of a door creaking open behind him caught Jory's attention. He quickly dropped his head forward so that anyone who looked at him might think he was unconscious like his friends. In reality, he watched through the long bangs falling down over his face. What he saw made the pit of his stomach clench and roll. Coming from behind him in a line, several robed figures walked into the room. They moved in two columns on each side of the room until they reached an area before the altar steps. There, they broke up and moved until there were six rows of people, six people deep, separated by a small aisle right down the middle. In all, Jory counted thirty-six people. He was beginning to see a theme. A lone figure walked up to the altar. Jory dubbed him the headmaster. The man looked like he was in charge of whatever was going on.

He was dressed much as the other people in the room, in a long, flowing, black robe with a hood covering his head. The only difference between his get-up and the others' was the intricate embroidery around the edges of his sleeves. And the lethal-looking dagger in his hand. The man supported the dagger with both his hands and held it up in the air. Jory's skin crawled with foreboding as the man began to chant. He couldn't quite make out the words, but their intent was very clear. The man laid the dagger on the altar, and then clapped his hands. Much to Jory's surprise, the robed figures in the room knelt on the floor and began chanting. Again, the words were unrecognizable. The man in the robe, the one Jory assumed was the head creep, raised the dagger in the air again. He chanted a few more words then walked around the altar. If Jory's feet hadn't hung off the ground, he would have started to struggle when the man approached him and his friends. Another man walked behind him, carrying a large, golden chalice. Red gems and symbols encrusted the goblet. But instead of adding beauty to the object, the stones made the chalice look more menacing. Jory tried to remain passive as the headmaster raised the dagger toward him, but he couldn't prevent his wince of pain as the sharp blade cut into the soft flesh of his throat. His eyes widened when he felt blood trickle down his chest. The man holding the jeweled goblet stepped forward and held it pressed again Jory's chest. Blood dripped into the cup. Jory's heart pounded when two more goblets were produced and the man put Carl and Philip through the same treatment. When all three goblets were full, the two men turned and walked back up to the altar. The headmaster held each goblet up in the air in front of the group of kneeling people, one at a time, before pouring a drop of blood from each into a fourth, much larger red goblet.

He chanted words that sounded like Latin, although Jory couldn't be sure. He didn't know the language except for what he'd heard on television. He did know this whole thing freaked him out. The man who held the goblets—Jory assumed he was the headmaster's assistant—walked up with a tray of bottles, each filled with a different colored liquid. The head guy grabbed one and poured a couple of drops into the red goblet, then added several of the other liquids until it began to smoke like some kind of science experiment. Jory couldn't see the headmaster's eyes beneath his hood, but his gleaming white teeth as he smiled sent a cord of fear down Jory's spine that nearly numbed his mind. When the man started walking toward him with the goblet, Jory's panic set in with full force. He started to struggle, even knowing there was no way for him to get free. Jory didn't realize people stood behind him until someone grabbed his head and forced his jaw open. The headmaster's grin got even bigger as he forced the liquid in the red goblet down Jory's throat. Jory coughed and sputtered and tried not to swallow. It worked well until someone suddenly squeezed his balls in a death grip. He inhaled sharply. Hot liquid poured down his throat, burning Jory from the inside out until his very skin felt like it was on fire. The moment the goblet was pulled away from his lips, Jory screamed, as pain infused his entire body. He was shocked beyond belief when his cock hardened despite the fire burning through him. His vision blurred as shards of agonizing pain stabbed at his temples. Jory's head fell back against his shoulders, and a low buzzing filled his ears, growing louder and louder until all he could hear was something akin to white noise. The room started to spin, as did Jory's stomach. Black smoke billowed from the braziers, growing higher and higher until the room was nearly obscured from view. When the smoke cleared, the robed figures that had been lined up so carefully on the floor now knelt in a circle surrounding a large area in the center of the room.

The headmaster walked to the middle of the room and began pouring a white, crystal-like substance out of a black velvet bag. Salt? He carefully poured the granules out until he had a perfect circle, chanting the entire time. Black candles were set on the floor in the four corners of the circle, north, south, east, and west. Through bleary eyes, Jory watched the headmaster stand at the bottom step of the dais and raise the dagger into the air again. The man started chanting once more, but this time, for some reason, the words made sense to Jory. "I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou shalt open the boundary between the worlds of humanity and the forces of darkness, to preserve and contain the power thou shall raise within, that thy circle is open but never broken." The smoke filling the room began to move around the circle of salt. Faster and faster it blew, until a virtual tornado of black smoke filled the circle, obscuring everything in the room. "By thy grace grant me the power to conjure and to execute that which I desire, the end which I would attain by thy help, O Mighty Master. Thusly, I invite the Forces of Darkness to bestow thy infernal power upon me." Oh, fuck! Jory suddenly understood what was happening. He was in the middle of some fucked up satanic ritual. The guy who stood on the dais waving a dagger in the air was some sort of high priest and the people kneeling were his cult of satanic worshipers. "I conjure thee, Issachar, Daemon of the Dark, to come forth and serve me as commanded by thy master. Thou shalt follow my word, my will, my command, until such time as thy master releases thee." Of course, it was All Hollow's Eve, Celtic festival Samuin, celebrating the end of the lighter half of the year and beginning of the darker half, and they were summoning a demon. Jory knew of such rituals because of his grandmother. He'd just never witnessed a black magic ritual before.

"Accept this fervent sacrifice, O Mighty Master, as my pledge to thee to do thy bidding. By thy fertile seed, thou shalt nourish thee. By thy life essence, thou shalt sustain thee. By thy oath, though shalt command thee." Jory struggled against his bonds as the smoke slowed and started to clear. A large, black figure stood in the smoky midst. Jory had a bad feeling he was meant to be some kind of sacrifice. He struggled harder, having no plans to stick around and find out if he was right, not if he could help it. "All oaths which I state shall be, and thou shalt swear to seal jointly with thy blood of thy sacrifice. On this sacred night of Nos Calan Gaeaf, O Mighty Master, open the Gates of Hell and entreat your servant, Issachar, to manifest before me and do my bidding as thy commands. Thus shalt it be!" The sudden silence in the room caught Jory's attention. He stopped struggling and looked out over the room to find all eyes pinned on him. Jory swallowed past the lump of fear forming in his throat. The creature that stood in the middle of the circle was large, inhuman, and black from his horned head down to his hoof-like feet. His hands curled into long, black claws, and razor-sharp fangs hung down over his bottom lip. But it was the red, glowing eyes that froze Jory where he was. They stared at him with such intensity Jory felt like they could see into his very soul. Jory wasn't a religious person by any stretch of the imagination, but he suddenly wished he was, because hell just came to earth, and it was looking right at him. Chapter Two Isaac stared at the human hanging from the ceiling hook with a mixture of curiosity and remorse. There were times when he truly hated being a demon. This was definitely one of them.

Being summoned wasn't so bad. He'd been summoned hundreds of times over his long life. But being summoned and forced to accept the blood sacrifice offered him sickened him. And Isaac could tell from the man's naked form and the blood trailing down his chest, that the man was meant to be sacrificed. He'd heard the summoning words and knew what was about to happen. The guilt Isaac felt at what he would be forced to do to the unsuspecting man weighed heavily on him, like a pile of rocks in his gut. He had no recourse, no way of refusing. It was the nature of his kind. Once summoned, if the words were spoken properly, Isaac would be forced to follow them until released to go back to his life. Unfortunately, the memories of what he did while being conjured didn't stay behind. He took every last damn one of them with him when he returned to his world. As the spell directed, Isaac approached the three men hanging from the ceiling. He sniffed one, then the other, finally coming to stand in front of the man hanging in the middle. This man intrigued him. His looks were pleasing to Isaac, even in his demon form. Long, muscular legs fell almost to the floor; he had a smooth, gleaming chest that Isaac ached to touch, and a groin devoid of hair. Isaac mentally rolled his eyes at the sight of the man's hairless groin. He never understood why spell casters did that. They seemed to think demons preferred it that way. He didn't mind shaving personally, but it wasn't required to make the spell happen. Isaac took a deep breath to calm his outrage at what he was being forced to do. He knew he needed to choose one of these men to be his blood sacrifice. His immediate choice would be the man in the middle. Isaac was most drawn to him. He just didn't want to kill him. "Choose your blood sacrifice, O Mighty One."

Isaac turned his head slightly to the side and growled. "I know my duty, mortal. Do not think to command me before the bargain is done." Isaac looked back at the three men hanging from the ceiling. All were gorgeous. In any other circumstance, Isaac wouldn't have even thought about choosing one of the men. He would have chosen all three. That just wasn't an option at this point. Just to be sure he made the right choice, Isaac leaned over and sniffed the men who hung on either side of the one he really wanted. One smelled of dirty breath, the other of rotting flesh. Neither suited his needs. The one in the middle, however, smelled sweet, succulent. Isaac growled low in his throat as he sniffed at the man's neck. He grinned when he felt the man tremble as his breath blew out across his naked skin. Despite the situation they were in, the sexy man was not immune to Isaac. That helped. I am sorry, little one, Isaac thought to himself as he made his decision. He leaned back and stared into the man's deep green eyes. I wish I could spare you this. Much to Isaac's shock, the man's eyes widened, and he lifted his head more to peer at him. Isaac's breath caught in his throat as he took a hesitant step closer to the man. Could it be? Was it possible after all this time? Isaac had waited so long to find his mate he had started to believe he was a myth. If the man could hear his thoughts, it would be the first sign that they were meant to be together. Isaac was elated. "I choose this mortal," Isaac said quickly as he gestured to the man and stepped back. He kept a dispassionate mask on his face as he watched two robed men move forward to release the man from the ropes tied around his wrists, but it was all he could do not to growl and claw at the men touching the one he had chosen. Judging by the raw rope marks on the man's wrists, he'd struggled greatly in his bonds. A part of Isaac wanted to lift the man's arm and lick the blood away. Another part of him wanted to rip apart the people who'd marred such perfect skin. Isaac had to clench his fists to keep from doing either. No one should be touching what could possibly be his future mate, no one except him. Isaac just had to find a way

to keep the man safe until he could figure out if they were indeed mates, which might be a problem. Isaac couldn't force his mate to accept him. That was the one loophole that mates had when it came to demons. If the man refused him, Isaac was powerless to force him, and by not completing the ritual bonding, it would drive Isaac insane. Bonding with a demon was usually done with a bonding ritual. But it wasn't unheard of to become bonded in other ways, as it simply took an exchange of blood and semen between mates and an acceptance of a demon by his mate. Now that he had found his mate—if the sacrifice actually was his mate—Isaac would be lost without him, even if they did not bond. The knowledge that his mate was alive and out in the world would make Isaac obsessive about being with him. The demon inside of him would think of nothing but his mate. Isaac just had to hope he could somehow keep his mate alive long enough to convince the man to accept him. In Isaac's experience, most black magic rituals ended with the death of the sacrifice. Isaac had to figure out a way to save him and free them both. But still, he had to be absolutely sure the gorgeous little man was indeed his mate. The sweet way the man smelled, the way his body attracted Isaac, all said the man was his, as did the sudden possessive feelings he felt for the man. Add in the man's reaction when Isaac spoke silently to him, and Isaac was pretty damn sure he had just found his destiny. The telepathic communication between mates was sacred. If the man did indeed hear him in his head, it would be the final proof Isaac needed to know for sure that he had found what he had sought for so many years. Isaac watched as the robed figures escorted the man to the dais, his legs barely able to hold him up. Isaac stayed standing in the sacred circle as they lifted the man onto the altar and then tied his hands over his head and secured his ankles at the other end. He would be able to bend his knees, but he wouldn't be able to move from the altar.

Isaac barely kept from wincing when a dark red liquid was forced down the man's throat. Isaac could see his fighting spirit as he struggled against his bonds. A long wail ended any defiance he would have given, and the man was suddenly no longer trying to get away, but rather crying out in agony. Isaac knew the fiery liquid was burning its way through the man's body, saturating his very essence with a need to be fucked that was so great, it would consume him until his hunger was assuaged. And only by Isaac fucking him, cementing the covenant, could relief come to the man. It was the nature of the beast, or the nature of those wanting to command the beast. Isaac needed a willing sacrifice in order to complete the deal. With the unholy potion flowing through the man's bound body, he was not only willing but begging. Isaac could feel his body responding to the man even as he stepped over to stand at the end of the altar. His cock, already semi hard from just smelling him, hardened to steel as he gazed down at the sacrifice laid out before him. The man was simply breathtaking. His skin glimmered in the dim candlelight filling the room. The flush of arousal made his tanned body look almost golden. Isaac ached to touch him, to stroke his hands down the man's oil-rubbed chest. The hard cock jutting up from the man's shaven groin captivated Isaac. It too had been rubbed with oil, but that didn't take away from the sweet sight of pre-cum pooling on the nicely mushroomed head. It was all Isaac could do to keep himself from bending over and licking those little drops of ambrosia away. Under normal circumstances, he would have done just that, but this situation was in no way normal. Once completely taken over by the demon, Isaac would be unable to keep himself from taking the man no matter if he wanted to or not. That, too, was the nature of the beast. As the rules dictating summoning a demon stated, once a blood sacrifice was offered in exchange for the power to command said demon, a demon must complete the

ritual by accepting the sacrifice chosen. Once the ritual started, the demon would die if it wasn't completed. And the ritual started the moment the high priest started chanting the words to summon Isaac. He had no choice now. He either fucked the man tied down to the altar or he died. And as much as he didn't mind having sex with the guy, he wished they were back at his house where they could get to know each other first. Isaac wouldn't be allowed to take his time and enjoy the man. His task was to simply join their bodies together until such time as he filled the man's body with his seed. At the same time, he would drink the man's blood, his essence, as the ritual words stated. Once that happened, Isaac's demon form would be satisfied and the blood oath would be spoken, binding Isaac to do as the high priest commanded until he was released, which was usually a twenty-four hour period. Isaac just hoped it would be a short amount of time and his required task simple. Black satanic rituals usually meant he was bound to follow the commands of someone despicable, even evil. Nothing good ever came from that. The few times he'd been summoned by white magic witches, his tasks had been simple and not something he had much issue with, helping move something large, protecting someone, stuff like that. Once, he was even summoned to sexually service the practitioner. That had been an interesting night. It was when practitioners of black magic summoned him that Isaac's skin crawled. They usually wanted him to steal something or kill someone. Their assignments were always self-serving and evil. If Isaac had his way, the only people he would be killing were the ones that commanded him to do something he would never do if he had the choice. They deserved what they got, as far as he was concerned. Isaac smoothed his large, clawed hands up the man's trembling legs until he reached the juncture of his thighs. He knew all those watching expected him to just rip

into the man, maybe tearing him apart. They liked to see the blood sacrifice scream in agony . . . the louder, the better. Suffering aroused many worshipers. Isaac wished there was some way he could prevent what was about to happen. He didn't want to take this man in front of others. The first mating between them should be done privately, not with lust-filled onlookers. He just didn't have any choice. The ritual had started. The sacrifice had been chosen. And Isaac's demon was close to the surface. To stop the ritual now would mean Isaac's death and most likely that of the sacrifice. He didn't think the high priest would kindly let the man go. There was also the chance that by taking the sacrifice as the ritual words demanded, Isaac could save the man. Demons were crafty creatures. They always looked for loopholes. Isaac just had to find it. He leaned over the man enough that he could look down into his eyes. He tried to convey his regret at what he was about to do as he stroked one clawed finger over the man's throat. Isaac hoped to those watching that it looked as if he might be rubbing the skin where he would bite the man and drink his blood. While that was true, Isaac also wanted to calm the man. He could feel his heart pounding beneath his fingertips. When the sacrifice moaned loudly and arched into his touch, Isaac knew he had hardly any control left to keep himself from taking the man. His demon form was taking over, clouding his better judgment. Soon, he would be so far gone he would think of nothing but fucking the man. Nothing would stop him. I'm so sorry, little one, he whispered in his head again, wishing the man could hear him. I wish I didn't have to do this. I understand, Issachar, the man mentally whispered back, shocking Isaac not only by speaking back to him in his mind but by speaking Isaac's true name. Do what you must. You know you will die if you don't.

You can hear me, sacrifice? Isaac was stunned, and delighted. Please say yes. If this sacrifice could truly hear him, then he was the one meant to save Isaac from the hell he lived in as a demon. This man was his freedom . . . and his mate. Yes. Pale green eyes, filled with lust, blinked up at Isaac. And the name is Jory. You know what is happening here, Jory? I am to be your blood sacrifice. How do you know this? Isaac frowned. He wanted to say more, to let the man know they were destined to be mates, but now did not seem the time, not with the priest and his minions looking on. My grandmother is a witch. I've seen a summoning before. And you're not afraid? Truthfully, I'm scared out of my mind. Jory shuddered. As I said, I've seen a summoning before but never one quite like this. My grandmother is a white witch. She doesn't deal in dark magic. I don't really know what is going to happen. Your body has to accept my seed as I drink your blood. So, you're going to fuck me. Sounds simple enough. Isaac hid his broken chuckle by growling loudly. He didn't want anyone to know he could speak to the blood sacrifice. It's not that simple, Jory. Once my demon form takes over, nothing will stop me from taking you. Do you understand this? Jory's eyes widened until they dominated his face. He swallowed hard then nodded. Yes, I understand. Isaac clenched his hands then grabbed the edge of the altar and dug his claws into the hard stone. He could feel his demon taking more of his control. He knew he had just moments left before all sense of reason left him. I'm sorry, Jory. There was so much more Isaac wanted to tell Jory, but he could feel the edges of his control unraveling. This man was his mate, able to speak to him in his head. Isaac's heart was already starting to cleave to Jory's, to need him. Soon, it would be too late for either of them.

Isaac moved to the edge of the altar. He reached down with both hands and grabbed Jory's hips, pulling him to the edge of the platform. Jory's arms were stretched tightly over his head. His butt hovered over the end of the altar. Isaac pushed Jory's thighs apart, baring the man's hard cock and puckered hole to his hungry gaze. You'll never fit! Jory said through their mental bond. You'll kill me. Isaac jerked his head up to find Jory staring down at his hard cock with a mixture of horror and lust. Isaac had to admit Jory had a right to be scared. In his demon form, not only was he huge in body mass, weighing in around three hundredfifty pounds and standing over seven feet tall, but he also had an enormous cock, equal to his size everywhere else. Isaac bit his lip to keep from snickering. He grabbed Jory's ankles and held his legs apart. His long shaft stood straight and hard out from his body. The altar held Jory just high enough that Isaac simply had to step closer, and the head of his cock butted up against Jory's quivering hole. He rocked himself back and forth, coating Jory's tight entrance with the pre-cum dripping from the head of his cock. It would prepare the way for him, loosening Jory's muscles to allow him to take the man without hurting him. What most people didn't realize when they offered a blood sacrifice to a demon was that the drops of pre-cum that a demon's body produced not only increased his arousal and that of the sacrifice, it made his taking of the sacrifice less painful. "We're waiting, daemon. Get on with it." Faster than lightening, Isaac reached over and grabbed the high priest around the throat. He lifted him several inches off the ground and pulled him closer until they were nose to nose. "Do not think to command me before our deal is done, mortal," Isaac growled. "Until I accept your sacrifice, I can still refuse the covenant. Do not forget that." "But . . . but, the ritual has . . . has already started," the priest stammered. "You'll die if you refuse." "And?"

Isaac knew the score. The high priest and all of his followers wanted to watch a demon fuck a sacrifice. Men like this got off on watching. Isaac pushed the high priest away, snickering loudly when the man coughed and rubbed his bruised throat. To appease the high priest and give Jory's body time to accept his thick cock, Isaac started stroking his shaft. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the high priest lick his lips as he watched. Sick bastard! Isaac continued to stroke his hand up and down his engorged cock. Every few moments, he pushed the head against Jory's tight entrance, feeling it loosen each time until he was finally able to push in past the ring of muscles without hurting Jory. When he pushed in, Jory cried out, his body arching into the air as much as his bonds would allow. Isaac growled, pushing in just a bit more. Jory's sweet warmth enveloped him, squeezed him. Isaac bit his lower lip to keep himself from moaning and showing everyone how much he enjoyed the feeling of fucking the sacrifice. No matter how entranced he was seeing his long length sink into Jory's ass, Isaac was acutely aware of the audience watching them. He could hear their panting, their moans of ecstasy as the high priest and worshipers worked to bring themselves to completion. It was a distraction Isaac didn't need. Can you take me now, little one? Jory's eyes opened to look up at Isaac. The green of his irises was so deep, so dark, so profoundly beautiful. They were haunting, and the silent message in them seared Isaac down to his soul. No one had ever looked at him in that manner. Isaac roared as his demon nature took over, stripping away the last of his human control. He slammed into Jory, the pleasure he felt at his action so intense it almost blinded him. Jory was perfect. All around him, worshipers in black robes cried out as they climaxed, but Isaac only had eyes for the man moaning beneath him. He prayed the desire and ecstasy he saw on Jory's face told the truth of what the man felt and were not part of the dark potion forced upon him to make him more compliant.

Isaac wanted to believe in the small cries the man gave, in the way his skin flushed as he arched into the hands Isaac stroked along his heated skin. Even if Jory didn't want this, there was no way Isaac could stop now. He could feel his body readying itself for completion. His orgasm was moments away. It is time, little one, Isaac whispered mentally as he leaned over Jory. He watched the man's green eyes carefully. Are you ready? Will you give to me willingly? I can stop this now and refuse the bargain if that is your choice. Isaac could refuse the bargain at any point before he ejaculated inside of the sacrifice and took his blood. It would be a painful death for him if he did, but it was an option, one Isaac would willingly choose if Jory told him no. He might be a demon, and considered evil by most, but he still had a heart. And Jory was his mate, the one being in the world that Isaac would willingly die for. Of that, Isaac was sure now. No one but his mate could communicate silently with him. No one but his mate could sate the beast inside of him. Much to Isaac's joy, Jory dropped his head back and arched his neck, giving his consent in a manner that spoke volumes to Isaac even in its silent nature. By giving his blood willingly and accepting Isaac's seed into his body, Jory would bind them together in a bond stronger than that of any covenant made with the high priest. Jory would free Isaac forever. Mo chuisle, mo chroí, mo shíorghrá, Isaac whispered silently as he sank his teeth into Jory's neck. Sweet, hot blood rushed over his tongue at the same moment Isaac's orgasm roared through him. The binding seed of a demon rushed from his body in great spurts, filling Jory's tight ass. Jory's cries of release rang in his ears as he thrust into him. Isaac pumped his hips, overcome by the feeling of being bonded for the first time in his life. The intensity of what he felt was beyond even what he had been led to believe would happen when he bonded. Tears prickled at the corner of Isaac's eyes as emotions he'd never felt before swept through him. In his long life, Isaac had felt happiness and pleasure. He'd felt

misery, remorse and guilt. But he'd never felt such an overwhelming need to protect and care for someone like he suddenly did with the man he held in his arms. "The bargain is struck, O Mighty One," said a voice from beside Isaac, reminding him once again that they were not alone. "By thy blood of this sacrifice and your oath, thy will is mine to command." Isaac regretfully extracted his teeth from Jory's throat. He slowly leaned up on his arms, pausing to look down at the sandy-haired man. Speak not a word, my sweet. I need to deal with this snake. Isaac didn't miss the small wince from Jory as he pulled free of the man's body. He vowed to insure Jory was well cared for the minute he got him home. But first, Isaac needed to make sure they got home alive. As he stood back, a glint of steel caught Isaac's eye. He turned just in time to see one of the robed figures holding a dagger high in the air, ready to plunge it into Jory's heart. Blood sacrifices usually ended up dead in rituals like this. Isaac knew that. "Hold!" Isaac shouted as he held out his large, clawed hand to stop the enthusiastic worshiper. The man froze at Isaac's command. His eyes wide, he looked at Isaac for a moment before turning his questioning stare on the high priest. Isaac knew his eyes were glowing red with anger when he turned to glare at the high priest, and the man took a step back. "I command thee to return to the Circle of Power, Issachar." Isaac rolled his eyes. "You don't command shit." "Our bargain has been struck," the high priest said quickly. His eyes filled with panic as his gaze darted around the room. "Thou accepted the sacrifice and cemented the covenant. By the Laws of Darkness, thou cannot retract thy agreement. It will mean thy death, daemon." "The Laws of Darkness . . . ." Isaac's loud laughter filled the room. "What do you know of the Laws of Darkness, mortal?"

"You can't refuse the dictates of the summoning once you have accepted the terms." Isaac arched an eyebrow when the high priest looked like he wanted to stomp his foot. Well, at least the man had stopped using thy, thee, and thou. That was something. Despite the temper tantrum, Isaac knew the man was dangerous. He'd already been able to summon Isaac. He could summon another demon easily enough if he knew the true name of one. Isaac knew he needed to watch his step with the mortal. He kept a close watch on the high priest as he leaned over and flicked his sharp claws through the ropes holding Jory down to the stone altar. Before Jory could rise, Isaac picked him up and cradled him close to his chest. "What are you doing, daemon?" the high priest shouted as he grabbed Isaac's arm and tried to pull it away from Jory. "Put him down. We're not done with him. We still have to sacrifice him to the master." "You do not command me, mortal." "But I . . . the ritual, the covenant . . . ." "Oh, the covenant was completed, mortal, but you spoke it wrong." Isaac laughed again. "By thy fertile seed thou shalt nourish thee. By thy life essence, thou shalt sustain thee. By thy oath, thou shalt command thee. All oaths which I state shall be, and thou shalt swear to seal jointly with thy blood of thy sacrifice. Remember those words?" "Those are the ritual words of the summoning." "Correct. You win a cookie." The high priest's jaw dropped, but Isaac ignored him and climbed down the steps from the dais. He crossed the room to the two men still hanging from the ceiling. Cradling Jory in one arm, Isaac flicked his claw across the rope and cut them down. Isaac caught them right before they hit the floor. "I command you to put them down and return to the Circle of Power, daemon!"

Isaac held all three men to his chest as he turned to glare across the room at the high priest and the others staring at him. He could see the shock and fear in their faces. Isaac wished people wouldn't dabble in powers they didn't understand. They always fucked it up. "I am not yours to command, mortal." "But you accepted the sacrifice; you completed the covenant when you took the sacrifice. You have to do as I command. That’s the way this works." "By thy fertile seed thou shalt nourish thee. By thy life essence, thou shalt sustain thee. By thy oath, thou shalt command thee. All oaths which I state shall be, and thou shalt swear to seal jointly with thy blood of thy sacrifice." Isaac snickered. "I gave the chosen sacrifice my seed. I accepted the blood he willingly gave me, and I gave him my oath. I sealed jointly with the blood of the sacrifice." "Yes, yes, that is the way the ritual goes." The high priest quickly crossed the room, carefully skirting the circle of salt on the floor. "That means the deal has been struck, and I now command you." "No, that means that your blood sacrifice now commands me. That he has freed me. He is mine, and I am his." Chapter Three Jory blinked against the bright light as he slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was the high, white ceiling above him. He definitely wasn't in his room at the local inn anymore. He pushed himself up against the multitude of pillows piled behind him and rubbed his face. Dropping his hand into his lap, he looked around. Nope, this looked nothing like the small, single-bed room he rented for a couple of days. This room was opulent, massive by almost any standard. It had high walls, largepaned windows, and was big enough to hold not only a bed but an intimate seating area in front of a fireplace off to the left side.

Everything about the room was over the top and that included the massive bed Jory was lying in. It was the perfect size for a room this large. It could have fit four people easily. Jory whipped around when he heard a door open off to his left. He saw a rather tall, dark-haired man walk in carrying a tray filled with cups, covered dishes and a coffee urn. Jory blinked at the welcoming smile the man gave him when he looked up. "Ah, Jory, you're awake," the man said as he walked over and set the silver tray down on the nightstand, making Jory wonder how the guy knew his name. "How do you feel?" "Uh, fine." Jory frowned as he looked at the man sitting down beside him. Wow . . . talk about gorgeous. His long, black hair fell in waves around his shoulders and down his back. Jory clenched his fists to keep from reaching over and running his fingers through the beautiful long tresses. "Who are you?" "I am Isaac Braden." Jory waited for the man to say more, but Isaac just stared at Jory as if he were hungry . . . for him. The look in the man's eyes was weird, but not in a bad way. It made Jory's skin tingle and long to be touched. "Do I know you?" "You do." The man gently patted Jory's leg before reaching for the tray. As he set it down across him, Jory figured out that it was a silver breakfast tray. How . . . opulent? "Eat your breakfast, Jory, and I will explain." Jory accepted the cup of coffee Isaac held out to him. Despite the strange situation, he appreciated the wonderful taste that crossed his lips the moment he took a sip. Apparently, it paid to be opulent. The coffee was excellent. "As I said, my name is Isaac Braden," the man began, the smile on his face almost indulgent. "Do you remember anything from the previous evening?" "Last night?" Jory frowned as he considered Isaac's words. He really couldn't remember anything past having fun with his friends and some really hot guy that bought him a lot of drinks. Jory remembered wanting to get the guy into his bed.

Everything after that was a blur of bizarre images and weird chanting noises. "No, I'm afraid not." "I thought that might be the case." Isaac nodded. "What happened?" Jory racked his brain and tried to remember anything unusual happening the night before, but again only hazy images and strange sounds filled his mind. "You and your two friends were kidnapped and used as blood sacrifices in a satanic ritual." Jory waited for the punch line. Surely there had to be one. The man's tale was just too outlandish to be truthful. When Isaac just continued to stare at him, Jory grew nervous. He set his coffee cup down on the breakfast tray and lifted it off his legs. Isaac quickly took it away from him and set it back down on the nightstand. "I'm sorry if I've frightened you, Jory," Isaac said as he sat back down on the side of the bed. "That was not my intent." "What was your intent?" "I'm just trying to explain how we met, that’s all." "I was the sacrifice for a satanic ritual? For what? It's not like I'm a virgin or anything." Isaac's brow lowered as if he didn't like that response. "It was a black magic ritual to summon a demon." Goose pimples broke out along Jory's flesh as a sudden chilled air swept through the room. He could actually see each hair standing up as he looked down at his arm. Eerie, but not as alarming as the hunger Jory could see in Isaac's eyes when he looked back at the man. Something flashed in Jory's memory, and he had a sudden vision of deep red eyes staring at him. He swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat as he pressed his hand against his thundering heart. "D-demon!" "Yes." Isaac scooted closer and reached for the hand Jory had clenched in his lap. "Do you remember, Jory? Please tell me you remember."

"Y–you—" Jory inhaled sharply. "You're a demon." "Yes, I am." Jory thought he saw sadness flash across Isaac's face, but it was quickly replaced by a deep, angry scowl. "Does that frighten you?" Isaac asked. Jory opened his mouth to say that it did, but then he realized he wasn't frightened. Disturbed maybe, but not frightened. "No, I don't think so, but . . . ." He waved his hand at the very human and totally hot body sitting before him. "You didn't look like this last night, did you?" "No, this is my mortal form." Isaac glanced down at the crisp, white shirt he wore tucked into pressed black slacks. "Does this form displease you?" "No, you're a very handsome man." Jory grinned when he saw a soft flush fill Isaac's face. "I just don't remember you looking quite like this." "I can transform into my demon form if you so wish it," Isaac said as he started to climb off the bed. Jory quickly reached for his hand and stopped him. "No, this is okay." "Does my demon form frighten you?" Isaac asked as he settled back on the mattress. He refused to let go of Jory's hand, his tight grip almost painful in its intensity. "No, I don't think so. Things are still a little fuzzy, but I don't remember you hurting me last night." Jory felt his face flush as he thought he remembered Isaac doing something entirely different to him. He just didn't know if it was a fantasy or reality. "What do you remember from last night? Anything else?" Jory shrugged. "I'm not sure what images in my mind came from the beer I drank with my friends, and what images are true versions of what happened. Things are all kind of jumbled together." "If you tell me what you do remember, no matter if you think it was the beer or something more, I can tell if you if it actually happened or if it did not." Jory chuckled. "Wouldn't it just be easier to tell me what did happen last night instead of tip-toeing through my hazy memories?"

Isaac seemed almost desperate to avoid telling Jory anything about the previous evening. His gaze darted past Jory as if he couldn’t look him straight in the eye. For a man of his stature, the nervousness he displayed amused Jory as much as it intrigued him. "Isaac?" "Issachar is my true name, my demon name." Isaac's gaze shot to Jory's, his face flushing. "We don't share our demon names with anyone. Very few people actually learn them because of the power they carry." "Then how did that smarmy guy in the bad costume get it?" "Ah, you remember him. Well, as for how he got my name, I don't know . . . sometimes it happens." Isaac shrugged. "It's the nature of who we are. Somewhere, in some time, the name went past my immediate family and was discovered by someone who wanted to summon me." "That’s horrible!" Jory snapped. "So you can just be summoned by anyone who chooses to throw together a few ritual words, and you have to do their bidding? Does this happen to you often?" "Not anymore." The brilliant smile Isaac sent in Jory's direction bewildered him. It was only slightly less radiant than the joyous look shining in the man's grey eyes. "You've set me free from ever being summoned by a practitioner of magic again." "Me?" Jory's mouth dropped open. "When you became a willing sacrifice beyond the potion they forced you to drink, you granted me my freedom from ever being summoned again. I am no longer bound to anyone except you for all eternity." "Me?" Jory repeated again but this time in a whisper of astonishment. He felt the blood drain from his face as the images swirling around inside his head suddenly began to make sense. "You . . . . I . . . ." Jory swallowed audibly. "We . . . ." "Yes."

Jory pulled his hand away from Isaac's grip and leaned back against the pillows. He rubbed his hands over his face as the images of a huge, black beast fucking him into the most intense orgasm of his life filled his head. "Geez," Jory whispered as he dropped back against the pillows and stared at the ceiling. "I gotta stop drinking." "Despite the misspoken words of the ritual, the potion they forced you to drink was highly potent. I have no doubt that the influence it had over you was—" "No, no." Jory waved his hand back and forth. He chuckled as he looked back at Isaac's face, seeing deep concern in the man's eyes. "I wasn't talking about the potion, although I am concerned about any lasting effects it might have on me. I was talking about drinking beer in that pub with my friends. It apparently led to the most interesting night of my life." "The potion is already out of your system. It only affected you during the ritual." Ah, yes, the ritual. "Am I wrong in thinking we had sex and you drank my blood?" "It was required to complete the ritual." Well, shit! "So, if the ritual was completed, then why are you not out doing the bidding of that creepy headmaster guy?" "Headmaster guy?" "That creepy dude in the black robe." Isaac grinned. "Mortals can be very stupid when in pursuit of power. He recited the summoning words incorrectly." "Oh?" Jory arched an eyebrow, curious about the smug grin on Isaac's face. "I remember a lot of chanting and shit, but I can't quite remember the actual words. How did he screw up?" "By thy fertile seed thou shalt nourish thee. By thy life essence, thou shalt sustain thee. By thy oath, though shalt command thee. All oaths which I state shall be, and thou shalt swear to seal jointly with thy blood of thy sacrifice." "And?" Jory wasn't an expert in ritual words, but those sounded pretty real to him.

Isaac chuckled. "Call it a demon loophole. By stating the words the way he did, the high priest enabled me to make my oath to you instead of him. He wasn't specific enough. He should have said All oaths which I state shall be, and thy blood of thy sacrifice shall seal thy covenant." Jory rubbed his temple, then dropped his hand back down to his lap. "Okay, I am so totally lost. How is that any different than what he said?" "By saying thou shalt swear to seal jointly with thy blood of thy sacrifice the high priest enabled me to swear my oath to you. Basically, he told me to seal the deal with the blood of the sacrifice, so when—" "When I willingly gave you my blood, it enabled you to give your oath to me instead of the high priest?" "Yes." Isaac nodded. "And this means what, exactly?" Jory asked. "I'm your demon." Chapter Four Isaac tried to look casual as he leaned against the bathroom doorway, watching Jory towel-dry his collar-length, sandy blond hair. He didn't think he pulled it off when his eyes suddenly met Jory's in the mirror and the man smirked at him. Isaac felt his face flush and knew he was turning beat red, another new experience for him. Isaac couldn't ever remember blushing before in his life. He was always so cool and confident. He had been since he hit puberty many years ago. Jory just seemed to have an effect on him that Isaac couldn't fight. An effect he didn't want to fight. Jory was fascinating. Isaac wanted to know every single detail about the man, then maybe invent a few. "Are my friends still sleeping?" "Yes, I checked on them a little while ago while you were in the shower. Both of them are sleeping like babies."

"But they're okay, right?" Isaac nodded. He could see the concern in Jory's face and hoped to reassure the man that his friends were fine, even if he was a little worried. "They are still sleeping, but I think that is to be expected after what they went through. I can have my doctor look at them, if you so wish." Jory seemed to think about it for a moment, his forehead wrinkling a bit before he shook his head. "No, let them sleep. If they don't wake up by morning, we can have your doctor look at them." "Uh . . . Jory, I don't do mornings." "Not a morning person, huh?" Jory chuckled as he set the towel on the counter. He turned and leaned back against the bathroom counter, crossing his thick, muscular arms over an even thicker chest. Isaac fought not to drool. "Not exactly." Isaac swallowed and tried to remember the thread of the conversation as he watched a drop of water trickle down Jory's collarbone. "I don't do sunlight." "Really?" Jory smirked. "No sunlight? And why is that?" Jory's voice dropped lower, and each word the man spoke sounded like sex. Isaac was going out of his mind, desire clouding his every thought. "One of the curses of being a demon, I guess. I can't handle exposure to sunlight. If it's overcast enough, I can go out for small periods of time but usually only later in the evening or first thing in the morning, otherwise, I burn." Jory's head tilted to one side and Isaac almost groaned. "You mean like a vampire?" Jory asked. "Vampires are myths, but essentially, you are correct." Jory made a funny noise deep in his throat and shook his head. "And garlic?" "Not a huge fan but it won't hurt me." "A stake through the heart?"

Isaac arched an eyebrow, and Jory chuckled. "Right, a stake through the heart would kill anyone. Gotcha." "It's not always lethal depending on how deep it goes, but it sure hurts like a bitch." "What about drinking blood?" Isaac quickly glanced at the small pulse he could see beating sedately in Jory's throat. As he watched, the tempo increased. Isaac swallowed hard then licked his suddenly dry lips. He could practically taste Jory's sweet blood. The memory of drinking from the man was more than enough to make him hard, but the steamy look Jory shot in his direction made Isaac moan softly. "Only from you." Jory sauntered across the bathroom until he stood directly in front of Isaac. He gently rubbed his fingers across Isaac's lips. "Did you like drinking my blood, Isaac? Do I taste good?" Isaac groaned and closed his eyes against the image Jory's words created in his mind. He knew Jory was unfamiliar with what it meant to be bonded to a demon, and that meant he needed to take things slowly, but he sure wanted to drag the man back into the bedroom and fuck him into the mattress. "Do you want another taste, Issachar?" Jory whispered the words softly into Isaac's ear, then ran his tongue along the lobe. Isaac moaned, digging his fingernails into his hand to keep from reaching for Jory. "Jory, please, you don't know what you're doing. I may look human, but I am not. I'm a demon, and I'm bonded with you. I only have so much control where you are concerned." "Does that mean you don't want my blood?" "Jory, please . . . ." "Don't you want to taste me again, Isaac, taste my sweet blood on your lips?" Jory's fingers continued to rub across Isaac's lips as he whispered his intoxicating words.

Isaac groaned and opened his mouth, sucking on Jory's fingers as the man pressed them inside his mouth. He heard a low moan and opened his eyes to see Jory watching his mouth with a look that Isaac could only describe as desire. "J-Jory." Jory's eyes flickered up to Isaac's, and a sensual grin slowly crossed the man's lips. "Do you want to taste my blood again, Issachar?" Jory asked again. "You know I do." Please! Isaac knew he would beg if he had to. He needed Jory's blood, not only because the man tasted sweeter than anything he'd ever had before, but for his very existence. Without Jory's blood to sustain him, Isaac would die. That was the nature of the bond between them. "If I say yes and give you my blood willingly, will you let me fuck you?" Isaac blinked. "You want to fuck me?" Isaac had never had anyone fuck him before, but as Jory nodded, the glimmer of lust in the man's eyes making them dark green instead of their usual mossy color, the idea grew on Isaac. "You know you don't have to ask, right? You command me. If you want to fuck me, all you have to do is command me to allow it." Jory shook his head. "Uh uh, I want your willing participation. I won't ever force you to have sex with me." Isaac was shocked by Jory's words, but could he willingly submit enough to allow another man to fuck him? Demons were dominant creatures. They liked to fuck and drink blood and control the one they were with. The idea of Jory fucking him was . . . really hot! "Okay," Isaac whispered. Isaac didn't know what he expected, but it certainly wasn't the press of Jory's lips against his. He also didn't expect the intense desire that rocked through his body at the feeling of Jory's tongue brushing against his. Isaac had been kissed plenty of times in his life. He'd even done his share of kissing others. But he'd never once been kissed with the intensity and hunger with

which Jory kissed him. It made Isaac's toes curl. He felt like Jory was trying to devour him. Isaac only pulled away when there was no more air left in his lungs. He panted as he looked up at Jory, noticing, now that they were pressed chest to chest, that Jory stood a few inches taller than he did. When he claimed Jory the previous evening, he'd been in his demon form, and much larger than Jory. In his human form, he suddenly realized he was smaller than the other man, both in height and weight. The realization unnerved him. "Do you have supplies?" Isaac nodded and waved a hand back toward the bedroom. "In my nightstand." His eyes widened when Jory's arms locked around his waist and the man started walking him backward toward the bedroom. He opened his mouth to protest only to have it filled again with Jory's tongue. He tasted a faint coppery taste when their teeth mashed together, and he groaned. The feeling of Jory's tongue licking along his fangs was almost more than he could take. Isaac wrapped his arms around Jory's neck, digging his fingers into the man's collar-length hair. He could grow to become obsessed with Jory's kisses. The man was a master at oral stimulation. Jory suddenly pushed Isaac with so much force he fell backward. Isaac yelped in fear, until he felt the mattress behind him when he landed. He looked up at Jory in shock, just in time to see the man grin, unbutton Isaac's slacks, and slide them down his legs. He stripped Isaac out of his shirt, then quickly discarded his socks and boxers. Before he knew it, Isaac lay naked on the bed with a very sexy man standing at the end of the mattress, staring down at him. "Now, that’s a pretty sight." Isaac arched an eyebrow, wondering how the situation had gotten out of his control so quickly. He might have agreed to willingly let Jory fuck him, but he didn't remember agreeing to be totally submissive to the man, and that’s exactly how he felt. Submissive.

He wanted to bare his throat to Jory much in the manner the man had done to him the previous night. If that wasn't totally fucked up, he also eagerly anticipated the feeling of the man's cock pounding into his ass. Now I know I've lost my mind! He could see Jory's cock tenting the towel he had wrapped around his waist. He licked his lips as he watched the towel jerk and move almost as if dancing for his viewing entertainment. And Isaac was highly entertained. He sat up and scooted to the end of the bed. Isaac cast a quick look up at Jory, then reached out and slowly unwound the towel from around the man's waist before dropping it to the floor. "You'll never fit," Isaac whispered in shock when he got a good look at the size of Jory's cock and realized the man wanted to put the hard shaft in his ass. Sure, he'd seen Jory last night, but at the time he'd been too interested in fucking him to actually think about how big Jory was. "Funny." Jory chuckled. "I remember saying something like that to you last night, and you fit just fine." "Yeah, but demons produce a lube that kind of paves the way so that we don't hurt those we take. It naturally loosens you up and heightens your arousal." Isaac gestured to the drops of pre-cum he could see on Jory's cock. "This isn't the same thing." Jory thrust his hips forward a couple of times. The head of his cock smacked Isaac in the face. Isaac grimaced and wiped the drops of pre-cum off his cheek. He started to wipe the offending fluid on the comforter when the sheen of the liquid made them sparkle in the light. Isaac stared at the drops for a moment, then slowly brought his fingers to his mouth, sucking the liquid off his skin. Isaac groaned as the hot, tangy taste of pure, masculine male exploded across his tongue. Damn! The man's cum tasted just as good as his blood. Isaac heard Jory chuckle and knew he was in deep shit. Between the two life-giving fluids, Isaac suddenly had the idea that he would be on the receiving end of Jory's cock a lot in the years to come.

At the moment, Isaac didn't care. He'd worry about how that made him feel later. Right now, he wanted more of Jory's exquisite taste in his mouth again. Isaac pushed himself off the bed and landed on his knees on the floor. He had his lips wrapped around Jory's cock a moment later, sucking the thick organ deep inside his mouth. A sensation of flavors slid into his throat. Isaac swallowed hard, wanting more. "Fuck, pretty, your mouth is perfect." Isaac glanced up, not sure whether to take offense at Jory's words or feel proud that he provided the man pleasure. As another drop of pre-cum blasted across his tongue, Isaac decided to take pleasure in what he was doing. "Suck me harder, Issachar." Isaac sucked harder, milking as much out of Jory's cock as the man would give him. When that wasn't enough, he eagerly sought out the little droplets by running his tongue over the small slit at the head of Jory's cock. "Fuck!" Jory shouted. Isaac felt the man's hand clench in his hair, pulling his head back. At the same time, Jory stepped away, pulling his cock out of Isaac's mouth. Isaac reached for Jory desperately. "Wait, wha—?" "You keep that up and I won't be able to fuck that tight little ass of yours." Jory shook his finger at Isaac as he let go of his hair. "You're too fucking good at that." "Is that such a bad thing?" Isaac chuckled. He couldn't see how being good at giving a blow job could be considered bad. "It is if I want to be balls-deep inside your ass when I come." Okay, right. Isaac swallowed as a sudden deep and intense nervousness shot through him. Now that they were down to the actual act, Isaac felt apprehensive. He once again couldn't stop thinking about the fact that he'd never let anyone fuck him before. He was a demon. Demons didn't bottom . . . ever!

"Come on, pretty, climb up on the bed." Isaac glanced up at the bed, then slowly turned around and climbed on, moving quickly to the top. He dropped down onto the mattress and started to roll over when he felt Jory's hands on the small of his back. "Stay right where you are." Right . . . on his knees, legs spread, ass in the air, cock and balls just hanging between his thighs. Isaac had never been so uncomfortable in his life. He felt exposed. He felt emotionally naked. He felt the mattress dip as Jory climbed up behind him. "Jory, I . . . ." Isaac bit his lip. He was a demon, damn it. He would not go back on his oath. Jory commanded him, and Jory wanted to fuck him. Isaac agreed to it. He couldn't back out now. "Shh, pretty." Jory shushed quietly. "It'll be just fine, I promise." Isaac didn't think so, but what else could he do? "I'll be okay. Just do it." "Oh, no, my pretty one, that is not how this will play out." Isaac nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Jory's hand land in the middle of his back then slowly stroke down his skin to the curve of his ass. He didn't start to panic until one of Jory's fingers moved down to rub over his puckered hole. "I promise you will enjoy this if you just let yourself feel it." Jory peppered little kisses across Isaac's lower back. "I certainly enjoyed myself when you fucked me." "Yeah, but I've never . . . ." Isaac pressed his lips together to keep himself from releasing that little tidbit of information. It wasn't embarrassing, exactly. He was a top. But still, it made him feel inexperienced. "You've never been fucked before? Is that what you're trying to tell me, my pretty?" Isaac refused to answer. He refused to speak. He just wasn't going to—"Oh fucking hell, are you licking my ass?" "Do you like it?"

Isaac's entire body went into one large shudder as Jory did it again. Isaac never felt anything like it in his life. Where had he been the day they taught Ass Licking 101? Asleep? It was glorious. Isaac started pushing back every time he felt Jory's tongue stiffen and press against his tight hole. "I think you do like it, don’t you, pretty?" Isaac groaned. He tried to open his mouth and tell Jory just how much he did like it, but the feeling of Jory's hand wrapping around his cock stole every bit of coherent thought. Isaac wasn't sure he'd ever been this hard before. His cock felt like it could cut marble. That intense feeling was only amplified when Jory swiped a few drops of Isaac's pre-cum and rubbed it down over his cock. The pre-cum demons naturally produced to increase the arousal of their sacrifices and ease the way for claiming worked both ways. It also increased the demon's arousal when applied to them . . . or applied to their skin, in this case. Isaac's cock became hypersensitive. He could feel the very air in the room brushing across his hot skin. The light touch of Jory's fingers as he scooped more precum up almost did Isaac in. He cried out and humped his cock into the mattress. He was hot, achy. He needed relief. "Jory, please, I . . . ." "I've got you, pretty, I promise." Isaac felt Jory scoop more pre-cum off the head of his cock. He waited to feel the man's hands stroke the arousing fluid over his cock again. His mind fragmented when he felt Jory rub the pre-cum over his puckered hole. Isaac cried out. He could feel his body accept the potent seed. His arousal hit an all-time high, his entire body narrowing down to every touch of Jory's body against his. Nothing else mattered. Every move Jory made, every touch, seemed to be planned expertly to drive Isaac insane . . . a soft touch to his lower back, a caress to the curve of his hip, a finger trailed down the crack of his ass.

With each touch, Isaac's resistance to the idea of Jory fucking him moved farther and farther away. If Jory didn't bury his cock in his ass, he'd attack the man and do it himself. Isaac curled his hands into the blanket beneath him and arched, shoving his ass up into the air as he silently begged for Jory's possession. He didn't know if he could actually verbalize what he needed. Could he? But Jory seemed to have other ideas. Isaac felt Jory kneel behind him. Something hot and wet and round pushed against Isaac's sensitive hole. Isaac's body loosened to allow the head of Jory's cock to start pressing in, but hands gripping his ass stopped the desired movement. "Jory!" Isaac growled. "Do you want this, pretty?" Jory whispered in Isaac's ear. "You have to tell me you want this. I won't take you until I know you want it. I won't force you, Issachar." Isaac tried to push back, to impale himself on the hard cock pressing against him, but Jory's tight grip on his hips kept him right where he was. Isaac growled through gritted teeth. He could feel the soft material in his hands shred beneath his sharp claws as they sprouted out from his fingernails. The bulbous head of Jory's cock butted against him, pushing in a little more each time, then pulling back before Isaac could be breached. It was driving Isaac crazy. His body felt overwhelmed; just a small touch to his cock would send him over the edge. Isaac dropped the shredded blanket and reached under his body to grab his shaft, only to have Jory grab his arms and pull them behind his back. Isaac's face hit the mattress. He turned his head to the side and tried to glare up at Jory. Isaac started to get angry. Jory was playing games with him. Jory was the one who wanted to fuck him. If he wanted it so badly, then why didn’t he just do it? Jory commanded him, not the other way around. Why did he need Isaac's agreement? "Just do it!" Isaac shouted.

"No!" Jory shouted right back, much to Isaac's shock. Not many men were brave enough to yell at a demon, especially once they knew of his true nature. "You will keep your hands behind your back until I say otherwise. Is that understood, Issachar?" "Yes," Isaac growled. He knew Jory couldn't go long without commanding him. No one ever could. People seemed to derive great pleasure using their power over demons. Isaac hoped for a moment that Jory was different. Now he knew the man was not. Jory would use whatever means necessary to get what he wanted. What had he expected? Isaac wondered. Jory was human, as susceptible to the lust for power as every other human he had ever met. Isaac couldn't even begin to deal with the disappointment he felt at this discovery. Or the prickle of tears gathering in the corner of his eyes at the heavy sadness he suddenly felt. Isaac just wanted it to end, for everything to go away, including Jory. He didn't know how to deal with the unfamiliar emotions swirling through him, and he preferred trying to figure them out when he was alone. "I agree to whatever you want," Isaac whispered. Isaac felt the mattress dip as Jory moved up beside him. A hand gripped his hair and pulled his face up until he looked right at Jory. Isaac was surprised to find Jory's face red with anger. "It doesn't work that way, Isaac. It will never work that way between us." Isaac was beyond confused when Jory let go of his hair and moved to stand beside the bed. He was also very confused by the hurt he felt at Jory calling him Isaac. Until now, it had been his true name of Issachar, or "pretty." Why was he suddenly calling him Isaac. "I have never forced anyone to have sex with me in my life, and I will not start with you. It's obvious you don't want me to fuck you, and that’s fine. No matter what you think, I will not make you." Despite the fact Jory was obviously furious, Isaac couldn't help but notice how gorgeous the man was as he stood there, hands on his hips, and glaring daggers.

Isaac's eyes widened when Jory's hand flew through the air in a mad gesture. "But fair is fair, Isaac. If you expect to fuck me, I expect to be able to fuck you. So, in the future, if you want to get laid, find your piece of ass somewhere else." Isaac blinked in stunned amazement as Jory stormed across the room and grabbed the door handle, yanking the door open. The man paused in the doorway, drawing in several deep breaths before he glanced back over his shoulder. "I assume there is a guest bedroom that I may use?" Isaac stupidly nodded. "Fine," Jory said. "I release you." Chapter Five Jory looked up from the newspaper he was reading when he heard the study door open. Seeing Isaac, he quickly glanced back down and tried to pretend he was immersed in the news. But instead, every sense he had focused on the gorgeous man walking across the room toward him. He could hear Isaac's footsteps, the way the pant legs of his slacks brushed together as he walked. Jory had been doing his level best to avoid Isaac for the last two weeks. He'd even taken to being awake during the day and sleeping at night, even if it made him feel sluggish. He was normally a night owl. But being in the same room with Isaac made Jory ache with desire, just like it did now. "Jory, can I—?" Jory reached over and grabbed a sealed jar of blood and set it down on the table before Isaac. "There's your breakfast." Jory held up his arm, showing off the bandage on his wrist. "Freshly squeezed." "Jeez, Jory, could we just—?" A slight knock sounded at the door. Isaac pressed his lips tightly together, obviously upset at the intrusion. A moment later, Manning, the butler, walked in.

"Master Jordan, you ride has arrived." "Thank you, Manning, I'll be right there," Jory said as he climbed to his feet and carefully folded the newspaper. He set it down on the side table, and then tapped the lid of the jar of blood. "Don't forget to eat. You're looking a little peaked." "What ride?" Isaac snapped. "Where are you going?" "Out." "Out where?" Jory shook his head as he started to follow Manning to the door. "Jory, damn it, where are you going?" Jory swung around and pointed his finger at Isaac. "I do not answer to you." Isaac looked like he wanted to argue, but then his face paled a little and he shoved his hands into his pockets. "No, of course not. I didn't mean to imply that you did. I just thought we might spend some time getting to know each other better." "Why?" "I just . . . ." Isaac shrugged. "You made your feelings more than clear two weeks ago, Isaac. I don't believe we have any reason to be in each other's company any longer than necessary." The words hurt to say, but Jory knew they were true. He refused to be in a relationship where he was always the submissive one. He'd been there and done that, and he didn't like it much. He much preferred equal ground in his relationships. He understood he had to stick around, that Isaac's life depended on drinking his blood, but that didn't mean they had to be lovers too. They didn't even have to be friends. "If it's so damn important that you fuck me in the ass, Jory, then just do it." "Isaac, this isn't about me fucking you in the ass." "If this isn't about you fucking me, then what in the hell is it about? Tell me, because I don't understand." "No, I guess you don't." And that saddened Jory more than almost anything. He turned back to leave, but paused once again. He didn't turn to look back at Isaac

because he didn't think he would make it out of the room without breaking down if he did. "I'll be back later." "Jory, don't go," Isaac said quickly. "We can . . . well, if you wanted, we could . . . ." "It's not going to work, Isaac. You can't let go of your demon nature long enough to give me what I need. There's no point in us pursuing something together that just won't work, no matter how much we want it to." "But you admit it's something you want?" There was a world of need in Isaac's whispered words, so much so that Jory couldn't stop himself from looking back at the man. What he saw made his heart plummet to his feet. Isaac stood there, his hands shoved in the pockets of his black slacks. His eyes looked haunted, dark circles marring his perfect features. His skin was pale, as if he hadn't been eating. Jory's gaze flickered to the bottle of blood sitting abandoned on the table then back to Isaac's pale skin. The more he looked, the more Jory was positive Isaac looked thinner. "Have you been eating?" "I've eaten." "Don't you dare lie to me, Issachar." Jory frowned when he saw tears glisten in Isaac's grey eyes. "I've eaten some." "Well, obviously it hasn't been enough." "It's not easy to feed from a glass." Isaac shrugged and glanced down at his feet, kicking at the rug on the floor. "It feels wrong." "Surely you've drank from a glass before. You can't have fed from a live source your entire life." "Of course I've fed from a glass. My mother never allowed live source to be present at the dinner table." Isaac rolled his eyes. "She said it was rude and uncouth."

"Uncouth?" Jory chuckled then rubbed his hand over his face before looking at Isaac again. "She really used the word uncouth?" "She did." "I've got to meet your mother one of these days. I'll bet she's a hoot." "You want to meet my mother?" "Isaac, you need my blood to survive. Do you expect me to just turn away from you and forget that? I can't, and I imagine that means we'll be together for a very long time. Meeting your mother at some point is a foregone conclusion." "Jory, you don't—" "Sir, you can't go in there. Sir!" The sound of Manning's raised voice rang through the room. Jory raised a brow. In all of the time he'd been there, he'd never heard Manning shout. Sensing a threat, Jory quickly moved to place himself between Isaac and whatever was coming through the door. He clenched his hands and waited. When the door opened, Jory felt a moment of confusion as he looked at the attractive man walking in. "Desmond, what are you doing?" Jory asked. "I thought I asked you to wait for me outside." "You know my cousin?" "Your cousin?" Jory swung around to stare at Isaac in shock. "Desmond is your cousin?" "Yes." Jory turned back around to look at the man casually standing in the doorway, a smirk on his perfect features. "You never told me you were Isaac's cousin." "But, darling, you never asked." Jory frowned at the slight inhale of breath he heard from behind him and the answering grin that showed off Desmond's straight white teeth. The sudden tension in the room was so thick Jory thought he could see it.

He didn't remembered giving Desmond the slightest hint there might be anything serious between them, so he didn't understand why the man was suddenly calling him darling, but he'd bet good money it had something to do with Isaac. "If you knew I was living with Isaac, why would you hide your relationship with him from me?" Desmond shrugged. "Isaac and I have lost touch over the years. When you said you were living with him, of course I didn't know whether to say anything or not. I so didn't want to come between the two of you." In just under a minute of having the two men in the same room, Jory knew there was more going on than met the eye. He sensed a deep animosity coming from Isaac that spoke volumes. Jory might be new on the scene, but he refused to play along in whatever family drama might be happening between the two men. "Desmond, I don't know what you think is going on here, but you could never come between me and Isaac." "Oh, darling, I know you didn't want him to find out this way but—" Jory crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the man. Moments before, he'd thought of Desmond as attractive, but he was suddenly starting to see that the beauty was merely skin deep. Jory frowned. Why hadn't he figured it out earlier? He was usually pretty good at reading people. That was one of the reasons he'd willingly given his blood to Isaac so quickly. Something about the man said he could be trusted. "Find out what, exactly, Desmond?" he asked. "Well"—Desmond's hand fluttered in the air—"about us, darling." "There is no us, Desmond, there never has been." The surprised look on Desmond's face was comical, but Jory was more interested in the sudden pressure of a hand he felt at the small of his back. It was a reassuring touch, one Jory hoped meant that Isaac believed him.

Desmond smiled, and Jory knew the man wasn't done. The grin that crossed the Desmond's lips was too confident. "Darling, I'm sure Isaac understands that these things happen. Besides, he's a big boy. He can take it." "Take what?" Jory sighed when Desmond's face fell. The man was a consummate actor. He appeared capable of faking any emotion. That fact creeped Jory out. "You need to be more specific, Desmond." "Darling, I only mean that Isaac is old enough to understand how things are between younger people." Desmond leaned over a bit as if he were passing on some deep secret. "He has been around awhile, you know. He's had many lovers." "I'm fully aware of the lovers Isaac has had, and I'm grateful for every last one of them." "You are?" "Yeah," Isaac said as he stepped around to stare at Jory in shock, "you are?" "Of course, pretty." Jory reached over and stroked his fingers down the side of Isaac's face before grabbing the man's hand. "I doubt if you had been a virgin our first time together that you would have been able to fuck me with the expertise that you did." "Well, yeah, but . . . are you sure that doesn't bother you?" "Of course not." Jory arched an eyebrow at Isaac. "I assume you had to learn it somewhere. And since I am now on the receiving end of all that experience, why should I be bothered by it?" "His previous lovers were never as understanding as you, darling." Jory tore his gaze away from Isaac's face and looked over at Desmond, wishing the man would disappear. "Desmond, I am not Isaac's previous lovers. I am his current and future lover." Desmond gasped. "And there is nothing you can do to separate us, so you might as well drop this little charade of yours because it is not going to work. There is nothing between you and I, and Isaac knows it."

"How can you say that after the night we spent together?" Jory refused to let go of Isaac's hand when the man tried to pull away from him. He knew Desmond's words hurt Isaac, and he would take care of that in a moment, but first he needed to get rid of the man causing them problems. "We spent the night together in a pub with twenty other people, Desmond. Don't try and make it into something it wasn't." "But the things you said to me . . . ." Good God, were those tears Jory saw sparkling in Desmond's bright blue eyes? Damn, the man deserved an Academy Award. No doubt he had Isaac wondering exactly what Jory might have said to him. "I said a lot of things, Desmond, but they were all before I even met Isaac." Jory rubbed his chin with his free hand. "If I remember correctly, the moment we ran into each other again yesterday, I told you I was with someone and that it was serious." "Well, yes, but after the things you said to me I naturally assumed—" "I was trying to get you into my bed, Desmond." "Wait," Isaac said, "the two of you met before we did?" "Yes." "Where?" "We met at that—" Jory inhaled sharply and stood up straighter before stepping over a little so he was once again between Isaac and the man he now clearly saw as a threat. "We met in a pub, Isaac, the same damn pub I was kidnapped from the night we met. Desmond was the guy buying me all the drinks." Chapter Six Isaac cringed at the hatred he saw fill his cousin's face. He'd never quite understood why Desmond despised him so much, but it had been a factor in his life since he was a small child.

Over the years, Desmond did everything he could to make Isaac's life miserable, from embarrassing him in front of the family to stealing his lovers. Isaac wasn't even sure if Desmond was gay. He just seemed to be interested in whatever person Isaac was currently sleeping with. Seemed Jory wasn't the exception to that either. Desmond's behavior had driven a rift between them years ago, to the point that Isaac avoided the man as much as possible. He didn't see that rift closing up any time soon. Too much time had passed, and too much had happened. And Isaac wasn't about to let Desmond take his current lover, if he could consider Jory that. Isaac wasn't exactly sure what his relationship was with Jory. He knew the man felt obligated to stick around because of their bond, but that wasn't exactly the relationship he wanted with him. Isaac felt like he was swimming in uncharted waters. He never wanted a lover the way he wanted Jory. He never felt so out of his depths the way he did with Jory. The man confused the hell out of him. Having Desmond in the mix just made things even more confusing. More of those unfamiliar emotions he'd been filled with lately swamped him, the chief one being jealousy. Logically, Isaac knew Jory wasn't the type of person to go off with another man if there was any hint of something developing between them. And Isaac could feel there was something between them. But his heart was outraged that Jory even looked at another man. He wanted to rip Desmond apart, or at the very least, to demand that the man leave and never come back. And he wanted to claim Jory again and again until the man understood who he belonged to. The thought of Jory touching anyone beside him made Isaac burn with rage. The green monster raised its ugly head and Isaac went into action. "Desmond, I think it's time for you to leave," he said as he stepped out from behind Jory. He stifled a smile over the fact that Jory felt he needed to protect him. The idea of a human protecting a demon was almost laughable. Still, it did warm his heart. "You always were overprotective of your toys, Isaac."

"Jory is not a toy!" "You just keep telling yourself that, Cousin." Desmond chuckled. "Why are you doing this, Desmond? Jory made it more than clear to you that he has no interest in pursuing a relationship with you. Why don't you leave while you can?" "Who said anything about a relationship?" Desmond laughed harshly as he gave Jory's body a long, lust-filled look. "I just want the man to fuck me. I've been dreaming about his big dick pounding into my ass since the moment I met him." Isaac drew in a deep breath as he tried to keep a neutral expression on his face. Desmond was offering Jory the one thing Isaac refused to give the man. Would that be the deciding factor in his relationship—or lack of relationship—with Jory? "I imagine that’s something that has been missing between the two of you." Desmond smirked as he glanced over at Isaac. "You never were one to give up control, were you, Cousin?" Isaac knew Desmond was there to put a wedge between him and Jory. His cousin knew him just a little too well. Probably because Desmond knew so many of Isaac's previous lovers. Apparently, they'd told him Isaac was strictly a top. Who knew what else they told him? "A relationship has a lot more involved in it than who is fucking who, Desmond." Isaac glanced over at Jory, trying to keep the shock off his face. He couldn't even begin to describe his level of confusion at the man's words. If Jory truly believed that a relationship was based on more than sex, then why in the hell had the man been avoiding him for the last two weeks? Isaac wished he had a few minutes to pull Jory aside so they could talk, really talk. Not this whole avoidance thing they'd been doing since that fateful night. Because apparently, they had a lot they hadn't said to each other that needed to be said.

Isaac turned back to his cousin and folded his arms over his chest. "Desmond, please give my best to your parents when you see them, but I believe it is time for you to leave." "I believe that was already said, pretty." Jory chuckled. Isaac turned to smile at Jory's amusement when he saw the man's eyes widen, his body tense. Isaac swung back around in time to see Desmond's fist coming at him, but not quickly enough to avoid the hit. He grunted in pain as Desmond's fist connected with his jaw. Isaac's eyes blurred for a moment and he fell back, barely catching himself on the edge of the dining table. He reached up to rub his sore jaw before looking over to ask Desmond what in the hell he was doing, but instead of seeing Desmond, he watched Jory fly past him. "Jory, no!" Isaac shouted as Jory went after Desmond. Isaac suddenly had visions of his lover covered in blood and lying on the floor as Desmond beat the crap out of him. Desmond was a demon. He could do it. Isaac jumped to his feet and raced across the room to where Desmond and Jory were struggling against each other, surprised to see Jory holding his own. Still, he was only human. Any moment now, Desmond would beat him into the ground. "Desmond, so help me, if you hurt a hair on Jory's head . . . ." Isaac shouted as he tried to grasp one of Desmond's arms, but Desmond flung him away and went back to hitting Jory. Isaac stumbled back and caught himself. "Desmond!" His true name, pretty, what is it? Isaac turned to look over at Jory, shocked to hear the man in his head after two weeks of silence. He could only stand there in stunned amazement until he saw Desmond's claw rake across Jory's chest, shredding his shirt. His breath caught in his throat as he realized Desmond was transforming into his demon form. As long as Desmond remained in human form, Jory at least had a chance of living. With his cousin in demon form, Isaac had no doubt that Jory would die at Desmond's hand.

Damn it, Issachar, what is his true name? "Desdimonous!" Isaac shouted to Jory as he scrambled back across the floor, transforming into his own demon form as he did. He grabbed Desmond by the shoulders and pulled him away from Jory, easily picking the man up then tossing him several feet away. Isaac's chest heaved as he placed himself between his cousin and his lover. He could hear Jory panting behind him, but he was more interested in the dark gleam in Desmond's eyes as the man slowly stood. Golden-tan skin darkened until it gleamed black. Long, black fingernails grew from large hands. Muscles stretched and thickened, bones popped and realigned themselves, and Desmond grew to almost seven feet tall. Desmond clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking, and grinned. "Bad move, Cousin," he said. "I've been waiting for this day for a very long time. I will see you suffer if it's the last thing I do." Isaac growled and crouched down, ready to defend himself and Jory. He let his claws and teeth extend and growled deep in his chest. He didn't want to issue a challenge to Desmond, but he wanted the man to know he meant business. "You don't want to do this, Desmond. End this now, and just walk away before things get out of control." Desmond's loud laughter filled the room and sent a chill down Isaac's back. Seeing the gleam of anticipation in Desmond's eyes, Isaac had to wonder if the man was slightly insane. "You have no idea what I want to do, Cousin." "To be truthful, Desmond, I don't give a fuck. I just want you to leave." "So not going to happen. I came here for Jory, and I don't plan on leaving without him." Desmond laughed again. "Now, if you want to hand him over nice and peaceful like, then we won't have a problem, but stand in my way and I will rip you apart limb from limb." "Jory doesn't want to go with you."

"I don't care. He will be mine!" Isaac began to grow suspicious as something in Desmond's words prickled at the back of his mind. He was missing some key piece of information, and he didn't have a clue as to what it was. Desmond never hid the fact that he didn't like Isaac, but he'd never been quite this obvious about it. Even demons had a code of honor, one that forbade one demon trying to steal the bonded lover of another. To do so would cause the death of the bonded demon, and create a lot of trouble demons didn't need to attract. Maybe Desmond didn't fully understand the situation. "Desmond, I can't let you take Jory. We're bonded." "I'm banking on it," Desmond said a split second before he lunged at Isaac, swiping out with one clawed hand. Isaac felt Desmond's claws catch his shirt, tearing the material as he jumped back. Isaac tried to grab Desmond's hand before the man could strike out at him again, but Desmond was quicker, hitting him in the face with the other hand. Isaac roared as pain exploded in his cheek. He could feel blood dripping down his forehead, filling his eyes and nearly blinding him. He wiped madly at his eyes as he tried to ward off another hit. Kicking out with his feet, Isaac felt them connect. A loud crash and a grunt told Isaac he'd hit his mark, and Desmond was down. He wiped at his eyes again, this time using the remains of his tattered shirt. When his vision cleared, Isaac saw Desmond kneeling on his hands and knees on the floor right in front of him. The man bared his teeth, and Isaac could hear a deep growl building up in Desmond's throat. "End this now, Desmond, before someone gets seriously hurt." "I'll end this when you're dead!" Desmond shouted as he launched himself at Isaac again. The full force of Desmond's body weight hit Isaac like a freight train, slamming him back into the hard wooden floor.

Isaac grunted in pain. Desmond crouched over him, his claws slashing dangerously close to Isaac's throat. Isaac put his hands in front of his face and neck to keep Desmond from killing him. The pain was excruciating. Desmond's clawed hands cut deep gauges in his arms. If Isaac didn't do something soon, Desmond would do enough damage that he wouldn't be able to fight back, and then where would Jory be? Isaac couldn't let Jory be hurt. With that thought in mind, the next time Desmond swiped at him, Isaac caught his arm and wrenched it as hard as he could. Desmond lost his balance and fell forward. Isaac used the momentum of Desmond's body and his knees planted in the man's gut to toss his cousin over his head. As the man's body flew over top of him, Isaac turned. He jumped and landed on top of Desmond before the man had time to shake off the impact of his fall. He raised his hand in a fist, ready to start wailing into Desmond, when he heard Jory speak behind him. Chapter Seven "Spirits of ancients past arise, hear me beckon, hear my call. Lend me thy power to bind for all, I cast this spell with thy power and might." Jory ignored the shocked look on Isaac's face and carefully started to bind the enchanted curtain tie around Desmond's wrists. He needed to chant the ancient spell in just the right order as he bound the demon in order for the spell to be unbreakable. "I bind thee, Desdimonous, on this night of nights. With harm to none, thy will be done, I hereby bind thee, Desdimonous. I bind thee from doing harm to others or yourself. I bind thee from doing harm to others or yourself. I bind thee from doing harm to others or yourself." Jory carefully shook out the table salt he'd blessed into a circle around Desmond, another facet of the binding spell. The last part involved sprinkling water blessed with white magic to the four directions.

"North, South, East, West, Guardians of the Ancient Towers. Grant me now thy sacred powers! Let this spirit be not set free. For such is my will, and so mote it be!" Smoke billowed around the sacred circle Jory had created. The golden ropes Jory bound Desmond with glowed almost pure white briefly then settled down to their normal golden color. Jory grabbed Isaac's arm and pulled him back, silently gesturing to the man to step over the sacred salt and not break the circle. Desmond lay bound on the floor, unable to move more than his eyes. "What did you do to him?" Isaac asked as he transformed back into his human form. "I bound him from harming himself or anyone ever again." "You can do that?" "I can do a lot of things." Jory chuckled. "Are you a witch?" Jory mentally rolled his eyes at the panic he could see in Isaac's eyes. Demons and witches didn't usually do very well together, not in recent years. In ancient times, demons and witches worked side by side, both helping the other. Witches provided demons with a gate to the human world and the ability to earn their freedom. Demons, on the other hand, often provided protection to witches, giving them the ability to do what they needed to do to care for their villages without fear of reprisal or persecution for their work. It was only as some witches, and demons too, became greedy for power that the symbiotic relationship between the two factions broke down. The enslaving started, followed quickly by torture, killings, and some acts that were not even discussed in ancient texts. "Well?"

"No, Isaac, I am not a witch, although, if you remember, I did tell you that my grandmother is. I spent much of my youth learning from her." Jory pointed to the bound demon on the floor. "Hence, the binding spell." Isaac grimaced as he looked down at his cousin. "So, what do we do with him now? It's not like we can let him go and hope for the best. The minute he gets free he's just going to try and kill us again." "You . . . he's just going to try and kill you." Jory snickered. "Frankly, I don't think he ever had any plan of killing me, at least not until he was done with me. He seemed a little too interested in getting me out of here and away from you." Jory frowned, his forehead wrinkling. "He really doesn't like you." "No, he never has," Isaac replied. "I've never known quite why, either. I mean, it's not like we were ever that close or anything, but I don't remember anything specific that I did that could have made him hate me to this extent." "Well, I suggest you figure it out before he makes good on his threat to kill you. I can keep him bound for awhile, but until his hatred is purged, he's going to keep coming after you." "And just what would you suggest? It's not like I know any like me spells." Jory could feel Isaac's inquisitive eyes follow him across the room as he went over to the phone on the desk. He ignored him for a moment, knowing he would have to explain his words soon. Right now, he had to dispose of their wayward demon. "Grandmother, its Jory, how are you?" he said the moment the other end of the phone was picked up. He knew it was his grandmother because he could hear the strange crackling that always occurred when too much energy was passed over the telephone lines. It always happened when he spoke to his grandmother. "Jordan, it would be nice if you called your grandmother for something other than saving your hide." Jory chuckled. "Yes, Grandmother, I will endeavor to do so, but in the meantime . . . ."

"I'm sending your Uncle Roland to get your bound demon. He's already on his way and should be there in the next few hours. Tell your bonded to put his cousin in the iron cage in the basement. That should keep the little rascal on ice until your uncle arrives." Jory didn't bother asking his grandmother how she knew about Isaac or the iron cage in the basement, which he hadn't even known about. His grandmother just knew things like that, always had. It was a little eerie sometimes. "I'll expect you to bring your bonded to meet me before your binding ceremony. Shall we say the weekend before the next full moon? You can stay to celebrate." "We'll be there, Grandmother." "I know you will. I'm making gingersnap cookies." Jory chuckled. "I love you, Grandmother." "I love you too, Jordan. Be good and take good care of your demon. He needs your special kind of love." "Yes, Grandmother." Jory turned to look at Isaac, one eyebrow arched. He wasn't in the least bit surprised when the telephone line went dead. He knew his Grandmother said what she felt she needed to say, and now she was done. Still, her words gave Jory pause. He knew the bond between him and Isaac was permanent and forever. They would never be able to be parted for more than a few days, at most. To do so would mean Isaac's life. Jory knew he needed time to consider his feelings where Isaac was concerned. There had to be some way they could bridge the gap between the two of them. Jory didn't want to spend the next several decades donating his blood to someone he didn't like. He didn't even want to give it to someone he liked. He wanted to give it to someone he could learn to care about, someone he could love. The giving and taking of blood could be a very intimate thing. "You have an iron cage in your basement?" "Uh, yeah."

Jory smirked. Isaac looked so totally confused and just a bit uncomfortable. Jory didn't think that was necessarily a bad thing. If he could keep the man off his game a little, he might be able to find out more about him. Isaac didn't seem to be very forthcoming with information about himself. It was hard to get to know someone that way. "Why?" Jory asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. "How did you know about it?" Isaac frowned. "Have you been down there?" "No, I didn't see any reason, well, until now, to go down to your basement. My grandmother told me to put your cousin in the cage until Uncle Roland comes to collect him." "How did she know about it?" "She's a witch. She has a way of knowing things. I've learned not to question it . . . makes my head hurt too much when I do." Jory walked over and leaned on the back of a chair, watching Isaac closely. "But you're avoiding the question. Why do you have an iron cage in your basement? Aren't demons like, allergic to iron or something?" "Yes, iron can kill us, hence a cage made out of iron. Only the bars and door are actually made of iron. The rest of the cage is made of steel. We only get hurt if we try to break out." Jory tilted his head to one side as he regarded the man. He suspected from his research that iron killed demons, but he had never been able to confirm his suspicion. It wasn't common knowledge. "So, if you're a demon, why do you have an iron cage in your basement? Trying to commit suicide?" "Not exactly." "Then what is it, exactly?" Jory felt like he was trying to pull teeth without pain medication. He was a little surprised when Isaac heaved a heavy breath and walked over to slump down in one of the dining chairs. He looked dejected, resigned. He did not look like a demon in human form. "Isaac?"

"Well, demons are a little like your mythological werewolves. We, um, transform once a month on the full moon." Jory frowned. His grandmother said something about them coming to visit the weekend before the full moon. What did she know about demons that he didn't? He also remembered her saying something about a binding ceremony, but he decided they could address that subject some other time. He needed to decide if there was anything to bind between him and Isaac first. "So, you transform on the full moon, so what?" "We're not exactly in control of ourselves during that period. The cage is where I go when the moon is full. It's safer." "For who?" "You." Chapter Eight Jory blinked several times, looking just as confused as Isaac felt a moment ago. "Would you care to explain that statement?" "We're bonded." "I know that," Jory snapped. "Why in the hell do you think we're sitting here talking? But what in the hell does our being bonded have to do with your transforming into a demon once a month?" "Because when I transform, my demon nature will cause me to hunt you down no matter where you are, damn it. I will have a need to find you and fuck you. I will not have any control over anything I do. I won't be able to stop." "Isaac," Jory said as he waved his hand between them, "I've only been here for two weeks. How can you possibly know that? There hasn't been a full moon." Isaac snorted and rolled his eyes as he walked over to the sideboard. He poured himself a drink and swallowed it down. The liquid burned going down his throat, but

the coughing fit he had kept him from having to talk to Jory while he gathered his thoughts. Isaac pounded his chest several times then turned around to face Jory, only to find the man standing right behind him. Isaac almost jumped in surprise but caught himself before he made a fool of himself. "Need a drink?" "No, and I'd prefer if you weren't drinking right now either. No telling how long it will take Uncle Roland to get here, and I could use the help keeping an eye on the guy who tried to kill us." "Or we could put him in the basement like your grandmother suggested." "It was less of a suggestion and more of a command." Jory chuckled, his face suddenly breaking out into a smile. "Grandmother doesn't really give out suggestions." "Good to know." "Let's get Desmond downstairs, and then we can finish this conversation without anyone overhearing us." Isaac nodded and walked to where his cousin still lay on the floor glaring up at him. "So, Cousin, you ready to go play downstairs until your handler arrives?" Desmond growled, but at the moment he was unable to speak due to the binding spell. Isaac wouldn't have minded if it stayed that way. He really wasn't interested in anything Desmond had to say. "Can you transform and lift him yourself, or do we need to get someone in here to help us?" Jory asked as he came over to stand next to Isaac. "I can carry him, but if I do, will the binding spell still hold?" "It should." "Should?" That wasn't exactly the answer Isaac wanted. Jory shrugged. "I told you, I'm not a witch. I'm not an expert in casting spells. But I figure if Grandmother told us to put him downstairs that she knows what she's talking about."

"Well, you'd better hope Grandmother does know what she's talking about, or we will be up shit creek the second I step out of that sacred circle with Desmond." Isaac didn't wait for Jory to reply before he crossed the salt circle and leaned down to pick his cousin up in his arms. He shifted the demon slightly, tossing him over his shoulder, then nodded to Jory. "Ready?" Jory nodded. Isaac carefully stepped out of the sacred circle of salt. When nothing happened, he kept going out the door toward the basement. Isaac could hear Jory following closely behind him as he climbed down the cement steps leading to the iron cage downstairs. When he reached the doors, Isaac stopped several feet away and looked over at Jory. "Would you mind getting the door?" The corner of Jory's mouth lifted in a smirk as he reached over and opened the cage doors. Isaac flipped Jory his middle finger as he walked past the man, carrying Desmond into the cage. A moment later, he stepped back out of the cage without Desmond and gestured to the door. "You can go ahead and close it now." "Iron really does get to you, doesn't it?" Jory asked as he closed and locked the cage. "Minimal contact with iron won't kill me, but it hurts like a son-of-a-bitch. It takes days to heal from an iron burn. Full contact like an iron stake will straight out kill a demon." "Always good information to know in case I come up against another demon." "Not necessarily. Most demons just want to be left alone to live their lives. We don't like being summoned. And we don't like having our free will taken away from us any more than anyone else would." "I thought bonding with me meant that you couldn't be summoned anymore." "You can still summon me." "Oh."

Yeah, there wasn't much else to say. Isaac turned around and started back up the stairs. He made his way down the hallway back to the study. It seemed like the best place to have this conversation if they wanted privacy. "Are you sure you don’t want that drink?" Isaac asked as they walked back into the study. "Maybe later. Right now, I think we have some thi—What is that?" Isaac swung around and looked down at the floor where Jory pointed. He saw a brown leather book, smaller than a slice of bread, sticking out from under a chair. He reached down, picked it up, and started to flip through the pages. "It's some sort of book." "Desmond's?" "That would be my guess. I don't recognize it." But Isaac did recognize several of the words written on the pages, and what he saw made his blood run cold. "Isaac, what's wrong?" "These are all names," he whispered when he felt Jory's hand squeeze his shoulder. "Names? What sort of names?" "True demon names." "Isaac, why would your cousin have a book of true demon names?" Isaac shook his head, not because he didn't know, but because he was so shocked at the conclusion he was drawing. There could only be one reason to have a book full of true demon names. "He's using these names somehow." Isaac shrugged helplessly. "Selling them, giving them away, trading them, I don’t know, but I can only think of one reason to have these names. To use them to summon demons." "Do you think that’s why you were summoned?" Good question. Isaac glanced down at the book and quickly began scanning each page until he came across his name. It was crossed out, but it had a star next to it. Isaac

also noticed several familiar names that were crossed out, a few with stars next to them. Other names just had stars next to them. Isaac pressed the book into Jory's hand and walked back over to the sideboard for another drink. He didn't think Jory would begrudge him a drink once Isaac told him what he'd figured out. Setting his empty glass back on the sideboard, Isaac took a deep breath then turned back to Jory. The man was going through the book, page by page. He looked confused, but Isaac didn't think he would be for long. "Those names that are crossed out in the book?" Isaac said. "Every one of those demons are dead, summoned and killed during rituals." "What?" Jory's head snapped up, his face pale, his eyes wide. Isaac nodded. "And the ones that have stars next to them were all bonded demons like me." "So, this whole thing with Desmond attacking you wasn't really about you?" "I don't know, but if that book is anything to go by, he was just trying to make sure I was dead. Maybe his hatred and jealousy of me fueled his actions, but he needed me to be dead." "But how did he know we bonded?" "You told him, remember?" "Me?" "It's obvious if he was the one buying you beers the night you were kidnapped that he was involved in the ritual in some way. If we bonded during the ritual, and then you said something about being serious with someone, he probably put two and two together." "Do you think he was there that night?" "I'd bet good money on it." "What do we do with this?" Jory asked as he held up the book. "We can't let anyone get their hands on this, Isaac. Demons could start dropping like flies all over the place. It's like a who's who in the demon world."

Isaac pushed his hands through his hair, agitated and confused. "I don't know." Jory stared at him for several moments. What was he hoping to see? A moment later, Jory nodded and walked over to the fireplace. "Got a match?" "You . . . ." Isaac swallowed. "You want to burn it?" "Can you think of a better way to get rid of it?" "Jory, you do realize that the true demon name of virtually ever demon is in that book, right? Whoever has control of that book controls the demons. It could mean vast power and wealth." "Yes." Jory stole whatever part of Isaac's heart that he didn't have at that point when he grinned. "So, you got a match?" Isaac smiled as he walked over to the fireplace and opened a small box on top, pulling out a box of matches. He crouched down next to Jory and handed the box to him. Jory grabbed a match and struck it on the box. He held both the flaming match and the book out to Isaac. "Do you want the honors?" Isaac took the match and lit the first page. Before the flame even started to burn the page, the others caught fire. Black smoke rose into the air as the book burned to black and slowly started to crumble. Jory tossed the book into the fireplace, then sat back on his ass. He clasped his hands loosely around his bent knees. Isaac sat down next to him and watched the fire burn away the demon book. "Do you think Desmond knew we would bond?" Isaac jumped at Jory's sudden question. He glanced over at the man to find him watching the flames in the fireplace. He didn't look worried anymore, his face no longer pale, but he did look confused. "I suppose anything is possible." "Did you know?"

"Not really. I mean, I knew I liked the way you smelled when you were hanging there, but I don't think I knew we'd bond until you spoke to me in my head." Isaac shrugged. "I've never had anyone speak to me the way you did." "I heard you speaking to me as well; that’s why I answered you. You were so sorry for what you were doing, and I knew from the things my grandmother told me that when you're summoned, you don't have a choice. I just felt so bad for you." "And ended up getting yourself bonded." Isaac chuckled nervously. "I'll bet you didn't expect that." "I think a little of Grandmother's sight passed on to me. I knew when I looked into your eyes that I could trust you, that you wouldn't hurt me no matter what they were forcing you to do." "Do you regret it?" Isaac held his breath as he waited for Jory to answer. The silence between them seemed to hang in the air for several moments before Jory shook his head. "I don't regret it exactly. I knew what I was getting into. I guess I just hoped things would be a little different between us than they are." Isaac gripped his hands tighter together. "The whole who's fucking who thing?" Jory laughed and leaned back on his hands. "I don't think it's that easy. Who's fucking who is just the manifestation of the problems between us. If you can't treat me as an equal, then we are going to have a very hard time establishing anything worthwhile between us." Isaac dropped his legs down and leaned forward. "What makes you think I don't see you as an equal?" "Because you expect me to be the bottom all the time. I have to give you my blood and my ass? Doesn't seem like a very fair exchange to me. I've already agreed to give up my life and live here with you. What else do you want?" "I never asked you to give up your life." "So, what, you're going to move to my one bedroom apartment and live with me? Where in the hell do you plan on putting Manning? In the closet?"

"If that’s what you want to do, then we'll do it. I'll move anywhere you want me to." Jory's eyes widened. "You really mean that, don't you?" "Of course. Just because we bonded doesn't mean I have the right to usurp your entire life. I want you to be happy." "Then why won't you let me fuck you?" Chapter Nine "Because you want to control me!" Isaac snapped, jumping to his feet much to Jory's surprise. "What in the hell are you talking about?" Jory asked as he climbed to his feet to face Isaac. "I never tried to control you." "You did!" "When?" Jory asked as he spread his arms wide. "When we were in bed together you forced me to place my hands behind my back and told me not to move them until you said so." "And?" Jory watched as Isaac's mouth dropped open. When it suddenly snapped closed and Isaac's face flushed red, Jory got a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. "And I guess we have nothing else to say." "Isaac!" Jory's confusion fought with his anger as Isaac ignored him and started walking toward the door. "Isaac, where are you going? We're not done talking." Isaac kept walking. "Isaac, stop." Still no response from the man. "Issachar, stop!"

Jory's eyebrows shot up when Isaac stopped where he was as if he hit an invisible wall. Jory slowly walked around the man, not knowing what to expect. A clenched jaw was not it. "And you say you don't want to control me?" Isaac snapped the moment Jory stepped in front of him. "What are you talking about?" "You just couldn't help yourself, could you?" Isaac's gaze was scathing as he looked Jory up and down. "You're human. I guess I shouldn't have expected more from you. All humans are alike. They crave power like a drug. They have no concept of what it's like to be a slave to the whims of another person." "How in the hell am I controlling you? Yes, I want to talk to you. I want to work this out. But if you're so fucking set against it, then I'll go. I'll have my blood bottled and shipped to you on a regular basis and we never have to see each other again." The words broke Jory's heart, but Isaac obviously didn't want him, and no pleading on his part would change that. Jory fisted his hands as he turned toward the door to leave. There wasn't anything more to say. "Jory, wait," Isaac said softly. Jory ignored Isaac much as the man had ignored him and kept walking toward the door. "Please?" Jory stopped with his hand on the knob and leaned his head against the cool wooden door. He waited for Isaac to say his peace so he could leave. He didn't want to look at the man again. To do so might take away his last thread of control. "I think I've figured out where our problem is." Jory swung around, shocked at Isaac's words. "What do you mean?" "We're not talking about the same thing."

"I'm pretty sure we are. You don't want to treat me as an equal. You think I want to control you when all I want from you is an honest chance to have a relationship with you. I don't want my blood to be the only thing between us." "Please, listen to me." Isaac licked his lips. "When you called me by my true name, what did you want from me?" Jory's head snapped back as he stared at Isaac. "I wanted you to stop." "And do you realize when you use my true name that I have to obey you?" "Wh-what?" "Do you remember me telling you that I am your demon now?" Jory nodded. "That means I am your demon. I have to do exactly what you tell me to do when you use my demon name." Jory reached behind his back until he felt the fabric on the edge of the chair then sat down. "S-so, you're telling me that every time I've used your true demon name, I've been forcing you to do as I commanded?" "That’s exactly what I'm saying." Jory shook his head. His mouth opened, but he couldn't seem to force a single sound out of his mouth. He knew he was bonded to Isaac. He even knew he needed to share his blood with the man. He had no idea that he truly commanded Isaac. He never would have used Isaac's demon name if he'd known. "Oh, Isaac, I . . . ." Jory shook his head again as he reached out toward Isaac. Isaac took his hand, stepping over to kneel between his legs. "I'm so sorry," Jory said. "I didn't know. I swear. I was just trying to get your attention by using your true name. I never would have—" "I'm beginning to understand that," Isaac said, placing his finger over Jory's lips. "That’s why I got so angry when we were in bed. I thought you were trying to force an answer out of me, especially when you told me to put my hands behind my back." "No, I just didn't want you to touch your cock." Jory felt his face flush a little as he remembered how wonderful it felt when he was making love to Isaac. "I did want an

answer out of you, though. I would never have forced anything on you, and I needed to make sure what we were doing was what you wanted." "It was. I was just scared. I wasn't ready to verbalize what I wanted, and you kept demanding an answer and—" "You wanted it?" "To be honest, I'm still not sure what it is. I just know that I never felt the things you made me feel. It was more than just sex, though, it was . . . was . . . ." Isaac licked his lips then pressed them together as if at a loss for words. "If I promise not to use your demon name, would you consider trying it again?" Isaac's face flooded with color. "Yes," he whispered. Jory didn't wait for Isaac to say anything else. He wrapped his hand around the man's neck and pulled him closer. His mouth covered Isaac's hungrily. Much to Jory's surprise, Isaac moaned and pushed into the kiss, his tongue coming out to brush against Jory's. Isaac's lips were soft and warm, sending spirals of ecstasy through Jory. Jory tore his mouth away from Isaac's and stared at the man kneeling between his legs. He fingered the silky fabric of Isaac's shirt. "I don't suppose I could talk you out of your clothes?" Isaac grinned. "I think you could pretty much talk me out of anything." Jory's breath caught in his throat as Isaac pushed himself to his feet and stepped back a pace. He watched with hungry anticipation as Isaac began unbuttoning his shirt. The smooth, bare chest revealed by each button set free had Jory practically drooling. His cock became so hard he thought it might rip right through his pants. Without taking his eyes off the visual feast being revealed before his eyes, Jory unbuttoned his own shirt and dropped it from his shoulders just about the same time that Isaac's dropped to the floor. "You are one sexy fucker, Isaac Braden." "I'm glad you think so," Isaac said as he reached for the zipper of his pants. Isaac's eyebrow arched and a slow, sensual grin lifted the corners of his lips. "You're not so bad yourself, Jordan Daniels."

Isaac's steady gaze bore into Jory in silent expectation as they both unzipped their pants at the same time. Jory laughed as he kicked off his shoes and wiggled out of his pants. Isaac was doing the same thing. They probably looked like big goofs as they tried to watch each other while stripping off their clothes. Neither of them wanted to look away. Finally, they were both naked, Jory still sitting in a chair, Isaac standing a step away from him. Jory beckoned with his hand. "Come here, pretty." Isaac stumbled over, his hands landing on Jory's shoulders. "Did I tell you how much I like it when you call me pretty?" "Yeah?" Isaac nodded. "Not too girly for you?" Jory worried about that. "Nope." Okay then. There was a tingling in the pit of Jory's stomach as he reached out and grabbed Isaac's hips, pulling him a bit closer. He looked up into Isaac's grey eyes as he opened his mouth and wrapped it around the head of the man's cock. Isaac groaned then tightened his lips, his body jerking a little, but he didn't take his gaze away from Jory's. "Damn, you're mouth is like hot silk." Jory would have grinned, but he was too busy swallowing the long shaft in his mouth. As much as he would have liked to give it a shot, part of Jory was thankful Isaac wasn't in demon form right now. He remembered how damn big the man's cock was when he was a demon, and he didn't think he could get his lips around it. Pre-cum leaked out of Isaac's cock and exploded onto Jory's tongue. He pulled back and let the man's cock fall from his lips. Isaac groaned in protest and thrust forward, his cock butting against Jory's chin. "Spread your legs, pretty."

Isaac arched an eyebrow as he stared down at Jory but did as he was asked. Jory grinned and wiped the tips of his fingers over the head of Isaac's cock, scooping up several drops of pre-cum. Jory knew Isaac got the idea when the man's gentle laughter filled the room. Jory just grinned and reached between Isaac's legs to spread the natural lube over the man's tight entrance. Jory repeated the gesture several times, licking along Isaac's cock between swiping away the pre-cum. Each time he brushed his fingers over Isaac's hole, he pressed in just a bit more until his fingers slid in effortlessly. Isaac started moving with him, going up on his tiptoes then pushing back down. Jory wasn't sure Isaac actually knew he was impaling himself, but he wasn't about to mention it. He just kept sucking on the man's cock, distracting him from being breached until he could get all four fingers into Isaac's ass. Jory finally leaned back in his chair and grabbed Isaac's cock in his hand. He stroked the hard shaft, wanting more of the natural lubricant. Isaac's hips tightened, snapping forward then pushing back to impale himself on Jory's fingers. "Jory, please." "Okay, pretty, I've got you." Jory quickly scooped up the copious amounts of precum on the head of Isaac's cock and rubbed the liquid over his own shaft. He could feel the aphrodisiac built into the drops of semen immediately increase his level of arousal. Jory thought his body might combust. He scooted down in the chair a little and grabbed his cock in his hand. "It's all up to you now, pretty." Isaac looked confused for a moment, then a wide grin crossed his lips. He straddled the arms of the chair and grabbed the back of it with his hands. Jory held his cock in place as Isaac slowly lowered himself. "Take as much time as you need to, pretty." Jory gritted his teeth at the words, but he would never do anything to hurt Isaac. He wanted it hard and fast and he wanted it now. The waiting was killing him.

But the way Isaac bit his lip as the head of Jory's cock pushed past the ring of muscles was well worth the wait. Isaac moved slowly, taking inch after inch of Jory's length until he finally sat down, impaling himself, flush with Jory's lap. Isaac froze, his head dropping back on his shoulder. "Fuck, that’s . . . that’s just . . . ." Isaac groaned. Jory grinned when Isaac looked back at him. "Are you ready?" Isaac nodded and Jory moved. He slowly lifted Isaac up, then let gravity take over. Isaac's moans turned from low to loud as he sank back down onto Jory's cock. The sounds heightened Jory's arousal. The feeling of Isaac's body taking him just about sent Jory over the edge the very first time he sank down. By the third time, Jory forgot that he was trying to go slowly and started thrusting up into Isaac every time the man lifted himself up. "Please, Jory, let me . . . ." Isaac's words trailed off, but his eyes found their target on Jory's neck. Jory knew what the man wanted, and he willingly gave it once again, tilting his head to one side. Jory cried out, his hands bunching on Isaac's hips as blinding pain exploded in his neck. The moment Isaac started to suck, the pain disappeared, replaced by a pleasure so intense, Jory knew he had only felt it one other time in his life . . . the last time Isaac took blood from him. By thy life essence, thou shalt sustain thee, Jory whispered into Isaac's mind. Yes, Mo chuisle, mo chroí, mo shíorghrá, Isaac replied as he extracted his teeth and covered Jory's mouth with his own. Jory tasted his own blood mixed with the sweet flavor of Isaac's unique essence. He deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue into Isaac's mouth as his cock thrust into Isaac's body. My pulse, my heart, my eternal love, Jory silently translated Isaac's words and repeated them back to him. By thy oath, though shalt command thee.

Isaac reared back at Jory's words. Jory doubted the man thought he would ever repeat the binding words back to him. Isaac was wrong. Isaac was wrong about a lot of things. Jory just had to show him. Jory lifted Isaac up into his arms and scooted off the chair. He carefully laid him on the rug and covered his body. Settling down between Isaac's thighs, their bodies still connected, Jory began pounding into the man. His hunger ate at him. He needed to see Isaac's pleasure as much as he needed to bury his cock in the man's tight grasp. Both were as imperative as breathing. Isaac's dazed eyes staring up at him, the tight grip of the man's hands on his shoulders, and the arch of his body all showed Jory what he needed. By thy fertile seed thou shalt nourish thee, Jory said. Nourish me, Isaac. Give me what I want. Jory might as well have called the man Issachar. He cried out, his body going taut as warm liquid spurted out between their two bodies. Jory groaned when he felt Isaac's inner muscles clamp down on him until he could barely move. Jory leaned up and showed Isaac another thing he was wrong about. He allowed his eyes to darken, the whites bleeding out until they were pure black. His fangs dropped down and he grinned for just a moment when he heard Isaac inhale before he struck, sinking his teeth into Isaac's neck. Hot, sweet blood exploded across Jory's tongue a second before he exploded inside of the man, shot after shot of cum filling Isaac. Jory continued to thrust deeply into Isaac's tight ass until every last drop of his release was squeezed from his body by the man's tight inner muscles. Finally, not knowing what to expect after his great declaration, Jory lifted his head and looked down into the face of the demon he was bonded to. Isaac just stared up at him in mute surprise. "Vampires are not myths, Issachar." Chapter Ten

"Are you sure your grandmother wants me to come to this thing?" "For the hundredth time, Isaac, she invited you. She told me to bring you." Isaac rubbed his hands together in his lap as he watched out the front window of the car. He shook his head. "She does know I'm a demon, right?" "She knows, pretty." "And she still invited me?" "I told you, Grandmother wants to meet you before we have our binding ceremony on the full moon." Jory reached over and patted Isaac's leg. "She accepts us, accepts you. She couldn't be happier for us." "I don't think the rest of your family feels the same way." Isaac snorted. "You didn't see the looks your uncle Roland gave me when he came to pick up Desmond. I don't think he likes me at all." "Uncle Roland doesn't like anyone." "Perfect." "Relax, pretty, I like you, and that’s all that counts." Isaac just about melted. He hated that Jory seemed to have that power over him. It was nothing like the power he had over Isaac's demon form. No, this was much worse. Jory just had to say something sappy, and Isaac melted all over the place, ready to please the guy in any manner he wanted. A week of eagerly letting Jory fuck him proved that. Isaac was actually a little embarrassed by how much he liked it now that he'd tried it. He had even initiated it on a few occasions. All the demons in the demon club would be laughing their asses off if they knew how much Isaac loved having Jory's cock in his ass. In the past, he would have been right there with them if some other demon had said they liked it. Now he knew all that macho demon top crap was shit. "You know I'm dragging you to my mother's house when we leave here, right?"

Jory looked startled as he glanced over at him. "Are you really sure you want to do that? How is she going to feel about you being with a vampire?" Isaac chuckled. "I imagine she will feel about like I do . . . ." Jory arched an eyebrow in query. "Bewitched, enchanted, and damn glad I chose the right blood sacrifice." ~The End~ About the Author Stormy Glenn believes the only thing sexier than a man in cowboy boots is two, or three men in cowboy boots. She also believes in love at first sight, soul mates, true love, and happy endings. When she’s not being a mother to her six teenagers or cleaning up after her two 70pound lab puppies, you can usually find her cuddled in bed with a book in her hand or her laptop, creating the next sexy character for her stories. Stormy welcomes comments from readers. You can find her web site at www.stormyglenn.com ***** If you enjoyed Blood Sacrifice, you might also like the following books from Stormy Glenn and Noble Romance Publishing: Bite Here Anthology Call Me Sir Call Me Sir Too Dark Court: Dark Side of the Veil Dark Court: Monte's Marines Forbidden Love Anthology His Dirty Little Secret Picture Me Perfect Sammy Dane Spank Me Once Anthology ~* * *~

Enslaved By H.C.Brown Prologue At midnight on All Hallows Eve, the Gates between the realms are wide open. Good and evil in equal measure seek to slake their desire. Be careful for what you wish for Humans, once the Gates shut, there is no going back. Chapter One Chase Drake curled his fingers tighter around the steering wheel. The sleek Mercedes' headlights picked up the white line down the center of the road but little else. His ears still rang from the insipidly happy voice from the G.P.S. Damn, stupid woman had sent him into a field and told him he was at his destination. He had little choice but to keep heading north. An hour later, the busy motorway and streams of traffic were a distant memory. The narrow road, flanked on each side by the odd, stark, trees was as quiet as a cemetery. Chase swore colorfully and pulled off the road. I'm fucking lost—great. Leaving the engine running, he turned on the interior light, and then searched the glove box until he found the map. He spread it across the steering wheel. After turning it around several times, he traced a finger along the line that marked the highway. The directions from the helpful guy at the last gas station ran through his head. "It's easy; take the M3 to Salisbury and just follow the signs for Stonehenge. There's accommodation available about two miles away in the town of Amesbury." Chase switched off the light and peered into the darkness."What damn signs? I've been on this road for over an hour."

He folded up the map, stuffed it back into the glove box and sat back, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. He glanced at the clock in the dashboard; hell, it was only 6:30 p.m. and already pitch black. What happened to the twilight? Isn't England world renowned for twilight . . . or was that Scotland? Beats me. He squared his shoulders. Make a decision man; go back, or stay on this road. This All Hallows was important to him; he had decided to come out. The decision to travel from his home in California and begin his new life on Samhain had been an easy one. He had made his wish to Samhain at nightfall. Tomorrow morning, he would stand at Stonehenge with fellow Pagans. To watch the sun break over the horizon would finally free his mind of any lingering doubts. He would leave with a new resolve to follow his heart. Carrying the embarrassment of being a virgin at twenty-four would soon become a distant memory. A flicker of light far in the distance caught his attention. Chase put the car into drive and with a crunch of gravel, headed slowly toward the light. The road wound through hills and valleys, diminishing until only a cart track remained. He drove on, confidant the remote light was a beacon to guide his way. Without warning, the Mercedes groaned to a standstill, and then hissed like a giant reptile. In the headlights, steam rose and billowed out from under the hood, curling and twisting before the wind carried it way. Chase turned the key in the ignition—nothing. Damn rental cars; they're all the fucking same. What else can go wrong? He reached in his shirt pocket for his cell phone and flipped it open. Chase stared at the message on the display in disbelief."No signal—what do you mean, no signal?" He pushed the cell phone back into his pocket and grunted with disgust. Chase shivered; the temperature inside the car had dropped considerably without the benefit of the heater. He reached into the back seat for his overcoat and turned back in time to see the headlights slowly fade and then blink out completely. Shit, shit, shit. Darkness suffocated him in a cloak of black velvet. Wind buffeted the car, showering it with dry grass and leaves, the noise like sharp talons clawing over metal.

Immediately, his mind tormented him with images of ghouls and demons, dragging him from the car to steal his soul. A loud bump sounded on the roof, and his heart missed a beat. He swallowed with visions of an axe murderer on the roof, swinging a bloody, dismembered head. He gave himself a mental shake. Stop acting like a girl. Chase searched the darkness for the comfort of that elusive, single light—a torch, he'd imagined, as he'd driven toward it. There, at the top of the hill, the light paused as if waiting for him to follow. He had to make it to Stonehenge. Even if he had to walk. Taking a deep breath, Chase dragged on his coat, then grabbed his backpack and climbed out of the car. He glanced furtively at the roof and chuckled as he saw the lowhanging branch above it, no doubt the cause of the earlier noise. "I gotta stop watching horror movies." Under the full moon, the countryside, dressed in every shade of gray, appeared surreal. A line of trees in the distance snaked along a wide, black river dancing with a flotilla of ghostly boats formed by moonbeams. Above him, the ink-blue sky sparkled with a thousand diamond-like stars, not one cloud masking its beauty. Chase pulled his coat around his body to fasten the buttons. Shivering, he reached into his pockets for his gloves. The wind buffeted him, sending icy fingers through every gap in his clothing. He took the flashlight from the backpack and surveyed the area. The river ran adjacent to the road to Stonehenge. He remembered reading somewhere how the builders of Stonehenge used it to carry pillars to the ancient site. If he walked toward the light and kept the river on his right, he should run into the monument eventually. He slung his backpack over one shoulder and followed the path. I wish I brought my iPod. The cart track diminished with every step and finally disappeared beneath the thick tussocks of grass. Chase hugged his body. The icy chill had permeated every stitch of clothing. His teeth chattered like some bad castanet player. If I don't find shelter soon, I'll die of exposure. He scanned the area. The moon sat high in the sky like an old-fashioned gas light, changing everything it touched to silver. Ahead of him loomed a group of trees,

their late-autumn leaves rustling eerily in the wind. In the moonlight, the blackened trunks stood like sentries, dressed in shadow cloaks, guarding the entrance to a dark glade. They used to put crypts in the woods, or bury murderers in unconsecrated ground. This would be the perfect place for a vampire's lair. Chase shuddered, tentative of his next step. Coward. He stared at a dark gap in the trees and turned his head from side to side, certain he could hear muttering. Before he could blink an eye, a colony of bats flew out from the trees and swirled around him. The flap of a hundred, featherless wings broke the silence of the night. He fell to the ground and covered his face, his heart pounding against his ribs. "Are you injured?" Chase raised his head and stared into the face of the cloaked man kneeling beside him. He reared back in shock."Where the fuck did you come from?" "I came from the woods. I'm sorry to startle you." The stranger helped Chase to his feet and stared at him in silence. Growing uncomfortable beneath the man's steady gaze, Chase brushed the leaves off his clothes. He turned to face the man and offered his hand in greeting. "Chase Drake." "I'm called Si." He clasped Chase's arm. "I must say I'm happy that you've answered Dracu's summon this eve." Chase shrugged to re-position his backpack. It was good to meet someone else in this God forbidden place, even if he spoke a load of nonsense."Dracu? I'm not familiar with that name." "Dracu is our master. Tonight, we celebrate All Hallows." He inclined his head. "If you aren't here for the celebration, why are you here?" Did his eyes glow red just then? Somewhere in the distance, a dog or perhaps a wolf, howled repeatedly, drawing Chase's attention. Ice-cold shivers slithered down Chase's spine. Bloody scenes from the Texas Chain Saw Massacre mixed with Alien's man-eating extraterrestrials played in his head. Facing Si, he stared into his eyes; his dark pools reflected only the moonlight. You're imagining things again.

He swallowed the instinct to run and forced a smile."I'm here to celebrate All Hallows too. I came from California. Tomorrow will be a new beginning for me." "How so?" Si began to walk toward the clump of trees. Chase fell in step beside him. "I'm gay, and after I see the sunrise at Stonehenge, I'm shouting it to the world. I'm sick of living a lie. After tonight, I'll never be ashamed again. In fact, just thinking about coming out, here at Stonehenge, makes me damn proud to be gay." "I'm happy too." Si chuckled. "Tonight, my master may include me in his final selection." Chase stopped and stared at Si in disbelief. Anger welled up inside him. Had this idiot just insulted him? "I'm not happy—I'm gay—do you understand? It's my greatest wish to find a man to fuck me senseless. I want to enjoy being spanked without being ashamed." "Well, Chase, methinks you were summoned by Dracu. My master is certainly not ashamed of fucking men. Indeed, he comes here each year for that very purpose. Although, his sweetest pleasure is to have a virgin beg for his flogger." Stifling a groan, Chase grimaced. "I'm not sure that would be very pleasurable in these freezing temperatures." Chase's cock pressed eagerly against his jeans at the thought of a soft, white ass striped with red welts. Better still, bending to enjoy the sweet cut of a flogger or the slap of a hand, as a prelude to his first fucking. He could not believe it, the temperature was below freezing and he had a hard on. "It's very warm deep in the caves. You would be most welcome to join us this eve." Si waved his arm in the direction of the woods. "Come, I'll show you the way." Chapter Two Si smiled wickedly, then led the way through the trees. They moved up a small incline to an entrance carved out of the hillside. Si reached out a pale hand and

grasped the heavy handle of an ancient, wooden door. The dilapidated surface, encrusted with moss and lichen, blended into the surroundings. Made of heavy oak planks bound together with rusty, metal studs, the door hung on sturdy, leather hinges. It swung open soundlessly to reveal a well-lit passageway. "This way; the others will have arrived by now." Si stood to one side of the door and waved Chase toward the entrance. Shit, now what? Do I risk going into the Red Dragon's pit or freeze to death outside? Chase hesitated. "I'm not sure. My intention was to join the Pagans and Druids at Stonehenge. I saw the light up on the hill; I was heading that way." "Dracu sets his light to summon his followers; only those who wish to pursue their destiny may view the light." Si inclined his head and smiled sweetly. "You made a wish, Chase. This night, wishes come true." He opened his arms wide. "Many of your people believe All Hallows is a time of the dead, but in truth, it is a time of rebirth. Are you ready to embrace the future?" Hot air flowed from the cave in tendrils of steam. Beyond the door, a rosy glow looked warm and inviting. Chase bit back his fear and followed Si inside. A passageway made entirely of deep, yellow quartz wound away into the hillside. He gawked at the lamps lining the wide passageway. They were like nothing he had seen before; balls of spinning, white light hovered over half circles of copper mounted on the wall. Beneath his feet, massive, polished flagstones reflected an amber glow to show the way. He and Si moved downward in gentle spirals, the air becoming warmer and sweeter-smelling with every step. "How much farther?" "Not too far." Si stopped to strip off his cloak and jacket. "As I said, it's much more pleasant inside the caves." Chase dropped the backpack on the floor. He discarded his gloves, then wiped the sweat from his brow. Hell, it's hot in here. Chase shrugged out of his coat and pulled off his sweater. After rolling up his clothes, he stuffed them inside the backpack. His gaze rested on the man standing before him. In the light, he appeared almost childlike.

Si's golden hair curled at the nape in a mass of cherubic curls. Almond-shaped eyes, the color of jade, sparkled with amusement. Slight of build, he had skin that glowed like a ripe, golden peach and his ears—good Lord—his ears were tall and pointed. Chase blinked twice, but his eyes had not deceived him. Si's ears were pointed. "I am an Elf." Si leaned casually against the wall. "This night, we may walk among the Nomags to seek offerings for the Six Masters of Samhain." Speechless, Chase gaped at Si. Perhaps I fell down a rabbit hole. Or, I'm lying in a coma after a car wreck—yes, that would account for not arriving at Stonehenge. He ran a hand through his hair. The Elf was regarding him with an amused expression. What should he do? The man looked harmless enough. I may just as well play out my hand. So what if I am in the land of Elves and Faeries? Hell, it's Halloween; strange things happen on Halloween, right? Fuck, this could end up one hell of an adventure. He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Fine, I can deal with that. Are there any other creatures coming tonight? What about these Nomag things?" "Creatures?" Si laughed. "Do you consider yourself a creature? I'm sure I don't." He pushed away from the wall and continued along the passageway. "Humans are Nomags—non-magical folk. Tonight, you will meet Pride masters and other males. Dracu's gathering is exclusively for, as you say, gay males." Chase grinned. "Great. Take me to your leader." They continued to descend. A few minutes later, the way opened up, and the sound of music drifted toward them. An exotic, earthy scent permeated the warm air. Chase inhaled and a rush of hot, sexual desire filled his prick. He pressed a palm against his shaft to ease the pressure of his arousal. Fuck, it's going to burst out of my jeans. They turned into a large cavern with curved walls scooped out like the inside of a giant pumpkin. The same unusual lighting surrounded the room, sending a soft glow across the scantily clad men lounging around a banquet table on black, leather sofas. They resemble ancient Romans, Chase mused. He gazed around, trying not to stare. Some of them were Elves and others had unusual characteristics. All were young,

between eighteen and twenty-five, he assumed with a grin. And all fucking gorgeous. This place is getting better by the second. "Some of them look pretty young—I'm not into underage sex." "All are of age here; it would break the Lady's law to do otherwise." Chase touched Si's arm. "You look pretty young yourself; exactly how old are you?" "I am one hundred of your years." He waved a hand toward the room. "This is the lounge. We meet here to introduce the outlanders to our masters." Si moved toward a connecting door and leaned against the frame. "There is a group playroom through that entrance across the room, for those who want to indulge or watch." He pointed to a heavy wooden door. "Dracu and the other members of the Samhain Six have other, exclusive rooms for training, deeper in the cavern. All the masters are Pride males of the highest rank." One hundred years old. Fuck, the Botox must be free here. Chase rubbed his chin. This was too good to be true. Don't hit me with the paddles yet, doc, this coma suits me just fine. "What is a Pride?" "They are very big, muscular males who have the ability to change into cats. They have fangs, and when they find a suitable mate, they inject them with their venom. It is a most erotic experience. They also have the ability to transform Nomags into Pride." He turned to Chase and raised a brow. "Although the Pride males here tonight require more than a fine ass; they require obedience. Do you believe you have the stamina to endure all a Pride may give?" Men that change into cats? Sure, why not? Pushing his hand through his long hair, Chase chuckled. "These past three years, I've been paying a Dom four hundred dollars a week to be his slave. No sex, though. I deliberately chose a straight master. The first time, I hoped he could beat the gay out of me. Fuck, I enjoyed it so much; the smell of leather and the scent of his sweat almost drove me insane." "You have masters who refuse to fuck their slaves?" Si looked incredulous.

"I only know about the ones in brothels, and unfortunately, that wasn't in my Dom's job description. While I was his sub, he wouldn't permit me to find a lover either. Not that I would have tried to find someone. To be honest, recognizing the fact I was gay terrified me." Chase shifted his backpack from one arm to the other. A trickle of sweat ran down his back. I'm not sure why I'm telling you all this. "Our brothels are very different." Si frowned. "So what did you decide to do?" Chase shrugged. "I took some time, considering the implications of a relationship. My work . . . I'm a corporate lawyer in a big firm, then the problems of disease. It took me some time to decide to come out . . . mind you, the advice from the sites on the Internet helped a lot." "You live in a very strange world. In our realms, love is love no matter Pride or Fae, male or female. Indeed, many have both for lovers at the same time." He laid a hand on Chase's shoulder. "We have no disease; you are safe here." Chased shuddered. "You will, if you continue to pick up stray Nomags. We're not safe . . . you are playing with fire." "Not so, only untouched virgins free from disease may pass through our door on All Hallows." He pushed away from the doorframe and led the way through the doorway. "Follow me. I'm sure you'd like a shower before I introduce you to everyone." This is getting better by the second. Chase trailed behind Si to a small, modern bathroom, complete with shower, toilet and sink. A wide, honey-colored wooden bench ran along one wall. The floor, made of the same amber-colored crystal, was rough underfoot to prevent slipping. Chase stripped off, and then stepped into the shower. Automatically, the water gushed over him, at just the right temperature. He reached for the bottle of liquid soap and washed his hair. He rinsed off and peered around the room for a towel. Nothing hung on the pegs behind the door. Deciding to dry himself on his t-shirt, he stepped from the cubical. A rush of hot air hit him from above and below, drying him almost instantly. He grinned and turned back and forth, enjoying the warmth. "Now that's sweet."

Chase dragged his coat and jumper out of the backpack and hung them behind the door. He rummaged around inside his bag for his shaving kit. A few moments later, he had shaved off his day-old stubble and splashed on liberal amounts of aftershave. He used his deodorant, brushed his hair and frowned. If he'd known this place existed, he would have packed something better to wear than jeans and a t-shirt. Finally, he decided on a dark blue tee that matched his eyes, and black jeans. His black boots would just have to do; at least he had clean socks. Chapter Three Si knocked on the door and entered. He smothered a giggle of sheer delight; his offering would please Dracu. By the goddess, Chase was magnificent. His delectable face bore a look of deep brooding, with hooded eyes the color of a midnight sky. Dark brown, glossy hair brushed broad shoulders. Chase was wide of chest, with a slim waist, built more like a Pride than a Nomag. His black pants hugged a fine ass and clung to a pair of well-defined, muscular thighs. When Chase turned to face him, Si drew a breath in admiration. The Nomag's pants molded his ample sex. He flared his nostrils at the strange odor permeating the room. Surely, he would have noticed the Nomag's disgusting stench earlier. Had he bathed in dragon's urine? By the stars, what was he to do? "Si, where is your offering?" Hakon's massive shoulders filled the doorway. His deep, amethyst eyes glared coldly at Chase. He coughed, covered his nose and turned to Si. "Lady's blood, he smells like a well-used whore." Si waved his hand in a dismissive gesture and covered his distress with a chuckle. He did not intend to anger Hakon; the Pride enjoyed the lash far too much. One wrong word now and as sure as the sun would rise in the morning, Hakon would request him for the night. "I'm sorry we're late, Master." Si bowed respectfully. "Chase took a wrong turn, and it took me hours to locate him. I'll have him ready in no time."

"See that you do." His hard gaze raked Chase's body. "I might bid on him myself tonight." Si pressed down on his thighs to prevent Hakon noticing his trembling hands. "He is a fine specimen, completely untouched. My master may request he break this one in himself." "Ha, break is correct." Hakon grinned like a monkey, displaying his sharp fangs. "Without preparation, he will indeed break him and that would be a sin." He gave Chase a long, predatory look and ran his tongue across his bottom lip. "If I win the bid, I will ask Dracu personally if I may prepare him." Behind him, Chase moved restlessly. Si bowed respectfully before Hakon. "As you wish, Master." "Take him to the Pit so we can view his first performance. Make sure he consumes plenty of the Brew." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and his eyes heated with passion. "Anso is in charge of the Pit tonight. Inform him it is my wish to include you in this night's indulgence. You will attend with your offering, unless Dracu decrees otherwise. Do you understand?" Under Hakon's intent gaze, Si's cock hardened. Why did Hakon evoke such a reaction when deep down he feared the Pride male? He pasted a grateful expression on his face and inclined his head. "Yes, Master, thank you, Master." Chase stood frozen to the spot. What in God's name was that? Powerfully built. Six foot six or so. Black leather. Hmm. Chase's gaze travelled over the selection of implements hanging around the man's waist. The Dom gripped a short flogger in one powerful hand, which he slapped idly against his massive thigh. What did Si say about the fangs? Ah, yes, Hakon is a Pride male. I bet he could inflict some damage. In an effort to remain as inconspicuous as possible, Chase stayed silent and assumed a submissive stance. Not that he had any idea what they were speaking about, unless they expected him to fuck his first lover in public. The thought sent a jolt straight to his balls. Fuck, my cock aches. When am I going to get some action?

"Nomag, remove your clothes and wash off that disgusting smell," Hakon bellowed. He walked toward Chase and shoved him, fully dressed, into the shower. "Elf, I insist this Human is clean before he joins the others." Chase saw red. "If you didn't like my aftershave, you only had to say so. Now my fucking boots are ruined." Hakon reacted instantaneously; his massive hand flashed out and closed around Chase's throat. The Dom dragged him effortlessly from the shower and crushed him against the wall. Chase fought for air, grasping Hakon's forearm with both hands. Under his fingers, the muscles tensed like silk over steel. The Pride's face was an inch away from his own. Hakon's eyes bored into him, hard as crystal without one ounce of compassion. "You are new to our ways, Nomag, and untouched, so I will forget your disobedience." Hakon slowly released his grip. "I will take great pleasure in administering your instruction personally." He leaned forward and slowly licked a wet trail across Chase's lips, then bit down hard on his chin. Relieved to be able to breathe again, Chase dragged in air through his nose. He knew how to play this game. His body relaxed, and playing the good sub, he dropped his gaze. "Thank you, Master." "Compliance is rewarded. I'll make you cry for mercy, then watch you come for me." Hakon cupped Chase's balls. "Now wash the Nomag stench off." He shoved Chase back into the shower. Water cascaded over Chase; he bit back the anger and peeled off his wet boots. The shirt and jeans followed in quick succession. He took the bottle of liquid soap and began to wash again, conscious of Hakon watching his every move. "Turn around so I may see you; use plenty of soap, and wash slowly," Hakon drawled. He dropped his enormous body onto the bench and beckoned to Si. "Come here. Do you wish to please me, Elf?" "As always, Master." Si walked toward the big Pride male and stood between his open legs.

Chase soaped his skin in wide circles and fixed his gaze on the scene unfolding before him. Si shot him a worried glance and turned toward Hakon. The Pride stroked a path up Si's legs, lifted his loincloth high and slowly massaged his bare buttocks. Hell, the Elf had a ten-inch prick. "Get rid of this." Hakon ripped the loincloth from Si's hips. "Turn around slowly. Put your hands on your head." Unable to look away, Chase leaned against the slippery wall and enjoyed the view. The Elf had long legs and a backside like a ripe peach. He was hairless and youthfully soft in structure. Chase moved his gaze to Si's long, thick cock and hairless balls pulled up tight like two ripe apricots. "Did I say you could get a hard on?" Hakon grinned wickedly, then lashed out with the flogger, cutting red stripes systematically down both of Si's thighs. "Come here." He motioned to the Elf with the flogger. The Elf went to him, his face a blank mask. Aroused to the point of madness, Chase swallowed hard. His cock throbbed, demanding release. Before him, Hakon dragged Si onto his lap until the elf's back pressed against the big man's chest. The Pride fondled the Elf's prick and stroked his balls. He used his knees to open the Elf's legs and then pushed him forward so his hands touched the floor. Hakon turned his amethyst gaze on Chase. Heart pounding, Chase continued to wash diligently. "Enough bathing; come here, Nomag." Hakon leaned back on the bench, his fingers kneading Si's upturned ass. "Don't use the dryer and bring the soap with you." Fixing his gaze to the floor, Chase moved to Hakon's side, leaving pools of water at every step. The next instant, the Pride's large hand cupped his buttock. Chase gasped but remained motionless. His stomach twisted in anticipation of what was to come. "You are new to our ways, Nomag." Hakon's fingers probed the cleft of Chase's ass. "Know this: we demand complete obedience. Open your legs." Chase obeyed. "Yes, Master." He held his breath; Hakon's fingers circled his hole, pressing against the tight entrance. Chase's cock throbbed at this simple touch; nobody had ever caressed him

there. He bent his knees slightly to encourage Hakon. The Pride chuckled, removed his fingers and slapped Chase once on the buttocks. "Good." Hakon turned his attention to Si's ass. He used his powerful hands to spread the Elf's ass cheeks wide. "Pour some soap into his hole." Chase complied. He moved closer and relished the sight of Si's ass spread so wide, the moist, red ring open in invitation. The desire to sink his cock into that tight, little hole was overwhelming. His shaft wept, dripping pre-cum in a long, sticky tear. Without warning, Hakon leaned toward him and licked the top of his prick. Chase's fingers closed around the bottle of soap. He wanted to grab Hakon's head and force his shaft between his lips. The Pride laughed and turned his head away, then lifted the handle of the flogger under Chase's nose. Made of gold and in the shape of a fist, the handle was an impressive show of wealth. Chase raised a brow and gazed at it, unsure of what to say, or if he should say anything at all. "You will learn control, Nomag. From now on, your climax belongs to your master. I will demonstrate the control I expect. Stand before the Elf." He slapped Si's buttock and turned to address him. "Take the Nomag in your mouth and contain your release until I give you permission." Oh my fucking God; my first blowjob. Chase stood before Si. The Elf's cheeks flushed, but he smiled encouragement and opened his mouth willingly. Chase groaned and eased his cock between Si's lips . . . and into paradise. His knees trembled in ecstasy. Having no idea what to do with his hands, he rested them on his new friend's shoulders. Si's warm, moist tongue played along Chase's shaft, and his teeth scraped across Chase's length in delicious torment. "Look at me, Nomag; I am the master." Hakon met Chase's gaze. "Do you think this will fit inside his sweet little ass?" He held up the flogger to display the gold handle and grinned. "If it doesn't fit, I'll force it."

Around Chase's shaft, Si mumbled a weak protest. The Pride opened his muscular thighs, forcing the Elf's legs wider, then plunged the gold end of the flogger deep inside Si's ass. Chase trembled, his gaze locked with Hakon. The Pride began a punishing series of thrusts. His long fingers curled around one of Si's hips to hold him steady. Chase moaned and rocked his hips, pushing deeper into the Elf's throat, smothering his cries. "Tip his head back. I want you in his throat." Chase cupped Si's head and tipped it back. The Elf's cheeks burned crimson; sweat covered his brow. Chase pulled back and felt the brush of Si's tongue across the slit. He groaned and pushed his cock deep, the sensation driving him over the edge. Chase yelled his release, bucking wildly as he spilled deep down the back of Si's throat. The Elf sucked him down and continued to suckle until Chase's shaft grew soft and slipped from his mouth. Oh my God. Under Chase's hands, Si began to tremble. Hakon's lips curled sadistically. He laughed and drove the end of the flogger into the Elf's ass with practiced precision, turning the thick handle this way and that before plunging it deep to increase the sensation. "That is the last time you climax without permission, Nomag." He reached between Si's legs and fondled his balls. "See how he shudders; the pain is so sweet." Poor bastard will have a coronary if he doesn't blow soon. "Yes, Master" "Kiss him." Chase lowered his mouth and captured Si's lips. So full and soft. He pushed his tongue between the Elf's teeth and lapped. The taste of his own cum filled his mouth. Chase moaned and deepened the kiss. Si responded, and their tongues tangled. He reveled in the pleasure, his first blowjob and now this. I'm in heaven. "Now," bellowed Hakon. Under his lips, Si rocked forward with every plunge of the flogger handle. Chase angled his head and kissed him deeper. The Elf sighed in his mouth and collapsed in a trembling climax, spilling his seed across the floor.

Si sprawled on the bathroom floor. He winced at Hakon's swift removal of the flogger handle. He glanced up at Chase and smiled inwardly at his bemused expression. Lady's blood, the man could kiss. Si rolled to his feet, took the flogger from Hakon and went to wash it in the basin. "Give him two mugs of the Brew. Nomags have no stamina, and Dracu will expect to see him blow when he rides him the first time." Hakon rubbed his chin. "Clean him up, and take him straight to the Pit. Have him watch the show; it may get his slow Nomag juices flowing. Then wipe him down, oil him and take him straight to the auction. Dracu is expected at midnight." Si handed Hakon the flogger and bowed, flinching at the pain racking his body. "Yes, Master. May I say I believe it is Dracu's wish this male remains a virgin and no seed is to be spilled in his mouth until he makes his final decision." "Such a pity. His ass is so tight, I would relish his screams." Hakon ran his hands over Si's chest and circled his nipples with his thumbs. A growl rumbled in Hakon's chest. "You entertain me, Elf. If you please me tonight, I may take you home for my pet." It would be a pleasure to ride you. Visions of hanging in Hakon's dungeon flashed into his mind. The Pride used cock rings to train his subs and kept slaves oiled and ready in his dungeon. Rumors abounded he allowed his friends to use them at their whim. By the goddess, he wished Dracu would choose him. A Pride like him, Si could love. He smiled encouragement at Hakon; to do less would only make him angry. "See how your nipples rise to my touch." Hakon leaned forward and suckled each flat nipple until it stood up cherry red. "The bite of my clamps will increase the pleasure of the whip." He ran his fingers over the red welts on Si's hips and thighs. "When my marks cover you, I'll take you to my bed and fuck you until you scream out my name." Si trembled. Hakon's huge prick was pressing against the front of his pants. He drew a deep breath. "Do you want my mouth on you now, Master?"

"No, I have virgin ass to break tonight." He turned away and moved toward the door. "You have your orders, Elf; get on with it." Chapter Four Half an hour later, Chase sat in the lounge and pushed a finished plate of food onto the table. Self-conscious at being naked but for a strip of white material covering his groin, he pulled at the loincloth and tucked it between his knees. His gaze followed Si, who flitted around the room like a butterfly wearing a peacock-blue loincloth. The atmosphere in the room resonated quiet restraint. The Elves stood out, each with their distinctive golden hue, and moved about the room with practiced ease. They conversed together with excited expectation. In fact, Chase heard Si giggling to his friends in joy. The Elf was euphoric. The other offerings—five in total—reclined on the sofas. They kept their chatter to a minimum and gave him the odd, furtive glance. He noticed each man had an Elf companion, although the term man was not particularly true. There were two other Humans. The other three males had white, flowing hair, pointed ears and displayed very unusual skin color. Two males had pale, opalescent skin and the other one was decidedly green. "Are you afraid?" Si asked, handing him a large mug of blue liquid and sitting down on the sofa beside him. Chase shrugged. "Not afraid, no. Intrigued, yes." His paid-by-the-hour master had flogged him until he couldn't walk on more than one occasion. He loved the pleasure-pain. Fuck, he went back twice a week. He would have lived at the brothel if he didn't have to work for a living. I was becoming addicted. "No. I enjoy being a sub, and your people take it to a whole, new level. I've never been so horny in my life." "I'm happy this pleases you."

"You please me." Chase ran a hand down Si's thigh and squeezed. "Thanks for the blowjob . . . it was amazing. Did Hakon hurt you very much?" "At first, but when I had you in my mouth, I thought I would die of pleasure." The Elf licked his lips seductively. Chase's face grew hot; he glanced away, cleared his throat and changed the subject. "I'm surprised I can understand what everyone is saying; don't you have different languages?" "Mayhap they do, but we all understand each other. Our world is filled with magyck for such things." He tapped Chase's mug with one long finger. "Drink this. You must have another soon." Magyck, as well. Hell, this gets better by the second. Maybe next I'll find gold at the end of a rainbow. Chase sipped the drink. As the warm liquid flowed over his tongue and down his throat, a surge of heat filled his balls. "What is this stuff?" "It increases stamina, makes you insatiable. You will need it for your first time. The Pride masters are not known for their gentleness." Si looked away and sighed. "So I noticed. If Hakon frightens you, why do you submit to him?" "I am, by choice, a slave to the six masters. They live apart from the other Prides, to enjoy the freedom of their insatiable needs. I would love to be exclusive to Dracu, but he is like a god." Si smiled and looked into space, then he turned to grin at Chase. "This year, by bringing you as my offering, I hope he will choose me as his pet—or perhaps find me a place in his household." Chase tossed down his drink. The substance would be worth a fortune on the open market. Hell, his cock had just switched to overdrive. His body heated at the sweet memory of the Elf's mouth, so hot around his cock. He slid down in the chair and smiled at Si. "Define the word pet." "Masters have many who serve them. Some they like to keep around them to tend to their needs. Some live in the dungeons. But there is only one pet. A pet has the privilege of sleeping in the master's bed until he finds his life mate. They have a special connection."

Slaves, not subs . . . interesting. "So what if the slaves get jack of the whole scene and want to leave?" "Leave?" Si frowned and shook his head. "Nobody ever wants to leave. It is an honor—many wish to be here. You wished to find a master to fuck you to completion, did you not?" The room tipped a little, the colors becoming sharper by the second. Chase relaxed, enjoying the sensation. "I guess, but what if I want to leave?" "You won't; it's All Hallows, the night when wishes come true." Si took the drink from Chase's hand and replaced it with another. "Drink up." Si slid his warm hand under Chase's loincloth and caressed his throbbing erection. Chase gulped down the drink, dropped the cup to the floor and drew Si toward him. He kissed him hard. The Elf opened for him, his long fingers slipping into Chase's hair to pull him closer. A bell sounded. Chase broke the kiss. "What happens now?" "Midnight approaches. Dracu will arrive, and the masters go to watch those in the Pit. Then you will go into the auction. I hope Dracu decides to take you, for it will go in my favor." The room went in and out of focus. Chase's cock ached. "What happens in the Pit?" "Some are chosen to perform for the masters. Most years, Hakon takes his Elf's offering into the Pit to break him in. Dracu may decide to send you in to perform. He likes to watch his offerings take their first male. If this happens, you must take my ass— I hope you will make love to me. You must last a long time and bring me to climax." Chase rubbed his hands over his face. "Oh Lord. I almost blew straight away when you gave me that blowjob." "The Brew will help. Take your time, and grease me up good. I'll not be allowed to tell you what to do. The masters like to see a virgin find his way." Si squeezed Chase's thigh. "Don't take me in your mouth; remember, Dracu wants that pleasure for himself."

All at once, everyone began to talk. The room began to empty. Elves gave last minute instructions and led their offerings away, disappearing down various passageways. Chase staggered to his feet in a drunken haze and gazed after them. "I'm guessing it's time to go?" "Yes, this way." Si took his hand and led him toward a doorway. They stopped at the top of a steep flight of steps. Chase laid his arm around Si's shoulders, and they followed the procession downward. At the bottom, the hallway divided into three passages. The walls and walkways glowed with the exact shade of amber as the floors above. A slight breeze moved the warm air and caressed Chase's hair. He swayed, and the floor and walls blended together. "I'm drunk and as horny as hell." "Not much farther." Si wiggled his eyebrows and indicated they take the passage to the left. Another couple moving ahead of them disappeared through a black, ornately decorated door. "We are instructed to watch." Si turned into a small booth with a wide window and took a seat. He indicated inside the Pit, to the naked male standing in the center with his Elf. "The male is one of the Teals. The masters like this species because they shed their skin." Chase dropped onto the bench beside him and shuddered."Eeeuu." The door to the Pit opened, and the Elf stepped out and joined them in the booth. "My master wants to break in this one himself. I hope I've made a good choice." The Elf declared, wringing his hands. Over the other side of the Pit, a door opened, and Hakon strode in. He strutted around the Teal, slowly trailing a thin, stock whip across the Teal's shoulders. Stopping in front of the male, he used the whip handle to lift his chin. "Do you offer your life in the service of your master?" Hakon bellowed. "Yes, Master." The reply echoed around the Pit. The Elf standing beside Chase moved silently back through the connecting door into the Pit and went to stand beside a narrow, metal bench. Hakon circled the Pit

arrogantly. He tossed the whip to the ground and selected a birch cane from a selection of implements on a table by the wall. Chase squirmed in his seat with the sweet memory of birch cutting his flesh. Birch was a favorite of his Dom. Hakon roughly grabbed the Teal by the hair, drew him against his hard body and crushed his mouth in a kiss. The hand gripped around the birch rose in the air. The cane came down in a swish, once, twice, three times across the Teal's thighs. Chase caught his breath at the sight of the red welts forming on the pale, opalescent skin. His cock throbbed; he moaned and fisted his erection. "Don't take your eyes off the Pit." Si chuckled and pried Chase's fingers off his rampant cock, one at a time. Chase growled with annoyance, but seconds later Si's mouth surrounded his prick. He swore colorfully and sank his fingers in the man's golden curls. In the Pit, Hakon broke the kiss and pushed the Teal toward the bench. The Elf instructed the offering to bend over and rest his chest on the bench. He placed cuffs around the prostrate male's wrists and secured them to the legs of the bench. The Elf forced the Teal's feet wide apart and tethered them to rings attached to the floor. He bowed respectfully to Hakon and left through a door on the opposite wall. The Pride used the cane with precision, cutting deep lines up from the Teal's thighs to his neck. The Teal made no sound. From his position, Chase had no doubt about the Teal's enjoyment. The offering's cock stood erect, his balls drawn up tightly between his legs. Hakon stood back to admire his work, his face flushed with exertion. He added a few cuts to the back of the Teal's legs, then slipped the birch between the cleft in the Teal's ass and played him like a fiddle. Chase rolled his hips and ran his fingers up Si's long ears. The Elf's mouth teased and sucked, bringing him close to climax, and then he pulled back, denying him release. Chase trembled. "I can't take much more." Si lifted his head and grinned like a monkey. "You can and you will. Watch the Pit."

Hakon now stood in front of the Teal and with a grin, pulled his massive shaft out of his pants. Chase sighed at the sight of the thick cock sliding into the Teal's willing mouth. Hakon took the male's head in his large hands and pumped his hips, moaning with delight. The Elf slipped back into the room. He bowed at Hakon and proceeded to apply lube to the Teal's puckered hole. Hakon said something to make the Elf smile, then pulled out from the Teal's mouth and stepped to one side. Immediately, the Elf dropped his loincloth and took his master's place. As he slipped his cock into the Teal's open mouth, a look of pure bliss covered his face. Hakon picked up his cane and flicked the Elf across the buttocks. He laid the birch across the back of the Teal and positioned himself between his legs. With a raised fist to the audience, he grasped his cock and plunged deep into the Teal. Chase shuddered at the Teal's ear-piercing scream. Hakon's large hands grasped the male's hips, and he rode him with unmerciful savagery. The Teal's body went limp. The sound of flesh slapping on flesh and the Teal's moans around the Elf's substantial cock filled the Pit. To Chase's amazement, the Teal shuddered and climaxed, sending streams of cum across the amber floor. "Again," Hakon demanded, pounding his hips. He glared at the Elf. "Finish." The Elf increased his pace for a few moments, and then withdrew, his cheeks flushed with pleasure. He stepped away and stood in silence beside the table, his cock glistening in the lights. I'm going to die of pleasure. Chase grasped Si's head and drove up into his mouth. Flames licked his balls; his brain shattered. The Elf closed his sharp teeth around his shaft, and Chase exploded with a sob. He lifted his head to gaze into the Pit in time to see Hakon continue his punishing strokes until the Teal shuddered again to conclusion. The Pride pulled out, spraying his release across the Teal's back. He punched the air in triumph and strode arrogantly from the Pit. Chapter Five

A message arrived from Dracu; he was anxious for the auction to begin and had cancelled all games in the Pit. Chase followed Si to the bathroom. On this floor, the bathroom resembled a football locker room, complete with massage benches. One huge shower took up the entire far wall. Each of the four benches had a small table covered with a stack of creams and lotions. Chase washed and used the toilet, then leaned against the wall. The four remaining offerings waited beside him. More Brew was served, even though everyone—Chase included—was still feeling the effects of the first round. He could hardly put one foot in front of the other. That drink must be 200 proof. Si beckoned him, and he staggered toward a bench. He climbed on and closed his eyes. The Elf's warm hands slid across Chase's skin, spreading oil over his body. He turned on command and rested his face on his hands. If only the room would stop spinning, he could enjoy the massage. "Climb up onto all fours." Chase opened one eye. He must be joking. And show everyone my ass. "I don't think so." "If you don't allow me to grease your hole, Dracu will fuck you dry. Is that what you want?" The Elf glared at him, his hands balled in fists on his hips. "I'd rather have you." "Don't say such a thing; get up . . . now." Si insisted, poking at Chase's shoulder. With a groan, Chase climbed up onto all fours. He grinned at the other males and pushed back, enjoying Si's probing finger. Lord, he was hard again. The bloody thing is out of control. A stinging slap on his buttock brought him back to reality. He climbed unsteadily off the bench and complained at the Elf's insistence to remove the loincloth. "You are first in the auction." Si removed Chase's loincloth with a flick of his hand. "You will be tied, arms and legs spread apart. The masters will examine you. If Dracu does not accept you, the others are free to bid." "Then what?"

"Your new master will break you in, and then decide what to do with you. "Si smiled. "With luck, you will be a house slave." A wave of trepidation hit Chase. The fun was over. In the next few minutes, he would become a slave. He would die a slave. Panic swept over him, cramping his belly. He wanted to run, and turned, searching for an exit. He swayed and made for the door. Si and another Elf took his arms in a vise-like grip. They dragged him out of the bathroom, down a short corridor and through a curtained entrance. They entered a darkened room, where a rich, spicy scent of man and sex hung heavy in the air. Under a spotlight sat a circular, raised stage with two metal posts glistening like silver. Chase struggled to no avail. The Elves were stronger than they looked and easily secured him to the posts. He glared at Si. "You're a fucking liar. When this drink wears off, I'll punch your head in." He hung on the restraints and dropped his head. He already knew his fate. Hakon. ***** Within the darkened perimeter of the room, Dracu leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes. The Nomag had spirit and a delicious body; goddess, he would willingly be a slave to those full, luscious lips. He grew hard at the thought of training this innocent. To bury his fists in all that long, silken hair and slide into that hot, wet mouth, knowing he was the man's first. He would near die in ecstasy taking his tight, virgin ass, slowly and easily, until the offering screamed out in passion. Dracu wet his lips; the Elf had surpassed himself this year. He would think of a suitable reward. "May we examine your Elf's offering, my lord?" Hakon loomed toward him in the darkness. The other masters stood behind him, breathing heavily. They all want this prize. "You may, but keep in mind I wish to break this one, and his mouth is mine."

Chase trembled at the five masters' confident approach. Hell, they were all massive and their tight, leather pants hid nothing of their arousals. I'm going to die. They walked around him, one at a time. One ran a hand over his flaccid cock, sighed and withdrew. Another sniffed his neck, shook his head and left. Hakon, his body rank with the smell of sweat, moved closer. "I have chosen my offering, but I will bargain to share you, Nomag." He twisted Chase's nipples and sauntered off the stage. Chase stared into the gloom; he sensed a powerful presence just outside the ring of light. An intoxicating scent repeatedly drew his gaze back to search the darkness. Only two Pride remained, one on each side of him. Chase drew a breath at the touch of a hand on his ass and turned to his left to see a golden-skinned Pride with an intense expression. The blond-haired Pride on his right lifted his chin and stared into his eyes. Chase dropped his gaze. "You have swallowed three mugs of Brew, and yet you stand here with a shriveled prick. Are we so abhorrent? Or do you need a little encouragement?" He ran his warm fingers across Chase's belly, lingering in the mat of black curls surrounding his sex. "I must admit the hair around your cock is fascinating, but if I take you, I will have most of it removed." Chase bucked to dislodge the finger sliding between the cleft of his ass. Held firmly by a massive hand on his hip, Chase went ridged with fear. The hot digit circled, probed and slipped inside. The male behind him growled and began to slide his finger in and out. Desire overcame fear. Chase groaned with pleasure and pushed his hardening cock into the blond Pride's waiting hand. Brought to the point of climax and refused release, Chase swore colorfully at the backs of the two retreating males. His arms ached and his balls were on fire. Fuck, what's going to happen now? Are they bidding on me? The light in the room increased. Only one male remained in the room. Chase stared at a man lounging in a chair directly in front of him. The man inclined his head, allowing a fall of silver hair to slide down his chest like mercury. Iridescent,

aquamarine eyes, set in a face of ultimate male perfection, met Chase's gaze. The male rose in one fluid motion and moved closer, sending a quiver of expectation down Chase's spine. "I am Dracu of Lioness. What are you called?" He ran a finger down Chase's cheek, bent to sniff his hair and smiled, displaying brilliant white fangs. Chase inhaled the Pride's earthy, musk fragrance. His head swam; this man's intoxicating scent, combined with the Brew, was a potent mix. He could see flecks of silver in the man's eyes . . . compassionate eyes. Then the master sniffed him again, and for a split second, his eyes flashed yellow. What the fuck? Chase swallowed hard and fought back the need to scream. He dropped his gaze and steeled himself to answer in a strong tone. "My name is Chase Drake." "Chassse." The name rolled off his tongue with a hiss. "What is your wish on this sacred of all nights?" Shit, that I want the hell out of here. Then I'll be punished for lying. He drew a deep breath; the phrasing of his answer would be critical. "I seek the freedom to love a man without condemnation. One who will share my sexual fantasy." "I see." Dracu moved closer. "It is a good wish." Chase's heart squeezed. A warm glow spread over him. He had the sudden desire to kiss this stranger. He smiled. "Yes, it is." Dracu fought a battle with his inner cat to bite the Nomag. He smiled up to the heavens; after searching for twenty long years, he'd finally found his mate in the man standing trembling in front of him. He must remain calm, in control of the raging beast inside. To bite now would relinquish control, and he would fuck his sweet virgin to death. He ran his tongue over his fangs, aware of his venom sacs filling to capacity. The sweet ache in his cheeks would become intolerable over the next few hours. He groaned inwardly, his eyes fixed on the vein throbbing wildly in Chase's neck. How he craved to sink his fangs into that soft skin and savor the man's sweet blood. He had waited so long, and still he must deny himself this pleasure. He lifted

Chase's chin and licked a path across his bottom lip. To his astonishment, Chase opened his mouth in invitation. Dracu brushed the man's lips in a kiss, then pushed his tongue deep inside. Lady's blood, he tasted like sin. He growled, caressing every inch of the Nomag's mouth. He wanted so much more but reluctantly pulled back and met Chase's confused gaze. "I am your wish." Chapter Six More than a little confused, Chase stared after Dracu's retreating back. Now what? A few minutes later, Si appeared with a huge grin plastered over his face. He removed the restraints and helped Chase to a chair. Flexing his muscles to remove the cramps, Chase glared at the Elf. "Okay you little weasel, what the fuck is going on?" "It is more than I hoped for." Si held a hand over his heart."You are to spend this night with Dracu, then tomorrow we both stay in his private chambers until you are ready to go to his palace." "How do I get to this palace?" "Once you are Pride"—Si gave a little whoop of joy—"you may take the Gate directly to Dracu's palace. There are Gates for each of the masters in the courtyard." He pressed his hands against his heart again. "I can't believe this has happened; Samhain has surely listened to our prayers." Chase grabbed him by the balls and drew him close. "Explain nice and slow in words I can understand. Don't assume I know what you're saying." "You are Dracu's chosen one. He has searched for twenty years and I found you." He grasped Chase's shoulders, tipped his head back and laughed. "You cannot travel through the next Gate into our realm unless you transform. So, Dracu will wait here until you are ready." "Ready? Transform? Speak English."

"You must submit to Dracu and all will be well." Si took Chase's face in his hands and kissed him. "You will have your wish. Dracu is a good master. Now come, you must shower; our master is expecting you to join him within the hour." After showering, dressing in a shirt and some type of stretch pants, Chase followed Si deeper into the complex. Nerves twisted his belly at what was to come. Dracu was a spectacular specimen—fuck, he was gorgeous and he smelled delicious— but did his handsome face disguise a cruel nature within? They waited outside a door guarded by two enormous Pride males. Chase ran his hands through his hair and tried to slow his racing heart. He glanced at Si just as the door swung open. "How do I please him?" "Do everything he demands without hesitation. I should have given you more Brew. It doesn't usually wear off so soon." Si gave him a push toward the door. Chase straightened his shoulders and walked into an opulent sitting room. The door shut behind him with a small thud. He glanced around, admiring the intricately carved furniture. The polished surfaces shone under the subtle lighting. Artistry of this quality was rare. He ran his hand over the curve of one of six chairs set around an oval table. The tactile finish brushed against his fingers in a caress. He moved closer to trace the leopard carved so beautifully in the back of a polished mahogany chair. The theme of earthy colors followed throughout the room, to sofas with soft leather seats in deep charcoal, to the armoire against the wall. Grasses stood in tall, slabsided vases beside a huge fireplace carved out of the amber crystal wall. This man has taste—not what I expected. Dracu's scent filled the room. Chase turned to admire the man standing in the doorway. "I am pleased you appreciate fine artistry. These pieces and all in my palace were made by the Fae." Dracu ran his hand across the armoire. "They are dedicated to their work." Do I answer or say nothing? Lord, the man is practically naked. Chase bit his bottom lip, unable to stop himself from looking at all that naked, golden flesh. He pushed down the urge to drag off the white silk loincloth Dracu had slung around his hips and

lowered his gaze. To look at a master without permission would only anger him. "They are magnificent, Master." "Come, I will show you the play room." Dracu walked from the room and down a wide passage. "My bedchamber is here." He indicated to an open door. "The bathroom is adjacent. You will sleep with me, bathe with me, eat only what I feed you." Chase glanced into a room with a king-size bed. Handcuffs and chains trailed from both metal bed ends. Chase quickly turned his head and followed Dracu down a long passageway lined with doors. He turned his attention to the open door of the room at the end of the hall. He swallowed a lump of trepidation as he took in the room's accoutrements: A bench, one single chair and a whipping frame against the wall, all with manacles attached. He followed Dracu inside. A selection of whips, canes, paddles and birch were contained in a drum. Leather masks, ball gags and other restraints hung on pegs. Not for the faint hearted. A bench held creams, candles and phalluses of every length and girth. "Stand here." Dracu removed the loincloth and tossed it aside. He sat in the highback chair, legs apart. "Remove your shirt." Chase's gaze swept over Dracu's muscular body and rested on his impressive dick. Fuck, at least eight inches on the slack. He blinked; two gold rings pierced the foreskin. Dracu gave a low, menacing growl, and Chase swiftly pulled the shirt over his head. "Turn around, bend over and slide your pants down to your knees . . . slowly." Chase's cock went rock hard. He bent over, slowly slid the pants over his ass and down to his knees. His hard shaft bobbed in front of his belly. "Open your legs and hold open your ass." Chase's face flamed but he complied and pulled his ass cheeks apart. He remained in that position for what seemed like an eternity. "Stand up and turn around." Dracu got to his feet, selected a few items and placed them on a small table beside the chair. He dropped his large frame back into the chair and beckoned Chase forward. "You have hair on your balls and this displeases

me. I will have it removed. I will punish you for coming to me in this state and the Elf too. Lay across my knees." Keeping his eyes on the polished stone floor, Chase shuffled forward and complied. Dracu's legs were hot against his flesh; he groaned and hung his head down in complete submission. Dracu smiled at the plump ass across his knees. He ran his hands across the smooth, white flesh, savoring the feel of silken skin. The Nomag weighed heavy across his knees but hung down in such a sweetly submissive pose. He raised his hand and slapped the quivering buttock repeatedly, then soothed the red handprints. Dracu smiled appreciatively; his new sub had not uttered one word of complaint. The proof of his arousal was evident. Against his leg, Chase's cock bounced with every blow, dribbling pre-cum in a delightful, sticky mess. After administering a thorough spanking, Dracu paused, his hand tingling, to admire his work. The Nomag's ass glowed a satisfying shade of red. Like a sweet plum for me to sink my teeth into. Dracu reached for the lube, choosing a powerful aphrodisiac cream. He scooped out a liberal amount and slathered it along the cleft of Chase's ass. His fingers searched and found the tight, puckered hole. He circled and dipped inside the entrance, enjoying the sweet moans of his sub. The Nomag was unusually tight, the band of muscle refusing to allow two fingers entrance. He pushed inside, searching for the pleasure spot, and then grinned. Chase's ass clung to his finger with surprising pressure. He would be a joy to fuck, if he could ever break through the barrier. He removed his finger and took a medium girth, long butt plug from his selection of toys. He preferred this one; made with magyck, it remained hot and sent shocks of delight deep inside. "Push back; open your ass for me." Rubbing the butt plug up and down the cleft of Chase's ass to coat it with lube, he circled the Nomag's hole, pressing and probing for entrance.

Chase ground his teeth. An unfamiliar, hot pressure strained against his ass. He tried to relax, but fear clenched his muscles. The command to push back came again. Bearing down, he yelped in pain at the invading heat filling his ass. "I'm not stopping. You will take all of it deep inside." Panting for breath, Chase relaxed, and the butt plug slid in. Vibrations swept in waves to his balls. He cried out, writhing in ecstasy. This master was everything he craved. I'll do anything to keep you as my master. "Stand up." Dracu tipped Chase off his lap, and then stood. "Get up and sit there." He indicated to the chair. Waves of pleasure shot deep inside Chase the second he sat down. His ass cheeks stung deliciously; no master before had spanked him so soundly. Lord, he was going to come all over himself. Without preamble, Dracu knelt before him, cupped his balls and took his aching cock deep in his mouth. So hot and wet . . . . Chase quivered with pleasure. The scent of the man drew a response of deep longing. Chase's heart squeezed; he wanted Dracu with every ounce of his being. God help me, I'm falling in love with a cat. Chase tipped his head back and grinned in delight. "I'm going to blow, Master" Dracu's hot mouth sucked him hard, flicking the slit of his cock. The Dom scraped his sharp fangs up the length. Chase was in heaven. Out of control, he let the sensations overwhelm him and exploded in a long, satisfying climax. He clung to the Pride and sobbed. "Thank you, Master." Dracu lifted his head and took Chase's mouth in a slow, lingering kiss. The man responded with deep passion, clutching at Dracu's shoulders. Yes, you belong to me. I know you feel our connection already. Once you taste my essence, the bond will not be broken. He broke the kiss, got to his feet and stood gazing down at the Nomag. He growled, then gripped his cock and wiped the dripping head across the Nomag's lips. "Pleasure me, Chase."

Chase looked up at him with expressive blue eyes, lids heavy with passion; he tentatively swiped his wet tongue across the weeping slit. Dracu pushed closer, demanding entrance, and sighed at his slave's immediate obedience. The Nomag's mouth opened wide to accommodate Dracu's size, then closed around him, hot and succulent, his moves hesitant. Dracu slid his fingers into Chase's long, black hair and held him still. He rocked his hips a little, pushing deeper every time. "Use your tongue and your teeth. Please me, Nomag." Under his hands, Chase shivered. Dracu could not take his gaze off Chase's face. Goddess, the man was looking up at him with love in his eyes. He grinned; the butt plug would soon have him hard again and begging for release. Later, he would break him in, and then take his ass repeatedly until he screamed out his name in passion. This Nomag would fulfill his every dream. Chase moaned around his master's thick cock. The gold rings clinked against his teeth with each thrust. He tasted so wonderful; he suddenly had the urge to sample more of his unique scent. He pulled back his head and bent to suck Dracu's balls; his tongue flicked until they shone wet and inviting. Chase pushed at his master's legs, willing him to open for him. He spit on his fingers, found his master's hole and pushed inside. With a sigh, he lifted his head, then took the Pride's shaft back into his mouth and suckled. I am your wish . . . he said that, didn't he? Please let it be true. If this is a dream, I never want to wake up. Dracu shuddered and fisted his fingers in Chase's hair. He stood motionless, allowing the Nomag to bring him to climax. The man's fingers were rough, and he lacked sophistication, but he was eager enough to please. Chase began to suckle in earnest, his flushed cheeks moving in and out. Goddess, I'm going to come. Dracu held Chase's head tightly; the virgin would balk the second he blew in his mouth. He

breathed in the scent of his true mate and surrendered his seed. "Swallow and lick me clean. If you spill one drop, I'll flog you 'til your skin peels off." Surprised and delighted, Dracu rubbed his thumbs over Chase's cheeks. The Nomag continued to suckle, savoring every drop. If he continued much longer, he would have the chance to practice again. He pushed down the urge to drag him to his feet and kiss him. What was wrong with him? He was acting like a lovesick whelp. Chase needed discipline, a master to paddle his fine ass and then love him until he screamed in passion. Yes, sweet Nomag, you are just what I need. Goddess, he loved him already and could see his love returned in Chase's eyes. Dracu craved to bite him, then watch his venom bring his lover to the pinnacle of sexual desire before his body transformed. But first would come pain. Dracu looked down at his cock slipping in and out of Chase's swollen lips and sighed. During mating, it would engorge to its full girth. The mating would be violent and even deadly if he didn't remain in control of his inner cat. I can't wait, I must have him tonight. Dracu groaned, imagining each step he must take before the mating. He must dominate his mate now to show he was an unyielding master. He didn't have much time. Chase must learn to submit completely and allow him to take him slowly, or he may not survive. I am an alpha male, and you, sweet mate, will not lead me from my path. He pushed Chase's mouth away from his dick. "Enough. Now we will shower. Si will bring us food within the hour." Chapter Seven Chase sat crossed legged on the sofa with a towel wrapped around his waist. The butt plug still penetrated his ass with hot delight. In all his life, he had never been so happy. This is what he craved. To be in the hands of a powerful Dom was a wish come true. He had hit the jackpot. Hot damn, the man was sin on a stick. He could just lick him all over.

Dracu sat beside Chase, naked. The Pride proceeded to feed him morsels of food from his own plate. Chase chewed slowly and waited for Dracu to start talking. "Do you understand what's happening to you?" Dracu pressed a slice of mango to Chase's lips, then bent to lick the juice off his chin. Chase gave a small shrug; it was unusual for a Dom to indulge in idle conversation, let alone feed him by hand. "Not really." "Do you find me appealing, not just as your master but as a male? Speak freely." Dracu put the plate on the table and turned back to brush his knuckle across Chase's cheek. "More than you could ever imagine." "I know you like to be disciplined, but what else do you seek from your master?" Dracu curled a strand of Chase's hair around his finger. "I can offer you so much more." Chase met the Pride's gaze and smiled. "That sounds interesting." "I have the power to transform you into a Pride male." Dracu moved closer and licked a path across Chase's jugular. "My bite would join us. You would belong to me forever." Unable to grasp the difference between his current position as Dracu's slave and the one offered, Chase frowned. "I belong to you now." "No, as my slave I may trade you, but as my mate, you would be bonded to me forever. You would change, become as I am. Once you return my bite, being apart would be painful. There would be no going home; you would stay in my realm for the rest of your life." Dracu glanced away as if to think through his next words. He sighed. "There is no comparison in your world." He met Chase's gaze. "I will give you time to decide." Decide what? Holy cow, these guys speak in riddles. "Thank you, Master." "Now I have a dilemma. I must punish the Elf for not shaving you, then reward him for finding you for me. As I'm in a particularly good mood, I'll punish him tomorrow. He pleases me, and I believe an Elf will make a sweet addition to our bed."

Dracu laughed and squeezed Chase's leg. "I hope I don't have to beat you every time to give you a hard on." Chase untied the towel from his waist to show his erection. "I've been hard from the second I met you." "Good, then you will have the Elf tonight. I would like to watch you take your first ass." Dracu chuckled. "You know, if you don't get it right, I'll make you practice." Dracu reached for Chase's shaft and ran his thumb over the sticky crown. "But first, you may remove the butt plug, and then I'll watch Si shave you. Maybe later I'll instruct you on giving me a blowjob . . . . I'm not sure if you'll ever get that right." ***** Later, Chase laid spread out on a bench in the playroom. He prayed. Si stood grim-faced over him, wielding a cutthroat razor. Draco's threat to remove his balls if he so much as drew one drop of blood no doubt rang in the poor Elf's ears. Every swipe of the blade drew a chuckle from Dracu, standing beside the bench. The blade scratched across the sensitive skin of his balls; Chase ground his teeth, forcing his body to not to move. He sighed with relief the second Si put down the razor and began to wipe him off. "Why do Nomags hide their beauty with hair?" Dracu ran his fingers over Chase's balls. He grinned at Chase. "Don't look so shocked; the shaving was for my pleasure and your discipline. The hair will never return." Chase rolled off the bench and waited for instructions. Dracu waved him away, and Chase went to lean against the wall. The Elf had prostrated himself at Dracu's feet. Chase's gaze roamed over Si's delectable ass, and the thought of riding him made him hard. Dracu stared down at the Elf, a fall of glossy, silver hair framing his face. "I've decided to reward you for bringing Chase to me. Make yourself ready and go to the second bedroom." Dracu bent and grabbed a handful of Si's golden curls and

dragged him to his feet. "Don't think for a second I've forgotten your misconduct. I'll deal with that in the morning." The Elf bowed low and ran from the room. Chase's heart raced; Dracu's eyes flashed to yellow again. It was happening more often now, and it unnerved him. The Pride would inhale and glance away, and his eyes would return to aqua by the time he looked back. "Why do your eyes change color, Master?" Dracu growled deep in his chest and crossed the room to Chase's side in a flash. "They change because I want to fuck your tight ass until you scream." He cupped the back of Chase's neck and scraped his fangs across his jugular. "My fangs ache; the desire to sink them deep into your soft skin is becoming unbearable. I'm a master; this need for you is a weakness I've not experienced before." Chase shuddered. The scratch of Dracu's fangs cross his skin mixed with the Pride's intoxicating scent and filled him with insatiable desire. He groaned, sliding his hands up Dracu's muscular back. Under his palms, the muscles tensed. "I want you too, Master." "What you want is of little significance." Dracu pushed away and turned his back, breathing heavily. "Go to the second bedroom and fuck the Elf. Don't disappoint me." This is insane. Chase shrugged and headed for the bedroom. The door stood open. Inside, Si stood by the bed, arranging the pillows in a pile in the center. He glanced up and smiled, then dropped his gaze. The master is behind me. "Get on with it." Dracu dropped into a chair and glared at them. "Make sure your head is up this end, Elf." Chase stepped forward and cupped Si's face. He kissed him long and slowly, exploring every inch of his mouth. He tasted nice, but nothing as good as the potent flavor of his master. The Elf stepped back and climbed onto the bed, pushing the pillows under his belly. "No." The Pride got to his feet and pushed Si onto his back. He pulled the Elf's shoulders to the foot of the bed to allow his head to hang over. "Pull your knees to your

chest and hold them there." He stood over the Elf with his flaccid cock hanging just above his mouth. Chase kneeled on the bed and ran his hands over Si's smooth skin. He bent to lick his flat nipples and kissed a path down to his cock. He stopped at the Elf's bobbing shaft and glanced up at Dracu. I'm forbidden to taste anyone but you, Master, this I know. Breaking eye contact, he sat back and gazed down at Si's glistening hole. So inviting. Chase's cock throbbed. He ran a finger around the winking star, testing the moist center, then dipped inside before withdrawing. Si moaned encouragement and lifted his ass higher in the air. Chase took hold of his shaft and stroked the puckered hole. He pushed forward; the Elf's ass opened to accept him. Heat surrounded him, gripping his shaft with tormenting waves of delight. His hands went to Si's hips, and he drove into him until his balls rested against the Elf's buttocks. The slow withdrawal was just as sweet; he rocked in and out repeatedly, savoring the hot, spiraling sensations. Why did I wait so long to do this? Dracu's cat screamed with jealousy. I see the Nomag has feelings for the Elf. I will soon cure him of that affliction, cat. He looked down at the Elf's glowing cheeks and growled in discontent. The Elf enjoys himself too much. With one move, he thrust his semihard cock down into the Elf's mouth. "Remember you serve me and only me." He bent forward, resting his hands on the bed, and thrust deep. "Kiss me, Chase." Dracu's cat roared encouragement. They met in the middle; Dracu cupped the Nomag's nape and crushed his lips. He wanted to brand him, to make him understand he was his destiny. His fangs scratched Chase's lips just as the man shuddered to climax. Blood, mixed with the unique taste of Chase, trickled into Dracu's mouth. He moved back, hearing the choke. He pulled out, stared at his engorged shaft and roared. Time had run out; he needed to mate. Now.

Chase gasped; the intent expression on Dracu's face terrified him. He slipped from the Elf's sizzling ass and stepped away from the bed. His lips stung, and he could taste blood. Dracu moved closer, his large hands fisted in Chase's hair. The Pride bent his head and sucked on Chase's bottom lip. He pulled back, blood staining his lips. Without warning, he dragged Chase out of the room. "Where are we going, Master?" "To wash the stink of Elf off you." He pushed Chase through his bedroom and into the shower. "Time has run out, Nomag. My cat wants to mate." Water cascaded down their bodies, filling the cubicle with billows of steam. The cold, crystal wall pressed against Chase's back. Dracu leaned his hard body closer and kissed him, slowly, possessively, driving his hot tongue deep. A wave of euphoria swept over Chase, and he kissed him back with passion. He wanted this bad-tempered cat with every fiber of his being. Should he tell him and damn the consequences? When Dracu broke the kiss, Chase drew him closer, seeking his lips. "I love you, Master." "You believe this to be true when I insisted you fuck the Elf?" Dracu gazed into Chase's eyes. "Could you trust your heart, knowing my need to discipline you will never stop?" Chase cupped the Pride's face and boldly licked a path across his lips. "This was my wish, Master. You are my wish." "Then will you have me forever? Will you promise to love no other?" Dracu stared at Chase through the steam with yellow eyes, cat's eyes. "Tell me and I will make it so." Chase swallowed hard. His dream had come true. How could he resist? "Yes, Master." Dracu held Chase's head firmly and kissed him again. Mine forever. He trailed kisses across his chin stubble and down his throat. Chase's Adam's apple bobbed, betraying his fear. The warm shower would soothe him. Dracu lapped the water droplets from Chase's throat and watched the throb of blood flowing through the

prominent vein in his throat. His cheeks ached; venom dripped from his fangs and spilled over his tongue. Now. Sharp fangs trailed down Chase's neck. The bite was swift and deep. The heat of Dracu's mouth closed on his jugular; his teeth were fully embedded. Chase's hands bunched into fists with the first, deep suck. Shit, this is fucking gross. Searing pain, then a rush of erotic pleasure hit him like a train. His knees went weak, and he sagged against the wall and closed his eyes. Visions flashed across his mind as if he were watching a vampire movie. Castles and men in cloaks with fangs drifted through his consciousness. An overwhelming feeling of love enclosed him in a warm hug. He opened his eyes the moment Dracu's arms closed around him. They were lying on the bed. How did that happen? Why did he feel so damn horny? Hell, his balls were on fire. Dracu loomed over him, kissing every inch of his body. Chase groaned at each nibble and opened his legs wider in invitation to the wet mouth suckling his balls. "The venom will make this easier for you, my love." Dracu pushed copious amounts of aphrodisiac lube into Chase's ass. "I will cuff you and tie you down to increase your enjoyment. I'm going to take you many times tonight. Each time the pain will be less." Dracu slid from the bed. He secured cuffs around Chase's thighs and wrists. Before positioning him to his satisfaction, he pushed a pillow under the man's hips. He grinned and tightened the straps to spread Chase's thighs wide, his knees bent against his chest. So many virgins, he couldn't remember one of their names, had lain on their backs, just like this, waiting for him to break them, but this one was his to keep forever. Chase, he loved. Gods, love was so foreign to him, an indescribable ache deep in his heart. He smoothed his hand over Chase's hips and bent again to suck the Nomag's balls, red and raw from the close shave. The man's ass cheeks tensed in invitation to bite

again and send his mate into sexual oblivion. Dracu crawled up Chase's body and suckled each flat nipple. Chase arched up and moaned with delight. He would bite both, he decided, and sank his fangs, careful not to damage the bone beneath the muscle. Under his mouth, Chase bucked, then sighed. The venom would be rushing through his veins now, bringing sexual rapture, and in another twelve hours, the transformation would begin. Slowly at first, the inner cat would make his presence known. Dracu moved between the man's legs and pushed his fingers deep into Chase's puckered hole; they slipped in and out easily. He smiled . . . not so tight as before. He positioned his body between Chase's open legs and rested the head of his dick against the man's hole. He leaned forward and kissed Chase's chest, placing his hands each side of his torso. "Open your eyes; look at your master." He moved his hips, increasing the pressure against the Nomag's tight hole. Chase frowned and opened his eyes a slit. Pink spots rose high on the man's cheekbones. Dracu met his gaze and pushed. Chase made a small sound in his throat and tried to move away. Dracu pressed harder against his lover's star. The bands of muscle protested his intrusion, forming a tight, impenetrable barrier. "Let your body relax; take a breath, and let it out slowly." A trickle of sweat ran down his back. Goddess help him, his mate was too small. His cat roared with desperation. Dracu's concentration lapsed for a second, and the cat took control. With a roar, he drove forward, conscious of the muscle popping before he slid inside. He heard Chase protest, saw the color drain from his face, but the need to mate drove him on. Inch by delicious inch, he sank deeper into the man's tight heat. Chase swore and bucked, trying to get away, but the restraints held him almost motionless. The room rolled in and out of focus. How could he feel so horny with this much hurt? Pain seared a scorching path in his ass. The searing heat of Dracu's cock stretched and filled him without mercy. How much more could he endure? He met the

Pride's gaze; his eyes were slits of yellow, and venom dripped in white tears from his fangs. The only option was to relax and let the pain flow over him. Chase drew a deep breath and let his body go limp. Dracu growled and began to move; Lord, the sensations were too intense. He couldn't take it. His heartbeat kicked up another notch. "Please, Master, I'm going to die of pleasure." Dracu ground his teeth and increased his pace. "You won't die." The Nomag's ass was still tight but had stretched to accommodate him nicely. It hugged his shaft, so hot, so deliciously, he wanted ride him all night. He bent to lick the sweat off Chase's chest; the salty liquid coated his tongue with his mate's flavor. He drove into him repeatedly, watching the man's eyes roll in ecstasy. Chase shuddered under him; his breath came in short pants, and then he climaxed and spilled strings of white cum over his belly. Dracu smiled and continued to plunge deep, twisting his body until Chase's cock grew hard again. "The venom will make you come all night." Chase bit his bottom lip and gave in to the dark pleasure. Dracu, his face dripping with sweat, reared back and grasped Chase's hips, lifting him higher. Chase moaned in ecstasy; his cock ached and his ass burned with pleasure-pain. He never imagined it would feel like this, so full and stretched to the limit. Every thrust brought immeasurable pleasure. Dracu's eyes changed back to aqua, and the Pride drove in with such ferocity his body was almost a blur. Dracu yelled his release and fell forward, filling Chase with liquid heat. Chase trembled. Another climax swept over him with uncontrollable wildness, this time so intense, the room swirled into a stream of colors, and heat sizzled in his balls. He shuddered, convinced molten lava was shooting from his cock. I'm going to die. Dracu looked down at his mate. Goddess, he loved him. He slipped out slowly and sat on the side of the bed. Pushing strands of hair off Chase's damp cheek, he

moved closer and bent to brush a kiss across the man's full lips. Lady's blood, he wanted Chase to ride him so he could hold his sweet ass and impale him on his prick. He went to the bathroom to clean up and collected a wet towel to wash Chase. He wiped him down, then stood beside the bed to admire his delicious mate. Chase still had his legs in the air, and he looked so good tied up, his buttocks still red from Dracu's earlier spanking. His ass was wet with his seed, red-rimmed, with a delectable bruise forming. He grew hard again and grinned. Yes, he would have him many times tonight. Reluctantly, he untied Chase and lay beside him, gathering him in his arms. Chase opened his blue eyes and smiled weakly. Dracu kissed the bite on his neck, then sank his fangs deep again. Blood filled his mouth and he drank deeply, allowing his venom to flow into Chase's jugular. He lifted his head and gazed at his mate's confused expression. "I want to bite you, and you will permit this. Now climb onto me and slide yourself onto my cock. Again? I'm not sure if I can take it. Chase groaned and slid on top of his master's damp body. Dracu grabbed his hips, and in one swift move, impaled him. A shudder of delight shot through Chase's balls at each thrust. "I didn't think it was possible to get aroused again so quickly." "Pride may spill ten times or more in succession and during mating, many more times." Dracu pulled him to his chest and increased the punishing strokes. "The venom makes you as I am. I will take you until we both pass out from exhaustion" Slipping his hands into Dracu's long, silver hair, Chase quivered. "Thank you, Master." "My name for you, Chase of my heart, is Dracu." Chapter Eight The following morning, Dracu awoke with Chase draped across his chest. The man's silken hair clung to his face with sweat. Goddess, he smelled so fine. Dracu

smiled into the darkness. He had ridden his mate until he collapsed with exhaustion then woke him up, spanked his delicious ass and took him again. The sweet memory of the sound Chase made when he spilled made him hard. Soon he will call out my name in ecstasy. He had to admit, the Nomag carried his bite marks well, although both of the open wounds around his nipples had crescent-shaped bruises. The other love bites were rosy from his sucking and matched his glowing buttocks. Dracu stroked Chase's back. Soon, his mate would grow fangs, and the need to bite him would become more important than breathing. I can't wait to watch his body change to Pride and feel his venom flowing through my veins. I thank the Lady we are well matched. Chase stretched and opened his eyes. Under his palm, Dracu's heart pounded. He moved his head to lick and then suckle the Pride's flat nipple. Dracu's large hand squeezed his ass. Chase moaned and lifted his head to meet Dracu's kiss. So tender, his master's tongue searched his mouth then trailed across his lips. Chase met his aqua gaze. "You are one hell of a lover." "And you have a comparison? I think not, unless you count the Elf." He frowned and waved his hand in the air. Lights flooded the room. "You will enjoy my ass much better—if I ever allow it." Chase leaned up on his elbows. What had upset him? Was he jealous? "I'm sure I will. I only fucked the Elf because you told me to." "I saw the way you kissed him. You wanted him; don't deny it." Dracu rolled away. I thought it was fucking great. "He was my first; of course I liked it. I like him; he has a body I could lick all over." "You are the only one I've allowed to spill their seed into him. I should have enjoyed watching you fuck him, but I didn't. I wanted to share him with you, but seeing how much you enjoyed him annoyed me." Dracu rubbed his hands over his face. "The

strange feelings I have for you are confusing me. You must understand, Pride only experience love with their life mate." The inner turmoil in Dracu was evident. Chase placed a hand on his back. "Go on." "I wasn't expecting to find a mate this All Hallows. The turmoil of emotions and the constant fighting with my cat was unexpected. You see, I take a virgin offering each year, but before I have them, I enjoy watching them fuck one of the Elves." He glanced over his shoulder and frowned. "It makes the breaking in better when they are relaxed." Chase shrugged. Is this a confession or what? "So seeing me fuck Si has made you angry. Why? Is he different? Do you care for him?" He shrugged. "I broke him in; his ass belongs to me." Dracu sighed. "I know some of the other masters play with him. I allow it up to a point." He rolled to a sitting position and pushed back his hair. "Si will do anything to please me. I held him the first night with his small, peach ass pressed up against my cock. He was so afraid. I just wanted to fondle him." He rose and walked into the bathroom, beckoning Chase to follow him. "After an hour he was so hard he shook. I lifted him up so he straddled my shoulders and took him in my mouth. Lady, I can still taste him." You aren't answering my question. Chase followed him into the shower, his cock at full mast. "I'm surprised you didn't kill him, breaking him in; he must have been tight." "Not as tight as you." Dracu chuckled. "It was nice. I spanked him for blowing in my mouth, then told him to lie down before me and grease his ass. Then he crawled up my body and impaled himself real slow. He likes to fuck that way, you know—on top. When I began to move that first time and thrust in deep, his screams almost burst my eardrums, then he blew all over my chest and begged me for more." Hot water burst from the shower nozzle. Chase tipped back his head, allowing the water to cascade over him. Dracu began to wash him with strong, powerful strokes. He stepped out of the water flow and stared at his lover in amazement. "I should be washing you, Master."

"You are my mate. I am no longer master to you unless we are playing." Dracu smiled and began to soap Chase's hair." Soon, you will be Pride, and we will be almost equals." "Almost equals." "Aye, I am alpha male by blood. Nothing can change that." He pushed Chase back under the water. "I hoped we could have the Elf as our pet. Three in bed is most desirable, but I fear you are already developing an attachment. This will not be tolerated." So, you are jealous of the Elf—holy crap. Chase took the soap and began to wash Dracu's magnificent shaft. The Pride pushed away his hand. "Not now; it is time to eat." ***** Sometime later, after Dracu had hand fed him a sumptuous breakfast, he followed his lover to the playroom. During the meal, the Pride seemed distracted, and now he paced the room in silence. Chase went to stand in front of him; he reached up and touched the Pride's silver hair. He could not resist curling a strand around his fingers. "Tell me about becoming Pride." "The changes are happening as we speak." Dracu ran his fingers over Chase's chin." You will never grow a beard again; already, your face is soft. Many changes will happen quickly. The most significant is the cat. Your body will be enhanced in muscle, sight and hearing. You will recognize scents and have fangs." He ran his hands through Chase's hair. "Soon you will need to bite me; your sex drive will become insatiable." "Sounds good. Tell me about the cat; will it live inside my head, can I talk to it?" "The cat becomes part of you in all ways." Dracu looked down at him and frowned. Chase gazed into his lover's eyes. "Something is troubling you; are you disappointed in me?"

"My cat has insecurities." He waved a hand dismissively. "You can't understand this until you experience the joining. Our cats are real and they control our emotions. At least once a week, we set them free to hunt." "What insecurities?" "In our position, as mated males, it is quite usual to take a pet for our mutual enjoyment. You have already shared my pet and enjoyed his ass, and I hear from Hakon that yesterday you had his mouth." He glanced away. "My cat insists you care for the Elf. He fears you will bite him . . . a stupid notion." Chase ran both hands through his hair. He had absolutely no idea what to say. He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "What is the big deal about biting Si? It's only love play—isn't it?" "You may only bite the one who is your mate. The venom is a sacred gift from the goddess Boda." Dracu's eyes changed to deep yellow. "You belong to me. Biting another who is not chosen by the Lady would void our bond." The door to the playroom opened, and Si stepped inside, bowing low. Chase turned and smiled at him. "Good morning, Si." In a flash of silver, Dracu dashed past him and threw the Elf to the floor. Chase glared at the Pride, who stood over Si with clenched fists. "What the fuck has he done?" Chase asked. "He is not our equal; never offer him a greeting again, or I will strike him dead, do-you-understand?" Dracu met Chase's gaze, his face contorted with rage. He turned back slowly to the Elf. "You dared to bring an offering to me disguised as an ape?" He nudged Si with his toe. "Mayhap I'll give you to Hakon." Anger welled up in Chase, and he stepped forward. "No, he doesn't deserve that, not for such a small oversight." "You forget your place; you've not bitten me yet. I'm still free to refuse to take you for my mate." Dracu glared at Chase. "Mayhap my cat is correct; you do care a little too much for this slave. I think Hakon will make you both remember it's a privilege to

serve me." He strode out of the room and down the hallway to the front door. "Guards, take them both to the Pit." Chapter Nine "Have you lost your mind?" Hakon stopped pacing the Pit viewing room and glared at Dracu. "Look at him; he has almost completed the transformation. He belongs to you. If I fuck him, as soon as you realize your mistake, you will hunt me down. I don't want to fight you over a Nomag." He shook his head and chuckled. "Now the Elf . . . well . . . him, I will take until I tire of him, but I know you well, old friend. You value his ass." Nodding in agreement, Dracu grinned. "He is delicious and always so damn tight." "I'm happy to disturb your sweet mate, but nothing more. Trust me, the Lady chose him for you." Hakon laid a hand on Dracu's shoulder. Dracu rubbed his chin. "You may be right; I'm already experiencing the Lady's curse. I ache for his bite. Although, this feeling is of little consequence—the Nomag doesn't return my love. He craves the Elf." "Nomags aren't like us; they have the ability to love before they choose a mate. I believe you're overreacting with the mating fever." Hakon shrugged. "In any case, any feelings he had for the Elf should be crushed by your bite." A movement through the viewing window to the Pit caught Dracu's attention. He turned and indicated toward Chase, who stood in the center, his arms protectively around Si. A hot poker speared Dracu's heart, and then it shattered into a million pieces. "See, he protects the Elf as he would a mate. Soon, he will bite him and not me. My cat insists as much." He growled and slammed his hand down on the table in jealous anger. "Do whatever you please to the adulterous bastard; I could not care less. Let him bite the Elf. I will enjoy watching them suffer when I keep them apart. He may be Pride now and free to do as he chooses, but the Elf belongs to me."

"And what about the disloyal Elf? Do I at least get his ass? He wants me, you know; he gets hard just looking at me." Dracu grimaced. Hakon would ruin his pet for life. No more than he deserves. "Very well, but don't break him in half. I'll do that myself later when I punish him for stealing my mate." "You should return home; I'll send the Elf along later." Hakon pulled down the blind, blocking the Pit from view. "I'll make sure they understand your displeasure." Straightening his shoulders, Dracu turned away and headed for the door. Pain gripped his chest. I cannot let Hakon see my weakness. Gods, Chase, how could you do this to me? He stopped in the doorway, turned and inclined his head to Hakon. "I am in your debt." ***** Inside the Pit, Chase pulled Si close. The Elf trembled against him, burying his tear-streaked face against his chest. "I won't allow Hakon to brutalize you. A master is supposed to give punishment that brings pleasure-pain, not torture." "Not Hakon. You don't understand; we are here to be punished." Si frowned. "This is not sex play; we are here for a lesson in obedience. Hakon is only satisfied when he sees blood." "Great, so standing up for a friend gets me a beating. Nice." "We have angered Dracu. A beating from Hakon will be without mercy." Si slipped his arms around Chase's waist. "I might not survive." Chase rubbed the Elf's back in wide circles. He tried to concentrate on what Si was saying, although his mind drifted constantly to Dracu. He ached for his mate; hell, he hurt all over, and his balls were on fire. How could he be so horny after last night? Holding Si in his arms made it worse; fuck, he could still feel the Elf's tight ass hugging his cock. He forced his mind back to the conversation. "So don't just stand there and take a beating, tell him to fuck off."

"You don't understand. I have no choice." Si pushed away and swiped his forearm across his eyes. "When I became a slave, I gave my word to obey all of the masters. The fact that I was under Dracu's protection did not prevent the other masters from requesting my services. I admit I enjoyed their domination." He stood up straight. "It is an honor to be here and be one of the chosen few, allowed to seek offerings for All Hallows." The door to the Pit swung open, and Hakon strode inside. He stood grinning like a baboon. The Teal and Hakon's Elf followed behind with an assortment of toys. They deposited the items on a bench and waited, looking at Hakon for instructions. The room immediately filled with Hakon's rank scent. Chase moved in front of Si and folded his arms across his chest. He ran his teeth across the fangs bursting their way through his gums. A presence bumped against his thoughts; a whisper echoed in the back of his consciousness. He panicked, and his heart raced. I'm changing into one of them. It is like two people in the same body; I'm not going to cope. Hakon was speaking. Chase focused on him, trying to hear his orders. He blinked, his eyesight becoming sharper. A gold haze covered the room, and a sparkling halo clung to Hakon's body. Chase turned to look at Si, amazed at the blue aura clinging to him; it was the same as around the other Elf. The Teal's red aura compelled him to sniff the air. What is happening to me? "I am your eyes. See what I see in cat's eyes. Pride brothers sparkle with the Lady's brightness, Fae are blue and food is red. The Teal is a reptile. Have no fear; we are one. I have knowledge of all things. I will guide you." How do I turn you off? "Ask and I will obey." What is your name? "I am cat." Chase's vision cleared. He gazed at his reflection in the black glass viewing panels and laughed. Fuck, I'm enormous. He flexed the muscles in his arms. Strength

radiated through his body. He was getting stronger by the second. Hakon had noticed the change in him as well. The Pride had stopped bellowing. Chase glared at him, giving what he hoped was an intimidating look. "I want to see Dracu." "Dracu has left. You belong to me now." Hakon moved closer. "Don't think for a second you can overpower me. You will submit . . . or die." He rubbed his sex and inclined his head toward Si. "You can watch while I punish the Elf. His master is most displeased he tried to steal you." Hakon began to circle Chase, a predatory grin on his face. "And you, little Pride, he has given to me. Dracu has refused to take you for his mate; he knows you prefer the Elf." He slowly licked his fangs and grinned. "For his parting gift, for I understand he took great pleasure in breaking you in, last eve. He has agreed to let you relieve the pressure in your venom sacs by biting Si." "He lies. You made the sacred oath. Dracu is our mate. We must escape this place and go to him." The cat insisted. "Dracu is jealous. A Pride's only love is his life mate, so they never experience jealousy until the bonding. When you bite him all will be well." Guards filtered into the Pit, surrounding Chase. He ground his teeth. I need time to think. I can't fight all of them. He dropped his aggressive stance and stepped away from Si. The guards moved in as one and strapped him to a whipping frame, splaying his arms wide. He kicked out, but they forced his legs open, attaching them to a spreader bar. Chase dropped his gaze. "It looks like I have little choice." "The mating fever grows strong in you, little Pride." Hakon pulled at Chase's loincloth and tossed it to the floor. "Soon you will be begging me to fuck you." He closed his hand around Chase's shaft and squeezed. "Each hour lust grows stronger with the need to bite." Hakon took a pair of nipple clamps from his belt. He moved closer and sniffed Chase. The young Pride was indeed luscious. To have him or not was the problem. He sighed; never had he seen Dracu so confused. Then again, many in mating thrall acted out of character. No harm in playing with the Nomag, but he would keep his seed for

the Elf. Yes, Dracu owed him that pleasure. He bent down and suckled Chase's flat nipple; it rose up dark brown and hard against his tongue. He opened the clamp and watched the man's expression as he snapped it shut. Chase's sweet groan sent ripples of pleasure straight to his balls. He repeated the process on the other nipple, and then decided to attach small clamps to Chase's balls. He grinned and joined the clamps together with chains. Hakon tugged on the chains and growled at Chase's delighted response. "You like this too much." Hakon dismissed the guards and turned to Si. "Suck me." The Elf scurried forward and kneeled before him; Hakon peeled down his pants. The Elf's mouth closed around him in hot, wet heaven. He grinned at Chase. "See, you fool. These Elves are devoted to submission. They come here of their own free will. They have no loyalty to any Pride. Some keep their ass for their master, but we share them all. This one, who you believe is devoted to you, came here greased and ready for my pleasure. Don't you remember how hard his cock grew when he saw me, how I brought him to climax with my flogger?" "You're lying. He doesn't want to submit to your cruelty." Chase shot him a gaze of pure hatred. "Submission is trust in the master. He doesn't trust you, Hakon; he fears you." Taking the Elf's head in his hands, Hakon slipped from his mouth. Opening his legs, he stood and allowed the Elf to suck his balls and lick a path to his hole. "You see I don't have to ask; his life is to serve the masters. He pushed Si away, and then walked to the bench and lay down on the leather surface." He loves me. This Elf craves my punishment; his wish this Samhain was to have me inside him. I would have had him many times, in the past, but for Dracu's request for exclusivity. Don't you understand? Your stupid care for a slave will cost you Dracu." Hakon fisted his cock. "I will prove it to you, young Pride. This slave will do whatever I wish. Come here, Si, and show that fool how much you want me. You have Dracu's blessing to ride me to damnation."

Chase gaped in astonishment. Without hesitation, Si climbed up and straddled Hakon's immense body. The Pride pulled him down and kissed him savagely. The Elf slid down Hakon's body until the Pride's massive shaft slipped inside him. His face flushed, Si rode Hakon with practiced ease, twisting this way and that. Hakon's large hands gripped the Elf's ass, and with short thrusts of his hips, the Pride drove into him. "You have the strength to break the cuffs." The cat broke into Chase's thoughts. "Now, while Hakon is distracted. I will lead you to Dracu." Their grunts of pleasure filled Chase with disgust. Funny type of punishment; he sure looks like he's enjoying it. What a fool I've been. He flexed his arms, and the cuff's burst into pieces. Carefully removing the clamps, he bent to unbuckle his ankles and headed for the door. The Teal and Hakon's Elf ducked for cover. Chase flung open the door, glared at the four guards and bared his fangs. A peel of laughter from Hakon made him stop in his tracks. "Let him go." Hakon ordered the guards. Taking directions from his cat, Chase brushed past the guards and ran along the passageways. He stopped before a shimmering pool of light. At first, he assumed the silver panel was a mirror. He touched the image of a stone walkway and his fingers disappeared. He pulled his hand back and gasped. "What the fuck?" "Step through; this is Dracu's Gate. Beyond is the courtyard to his home. Go to him, bite him, make him ours forever." Heart thundering, Chase ducked his head and stepped through into brilliant sunlight. He stood shading his eyes and gaped at his surroundings. The terracottapaved courtyard led to the archway entrance of an immense house. Climbing roses in delicate pink and blood red sprawled across the walls at the entrance. On each side, exquisitely carved white marble cats dwarfed the armed guards watching him intently. Chase ground his teeth, aware his nakedness and raging erection would provoke more than a little attention. He strode forward, determined to gain entrance. Nothing would stop him from seeing Dracu. He growled and clenched his fists. "I am Dracu's mate. Where is he?"

Chapter Ten Dracu leaned against the wall, staring out the window into the picturesque gardens below. He caught his reflection and moaned. His eyes were permanently yellow. His cat loomed in the background, ready to take control. Mayhap he would let him and spend the next few days hunting in the forest. Pain gripped his heart. He wanted Chase, needed him so badly it hurt. Doubts flooded his mind. He pushed back his cat; he could not deal with any more of his advice. Damn, the cat had told him to bite Chase in the first place; now he filled his head with suspicion. He ran both hands through his hair. What a fool to let Hakon have him. Now Hakon would parade Chase in front of him every time they met. Lady's blood, how could he live knowing Chase belonged to another? A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts. "What is it?" "There is a naked Pride demanding to see you, my lord." The servant bowed low. "He is in the courtyard, and he claims to be your mate." Dracu's heart leaped with joy. He rushed from the room and made his way downstairs. He stopped a short distance from the open doors to the courtyard. Chase stood, arms folded, his face an angry, steel mask. His body had changed considerably. The man had the sculpted muscles of a god. Dear Lady, just look at him. Schooling his features into a master's expression of contempt, Dracu dismissed the guards. He flared his nostrils to inhale Chase's unique scent. He hoped his voice would not convey his longing. "What do you want?" Chase's cat began to roar the second Dracu came into view. He held his ground and waited for the guards to leave. He moved forward, grabbed Dracu's shoulders and pressed him roughly against the wall. His gaze set on his mate's lips, so full and tempting. He bent closer and took Dracu's mouth, groaning with pleasure at the taste of him. Dracu's large hands fisted in Chase's hair; the Pride dragged him closer and

deepened the kiss. Twisting his body, Chase ground against his lover, drinking in the man's scent. Chase dragged his mouth away. He gazed at Dracu's confused expression. "I want you and only you. I want your agreement there will be no one else in our bed, no pets, not now, not ever." The need to bite surged through him; his attention focused on Dracu's smooth neck. He flicked his gaze back to the Pride's. "Give me your word." "You have my life."Dracu moaned and bent to kiss Chase again. Despair gripped Chase's belly. Why won't he say the words? "I'm not doing this in the hallway. Where is your fucking room?" "This way." Dracu turned and walked toward a grand staircase. Without hesitation, Chase followed Dracu up the stairs. The Pride walked with an air of dispassion. They moved down a long corridor, and then entered an opulent bedroom. Chase grabbed Dracu's arm and turned his body to face him. "I don't want your life, I want your love." "You ask for many things." Dracu smiled thinly. "My trust, knowing that you care for another." He held up a hand to prevent Chase's retort."You say you want my love, to be my equal, and yet you would deny me a pet to discipline. Don't you understand it's in my nature to be a master? I crave to leave my marks on tender buttocks and know my slave climaxes with the pleasure of it." Chase growled. How could he make him understand? "My wish was to find a master to paddle my ass and to teach me all there is to know about sex. I found you. I love you. I've never loved the damn Elf. I want to be your slave and your lover . . . is that such a bad suggestion?" He cupped Dracu's face, his thumbs massaging his lover's cheeks. "Fuck it, Dracu, my balls are ready to burst and my face aches. If I don't bite you soon something's going to explode." Dracu licked his lips and sent a silent prayer to the Lady. "Then bite me, for if all you say is true, I'll never take another for slave or pet."

Without notice, Chase struck like a snake, biting deep. The room tipped, and Dracu staggered back until his shoulders hit the wall. Gods, Chase's venom burned through his veins, igniting uncontrollable passion. He felt the man's love, true and pure, and pulled him closer, encouraging him to bite again. "I love you, Chase of my heart." Dracu trembled under the intensity of Chase's bites. Wrapped in his lover's arms, his cock ached to fill him again. Finally, Chase lifted his head; blood trickled from the corners of his mouth. Dracu bent to lick his lover's fangs clean. He grinned. "I want you so bad it hurts." "I want you too." Chase met his gaze, his eyes glowing deep yellow. "Do you have a playroom?" Dracu sighed and squeezed Chase's fine ass. "The best in the realm." "Good." Chase licked a wet path across Dracu's lips. "Because, Master, I've been a very bad boy." ~The End~ About the Author H. C. Brown lives in Queensland, Australia where she enjoys walking along the long, white sandy beaches. She loves to read and finds peace in painting waterfalls and fairies. Her passion is writing, which she does most days. She finds that variety is the spice of life and her stories run the gamut, from a murder mystery series to historical, paranormal and time travel – all with a healthy dose of spice. She married her very own alpha male and he is her love and inspiration. Learn more about H. C. Brown by visiting her Web site. *****

If you enjoyed Enslaved, you might also like the following books from H.C. Brown and Noble Romance Publishing: A Long, Hot, Delicious Slide A Savage Lust Betrothed to the Enemy Bite Here Burn Delicious Forbidden Love Anthology Hot Damn! My Purr-fect Alphas Purr-fect Seduction