Daughter of Lust

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Daughter of Lust Copyright  2011 by Ann Mayburn ISBN: 978-1-61333-088-3 Cover art by Patricia Schmitt All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC Look for us online at: www.decadentpublishing.com

Daughter of Lust For the Love of Evil, Book 1

Ann Mayburn

Daughter of Lust

Prologue 1870–Hell Reclined on a massive throne carved with the naked forms of men and women engaged in debauchery, Asmodeus—High Prince of Hell and Keeper of Lust— studied his court. Six long golden chains connected his chair to each of his human concubines, who gazed at their Master in utter adoration. Each shared a souldeep bond with him: his pleasure was their pleasure, their pain was his pain. With that bond came great power for Asmodeus and his concubines—power that helped him to protect his portion of Hell from the other High Princes. The links jingled as his male and female humans stretched on their silken pillows and tried to attract their Master’s attention. Curved silver horns, like those of a ram, gleamed from the straight black fall of his hair. His pale skin shimmered with an iridescent grey sheen as his gaze finally came to rest upon Raum. The general returned his lord’s stare with his carefully practiced court face, giving away neither thought nor emotion. “How may I serve you, my lord?” Raum knelt, averting his own gaze to the end of his long white braid, which lay coiled on the stone floor next to his blueskinned fist. Raum’s forearm muscles flexed as he scratched his silver claws on the black marble floor. That little action, marking the floor like a territorial male, betrayed his nerves. Asmodeus watched, entertained, as Raum forced his hands to be still. On either side, demon, devil, and human lords and ladies of the Court of Lust dissected every change and nuance of the High Prince’s expression. More concubines knelt or lay at their feet, undisturbed by the silver and bronze collars studded with precious gems in swirling patterns that gleamed around their throats. The concubines shivered with pleasure as the sensual energy of their Master surged through the air. The torches on the wall guttered, then resumed

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their sensuous dance. “Belal is gaining power.” Asmodeus’s voice echoed in the large chamber. An angry growl came from the assembled watchers, and Raum wondered how many of them spied for Belal. Politics was always a nasty game, and in Hell it could be deadly. Power was everything, and many members of Asmodeus’s court were loyal only to themselves, or to whomever they thought had the most to offer. Raum chose his next words carefully. “I’ve heard whispers through the halls that he has found a new way to bring sloth to the world.” Asmodeus tapped his metallic claw on the arm of his throne. “Belal is using a drug called opium to induce apathy in humanity. The humans become addicted to the drug and grow lazy. It makes them forget everything, even carnal desires.” Raum remained still and listened to the hiss of whispers filling the chamber as Asmodeus curled his lips back from his sharp teeth. “All that new sloth is giving Belal too much power. My spies say he is building his influence and weakening mine in a plan to overtake my territory in Hell.” The musk of the concubines flavored the air that Raum sucked into his lungs. “We cannot let this drug gain a foothold in the rest of the world. It is bad enough the Church”—he spat the word out as if it were something foul—“insists on piety and brands sexuality a sin. The fools punish their women for daring to have the same lusts as a man...if not stronger. A man can have a mistress and it is accepted, even expected, among the rich. But if a woman were to keep a man for sexual purposes, she would be branded a whore and ostracized.” A pretty concubine with long auburn hair caught his eye. She smiled and parted her legs to reveal the tender pink within. Raum ran his tongue over his sharp teeth and she shivered, sending him a wave of her lust. Asmodeus’s full grey lips quirked into a grin. “They will never rid the world of lust entirely. Humans could never resist the pleasures of the flesh. Can you believe those fools preach that the woman should have no enjoyment from sex? Our domain in Hell is overflowing with women who think they are damned due to having an orgasm.” The concubines laughed, and the redhead’s teacup breasts moved enticingly as she giggled. 2

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“But you are correct,” continued Asmodeus. “The Church, this opium…we, who champion Lust in all forms, can ill afford these distractions.” Asmodeus made a gesture, which sealed him with Raum in a private shield of darkness. The background swirled with silver light. Their conversation was now hidden from the Court. The dome around them flared as someone tried to listen in. Asmodeus growled, and outside the shield a woman screamed in agony. “I’m going to send you to Kazan, in Russia. One of the sons of Belal’s top opium distributors is setting up a base there to bring opium out of China. It’s a perfect opportunity for you to find out who needs elimination, and how to disrupt Belal’s plans.” Raum smiled as excitement filled him. For the past two thousand years, he had worked hard to rise through the ranks of Asmodeus’s army. He commanded nineteen battalions and fought to hold Asmodeus’s realm against the other High Princes of Hell. True to their nature, all of the Fallen Angels constantly sought more power. “Your will is my life, my Lord.” The throne creaked beneath Asmodeus’s weight as he shifted. “There is more. I have found a recently damned soul from Kazan, a man named Vicktor. You will find his soul in your room. Use his memories and wear his image to gain access to the city and to Belal’s minions. You should have two weeks until word of his death reaches Kazan.” Small sparks flew from Asmodeus’s fingertips as he scraped silver nails together in a sign of nervousness Raum had rarely seen in the High Prince. Asmodeus hesitated. “I have a daughter in this village.” The sound of Raum’s breath hissing through his teeth echoed inside the bubble. “She is a Cambion, and has been raised by her human mother and the man who thinks he is her father.” Asmodeus held his gaze as the significance of the words settled into Raum’s mind. “She knows nothing of me, or of Hell. I had to wait to see if her demonic side bred true before I exposed her to the danger of being my offspring.” He gaped at Asmodeus, shock warring with excitement. There had never even been a hint the High Prince had a living daughter. He wondered what she looked like, if she were timid or bold, and whether she knew the pleasures of the world or fought against her demonic side. His body tensed further as an unwelcome 3

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thought circled in his head. If she fought her demonic nature too hard, she could kill off the dark essence of her soul and remain fully human. The harsh grate of Asmodeus clearing his throat cut through Raum’s thoughts and he managed to gather his wits enough to speak “My Lord, has her transformation begun?” Asmodeus nodded, his horns gleaming in the refracted light that reached through the shield. “Her demonic side has started to emerge. That is the other reason I’m sending you to Kazan. I need you to watch over her and help her through her time of transition as much as you can.” “You mean, keep her from thinking she’s lost her mind?” The prince snarled, his sharp teeth flashing. “I know what a risk I’m taking. I cannot acknowledge her until she has made the first transformation and embraced her demonic essence without going insane or killing it.” The High Prince of Hell’s anger filled the shield, and Raum braced himself against the cold burn of his lord’s temper. Asmodeus took a deep breath and attempted to regain control of his emotions. “You will find her, and watch over her. Seduce her and help her embrace her shadowy heritage. Above all else, keep her alive.” Asmodeus looked unsure, but quickly covered it with his usual arrogance. “I did not engender her by accident. My personal coven foretold her coming. She will play an important role in restoring the balance of power between Heaven and Hell.” Raum hoped she had the strength to survive her transformation. “What’s her name?” Asmodeus’s voice rang with pride. “Natalia Shura.”

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Chapter One 1870–Kazan, Russia Despite the bright afternoon sun, the cold wind stung Natalia’s face. Her ashgrey skirt snapped against her legs. The embroidered headband kept her creamcolored veil in place, but it whipped about in the breeze and momentarily obscured her vision of the town’s slums. Shame and fury kept her warm, despite the cold blast of air blowing off the Volga River in the distance. Smoothing the veil back, she darted a glance down the street to see if anyone had seen her approach the building. Regardless of the fact that she was about to enter a gambling den no good woman would set foot in, she still considered herself respectable. She was just cursed with a father who did dishonorable things. Worrying her lower lip with her teeth, she took a hesitant step toward the muddy wooden boards leading to the sidewalk. Whores loitered in the open doorways of the brothel, except for the wide, empty one at the north end of the building. It appeared they’d been told to avoid that one. Natalia tried to summon her courage and sucked in a cold breath that chilled her teeth. Her heart pounded in her ears. This was the second gambling den in Kazan she had to search. The windows on the first floor had been sealed over long ago, as were most main-floor windows on this street. She presumed it deterred theft, and more importantly, kept the actions of those inside secret. The embroidered leather of her black boots protected her feet from the spring mud and refuse that surrounded the wooden boards leading to the entrance. Sweet tobacco smoke and harsh male laughter grew stronger as she reached the door. She hated this, hated having to endure the lecherous looks of the men inside, hated having to beg her papa to come home, and hated being alone in the ghetto of Kazan. Beneath that hate, her heart ached at the constant reminder that her

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love was never enough to keep her papa out of the gambling dens. That she wasn’t good enough, smart enough, or pretty enough to deserve the same kind of love he had lavished on her older brother before he’d died of a fever in the army. Was it because she wasn’t short and blond like her papa and brother? If she looked more like them instead of a taller version of her mother, would her papa have loved her? Shaking off the familiar pain, she squared her shoulders and took a last, deep breath. She may not be worthy of her papa’s love, but her mother loved her with all of her heart. And right now, her mother was relying on her to bring her husband home. A quick stroke over the hunting knife hidden in her pocket gave her a needed measure of confidence. She shoved the heavy door open and smoke wafted out on beams of sunlight. The giant man guarding the door squinted his eyes against the glare and gave a tired sigh at the sight of her. Trying to ignore him, she searched the smoke-filled room for the familiar curve of her papa’s green felt hat as the door shut behind her. He wasn’t in his usual spot, huddled over the main floor card tables. Panic made her palms sweat and her stomach churn. Maybe he was upstairs at the expensive tables. Had he found the small stash of money from her tutoring hidden in the chicken coop? “He’s not here, Natalia.” The guard had a scar running across his forehead and arms bigger than her waist. He shifted his bulk to block her view of the tables, and she curled her hands into fists at her sides. “Well then, you won’t mind if I have a look around, will you?” She narrowed her eyes at him. Tall for a woman, she still had to look up to meet his gaze. Panic gnawed at her self-control and she had to resist the urge to try to duck around the guard. She needed to check if her papa was upstairs. The tutoring money she earned had to go to the landlord to pay for their farm’s rent. “I can’t let you in. You’re not the kind of woman my boss wants walking the floor.” She sniffed and gave a disdainful glance at one of the young girls serving the patrons liquor. Her blonde hair hung long and loose about her shoulders and the top of her unlaced red dress showed a significant amount of pale flesh. It was 6

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common knowledge that the women who worked in the gambling dens also sold their favors. For a moment, Natalia worried that her papa might be upstairs with one of them, but she quickly dismissed that idea. If nothing else, he was faithful to her mother, and he wouldn’t waste money that could be spent on gambling and liquor on some other woman. Glass breaking turned the guard’s attention away from her. Two men began to fight in the back of the room, and a table full of cards and coins tipped onto the floor. Some of the patrons scooped up their earnings and moved away, while others cheered on the combatants. The guard muttered a foul oath that made her ears ring. He waded through the crowd of drunken men and into the fray. Wiping her sweaty hands on her cotton skirt, she inched along the wall and worked her way to the stairs. One quick peek at the tables to make sure her papa wasn’t there, and she could be gone from this place. A dirty hand grabbed her wrist as she tried to pass along unnoticed. She shrieked and made a futile attempt to jerk away from the insistent grip. The hand belonged to an older man with a filthy grey shirt and a mustard-yellow conical hat. What few teeth he had left were blackened with rot, and his breath stunk as he yanked her close by the front of her dress, snapping some of the delicate threads embroidered there. “What are you doing here, pretty girl?” he slurred, as he tried to pull her onto his lap. His lust vibrated off her body and stirred the darkness of her soul. Energy, sweet and pure, rushed through her, and her lip curled back in disgust at the sight of his dirty nails digging into the pale skin of her arm. She backhanded him. He lost his hold on her wrist as he fell from his chair in shock. Her brother, Maxim, had taught her how to defend herself and years of working on the farm had given her the strength to back up her fist. After she had begun to develop into a woman, learning how to protect herself against unwanted advances had become essential. Especially when her brother entered the military, and later, when her papa was never around to keep her safe. “Don’t touch me!” she said with a snarl in her voice. She rubbed her sore wrist. The sting of his grasp made her nipples stiffen behind her dress, and she cursed 7

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her treacherous body. The darkness within began to spread, overtaking her rational mind and distorting her view of the world. His friend with a greasy brown beard began to laugh and shoved away from the table. He hitched his belt over his tunic and stalked toward her with an arrogant swagger. “Don’t be so angry. I just want a little kiss. Come upstairs with me, and I’ll share my opium with you while you ride my cock.” Loathing, fear, and panic made her stomach sour and bitter bile rose in her throat. The guards had their hands full hauling the bloody combatants out the door and breaking up the fights on the other side of the room. The bearded man edged closer, and the ripe stink of his unwashed body added to her disgust. Slipping her hand into her pocket, she gripped the wooden hilt of the hunting knife and used her thumb to ease the blade from the sheath. With one hand held to his red cheek, the man with the bad teeth spat blood and phlegm on the floor. “Nice big tits and ass for a stupid peasant girl. I’ll enjoy teaching you not to hit a man.” He lunged at her and she grabbed his arm, slamming him against the stainedwood wall with enough force to rattle the boards. Elation filled her at the sight of his face bouncing off the wood. She bared her teeth in a snarl and curled her hands into fists. It would feel so good to hit him, to watch his skin give way like an overripe plum and spill his heat. The thought of his blood, thick and hot, pooling onto the sawdust of the floor, made her instincts rejoice. He must pay for thinking he could touch her. “Enough!” a deep voice roared from the top of the stairs. A man, with hair the color of fire and wearing a long black jacket and pants embellished with gold thread, stood surrounded by more guards. His chocolate-brown eyes focused on her, and he gestured to the men who surged into the now silent crowd. Tall, with broad shoulders and a lean waist, the man strode down the stairs toward her. His lips narrowed to an angry line. Her two attackers shrank back as he approached, and his cold gaze locked onto hers. Without a change in expression, he slapped her hard across the face. She gasped as unwanted pleasure flushed through her. When she’d entered womanhood, something had happened to her body; any pain she felt would 8

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become distorted into pleasure. She’d tried to ask her friends about it as casually as she could, but their horrified response to even her most tentative questions had convinced her that what she was feeling was abnormal and wrong. Now, each one of these reactions shamed and embarrassed her. She felt like a perversion of nature and avoided all men, to the point where her mother asked if she was planning to join a convent. At twenty-two years old, she was running out of excuses for not settling down and starting her own family. As the pain between her legs settled into a sweet ache, the humiliation and anger that followed twisted her mind into a savage rage. It felt so right, so good, to let anger wash through her. It swept away the part of her soul that shrank from the violence of this place. It fed the icy burn in her spirit, allowing her to revel in the aggression and lust. Rational thought was no longer an option as she struck back, jerking the knife from her pocket and grabbing the man in a headlock. She had practiced the motion with her brother behind their barn a hundred times until it became smooth and instinctive. Unfortunately, his advice of not using this move unless you meant to kill your opponent didn’t surface in her mind until she had the blade jammed into the man’s muscled neck. She pressed the cutting edge deep enough into his skin to draw a thin ridge of blood that soaked into the high collar of his jacket. Deadly silence settled over the room as the collective shock and fear of the crowd made the hair on the back of her neck stand. A rill of desire moved through her and increased as the man in her arms went passive. Submitting, he relaxed against her and she could taste the delicious scent of blood in the back of her throat. Rich and heady, the aroma affected her in a way she had never felt before. Something deep inside her soul stretched and began to awaken. That new awareness strengthened each second the man was pressed against her, and grew stronger the more she held him. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the seductive presence that urged her to lick the blood from his neck. The guard from the door dropped the man he had been beating and started to make his way toward them, along with the rest of the professional muscle. They circled her like a pack of angry wolves as she bled their leader. 9

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“Tell your men to step back,” she whispered into his ear, her voice husky with passion and anger. His cologne, a combination of dark spice and sandalwood, made her libido purr. He stayed still against her, a solid wall of muscle, but held up a hand to the men. They froze and watched her with glittering eyes. He started to press back into her, and she dug the knife in deeper. He shuddered against her grip but did not try to pull away. “Tell me your name,” he said in a low voice. “My name is none of your business. Tell your men to back off, and I will leave you with your life.” He laughed as his blood smeared across the side of his neck. The fine red hair on the back of his head tickled her arm as he replied, “Tell me your name, and I will let you live.” “No. You have five seconds before I slice your throat.” The words came out in a low growl as she tried to cover the tremble in her voice. The more he relaxed, the more the darkness in her soul relaxed in turn and her rational mind began to slowly regain control. “Wouldn’t that be a shame?” He chuckled and she wondered about his mental state. “Let her through. She’s under my protection.” She pulled the knife out of his throat, but kept it pressed lightly against the skin. Blood ran down the blade and wet her hand. She fought off the urge to lick it from her fingers. It was the blood of her enemy, and it had the appeal of a glass of the best wine in the world. This unnatural thought startled her out of the cold anger and hot lust for a moment, and her grip faltered. What was wrong with her? She had slaughtered plenty of animals on the farm, but never wanted to drink their blood. The very thought made her stomach churn, but at the same time she couldn’t deny the craving to taste him. His men stared in shock, but backed away from the door. The adrenaline rush that made her feel invincible faded and fear filled the void. “I don’t want the protection of a man like you,” she spat, and began to pull him toward the doorway. No one attempted to stop her, and she struggled to edge the door open with the tip of her boot. The lust rushed back in as he trembled against her. That dark presence filled her soul with forbidden knowledge, an insight into 10

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his spirit that was so clear; she felt like she was inside his mind for a moment. It wasn’t fear that was making him quake, but desire that felt like the stroke of rabbit fur against her skin. The sensation scared her and pushed the desire back, clearing her head. “Let me get the door for you. On my honor, I, Gregor Trezent, will let you leave my establishment unmolested.” He waited, still against her but stiff with tension. He moved his shoulders slightly to look back at her and his jacket rubbed over her stiff nipples. She sucked in a breath through her nose as the throbbing in her cheek continued to send little bursts of pleasure through her body. Disgusted with herself and this place, she released him and darted for the door. He blocked the way with his arm. “Allow me.” He opened the door with a small bow and reached out, straightening the cloth of her veil so it lay properly over her back. She gave him one last glare and ran out into the street. Sanity filled her with a sharp clarity as she bolted away from the gambling den. What had happened in there? She had never reacted like that before. If the desire had not stayed her hand, she would have happily slaughtered everyone in that room. Her breath hitched in her throat as she realized the insanity she had been battling for the last few months was gaining strength. Tears streaked down her cheeks in icy tracks, and she wondered how long she had before she lost her mind completely. The thieves and prostitutes who lived in this section of the city gave her wide berth as she sprinted past them. The bloody knife was still clutched in her hand. Tormented by the ache between her legs and the memory of Gregor Trezent’s dark eyes, she worried she had just signed her death warrant. *** Gregor rubbed his lips and shifted as his hard cock demanded attention. He had to find out who she was. A woman that beautiful and bold enough to attack a Bratstvo lord in his own den was a gift beyond anything he had ever imagined. When she had looked at him, her turquoise eyes had sent a bolt of lust through his body that still shook him. He had never felt anything like it. 11

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He motioned to his lieutenant and climbed the carved stairs to his office behind the high-stakes tables. Her memory haunted him already and the urge to possess her took root in his soul. He would do anything to have her. “Who is that girl?” “Do you want me to kill her?” Filip asked and shut the heavy wooden door. A ball of opium on the end of the bar reminded Gregor that they would have visitors from his grandfather soon. That thought quickly melted beneath the memory of the woman with the knife. He gazed out the window and tried to catch a glimpse of her cream veil. She was stunning; tall, with abundant hips and breasts, not rail-thin like most peasant girls. The tree-of-life embroidery on her headdress indicated she was unmarried. How a woman as beautiful as that managed to remain unmatched was a miracle. Her spirit made his body clench with desire, almost as much as the pain of her digging the knife into his neck. When he felt the stinging kiss of the blade, his cock had instantly stood at attention. Her voice only stoked that want. Never had he heard its like: rough honey and smooth velvet. It rubbed over his body like a caress as she whispered words of death into his ear. “Gregor?” Filip asked again. “No, do not touch her. She’s under my protection. I want you to spread the word. If anyone harms her, they will answer to me, and I will cut their cock off and they can die choking on it.” Filip’s dark brows rose in surprise. “As you wish.” Gregor relaxed into the leather sofa that rested against the wall. For a moment, he said nothing, staring at the brass oil lamp on the small end tables. “Find out who she is, and why she was here. I want to know everything about her.” Filip nodded. A knock sounded on the other side of the door and he turned to open it. One of the guards from downstairs came in and hooked his thumbs in the wide leather belt encircling his thick waist. “Mr. Trezent, sir, if I may have a moment of your time? It’s—it’s about the girl downstairs.” Gregor pressed a handkerchief against the still seeping cut. That hellcat could 12

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have slit his throat if she had pressed harder. The thought excited him and made him impatient. “What is it?” “I-I would ask for your mercy on her. I’ve known her parents since childhood. They would be devastated if they lost her so soon after the death of their son. I’m sure she will never come here again.” The man grew pale as Gregor remained silent. “Please, forgive me. I did not mean to overstep my bounds.” The huge man trembled with fear as Gregor smiled at him. “You know her?” He nodded and swallowed. “Tell me about her.” Gregor found himself fascinated for the smallest detail of information. The more he knew, the quicker he could find her and make her his. No man would have the pleasure of those long legs wrapped around his waist but him. “Her name is Natalia Shura. Her family rents a small plot of land on the edge of town. Maxim, her older brother, died last year from a fever while serving in the army.” The guard fiddled with his belt, darting a glance over at Filip, who watched him with an expressionless face. “After her brother’s death, her father turned to gambling. That’s why she was here. She was looking for her father.” The sunlight began to dip behind the building across the street as Gregor turned over the information in his mind. He wanted to win her over, have her come to him willingly. He was very good at charming people. It was part of the reason he’d risen so quickly in the ranks of the Bratstvo. That, and the fact he could kill anyone without remorse. “How often does her father gamble here?” “When he has the money. He used to be a carpenter, but I haven’t seen him selling his goods at the market in a long time.” “You may go. Natalia,” he relished the way her name rolled over his tongue, “will not be harmed.” Filip moved aside, and the big man smiled and ducked his head in thanks as he lumbered out the door. Gregor shifted on the sofa, and his cock continued to throb and demand attention. “Tell that slut Saria to come up here.” Usually he chose the blond Anechka, but the memory of striking blue eyes beneath black brows as delicately 13

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arched as a willow leaf fueled his desire tonight. “And spread the word that Natalia Shura is off limits. She is mine.”

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Chapter Two Natalia gritted her teeth as the ice-cold water from the washbasin hit her cheeks. Drying her face with a soft towel, she watched the sun rising over the bare field outside of her window. The shock of the chill hitting her sleep-warm skin woke her mind with a start and brought back the memories of her time in the city yesterday. The remembrance of the violence and lust that overtook her inside the gambling den made her ill all over again. Those feelings were unlike any she had ever known, and yet they seemed familiar. The desire that pain had awakened in her was unwelcome and annoying, but nowhere near as frightening as the bloodlust. Last night her dreams had been full of confused images of Gregor in various states of undress. He was doing things to her that felt delicious despite their sinful nature. The harsh crow of the rooster broke apart her erotic dreams, and her pussy ached with a throb that begged to be eased. For a moment, she allowed her curious hands to stroke over the wet curls and dip between her legs to explore. The sensation of her hand delving into her heat was beyond anything she ever imagined. She’d touched herself before, to wash herself, but she had never had these feelings. Now, instead of soothing the ache, her touch made it worse. She ran a fingertip over the warm slit of her mound and images of Gregor blossomed in her mind. With blood flowing down his pale chest, Gregor buried his head between her thighs and began to do something wicked with his tongue. The image shocked her out of her exploration and filled her with shame. She berated herself for even being able to imagine such things and worried that it was just another sign of her deepening insanity. She didn’t know who that man was, that Mr. Trezent, but she could see the way the other men deferred to him. So all evening, she had waited for men to come to the door of her home and seek vengeance for her rash actions. But no one came, and Natalia told her mother nothing of what had occurred, just that her papa

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couldn’t be found at his usual haunts. The crowing of the rooster reminded her that life went on, and the farm still needed tending. If he was around somewhere, Papa undoubtedly slumbered through the noise and was sleeping off whatever cheap vodka he had saturated himself in the night before. Before her brother died, Papa would be awake in the early morning darkness before anyone else. He would feed the animals and get ready to spend the rest of his day in his workshop. Now, Papa slept until the sun hung well in the sky, and she and her mother had tended to most of the farm. Looking through her meager wardrobe, she selected a yellow headscarf and a diadem made of a carved piece of wood. Next, a yellow jacket embroidered with the same flower pattern as the diadem and a long green skirt. The colors were faded from too many washes, but the embroidery still held its shape and pattern. The beautiful stitches were the result of many winter evenings spent before the fire, back when her mother had hopes of the fine needlework attracting a good husband instead of worrying about Natalia just finding a husband, any husband. Black humor flitted through her mind as she surveyed herself in the brassbound mirror against the white plaster wall. If she was going to die today, at least she would make a good-looking corpse. Opening the small cedar chest at the foot of her bed, she pulled out a pair of brown leather boots with more embroidery around the top. She traced her fingertips over the delicate decoration on the smooth wooden chest. Maxim had helped her papa make the piece, and he’d carved her name in slightly off-center letters on the lid. She moved through the small living area past the fire already burning in the hearth. Her mother, Anya, stood slicing some bread at the long counter of the kitchen. The painted tiles of the surface added a merry splash of red and gold color to the white walls and dark cupboards. Copper pots hung above the stove and a hand pump arched over the deep metal sink. Natalia paused in the doorway and watched her mother work. Her mother had lost a great deal of weight over the past six months and complained of headaches. The brown jacket hung off her shoulders, and Natalia could see the veins in her 16

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mother’s hands. She was worried, but her mother assured her it was just the remains of a winter cold. This year the weather had been especially harsh, and they had less fuel for the fire than usual. Papa had gambled away the money they usually used to help supplement their supply of wood. A bitter taste flooded her mouth, and she had to resist the urge to spit. She mused that he probably would have sold the tiles, too, if he could figure out how to pry them off the counter with a chisel without breaking them. The once prosperous and comfortable house was slowly being emptied of its contents. The walls were bare now, with blank spots on the white plaster that used to hold tapestries and paintings. Papa had sold them all to support his gambling and drinking. Her mother hummed as she cracked eggs into an earthenware bowl and beat them into froth. As she turned to retrieve a pan from the rack, she started at the sight of Natalia. Her pale cheeks flushed with color, and she grabbed a frail hand to her chest. “Natalia! You scared me. I didn’t even know you were here. You sneak about like a little cat.” Her mother smiled at her and poured the eggs into the skillet. “I’m making you some breakfast. You have tutoring today, don’t you?” Natalia snatched a piece of warm toast from next to the stove and nibbled on it while her mother nudged her away from the food with her hip. “I have to be there this afternoon. Mr. Feathering asked me to stop by and read to him, as well, and invited me to stay for dinner.” An old Englishman, Mr. Feathering owned the prosperous farm next to theirs and had become a grandfather figure to Natalia during her childhood. He taught her to read and speak English with his Russian wife. Now, he paid her to read him the penny dreadfuls he ordered from England, which his aging eyes couldn’t see. Her mother sighed. “It will be just your papa and me for dinner, then.” Natalia shoved more bread into her mouth to still her venomous tongue. Anya remained entrenched in deep denial over her husband’s gambling. She always defended him and ignored the disappearing furniture and decorative objects. Natalia had tried to make her mother see reason, but all that resulted in was 17

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horrible fights and sleepless nights. “Can you bring in some more wood, please?” She gave her mother’s cheek a gentle kiss, grimacing at how the skin felt thin, pulled tightly over her cheekbones like cloth in an embroidery hoop. A thick navy wool coat went over her jacket and dress before she left the house. Bare dirt and brown grass dominated the yard, but the bushes were beginning to bud and a few crocuses pushed their way through the thawing soil. A mild breeze shook the trees, and she took a deep breath of the clean air as the yellow veil flew out behind her. The woodpile stood below the height of her waist now. She counted her blessings that winter was ending before it ran out entirely. They didn’t have the money to restock the woodpile, and the long ride out to the forest to gather more was always an exhausting trip. She moved the top of the stack over, searching for the drier logs beneath. The sun hung over the horizon now and it shone over the empty fields of Mr. Feathering’s farm. Her family never grew any crops. They only kept a large enough garden and a few animals to sustain them. All their income had come from Papa’s woodworking. Her mind returned back to her dreams from the night before, and even the chill morning air couldn’t cool the blush that suffused her cheeks. A few years ago she had discovered a collection of erotic pictures that Mr. Feathering had, hidden high on the shelf in his library. While Mr. Feathering took his tea in the conservatory and waited for her to select a book to read, she had stolen a peek at the beautifully painted scenes from a fantastical harem. Though she knew about the mechanics of intercourse from the frank talk her mother had given her as soon as she began to develop breasts, she had been astonished by all the different ways and positions that people managed to have it in. One picture had even shown a man and two women together, kissing and touching each other in the middle of an exotic garden. The few fumbling kisses she had stolen with local boys had been nothing other than disappointing and slightly embarrassing. She knew that kissing a man like Mr. Trezent would be different. Images from the harem story moved through her 18

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mind, but this time it was Mr. Trezent—Gregor—with her legs thrown over his shoulders as he plunged into her, Gregor who bent her over and took her from behind. She wondered what he would taste like, if his erection would look like the drawings in the book. The clopping of a horse’s hooves coming up the gravel drive broke her out of her fantasies like a bucket of ice-cold water. She caught a glimpse of the back of a tall blond rider in a grey coat. The hilt of the curved sword sheathed on his belt glinted in the sun. Grabbing a chunk of wood, she hid behind the side of the house with her pulse slamming in her throat. She couldn’t let him knock on the front door and endanger her mother and father. He was obviously here for her. “Back here!” she called out. Her mouth dried out, and her palms sweated against the rough bark of the log. Hopefully, she would knock the man out and steal his horse. Then she would take whatever she could and flee. A pang of regret made her wince about leaving her mother alone, but the assassins wouldn’t stop until she was dead. How could she have been so stupid and reckless? No one got away with threatening the life of a Bratstvo lord. Especially in front of a group of people. His honor would demand her death. Her muscles trembled with excitement. The sleeping dark and savage part of her soul began to wake, and it rejoiced at the promise of violence. Heavy footsteps came closer as a deep voice called out. “Hello?” She barely heard beyond the pounding of her heart as his shadow crept closer. “Hello?” he repeated again. “Over here.” Her tone came out in a husky rasp. He would be here in a moment, and she would strike. The log shook in her grip as his shadow moved around the corner. A glimpse of shiny black boot and grey wool coat had her swinging with all her might. She missed and fell forward. The log hit the ground and rebounded out of her hands, whacking her in the mouth. “What the damnation!” The voice was male, and startled. She scrambled to her feet backed away in panic and held her hand to her throbbing lower lip as the pain burned a fiery path 19

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of need through her. “Vicktor?” she said between her fingers. “Natalia?” he answered back in an equally stunned tone. He stood tall and proud, with broad shoulders and muscles honed by his eight years of service in the army. Vicktor was her brother Maxim’s best friend, and growing up, she’d had an enormous crush on him. Vicktor was always complaining about her being the awkward and bratty little sister that followed them around like a lost puppy. In the years since he’d left for the military, she had thought of him often. On the mantle of the living room fireplace, there was a grainy photograph that Maxim had sent home shortly after he and Vicktor had enlisted together. She often found herself staring at it and imagining what life would have been like if Maxim and Vicktor hadn’t left. If instead Vicktor had been around long enough to see her transform from an annoying little girl and into a woman worth courting. To have him suddenly there sent her thoughts into a tangled mix of joy at seeing him, regret that her brother would never come home, and a flicker of hope that maybe he would see her for the woman she had grown into. Even more handsome than she remembered, his boyish good looks had been replaced with a man’s hardened features. His square jaw was shadowed with blond stubble that glinted in the morning light. The full lips were still the same, and his eyes were the greenest she had ever seen. They shimmered with hints of blue and silver she didn’t remember, and she found herself drifting in the play of color. Calm settled over her soul and body as those shifting green eyes captured hers. She trembled and felt something stir and awaken in her soul, something that recognized Vicktor and cried out for him. His confident gaze scanned her from head to toe. The lustful energy from yesterday began to build again, but this time it was different. She wanted to submit to this man and it made her relaxed and pliant. She stared at Vicktor and relished the luscious warmth of his presence. “Natalia?” he asked again, his eyes wide in amazement. “You’ve certainly grown up while I was gone.” His voice had a different cadence than she remembered. Even the way he said her name was unusual, with the way he seemed to turn the sounds into a soft ‘ah’, like a sigh of delight. The fact that he actually called her by her name further 20

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astonished her. When they were children he always called her “the baby” or “Nat the Brat.” He held himself differently, too. When she last saw him, he always kept his chin lifted at an arrogant angle with a slight smile that on anyone else, she would have called a smirk. Now, his full lips curved into a different smile, seductive and self-confident. His time in the military had greatly changed him. She blushed, realizing the last time he saw her was when she was a gawky fourteen-year old and had yet to enter womanhood. Now, she stood, staring at him and sporting a fat lip after almost killing him. Not the way she had imagined their reunion. His presence made her heart race, and she desperately tried to think of some witty comeback that would show him she was a mature and sophisticated woman. Unfortunately, her mind had been reduced to one-word answers. “Yes.” A hot blush stained her cheeks as she glanced at the wood she had almost brained him with. “What in the world are you doing back here?” He tugged a handkerchief out of his pocket and pressed it to her mouth. She shuddered as the pain spiked, then settled in a throb between her legs. Unable to help herself, she stepped a bit closer to him and stared into his face as he held the cloth to her lips. It smelled like the soap he used, masculine, with a sharp spice like cinnamon. His expression softened and his nostrils flared. “Are you all right? Here, let me see.” He gently tucked his fingers under her chin and tilted her head, examining her. She trembled under his strong yet gentle touch. As she stroked her tongue over the small scrape on her swollen lip, his eyes followed the progress and a flash of heat settled in her belly. Memories of her erotic dream with Mr. Trezent came flooding back, and she wondered what it would be like to do those things in the flesh with Vicktor. A flush heated her cheeks as she berated herself for even considering such a thing. Her happily married friends would have been shocked that the Natalia they knew, who never spoke of being attracted to a man, found herself wanting not one, but two. She had never understood their whispered and hinted-at conversations about the joys of the bedroom, but if it was anything like the feelings Vicktor and 21

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Gregor stirred in her, she envied her friends in a way she never had before. “Natalia, can you speak?” he asked in a teasing tone as his thumb traced over her lower lip. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and a rough gasp escaped her. All the daydreams about Vicktor came rushing back. Never in her imaginings had she expected his touch to be this intense. His mere presence undid her, and all she could do was feel. She heard his breath catch and he moved closer, the edges of his grey wool jacket brushing against her hips. Ever so slowly, he moved his thumb over her lips again and pressed gently. Sweet pain, so overwhelming, heated her body and the flesh between her legs grew damp. A soft moan tore from her throat, and he pressed harder. Of its own accord, her mouth opened and she gently sucked on his thumb as her tongue tasted his skin. Cold and rough, he tasted faintly of cinnamon. He let out a rumbling growl and gripped her body to his. Even through the layers of her clothing, his thick erection pressed against her lower belly. The shock of feeling that hardness for the first time made her eyes flash open. He studied her, his eyes intent and heated. She gently released his thumb and stepped back, embarrassed by her actions. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured in a voice turned husky with passion. He stalked toward her, a slight smile quirking his kissable lips. “Sorry for trying to kill me or for giving me the best welcome home I’ve ever had?” She blushed to the roots of her hair and backed away some more. Every step that brought him closer to her addled her brain until she was nothing but a buzzing bundle of nerves. Shame filled her as she replayed her perverse and wanton reaction to the touch of his skin against her wounded lip. None of her friends would have reacted to him like this. They would have winced or cried out at the pain, not moaned and sucked on his thumb like it was made of candy. He must think she was crazy. And staring at him wasn’t going to help convince him of her sanity. “Forgive me for hitting you. I thought you were...someone else.” She edged around him and hurried back to the woodpile. In a loud voice she asked, “What 22

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are you doing here, Vicktor?” He studied her in silence before grabbing an armful of wood. “My conscription has ended, and I’ve decided to come back home.” She almost dropped the logs in her arms as the implications of his words set in. A quick glance at his hand showed no wedding band. He stood next to her and said in a quiet voice, “I promised Maxim I would take care of you.” She closed her eyes against the sharp sting of her brother’s loss. “You were there when he died, weren’t you?” She studied him in the warmth of the sun, and he looked away. Vicktor examined the tree line in the distance. “I was. We did everything we could to save him, but the fever moved through our battalion like wildfire.” Setting the logs down, they moved the damp wood aside and the wind blew Vicktor’s spicy scent to her. She licked her lip and looked past him to the barn. “Vicktor, there’s something you should know about my family before we go inside.” He turned and pinned her with those green eyes again. She shivered under his stare. “My papa is spending all his time in Kazan now, gambling. Our family is not the one you grew up with.” His jaw tightened. “I know. I’m staying with my uncle.” His statement hung in the air between them. Vicktor’s Uncle Yurik was one of the local Bratstvo. She paled then flushed with fear as she realized Vicktor might be in danger for talking to her. The words of warning refused to leave her. She couldn’t bring herself to chase him away. He was the first good thing that had come into her life in a long time. “Will you be working for him?” She tried to keep the question light as she placed some logs into his arms. They slowly strolled toward the front of the house, neither wanting to end their time together. “Yes, and that’s all I’m telling you.” A dimple deepened in his cheek as he gave her a teasing grin. “Glad to see you’re still as nosey as ever.” She gave him a snide look. “It’s not my fault. You and Maxim were always doing what you weren’t supposed to.” 23

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He laughed, his dark gold hair shining in the light. Her breath caught in her throat as she admired his profile. “You would never have known about all the things we shouldn’t be doing if you weren’t spying on us. I swear, the army should have employed you as a spy. You would’ve been able to sneak through any enemy territory undetected.” She blushed at the off-hand praise. Shouldering the heavy load of wood, he opened the front door for her and cried out, “Mrs. Shura, I’m home!” “Vicktor!” her mother shrieked from the kitchen. He winked at Natalia, the trouble-making boy he had been peeking through the face of the handsome man he had become. Natalia’s heart did an odd little flutter as he turned the full power of his charming smile on her. She hurried to catch up with him as he walked into the kitchen. They dumped the wood next to the stove as her mother wiped flour from her hands and spun around. “Oh, Vicktor! What are you doing here?” Her mother gave his cheeks two smacking kisses. “I have missed you so much.” He studied her face. His eyebrows drew in concern as his hand gently cupped her cheek. “Anya, have you been sick?” Natalia watched in interest, waiting for her mother’s reaction. She’d managed to brush off Natalia’s questions and concerns about her health. Would she be able to do the same with Vicktor? Her mother stepped away and grabbed a couple more eggs from the checkered, fabric-lined basket. “I was sick a few times this winter. The cold makes my old bones ache.” Vicktor put a hand on her shoulder. “You are as young and fresh as the spring rain.” A snort met his comment but her mother smiled into the bowl. “Your tongue is as silver as ever. You always managed to talk yourself and…and Maxim out of any trouble you got into.” The tinny catch of the fork scraping against the bowl became the only sound in the room. “I loved him like a brother, and you were the mother I wish I had,” Vicktor said quietly as he leaned back against the wall. His intent look flitted to Natalia, and 24

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she caught him looking at her chest. Trying to ignore the rush of excitement at his stare, she joined her mother at the counter and began to pull thick glasses from the shelf. “Vicktor has retired from the army and will be living back in Kazan now,” Natalia said lightly. Vicktor’s gaze was like a touch on her skin as she peeked past her mother. He watched her with an intensity that made her self-conscious. Her mother glanced with raised eyebrows, waiting for Vicktor to reply. Her lips twitched as she gently pushed him out of her way. “Where will you be living, Vicktor?” “My uncle has supplied me with a townhouse in the city.” His hand darted out and stole a piece of half-cooked scrambled egg. Natalia wanted to go stand next to him, but she avoided the stove as much as she could. When she was a little girl, she had badly burned her arm on the woodstove. It had taken a month to heal and the pain never seemed to stop. To this day, tending the fire made her sweat with fear and even her attraction to Vicktor wasn’t enough to make her take one step closer than she needed to. Her mother smacked at him and waved her bony finger in his face while Natalia giggled. He gave both women an unapologetic and charming grin. Natalia melted while her mother shook her head with a small smile. “Are you sure you want to work for your uncle?” Vicktor shrugged his broad shoulders. “I don’t know a trade besides sharpshooting, or care to spend the next five years working as an apprentice. I’ll help my uncle handle his stores and taverns.” His eyes were wide and innocent as he sucked the last of the runny egg from his fingers. The cinnamon taste of his skin flashed through Natalia’s mind as she followed the path of his lips. He caught her staring and added one last visible lick with his tongue before releasing his finger. She spilled milk on the counter as she gaped. “Natalia!” Anya scolded with a barely concealed laugh. “Go set the table with Vicktor, and try to not break any dishes.” “Will Mr. Shura be joining us?” Vicktor asked as he pulled the cream stoneware plates from the shelf. 25

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Her mother went still. “No. I’m afraid he is very tired this morning.” Natalia bit her cheek and tried to choke back her anger. Vicktor merely shrugged and carried the stack of plates through the doorway and into the small dining room. The china cabinet her papa had made was gone, sold three months ago, but the dining table and sideboard were still there. They moved about in silence. Natalia divvied out wooden spoons while Vicktor set down the plates on the red linen tablecloth. She put a fork next to the plate he placed on the table. Their hands touched and she froze. The back of his hand stroked against hers, and the fine blond hair tickled her sensitive skin. The sharp spice of his scent was utterly seductive, and she fought against the urge to bury her face in his neck. Her mother’s footsteps on the wooden floors made Natalia jerk away with a guilty blush. Vicktor gave her a wicked smile and sat in the chair he so frequently occupied as a boy. Scraping the eggs out of the skillet and onto their plates, she gave them both a narrow-eyed look. Natalia stared at her food as if it contained the secrets of the universe. She peeked and found Vicktor watching her from across the table. Her mother observed him with a satisfied smile and led the blessing over the meal. Natalia had a hard time keeping her eyes closed. She thought she heard Vicktor make a choking sound but when she stole a glance at him, his face was serene and he was watching her from beneath lowered lashes. She felt a flush heat her cheeks and quickly returned her attention to her plate. Her mother buttered a piece of bread and set it on her plate. “Eat up, Natalia. You don’t want to be late for your visit with Mr. Feathering.” “Who’s Mr. Feathering?” Vicktor asked carefully, but his knuckles turned white as his fingers tightened on his fork. “Oh, he’s our neighbor. He pays me to read stories to him in English.” Natalia scooped a spoonful of eggs and chewed without tasting, watching him from the corner of her eye. “You speak English?” He turned to Anya with a frown. “Why do you let your unmarried daughter go alone to a man’s house?” Her mother’s smile deepened. “He is seventy-nine years old. I don’t think he 26

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presents much of a threat to Natalia.” “Oh. Well, that’s all right then.” Vicktor shoved a full fork into his mouth and grabbed a piece of toast. “So glad you approve,” Natalia muttered at him. He didn’t even have the grace to look embarrassed. White teeth sparkled as he smiled at her. Her heart did that little flutter again and her stomach clenched. But the moment could not last. The door to her parents’ room opening made her swallow the last mouthful and shove away from the table. “I have to go.” Vicktor stood, too, but she motioned for him to sit. “Vicktor, it was...wonderful to see you again.” She fled before he could say anything. The fact that her papa might be aware of her dangerous actions yesterday skipped through her mind and made her heart sink. When—it wasn’t a matter of if—when Vicktor found out she’d attacked a Bratstvo lord, she could forget any chance of anything wonderful ever happening between them. He was the nephew of one of the top Bratstvo leaders in Western Russia. No way would he jeopardize his future by getting involved with her. The glowing joy that had suffused her heart fell to ashes, and she dashed away the tears as they slid down her cheeks.

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Chapter Three The cloud of myrrh floating out of the pierced brass ball next to the altar added to Natalia’s nausea. It curled up into the ancient wood rafters, turning yellow and red in the reflection of the stained glass window depicting the martyrization of St. Stephen. The wood of the floor was smooth, polished by generations of hands and knees touching its surface. The nausea she felt upon entering the church increased, and her pounding headache grew worse with each passing moment. The priest droned on as he blessed the wafers and wine. Natalia bit back a groan at the sight of the wafers. The thought of eating a wine soaked piece of bread made her stomach lurch in protest, and her mouth flooded with saliva. Her mother ran a hand over her sweating forehead and whispered, “You’re very warm. If you feel like you are going to be sick, go outside. Mass will be over in a little bit. Wait at our wagon.” Natalia nodded in misery as her stomach cramped. The words of prayer cut through her head like little daggers. She stumbled past her mother and crept as quickly as she could from the church. A few curious parishioners glanced at her, then gave her a sympathetic look. She must appear as bad as she felt. Uneven wooden steps threatened to spill her onto the gravel in front of the church, but she managed to remain upright as she ran into the woods. The hymn grew fainter as she ventured farther into the forest. The last thing she wanted was for the sound of her retching to filter through the open windows of the church. Slowly, her stomach settled and she began to feel better, but weak. A fallen log provided a seat, and she smoothed the bronze-dyed wool of her dress underneath her as she sat and held her head between her hands. The air smelled good, rich with the earth beginning to wake up. Birds called their song through the trees and the sun warmed her skin. The pounding faded to a memory, and she gave a grateful sigh. Her diadem had slipped in her flight from the church, and she straightened it with shaking hands. She took a moment

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to collect herself. Her limbs still felt feeble and her mind disoriented. Turning her face to the sun, she let the memories of her dream last night fill her. They had been delightfully erotic. Instead of blood and Gregor, she’d dreamed of Vicktor. She woke with the familiar ache between her legs, but she did not feel the shame. The memory from her dream, of licking the arch of his foot and sucking on his toes, made her shift on the log. Desire, bright and clean, purged the last of the nausea from her body, and she felt sensitized. The air unexpectedly held a myriad scents she had missed before: earth, trees, spring, and she could even smell a faint trace of the lye soap used to wash her clothes. Her eyes widened as she observed the way the sunlight reflected off the wet leaves of the plants beginning to push their way out of the earth. They sparkled like diamonds. A breeze blew her veil across her cheek, and she moaned at the sensation. It was almost as good as Vicktor’s thumb pressing into her lip. The deep breath of air she took into her lungs tasted delicious. A small, internal voice of panic worried that these feelings weren’t normal, but she hushed it and enjoyed the sensation. She had never felt so alive. The snap of a twig made her start, and she whirled around to face a sight that made her jaw drop in shock. A handsome older man with black hair strolled around the wide trunk of a mossy tree right next to her. She didn’t recognize him; she had never seen him before. He wore a green velvet tunic embellished with gold thread, which shone alongside the sparkling red stones stitched into the fabric. Tall with fine features, his dark eyebrows arched over green eyes that reminded her of Vicktor’s. A sword with a hilt made of bone and shaped like a naked woman hung from his belt. What really made her gasp was the woman with him. She wore an elaborate collar around her neck. A glittering chain swung from the collar and ended in the man’s hand. It took her more than a moment to realize the chain was a leash. Knowing her mouth was open and trying not to stare, Natalia directed her gaze back at the woman. Her long mahogany hair fell in a shining cascade down her back. She wore a pale pink sheath of fabric that revealed the dark tips of her breasts and the hair between her shapely thighs. Her eyes were lowered to the ground, and she followed the man with a sensual sway. 29

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Natalia backed up until she tripped on a branch and fell to the ground. Confusion scattered her thoughts. By his dress, he must be a noble. Was this the sort of thing royalty did? It would explain his utter lack of embarrassment at being caught taking his...whatever-she-was for a walk through the forest. He raised a dark eyebrow as she lay gaping at him from the dirt. “Hello, Natalia.” His voice was powerful and deep. The bile rose in her throat in a bitter wave of fear. “How do you know my name?” she whispered. The woman in pink glanced at her and licked her lips. With her new awareness, she followed the path of the woman’s tongue and shivered. The wind shifted, and she could smell the woman’s musk on the breeze. The man, however, held no scent. He ignored her question and tugged on the leash. The woman sank to her knees on the earth and placed her palms on her thighs. The fabric stretched tight over her chest and her nipples stood out, hard-tipped and flushed. “I know many things about you.” “Do I know you?” She tried to keep her eyes on the man. Though he evoked none of the disturbingly lustful feelings that the woman did, the perversion of her soul filled her with shame. Only someone wicked would be aroused by this situation, rather than appalled. He smiled, and she let out a breathless scream. His teeth were sharp like a wolf’s, with long canines that pressed into his full lower lip. “Hush now,” he whispered, and her body went limp in compliance. Her mind still panicked, but she could think beyond it. The man’s influence was like a long drink of vodka, fuzzing her nerves and mind. “Who are you?” “Your father.” The words echoed in her head. “Pasha is my father.” Pasha, who worshiped Maxim and barely tolerated her. Denial and recognition battled as she panted and bunched her fists in the dirt. She’d never resembled Pasha, with his dark eyes and blond hair. Instead, she was a taller and more slender version of her mother. The woman on her knees tittered, and the man smiled at her with his terrifying teeth. “No. Pasha is the man who lost your mother to me in a card game. I won 30

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the right to bed her during a time of my choosing, and you are the result of that union.” Pride rang in his voice as he watched her intently. Natalia shook her head in denial. “Not possible. This isn’t real. It’s a delusion brought on by the fever.” She would wake in her bed and this would have all been a dream. That’s why she had been feeling so odd lately. She was sick. The man suppressed a sigh. “I assure you, daughter, this is very real. Haven’t you been feeling different lately? Full of energy that makes you feel like you could burst, then drained, almost to the point of death?” She stared at him, mute in her fear. The dampness of the ground soaked through the wool of her skirt and chilled her. “Two nights ago, you fed your dark essence enough to awaken it fully. Out of your own free will, you indulged in bloodshed and almost took the life of a man.” He gave her a proud smile and she tried to scream, but her body would not cooperate. “Your demonic essence called to me. I stayed your hand before you could slaughter those people. I have need of you, Natalia.” “Why?” she asked in an agonized whisper, a tear tracing a hot path off her chin. “You have been born to help maintain the balance and keep Heaven and Hell from falling into chaos. It is your love that will save us.” His eyes shimmered with hints of silver. “And you are my only living child. You are precious to me for that alone.” “Why?” she sobbed. This was all so wrong. She was a good woman. Why had God abandoned her to this? The woman in pink gave a deep sigh and slightly parted her thighs. Natalia couldn’t help but stare at the soft, exposed flesh peeking out from the curls covering her mound. “Are you the devil?” He shook his head and smiled. “No, I’m not a devil. I am a demon High Prince of Hell, not some paltry devil.” The sunlight dimmed at his words and the birds stopped singing in the trees. “We don’t have much time. Even I must follow certain rules. Your gifts are lust, bloodlust, and passion, to be exact. Feed those desires and you will grow 31

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stronger, as will I. Starve them, and you will die.” He tugged on the leash and the woman stood. “You don’t have to kill to fulfill your bloodlust, but you must bleed your enemies and taste of their flesh. And for physical lust, well, you’ve already proven you know how to do that.” “I don’t want to,” she cried in a broken voice. She was evil, tainted, an abomination. All the things she had feared were coming true. His green eyes shimmered with shadows of black now. “You will.” She shivered in the dirt and hid her face in her hands. “Please, leave me alone.” “I cannot, even if I wanted to. You are mine and I will use you.” His voice softened. “It is not all bad, daughter. You are cherished by me, for you are unique in all the world.” Church bells chimed in the distance, and his lips curled back in a snarl. Sorrow momentarily filled his gaze as he watched her huddled on the forest floor. “I deeply regret not being there for you when you were growing up. Though I did my best to protect you, I fear the man you know as your father sensed that you were not his. I am sorry that you have suffered.” They approached her and she scrambled away in the dirt. “Don’t touch me!” The woman placed her hands on Natalia’s face. Her skin was as smooth as silk, and she smelled like the most delicious flower. “My name is Ressi. I willingly serve your father.” Her breath was a warm stroke over Natalia’s face, and her gaze was drawn to the woman’s stiff nipples. She wondered what they would feel like sucked deep into her mouth. The skin around those dark points looked as soft as velvet, and she imagined the pleasure of rubbing herself against the woman’s body, tasting the woman’s arousal that flavored the air with a delicious musk. Lust moved within her and stroked at the shadowy essence of her soul. Ressi held her gaze and brought Natalia’s fingers to her breast, holding them over the surface of her ridged nipple. “Touch me. Please.” Everything but her lust faded. Natalia’s hand shook as she stroked the tip of her finger over the woman’s stiff nub. The soft silk of the gown slid over the hard bump, and she followed the curve to where the nipple met the breast. It was similar to, yet very different from, her own breast. Sweet energy, a gentle hum of power, moved over her skin. Emboldened, she gave the nipple a curious squeeze 32

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and smiled as Ressi gasped. Deep in her secret heart, she knew Ressi wanted it harder, that she liked the giving up of control. She rewarded Ressi with a sharp pinch and Ressi parted her thighs, tilting her hips forward. The energy filled her now and chased away all doubt and fear. This felt right, this woman submitting herself. Natalia was strength and power, and she had the ability to give this woman pleasure like Ressi never imagined. Fascinated, she watched Ressi’s thighs tense as she ran her nail over the silk-covered mound of her breast. Natalia stood, pulling the woman to her feet by her nipple. Ressi swayed toward her and the man laughed. Natalia turned on him with a hiss, the dark essence in full control now as it drank in the lust offered. Ressi was hers. How dare he interrupt them? A small part of her mind shrieked in horror as he bared his teeth back at her. The part of her soul awake with the power of lust demanded that she defend her prize. Ressi’s energy belonged to her. She twisted the woman’s nipple to prove her point, and Ressi cried out in a delicious moan. “Enough. We don’t have time for a slow feeding. I must bind you and give you my strength to carry you through,” the man said. He grabbed Natalia’s wrist in a firm grip and with a grim look on his face, and easily overpowered her struggles. She hissed into his face and hooked her hands into claws. He had no control over her. She was not intimidated by him. Anger and bloodlust sang in her mind as she scratched one hand down his cheek. Shock filled his eyes and he loosened his grip on her. “You’re stronger than I thought,” he murmured and tightened his grasp, pinning her arms and holding her close. She snapped her teeth at him as the delectable scent of his blood filled her nostrils. Deep in her mind she cried out in terror, but she craved his life’s essence too much to care. Dark instinct overruled conscious thought and the shadowy part of her soul ruled her now. He laughed and held her easily against her struggles to reach him. “Even now, you want to lick my cheek, don’t you?” A growl echoed from her throat at his words, and her eyes locked on the crimson drops welling out of the scratch on his face. They shimmered with a 33

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metallic quality that human blood did not possess. One drop landed on the collar of his coat and soaked into the cloth with a sizzling burn. He smiled and held his cheek before her face. “Taste me and become mine.” The last toll of the church bell rang in her mind, briefly clearing it. She wanted to recoil, but his firm grip kept her in place. Her mouth was suddenly parched, and his blood smelled like the sweetest thing on earth. She darted her tongue and licked across the scratches. She gasped at the sweet taste that burned down her throat in a rush of power: liquid lightning, essence of the wind, everything wild and untamed. Her eyes rolled back in her head as the pure demonic energy soaked into her soul. A sharp pain lanced through her, and she screamed her agony into the sky. The man bit her tender flesh, where the shoulder meets the neck, and took a long swallow of her blood. Ressi watched them and panted, rubbing her hand over her breasts with a shudder. He lowered Natalia to the ground where she curled into herself and whimpered as she stared up at him. Silver, purple, and black raced through the green of his eyes as he placed his hand on her cheek. “You are mine, bound by blood, willingly exchanged. I will protect you and cherish you as my beloved child until the end of time.” He smiled at her and she shrank from his sharp-toothed grin. Her shoulder throbbed in pain and her mind was only a few steps from shattering into madness. The world grew dim around the edges, and she heard voices calling her name from the church. The man claiming to be her father turned to the direction of the church and began to back away with a soft snarl. “I am Asmodeus, High Prince of Hell and Keeper of the Deadly Sin Lust. You are Natalia, Demon Princess of Hell. When the time is right, you will remember our meeting.” The words hammered into her soul, and the pain took the last of her consciousness down into a pit of darkness threaded with crimson fire. The last thing she saw was the ground opening with a rumble and Asmodeus and Ressi strolling into the green mist.

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Chapter Four Raum watched in amusement as Uncle Yurik removed his hat and placed it onto the table between them, right into a puddle of spilled beer. The old man’s eyesight was failing, and he refused to wear glasses. Fingers as round as sausages stroked his thick grey beard. A bear of a man with squashed and rough-edged features, he used his oafish appearance to hide his brilliance. They sat on opposite sides of a long oak table big enough to seat twenty and sized each other up. He felt a pang of guilt that all too soon these people would find out the real Vicktor was missing, dead and buried in a shallow grave by some robbers. Worry laced through him as he wondered how Natalia would react when he revealed his true form. “It’s good to have you home.” Yurik ran a hand over his balding head and scratched at a thick scar that went over the top of his skull. “I’ve been thinking about how I can use you.” Out of habit, Raum looked around the big room for anyone that might be listening. The door leading to the stairs was shut tight, and Yurik had trusted guards at all the entrances to the building. Yurik’s office sat above the three-story warehouse that abutted the edge of the Kazanaka River. Tall windows flanked with heavy red damask curtains overlooked the street on one side, and the river on the other. Yurik stood and ambled to the tan marble topped bar and poured them both a glass of high-quality vodka. He sipped his with a rumble of approval and sat back down across from Raum. Pushing the glass over with one thick finger, Yurik set his drink down and crossed his arms over his chest. “I want you to use the skills the military gave you.” Yurik examined him closely. Raum kept his expression bored and his pulse under control with an iron will. “And what would that be?” Yurik roared with laughter and leaned forward. The amusement did not reach his eyes; they remained dark and calculating. “Lie to me.”

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Raum searched through Vicktor’s memories for what Yurik meant. His lips twitched as he found the recollection. This was an old game played between them since Vicktor was old enough to talk. Vicktor would tell two truths and a lie, and Yurik would have to figure out which one was the lie by watching Vicktor’s body language and the way he spoke. If he could fool Yurik, he would get a sweet as a reward. Raum wondered what his reward would be now. “There is a man named Vlad with a beautiful daughter who can suck a cock hard enough to get you off in one suck.” He kept his face blank, his eyes honest. No one could lie like a demon. “I once stole an apple from a pig and ate it with the swine’s wife.” Yurik continued to watch, his small and intelligent eyes locked on him. It was not the words that were important. It was how he said them. He tried to distract Yurik by saying outlandish things that would capture the man’s imagination. “The most beautiful woman in the world is a beloved mistress of pain.” The last part was a test to himself. If he could keep his intense feelings about Natalia from showing in his face and voice, he could do anything. Kicking back his chair, Yurik began to pace the room with heavy strides. “The first one was the truth, and I’ll give you a gold coin for that cock-sucking girl’s name.” Raum said nothing, crossing his hands over his chest and watching Yurik pace. The lies were truths in his mind now. His face, his body, even his mind would reveal nothing. “The second one is the truth as well, so it must be the third.” Yurik tipped his head up, but the slightest tic of his eyes betrayed his doubt. Raum allowed his mask to drop, and his lips curved into an arrogant smile. “The apple one was untrue.” Yurik stared at him for a moment and started to laugh and swear. He thumped Raum’s shoulder before sitting across from him at the oak table. “You have become a wonderful liar.” Raum waited for the older man to continue. Asmodeus had picked the disguise of Vicktor for a reason, hoping to gain access to Gregor Trezent through Yurik. It 36

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was time to determine if that gamble paid off. Toying with the edge of his glass, he waited to see what the old man had to say. “Motka Trezent has sent his son down here to strengthen our ties and establish a base of operation for his opium smuggling.” His hand tightened on the glass until it was in danger of shattering, and he made himself relax. If he appeared too eager, Yurik might become suspicious. Trying to balance the right tone of surprise and interest. Raum let out a low whistle and leaned closer to Yurik. “This is a great opportunity.” “I know. If I can get access to the northern ports controlled by the Trezent, it will double our profits. I want you to expand our empire and handle those ports for me.” Raum considered this and ran the idea over in his mind. Access to Trezent would mean access to the contacts Belal used for his opium smuggling. If he could infiltrate Trezent’s Bratstvo, he could begin the destruction of the drug that was killing lust at an alarming rate. Natalia crept back into his mind again. Beautiful, seductive, and utterly dangerous, she was everything a demon princess should be. He wondered how she was adjusting to the changes that Asmodeus’s blood exchange were doing to her body. She didn’t even know how lucky she was. By Asmodeus acknowledging her as his progeny and binding her by blood, her position as a demon princess was secured. A delicious, hungry, lustful demon princess...he had to find a way to have her. Everything in his damned soul demanded that she belong to him. “What are you thinking?” “Just about the future.” No need to tell Yurik about his personal goals. They would send the old man screaming for the first priest he could find. He needed to focus on winning Trezent over first. “What do we know about Motka’s son?” Yurik’s thick lips twisted into a sour line. “Gregor, he’s a bastard. Smart and cutthroat. His father’s influence has helped, but the man is brilliantly cruel. He is running the gambling dens on the other side of the Volga.” “Any weaknesses? Women? Drink? Greed?” “No, he has a stable of whores but no favorites. No wife or children back home either. He drinks like any man, but not to excess. Greed might be our 37

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opportunity, but from what I can tell it’s not a greed for money.” Yurik stroked his beard in thought. “Gregor wants power and control. We may be able to find an opening by promising him added power in the north if we’re allowed access.” Raum ran his fingertip around the edge of the glass. “It will not be easy to convince him. Right now, they control the ports and bring in their opium without an issue.” Yurik’s eyes sparkled. “Yes, but they don’t have the connections I have. If they want the riches of Western Europe and the new world, they come to me. It would be easy for me to add their opium to my outgoing crates of merchandise as well. It would allow them to get around all the enormous tariffs that countries are placing on opium. Plus they do not have to establish a trusted smuggling network. Why take that risk?” Raum took another sip of vodka and rolled it around in his mouth. It was as smooth as the skin of Natalia’s lips. “How will I gain access to Trezent?” “As a show of fealty, you will be sent over as my gift. You’ll be his new bodyguard.” Raum snorted. “You think he will actually trust me, nephew of the local Bratstvo lord, to guard him?” Yurik’s crude face folded into a frown. “Of course not. Do you think I’ve grown stupid with old age while you were gone?” A barge on the river blasted its horn in the background, and Raum shrugged. “You’re going to save the man’s life. I have an ambush set up for him. We’ll wait until it is just the two of you, then we will spring an attack and you will save Gregor’s life.” “Interesting. How am I supposed to not kill my attackers?” Yurik drained the last of his vodka. “Oh, you’ll kill them. The men I’m going to send are mercenaries that have been stealing from me. I have to kill them for that disrespect, but if they die attacking Gregor, then I can give their widows enough money to live on. If I had to kill them for stealing, I would have to kill their families as well.” Raum nodded. “Any other special instructions?” “Watch, learn, and listen. You’re a smart boy, and I like to think I’ve trained 38

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you well. Anything I missed, the military should have covered.” Yurik gave him a fond smile. “I am very proud of you, Vicktor. I could not have asked for a better son myself.” He grinned at the compliment, but inside, the guilt dug its claws into his soul. Maybe before he left, he could do a spell to ease Yurik’s pain. Give him a story to believe that Vicktor was alive, and faked his death to get out of the military. A knock sounded at the door and pulled Raum from his plans. Yurik and Raum both moved their chairs away from the table and shifted into alert mode. Yurik looked over at him and laughed. “Try not to kill the man before he has a chance to enter the room.” Raum snorted, but didn’t take his eyes off the doorway. Yurik admitted a tall and narrow man wearing a purple felt hat over his light blond hair. He started at the sight of Raum and smiled happily, brushing past Yurik with his hand extended. “Vicktor! When did you get back?” Raum pushed back from the table and returned the man’s enthusiastic handshake. He searched Vicktor’s memories again. Bogdan, a minor friend from the village. “Just yesterday. How are you, Bogdan?” Bogdan smiled at him and thumped his shoulder. “Thanks to your uncle, I’m doing really well. I married Irina, and we have a little girl and another on the way.” Yurik shut the door and muttered to himself as he took his seat at the table. “Do you have some reason for being here, other than chatting like a washer woman?” “Yes, sir.” Bogdan flushed and stood up straight as he delivered his message. “Gregor Trezent has issued his protection over a local woman.” Yurik and Raum exchanged a glance and leaned forward. “Indeed. Who is it?” “Natalia Shura.” Raum willed his face to be a mirror, nothing showing but a reflection of whoever was looking. Mirrors had no emotion, no desires, only an image of what the viewer expected to see. Beneath the surface of the mirror, he seethed with fury. She is mine! Yurik grunted and turned to Raum. “Isn’t that the sister of your old friend 39

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Maxim?” “Yes, though I don’t remember much about her.” The lie was the truth as it ran smoothly off his tongue. Bogdan continued in an eager voice. “Wait till you hear how she got that protection.” Yurik made an impatient gesture with his hand. Raum’s mind moved through his meeting with Natalia and his memories of her home. She certainly didn’t live like the mistress of a Bratstvo lord. And the way she reacted to him was a combination of innocence and confused desire. Not the reaction of a woman schooled in the arts of pleasure. No, that gasp of delight belonged to him alone. By the nature of his dominion over lust, Asmodeus would have known if she were sexually active. And he would not have kept that information to himself. “She came to one of his gambling dens yesterday, looking for her father.” Bogdan’s expression soured. He knew Maxim as well and had been over to the family’s small farm as a boy. “Some kind of fight happened and it ended with Natalia pulling a knife on Gregor and bleeding him until he ordered his men to let her go.” Raum and Yurik exchanged a startled glance, and Yurik burst out laughing. “She did what?” “Pulled a knife on him. Our man said if she didn’t have the best set of tits he had ever seen on a woman, he would have confused her for a soldier.” Raum bit back the unreasonable sting of jealousy at the thought of another man looking at Natalia. He needed to focus on the danger at hand, and that was Trezent. Asmodeus would be pleased when he learned of Trezent’s attraction to his daughter. It was yet another tool to use against Belal. “Any idea why he extended her his protection?” Raum asked in a smooth voice. Yurik glanced at him again, and his eyes narrowed. A mirror, reflecting nothing but what the viewer wants to see. “No idea. She managed to get out of the den and a few minutes later, Gregor’s lieutenant made sure everyone knew that she was under his protection. If anyone touches her, they and their entire families are dead.” “Thank you, Bogdan. Pay our informant and spread the word among our men. 40

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Let Gregor know that I will extend my protection to her as well. Call it a gesture of good will.” Bogdan tipped his hat at Yurik before turning to Raum. “Come over sometime. My wife makes the best bread, and she would be delighted to see you again.” “If I remember correctly, Irina’s mother made fantastic apple dumplings. I would be a fool to turn down her daughter’s cooking.” Raum gave the man a smile filled with warmth. He had to get out of there and contact Asmodeus. The door shut and Yurik watched Vicktor closely. “You know this girl, don’t you?” “Yes, she’s the younger sister of Maxim.” Now, Yurik looked worried. “I already said that. You like her, don’t you?” “She’s pretty,” he said with a shrug. “I wouldn’t mind her long legs wrapped around my back and her thick hips in my hands.” “Natalia is forbidden territory to you. We need to use this new advantage to get into Gregor’s confidence. Your knowledge of her will make you valuable to Gregor.” Yurik gave him one more narrow-eyed look before he sat back in the chair with a sigh. Raum curled his hands into fists and had to concentrate on keeping his nails retracted. How dare this human try to deny him his potential mate? Yurik wandered to the bar and reached around the back, pulling out a small, carved wooden box. The hair on Raum’s arms stood up, and his eyes began to burn as if he were standing in the fiery stream of a dragon’s breath. Damn, this was the last thing he needed. “I want you to wear this talisman.” Yurik slid the box over to Raum. On top, an elaborate Eastern Orthodox cross was depicted in inlaid mother of pearl. Raum shook his head. I am a mirror. He reflected what they wanted to see. “You know I don’t believe in God, Uncle.” Yurik growled at him but Raum merely lifted a bored eyebrow as his stomach twisted in knots and his head began to pound. He could shield himself enough to wear the cross, but that would require an enormous amount of energy in addition to maintaining the illusion of his new body. “Do it for me. Word on the street is the Trezent have been known to use dark 41

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magic.” Raum laughed and pushed away the box with the tip of his finger. “You sound like a scared peasant, Uncle. Surely you don’t believe in such things? You always taught me a man makes his own fate. Magic is something for fat women who are trying to find a husband.” Yurik put his hat back on and growled, but took the box away. “Your aunt made me take it. She worries about you.” “I assure you, that talisman will not help me in the least.” At last, one thing he could say with absolute confidence. Yurik put the box back behind the bar, and the tingling burn faded. He would have to strengthen his protective spells when he returned to Hell to give his report. Raum stood and stretched his arms above his head. Things were not turning out as he’d expected.

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Chapter Five Natalia awoke with a scream that scraped her throat. Her mother’s warm hands pushed her back onto the bed. “Hush, my love, you’re all right. Your fever broke a few hours ago.” Her mother continued to speak comforting words in a melodic, singsong tone. Natalia’s shoulder ached, and she distractedly noted a lack of desire along with the painful burn. “What happened?” The words came out in a husky croak, and she licked her dry lips. Her mother helped her sit up and held a cup of water to her mouth, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Her voice trembled as she said, “You’ve been asleep for two days. At church, you got sick and ran into the forest. You must have passed out, and something bit your shoulder.” Natalia took a deep drink from the cup and coughed as the water hit her parched throat. Clucking her tongue softly, her mother patted Natalia’s mouth with the edge of her apron and set the cup on the table next to the bed. She turned up the flame on the oil lamp and carefully checked the tender skin. Her mother cleared her throat a couple times before she managed to say, “We think the beast was a fox. The sound of the church bells and our shouts must have scared it away.” Natalia lay back on her pillow and felt the water settle in her empty stomach. She raised a hand to touch her wound as if that would stir a memory. Nothing but the sharp bite of pain without pleasure. That alone gave her a measure of relief that chased away the fear of the unknown. It was so good to find some pain that didn’t steal her self-control. “How are you, dear?” Her mother sighed and stroked her hair. “I’m hungry.” “I was so worried about you.” Her gaze darted to the floor and back to Natalia’s face in a nervous dance before she added, “Your papa was also concerned.” At the mention of her papa, something vast rolled through her subconscious,

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but the memory did not rise to the surface. Cresting below her awareness, the recollection sank back into the depths of her weary mind. “Where is he?” “Oh, he went into town to thank Mr. Trezent.” Natalia’s heart slammed into her ribs. “What?” “Mr. Trezent.” Her mother went to the other end of the room and brought back a large wicker basket. Oranges, apples, and large nuts filled the brown, clothlined interior. In the very front, a sealed envelope bore her name in an elaborate script. “He brought this by when he heard you had fallen ill. Mr. Trezent said that you knew him?” “Yes, I tutored a cousin of his.” The lie slipped so easily past Natalia’s lips that she was amazed. The oranges shined in the light through the window, their surface bright and alive. She took a deep breath and could smell their sweet tang. “He’s quite taken with you. Are you sure there isn’t something you need to tell me?” “No. I’m sure he was just being nice.” She avoided her mother’s eyes by trying to sit up. Her arms were weak and her body protested the movement. The light shining into her familiar bedroom appeared different. It took her a moment to identify the new curtains on the windows, made of navy blue velvet. Gold tassels held them back from the thick panes. A strange pattern was stitched in gold thread on the bottom of each panel. “Where did the curtains come from?” “From Mr. Trezent. Your papa has been playing poker with him, and Mr. Trezent sent these as a gift yesterday.” Natalia glowered and said in a disdainful voice, “How much has he lost now? Can we expect to be evicted at the end of the month?” Pride lit her mother’s face. “Your papa’s been winning at the card tables. Just like I told you he would.” She fluffed the pillow behind Natalia’s back. “See how wrong you were when you scolded him for doing something he enjoyed? Don’t you feel silly?” Feeling far from silly, Natalia was starving and she wanted a bath. Some memory tickled at the back of her mind, but would not reveal itself. Rich green velvet with gold stitching…but that was all that she could see. The harder she 44

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tried to focus on the memory, the more it misted away until she was unsure if it was an actual memory or a fevered dream. Her stomach rumbled again as the scent of the fruit swirled about her. Flaring her nostrils, she took in the rich aroma and narrowed in on the sweet tang of oranges. She had only had them on very special occasions. Gregor must have spent a fortune to buy them for her. Saliva flooded her mouth, and her stomach cramped in protest. “May I have an orange, please?” “Of course!” Her mother began to peel off the thick skin, and she took a deep breath. “I was terrified we were going to lose you. After the loss of your brother....” “You won’t get rid of me that easily,” Natalia said in a teasing tone and swung her feet over the side of the bed. She felt chilled and frowned down at her legs. The hair on them was missing. A tremble started in her stomach as the memory rose to the surface and brushed against her waking mind. This time she saw— remembered—a long golden chain twinkling in the sunlight. Her mother set the orange aside and popped a slice into Natalia’s mouth before she thought to mention the oddity of her bare legs. The taste was bliss, like eating sunlight. She groaned in happiness as the sweetness burst on her tongue. “These are wonderful!” Eagerly, she wolfed down another slice with an appreciative moan. “Everything tastes better when you’re hungry.” Her mother dusted her hands off and pulled a small wrapped soap out of the basket. “I will leave you to bathe. There is fresh water in the washbasin. Call me if you need any help.” Natalia nodded as she busily shoved more orange slices into her mouth. They were so good. The door shut and Natalia sighed in regret as she ate the last slice. Licking the juice off her fingers, she picked up the bar of soap with her clean hand. Unfamiliar words in French gleamed in gold script on the pink paper. Curious, she drew the aroma of the soap into her lungs. Vanilla, patchouli, and some spice she didn’t recognize. The beauty of the scent actually staggered her. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and she took another deep breath of the perfume. 45

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The odor of her fever sweat slipped past the soap’s scent and assaulted her nose. With a sour face, she tugged the nightgown over her head and placed the soap next to the deep bowl of water on the wooden washstand. Stepping onto a towel, she wet the washcloth and worked up a luxurious lather. The stroke of the cloth over her skin made her want to purr. She ran the cloth over her arm, watching the small bubbles in the light from the window on her pale skin. Her eyes narrowed and her jaw dropped. There was no hair on her arms either. They were as hairless as her legs. She began to shake and tried to calm herself. Maybe the hair loss was a side effect of the fever. Her fingertips trembled as they explored the hollows beneath her arms. Smooth as velvet. The washcloth slipped out of her hands and splashed into the washbasin. She ran the tips of her fingers down her belly to her mound. It was silky and buttery soft, with no curls to guard her womanhood. Her heart pounded in her throat, and her vision began to dim around the edges. It was only by reflex that she remembered to breathe. Her stunned mind couldn’t process what had happened to her body. The soap began to dry and itch on her skin as she tried to rationalize her suddenly sleek skin. It was the fever, or the bite. Some kind of poison from the beast’s mouth. An exotic fever that made the hair fall out. She repeated the excuse to herself until she started to believe it as truth. A question about why she still had the hair on her head surfaced, and she crushed it ruthlessly. The sound of footsteps outside the door made her jump and shield her bare mound with the washcloth. Quickly, she rinsed off and wrapped a towel around her body. Her mother’s voice yelled through the thick wooden door. “Natalia, are you all right?” “Yes, I’m almost done.” Her voice had a shrill ring she hoped wasn’t apparent. Drying off hastily, she grabbed a shift out of the wardrobe and tossed the white cotton over her still-damp skin with shaking hands. She was tying the orange silk belt over her yellow tunic when her mother came in. “Oh my. It smells wonderful in here!” Her mother smiled. She picked up the wet towels from the floor and hung them over the back of a chair. While Natalia 46

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finished getting dressed, her mother changed the sheets on her bed and fluffed the pillows then she took the large hairbrush off the shelf and tugged Natalia over to the bed. With long strokes, her mother combed back the damp black hair that fell to the top curves of Natalia’s bottom. The familiar tug of the brush soothed her, and she relaxed into the warmth of her mother’s love. “Vicktor has been to see you as well.” Natalia’s heart pounded at the casual mention of his name, and her toes tapped against the floor. “He has?” “Oh yes, he’s quite concerned about you. He even requested to watch you while you slept.” Happiness filled her heart with a warm glow that radiated through her body. The tips of her fingers played with the small blue flowers cross-stitched into the hem of her yellow tunic, and she said in a deliberately unconcerned voice, “That was very kind of him.” “Indeed.” Her mother began to braid her hair with swift motions as Natalia replayed her time with Vicktor, the way he watched her and the rush of tingles when they touched. Most of all, she basked in the memory of how alive she felt with him and the warmth that flooded her at his touch. “There, all done.” Her mother pressed her back into the bed and handed her one of the penny dreadfuls Mr. Feathering let her borrow. On the cover snarled a pirate brandishing his sword over a large treasure chest. “Relax and read. Try to sleep if you can. I’ll bring you in some soup and bread in a few minutes.” Natalia struggled to sit up, resisting the comfort of her pillow and the sheets that felt so heavenly on top of her. “I need to help you with the farm.” “No. The farm has been well taken care of.” Her mother’s lips curved into a mysterious smile. “Mr. Trezent has sent men over to do the work while we watched over you.” “Why would he do that?” Natalia asked in a stunned voice. “Because you’re a beautiful young woman and he’s a handsome young man? Prosperous, too. His family owns two shops in town.” And seven gambling dens and probably a couple of brothels. But she didn’t say that aloud. At this point, she was happy he didn’t kill her while she was sick. 47

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Her eyelids began to get heavy as she lay back. “I think I’ll rest for a little bit.” Her mother gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. “I love you.” “Love you, too.” The door opened and she heard her papa’s voice rumble from the other side. “Is she awake?” “Yes, but she’s going back to sleep. The fever has left her—” “She can sleep later. Get in there and get her ready to go visit Mr. Trezent.” Her mother shushed him and closed the door. Leaning up on her elbow, Natalia strained to hear the rest of the conversation. A quiet murmur from her mother, too faint to make out, was followed by her papa roaring, “I don’t care what you think. Attracting Mr. Trezent’s attention is the first good thing she’s ever done for this family. She’s well past the age where she should have married and provided us with a son-in-law that would take care of us. I won’t have her messing this up like she does everything else!” Another short burst of her mother talking in a low voice was followed by her papa’s scalding laughter. “Admit it, Anya, you know just as well as I do that Natalia is lucky to attract any man. Something about her is wrong. Always has been and always will be.” Her papa’s words sliced through her heart like a knife, and she pulled her pillow over her head. Biting her lower lip, she tried to keep back the cries that burned in the back of her throat. She always knew he didn’t love her like he loved Maxim, but to hear him say those horrible things about her crushed the small part of her spirit that longed for a father’s love. A dull throbbing filled her head and beat in time with her aching heart. Hugging the pillow over her head, she tried to cocoon herself in the darkness. At least her mother loved her. Slowly, her tears tapered off, and she fell into an exhausted sleep in the comforting embrace of her pillows. *** A knock at the door woke her from a deep sleep. Night had fallen and 48

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moonlight bathed the room. Leaning up, she grabbed the cup of water next to her bed and took a deep drink. “Come in,” she said in a soft voice and blinked her eyes against the shine of the lantern in the doorway as her mother entered the room. She placed the lantern on the small table next to her bed. “You have a visitor.” Natalia pushed herself up all the way and tried to wipe the sleep from her eyes. “Mr. Trezent. He wishes to speak with you.” Fear slammed into her heart, and she forced herself to answer in a normal tone. “Aren’t you afraid of a man being in my bedroom?” Shaking her head, her mother smiled. “No. He came back with your papa and had dinner with us. He’s a very well-mannered and charming man. Educated and well-spoken.” Natalia gaped at her, and her mother patted her cheek. “He only wants a moment of your time. I’ll be outside in the living room having a drink with your papa. Mr. Trezent brought us a bottle of the most wonderful vodka.” Brushing back a strand of hair that had escaped Natalia’s braid, she continued. “You don’t know how happy I am to see you finally enjoying the company of handsome young men. I worry about you being all alone when we are gone.” Natalia stared at her mother, who leaned out the door and called for Mr. Trezent. He strode into the room, dressed from head to toe in royal blue velvet. His long tunic had silver embroidery across the neck and down the front. Silver fox fur lined the collar and brushed against his throat. The color brought out the deep red in his hair and complemented his broad figure. She had a moment to appreciate his features as he studied her. They were finely formed with high and prominent cheekbones. In the lamplight, his chocolate-brown eyes appeared almost black and they were slightly tilted at the corners. She idly wondered if he had some Tartar blood in his lineage. Her mother glared at him and shook her finger. “Do not upset her. She’s still recovering.” Mr. Trezent offered a charming smile, and she simpered at him. Natalia distrusted him even more. How dare he pretend to be a normal man. Her mother closed the door as she left, and Mr. Trezent turned his face back to 49

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her. The charming smile was gone. In its place was cold calculation and hunger. Oddly enough, she found his expression reassuring. At least he wasn’t trying to be someone he was not around her. Dark and spicy, his cologne and scent filled the air of her small room. She could feel his desire, and in the back of her mind, she knew exactly what he wanted. His lust broke her barriers and awoke her essence; it thirsted for his warmth and passion. Her self-control slipped away, and she felt helpless to stop it. Ignorant of her internal struggle, he arrogantly ran his eyes over her body, lingering on her hips and breasts. “Why are you here?” His full lips softened at the sound of her voice. “To see the little hellcat that tried to slit my throat.” A blush warmed her face at his words. “You hit me.” He actually looked sorry when he said, “I apologize. You were beating one of my customers.” “He grabbed me first,” she growled. His eyelids grew heavy and his tone lowered. “If you ever see him again, let me know who he is and I will have him killed.” This bold statement snapped her out of her anger. “What?” He shrugged and walked across the dimly lit room to toy with the new drapes. “These are protective symbols on the bottom of the curtains. My family has them made for all of our homes. The color of the velvet reminded me of your eyes.” She arched a brow at him as he waited for a thank you that wasn’t coming. The air filled with tension and she glared at him. Instead of getting angry, he smiled at her with real warmth. “I was hoping you would see the curtains and help from my men as a gesture to help smooth our...rough start.” She crossed her arms over her chest, but her body woke beneath his lingering gaze, her nipples becoming hard buds and heat warming her cheeks. The darkness of her soul woke from its slumber as her awareness of him grew. She clenched her teeth, trying to fight back the madness that was becoming such a part of her mind that she had trouble recognizing where it began and she ended. 50

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He ran a fingertip down the curtain, and she was suddenly immersed in fantasies about how his hands would feel on her body. She tried to fight them off, to resist their carnal stirrings, but it was impossible. Mr. Trezent’s presence filled the room with his delicious masculine scent. His attention focused on her sharply and something in his stance shifted. Without moving, he became a predator. But if he thought she was the prey in this room, he was very wrong. She studied him in the charged silence as dormant instincts replaced rational thought. The taste of his lust rolled over her tongue, and the shadow inside her purred with anticipation. Strong and bold, he would be a treasure once he was properly trained. “You want to make up for your rudeness?” she asked in a husky voice. Turning, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and pointed to the floor. There, in front of her, was a spot of hardwood bathed in a circle of light from the lantern. “Yes.” The surrender in the word made her shiver. Such delicious control. The man could snap her in half with one hand, but at this moment, he lived to please her. The sense of power it gave her made the soft flesh between her legs clench in anticipation. “Come here,” she said in a low voice and traced the circle of light with the tip of her toe. His hand dropped from the curtain and stroked along his lips. He took a step forward. “No,” she said. “On your knees.” His breath fluttered out of his chest, and he dropped to his hands and knees. Somehow, it seemed she’d slipped into his mind and was able to brush against his thoughts, his desires. Yes, this is what he wanted, what brought his passion to the surface. She basked in the warmth of his lust as he crawled toward her with a liquid roll of his shoulders. A voice of panic tried to speak up about how wrong this situation was, but she squashed it. Here was the antidote to her weakness, the balm to her pain. He stopped at the edge of the bed, and she studied him in the light. So savage, so ruthless, but he yearned for her with a tenderness that made her chest tight. 51

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The darkness in him called to her and she answered. “Arms behind your back.” He complied and the thick muscles of his chest moved beneath the rich cloth. She leaned closer to him and ran her lips over the pulse in his throat. Hot and richly-scented, his blood pounded beneath the thin silk of skin, but she did not want his liquid heat. This time, she wanted his passion. The energy of his desire trembled against her lips, and she licked her tongue along his neck, tasting his flesh and his excitement. He tilted his head to give her better access. An ache started in her body, a frustration as familiar as breathing. The shadowy part of her soul whispered that here was an answer to her ache, here was a man she could use to soothe that overwhelming need. His breath came out in little gasps against her lips as she leaned closer. “Kiss me.” He complied, pressing himself into her mouth enough to push her back on the bed. He guided her gently, waiting for her to lead, by opening himself to her tongue. He tasted wonderful, male and powerful. She explored his mouth, scooting forward to wrap her legs around his torso. The skill of his lips made her moan softly against him; he seemed to know what she wanted before she was even aware of her desires. His hands remained behind his back, and she could feel the strain in his muscles as he resisted the urge to embrace her. “You may touch me.” He ate the words from her lips, and his hands ran along the edge of her skirt, pulling the thick fabric up over her hips. The action should have shocked her, but instead it made her suck on the tender part of his lower lip and moan her need to him. “Natalia,” he whispered. Her name turned into a prayer. The darkness within her mind whispered two words until they seemed like her own thoughts, her own burning needs. She gave those words voice and said, “Pleasure me.” Something shifted in her mind as she willingly said the phrase and her shadowy essence howled in triumph. Any panic she might have felt was swept 52

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away by the unbelievable rush of power. Her skin sensitized and her sight sharpened, taking in every detail of the man before her. His wide eyes locked on hers and a small smile quirked his lips. “As you wish.” He gradually lifted her chemise to bunch around her waist, revealing the smooth expanse of her legs as the tips of his fingers traced along her calf. His breath caught in his throat when he trailed his hands over her skin. His warmth was drugging, his touch made her nerves sing. Why had she denied herself this pleasure for so long? His fingers inched their way up her legs, stroking the sensitive skin of her inner thigh as he watched her. “I’ve never seen anything like you.” The lust in his voice warmed her and filled her with energy. This felt so good, so right. She tilted her hips, a silent invitation to go further. The fabric slid aside enough to finally reveal the bare and swollen flesh between her legs to him. “Beautiful.” He stroked a reverent finger over her cleft. Nostrils flaring to take in her scent, he spread her cream over her slit and wet her nether lips. She looked down and watched his finger, so tan and rough against her pale skin. Unease made her tighten against the intrusion as he explored her and came to the thin barrier of her maidenhead. “A virgin?” he said in shock. She gave him no reply, only watched him through half-lowered lids. “Have you ever had your release?” His voice had deepened further until it was a rasp. She gave him a bewildered look and he laughed, rubbing his cheek against hers before placing an almost reverent kiss on her lips. Strong and sure, his fingers spread apart her nether lips and massaged the area around her clit. So good, so talented, she bucked her hips against his hand. The sensations he was pulling out of her body were beyond anything she had ever imagined, and he drank in every change in her expression as she delighted in his skill. After a long and hungry kiss, he pulled away. “May I give you your first release?” As he said this, his fingers circled around her swollen clit and gently tugged at the side of the hood. His feather-light touch brought her hips from the bed, and she groaned, “My 53

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what?” He made a pained sound and the pulse in the side of his neck pounded. “It is the ultimate pleasure a man can give a woman. What you’re feeling right now is only the beginning. It gets so much better.” She didn’t care what he did as long as he didn’t stop. Especially when he promised such delicious things. “Yes, please give me my release.” Letting herself fully relax against him, she leaned back in the embrace of his arm as his other hand stroked her with skill and tenderness. He watched her as he thumbed her clit, rolling it gently back and forth within its soft folds. His caress was glorious, but was not what she needed. She wanted it harder and she desired the pain. He had the savagery in him, but she had him under such control that he kept his violent nature chained for fear of scaring her. Silly man. “Harder,” she growled through clenched teeth. “I don’t want to—” She slapped him, and his head rocked back as the print of her palm stood out against his tanned skin. “I said, ‘harder.’” He bit his lip and growled with a hungry sound that made her shiver. His fingers squeezed her clit in a sharp pinch. She bit her hand to hold back her scream. The ache became a fire, heating her blood and pounding through her. She rewarded him with another kiss as he worked the swollen flesh between her legs with long and clever fingers that knew how to please a woman. “Nails. Use your nails.” After a moment’s hesitation, he complied. She jerked aside and bit the side of his neck, leaving a bruising impression of her teeth in his skin. He moaned and scraped over her slit with his nails, making her shudder. “Gregor, I....” She thrust herself in time with his fingers, chasing an unknown pleasure. He held her close. “Take it,” he whispered. “Take everything I have to offer. I am yours. Let me please you.” The dark side of her soul rejoiced at his surrender and claimed him. By his own words, he belonged to her. A final punishing tug on her clit sent her over the edge she didn’t know existed. 54

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Her body broke apart into a million pieces, scattering with the pleasure she moaned into his shoulder. Holding her as her body bucked and shuddered, he gently whispered dark phrases of desire. Seeking every ounce of bliss he had to give her, she abandoned herself to the sensations with total trust. “Natalia,” he breathed against her ear. She dug her nails into his hair, tugging his head back and kissing him as the waves of pleasure began to fade. She rested on his shoulder and panted, licking the sweat off her lip. Instead of being exhausted by their play, she felt energized, as if she had slept for a week and drunk a pot of good tea. His palm trembled with tension as he cupped her mound, and she shuddered against him. “Your lovely pussy is hot and pink,” he whispered against her mouth and pressed his palm into her, fingers flexing. “So wet and exposed, beautiful.” The lust was still there, hovering beneath the surface. It could easily be stoked to life by his hungry touch. He wanted her, wanted her so badly she could feel the edge of the pain coming from his shaft drawn tight beneath his trousers. The shadowy part of her essence triumphed in her abandon, and the voice of reason was banished under its power. It demanded she make him hers fully, but this was not the time or place. She leaned back and watched him as he pulled his wet fingers to his mouth and sucked them clean. Curious, she leaned forward to taste herself on his lips. Musky, with a little hint of salt and a sweet aftertaste. He groaned into her mouth, and she pushed him back. If he stayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to resist and the thought of her parents interrupting put a damper on her desire. “I’m tired. Leave me.” He started to move toward her, and she pinned him with her eyes. “I know you ache, and I know your cock is so hard it feels like it’s going to burst.” She did discern these things. She could read every nuance of his lust. Something had changed when he offered himself to her, and a new awareness of him curled inside of the shadowy part of her soul. That awareness put a power into her words that she didn’t even know she possessed, a command he couldn’t ignore even if he’d wanted to. “I want you to remain like that and think about me. When you get back to your home, you may find your release.” 55

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He stood, and her interest was captured by the thick bulge behind the edge of his tunic. “Come here.” Licking his lip, he complied and she ran a hesitant hand over it. His cock jumped beneath her stroke, and she smiled. He was handsome, strong, dangerous—and hers. “Go now, Gregor.” “When may I see you again?” His voice was a throaty caress. If he didn’t leave soon, she would lose what little control she had. “Don’t come to me. I will come to you.” He nodded, and clenched his hands into fists, but paused at the doorway. Eyes dark with passion, they held an edge of wildness that made her pussy clench. “Do not make me wait too long, Natalia. I am a patient man, but you are something I would kill to have.” The truth of his words chased away some of the power of the lust, and she shivered. The door clicked shut. She pulled the blankets over her body and stared into the darkness. Shame should have filled her. Instead she felt more peaceful and content than she had in months. She would worry about Gregor in the morning. Tonight she would enjoy the gift of his desire. Her last thoughts before falling asleep were about a handsome older man with green and silver eyes holding a leash in his hand and smiling.

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Chapter Six Lugging a bucket of water from the pump next to the weather-worn barn, Natalia trudged over to the pig’s empty trough. Its sharp squeals cut through the calm morning air as they crammed themselves into the back corner of the wood fence. Pouring the water into the empty basin, Natalia examined the ground around the sty for wolf or fox tracks. Something had the pigs agitated, and if there was a predator in the area, they needed to put the pigs in the barn at night. She scanned the stand of trees that hid the road from view and tried to see a hint of red fox or wild dog. She examined the area around the enclosure looking for any signs of a disturbance, and the pigs squealed even louder and ran away from wherever she was. Her breath came out in a light mist as she watched the animals. Slowly, she walked from one side of the pen to the other. They shadowed her movements, squealing and climbing over each other to get as far away from her as possible. A low moo from the barn distracted her from the pig’s odd behavior. “I’ll be there in a minute, Vera,” she muttered and carried the empty wooden bucket to the side of the barn. Gray and overcast, the sky promised a spring storm in the heavy clouds. The dark weather matched her mood. How had she gotten so out of control as to let Gregor do those things to her, even as wonderful as they’d been? More importantly, why did she have to force herself to think of it as being wrong? If she didn’t remind herself that what they did was a sin, all she felt about the memory was delicious arousal and a craving for more. More of his strong body, more of his kisses, more of his pleasure feeding hers until she lost herself in his touch. “Who’s Vera?” an amused male voice asked from behind her. She screamed and whirled around, whacking Vicktor across the midsection with the bucket. The breath was knocked out of his lungs, and he staggered back. His broad shoulders heaved beneath his brown wool coat as he tried to suck in

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some air. “Oh!” She dropped the bucket and threw an arm over his hunched shoulders. “I’m so sorry. You scared me!” He gave a wheezing chuckle and straightened. “Why are you always trying to kill me?” The heat of a blush made her ears warm, and she ignored his question. She picked up the bucket and placed it against the edge of the barn. On the other side, one of the horses snorted and kicked the wall hard enough to knock dust out of the space between the boards. Vicktor jerked her back, and the horse inside gave the wall another kick; a loud whinny split the air. “I don’t know what’s wrong with the animals this morning. I think a fox or wolf might have been around the barn last night.” She turned and gave him a quick glance. His unique cinnamon scent brushed against her. Warm and delicious, the smell made her want to rub her face against his neck. Flashes of her time with Gregor last night made her nipples stiffen and a whisper of shame made her tone sharp. “What are you doing here?” Vicktor studied her and she tried not to fidget. When he focused on her, it seemed as if he could see everything she tried to hide. “Mr. Trezent sent me over to help you with the morning chores.” Was she imagining the hint of accusation in his voice? Her newfound ability to read men she was attracted to didn’t seem to work with Vicktor the way it did with Gregor. “That was very nice of him.” Striving to be casual, she started to walk toward the barn so he couldn’t see her face. “How do you know him?” “I work for him now.” The news made her stumble. What could she say to make this situation any better? The two men she desired—and possibly could grow to love—worked together. It was a recipe for disaster on every level. He shadowed her to the barn and she paused, unable to meet his eyes. Vicktor broke the silence and brushed a stray lock of hair off her forehead. “The question is, how do you know him, Natalia?” The way he said her name made her body flush with heat. Possessive, as if her 58

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name belonged to him alone. Shaking her head to clear the silly fantasies about Vicktor away, she tried to focus on his question. Did she tell him the truth or try to fashion a lie that wouldn’t make him look at her differently? Trying to buy time, she jerked open the barn door and went to the hay piled at the other end of the shed row. “My father gambles with him.” She still didn’t face him. Instead, she stared at a narrow gap between the boards and watched an old sawdust-caked cobweb dancing in the breeze. Strong hands spun her and slammed her into the wall hard enough to raise a puff of dust. Her breath caught in her throat as Vicktor stared into her eyes, his face cold and savage. “Do not lie to me. Always tell me the truth. Don’t assume what my reaction will be.” Desire, hot and heady, made her pliant in his grip. She couldn’t see his lust as she could Gregor’s, but she could feel it moving over her like delicious flames. Holding her against the wall excited him as much as it excited her and gave her courage. “I cut his throat.” He rewarded this statement by pressing his hard cock against her. “Odd that a man whose throat you cut would become enamored with you.” No reply seemed sufficient to his accusation. Instead, she leaned forward and trembled as she brushed her lips across his. He tasted of cinnamon, and his lust vibrated over her in a wave and caressed the shadowy essence of her soul. That one small touch thrilled her and made her greedy for more. Vicktor remained still under her lips as she gently brushed his again. His thumbs dug into the soft flesh of her arms in a punishing grip. Her pussy tightened at the pressure, and her tongue darted out to lick against the seam of his lips. The skin was so smooth, unlike anything she had ever imagined. Closing her eyes, she sought entrance to the heat of his mouth. A rumbling growl came from deep in his chest, and he shoved her back into the side of the barn. “I didn’t give you permission to kiss me.” A small sigh of pleasure escaped her. Instead of making her angry, his control of the situation made her feel safe and oddly cherished. “May I kiss you?” she 59

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asked in a husky voice. His nostrils flared as he sucked in air, and a hint of a silver sheen surfaced in his eyes. “One kiss, and then we have chores to do.” A heady blush suffused her cheeks. No longer was it done in a moment of passion; it was a rational choice. She studied him and he returned her gaze. His cinnamon smell was still as delicious and he was just as handsome as when she was in the grip of lust. Fingers trembling against his skin, she cupped his face with her hands and closed her eyes. He held still beneath her lips at first, and then began to respond to her delicate movements. Sensual and lingering, he returned her kiss as if she were made of glass. The gentleness of his lips was offset by his nails prickling through her tunic. She briefly wondered why his nails felt so sharp, but that thought was stolen away as he began to suck at her lower lip in earnest. Heat flooded through her. He was perfect and kissed her like she was made for him. Each press of his lips made her heart beat harder until she thought she might pass out in his arms. His tongue stroked against hers, and she welcomed the invasion. His cinnamon taste doubled and she hungered for him. It wasn’t only her physical body that was aroused. She felt alive and powerful, protected and adored. With a final stroke of his tongue, he broke away and pressed his hard erection against her. His breath came out in harsh bursts and his hands massaged her back in a restless fashion, tugging her closer. “We need to get our chores done.” She nodded in agreement, but moved her hips against his erection. So hard. She knew he could do wonderful things to her body with all that strength. His eyes became half-lidded and he growled. Shock cleared her head. She gasped in fear. His teeth were sharp and pointed, like a wolf’s. As she tried to pull away, he grinned again and his teeth were normal. Blinking her eyes, she rationalized that her tired mind was playing tricks on her. The only other explanation was that the madness she feared was deepening. “Do you want to milk the cow or shall I?” His question was casual, but it felt like he was watching her too closely. Of course, that could be because she acted like a shameless woman and threw herself 60

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on him. He couldn’t know that she questioned her own sanity. Dropping her arms from his waist, she leaned back and took a deep breath through her nose. At least the kiss got him to stop asking about Gregor. “I will. If you could muck out the stalls, that would be wonderful.” He gave her a stern glower. “Be glad you taste like passion and vanilla, otherwise I’d insist you help me muck those stalls.” She giggled and grabbed the bucket and stool. A quick glance over her shoulder showed him watching her with an amused grin. Goodness, he was handsome. Even in a barn, his good looks shone through like he was dressed in the finest clothes. Her mind flashed on the image of an older, dark-haired man dressed in rich and supple green velvet. Darkness replaced the picture, but not before her stomach clenched. Confused and disoriented, she let herself into the cow’s stall. It immediately started to moo in terror and back into the corner, away from her. She screamed as it kicked out and narrowly missed her ribs. The cow mooed back and began to shake and roll its eyes. It was a huge animal, and could easily crush her if she didn’t get out. The other animals in the barn began to panic, and the air filled with the terrified whinnies of the horses. The bulk of the cow’s body blocked the exit to the stall, so she tried to climb over the gate. Her skirts tangled about her feet and she held onto the rail, trying to haul herself over with her arms. Vicktor was suddenly there and he yanked her out of the stall the rest of the way. “Are you all right?” His hands smoothed back her veil and checked her for any damage. “What happened?” Her lower lip trembled and she hugged her arms around herself. “I don’t know. I went in to milk her just like I do every morning, and she reacted like I was dangerous.” A tear slipped down her cheek and she dashed it away. “Why are all my animals scared of me this morning?” A horrible thought occurred to her. What if they smelled the sin of what she and Gregor had done together? Had the impure and tainted part of her that craved blood and pain finally risen to the surface? Shame made her turn her back on Vicktor and cry into her cupped palms. How 61

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could she kiss Vicktor after what she did with Gregor last night? Only a vile woman with no morals would do such a thing. Vicktor deserved a woman who he could be proud of, and that wasn’t her. “Hush now. Maybe the wolf scented the water pump and you got some of its odor on your hands?” He tried to turn her around, and she resisted. Why torture herself by accepting his compassion? It would only make his eventual disgust at the discovery of her sins all the worse. His deep sigh overrode the silence. “Let me see your hands.” Not looking up, she held her hands out to him. Her tears made rough dots in the dry sawdust on the floor of the barn. His hands were warm and strong as he stroked her palms with his thumbs. She didn’t deserve his trust. The tip of his finger traced an elaborate pattern on each hand. Cinnamon filled the air as if an apple pie had just come out of the oven, and a shiver raced down her spine. The world was suddenly warmer and her shame receded. The shadowy part of her soul whispered that she could have both men, if she was clever enough. They both belonged to her. “Now, let’s see if the cow still smells a predator on your skin.” He led her toward the stall, his hand large and rough around hers. She tried to tug back as he opened the door, but he pulled her in after him. Instead of throwing itself at the wall, the cow gave her its usual dismissive glance. Vicktor handed her the bucket. “I’ll be right next to you. Give it a try.” Her trust in the cow was gone, but the milking had to be done. Growing up on a farm, you learned to face your fears with a practical heart. When her trembling fingers wrapped around the cow’s teat, it merely shifted. She began to get dizzy again and realized she was holding her breath. Blowing it out, she tugged on the teats and milked the cow as she had done every day since she was five. The hiss and ping of the milk filling the metal bucket was soothing and familiar. Vicktor remained behind her, not saying anything, only watching her work. When the bucket was half-full, she said, “Those stalls aren’t going to muck themselves.” 62

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He snorted and she darted a glance over her shoulder. Uncrossing his arms, he dipped down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Her heart swelled with an unnamed emotion. It was wonderful, like running down a hill, eating her favorite cake, and drinking a glass of vodka all at once. Her hands faltered for a moment, and he smiled at her. “Let’s get this done so we can have some lunch before I have to return to town.” Finishing the milking, her mind raced. She wanted both men, but for different reasons. Wicked and impure as her thoughts were, she couldn’t dismiss the delicious idea of having the best of both worlds. *** Raum stood inside the tree line outside of Natalia’s home. Night had fallen hours ago and all the lights were off in the cozy home. He could feel Anya and Pasha sleeping, but his grasp on Natalia’s dreams was weak. Alone in the dark, Raum dropped the illusion and wore his true form. His body was broader than Vicktor’s. His arms and thighs rippled with muscle. A faint breeze lifted his long white hair off his back, and his pale blue skin was bleached to silver in the moonlight. It felt good to at least be partially himself again, even if he was shielded from the sight of mortal eyes. Again, he tried to catch Natalia’s dreams. It should be easy. He was the son of a succubus and born with the ability to invade dreams and seduce the sleeper. Frustration made his lips curl back from his sharp teeth. It was too soon to make his move on Natalia physically. If he was right, she was going to bind Gregor as her concubine and he could not interfere with that process until a connection was established between Natalia and Gregor. The invaluable power, protection, and love that came from having a concubine would benefit her greatly. While kissing Natalia in the barn, she had made him lose control to the point where his illusion slipped. Just his true teeth and claws showed through, but he knew she saw it. Thankfully, he was able to cover up the slip, and she let it go as a daydream. She was so damned delicious and everything about her made him hot. 63

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Beyond that, he cherished her trust in him and he vowed to do everything he could to make sure she survived her transformation. He understood she could be his potential blood-mate. To him, she tasted and smelled like sweet vanilla. Only another demon capable of being his mate would smell like something this luscious. Male demons could, and often did, have more than one female human or devil mate, but it was rare for two male demons to agree to share another female demon. Her eventual introduction to Hell was inevitable, and he hoped he could get her agree to be his blood-mate before then. If he had to share her in the future with another blood-mate, at least he would have been with her the longest and that would give him a superior claim in the relationship. Pouring his power into his spell now, he tried to rip his way into her dreams. Pain slammed into him, and he crumpled into the ground in a groaning heap. “Her rooms are warded,” a deep voice chuckled. Raum cracked his eyes open and glared at Asmodeus. “You could have told me that before I knocked myself out.” Asmodeus was in his human form and Galina, his head concubine and witch, knelt at his feet in a thick fur cloak. It gleamed green and black in the shifting light of the moon. She peeked up at Raum and fluttered her light brown lashes with a small smirk. A gentle stroke of Asmodeus’s hand smoothed back Galina’s hair. “Gregor sent her some curtains made by his father’s sorceress. They have wards sewn into them to keep out the uninvited demonic.” Raum sat up and rubbed his chest. It felt like he had been kicked in the sternum. “Why don’t they react to Natalia?” Galina spoke up. “Gregor gave them to her as a gift. The ownership of the ward passed to her and now guards her dreams.” “Fucking Gregor.” Raum spat on the ground and heard the hiss as the moisture hit the soil. “Why, it almost sounds like you are jealous of him.” Asmodeus said this in a teasing voice, but his gaze was sharp as he searched Raum’s face. A gentle breeze blew from the south and it smelled like fertile earth and spring. 64

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Raum shrugged and turned his gaze back to the house. “You know what a lure Natalia is.” He tried a little flattery to distract the High Prince of Hell. Pride was always one of the Fallen Angel’s greatest weaknesses. “She is your daughter. How could she be anything but magnificent?” The wind blew harder now, and Galina’s hair swirled about in a storm of brown silk. Her small chin tilted and she said, “Kiron sends his love.” A happy smile curved Raum’s lips. Kiron had been his concubine for over a century, and his political and military brilliance had helped Raum rise to the rank of General in Asmodeus’s army. “Thank you again for keeping him company while I’m gone.” Asmodeus chuckled. “We should be thanking you. Kiron is quite popular and has been helping a few new concubines learn their craft.” “He is the best,” Raum said with pride and winked at Galina. “The best male, that is.” Galina rolled her eyes and cuddled her face against Asmodeus’s leg. Stroking Galina’s cheek, Asmodeus said, “Natalia will need to feed soon. Since I had to wipe the memory of our visit from her mind, I cannot supply her with a meal. She will need to feed off a human. In this case, Gregor. Remember, he is only food to her. A possible concubine, not a blood-mate.” Raum’s silver claws extended and he curled his fists to hide the evidence of his anger. When demons were angry or aroused, their claws extended into sharp points. Natalia still clung to her human form, but when she was ready to accept her demonic side she would have claws as well. The thought of her little claws digging into his back as he rode her made his cock hard. Asmodeus’s laughter brought him out of his erotic visions. “If she can draw forth this kind of lust from you, Raum, then I am beyond lucky.” His laughter drained away and his voice lowered. “Keep her safe, but do not interfere with her seduction of Gregor. He is almost totally enraptured. Though she is untrained, her instinctive desire to collect a concubine will naturally bind him to her.” Raum nodded and tried to shake himself out of his uncharacteristic jealousy. Monogamy was almost unheard of in Hell. He used these thoughts to keep his face a mask of polite interest. “As you wish, Master.” 65

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Galina narrowed her eyes at him, but Asmodeus nodded. “Remember, this isn’t just about my daughter. Our position in Hell is dependent on keeping Belal in check. If he becomes too powerful, we are all vulnerable. Even you, Prince Raum. Don’t think Belal won’t go after your father as well. Lucifer is an important ally of mine, and Belal would love to take his place on the Grand Throne.” Anger burned a path through Raum’s body. “Any words from our spies on Belal’s recent activity?” “No, but I’ve been talking with Beelzebub about forming an alliance,” Asmodeus said in a casual tone. Raum tried not to gape at him. “Why?” Normally, the High Princes of Hell were in constant competition to gain more power. Alliances were next to unheard of, outside open war. “Same reason. We both seek to stop Belal. Opium addicts don’t eat, either, and all of their money goes toward buying more opium. Their families starve and as the Master of Gluttony, Beelzebub is losing power.” Asmodeus paused and ran his hand over the sword at his belt. “There have been some attacks on the borders of our kingdom.” Raum’s hand sought out his own sword, which was safely locked away at his home in Hell. “Did they gain any ground?” Asmodeus looked toward the small, weathered house that sheltered his daughter. “No. More like they were testing our defenses.” Galina wrapped herself around Asmodeus’s calf and added, “A small regiment of Belal’s army attacked the Sirens. It seems the misconception that women are weak creatures is not only relegated to humans.” Her master stroked her head with a gentle touch, the silver claws on his hands gleaming in the moonlight. “The Sirens drove them to destroy themselves in a lake of lava.” Raum chuckled and Asmodeus continued. “I’ve stepped up patrols and alerted our village leaders.” Raum gritted his teeth and forced out the words that he didn’t want to say. “Do you want me to return to Hell and work with my battalions?” “No.” Asmodeus looked amused, and Raum tried not to fidget. This lack of self-control was embarrassing. “I have more than enough help in Hell. I need you 66

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up here, bringing Belal down from Earth. His actions in Hell are merely a result of the power he is gaining from addicting mortals. His cities in Hell are bursting with the damned souls of opium smokers.” The sun began to brighten the horizon. “I must go. Keep Natalia safe, and do not interfere with Gregor. We need him, and if he is a potential concubine, she needs him as well to strengthen her power base.” Raum ignored the rumble of the ground opening back to Hell and focused his attention on the house. Natalia slept safely inside, and he would do everything he could to protect her from Belal or any other threat.

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Chapter Seven In the middle of dinner, Natalia had a vivid memory of having her release on Gregor’s hand and her body clenched with need. The fork fell from her hand and hit the edge of the plate with a clink. Papa glanced up from stuffing meat into his mouth and grimaced. The juice ran down his drawn lips and dripped off his long, brown-and-gray beard. “Natalia, are you all right?” her mother asked. “I told you to take a nap this afternoon, instead of going to Mr. Feathering’s.” Her papa grunted something uncomplimentary, but she couldn’t make it out past his mouthful of food. That was just as well. After hearing in stark detail how he really felt about her, she was doing her best to keep from screaming at him. Her mother looked worse than usual. Dark circles under her eyes stood out from the pallor of her face, and Natalia didn’t want to do anything to upset her further. “I’m fine, just tired.” In truth, she felt like she was going to pass out. The wonderful energy of the last few days was gone, and she was left in a world where the colors seemed dim and the air had lost its perfume. This morning she had overslept for the first time in years, and it took all of her energy to get through the day. She even fell asleep while reading to Mr. Feathering. That wasn’t a problem though. He had been fast asleep as well. Papa waved his fork at her. “Don’t think this will get you out of your visit with Mr. Trezent tonight. He’s sending a carriage by for you in half an hour.” Her mother shot him a disapproving look, but he ignored her and continued. “Mr. Trezent has been very good to this family.” Natalia bit her tongue so hard the copper taste of blood filled her mouth. The taste woke her up a bit. “I will not shame our family...Father.” He narrowed his eyes at her. Her mother quickly spoke up. “I think it’s wonderful. Mr. Trezent is making such an effort to be a gentleman and meet you at the church for the evening mass.” Somehow, Natalia seriously doubted she would be meeting Gregor at any

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church. *** For the twentieth time, Natalia fiddled with the peach silk veil covering her head. It was a gift from Gregor, along with the seed pearl and lace-embroidered diadem. A new cream silk tunic lay smooth and decadent against her skin, and even as tired as she was, she appreciated the sensual pleasure of the silk. The dark city of Kazan flowed past the windows of the coach. Small pools of illumination from the tall gas lanterns lit the sidewalks and shafts of light spilled from the windows of the restaurants and bars as they passed. Four matched black horses in red and white livery pulled the handsome carriage. The coachman was polite and professional, but she couldn’t help but feel like a harlot as he examined her before helping her inside. Only a shameful woman would be deceiving her parents and going to meet a man alone. Especially a man like Gregor. Tracing her fingertips over the brocade-covered seat cushion, she closed her eyes and tried to sort out the whirlpool of emotions and feelings that threatened to drown her. Desire warmed her body as anticipation filled her at the thought of seeing Gregor, and she ached for him. It was different than she felt about Vicktor. With him, she was totally herself and never doubted her safety. Gregor was like a dangerous pet; you never knew if he was going to find the leash of control too constricting and attack his owner. A giggle escaped her lips. Come to think of it, Gregor would probably love to be on her leash. Just like Ressi. A sharp pain jabbed through her temple and she grabbed her head. The throb slowly went away, and she gratefully leaned back against the padded leather of the carriage. The effort of trying to remember what she was thinking about vanished as the carriage slowed down. Now, only nervousness, desire, and anticipation filled her in a heady mixture. To her surprise, it was Gregor who opened the door with an angry look on his handsome face. He was dressed in black velvet again, with a white and green leaf pattern on the trim. When he saw her in the light of the gas lanterns, his eyes 69

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went wide and a sensual smile melted the anger from his face. Helping her from the carriage, he said, “When we’re apart, I cannot believe that my memory is correct. That a woman as beautiful as you exists. Then, when I see you, even my memory is put to shame.” She ducked her head and smiled at him as she looked up through her lashes. When his hand touched hers, a small jolt of energy made her gasp. His eyes darkened and focused on her lips. From the doorway of the brick building, a man cleared his throat. A large red, glass gas lantern that hung over the doorway of the elaborate brick facade illuminated him in a patch of ruby light. Gregor did not remove his eyes from her, but growled at the man. “I hear you, Filip. They will wait a moment.” A quick glance over Gregor’s shoulder showed a tall and thin man wearing a bronze velvet hat lined with red fox fur. The look he gave her was puzzled and worried. “I’m sorry, do you have something you need to do?” she asked and continued to hold Gregor’s hand. Right now, she could care less who saw her being this familiar with a man who was not her fiancé or husband. The focus of her world had narrowed to Gregor, and the shadowy essence of her soul wanted to curl around him and purr. “They can wait,” he insisted. The man behind him looked pained and pressed his lips together into an angry white line. She wanted Gregor to herself, for a long period of time. Better that he take care of his business so he could concentrate on pleasing her. She wanted no distractions. With a soft breath, she murmured into his ear. “Take care of your affairs. I will wait for you.” She paused as a whispered thought went through her mind and influenced her. “Or you can take me with you and we shall see if you are strong enough to endure my presence.” Gregor took a deep breath and in a low voice that heated her body, “What do I get if I manage to endure?” A throaty chuckle empowered by lust vibrated against his neck as she placed her cheek against his. “You get the pleasure of showing me what a cock looks like, and how it tastes.” 70

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He slowly leaned back and looked into her face. “You mean it, don’t you?” “Of course I do.” He held out his arm and Filip’s jaw fell open. Ignoring Filip’s shocked look, Gregor said, “Natalia is coming with us. She will wait in my study until we are done.” She arched her brows but demurred. Something warned her not to be too curious or pushy about this. The shadowy part of her soul reached out to Gregor and embraced him. His thoughts and desires became even more clear. He was aroused and wanted her so very badly, but he was also nervous about something. Nervous and excited in a way that made her heart beat harder with anticipation. They paused before Filip opened the door, and Gregor hesitated. “This is a brothel I own. If it pleases you, I ask that you cover the lower half of your face with your veil. I do not want to have to kill some fool that would disrespect you on the street.” A small part of her mind protested at the thought of entering a brothel. If anyone saw her and told her parents, they would die of shame. Dropping his hand, she licked her lips and hesitated as guilt overpowered her desire. As his gazed followed the movement of her tongue, another wave of lust came off of him and moved through her body. Bursts of pleasure followed the rush of energy and her dark nature grew stronger. The thought of entering a brothel no longer bothered her as it should; instead her entire being focused on the feast of pleasure that Gregor offered. She nodded and took the peach silk, wrapping it about the lower half of her face and tucking it into the diadem. Some of her braid hung out, but that was the least of her worries. She was going into a brothel with a man who would see no harm came to her. A man who she knew would crawl on his knees to please her, do anything she wanted, and enjoy every minute of it. Fear and excitement swept away any shame standing in the way of their power. Resting her fingertips lightly on the back of his hand, she shivered as they entered the foyer. It was luxurious and she stared, turning on Gregor’s arm to get a better look. Red velvet curtains with golden tassels hung over the windows. Red silk wallpaper covered the walls and glowed in the subdued lighting. A great 71

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chandelier hung from the ceiling and a double staircase led to the second floor. Paintings of ships and nude women adorned the walls, and a plump older woman with a garnet-encrusted diadem hustled over to them with a surprised look on her face. “Mr. Trezent, your guests are waiting upstairs.” She glanced over to Natalia and tried not to stare. “Is this a...friend of yours, or a new girl?” Natalia glared at the woman and fought against the urge to rake her nails down her face until the blood flowed hot and thick. The woman paled and clasped her hands to her chest. Filip continued to stare at her while Gregor laughed. “No, this is a very special guest of mine, Olga. Tell all the girls that anything she wants, she gets.” He lowered his voice further until it held a deep warning growl. “And if anyone displeases her, they will answer to me.” Olga examined Natalia from head to toe, then nodded to Gregor. “A dangerous beauty you have there, Mr. Trezent.” She turned and swayed over to the wall to grab a long, black silk cord. She gave it a yank. From deeper inside the building came the loud and hollow clanging of a bell. “I will have Betina take her to your...?” Gregor smiled and laid his other hand over Natalia’s. “Take her to my suite.” A beautiful woman in a western-style, plum silk dress sashayed into the room. Smooth, creamy shoulders were exposed and her long brown hair hung loose down her back. Natalia was glad for the veil hiding the blush on her face as she took in the woman’s sensual beauty. The sight of her smooth skin evoked feelings of arousal that she had never before experienced for a woman. A distant part of her mind screamed that she should be ashamed for feeling this way, that her parents would be mortified, but it was easily buried beneath the carnal needs that had become the center of her universe. Her nipples grew tight as she imagined what it would be like to run her lips over that smooth skin, to cup the woman’s breasts and test their weight. Realizing that Gregor was studying her, she tried to control her breathing and appear calm. She didn’t want Gregor to know she desired this woman. Dealing with a jealous Bratstvo boss in his brothel did not appeal to her in the least. 72

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Gregor snatched Betina by the back of her hair and forced her to her knees. The woman folded gracefully with an eager sigh. Betina’s rush of need pushed against Natalia’s soul. To her astonishment, she felt an edge of the woman’s desire just like she could feel Gregor’s. “You will take my guest to my suite and see that her every comfort is cared for. If you displease me, I will let her punish you.” “As you wish,” Betina replied in a purr. Natalia read the lust in this woman’s soul. Betina liked to be bound and loved the taste of a man’s seed. Instead of repulsing her, the knowledge made the flesh between Natalia’s legs ache with desire. Squeezing Gregor’s hand, Natalia said, “I will wait for you.” Betina rose to her feet in a graceful motion with a toss of her sinfully unbound hair. Natalia could feel Gregor’s eyes following Natalia up the stairs, and she put a slight roll into her hips. They went up a carved staircase with figures of cavorting nymphs, then down a long hall. As they passed different rooms, Natalia could hear the sounds of passion coming from within. Her pace slowed and she pressed her fingertips against a white-painted door. She closed her eyes and tasted the lust in the air as images of what was happening inside appeared inside her mind. A man licked the cream from between a woman’s legs while another man stroked his cock. She gasped in shock and removed her hand from the door. Arching a brow, Betina gave her a questioning look. Cheeks burning behind her veil, Natalia gripped her skirt with both hands. She desperately wanted to open that door and watch them, to hold her hands out over their bodies as if they were a warm fire on a cold night. Before her time with Gregor, she had never done anything more than steal an innocent kiss with the baker’s son. Now, she stood in the middle of a brothel and wanted to wander from room to room, sampling each delicious act from a banquet of lust. The idea should have shocked her, should have sent her running from this place, but all she wanted to do was lose herself in the pleasure. The weakness was gone from her body now, and the world snapped back into its new and amazing clarity. There was so much passion and lust soaked into these walls. She realized she could have happily stood in this hallway and touched 73

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each door to get small fixes of erotic energy. Betina stopped at the end of the hall and knocked on the mahogany door. Natalia stepped close enough behind Betina to feel the brush of her full skirts. She smelled of some floral perfume, and Natalia could feel her heartbeat. Strands of gold wove into the darker brown of the woman’s hair, and Natalia wondered what it would feel like to have that silk rub over her body. She knew from her link with Betina that the woman found her attractive, that she wanted to please Natalia and gain favor with Gregor. As they waited, Natalia gently brushed her lips against Betina’s hair and drank in the rush of lust from the other woman. It was wrong, so very wrong to desire after a woman like this, but she didn’t care. It felt so good to stop fighting, to give into the darkness of her soul and let it carry her along. The brass handle of the door opened, and Vicktor stood in the doorway. Natalia stumbled back a step while Betina spoke. “Mr. Trezent wishes for his guest to wait for him in his parlor.” Vicktor stared at her, his expression ice cold. The shock of seeing him broke through the pleasurable haze that the lustful energy induced and shame rushed in to fill its place. Natalia bit her lip to keep from blurting out an apology. It was too much to hope that he did not recognize her behind the veil. He stepped out into the hallway. “Take her in. I will guard the door from the outside so she can have her privacy. No one will disturb you before Mr. Trezent arrives.” Betina entered the room before her, and Vicktor’s hand grasped Natalia’s wrist as she went to pass. He spoke low enough that only she could hear. “Use the girl, use Gregor, but your maidenhead belongs to me.” Her jaw fell open as her eyebrows flew up in shock. How dare he! Before she could vent her anger on him, he shoved her into the room and shut the door. Back stiff, she whirled around and stared. Betina knelt in the center of the room, holding a silver tray with glass of wine. Dark leather furniture was scattered about the room and a large bearskin rug lay before the sofa. A gas flame chandelier hung from the ceiling and more gas lanterns glowed from their niches in the walls. Done in rich bronze tones, the room spoke of elegance and wealth. 74

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Natalia didn’t say anything. She was very aware of Vicktor outside the door, and she had the oddest feeling he could hear them. More than that, she could feel his awareness of her like a warm breath on the back of her neck even through the closed door. The dark part of her soul purred beneath his imagined influence and grew stronger. The shame at being there receded before its power and once again, she gave into its seductive strength. Moving to stand before the kneeling woman, she brushed a strand of hair off Betina‘s cheek and reveled in the rush of desire from her. So, Vicktor wanted her to use the girl? Jealousy prickled her spine as she wondered how many of the girls he had used to slake his lust. A small part of her chided her as a hypocrite. After all, she had been and would be with Gregor. The resentful of her mind part pushed rationalization aside and wanted to make Vicktor as jealous as she was. Natalia removed the glass from the tray and took a long drink, ignoring the woman at her feet. The wine blossomed over her tongue. She could taste the sunlight that the grapes matured in and the earth that nourished them. As she concentrated on the flavor, the energy of the brothel seeped into her skin. Her nostrils flared and she examined the woman at her feet. Binding Betina would bring Betina’s passion to the surface in a rush, and Natalia could feel the woman’s desire to serve her. It was still mixed with Betina’s wanting to impress Gregor and lure him into her bed. Natalia wandered over to the red-curtained windows. They were drawn against the night, leaving the gold ropes that held them back to dangle from the walls. Without turning, she said, “Betina, take your clothes off.” There was a shuddering sigh and the sound of fabric being pulled down. Natalia’s hands ran up and down the smooth cord of the silk rope, and she removed it from its hook on the wall. Glancing back over her shoulder, she found that Betina had swiftly complied with her orders. The sight of Betina made her pussy tighten, and she clenched her thighs. Betina wore only a black corset around her middle; white silk stockings and black ribbons adorned her long legs. Her dress lay in a pile behind her. She wasn’t completely naked, but Natalia wasn’t going to complain because Betina looked amazing. The rose tips of her nipples tightened under Natalia’s stare and a 75

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delicious wave of lust caressed her. Curiosity mixed with desire. She had never studied a woman’s body, other than her own, and the slight differences fascinated her. Idly swinging the rope, she sauntered across the room and stroked her hand over the woman’s shoulder. The skin was so silken and the bones beneath seemed delicate. Betina watched her and licked her lips as her pupils dilated with desire. Resisting the urge to taste her, Natalia continued her exploration. Her hand followed the smooth plane of Betina’s décolletage and traced around her nipple. Betina started to speak. “Silence. You will only speak when spoken to.” The words were out of Natalia’s mouth before she was aware of even having thought them. Normally, she would have never said that to another person. It reminded her too much of her papa, but the darkness in her mind knew that was what Betina wanted, craved. Natalia was driven to do everything she could to bring out the most desire in Betina. The higher the other woman’s need spiraled, the more alive Natalia felt. Eyes wide, Betina nodded. Natalia ran her fingers over the pebbled nipple and a vague memory of another woman’s nipple flitted through her mind. Chasing the memory, she pulled and twisted Betina’s nipple as hard as she did the dream woman’s. Their reactions were the same: a surge of lust from the other woman that washed over her and made Natalia’s pussy wet. She wanted more of that sensation, more of the woman’s lust crashing over her. Stepping behind Betina, she said, “Hold your hands together behind your back.” Betina quickly stood and rubbed her thighs together as Natalia bound her. She stepped back to admire her work with a sigh that fluttered the veil over her face. Betina’s breasts were thrust out, and she kept shifting her hips. With a smile, Natalia indulged her desires and buried her hands in the woman’s long hair. It was softer than she’d even imagined, and she grabbed a handful of it. Betina made a little mewling sound and pressed herself against Natalia, offering her lips. As Natalia was about to lift aside the veil and give Betina the kiss she so desired, the sound of men’s voices came from the doorway. Instead of shame, Natalia reveled in the power of her control over the woman, and the man who was about to enter the room. 76

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“On your knees,” she said in a harsh whisper and Betina sank to her feet, resting her head against Natalia’s skirts. She idly stroked the woman’s hair as she waited for the door to open. Gregor strode in and to her surprise, Vicktor followed in behind him. Each man stopped in his tracks at the sight of Natalia standing in the middle of the room with a half-naked and bound Betina nuzzling her hand. She should have been shocked or embarrassed at Vicktor seeing her with Betina at her feet like a beautiful pet, but all she could feel was overwhelming desire spilling from the men the moment they caught sight of her. Without looking back, Gregor growled, “Leave us. No one is to disturb me.” Vicktor didn’t say anything, but the smile he gave Natalia gave her goose bumps. He mouthed the words, “You are mine” and closed the door with a click. His acceptance of her nature made the small ball of shame shrink even further, allowing her to embrace the power of this opportunity. “I have a present for you,” she said in a husky purr and jerked Betina’s head back, exposing the long column of her throat in a graceful arch. “This woman desperately wants to taste your seed.” Gregor remained standing before the door with a frown. His eyes darted down to Betina and back to her. When his gaze met Natalia’s, the shadowy part of her soul somehow flexed and stroked against him, enrapturing him in her power. There was no room for shame or guilt while he was with her. She freed his mind from the shackles of what he had been taught was right and wrong and allowed him to indulge in every forbidden, carnal desire. The frown curved into a sensual smile that promised wonderful things. “What do you want me to do, darling?” The way he spoke to her, devotion and hunger laced with adoration, made her sigh. The heat built and she felt her inner thighs grow slick with her cream. Holding Betina’s hair like a leash, she walked her over to the sofa and took a seat, with Betina at her feet. “I want to watch her pleasure you with her mouth. I want you to spill your seed on my mound, and I want her to eat it off.” Betina let out a small groan as Gregor stalked toward them. “As you wish.” The sound of fabric rustling was as loud as a waterfall to her heightened senses. Gregor was beautifully made and as he pulled off his tunic, he revealed a 77

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broad chest sprinkled with dark red-gold hair. She licked her lips and tasted his musk and arousal in the air. He never looked at Betina, but kept his eyes focused on hers. The veil fluttered over her lips as her breath panted out of her body. The combination of lust coming from Betina and Gregor pinned her to the seat and made her body tight with need. Betina gave a coo of pleasure as Gregor pulled out his hard cock. Natalia leaned closer, inspecting the erection and wetting her lips. She followed the line of Betina’s mouth as she sucked the head of his cock with an eager moan. Glancing up, she was held by Gregor’s gaze. In a strange way, holding his stare was more intimate than watching another woman suck his cock. His trust in her allowed him to share his passion with her, and she found herself feeling strangely protective of him. As much as she was Vicktor’s, this man belonged to her. The sounds of Betina feasting on his cock made her pussy throb. Leaning back into the sofa, she inched her skirt up and exposed her bare flesh to his gaze. Gregor growled and grabbed the back of Betina’s head, fucking her mouth with abandon. She could feel how much Betina loved it, almost like Natalia was inside of her head and feeling with the other woman’s body. The part of her mind that screamed at her that this was wrong was completely buried beneath the pleasure. Natalia ran a finger over her slit and spread the slippery cream onto her clit. Gregor followed her movements and sped up his thrusts. “Do you want to cover me with your seed, Gregor?” she asked and shuddered against her hand. “Yes,” he groaned. He removed himself from Betina’s greedy lips and positioned his cock over her pussy. She struggled against her own desire, his cock was so close to her entrance, and it would feel so good to have him ram himself in and relive her ache. The only thing that stopped her was Vicktor on the other side of the door and the memory of his searing kiss in the barn. Betina scooted over and began to lick and suck at his sac as he jerked his fist up and down his length. He was wet and shiny with her spit, and his hand glided faster and faster. Natalia matched his rhythm with her fingers, whimpering as his lust battered at her self-control. “Give it to me,” she whispered, and he let out a groan. Hot jets of his seed spilled over the smooth lips of her pussy and ran down her slit. Betina made a 78

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hungry, whimpering sigh. Natalia smoothed the seed over herself, shuddering. She was so close to that delicious crash of pleasure. Gregor collapsed on the sofa next to her and laid his head on her shoulder, watching her fingers. “Clean me,” Natalia said in a husky voice to Betina. At the first swipe of Betina’s warm and ravenous tongue, Natalia’s eyes rolled back in her head. Gregor panted on her shoulder and stroked his fingers along the top of her thigh as Betina licked his seed from her with big, voracious swipes of her tongue. Each stroke brought her closer, and as her climax approached, she could feel the power of the brothel beating at her soul. Something about Gregor’s release had opened a previously closed door in her mind, allowing her dark essence to blend into her soul until she no longer knew where it began and she ended. Tensing in a wordless cry, she shoved her pussy into Betina’s mouth Gregor reached over and twisted her nipple through her tunic, murmuring rough words of worship and lust into her ear. It was just the right touch, and she began to orgasm in long waves, screaming her pleasure into the air. Something broke within her and a blast of erotic power snapped through her body. The energy rushed from her in an almost wave, and Gregor and Betina cried out as the magic caught them and they joined in her climax. Gregor’s seed spilled over her thighs and into Betina’s hair as Betina sucked on Natalia’s clit in an effort to draw the orgasm out while she moaned her own pleasure. Shouting was heard from outside the room as Natalia began to coast down. Small shivers of pleasure still made her shudder, and she leaned her head back against the sofa. Satisfaction like she had never known filled her, and the dark part of her soul purred with happiness. She turned to smile at Gregor but found him passed out. At her feet, Betina lay in a faint as well. Pulling her dress back down, Natalia frowned at them. Was this normal? Should she have passed out as well? Vicktor burst into the room and raced toward the sofa. “Quickly, we must leave right now!” “What?” She felt lazy with power and yawned into an indulgent stretch. 79

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With a curse, Vicktor slung her over his shoulder and ran out of the room and down the steps as if she weighed nothing. In a blur, she noticed that there were people passed out everywhere. A few were starting to wake up, with glazed eyes and rough groans of pleasure. Her veil came undone and obscured her vision. Before they entered the street, Vicktor set her down and smoothed her dress. “I’ve summoned the carriage. Go home right away and stay in your room. I will be by later to explain what’s going on.” He gave her a savage kiss, nipping her lip hard enough to draw blood. This woke her sated body, and she pressed against him with a groan. While she was still enjoying the afterglow, he dipped his finger into the blood on her lip and traced a warding pattern onto her palm. “Go. Remember what I said. Stay in your room. I’ll handle Gregor.” He kissed her again and she wound her arms around his neck. He disentangled himself from her and stroked a thumb down her cheek. “What is going on?” she asked. He hesitated. “There was something in the wine that everyone drank that made them dizzy. I want you out of there before they wake up and someone calls the authorities.” Before she could ask any more questions, he stuffed her into the carriage and yelled to the driver to go.

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Chapter Eight Raum strengthened his shields and scanned the street around Natalia’s departing carriage. Taking a gamble, he flung out his power as far as he could and cursed. There were a few minor devils within range, and three or four demons. They were close enough to have felt the blast of Natalia’s unshielded power and to have identified her as a new female demon. He could only hope the warding he had traced on her palm would keep her safe until he could get to her. Slamming the door into the wall, Raum ran upstairs to check on Gregor. Already, other people were waking up in the brothel and trying to figure out what happened. Gregor and the whore were at the center of the energy blast, they should be the last to awaken. Angry with himself, Raum tried to think up an excuse. He should have known that Natalia would be overwhelmed by the lust of the brothel, but she was so weak when she arrived that he wanted her to get every ounce of power that she could. The idea that she would instinctively channel that power into a blast of lust that would bring more power to her never occurred to him. Jerking open the window, Raum tried to think of how to salvage the situation. There was no way he could hide the fact that Natalia’s burst of energy gave everyone in the brothel an orgasm. He had to find an excuse for it, and why she was gone. Gregor groaned and shifted on the sofa. Cum was drying on the black velvet of his trousers and the whore at his feet was still bound. Vicktor took a deep breath of the air, but did not smell Natalia’s blood. His lips curved into a grin as he realized she had obeyed his order. Rubbing his head Gregor sat up and tucked himself back into his pants. “What happened? Where is Natalia?” Raum made a show of opening the other window. “Gas leak. Everyone got sick and passed out. Luckily, I was outside when it happened. As long as we air the place out, we should be all right.” Thank Satan this corner of the world had

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civilized to the point of indoor lighting. He always hated the stink and darkness of the mortal world. Gregor rubbed his face with his hands. “Gas leak...where is Natalia?” “She did not want to leave, but I knew you’d want her to be safe. If someone should alert the authorities, I assumed you would not want her involved.” Raum lifted the whore onto the sofa and untied her. She snuggled into the supple leather with a dreamy smile and sighed. Gregor flexed his strong hands and watched him with narrowed eyes. “You could have killed me while I was passed out.” Raum arched an eyebrow at Gregor and shrugged. “Why would I do that?” “To gain more control of the territory for your uncle.” Gregor didn’t move, but tension filled his body. “Despite what you may have heard about my uncle, I don’t want you dead.” He could honestly say this. As Natalia’s concubine, Gregor was essential for keeping her alive, and he posed no threat to Raum’s status. Gregor studied him. “Why are you really here?” “Opium is the way of the future. My uncle is foolish to dismiss its power, and I want to be part of the empire that brings it to the West.” Raum leaned back against the window frame and held Gregor’s gaze. He would be foolish to underestimate the human. Rising to his feet, Gregor stretched and sighed. “Your uncle is well respected in the Bratstvo and a good man to have at your side rather than your back.” On unsteady feet, Gregor walked to the bar and took a drink from the open bottle of wine sitting there. He rubbed the rim of the bottle over his lips as he studied the sleeping whore and smiled before taking another swallow. Raum felt the probe of a distant demon scanning the town. Time was growing short. They were looking for Natalia. The warding he did on her should hold up, and the protection of her curtains, as well. He had to get out of the area without alerting Gregor, but without arousing his suspicion and destroying all the progress he had made tonight in gaining Gregor’s trust. Gregor chugged another gulp of the wine, oblivious to Raum’s torment. Stumbling slightly, he made his way back to the sofa and pushed the still 82

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unconscious woman over with a grunt. “I’ll give you an opportunity to prove your worth. We have a shipment coming in next week, and it’s massive.” Biting his inner-cheek to fight a twitch as another demon joined the first, Raum said, “How may I assist?” “I’ll give you a third of the shipment to send to Britain. Your uncle has ties to the East Indian Company. If he can smuggle it to the mainland, I can sell it without having to pay tariffs at the ports. It would save everyone a good deal of expense and open the way for further business dealings.” Gregor glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “My father is sending some special guards with this shipment. I have a talisman you’ll need to wear. It identifies you as an ally.” Raum fought to keep the excitement out of his voice. The mention of the talisman might mean there would be demons or devils with the shipment. If he could find out who they were, it would be a huge boost to Asmodeus’s cause. Shielding well enough to avoid notice was going to be tricky. He would have to visit Galina in Hell and ask her coven for help with a cover spell. Turning to face him fully, Gregor narrowed his eyes. “Well, what do you think?” “My apologies. I was thinking of who I needed to contact first.” Raum gave him a smile and added a bit of charm to it to make Gregor more agreeable. Not that he should have to; after spending time with Natalia, Gregor should be wallowing in bliss. “Filip will fill you in on the details.” Gregor ran a finger over the whore’s stillcreamy pussy and began to stroke her. The whore stirred and made a low and hungry sound. They would both continue to feel the aftershocks of Natalia’s power surge of lust. He needed Gregor to stay there, so he whispered a small, but powerful spell, that would keep Gregor’s interest on the willing blonde pressing against him. Raum’s lips twitched as he imagined the profits the brothel would make as its patrons worked off the lust. Raum quietly shut the door after himself and leaned back against the wood. The probes were getting stronger now. As much as he could shield Natalia, he couldn’t stop the ripple effect of her coming into her powers. It was like a stone thrown into a pond; the demons were following the waves back to their source. 83

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He had to get to her before they did. *** Arms wrapped around her legs, Natalia sat on her bed in her pink cotton nightgown and pulled the crocheted cream-colored blanket tighter around her shoulders. A cup of tea gone cold sat on the table next to her bed. She had assured her mother that church was wonderful and begged exhaustion. In truth, her body was buzzing with energy and excitement. She felt as if she could clean the entire barn and still have enough stamina to plow every field in the village. Faintly, she could feel Gregor off to the west in Kazan. If she concentrated, she could even get a glimpse of his emotions. Right now, he was getting close to orgasm. Her breath came out in a shudder as she tried to separate herself from him. Alien sensations assaulted her. The feeling of having a cock and thrusting it into the warmth of a willing woman. The eager gathering of tension bordering on pain as his sac grew tight and close to his body. Her body tried to make sense of it, and a lance of pain seared through her mind as it labored to reach an orgasm that was impossible for her gender to have. Struggling against her madness, for that was what it must be, she attempted to force Gregor from her mind. Bit by bit the intensity of her connection with him lessened until she was as close to alone in her aching skull as she could get. Gregor burned like a warm coal in the back of her conscious, but she was able to tune him out. The act took a great deal of effort. He felt so good...so alive. His energy was like a ripe fruit waiting to be plucked and eaten. A soft moan tore from her throat and she laid her head against her forearms. She didn’t recognize the world she lived in anymore, or herself, and it terrified her. It was as if a veil had been lifted from her eyes, and she saw layers of reality that she should have no knowledge of. One part of her soul relished this change, screamed in savage joy at the arrival of this violent and sensual new world. The old and familiar part of her, growing smaller by the second, hid in terror and shame. 84

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Her awareness of Gregor returned and the shadowy side of her soul embraced it. Too tired to fight, she gave into the lust and let herself drift. Her entire body burned with a deep pleasure that eased the ache from her skull and limbs. A warm brush of energy filled her, and she knew that somewhere Gregor was emptying himself in long and hard bursts of pleasure. With each wave of his orgasm a rill of energy went through her, and his presence faded from her mind to a background hum. Rubbing her nose on her sleeve, she resumed staring at the shadows from the oil lamp on the wall. Her mother and Papa didn’t notice anything different about her, and she worked very hard to keep it that way. She could have cared less what he thought of her, but the last thing she wanted to do was add to her mother’s worries. Her thoughts circled back around to Vicktor and Gregor again. She tried to feel shame, but it would not surface in her mind. That scared her as well and she chewed on her thumb. What kind of woman was she becoming that she would not feel shame at engaging in an ever growing list of sins with willful abandon? Outside, a summer storm pounded onto the roof and thick walls of her home. Usually she slept through such storms, feeling cozy and protected in her bed. The storm seemed to highlight her guilt and each crack of lightning made her flinch, even as her body delighted in the fading echo of Gregor’s orgasm. The feeling of the soft yarn used for the blanket rubbed against her cheek and she sighed. The enhanced sensations could be dangerous, but she did not want to give them up. The loss of control could go, but how would she ever live knowing how much better everything could feel...if she had the courage to embrace these changes? A gentle knock came at her door, and she tucked the blanket around her shoulders before opening it. Vicktor stood on the other side, his jacket soaked from the storm, and his blond hair darkened by the rain. She peeked over his shoulder found the main room empty. “Your parents are sleeping. They will not wake for some time.” His voice was low and rough. “Will you invite me in?” With a pounding heart, she said “Come in.” She pulled him into her room then 85

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shut the door. Even though she couldn’t read him, she knew why he was there. She didn’t need her newly enhanced senses to understand the desire and need on his handsome face. Her fingers joined his in unbuttoning his soaked wool jacket. “I’m scared.” He paused and smoothed his fingers over hers. “Natalia, I promise I will never do anything to hurt you.” Behind all the fierce desire, his eyes held a depth of kindness and compassion that was staggering. “I know things have been— different for you. It will get better. You have to give yourself time to adjust.” Her breath sucked into her chest. “Time to adjust to what?” “To being my dream come true.” The words were sweet, and he said them with absolute sincerity, but something made her narrow her eyes at him. He smiled down at her, and a drop of water fell from his wet hair and ran down his cheek. She leaned up and licked it off, a warm purr rising from her chest at the cinnamon taste of his skin. He shrugged out of his jacket and lifted his shirt over his head. He was magnificent, sculpted muscle over smooth skin. Unlike Gregor, he had no hint of hair on his body. The thought raised a whisper of apprehension, but it was quickly smoothed away by the sensation of rubbing her cheek against him. He wrapped his warm arms around her and held her close. “Natalia, do you know why I’m here?” She nuzzled the tip of her nose against his chest. “To make me yours.” Temptation proved too great, and she licked and sucked at the tight flesh. His restless hands kneaded her back. The blanket fell from her shoulders and she stepped back. “What would you like me to do?” He walked around her in a circle until he was standing behind her. Into her ear he said, “Lift your arms.” She complied and he pulled the nightgown from her body with a swish of fabric. It caught a bit on her nipples, and she sighed and moved her bottom against him. He was thick and hard behind her, and her pussy clenched as he ran his hands down her sides. “You’re stunning.” His hands moved up her ribcage to hold her breasts. She 86

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looked down and watched his long fingers dig into the pliant flesh and squeeze gently. Leaning her head back on his shoulder, she surrendered herself to him in total trust. A soft lick against her ear made her shudder as he twisted her nipples into aching points. She reached behind and held onto his buttocks, hard and firm beneath his trousers. Pulling him closer, she ground her backside against his hard cock. “I love your curves. You’re round and luscious where a woman should be.” He glided his hands over the soft swell of her belly. She spread her legs at his touch. “While I was standing outside of that room, I could feel you working that whore into a frenzy.” She stiffened for a moment but he stroked away her fear. “It excited me. I would love to be privileged enough to witness you with another woman in the future. Punishing her, making her yours.” He turned her in his arms. “Remove my pants.” She sank to her knees before him, fingers hesitant on his belt. The bulge of his erection intrigued her, and she ran her hand over it. Thick and long, its size made her hesitate. How would she possibly accommodate him? His growl grew impatient and he sank his hand into her hair. “Having second thoughts?” “No,” she whispered and luxuriated in the pain from her scalp. The pleasure lapped over her like a familiar lover and relaxed her. He tightened his grip and she ran her palm over her nipples, glorying in the sensation. “Good. Now, remove my pants.” She tugged them down and wet her lips at the sight of his cock. He was smooth down below as well, and she gaped at him. Exposed, she could appreciate the strength and form of his erection. A little bead of moisture sat on the tip. She pulled against his fist and his hand guided her face to his erection, holding her away from the tip. Cinnamon and musk filled her nose as she took a deep breath. Desire like she had never known turned her pussy into a throbbing ache. “Taste me,” he ordered and released her hair. The sudden lack of pressure on her scalp made her sigh, and she gave his cock a curious lick. It tasted salty, musky, and delicious with the same hint of cinnamon that the rest of his skin 87

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carried. The lust his body gave off was richer than Gregor’s, like fine brandy compared to wine. It intoxicated her and fed her soul. Using her memory of what Betina did for Gregor, she opened her mouth as wide as she could and slid the head of his erection into her mouth. She made a startled sound as an echo of the sensation that he was feeling rolled through her. For a moment, it felt as if a mouth were moving between her legs. The sensation faded and Vicktor placed his palms on her shoulders, whispering words in an unfamiliar language that stroked against her soul. She tried to fit as much of him into her mouth as she could. The idea of pleasing him, of making him as aroused as she was, burned through her blood. In pleasuring him, she found a peace like she had never known. With long strokes of her tongue now, she rolled his heavy sac around in her curious hand. He began to thrust in time to her sucks, pushing the head of his cock against the back of her throat. “Touch yourself,” he gritted out and ran his hands through her hair. She moaned around his cock, her own fingers stroking her pussy in time to his movements. He seemed to swell even more, and he jerked himself out of her mouth, panting. “On the bed.” He tugged her to her feet and threw her onto the mattress. Standing over her, with his thick cock twitching in the air, he was everything she had ever wanted in a man. Carefully, he knelt between her legs and pulled back her swollen nether lips with his thumb. “You have a beautiful clit, Natalia. It’s swollen and crimson with your need, and you smell luscious.” Her hips surged off the bed as he fastened his lips around her clit and bit down gently. The violence of his actions startled her, and she held a pillow over her face to muffle her scream. In the darkness behind the pillow, she was only sensation and feeling. All thought had fled, leaving her in a state of primal pleasure. His lips working her pussy became the center of the world, the only thing anchoring her to a reality that was beyond anything she ever imagined. His nails prickled against her bottom as he lifted her, burying his face into her heat and growling as he devoured her. Small bites along her outer lips made her pussy tighten with each nip, and the ache of her unfulfilled desire grew worse. 88

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She threw the pillow aside. “Please.” He looked up, and silver and blue seemed to shimmer through his eyes. “Please what, Natalia?” Biting her lower lip, she said, “Please...take me.” With a teasing grin, he ran his nails up and down her thighs hard enough to leave red marks. She writhed under his touch and made little needy sounds. “Tell me what you want,” he demanded. “Your cock...in me.” The words made her blush, but the embarrassment washed away as he gave her clit a final, hard suck that almost made her come. He gathered her up in his arms, and they shared a long and delicious kiss. Gently, he laid her back on the bed and positioned himself between her thighs. The head of his cock rubbed against her entrance, and she felt a flutter of panic. He was so big, how could she possibly fit all of him inside of her? His fist wrapped into her hair, and the pain soothed her and relaxed her muscles. “Watch my face,” he ordered and began to work the head of his cock deeper into her swollen passage. It was so difficult to maintain eye contact. The intensity of her emotions battled with the pain of his erection, forcing, pushing at her entrance. As he pressed on the thin barrier of her maidenhead, he growled, “Mine.” She nodded, and he ate the moan from her lips as his cock pushed through the fragile barrier of flesh and filled her. Hard and rough, the muscles in his arms flexed as he pressed into her. It was beyond anything she had ever imagined. Thunder crashed outside as his cock stretched her until she thought she could hold no more without breaking. Too much, he was too much for her body to contain. She raised her hands to shove him away but he restrained her. “Wait, it will get better. I promise. Embrace the pain and let it work its magic on your body.” The ache between her legs increased as he settled into her, his entire weight pressing into her body. She fought against his hands and moaned as he took her lips in a demanding kiss. As his tongue stroked against hers, the pain morphed into a pleasure that curled her toes and tore the orgasm from her soul. White-hot 89

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and fierce, the lightning strikes of release wrenched through her body in spasms that had her jerking beneath him. He released her hands and held her close, a deep growl of satisfaction coming from him—one that almost didn’t sound human. Her pussy gripped his cock, milking it, as she clung to his shoulders and rode the waves of her orgasm. He rocked with her, slow and steady now, in perfect rhythm with the contractions of her delicate inner muscles. Ever so slowly, the pleasure faded and she opened her eyes, smiling at him and tracing her fingers over his face. “Thank you.” Her voice was hoarse and her breath froze in her lungs as he slid within her. With a shudder, her body clenched around him as she realized he had not had his pleasure yet. He nipped at her finger and gave her an arrogant smile. “We’re just getting started.” Her eyes fluttered shut as he moved inside her. She could feel the burning sting of his intrusion, but the slight pain fanned her lust back to life, and she lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. He growled in approval and held himself above her; sharp jabbing movements almost pulled his cock out of her before he drove deep again. She lifted her hips further from the mattress and leaned up to capture his mouth. His tempo increased and she gently bit his shoulder. He threw his head back and hissed, “Harder.” She complied, biting him until the skin broke and a small trickle of his blood flowed past her lips. Cinnamon, earth, the heat of lava. All these things combined with sensations of pleasure she didn’t even have words for. He roared and emptied himself into her with a shudder that sparked her own orgasm. They held each other, occasionally shivering as an echo of pleasure moved through them. This was so different from the orgasm she experienced with Betina and Gregor. It was longer, drawn out and Vicktor was still locked in her heat, hard and ready despite the seed spilling out from her. At last, he withdrew fully and rained kisses over her face. He gently stroked his hands down her body, his every touch showing her how precious she was to him, how much he cherished her.

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*** They lay cuddling and looking into each other’s eyes for a long time. Vicktor sighed and sat up against the headboard, pulling her onto his chest. She closed her eyes and listened to the beat of his heart. Outside, the storm had stopped and the house was silent. Warmth blanketed her soul and filled her with euphoria. She loved him and the truth of that statement echoed in her soul like a bell. She held him close and kissed him, delighting in the leisurely stroke of his skilled tongue. He broke the kiss and murmured against her lips, “You are mine, Natalia. My love.” Her heart spilled over with emotions and a lump formed in her throat. This was utterly perfect. The shadow of Gregor pushed against her mind, and she dismissed it. Her love for Gregor was different, strong and sure, but different. The thought of having Vicktor watch her with Betina made her shift her hips and press against him. With an eager groan, he pulled her bottom toward his pelvis as his sharp nails dug into her skin. Her heart gave a loud thump as she sat up and glanced over at her door. “Vicktor, what if my parents heard us?” She tried to tug the blanket from beneath his body and he laughed, hauling her back to his chest. “They won’t wake for hours. I put a sleeping spell on them.” “Oh.” She snuggled into his chest, then bolted upright. “You what?” He watched her closely, his expression serious despite his flippant tone. “A sleeping spell. It’s a very low-level spell. One of the first things a demon learns.” She gaped at him. “Vicktor, that isn’t funny!” He had to be joking with her. The buried memory of a man holding a beautiful woman on a leash rolled through her mind again. Bits seeped through. His name was Asmodeus and he said...something that greatly upset her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her close again. “It’s the truth.” He took a deep breath and said gently, “My name is not Vicktor. I am Raum, son of the High Prince Lucifer and general to the High Prince of Hell, Asmodeus.”

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Chapter Nine “Why are you lying to me?” she screeched and tried to jerk away. He held her easily with one hand. His face was an arrogant mask but his eyes flinched at her panic. “It’s not a lie. I’m a demon and you’re a Cambion. Part demon and part human.” She made a low moaning sound like a wounded animal. “No, you’re mad.” He blew a heavy breath out through his nose. “Natalia...you’re a demon princess. Do you remember your meeting with your father?” “I just had dinner with him.” She refused to look at him, staring instead at the headboard. She was in love with a madman. Her heart broke and she took his hand in hers, looking into his eyes. “Vicktor, I think the strain of your military service did something to your mind.” He narrowed his eyes at her but she continued in a soothing voice. “It’s all right. I won’t leave you. We’ll find a way, together, to help you.” He tightened his grip to the point of pain. “Natalia, I’m not insane. I—” She placed her hand gently over his mouth. “Shhhh. Let me take care of you.” Poor man, her heart broke and tears filled her eyes. Beneath his insanity lay a good heart and a strong mind. There must be some way to help him. His Uncle Yurik might know what to do; he was a smart man and had raised Vicktor. She couldn’t go to her mother or father. They wouldn’t understand and would try to keep her away from Vicktor. That couldn’t be allowed. He gripped her shoulders and said in a low and strained voice, “Listen to me. When you had your fun with Gregor and the whore today, you sent out a blast of energy that alerted every demon, devil, and magical practitioner within a thousand leagues to your presence.” Her lower lip trembled. It was her fault he snapped. Her wanton actions today must have driven him over the edge. He continued to watch her carefully. “I’ve shielded you the best I can, but they will be coming for you. I have to take you to Hell.”

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“Oh, Vicktor, I’m so sorry!” she sobbed and threw her arms around his neck. “Your jealousy broke your mind. I promise I will never see Gregor again.” Even as she said that, her heart and soul shrieked in protest at the thought. He pried her off his neck. “What in the world are you talking about? Why would I be jealous of Gregor? He’s a pet. I’m no more jealous of him than I would be of a cat or dog.” Another sob hitched in her chest. He thought people were pets now. “How long have you had these delusio—ideas?” Growing up, he had always been a rascal, but there was no indication of madness. Had she missed something? Gritting his teeth, Vicktor tried again. “I was born two thousand years ago to the High Prince of Hell, Lucifer, and a succubus.” The sincerity of his words deepened her sadness. He really believed this. “Your pet, Gregor, is in league with a demon prince as well. That’s why I’m here.” She untangled herself from his arms and practically leapt out of bed. The air felt chilly against her skin after the warmth of Vicktor’s body. She pulled out a green skirt and tunic from her cupboard. Outside, birds were beginning to chirp and the rooster started to crow. She should have been exhausted from the lack of sleep. Instead, energy filled her with a purpose. Vicktor indolently reclined on her bed and watched her dress in silence. He was still magnificent, and she burned for him merely moments after he sated her body and soul in such a spectacular fashion. She had to find a way to help him. Maybe she could talk to Gregor, and he would help her. Not that she was going to accuse Gregor of being a demon, but she could find out if Vicktor had been acting odd in public. The thought of seeing Gregor soothed her, and she tugged on her brown leather boots over her thick wool socks. The soft crocheted blanket lay on the floor, and she picked it up and tucked it around Vicktor’s shoulders. He growled at her but she ignored him. “I have to go out for a little bit. Please stay here until I get back.” “Where are you going?” With a gentle hand, she smoothed his hair back from his forehead and kissed him. “I love you, and I want to help you. I need to take a walk to clear my head.” “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you?” he asked in an utterly 93

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frustrated tone. Maybe she could use logic to help him see through his madness. “If you are a demon, why don’t you look like one?” “I do. You can’t see it. If I were to drop my shields and show you my true form, it would alert the other demons to where you are. Right now, all my energy is focused on keeping us concealed.” He hesitated, then added in a soft voice, “I’m sorry to tell you this, but the real Vicktor has been dead for two weeks. I’m just wearing his form.” Guilt shredded her heart and tears spilled from her eyes. It was worse than she thought. “Oh Vicktor,” she choked out. “Darling, I promise you, you’re alive!” He buried his face in his hands. “If I didn’t love you so much, I’d be tempted to choke you right now.” She gasped and jumped back from the bed. Who knew what he would do when he was in the grips of his delusions? Vicktor looked hurt and said in a gentle voice, “Natalia, I would never really hurt you.” “Oh, I know.” Her smile felt as bright and fake as glass jewelry. “I have to go now. I’ll be back soon.” She fled before he could say anything else, grabbing the nearest diadem and pinning it to her hair. An almost hysterical laugh choked in her throat as she checked to make sure the way was clear, and she ran out the front door. The bitter irony of covering her hair out of modesty after the things she had done tonight added another layer of guilt to the surreal situation. A week ago her biggest concerns had been if she would make enough money to keep a roof over her head and her mother’s health. A storm of confusion, lust, and power raged inside of her head, and she felt as if parts of her were being blown away. The darkness that was revealed in their place at once called to her and scared her. Powerful and aggressive, she barely recognized the person she was becoming. That savage part of her wanted to go back into her bedroom and pleasure Vicktor until they both passed out. Ruthlessly banishing that tempting thought from her mind, she worked the bit of the bridle into the mare’s mouth. Darting worried glances over her shoulder, she kept waiting for Vicktor to run naked out of the house to stop her. If he did, she wouldn’t have the willpower to resist him. 94

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As it was, the scent of him on her skin made her body tighten with need. Cinching the saddle, she thought she heard the front door open, but no one was there. Soon she would see Gregor and he would be able to help her. Her conscience berated her for running from one lover to the next, but she refused to listen. Mounting the sedate grey mare so quickly she almost fell off, she urged the horse into a gallop and fled. *** Her fingers performed a restless dance over the worn leather reins of her grey mare. She rode through Kazan and was on her way to Gregor’s house. Shoulders tense, she worried about Vicktor back at the farm and hoped he would stay put until she got back. The job of helping him restore his sanity would be that much harder if he started spouting off his strange ideas to random strangers. The last blush of dawn faded from the sky, but the streets already bustled with activity. Farmers set up their produce and livestock stalls, and shopkeepers cleaned their windows and swept the sidewalks. No one stared at her, but she felt like an intruder. All these people lived such safe and ordinary lives, and she was pretty sure she was in love with two men, one a madman and the other a criminal. Surely God was punishing her for her wickedness by tormenting Vicktor. She dashed away another tear. A wagon full of hay veered to evade an old woman crossing the street at a hobble. She jerked the reins of her horse with a yell to avoid hitting the wagon. The elderly woman fell with a soft cry, and her bread spilled out from the basket on her arm. Natalia quickly dismounted and went to help her. Tugging her out of the way of the busy street, Natalia tried to salvage the woman’s bread. “Are you all right?” Natalia asked and dusted the back of the old woman’s faded red dress. The woman had the look of the Tartar with her dark eyes and skin. A circular hat perched on her graying head and the end of the long white veil hung muddy from her fall. “Thank you, child. I don’t move as fast as I used to.” She rubbed her hip and smiled. Natalia was overcome by her beauty. True, she was old, but there was a 95

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grace and symmetry to her parchment-thin, wrinkled skin. “You look like you’ve been crying. What could upset such a beautiful girl in love on such a wonderful spring morning?” “How did you know I was in love?” Natalia took a step back with one of the loaves of bread in her hand. Her horse nibbled at the back of her dress and she shooed it away. The old woman chuckled. “As pretty as you are, and unmarried? It must be a young man that brought such tears to your eyes.” Natalia tucked the loaf into the woman’s basket. “Things are...complicated.” The woman gripped her hand with surprising strength. “Things are more complicated than you know.” She tried to jerk back, but the woman held her firm. “Remember, in the end, all things serve God. He is the Alpha and the Omega, and he loves you very much.” The words tore at her and she gasped. “What are you talking about?” She pulled her hand away again and the old woman did not resist. “Oh, just the ramblings of an old woman.” She began to shuffle across the street and called back, “God’s blessing is upon you.” Natalia stood on the sidewalk, staring at the retreating figure of the old woman. Maybe it wasn’t Vicktor going insane. Maybe she was the crazy one. Taking a deep breath, she mounted her horse and continued on to Gregor’s mansion. Her papa had described it in detail while she and her mother did the dishes. Papa had attended a private card game there, and went on and on about how rich and wonderful Gregor was, and who his affluent neighbors were. The houses grew more ornate and magnificent as she rode away from the shop district. Ahead, she could see his home and felt an echo of his presence in her soul. His house was three stories tall and made of white limestone, with carved pillars holding up an elaborate porch. High granite walls encircled the home and a black wrought-iron fence guarded the entrance. A man in a pale blue wool coat and a beaver fur hat guarded the entrance from the other side of the fence and watched the people pass He stood straighter as she approached. With deep grey eyes, he examined her 96

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and said in a gruff voice, “What do you want, you pitiful wench?” She was taken aback at his hostility. “I’m here to see Mr. Trezent.” He snorted. “Why would Mr. Trezent need to see a peasant girl? If you’re one of his whores, go back to your brothel and talk with your madam.” She bristled and said in a cold voice, “I assure you, Mr. Trezent will want to see me.” He rubbed his mustache and gave her a leer. “You have a fine set of tits and a mouth made for sucking. Mr. Trezent might be upset if I send you away.” He ignored her gasp of outrage and opened the gate. “Leave your horse here and follow me. Keep your mouth shut or I’ll shut it for you.” She dismounted with a stiff back, all her confusion and frustration turning into rage at this man. How dare he address her in such a manner? The grounds were well-manicured and maintained. Tall hedges grew against the inside of the wall, masking the granite blocks. Two large scarlet painted doors flanked the front steps, and an enormous planter held a riot of brightly colored tulips. Clenching her fists, she started to walk up toward the front of the house and the guard grabbed her. “No, you use the servant’s entrance. If I’m wrong and you’re an uninvited guest, I won’t get in as much trouble if I keep you in the kitchens.” She was tempted to push him aside and march up to the front door, but his eyes narrowed and his grip on her arm tightened. Glaring at him, she said tightly, “Just get me to Mr. Trezent or you’ll be sorry.” A nasty little smile tilted his lips, and she felt fear sour her stomach. “Follow me.” He led her around to the back of the house, past a stable where a man was rubbing down a big bay horse. The man gave them a curious look but continued his work. She wondered how common it was to have strange women escorted into the mansion through the servant’s entrance. Taking a deep breath of the spring air, she could feel Gregor inside. He was awake and content. The more she thought about him, the more his contentment soothed her soul. Caught up in thoughts of Gregor, she didn’t notice that the 97

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guard had stopped. She bumped into his back and gave startled squeak. “Where’s the kitchen?” Instead of answering, he spun and pinned her to the side of the house, he tugged a dingy green rag out of his pocket and forced it into her mouth. “You’re going to pay an entrance fee. If I’m going to risk my neck for some whore, it’s going to be worth my while.” She tried to scream and fight him off, but his forearm against her throat choked her. She tried to claw at him, but he laughed and dodged her hands. The lack of air made her head pound and her vision grow dim. Struggling against him, she felt his cold hand rip open the front of her dress with a snarl of torn seams. The rag stuffed in her mouth tasted bitter and sour, and the crushing pressure on her throat increased as he whispered nice and gave her breast a vicious squeeze. Bile burned up from her stomach as he worked at the buckle of his pants with harsh grunts. His lust battered at her, but drained her strength instead of feeding it. Foul and poisonous, her shadowy essence wanted no part of it and shrank back. Large black dots swam on the edge of her vision as she tried to see past the wall of his dark coat. They circled in and her body heaved as it tried to struggle for breath against him. The pressure on her throat was suddenly gone and she fell down to the ground, scraping her cheek on the rough stone. Strong arms held her and pulled the gag out of her mouth. She tried to suck in air, but her bruised throat hurt and a harsh cough racked her. Spots still danced before her eyes, and she could hear the rough roar of men shouting. “Natalia,” Gregor’s strained voice spoke into her ear. “Natalia, are you all right?” She buried her face in Gregor’s tunic, inhaling his scent. As his strong arms wrapped around her, she began to cry in harsh sobs. “Hold him!” Gregor yelled over her head, and she heard the man who tried to rape her scream out, “She wanted it!” His words enraged her. The fury aroused her bloodlust and the darkness in her soul awoke with a hiss. She needed him to suffer for doing this to her. “Help me 98

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stand,” she croaked out and Gregor raised her to her feet, sheltering her beneath his arm. Two burly men held the struggling guard between them. They took one look at her face and paled. Gregor said, “What do you want done with him?” Rage sang its harsh and purifying demand in her soul. “Do you have a knife?” Gregor started, then nodded at her. “Always.” She steadied herself as he leaned down and removed a blade from his boot. He searched her face and handed her the blade hilt first. A curling floral pattern etched the metal and the bone hilt fit her palm. It felt right in her hand. A small part of her mind screamed in protest at what she was about to do, but she buried it. This man must pay for his disrespect. Holding Gregor’s hand, she stalked toward the guard and tried to regulate her breathing past the gulps for air. She could still read the remains of his lust, though it tasted bitter and vile. He delighted in torturing women and needed their fear and pain to become aroused. There were deaths on his soul, innocent women and girls who died in agony, all for his perverse pleasures. “Hold him,” she rasped to the two men. The guard shivered and watched her come close enough to kiss. She held him easily with her gaze, and he went still. His body might have been strong, but his will was weak. “Give me your neck.” His head jerked up in small motions as he fought her command. It was no use. He would have had better luck ordering the moon not to rise. As wicked as she was, the sins on his soul were far greater, and it was time for him to pay the price. With a savage cry, she slit his throat from ear to ear. His blood sprayed over her, and Gregor jerked her back. Impassive, she watched him die and licked the coppery liquid from her lips. Warm with a coppery bite, it coated her soul with bliss. This was the essence of her enemy, and it was oh so sweet. Gregor and the two guards answered her with groans of their own as her passion and desire spilled out in an almost visible wave. She tugged Gregor closer and devoured his mouth with a kiss filled with coppery heat and stroking tongues. Energy filled her, strengthened by Gregor’s 99

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lust and the blood of her enemy in her mouth. Her hand began to itch and burn as the magic tried to escape her. She reached between their bodies and cupped his erection. He groaned and thrust into her hand, pumping into her fist through the cloth of his trousers. The energy redoubled, surging through her like the pounding of Gregor’s cock. The remembrance of Vicktor’s lovemaking brought on her orgasm, and the power finally broke through. Gloriously, it swept her away in a rush of energy that made Gregor jerk against her hand and spill himself into his trousers with a needy groan. She ate the sound from his mouth and licked the smeared blood from his lips. “Your eyes,” he whispered as he gazed at her in adoration. “The colors in your eyes shift like the Northern Lights.” The thought should have alarmed her, but the magic continued to flex and build. She wanted more. It was utterly delicious and addictive. The shadowy essence of her soul reigned in full control now, and she became a creature of instinct, drunk with power. As she continued to lick the sweet blood from Gregor’s face, an unfamiliar sensation moved over her. She jerked her head up and looked around, but no one was there. It came again, the feeling as if someone ran his hand over her back. She whirled but only saw the guards kneeling on the ground, their groins wet from their spilled seed. Behind her, Gregor nuzzled against her neck. Another stroke joined the first, this one exploring her face. She almost heard the sigh of a strange language, like someone whispering on the other side of a wall. The voices tugged at her and she frowned. “Stay here,” she told Gregor and he protested but let her walk away. She strode through the spreading pool of blood and a new wave of power filled her. The voices became clearer. “Who are you?” they whispered, as delicious and rich in her ear as the fading taste of her enemy’s life on her tongue. “Where are you?” Her hands fisted at her sides, and she stepped out of the blood. The voices faded again and she was alone in her mind. A shudder ripped through her body as her thoughts cleared for a moment, and she saw the spray of blood that 100

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covered her hands. She wanted to lick it off like a child eating a melting cup of shaved ice. A hint of movement from around the side of the building caught her attention. The air shimmered and the bushes shivered as if someone had walked past. Absently sucking on her finger, she followed the distortion that called to her. Whatever it was, her soul craved it. Strong hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her into the cover of the tall hedges. “Fool!” Vicktor’s voice hissed into her ear. She started to scream but an invisible hand clamped over her mouth. Before her terrified eyes, the shimmer solidified into Vicktor’s face. She almost fainted but he pinched her arm in a cruel vice and the pain chased away the comforting darkness as her rational mind surfaced past the shadowy instinct. “You broke my shielding and alerted them to your location. I can feel them riding the winds, burrowing through the ground, and following the shadows to us.” Silver burned through the green of his eyes, and she let out another strangled scream. This had to be a dream. This couldn’t be real. “We’re going to Hell, right now. I can’t protect you up here anymore.” He continued to keep his hand over her mouth. “How did you break my shielding?” Tears rolled down her cheeks and over his hand. His fierce expression softened for a moment. “Natalia, I love you. If nothing else, remember that.” Easily pinning her to his body with one hand, he bit his thumb. Deep growling words fell from his lips that made her shiver and quake with the echo of power against him. Her sated bloodlust awoke at the scent of his essence and chased away her terror. She focused on his thumb and watched a shimmering garnet drop form at the tip. He slowly traced a rectangle on the granite: up, reaching taller than the top of his head, then across, then down again. When he stepped back, Natalia could see he’d left a thin trail of blood on the polished surface. The granite wall began to collapse in on itself. A dark doorway opened with traces of green mist filling the space. Running his bleeding thumb over his lips, he removed his hand and kissed her. Cinnamon, heat, desire, the essence of fire. All these sensations raced through her mind as she tried to put a name to the 101

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pleasure of his touch. Distracted by the skill of his kiss, she didn’t notice he was moving them into the darkness until he whispered against her lips, “Welcome to Hell.”

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Chapter Ten The first thing she became aware of was warmth, gentle and comforting against her cheek. Natalia kept her eyes tightly shut and refused to open them. The air no longer smelled of a spring morning and the Volga River. Instead it held hints of perfume and grass. Vicktor held her close in his arms and said in a soft voice, “Natalia, you can open your eyes.” She shook her head. No, not knowing was the best. Ignorance was bliss. He tensed against her. “Natalia, you must open your eyes. We aren’t that far from one of your father’s villages, but these woods are dangerous.” “No.” He dropped her and she squeaked, falling to the ground but keeping her eyes firmly shut. She felt something against her face that felt like grass. Smelled like grass, too. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked through the narrowest of slits. Long blades of emerald green filled her vision. When no tiny grass demons jumped out at her, she slowly turned her head and gazed around in wonder. Hell was beautiful. They stood in the middle of a vast forest surrounded by tall and thick trees. Bright purple and orange flowers dripped in long strands from the limbs, and a silvery moss shimmered on the trunks. Sunlight filtered down between the leaves, and a breeze carried the perfume of the flowers to her. “This is Hell?” she asked in a shocked whisper. “Yes. This is part of your father’s kingdom. Shaped into what you see and feel by his will and imagination.” He helped her to her feet and she clung to him. Right now, he was the only thing even remotely familiar. “But it’s so beautiful....” “That’s because we aren’t in the area of Hell devoted to people working off their sins, we’re in one of the border zones.” As Raum tugged her along behind him, she marveled at all the color and richness of this realm.

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“How do you know where we are?” She was distracted by the sight of one of the flowers eating a golden butterfly. “I’ve served your father for two thousand years. That’s a long time to learn the territory,” he said in amusement. The thought made her stagger to a halt. “That’s impossible.” “You’ll accept that we’re in Hell, but my being over two thousand years old is impossible?” She stared at him, trying to see his real face beneath the disguise of Vicktor. Two thousand years old...what if he were hideous? Her priest always said demons were so ugly you would go blind and insane if you ever saw one. Then again, he also said Hell was a terrible realm filled with brimstone and fire. If her priest was wrong about that, hopefully he was also wrong about demons being terrible abominations. Besides, she was half demon. She didn’t look any different than any other human she knew, other than the lack of body hair. Vicktor tugged her along, his eyes scanned the forest. “We have to reach the palace before the demons tracking you find my portal and follow us.” “All right,” she said in a whisper as her mind tried to make sense of what she was seeing. A loud shriek rent the air in the distance and birds, blue as the sky with hints of purple in the feathers, took flight from a nearby patch of berry bushes. Vicktor froze, then jerked them deep into bushes and placed his hand over her mouth. He mouthed the words, Don’t move. His hand lowered from her mouth and he scanned the surrounding area, everything about his body and posture tense. As they crouched there, she noticed one of the berries sparkling in the sunlight that pierced through the bushes. Full and ripe with a lilac purple skin, it looked like one of the most delicious things she had ever seen. Her mouth began to water and she could suddenly smell the perfume of the berries, rich and decadent. Vicktor’s warning stayed her hand, but the berry held her complete attention. She had no idea how much time had passed before his shoulders dropped, and he let out a sigh of relief. “You can move now.” She snatched at the berry, plucking it before she was even aware of it. Vicktor 104

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tried to grab her before she put it in her mouth, but he was too late. Bliss, pleasure, warmth, and sweetness flooded her mouth. She moaned at the taste and squawked when Vicktor’s fingers scooped the crushed berry out of her mouth and threw it to the ground. “Fool!” he shouted and pulled her out of the bushes. Her mouth tingled and her lips seemed extra sensitive. “But the birds were eating the berries!” Running his hand through his hair, his face shifted between amusement and anger. “Those are Reluctant Bride berries.” Tracing her tongue over her lips, she bit down on the lower one and stiffened as pleasure flooded her body. “What?” Closing his eyes, he scooped her up into his arms and walked quickly through the forest. “An aphrodisiac berry that is given to inexperienced couples on their wedding night. Normally I would be more than happy to relieve the sexual need they cause, but right now we have to get to the palace before that Nightmare finds us.” “I’m sorry,” she whispered and took a deep breath, shivering in response to her awakening desire. Vicktor’s hold tightened on her and he said in a strained voice, “Try to fight it.” Cinnamon wafted from his shirt, and she stroked her cheek against his chest. Warmth, liquid and golden, seeped through her body and her nipples hardened to painful points. His hand tightened on her thighs, and she groaned for him. The heat in her pussy was building and the ache deepened to an almost painful throb. His rolling walk became an invitation for sex. “Vicktor,” she whispered and traced her fingers over his lips. Soft and rich, his lust stroked against her like a hand and it bowed her back. “Natalia, please, we have to get to safety,” he groaned as she rubbed her hands over his chest and shoulders. His words were meaningless to her. The only thing that mattered was the fact that he could soothe this ache. Fill the void in her body that hungered for him. She wiggled in his arms, pressing her thighs together and whimpering. The ache was worse now, bordering on pain, and her skin was sensitive to even the 105

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slightest breeze. Shuddering against him, she tried to pull his face down to hers for a kiss. With a muttered curse, Vicktor set her down and fastened his mouth on hers with a passion that bordered on violence. It was exactly what she wanted. Tenderness laced his words. “I’ll take care of you. I could never watch you suffer.” He jerked his pants down. His erection filled her hands, and she stroked him with urgency. His palms barely touched her nipples beneath her shirt, and she cried out into his mouth. “Shhhh, I know it hurts,” he said and lowered her to the ground, turning her so she was on her hands and knees with her bottom thrust into the air. “Your pussy is so swollen and hot,” he whispered and ran the head of his cock over her. A little pleading noise escaped her lips as she looked back at him, biting her lip to keep from screaming her need. Holding her gaze, he slowly slid into her and growled as she shuddered around him. This, this is what she needed and desired. To be filled by Vicktor, to have his scent filling her soul as his body filled hers. Gripping her hips, he slammed himself into her and she came almost instantly. White-hot bolts of pleasure made her scream her release into her arm. The orgasm didn’t stop as he moved behind her, groaning, as her pussy clenched around him. The sensation of his cock moving inside of her was amazing and she jerked her hips back, trying to keep him inside. “That’s it, take me, take everything that I have to give.” His words soothed her almost as much as the relief his body provided. Rocking against her, he filled her and stroked against the sweet spot inside. Deep and long, his cock swelled in an impossible manner, making her thrust her bottom into the air in an effort to accommodate him fully. A cry escaped her lips as he gave her bottom a sharp slap, the heat of his spank fanning the flames of her lust. Another smack followed. Vicktor growled long and low as he pressed into her as deeply as he could go. The feeling of his cock throbbing and jerking within her brought on another orgasm, and her body drank in the energy of his lust. Sweet, decadent, their desire and passion swirled around 106

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and they fed off of it. She could feel an echo of his orgasm, and the satisfaction took her breath away. His weight pushed her to the ground as he collapsed on her and he panted in her ear. “My Princess,” he murmured and placed a kiss on her sweaty brow. “I wish I could spend the rest of the afternoon pleasuring you, but we must go.” A noise of protest tore from her lips as he pulled out, but the desire was bearable now. She went to wrap her arms around him and give him a kiss of gratitude, but he chuckled and moved away, tugging her skirts back into place. Feeling relaxed and bursting with energy, she followed Vicktor through the forest and held his hand. He smiled down at her, and his eyes swirled with silver and lavender. He opened his mouth to say something, when his face went slack with shock and he slowly moved her to stand behind him. “What—” Her words faded into silence as her mind tried to make sense of the madness deeper in the forest before them. Darkness...throbbed in a solid wall, cutting off a section of the forest as surely as a black velvet curtain cutting off a stage. Not visibly moving, the void trembled against the edge of a tree, and the leaves rapidly turned black and disappeared. “Chaos,” Raum breathed and inched them away. “Will it come after us?” she whispered, afraid of attracting its attention. Shaking his head, Raum tugged her hand and lead them around the mass. “No, it’s not sentient.” “What is it doing?” Thinking or not, the void chilled her to the foundation of her soul. “When God cast the Fallen out, he gave them the ability to reshape Chaos into their image. As your father’s power weakens, portions of his realm are slipping back into Chaos.” “That’s horrible!” “More than you know, if—” A screaming whinny split the air close behind them. He jerked her hand in his own and yelled, “Run!” She stumbled after him and tried to look behind them. “What is that?” “A Nightmare.” Vicktor looked grim and swore. “They followed my portal 107

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before I could close it properly. The Nightmare doesn’t have your scent yet, but it has mine.” The trunks of the trees rushed by in a blur and clouds dimmed the sky. Natalia tried to keep up with him, but he was running full out with no sign of slacking. Her lungs burned and her legs felt like lead; only her terror at what was behind her kept them going. The trees began to thin out, and in the distance, she noted shiny black towers soaring high into the sky Clouds lined with bronze and silver swirled around, moving in strange, churning patterns. Vicktor hissed, “There it is. I think we can make it.” She couldn’t reply. Spots danced before her eyes, and her breath whistled through her throat. Trying to look everywhere at once, Natalia stumbled as they crossed from grass and onto roughhewed slabs of stone that formed a road. The trees pulled away from the stones and opened a clear path to the palace. The black towers appeared impossibly far away. An uneven edge caught the tip of her boot, and she fell with a sharp cry of pain. Vicktor spun and started to gather her into his arms. He looked behind them and said in a dead voice, “Too late. It has found us.” Air burned through her throat. She let out a pinched scream as Vicktor began to change. His skin went from tan to a pale silvery blue that glowed faintly in the sunlight. His hair bleached out and grew, falling to his waist. Fingers arching, his nails extended into long, silver claws that he flexed. Horrified, she watched his face reshape itself. The jaw grew stronger and his lips turned black and full. Sharp white teeth gleamed in the sunlight as he growled at something behind her. On the verge of fainting, she was knocked out of her shock by the ground rumbling beneath her hands. She didn’t want to look. She didn’t want to see anymore. A gust of air lifted her veil into the air, and she scrambled behind Vicktor. Stumbling to her feet, she pulled the veil off her face and choked on her scream. A horse of terrible beauty pawed at the stone of the road and sparks flew from beneath its bronze hooves. Bigger than a draft horse, the coal-black mare 108

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screamed her challenge into the sky through jagged fangs. Muscles bunching beneath its shiny black coat, the mare pranced forward and reared, striking the air before them with her hooves. Its eyes, blacker than night, rolled in their sockets. Vicktor crouched before her. “Run to the palace. The Nightmare will find your worst fears and make them seem true. No matter what you see, don’t stop running!” His words were meaningless to her. The Nightmare screamed again, and Vicktor looked over his shoulder and bared his own sharp teeth at it. “Natalia, please, run!” She stared back at him, eyes wide and darting from his savage fangs to his golden gaze. “I can’t,” she replied in a rough voice. She stared at the exotically beautiful demon of the man she had just made love to. He snarled and launched himself at the Nightmare. Before he went two steps, he froze in place and started to shake. The Nightmare charged at him and Natalia screamed. At the sound of her voice, Vicktor’s head whipped back and forth as he pressed his palms into his eyes. She didn’t think her terror could reach a higher level, but once again, she was wrong. A giant hoof barely missed Vicktor, and he slashed out with his own claws, opening a wound that oozed blue blood. The Nightmare screamed and snapped at Vicktor with her fangs, twisting to throw her hindquarters at him. He darted around behind it and tried to open its belly with his claws, but the tip of a back hoof caught him and flung his body into a tree with a sickening crack. Her feet carried her toward them as her mind screamed in panic. Vicktor struggled to pull himself up, but he was obviously hurt. One arm hung useless at his side, and his face contorted in pain as he launched himself at the Nightmare again. Fury began to cleanse the terror from her mind. Vicktor belonged to her and he was in danger. Gripping her hands into fists, she ran toward them. Vicktor looked up and yelled, “No!” before the Nightmare bit into his thigh with its teeth. He screamed and fell to the stone ground. The Nightmare roared its triumph into the sky. 109

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The cinnamon-scent of his blood filled the air, and she hissed before she reached them. Vicktor still tried to push her away and moaned for her to run. The Nightmare shrieked at her, and she growled back. Thick black smoke obscured her vision, choking off her breath and filling her lungs with soot. The forest around them burst into flame, trapping them on all sides as fiery embers fell from the sky and landed on her skin, smoldering. Screaming, she beat at the cinder on her arm, throwing herself over Vicktor to protect him from the flames. The smoke scraped her throat raw and she crouched down low, trying to pull in a breath of clear air. An alien presence, strange and somehow female, brushed against her mind. Its touch felt like a cool mist and she chased after it, trying to find the oasis it promised in the middle of the firestorm. It beckoned her, tried to draw her away from Vicktor. Another ember landed on her and lit her veil on fire, singeing her neck and hair before she tore it off. Beneath her, Vicktor screamed as a cinder scorched the flesh of his cheek with a sickening sizzle. Terror sank its teeth into her, and she screamed a prayer into the sky to please save them. Abruptly, the smoke poured back into the trunks of the trees, exposing a blue sky filled with white puffy clouds laced in bronze and gold. Despite the coughs that still racked her body, she realized she was pulling in cool and clean air. As she ran her hand over her head, she was relieved to find that her hair wasn’t singed. Glancing down, she watched Vicktor’s eyes roll in panic as his body thrashed beneath her. Anger seethed through her. The Nightmare was doing this. Raising her eyes, she gave a snarl that sounded low and deep, making the ground beneath her knees vibrate with its strength. It didn’t seem possible such a sound came from her throat. But it had, and another growl rumbled in her throat like rough thunder. The Nightmare let out a startled whinny and backed away from them. Tossing her mane, she pranced around them and flicked her tail. Vicktor took a shuddering breath beneath her and relaxed, released from the Nightmare’s 110

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illusions. Staring at the Nightmare, Natalia was amazed to see striations of magenta in its iris. Its pupil shone like a drop of molten gold. Vicktor panted harshly behind her and whispered, “Don’t lose eye contact with it.” He grabbed her hand and bit her wrist. She moaned, but followed his orders and kept her gaze on the Nightmare. It gave an odd whinny and curled its lips, scenting the air. He winced as he pushed her hand away. “Offer your wrist to it.” Slowly, she raised her shaking arm to the Nightmare. Her blood dripped down in fat garnet drops and sparkled on the stones. A distant part of her mind noted that her blood had never looked like that before. Her nostrils flared as the horse extended its red tongue and licked along her wrist. The motion stung and she gritted her teeth, keeping her gaze locked on the Nightmare. “Now bind it. Say, ‘blood freely given, blood received, you are mine to cherish and protect.’” Her body hummed with power as she repeated his words, mesmerized by the beauty of the Nightmare’s eyes. The Nightmare whinnied again and lowered its head toward her hands. Her words carried on the wind and echoed down the stone street. As she stroked its smooth nose, a sense of peace and calmness washed over her. This creature would die for her, and she would do everything in her power to protect it. The mare’s thoughts brushed over her mind, sorrow and regret at having hurt her combined with a sense of belonging. Vicktor’s voice was softer than a whisper and she had to strain to hear his words. “Go to the palace. The Nightmare is yours now. You bound it to you, but everything has a price. It will serve you, but you must honor your promise and be a good Mistress. You do not want to break your oath in Hell.” Her breath came out in a low moan as Vicktor’s pain tore her away from admiring the Nightmare. She knelt next to him in a pool of his blood and ran her hand over his cool cheek. “Vicktor.” Her throat tightened with sorrow and she tried to swallow past the lump. The Nightmare felt her pain and screamed a mournful cry into the air. “My name is Raum.” He tried to grin, and she shuddered at the sight of his 111

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fangs. “I’ll be fine. When you get to the palace, tell them where I am.” She stroked his face, marveling at the texture, soft and slightly rough, like velvet rubbed the wrong way. “Raum, Vicktor, whoever you are, I can’t leave you here.” It was true. The instinct that showed her how to capture the mind of the Nightmare refused to leave Raum behind. Territorial and possessive, it marked him and she protected what was hers. He grabbed her hand, and the prickle of his claws against her skin twisted her stomach. The unreality of the situation tried to enter her mind, but she firmly pushed it away. She would have time to go crazy later. Right now Raum was in trouble, and he was her only link to this world. Behind her, the Nightmare nudged her back with its nose and let out a soft whicker. His golden eyes softened and strains of silver washed through them. She watched in fascination as the colors moved, like oil on water in the sunlight. “Without their Nightmare to subdue you, they won’t dare enter your Father’s domain. They would run too great of a risk in being found just randomly searching for you.” “Who are they?” “Other demons.” He propped himself up on his elbows. Despite sitting in a lake of his own blood, his voice was getting stronger. “You’re more precious than you know.” Feeling absurd, she blushed at his compliment. Only she would be embarrassed by praise from a demon. He took a wincing breath and continued, “A female demon, even a Cambion, is more rare than you can imagine. Most demons are born of lesser devils. To have a human mate become pregnant with your child and carry it to term is a one-in-a-million event. And of those births, only a tiny fraction are female.” Her mind tried to work around what he was saying as the Nightmare bumped her back. She absently stroked the soft hair of her muzzle “But why do they want me?” “Every demon dreams of finding his blood-mate.” Voice low, he retracted his nails and traced his hand down her arm. “And only another female demon can become that. We can love lesser devils and mortal women, and often do...but the 112

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power we get from our blood-mate,” his eyes half-lidded and his hand gripped hers, “it is amazing. At our core, all demons crave power. It is who we are.” “How can the damned love?” she asked in a soft voice and watched silver and bronze edged clouds swirl in the sky overhead. The energy she gained from their mating had been drained away by binding the Nightmare, and she wanted to lie down next to Raum and pass out. His chuckle ran over her body like a touch. “Damned? We’re not damned.” She jerked her gaze back to him. “But the Bible—” “The Bible was written by men who often misinterpreted the word of God, either by accident or on purpose. Do you have any idea how many times the Bible has been rewritten and translated, in dozens of languages? And how many times the message has been changed by the translator? Entire parts of the original Bible are missing or have been replaced.” He shook his head and sighed before gritting his teeth and pushing himself upright. With a gentle touch, he inspected the wound in his leg as he spoke. “God cast his fallen angels to Hell in order to help humans purify their souls and reach heaven.” She gaped at him and he continued. “Do you really think God, the source of love, would damn his children to eternal suffering?” He snorted. “The part of Hell that you haven’t seen yet is devoted to helping human souls work through their sin and guilt, to purify them for the next step on their journey. Once a human soul reaches a certain level of understanding, he or she is reborn as a seraphim or an angel, devil, or demon as the next phase of their journey. If that soul is judged by God as too evil to find redemption, it is cast back into Chaos rather than sent to Hell.” “Like that bubble of Chaos we passed in the forest,” she said in a faint voice. Most of his words floated past her stunned mind with no more comprehension than if he were speaking in French. “But then why did I feel so sick in church?” The memory of some important event rolled through her subconscious. Green eyes that shimmered like Raum’s gold ones, a plump breast behind a pink sheath. Viciously she locked the memory away. She had more than enough to deal with at the moment. “The angelic host is our opposite, and as such, we repel each other.” His voice 113

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turned grim. “Heaven and Hell have gone to war to maintain that balance. God gave all of his creations free will, including angels and the fallen. Every once in a while, an angel or demon will obtain too much power and threaten to upset the divine balance.” He winced as he pushed on his shoulder. The joint made a grinding sound as it popped back into place. “We provide balance for sins, and the angels for virtues even though we are both made up of each...though the High Princes of Hell do constantly fight for power. I’m pretty sure the Angelic Horde do, as well, though they would never admit it.” He studied her, the melted gold of his eyes swirling with purple and silver. “Your father is being threatened by—” The Nightmare screeched and reared in front of them. Metal hitting metal clashed in the distance, and a harsh horn rent the air in an elaborate melody. Victor threw back his head and yelled out a wild howl that had her slapping her hands over her ears at its pitch. He grinned at her, and she tried not to draw away from the gleam of sharp teeth as he said, “My men have found us.” She swayed back on her heels, and Raum steadied her as she watched them approach. Six riders raced toward them in slick black armor with sinuous silver etching that shone like beetle shells. Each rode what looked like a giant black cat that hopped like a frog. Moving in rhythm with their mounts, the riders hunched and straightened with every leap. Elaborate saddles adorned the cat-like creatures, and each rider wore a helmet decorated with a single stone, which matched the color of his saddle. The lead rider, with a green stone, reached them first and leapt off his mount with a battle roar. The Nightmare screamed back her challenge and put herself between Natalia and the warrior. Raum yelled, “Control your Nightmare before it kills my men.” “How?” She screamed as the Nightmare’s hooves barely missed taking warrior’s head off. “Get in front of them and embrace them, cover them in your scent.” He tried to drag himself to his feet, but his wounded leg gave out on him. She scrambled up, trying to not slip in his blood and sprinted toward the green 114

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rider. His mount screamed and hissed at the Nightmare, but did not challenge her as she approached. Not thinking, she threw herself on him and tackled him to the ground and away from the Nightmare’s slashing claws. The rider yelled something in a tongue she did not understand and cuffed her hard enough to split her lip and knock her to the side. “No!” Raum yelled. “That is Asmodeus’s daughter!” It was too late. At the taste of her own blood, Natalia’s bloodlust rose and filled her with coldness that demanded payment for the injury he caused. The rider must have felt that shift in her soul. He jerked off his helmet, and his long black braid spilled out over the shoulder of his armor. A square jaw saved his face from having a feminine beauty, but his long lashes lay against his pale silver skin like black lace. Lowering his eyes, he tilted his head and offered the pure white skin of his throat. The move startled her, and his instant submission calmed her. The rest of the guards arrived and Raum yelled, “Stand down! She’s the High Prince’s daughter!” Behind her, the Nightmare let out a sound that was somewhere between a growl and a whinny. “What about the Nightmare?” a rider with a purple stone in his helmet yelled out. “The Nightmare has been bound.” The riders jerked in surprise, but the man at her feet remained utterly still. “My apologies, Princess. I offer myself to you as payment for my transgressions,” the demon at her feet said in a low rumble. Her mood shifted and one lust grew in place of the other. In her ruined and blood splattered gown, she knelt before him and rubbed her face against his neck. He didn’t smell as good as Raum—male sweat and musk instead of delicious cinnamon—but something about him soothed her and made her feel safe. This distinction allowed her conscious mind to regain control, and she pulled back with a blush. The pale demon’s face filled with disappointment, but he said, “Thank you for not slaughtering me.” Two more of the riders dismounted and helped Raum to his feet. He leaned on 115

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their shoulders and limped over to her side. “Princess Natalia, this is my secondin-command, Eline.” Eline bowed his head as the other riders gathered around them and removed their helmets. Hair and skin of every color greeted her. She gaped back at them as they stared at her in fascination. Each man was handsome in his own way, and she found her lust stirring like a lazy cat. None of them made her want to submit the way Raum did, or made her feel safe like Eline, but they were still very pleasant to look at. “Princess, if you will lead Eline to your Nightmare, he will secure her so we can return to the palace.” Raum’s tone was formal and she glanced at him. His look clearly said to play along, so she did. The Nightmare nibbled at her hand, and she couldn’t help but smile as she watched the colors swirl through its eyes. She took the surprisingly warm metal of Eline’s gauntlet and said in a whisper, “I’m not sure what to do.” His voice was deep and commanding and he raised her arm, stroking her wrist over his cheeks. “You have marked me with your scent. Lead me to your Nightmare and it will allow me near.” Her breath shuddered out of her body as his lips brushed over the pulse in her wrist. There was no mistaking the heat in his eyes. She slid her hand down his face and across his armor to hold his large, gauntlet-covered hand. The Nightmare watched them approach, the molten gold center of its eye expanding as she came near. She reached up and it lowered its head, rumbling in pleasure as she rubbed the ridge over its eyes. Eline joined her and rubbed the mare’s muscled shoulder. “Congratulations on stealing someone’s Nightmare, Princess.” “What?” The Nightmare rumbled and nudged her until she continued to pet it. “Nightmares are extremely rare. There is some demon out there right now that is furious that you managed to break his bond with it. This beautiful lady eats bad dreams, but can also force horrifying visions into your mind while you are awake, if she considers you an enemy. Everyone in the palace will sleep safer and better with her around.” He gave her a savage smile, showing his sharp and shiny teeth. “Your father will be pleased.” 116

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She swallowed hard and walked in a daze back to Raum. Now that they were safe, the enormity of where she was and who she was overwhelmed her. Her mind struggled to accept her new reality as a ringing filled her ears. Spots began to dance on the edges of her vision, and the air left her lungs in a rush. Hell, she was in Hell, surrounded by demons. “I don’t feel so well,” she whispered. Raum let go of one of the riders and pulled her close. His muffled yell sounded distant as she fainted against his warm cinnamon scent.

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Chapter Eleven Singing woke Natalia from her sleep, and she smiled with her eyes still closed. It had been ages since she heard her mother sing and the sound warmed her heart. Snuggling her face deeper into the silken pillow, her eyebrows scrunched together as her tired mind noted details out of place. For one, the room smelled like expensive perfume and her pillows at home weren’t this soft. The other thing that plucked at her was the woman’s voice. Higher and more melodious than her mother’s; the voice sang in a language she didn’t understand. Her heart began to pound and the reality of where she was came creeping back. She was in Hell, at the palace of her father, whoever he was. Warily, she peeked through slitted eyes, expecting to see some depraved room and to find herself lying on a bed made of bones. Instead, she found herself looking at the cream-colored bedspread. The walls of the room were covered in pastel wallpaper embossed with exotic flowers that she had never seen before. Encouraged, she opened her eyes further and darted a glance about without lifting her head. The singing continued, and she tried to keep her breathing deep and even. A white frothy canopy stretched above the bed and on a small bedside table, a blue crystal oil lamp sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the window. Her hands were clean, and the froth of a white lace nightgown surrounded her wrists. Turning over slowly, she tried to find the source of the singing. Elegant and plush, the room was like something out of one of the stories she read to Mr. Feathering. She lay on a large canopy bed heaped with pillows. A pale wood wardrobe stood against the far wall, and a round little woman in a blue cotton dress and blonde hair in a bun sang as she riffled through the clothing inside. At a loss, Natalia cleared her throat. The woman spun around. Natalia screamed and scrambled up the back of the

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bed. Instead of a nose, the woman had a hole in her face, with two nostril slits. “What happened to your face?” Natalia gasped in horror. Eyes wide, the maid covered the space where her nose should have been with both hands and mumbled something. The door banged open and a lovely woman with long brown hair and dressed in a pink gown came running in. She whispered in the disfigured woman’s ear and the woman ran from the room, wiping tears from her eyes. Natalia’s screams tapered off as the lovely woman turned to her with a stern expression. “Princess, I know this is all new to you, but you really hurt Atcha’s feelings.” Of all the things Natalia expected to hear, being scolded for hurting someone’s feelings was among the last. Feeling oddly ashamed of herself, she climbed off the headboard and sat on the bed, tugging the fine lace nightgown around her knees. “Uh. I’m sorry.” She cleared her throat and clasped her hands together. “Who are you?” The woman gave her an arch look and smiled gently. “My name is Galina. I am your father’s royal concubine and the leader of his personal coven.” Natalia stared at her as she continued, “I’m here to help keep you safe until your father officially binds you in front of the Court.” Galina swayed across the room, and Natalia felt her heart beat faster. Something about this woman tickled her memory. “You have the palace in quite an uproar.” Galina grinned and reclined on the bed across from Natalia. “Everyone wants to know who you are, and where you come from.” Natalia took in a deep and shuddering breath. “I don’t know anything about myself. I used to think I did, but now....” She looked at Galina and asked in a choked whisper, “Can you imagine what it is like to be a stranger to yourself?” Galina sat up and took Natalia’s hand in her own. “I think you’re looking at this the wrong way. You are who you have always been, but now you know the truth. You’re the butterfly about to emerge from its chrysalis.” Trying to smile, Natalia said, “Nothing makes sense. Vicktor isn’t Vicktor. Hell is supposed to be full of fire and brimstone, and demons are the epitome of evil.” “Parts of Hell are filled with brimstone and fire.” Galina gave her hand a 119

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squeeze and let go. “And many demons are evil, just as many men are evil.” She shrugged. “When I was on Mortal Earth, I saw things that rivaled any torture found in Hell. The difference is, when we torture souls here, it’s done to help rid them of their sins so they can move on.” Natalia rubbed her eyes. “See, this is what I mean. You make it sound so...normal.” “It is normal.” Natalia coughed but Galina pressed on. “This is how Hell has operated since God cast out the Fallen to run it for him. I should….” She fell silent and turned her head to the side. Natalia started to speak but Galina held her hand up. “Your father wishes to see you.” “Who’s my father?” Natalia wrapped her hands around her knees and hugged herself. “And where is Raum?” A smile tugged at Galina’s lips. “Raum is being healed by some of my witches and warlocks.” “Huh?” “I’m a witch, Princess.” Galina rolled her eyes at Natalia’s horrified look. “No, I don’t eat babies, and no, I don’t sacrifice goats or any of that rot. I work magic and aid your father in running his portion of Hell.” Pushing herself off the bed, Galina smoothed her dress. “I’m going to send Atcha back in here to help you dress. She’s a minor devil and was born looking like that. She is actually considered quite beautiful among her people and has a good heart. Please do not hurt her feelings again.” All Natalia could do was nod. Galina paused at the door and said lightly, “You will need to feed your lust again soon.” “My what?” “Your lust. Either by blood or by body. You used up a great deal of energy making the transition to Hell and binding the Nightmare.” Galina ran a hand through her hair. “I have you shielded from it right now so you can pay attention to what is going on. I can only hold that shield for so long before it fails and your demonic side overwhelms you. Let your father know what you want and we will make arrangements.” Before Natalia could say anything, Galina swept out in a 120

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swirl of skirts. The nightgown slid over her ankles as she scooted off the bed and tested her legs. Thick and plush, the light blue carpet was a decadent pleasure under her feet. She scrunched her toes in the deep pile and smiled at the sensation. Tall windows looked out over a mist-covered landscape far below. Her stomach lurched and she stumbled away from the glass. For right now, she was going to pretend that her room was not tall enough to be circled by clouds. A hesitant knock sounded at the door, and she cleared her throat and tried to calm herself. Even if the woman did scare her, she didn’t want to hurt her feelings again. “Come in, Atcha.” With her shoulders rounded, Atcha entered and said in a soft and lyrical voice, “I’m here to help you get dressed, Princess.” Being called “Princess” continued to make her feel uncomfortable. It was hard to think of oneself as royalty when every day for the past eighteen years she’d shoveled manure and scrubbed dishes. “Can you please call me Natalia?” Atcha gave her a scandalized look and said, “Certainly not!” In a shocked tone. Her shoulders lost their slump, and her lips narrowed into a disapproving line. Fighting a grin, Natalia tried to put Atcha at ease. It was easier to focus on someone other than herself. “What would you suggest I wear for meeting my...my father?” Atcha opened the doors of the wardrobe and began to sort through the glittering rainbow of fabrics inside. “All of the servants and spies will be inspecting you, so something simple but elegant. The Court will pretend that you aren’t here until the High Prince presents you to them. But they will be watching.” “Spies?” Natalia peeked over her shoulder and watched the woman flick through the dresses. Each gown was a marvel of craftsmanship and beauty, even if they were of a style she had never seen before. Running her fingers along an unfamiliar fabric that shimmered like melted gold, she held it to the light and asked, “What is this?” “Dragon skin.” Seeing Natalia’s shocked expression, she bit back a smile and 121

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continued. “Dragons inhabit the deserts and mountains of King Satan’s realm. Every once in a while, a dragon will go rogue and start killing people. When that happens, hunters are sent out to kill it and they harvest the skin.” Gently stroking the shimmering scales with her fingertips, Atcha sighed. “Magnificent creatures. It is said that King Satan’s personal guard actually tame and ride them. Your father used to keep one as a pet many centuries ago.” Curious, Natalia ran her hands over the scales. Silky and cool at first, they quickly warmed to her touch and molded to the shape her hand. The dragon skin hugged every curve and line of her palm until it looked like her hand had been dipped in gold. Natalia tried to keep her voice casual as she gently removed the dress from her hand. “Is he really my father?” Atcha stopped sorting through the dresses for a moment. “That is for the High Prince to tell you. It is not my place to say.” She pulled out a long canary yellow gown and laid it on the soft blue sofa next to the wardrobe. Natalia sucked in her breath. The gown was made of a diaphanous material, very sheer in some spots and covered with fine golden dragon skin in others. “I can’t wear that in public!” Natalia ran a hand over the gown despite her protests. Luxurious and dazzling, it was beyond anything she had ever imagined wearing. Hormones purring in approval, she thought about Raum’s reaction to seeing her in the gown. Atcha rolled her eyes. “You are a Princess of Lust. This is modest for one of your caste.” Narrowing her eyes, Natalia tried to come up with a good argument as Atcha tugged her nightgown over her head. Hearing Atcha gasp, Natalia saw her staring at the healing bite mark on her shoulder. “The High Prince soul-bound you,” Atcha said in awe. “What are you talking about? I fainted in the forest and a fox bit me.” Natalia traced the mark, and a memory began to surface—the profile of a handsome older man with dark hair, holding her close and lowering his sharp teeth to her shoulder. Atcha slipped the dress over Natalia and arranged the fabric so it fell correctly. The dragon skin immediately warmed next to her body and to her 122

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embarrassment, her breasts appeared to have been painted gold. Her discomfort deepened as she watched her nipples harden into gilded points. More dragon skin molded to her hips and covered her bottom. Thankfully the canary yellow fabric that covered her mound wasn’t transparent. As Atcha fussed with the dress, Natalia began to remember the man in the forest with the green eyes and dark hair. She could almost see his face and heard his voice telling her he was her father. The more she tried to focus on the memory, the more it would slip away. Long fingers ran through her hair as Atcha pinned it off her face and placed a shimmering gold dragon skin crown over her head. A single, small blue stone dangled over her forehead and irritated her while the rest of her hair fell in gleaming waves to her waist. The dragon skin covered her breasts and womanhood, but her hips and her belly were almost fully exposed. She flushed again and Atcha smiled happily. “I am honored to dress you, Princess.” She fussed with the crown and sighed. “You look lovely, and I’ll be the envy of every maid here for having had the privilege to serve you.” Tugged out of her embarrassment, Natalia couldn’t help but return the woman’s smile. For a devil, she didn’t seem that different from any other woman Natalia knew. Atcha’s hand stole up toward her face to cover the space where her nose should be as Natalia stared at her. Tightening her lips, Natalia pulled Atcha’s hand down and said gently, “I’m sorry about how I reacted. This is a shock to me.” Atcha cleared her throat. “Please don’t apologize, Princess.” She gave Natalia’s hair one more stroke with her hand and started to hum again. “I’ll take you to the High Prince. He’s waiting in his study.” Standing up straight, Natalia followed Atcha through the door and stopped in her tracks with her mouth hanging open. Instead of a hallway, the room led out directly to a massive foyer. Arched columns of black marble chased in silver held up a high vaulted ceiling. The floors were also of black marble chased with silver and at least two-dozen doors and archways lead to different parts of the palace. People—at least she assumed they were human—moved about with purpose. A 123

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variety of devils and demons walked through the foyer as well, also appearing to attend to business. In the center of the massive foyer, guarded by a gold railing and two guards in the same shiny black insectile armor as the riders, a whirling ball of green mist slowly rotated. Atcha watched her patiently and said in a low voice, “You’re on the High Court’s personal floor of the northern Tower. The highest-ranking members of the Court live here, as well as their families. Your father lives at the top of the Tower. We have to take the transport orb to reach him.” Natalia turned her head at Atcha’s words, but couldn’t tear her eyes away from the rotating mist orb. It flashed, and a well-dressed demon with white grey skin and long red hair strolled out. In his hand, he held a silver chain leading to the amethyst-encrusted collar of a pretty and plump blonde woman in a blue silk robe. They froze when they caught sight of Natalia. As they returned her gaze, Natalia muttered, “Why are they staring?” Atcha’s lips barely moved as she breathed, “You’re wearing gold dragon skin, and you’re not in your demonic form. Only families of the High Princes are allowed to wear dragon skin, and only demon princesses are allowed to wear gold.” Her fingertips did a nervous dance over the dragon skin curling through the garment and over her hip in a shiny swirl. “Oh.” Other heads turned their way and excited whispers echoed through the highceilinged room. Atcha whispered again, “We need to go before every servant fills this room to get a look at you.” Holding her head high, Atcha lead them to the orb. Natalia tried not to stare and kept her eyes straight ahead. Atcha’s prediction turned true as men and women filled the room in gossiping clusters. Her mind was taken off the whispering crowd as the two guards sank to their knees at her approach and bowed their heads. Even if she lived to be a hundred, she would never get used to this. Each of the guards removed his right gauntlet and held his arm out to her, without looking at her. With a panicked look, Natalia whispered to Atcha, “What do I do?” 124

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She had to strain to hear Atcha’s response. “Smell their skin.” “Why?” Atcha leaned in and said in a low voice, “I forget you know nothing. A potential blood-mate will smell delicious to you, and you will want to submit to them. If they smell normal, we continue on our way. If they trigger your senses as a bloodmate, you must tell the High Prince.” Natalia processed this as she slowly approached the men. Her heart did a happy flutter as she realized Raum was a potential blood-mate. First, she took the wrist of the man on the right and raised it to her nose. Nothing other than skin, leather, and a faint musk. He sighed as she released his hand and went to his partner. Again, nothing but skin, leather and a faint musk. This man also made a disappointed sound. They gathered their gauntlets and resumed their stations. “Princess, if I may have your hand, I will lead us through the portal,” said Atcha. Having no clue as to how to operate a portal, Natalia gratefully gripped the woman’s soft hand and squeezed it. Atcha squeezed back softly, and they entered the green mist. A soft wind blew about her and the air felt damp against her skin. Before she had more than a second to register it, they were out the other side and walking through another set of ornate gates. This time, six guards dropped to their knees at the sight of them. Atcha muttered as four of the men took off their gauntlets. With a start, Natalia noticed the other two guards were female if the curves of their breastplates were any indication. She dutifully smelled each wrist and moved down the line. Nothing other than skin. As Atcha lead them away, Natalia asked, “How common is it for a man to be considered a blood-mate? And am I going to have to smell everyone I meet?” “Thank the High King, no. You must inspect the guard because they are responsible for your safety. If one is a potential blood-mate, they will not be assigned to your personal detail. It would cause too much conflict.” 125

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Natalia stopped to gape at a giant tree made of silver that swayed in the center of an outdoor alcove. Silver and bronze-lined clouds floated past the black stone railing beyond the tree. Soft green grass surrounded the base, and a stone fountain dribbled water around the thick silver trunk. Its limbs moved in the wind, and a few red fruits sparkled from the limbs like giant rubies. “What is that?” Atcha smoothed back one of Natalia’s stray hairs. “It’s a Tree of Knowledge. Everyone in Hell gets one fruit from it during their lifetime.” “What does it do?” Atcha tugged her by the hand. “Princess, I wish I had the time to answer all of your questions, but we must get you to the High Prince.” Natalia looked over her shoulder as they moved away from the alcove, and Atcha sighed. “The fruit gives you one special power. For me, it gave the ability to heal through my singing. For my husband, it gave the ability to build furniture that comforts the user. You must be a devil or a demon to eat it without harm.” Atcha glanced at her and blushed. “Begging my pardon, Princess, but you are too human to eat the forbidden fruit without dire consequences.” The hallway narrowed and they were forced to stop before a pair of heavily armored guards holding gleaming halberds. Atcha announced who Natalia was, and they stepped aside to let them pass. At the end of another short hallway, they stopped before a large set of silver-bound doors. Images of naked men and women entwined in intricate and often multiple embraces shimmered on the metal. For the first time, Natalia noticed that glowing balls of soft light illuminated the black stone hallway. “What are those?” she asked and pointed to the ceiling. “Will-o-wisps,” Atcha said in a distracted voice. “Princess, it is important that you remember who your father is. Show him the respect due his position.” She raised her hand to knock on the door and paused. “He is the High Prince of Lust and one of the original Fallen Angels.” Natalia’s breath came out in a shudder as Atcha continued. “But he is also the demon that protects the life and existence of everything that I love—and has a fondness for my pomegranate jelly.” With those words in her mind, Natalia entered the study of her father. 126

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Chapter Twelve Framed by an enormous window looking out into the clouds, a man stood at the end of the long room bordered by shelves holding books and scrolls of every shape and size imaginable. Natalia had to squint past the glare to try to make out more than his silhouette. Golden shackles hung from one wall, and all manners of whips, floggers, and strange devices were displayed in a glass-enclosed case lit by small will-o-wisps. “Would it be easier if I were to appear as a human, or take my demonic form?” His voice carried across the room, and she tried to think past its power. She reminded herself that he was a man who loved jelly and that odd thought helped her put him into a context that didn’t terrify her into silence. “Your true form, please.” Shifting on the edge of a thick burgundy carpet, she tried to brace herself for the terrifying image. His chuckle vibrated through the floorboards to her feet. “I’m afraid my true Fallen form would drive the human side of your mind insane. But my demonic body is closer to the truth.” The light around him faded as he turned. She started to panic, but kept repeating to herself that he liked jelly. Two silver horns, like a ram’s, curled out from the top of his forehead, gleaming in the sunlight through the window; his pale skin had a grey shimmer to it. Heavily muscled, he wore a silver dragon skin tunic and kilt decorated with blood red rubies around the neckline and hem. Green eyes held her, and there was the faintest hint of uncertainty in them as he clasped his arms behind his back. Unsure what to say, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Why don’t I have horns?” she asked and touched her forehead behind the diadem. The tension around his eyes relaxed, and he unlaced his hands from behind his back. “Only the Fallen have horns.” “Oh,” she said as if his words made any sense at all. At a loss as to what to do with herself, she hesitantly approached him. “They

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tell me you are my father.” He nodded and his curled horns flashed in the light. “I am.” Her hand trembled as she smoothed the dress over her stomach. “Who is my mother?” “Anya is your mother.” He took a small step forward and stopped when she froze. “I won the right to bed her from the man you called your papa in a card game.” Natalia stared at him and he continued. “I wore the guise of Pasha. She never knew any different.” Natalia slumped back into a nearby worn leather-backed chair. Almost against her will, she relaxed into it. “Why?” “Why did I mate with your mother?” She watched him take a seat on the sofa across from her chair and put his arms over the back. “Galina had a prophecy that I would engender a child with Anya that would be essential to keeping the balance between Heaven and Hell. That her love would save us all.” “What?” Her mind whirled with the implications of his words, but her body remained in its relaxed state. That struck her as odd as she tried to figure out why her heart wasn’t pounding. “Did Atcha’s husband make this chair?” His lips twitched. “Yes, he did.” She tipped her head back and looked at the heavy wood beams holding up the ceiling. “Why don’t I look like a demon?” “You do.” Her head whipped up, and she stared down at her body. “Uh, this is what female demons look like?” Shaking his head, he sat forward and put his elbows on his knees. The relaxed gesture made him appear more...human…if it were even possible to think of anyone with giant silver horns and claws as human. “You haven’t learned how to change into your demonic form yet. It will come, with time. In terms of demonic development, you’re a baby.” “If I’m such a baby, why is everyone trying to blood-bond me?” Silver and red flashed through his eyes as he said in a growl, “Who is trying to blood-bond you?” 128

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Terrified of the glimpse of unimaginable power in his gaze, she shrank back into the chair. He closed his eyes and took in a breath. When he opened them, they were a solid green again. “Tell me.” “Raum, the guards, everyone.” Her voice quavered in fear. Even thoughts of him liking jelly didn’t help. She could only imagine him eating it off the corpses of his enemies. “Raum? Does he smell good to you?” Not sure if she was going to sign Raum’s death warrant, she wavered. Her father visibly tried to control himself. “I won’t hurt him, but I need to know.” “Yes, but he is the only one.” “Has he mentioned bonding to you?” She nodded and quickly added, “But we haven’t done anything...that is...we— uh. Haven’t done a blood-bond. I don’t think.” This time, he did laugh. “You do not have to hide your lust from me, my daughter. Because of your demonic blood, you will transmit no sexual disease and you will not conceive a child by accident. Only when you blood-bond a mate will you become fertile, and even then only once every fifty years.” Blushing, she avoided his gaze and looked out the window. She hadn’t thought about the consequences of making love to Raum, but now that her father, of all people, had mentioned it, she felt a wave of relief knowing she wouldn’t have to deal with having a baby on top of everything else. “You know, today is the first day in a long time I’ve felt like myself.” Natalia’s gaze found his again. “How do I keep my demonic side from overwhelming me? Can Galina teach me to shield myself?” “No, Galina cannot teach you. But I can.” The room darkened, then grew light again as a cloud passed over the sun. “You will still have to feed your dark essence, but you will be able to control it—somewhat. Strong emotions of clean passion and violence will break through your shielding and awaken your demonic side. But I can help you learn enough control that you are not a slave to your lusts.” His claws extended, and he raked them along the sofa “I will send you a 129

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suitable concubine to use.” He ignored her blush and continued, “Your presence here is not welcome by everyone. You represent an upset in power, and there are those among my Court who will try to manipulate you for their own gain.” He shrugged his broad shoulders beneath the dragon skin. “It is the nature of demons to crave power.” Her breath came out in a long sigh. “Thank you.” Watching the sunlight on the bookcase, she asked, “Why is there a sun in Hell?” He grinned and revealed a mouthful of sharp teeth. It didn’t raise the usual shiver out of her, and she wondered if she was actually getting used to them. “Despite what you’ve been taught, Hell is not at the center of the Mortal Earth. We are in an entirely separate world, connected to Mortal Earth and the heavens by portals such as the one you used to get to my study.” “Will I learn how to use the portals?” “In time, yes. First, you have to learn the basics of magic, and then memorize the enchantment codes for the different locations of Hell. There are over a billion, and I think only the High King and God know them all.” “Oh.” He stood and held out his hands to her. After hesitating for a moment, she placed her palms in his. A little surge of energy moved between them as he raised her to her feet. “I’m going to show you how to shield. It will be easier if you let me into your mind. We are soul-bound, so it won’t be hard.” Her hands tightened around his. “Soul-bound?” “I bound you to me as my daughter, and you carry a piece of my soul with you.” “When? Why?” Out of the comfort of the chair, her body reacted to her stress and her palms began to sweat. “I did it so I could find you anywhere in all the worlds, and you could find me. Everything has a price, and the price I pay for your safety is trusting you with a small portion of my powers.” “Oh.” When he said it like that, she actually felt cherished. It warmed a small and forgotten part of her soul that craved a father’s love. “Please teach me how to shield. I-I give you permission to enter my mind.” 130

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He looked into her eyes and she found herself drawn into his, striations of sage and purple moving through his iris and into his pupil like colors flowing down a drain. Drawn into the darkness, she floated. Dimly, she could feel him moving through her thoughts, and his voice echoed in the dark. Your demonic side must be lulled into sleep. If it’s hungry or upset, that will not happen. You must keep your lusts fed and it will be easier to control. If your essence grows too hungry, it will overwhelm you and seek its own meal. His knowledge flowed into her and became a part of her mind. It was easy when he showed her, easy to soothe that shadowy part of her soul, easy to ask it to sleep. He broke contact with her hands and stepped back, steadying her elbow as she opened her eyes and blinked. His shoulders were tight as he said, “Galina was right, you’re starved.” His words held a growling whisper and he said, “I’ve taken some of your lust and sent for Galina.” Dropping her hands, he strode to the windows and resumed the watching position that she found him in. The door opened and Galina entered with a worried look. “My Lord, I felt your need.” Without turning, he said, “Take the Princess back to her rooms and send her a concubine.” His voice dropped an octave, and Galina shivered. “Then get Ressi and run back to me.” *** Natalia paced her room, her body restless and edgy. If this was what it felt like to have her lusts controlled, she would hate to think how she would feel without the shielding. As it was, her body ached and throbbed for release. Each brush of her thighs rubbed against her clit until she was fisting her hands in her hair. She couldn’t stay still, the lust was approaching a level where it would make her go out and hunt. Lifting her nose to the air, she took a deep breath. She could smell them, 131

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outside her room, men moving in currents of musk. So much potential for lust, so much energy out of her reach. Edging toward the door, her rational mind tried to speak up about the dangers of leaving her room. Her demonic side did not care. It was almost fully awake and it was ravenous. She pressed against the door, smelling the air coming through the crack. Even the feeling of her nipples pressing against the wood had her mewling, and the brush of dragon skin excited her. With one last protest of caution, her human side was buried beneath the demonic. She was still Natalia, but she was no longer burdened by rational thought and concern. A different state of being came over her, a primal state that demanded a relief to her desires, a rich supper of lust to feed itself. Opening the door, she stepped out into the main foyer with a sway to her hips. Eyes scanning the crowd, she searched for her next meal. Whispers started to echo through the massive black marble room, and servants ran to alert their Masters and Mistresses of her presence. A tall blonde woman in a light peach transparent shift gave her a wicked smile. Around her slender neck lay an elaborate bronze collar decorated with a turquoise and pearl pattern. Natalia’s nostrils flared as she took in the woman’s musk. She could taste it on her tongue, sweet with an edge of salt, but not what she wanted. Turning her back on the woman, she continued to search the room. Another smell drew her, a richer musk that left a delicious residue on her tongue. She slowly paced forward and followed its scent. Before she got very far a soft hand gripped her arm and stopped her. “Princess, if you desire company, I would love to serve you,” the blonde in the peach shift purred out. Natalia narrowed her eyes at the woman. She didn’t want her, and the woman stood in between her and the delicious musk. “Let go of me,” she growled. The blonde frowned and tried another seductive smile. “Please, Princess, my name is Tuan and I beg for a chance to serve you.” Her hand remained on Natalia’s arm and a low growl hissed out of her mouth. “Let go,” she spit out. A crowd gathered around them and Tuan’s gaze darted 132

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around, her lips tightening in anger for a moment before they softened again as she cocked her hip. “Why don’t you want me?” Tuan pouted and thrust her breasts into the sky. “I’m the best concubine in the Court.” She tried to wrap her arms around Natalia with another pouty smile. “Everyone wants me.” Her demonic side took that as a sign of aggression. This woman, who was insufficient as a meal, was trying to keep her from her real food. She flung Tuan off, and the blonde sailed through the air with a scream. The crowd scattered from her as Tuan landed with a thump and cracked her head on the black marble floor. Natalia ignored the crowd and scented the air. Violence now hung in a luscious mist and she breathed it in deep, physical lust shifting to bloodlust in one smooth breath. Curling her lips back in a snarl, Natalia stalked toward Tuan. Now the blonde was delicious. Thick and rich, blood ran out of Tuan’s head wound and dripped down the side of her face as she screamed and tried to scramble across the black marble floor. A demon went to help her, and Natalia hissed at him. Someone in the crowd shouted, “The Princess has the gift of bloodlust.” At that, the man practically ran from her and the crowd scrambled back. Natalia cared about none of this. She wanted to lick the blood off Tuan’s face as she screamed. She wanted to bite into her neck like a firm apple and drink the heat it contained. The blonde continued to shriek and tried to scuttle to her feet. A deep male voice yelled, “Tuan, do not move.” Ignoring the command, Tuan slipped in a puddle of her blood and landed on her side. Natalia smiled. So weak and stupid. This one deserved to die. The sound of metal hitting the floor distracted her for a moment, but not as much as the pale and naked man that suddenly knelt between her and Tuan. The crowd murmured while Natalia paused and studied his long midnight-black hair covering his deliciously pale body like a cloak. She knew him. Breathing in deep, she found her scent on his skin. He didn’t 133

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belong to her like Gregor did, but he was under her protection. “Princess, if it is your pleasure, I offer myself to you.” As he said this, he glanced up and his eyes blazed with desire. Eline, his name is Eline. She shivered before him, distracted by Tuan’s squealing. “Someone shut that stupid bitch up,” he hissed. The woman’s growl echoed through the room, but he stood and tried to block the sight of her being dragged away with a hand clamped over her mouth. Tuan stared at Natalia with fear and hatred through her mask of blood. A pale and well-muscled chest put itself between her and the woman. “Princess,” Eline’s voice purred, “Do not look at her. She is not worthy. I am, and I offer myself to you.” He tilted his head to the side and she placed her hands on his shoulders, leaning up to smell him. Musk, healthy male, heat, desire. All wrapped up around her scent hidden against his neck. She purred in approval and pressed her body to his. Standing up on tiptoes, she ran her hands through his hair. It was wonderful, thick, and silken as it slid between her fingers. His white lips grazed hers, and he stiffened against her belly. Soft, gentle, slow, he seduced her with his mouth and she moaned her approval. Her lust flexed outward and his grip tightened. Around them, the crowd grew restless. A gasp made her want to look, but Eline deepened his kiss and stroked her tongue with his. Holding her against him, he slowly lifted her into his arms and carried them across the room. As he moved, the large muscles of his shoulders bunched and rolled beneath her palm, and she reveled in his strength. The sound of a door closing momentarily interrupted her thoughts and enough of herself surfaced to say, “I’m sorry.” Leaning them against the door, Eline laughed and cupped her breasts in his hands. “How can you be sorry for blessing me with the ultimate compliment? My body turned you from the killing edge.” Pride filled his eyes and deepened his voice. “Now, let me show you that I am worthy of such an honor.”

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Chapter Thirteen Eline tugged Natalia away from the door and said in a low voice, “Princess,” as her hands ran over his body. Totally smooth, his skin held no traces of color other than a slight flush around his lips and nipples. She rubbed her cheek against his chest, delighting in the feeling of his body responding to hers. Strong hands ran over her back and down her waist, cupping her hips and nudging her closer to his erection. She stepped back and slowly studied him from head to toe. His ebony hair stood out in sharp contrast compared to the paleness of his skin. With sharp cheekbones and lips, grey eyes with silver and blue streaking through them, and a firm body with long and thin scars here and there. She ran her lips over one of the scars on his shoulder and he rumbled. “Slice from a banshee’s knife.” Moving lower, her lips found and nibbled a scar going over his ribs. “Raked by a baby dragon.” Still lower, this time worrying a thick ridge or scar tissue right above the hollow of his hip. In a strained voice, he said, “Assassination attempt.” His lust washed over her and she rested her face against his hip, enjoying the sensation. Her instincts were soothed, and she began to regain herself. Turning her head, she admired the stiff length of his cock jutting before her cheek. It had a slight curve at the end and a flush of pink beneath his oh-so-pale skin. She traced a finger over his pelvis, marveling at the perfection of his form. A purr rumbled from her throat and she held him gently in her hand, licking at his tip. She couldn’t read his lust like Gregor’s, nor did she feel the yearning to submit. Instead, she felt desire and possessiveness. Her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. While being overwhelmed with passion was wonderful, it was also nice to be able to enjoy the moment at a more leisurely pace. Eline gently traced her face with his fingertips, his eyes growing shadowy with desire. Her breath caught in her throat, and she was reminded how big and strong he was. The tips of his claws traced over her cheeks, and she shuddered.

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So much power contained and controlled for her benefit. Gently, she lowered her head over his cock and sucked him into her mouth. His groan made her heart beat faster and her pussy clench. Enjoying herself, she experimented with him. A long lick followed by a strong suck, engulfing as much of his cock into her mouth as she could. He endured all of this, but his strong buttocks clenched and unclenched in time with her movements. She explored his stomach and hips, his rock solid thighs and the soft silk of his sac. His hands reached beneath her arms and lifted her against him, capturing her mouth and eating at her lips with greed. She groaned and wound her arms about him, entwining her fingers into his hair. More aggressive now, he ground his cock against the silk and dragon skin of her gown. “Show yourself to me, Princess,” he whispered against her lips and set her down, tearing himself from her mouth. His body tensed against hers and she pulled away. Feeling deliciously wanton, she moved to a patch of sunlight streaming through the tall window. His eyes on her made her breath come out in a soft hiss. Even without her gift of lust, she could see his need. First one sleeve, then the other. She held the gown to her chest and slowly removed her hands, letting the metallic fabric fall to her feet in a puddle. Her reward was exquisite. Eline dropped to his knees and sighed against her skin in a hot rush of air. “Bare, wonderfully, deliciously bare.” He held out a hand. “Come here.” Putting a sway in her hips, she sauntered across the carpet and stood before him. From this angle, she could appreciate new shadows and plays on the solid muscles of his body. His eyes looked up at her, and he lowered his head to her thighs, lifting her leg and running his tongue over the back of her knee. It felt good and tickled at the same time. The grin he shot up at her was wicked and his hands stroked over her body as he said, “Spectacular.” The sincerity of his words made her breath catch. His talented mouth worked its way up her thighs, and he paused before her pussy. Moving so gently it was torture, he rubbed his smooth cheek against her mound. Back and forth, then pausing to nudge her hard clit with the tip of his nose. 136

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“Eline,” she said in a soft breath and stood wider, silently asking him to pleasure her. His breath was hot against her nether lips. “I love it when you say my name, Princess.” Long and firm, his tongue parted the lips of her pussy, and he ate her with greed. His large hands clutched her bottom as he feasted on her, aggressive sucks and nibbles making her groan. It was hard to stay standing as his skill threatened to bring her to her knees. He tossed one of her legs over his strong shoulder, opening her further for his mouth. Clutching his hair, she rocked against his lips while he attempted to clean every last bit of cream from her. She made little sounds of need when his fingers opened her and exposed her clit to his gaze. He laughed as she tried to push her hips toward him, and gave her the tiniest lick. Her fingers curled in his hair and struggled to move his face into her. She ached for release, and he could give it to her if he would just cooperate. “Please, Eline,” she cried out and he groaned, locking his lips around her clit and moving a thick finger into her tight pussy, careful not to scratch her with his claws. It was bliss. He continued to prove his skill by stroking her and sucking her in such a way that her orgasm hovered out of reach. She would almost come, tight and trembling on the brink, and he would pull back. After the second time he did this, she screamed, “Eline, make me come!” “My pleasure, Princess.” His tone was teasing, but his attention to her pussy turned deadly serious. Long, strong sucks and swift movements of his fingers pulled the orgasm from her with ease. She trembled in his hands and he locked his mouth around her, sucking and groaning as she ground her pussy into his lips. The silk of his hair, the scent of his musk in the air, his rough hands on her bottom, all these things delighted her as the delicious strokes of his tongue let her relax. He pulled back and laughed when she stumbled. Rolling onto his back on the floor, he took her down with him. She lay against his stomach and rubbed her face against his broad chest. “You’re amazing.” A soft look chased through his eyes, runners of orange and gold streaking the 137

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grey. “You honor me.” He shifted his hips and the curved length of his cock pressed between her wet and swollen nether lips. Leaning forward, she licked her taste from his mouth as he reached between them and positioned his cock at her entrance. “Take me,” he sighed into her mouth. Arching her hips back, she moaned as the head of his cock began to push into her. She had no idea different positions could lead to different pleasures. With Raum, it had been overwhelming and demanding, passion and pain, a heady mixture with rich spice. With Eline, it was gentle silk and warm pleasure, different but equally good. Resting her head on his shoulder, she slowly slid him into her body. The head of his cock brushed over a spot inside of her that made her shiver, and his arms tightened about her body. He pushed her up and she groaned, flexing her hips back and forth at the feeling of him being fully inside. The skin beneath her pussy was smooth and firm, and she rubbed herself against him. Long fingers pulled and twisted her nipples as she raised herself up and down on him. The blue stone of her diadem shifted on her forehead as she rode him. He began to meet her thrusts, grinding into her clit with each twist of his hips. Tossing her head back, she let the sensations take over her, let the pleasure and lust fill her with energy. Eline twisted a nipple hard, and she rewarded him with a cry of delight. “Do you like pain, Princess?” He purred and withdrew his cock until only the head remained inside of her. Hissing, she tried to move him back inside but his immense strength kept her pinned. Sharp claws prickled her hips and she gasped, tightening on the head of his cock. “Yes.” His hands moved to her bottom and he jerked her down, hard and fast. His nails poked and prodded her, little stings of pleasure that notched her desires up even higher. Looking down at him, she marveled at his exotic beauty. Eyes glazed with pleasure, the faint flush of his snow-white skin, the bed of long black hair flared out around them. His teeth bared as he groaned, and she shuddered at the sight. So sharp, they could tear her open. The thought excited her and she 138

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captured his mouth in a kiss, running the tip of her tongue over his teeth. He swelled inside of her, and she could feel his crest coming. Her demonic instincts demanded that she make him hers. Running her tongue over his sharp teeth, she sliced it open on his teeth and kissed him, letting her blood run. He grabbed her hips and held her still, groaning. “Princess, what are you doing?” His cock pulsed inside of her, and she squeezed him back with her delicate inner muscles. “Do you wish to belong to me, Eline?” she whispered against his lips and he shuddered. His expression was tormented, and she slowly tightened her pussy and rose above him. She licked her lips with her bloody tongue, and he followed the movement. “Yes.” So big, so strong, and he was submitting to her. The thought almost made her orgasm, but her demonic side had other ideas. He turned his head and traced a claw over his throat. Blood ran out in a narrow line, and she licked at it. Power, lust, and fire. He didn’t have the spice and lightning of Raum’s blood, but it was delicious in its own right. The right words rolled out of her mind, set there by her father. “I bind you to me, Eline. You are my strength and shield, keeper of my heart and home. I promise to cherish and protect you until the end of time.” Panting, she held her wrist to his mouth and rode him in gentle strokes. He moaned. “I accept your service, my Princess.” His sharp teeth sliced into her wrist, and she screamed. Each suck of his mouth was like a suck between her legs, and the sensation combined with his cock pumping in and out of her pushed her over the edge. Long, hard, fierce, each stroke of his cock doubled her pleasure until she thought she was going to pass out. With a final hard thrust, he released her wrist and yelled his pleasure into the room, lips and teeth stained red and glittering with her blood. The edge of his orgasm caught her, and she shuddered as his pleasure rebound through her. So warm, so delicious, she ran her hands through her hair and arched her back as he emptied himself. As his cock filled her, a bit of her essence flowed into him in an exchange of power that tingled through her body and mind. She could taste his soul on her 139

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tongue, honorable and fierce, but with a deep well of compassion. Her shadowy essence purred and absorbed a small piece of him to replace the bit of her that he now held. The energy faded and he wrapped his arms about her, holding her close and turning on his side. Soft kisses were placed on her forehead, warm hands stroking her back, gentle to keep her from being injured by his claws. “Thank you,” he whispered against her hair. A drop of warm liquid hit her cheek, and she looked at him. Tears ran slowly down his face. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you.” He eased himself from her, and she blushed and stroked the tears from his face. “I...I hope I live up to your expectations.” Laughing, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed. “You have bonded me as the captain of your personal guard.” “I did?” They snuggled beneath the covers and looked at each other, intimate strangers. “Yes.” He licked his blood off her lips, and she felt the stirring of desire. It was easy to put her demonic side to sleep now, but that didn’t mean she didn’t find him still pleasing. Exploring his face with her fingertips, she said, “But I don’t have a guard—do I?” Pulling the pins from her hair, he removed her diadem and tossed it into the corner. “Of course you do. You are the High Prince’s daughter. You have an honor guard of twenty warriors and a legion at your disposal.” “A what?” He chuckled and cupped her face with his hands, gently kissing her and tucking her against his chest. In a dry voice he said, “While I am thrilled with how we ended up, I can’t help but wonder why you were going to kill Tuan.” Her body tightened at the memory. “Galina said she would send me a concubine. I waited and waited and none came.” She shivered at the memory of the single-minded hunger. “I could smell men and women outside, and my instinct demanded that I feed.” He ran a soothing hand down her back, his touch soft and comforting. She 140

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relaxed against him. Blood-bound, she could feel his devotion to her and it warmed her soul. “There was someone there that smelled good, but that bitch wouldn’t get out of my way. She kept throwing herself at me and wouldn’t let me go.” “She touched you?” he asked in a shocked whisper. Nodding against his chest, she said, “She tried to keep me from what I wanted. When she wouldn’t get out of my way, I threw her. Once her—once her blood was in the air, my desire switched.” She buried her face against his chest in shame. “I could have killed you,” she whispered against his warm skin. He held her close and ran his claws through her hair. “No, I had not washed your scent from my neck yet. I’ve been working with your Nightmare and needed it to maintain contact.” She peeked up at him, and he smiled down at her with his sharp teeth. “I’m the only one that blasted horse will let near it. Stupid, highmaintenance creature.” “Hey!” she said in an offended voice, but giggled as he winked at her. His trick worked and she no longer felt ashamed of her actions. “How did you know I was in trouble?” “Luck. Raum sent me with a message for you, and I saw you about to gut that bitch concubine.” His hand ran beneath the sheet and traced over her hip. “Watch out for that one. She’s only a concubine and a witch, but she is vicious and manipulative. I’ve watched her play men and demons against each other for sport.” “Who does she belong to?” “Pytan. You can tell by her collar. Each gem pattern is different depending on the owner. When you bond your concubines, they will wear a collar of your own design.” The thought excited her and made her blush at the same time. The first person that came to mind was Gregor, and the idea of him wearing her collar was so very right. “What do you think happened to the concubine Galina was supposed to send? I didn’t hear anyone knock on the door.” Chuckling, Eline tickled his claws along her ribs and she giggled with him. 141

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“They could have tried to kick the door down, and I would not have heard them.” His laughter tapered off and his voice grew serious. She became entranced by the threads of orange and gold running through his eyes. “It is odd, though. I’ll have to let Galina know.” Her wrist throbbed slightly, and the pain translated to lazy waves of pleasure. She checked her skin and was surprised to find a ring of light pink scar tissue that had a faint shimmer to it like a pink pearl instead of a wound. “What happened to the bite?” Eline held her wrist to his lips and kissed it. “The magic of our bond healed it.” He turned his head and showed her the healed line on his neck. It also had scarred over and shimmered lightly. “I will wear your mark with pride.” His hands smoothed over her bottom as he continued, “I forget how young you are, Princess. When you grow enough to assume your demonic form, I hope you will bite my neck and mark me with your teeth.” She ran her hand over his chest and down his hard biceps. They couldn’t seem to get enough of touching each other, and each stroke deepened her sense of peace and satisfaction. “Why do I find you so irresistible to touch?” He arched his brow and she quickly added, “Aside from the fact that you’re gorgeous, of course.” He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “We are bonding. A demoness bonds with a variety of men and women in her Court. As the Captain of your Guard, and its first member, I will hold a higher position than anyone, other than your bloodmate.” Her hands stilled and she felt guilt sour her stomach. “Will it hurt your feelings if I find a blood-mate?” He chuckled. “No. I am secure in my place as your captain.” His brow scrunched. “Are you jealous of my concubine?” She frowned. “You have a concubine? Do you love her?” “Yes.” He continued to trace his hands down her back and watched her carefully. “I love her as my concubine. Her pain is my pain, her happiness is my happiness. Through the bond, we feel each other’s emotions. Because of her love of chocolate, I have developed a craving for it myself. That’s not to say that I’ve also developed her fondness for everything else, like knitting, but I understand 142

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why she does it and how it calms her.” The explanation made an odd sort of sense to her. She loved Raum and Gregor, but in very different ways. “Will she be jealous of me?” Again he grinned and she couldn’t help but smile back. “No. Jealousy is not an issue with us. We are bonded, and she knows I love her and would never replace her with anyone. I could not hide the truth of my feelings from her even if I wanted to.” His hand skimmed the side of her breast, and she sighed softly. “That is why you must be very careful with whom you bond. Once that link is established, you may be able to get little white lies past each other, but there is no way you would be able to hide something as big as no longer loving them. Even before the bond is official, you and your potential concubine will be able to read each other’s emotions and influence them. You will want to do whatever you can to give them what they want, what they need. And they will want to pleasure you and make you proud of them. It’s a heady time filled with great responsibility, but oh so worth it in the end.” Her thoughts turned back to Gregor, and her heartbeat picked up with anticipation. Grateful to finally meet someone who was willing to talk about the process of having a concubine, she asked him, “How did you meet her? Did you know right away that she was meant for you?” “She’s a damned soul, and yes, from the first she called to me.” He saw her shocked expression and quickly said, “Back in the 1200s, she was stoned to death for having sex with another man, out of wedlock. It didn’t matter that her husband arranged the union. She thought of herself as a sinner, so she ended up in Hell.” His cheek shifted beneath her as he pulled the soft sheet closer around them. “I was still a young recruit back then and doing my rotation with the sinners. I was drawn to her, and she to me. It took over a hundred years, but I finally worked through her sin with her and convinced her she was a good person. Instead of going on to heaven, she decided to stay here with me as my concubine.” “You can do that?” She gaped at him. “With special permission. High Prince Asmodeus pleaded her case to King Satan, and he in turn spoke with God and allowed her to stay.” 143

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Rubbing her face against his chest, she said, “King Satan spoke with God?” “We really need to get you a basic history book of Hell,” Eline teased and rubbed his cheek against hers. “Yes, Satan runs Hell. And has, since the moment he became the first Fallen.” Her mind turned over all that she had learned today, and she groaned, “I’ll never understand everything.” “You are doing wonderfully for someone who was raised by mortals.” He stroked his lips against hers, and she returned his kiss. Easy movements of skin led to a brush of tongue and a sharing of warm breath. Her nipples tightened against his chest, and she gripped his lower back. Eline’s hand on her hip tightened in response to her shift in mood. His fingers began to trail down toward the smooth cleft of her pussy. Scooting closer, she sighed against his mouth as he slowly stroked her slit. “So smooth,” he marveled and his cock grew against her hip. “I’ve never been with a demoness. I had no idea how smooth you would be. Makes me want to rub my face all over your body and cover myself in your scent.” She giggled then gasped as he stroked the head of his cock over her. “Would you like me to pleasure you again, Princess?” She answered him with a kiss that left no doubt of her desires.

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Chapter Fourteen A golden will-o-wisp in the corner of the room provided enough illumination for Natalia to make out the shapes of the furniture. From her cocoon of blankets on the bed, she could see two moons, one crescent and one a sliver of light, in the starry night sky outside of her window. She disentangled herself from Eline’s arms and made her way across the dimly lit space to the washroom. Eline had shown her how to use the indoor plumbing and had laughed at her delight. Eying the big, sunken bathtub, she stared at her reflection in the wide, silver-bound mirror. Leaning closer, she traced a finger over the ripple of scars on her shoulder. Like the ones at her wrist, they gleamed with a pearly-pink shimmer. The first meeting with her father unfolded in her mind. His lips pulling back from his teeth, the words of his binding. She shuddered and pressed her forehead into the glass, watching streaks of green and purple shimmer through her eyes. With a sharp gasp, she tilted her head and watched the colors fade away. Fascinated, she tried to make them come back, but they remained hidden. Remembering how Raum and Eline’s eyes changed during sex, she wondered if they would agree to make love to her in front of a mirror. The thought was so wicked that she blushed and looked away from her own eyes and back to the bathtub. Crystal flasks glittered on the wide lip of the bathtub, and she manipulated the levers until hot water began to fill the deep basin. Selecting a purple container, she sniffed it and sighed. Rich and spicy, it reminded her of Raum. Eline had assured her that Raum wouldn’t be jealous of her bonding him, but she still worried. Despite all that had happened since she first saw him back at her farm in the disguise of Vicktor, she still loved Raum and missed him deeply. She felt a pang of sorrow at the knowledge that the real Vicktor had died and let out a heavy sigh. Purple liquid shimmered as it filled the tub of roaring water and soon the scent

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blossomed into the steamy air. Her mind turned to her mother and worry tightened her stomach. Eline told her that time moved faster in Hell, and that she had only been gone from Mortal Earth for one day for every ten days in hell. Still, she couldn’t help but fret. Without her, her mother only had her no-account papa—or should she say the man she knew as her papa—for support. All worries melted from her mind as the steamy, scented water wrapped around her body. With a grateful sigh, she sank back into the water as her stomach rumbled. She needed to eat soon, but being clean had taken priority. Never had she been surrounded by so much warm water; it was purely decadent. At her home, she was used to bathing with cold water from the washstand or in the river during the summer. This was far different and utterly delicious. Submerging her head, she grabbed a cake of peach-colored soap and worked up a froth, then washed and dunked her hair. When it was finally so clean it squeaked, she relaxed back into the water again and watched the will-o-wisp glow above her. Men’s muffled voices came through the door of the washroom, and she jumped out the tub and grabbed a towel. A thick green robe hung from a hook next to the towels, and she wrapped it around herself. It hung a little long and dragged across the stone floor as she hesitantly approached the door. Unable to hear what was being said, she took a deep breath and turned the handle. Raum stood talking to a naked Eline, and she blushed to the roots of her hair. Behind Raum, three more guards in full armor with their helmets off watched her. Their bronze, red, and lime-green hair gleamed in the light as they sank to their knees at the sight of her. Raum and Eline followed suit, and she was distracted by the erotic image of a naked man taking his knee before her. “Um—please stand,” she said in an unsure voice. “Wait outside for us,” Raum ordered the guards and they left, each staring at her as they went out the door. Eline remained behind. Fiddling with the edge of her robe, she took a wavering step toward them. Both men turned to face her, and she studied Raum’s body. Clad in black dragon skin with silver dragon skin sleeves and black leather pants, he no longer appeared injured. Tall and strong, his presence filled the room and his long white 146

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hair was held back in a thick braid. Even with Eline standing naked next to him, he was the one that commanded her attention. Her demonic side rolled lazily in its sleep and purred at the sight of him before dozing off again. “May I kiss you?” The words spun out of her mouth before she was even aware of having thought them. “You may.” Raum’s face was serious, but as she wound her arms around his neck he took a deep breath of her throat. “I’ve missed you, Natalia.” She melted into his touch, blissful in his embrace. He fit perfectly against her; everything about him made her want to lose herself in him. Standing on tiptoe, she captured his mouth in a long and full kiss. Desire, lust, and love flowed through her body as he cupped her face in his hands and bit her lip. That one small, sharp pain made her pussy grow hot and wet. Eline said in a shocked voice, “You’re potential blood-mates?” She stared at him. “How did you know?” Eline answered her but he kept his gaze on Raum. “Through our bond. I can sense an edge of your emotions as your Captain. When you touched Raum, I could feel the pull of a potential blood-bond.” Raum wrapped her in his arms and replied, “We are. But only you, the High Prince, and Galina know this.” Nodding, Eline’s eyes became distant with thought. “I’ll tell no one.” “What’s going on?” Natalia asked as she laid her head against Raum’s chest and inhaled his scent. His voice rumbled against her ear and he said, “The concubine that was supposed to feed you was found dead. Someone slit his throat and destroyed his soul.” “What?” She jerked away from Raum and Eline came up behind her, adding his warmth to her back. Eline’s presence soothed her enough to hear Raum when he said, “We think whoever did it was going to try to substitute one of their people in his place. It didn’t go as they planned because you were too hungry and went to hunt on your own. They also didn’t count on you having the gift of bloodlust.” “But what do you mean, ‘destroyed his soul’?” 147

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“Whoever killed him sent the energy of his soul back to the Chaos.” Raum held her closer and leaned his head on top of hers. “Instead of the soul traveling either onto Heaven or back to Hell, it was obliterated and returned to the Chaos that God uses to make the Universe.” Nausea rolled through her stomach and left a bitter taste in her mouth. “That’s horrible.” “It takes someone very powerful to do that. Thank God Eline was here with you. Whoever it was would not risk facing both of you together.” The men smiled at each other, and she felt a hysterical giggle bubble in her throat at the sound of a demon thanking God. Raum gave her a concerned look. “Eline, go get some food and drink for the Princess.” He nodded and strode out the door, his wonderful, naked body flexing as he walked. Raum eased the robe from her shoulders. “You did well in making Eline Captain of your guards.” He ran his sharp teeth down the column of her throat, and she sighed. “You’re not angry that I was intimate with him?” she asked as his lips followed the line of her collarbone. The dragon skin on his chest was warm against her skin, and she studied his face. With his hair pulled back into the braid, she could appreciate the strength of his jaw and the fullness of his lips. Those kissable lips quirked into a smile. “No. If he was a potential blood-mate, I would be.” He drew her hand to his nose and inhaled the blood flowing beneath her wrist. “Did you know that you smell like vanilla to me? Like a batch of cookies warm from the oven.” She giggled and rubbed her nose against his neck, taking a deep breath. “You smell like cinnamon, warm and delicious.” They were interrupted by a knock at the door. “Come in.” Raum spun her so his body shielded hers. A small man with leathery green skin brought in a covered silver tray and placed it on the table next to the bed. He wore a simple homespun tunic and a floppy faded leather hat. “Captain Eline requested that I bring the Princess a 148

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meal.” “Thank you.” Natalia peeked around from behind Raum’s broad back. The small man blushed and gave her a broad smile. Bowing his way out the door, he shut it behind him. Raum chuckled and led her toward the bed. The will-o-wisps brightened as they passed beneath them, and the smell coming from the tray made her stomach growl. She reached for the handle, but Raum stopped her. “Let me test it first.” He removed the lid and smelled the bowls of thick stew and loaf of rich bread within. He dipped his finger into the soup and carefully tasted it before tearing off two random chunks of bread and eating those as well. “Why do you have to test it first?” She sat on the edge of the bed and tucked the robe around her legs. He dipped his finger into the stew and gave her a sharp smile as she sucked it off and held his eyes. Thick and rich, it was delicious. With a final lick, she popped his finger from her mouth and attacked the stew with a moan of pleasure. Watching her, he leaned against the wall next to the window. “Power and politics rule Hell. Your appearance will give power to some, and take it from others. Those that see you as a threat will attempt to kill you before you mature into your full strength. Your demonic side is still a baby, and you haven’t even begun to embrace your skills yet.” Talking around a mouthful of soft and warm bread, she asked, “Am I going to change?” He nodded and his eyes softened. “I’m sorry you had to go through your awakening alone. It must have been very confusing to have all those new lusts and urges without knowing why. I wish I could have been there to help you through it, but the High Prince did the right thing in keeping all attention away from you.” She washed the bread down with a greedy drink of the sweetest water she ever tasted. “I thought I was losing my mind,” she confessed in a soft whisper. “You have no idea how good it feels to have some control over my life again.” He looked up to the ceiling. “Your father is ready to see us.” She shoveled the last of the stew into her mouth, scraping the bowl clean. For a 149

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moment, she considered licking it but caught his amused look. With a sigh, she set it aside and slid off the bed. “Do I need to summon Atcha or can I dress myself?” Instead of replying, he opened the wardrobe and tossed a red tunic, black skirt, and white chemise onto the bed. She admired the play of the light on his pale skin, and how it brought out the shimmer of blue. Her desire warmed her skin and she wanted to touch him, rub her face over his necks and taste his scent. He turned and caught her stare, holding it as silver and green traced through his eyes. Beautiful and deadly, he took her breath away. His voice was thick and low as he said, “If anyone but the High Prince was summoning us, I would throw you on the bed and fuck you until you begged for mercy.” The rough tone and image of his words brought her breath in a rush, and his lust energized her. She dropped her robe and started to stalk toward him, but he darted out of the room. “Get dressed, meet me outside. We have to return to Kazan.” Narrowing her eyes at the door, she took in a breath and tasted his scent in the air. With Raum out of sight, her demonic side went back to sleep and she searched the wardrobe for some boots to wear. Curiosity and worry filled her as she dressed in the clothes of her homeland and wondered why she was being sent back to Kazan. *** Servants still moved about the halls, and a few nobles caught her eye as Raum and Natalia made their way down the wide hall to her father’s study. Raum walked one step behind her and kept his distance. She wanted to hold his hand, but he had asked her to treat him no differently from any of the other guards. Eline waited for them before the entrance to her father’s study. He wore his usual black armor, but instead of a solid black breastplate, intricate patterns of gold traced over his shoulders and chest. She wondered what it would be like to have all that hard armor pressed against her naked body as he took her. A warm 150

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and welcoming smile filled his face, and he fell to one knee before her, bowing his head. “Greetings, my Princess.” “Hello, Eline.” Raum whispered into her ear, “Address him as the Captain of your Guard, in a loud voice, and offer him your inner wrist.” Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed people hovering and watching their every move. It made her twitchy to be under this much observation and that was one aspect of Hell she would not miss. Taking a deep breath, she said in a loud and clear voice, “Greetings, Captain of my Guard.” A collective hiss of shock came from behind them, and she had to resist rolling her eyes. Extending her wrist, she sighed as Eline grasped it in both his hands. Looking into her eyes, he brought it to his lips and gently bit the blue vein beneath her skin. The sight of those sharp teeth almost piercing her skin made her shudder. Releasing her wrist with a proud smile, Eline said, “You honor me, Princess.” He stood and gave her a low bow before opening the massive door to her father’s study. Bright and warm light spilled across the black marble from the room beyond. She waited for Eline to join them but he shook his head. “I will guard the door.” Raum nudged her forward with his body and she nodded, giving Eline’s face one last caress before she turned her attention to the study. Galina perched on one of the sofas with a large book in front of her and her elbows on her knees. Asmodeus reclined in a worn and padded green leather chair across from Galina and stood when they entered. The light shone off his horns, and he strode across the room to gather Natalia up in a hug. To her surprise, tears prickled her eyes as he said, “I’m glad you weren’t hurt.” Natalia pulled back and wiped at her eyes. “Eline rescued me.” Galina spoke up from the sofa. “I’m sorry, too, Natalia. I should have escorted the concubine to your room, but I let your father’s need distract me.” She closed the book with a thump and rubbed her eyes. “Things are moving quicker than we anticipated.” 151

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Without looking, Natalia grabbed Raum’s hand in her own and pulled him over to a sofa near Asmodeus’s chair. They sat close together, and Raum gently ran his fingers over her hand with a challenging look at Asmodeus. Galina arched her brow. “Though you may be a potential blood-bond, I would like to remind you, Raum, that she is too young for any bonding yet.” Asmodeus’s rumble shook the floor. “And I would like to remind you that you will need my permission.” Confused, Natalia tried to study everyone’s face at once. “Don’t I get a say in this?” Asmodeus tore his glare from Raum. “Of course. When you are fully matured and of age.” “When will that be?” she asked impatiently, and Raum gave her a sharp grin that made her blush. Galina snickered. “Have patience. You have the rest of your lives to enjoy each other, if a bonding is permitted. Take your time.” Asmodeus laced his fingers together, and his claws gleamed in the light. “We have more pressing concerns at the moment. Natalia, do you know what opium is?” Her eyebrows scrunched in a frown as she said, “Of course. How could I grow up in Kazan and not know? There are opium dens in the gambling district of the city.” Raum’s hand tightened on her. “Have you ever used it?” Her back stiffened. “Of course not. It’s expensive, and I have no desire to become one of those mindless fools wasting away. I’ve seen them standing in the doorway. They look like corpses that haven’t realized they’re dead yet. “ Galina spoke up. “Natalia, you know your father is the High Lord of Lust, correct?” Natalia nodded and she continued. “Another High Prince, Belal, is helping to spread the use of opium among the mortal world.” “Why would he do that?” Raum stroked his hand along her arm. “Your father’s power comes from people indulging in their lust. Belal’s power comes from sloth—people being lazy. Opium is the perfect conductor for sloth.” 152

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Her mind tried to wrap around what they were saying. “I can see why Belal would want to encourage opium use. I know a few women who lost their farms when their husbands became addicted to the drug. But what does it have to do with lust?” Asmodeus said, “It kills lust and a good many other emotions and desires. For every man and woman that becomes addicted to opium, I lose a source of power and Belal gains one.” Tension radiated from Raum. “Like that Chaos bubble we saw in the forest. As Belal drains away the other High Prince’s powers, the landscape will become littered with them.” Tugging the book back toward her, Galina opened it and traced her finger over a strange world map. “If Belal continues unchecked, entire portions of Hell will be swallowed by the Chaos. And if Belal gains more power than your father, he will attack and try to take control of our portion of Hell.” Galina held her gaze, and Natalia felt a measure of dread at the fear in her eyes. “He can do that? Why would he want to?” Raum took a deep breath. “Power. If he can gain control of this realm, he could potentially take over the position of High Lord of Lust and Sloth. We think his ambition reaches beyond that.” “Which would upset the balance of the Universe,” Asmodeus growled in a tone so fierce that her stomach clenched in fear. “Why doesn’t someone stop him?” Natalia sat on the edge of the sofa. “If Heaven and Hell work together, why doesn’t God stop him?” “He gave us what we will need to defeat Belal.” Asmodeus watched her. “God believes in His children learning to stand on their own. Only through suffering and knowledge can we attain a higher state of being.” She frowned at him and tried to understand half of what he was saying. “You said God gave you a tool, what is it?” “You.” Galina glanced at Asmodeus before continuing. “I foretold your coming. Somehow, you’re going to be key in the defeat of Belal.” “What?” Natalia squeaked out and slumped against the sofa. “What can I do against a Fallen Angel?” 153

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Galina sighed. “I wish I knew. The best we can do is give you all the help we can, keep you alive, and hope we figure it out when the time comes. I can tell you this much, it will have something to do with your love.” Natalia glanced at Raum who raise his eyebrows and shrugged. Asmodeus shifted in his chair. “I have an idea that can give us an advantage in striking a blow to Belal’s opium empire and buy us more time.” Raum tensed next to her as Asmodeus said, “I’m going to send you back to Mortal Earth, to Kazan. I need you to be there when a shipment of opium comes in. It will be guarded by four demons, but Galina will shield you enough so you and Raum should be undetected.” Galina nodded at his words and he continued, “Memorize their faces and return to me. I will search your memories and find out who they are. Then you and Raum will return to Mortal Earth and destroy the shipment.” “How in the world am I supposed to gain access to that?” “Gregor,” Raum said. A flash of anger burned through Natalia’s blood and her demonic side churned. It did not like the thought of putting Gregor in danger. “No,” she spat, struggling to regain her self-control. “I mean, I don’t want Gregor hurt. Raum quickly filled the stunned silence. “In all that happened, I forgot to mention that Natalia has started to bond Gregor as her concubine.” Galina gaped and started to giggle while Asmodeus growled. Both men shot Galina a nasty look, but that made her laugh all the harder. “My beloved concubine,” Asmodeus said in a low voice. “Can you please tell me what you find so funny?” Her giggles tapered off enough for her to say, “She is more your daughter than I thought. Only your blood would find the son of our enemy to be concubine material.” Asmodeus’s lips twitched as he said, “Indeed.” They shared an intimate look, and Natalia wondered about their history. “Daughter, you may bring Gregor to Hell with you when you destroy the opium. Do what you can to keep him safe, but do not endanger your mission. The lives of everyone in my kingdom rely on your ability to find out who those demons are and disrupt that shipment.” 154

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Galina stood and held her hands out to Natalia and Raum. “Let me strengthen your shields. I wish I could go with you, but as a damned soul, I can only leave Hell at specific times.” “How will I return to Hell?” Already she found herself drawn to this place, this world filled with magic and danger, and the men that held her heart. Natalia shivered as Galina closed her eyes and began to chant. Energy flowed over her and covered her skin in a painful tingle. Asmodeus spoke up from behind them. “Raum will never leave your side. Until you mature more, you won’t be able to do any demonic magic other than your birthright gifts of lust.” His voice hardened and he said, “Raum, if you do not protect her, I will personally torture you for the next five thousand years before I destroy your soul and send it back to the Chaos.” Raum bared his teeth in an aggressive gesture. “I would die before I let anything happen to her. You’ve been blood-bonded once. Surely you remember the desire—the need—to protect a potential mate.” Silence weighed against their backs before Asmodeus sighed. “Yes, and I remember the devastation the loss of a blood-mate causes. Satan is still trying to get over the loss of his mate from two thousand years ago. You need to remember that.” Natalia’s heart constricted at the sorrow in his voice. “I will do everything I can to keep safe and get the information you need.” She hesitated. “Can I visit my mother?’ “Yes, but only briefly. Make up some story about moving away with ‘Vicktor’ and getting married. I will see that she gets enough money to live out the rest of her life in comfort. Once this is over, you can visit her again.” Galina finished and ran her hands through her long hair. “I’ve shielded you the best I can. Keep your lusts under control and they should hold up.” She squeezed Natalia’s hand. “If you love your mother, keep your visit brief. You don’t want to attract any attention to her.” Natalia nodded and tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. Outside of the massive window, the silver and bronze-laced clouds began to brighten as the sun rose over Hell. 155

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Chapter Fifteen The scent of cinnamon carried on the late afternoon breeze, reassuring her of Raum’s presence even if she couldn’t see him. The gravel crunched under her boots as she rounded the drive leading to her family’s farm. Her mother jerked out of her rocker on the porch and stumbled to the edge. “Natalia!” Guilt, hot and burning, flowed through her and settled in a lump in her stomach. Natalia ran the rest of the way to the house with the black skirt flapping about her legs, trying to keep the tears at bay. Her mother gripped her and stared into her face. “Where have you been?” Tears streamed down her sunken cheeks, and Natalia brushed them away with a trembling hand. “Gregor said you were missing. I’ve been worried sick!” “I—” Her words were cut off as heavy boots pounded across the wooden floor, and Gregor rushed out of the house. His brown velvet tunic hung open at the throat. His red hair stood up in disheveled spikes. Purple circles shadowed his chocolate-brown eyes, and his relief at the sight of her made her throat close up. She would ponder later how it was possible to love more than one man—or demon—because she did love Gregor and the sight of him made her heart beat harder. Holding Gregor’s gaze with her own, Natalia said, “Gregor and I had a fight yesterday. I needed some time to think so I checked into a hotel in town with my tutoring money.” Gregor stared at her while her mother whirled on him. “You said she vanished from your home!” Natalia stepped in between them. “I’m afraid I left when Gregor wasn’t looking. So to him, it did appear like I vanished.” Natalia turned to Gregor and cupped his face in her hands. The contact soothed her, and her demonic essence delighted in his nearness. The focus of the world sharpened as if a thin veil had been lifted from her eyes. So handsome. She

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examined his face with her new clarity and marveled at the perfection of his rough features. Gregor was angry; she could feel it in the tension of his jaw beneath her hand, but his voice was smooth as he said, “Natalia, please don’t ever do this to me again.” Instead of answering, she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. Shorter than Raum, he was stockier and more heavily muscled. She felt horrible for having caused him worry and pain. He was hers to protect and cherish, and instead she had hurt him. “I’m so sorry, Gregor. After the...incident yesterday, I needed some time away.” His heart thundered beneath her ear, and his arms tightened about her. He rubbed his chin on top of her head. She felt his thick shoulders relax beneath her hands. Behind them, her mother let out a weary sigh. “Come inside, Natalia. Your papa should be home soon.” Shaking her head, Natalia took Gregor’s hand in her own. “We need to discuss something, Mother. I’ll be going back to Gregor’s home with him.” Turning to her mother, he ran his knuckles over her cheek. “I assure you, she will not vanish again. Eat the meal I brought with me, and my men will be by in the morning to look after the farm.” Giving them one last look filled with understanding, her mother nodded. He squeezed Natalia’s hand hard, and her body grew warm with a hot wash of desire. With a gentle smile, her mother ran her fingertips down Natalia’s arm. “I remember what it was like to be young. Go, have your talk and come back home, Natalia. You and I need to have a talk as well.” Natalia’s heart clenched and fresh guilt filled her. How could she bear to leave her mother? “I will.” She gave her mother a long hug and said in a low voice, “No matter what happens, I will always be your daughter.” Cinnamon swirled in the breeze and combined with the scent of Gregor’s skin, it soothed Natalia in a way she couldn’t explain. As if the pieces of herself that 157

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had been missing were now all in one place. The sorrow of leaving her home still burdened her, but after a long look between them, she was able to release her mother. Her mother smiled again and whispered in Natalia’s ear, “Go now. Your papa is in town searching for you. Have Gregor send him word that you’ve been found. I love you, and when Gregor asks, say ‘yes.’” Natalia blinked at her mother and nodded. At least her mother would have her fantasies about Natalia being happily married to Gregor and living somewhere far away. The thought of spending the rest of her life with Gregor took root, and her mind and demonic essence were in complete agreement that it had to happen. Holding Gregor’s hand and under her mother’s watchful gaze, she snuggled against him in his saddle as they rode his grey mare away from the farm. A lump formed in her throat, and she chided herself that she would be back soon. Once they reached the main road, Gregor asked, “Where were you?” His body was stiff behind hers, and she could feel him fighting the urge to hold her. “I’ve never killed a man before,” she said in a thick voice. “I spent the night in Mr. Feathering’s barn. I-I was so sure you would hate me for what I did.” Now, his arms did hold her close, and she shoved the guilt away. She would hate being manipulated, but the lies she told him came easily to her lips. Soon, she vowed, soon she could be completely honest with him. Until then, she’d pray the truth didn’t break them apart forever. His voice rumbled over her ear. “I could never think less of you, Natalia. Don’t you know how I feel about you? I thought one of my men was responsible for your disappearance.” She tried to look back at him, but the angle hurt her neck. “Why would you think that?” “One of my men, Vicktor, is missing. He was the one at the brothel with us.” Her heartbeat raced but she managed to keep her tone confused. “The man that sent me home?” “Yes.” Vicktor’s arms tightened around her until it became hard to breathe. “He is the nephew of a rival...business associate. I thought he might have taken you as leverage against me. When both of you came up missing, I feared for the 158

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worst. You haven’t seen him, have you?” “No, he merely put me into the carriage and that was the last time I saw him.” Gregor grunted but his body lost some of its stiffness behind her. She needed to distract him from thoughts about Vicktor. At some point, she would have to pay for all the times she lied to him and didn’t want to add to that list any more than she already had. There was one thing she could tell him that would turn his mind from Vicktor, and she could be totally honest. “Gregor, I love you.” It was true. Both her heart and her demonic essence loved this man and wanted to keep him as hers. Now, she had to figure out how to get him to come to Hell with her. Not the easiest thing to invite someone to do, especially when it meant betraying their family and leaving behind everything they had ever known. His breath left his body in a long sigh. “I think I’ve loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. Or should I say, the moment you almost killed me.” She giggled and tried to turn in the saddle. They were getting closer to town and curious eyes watched them. By riding with Gregor like this, they were making a very bold and very public statement about being together. Cinnamon filled her nose, and Raum’s voice whispered in her head. Keep him near. There have been demons here recently. His love and scent will mask anything that makes it through Galina’s shields. Raum’s words chilled her, and she tried to keep her mind focused on Gregor. “I can’t imagine being without you.” Ignoring the crowded streets, Natalia stroked his hand holding the reins. A week ago, that would have been scandalous behavior. Now, she had a completely new definition of scandalous, and hand stroking didn’t even come close. A pair of old women at a fruit stand stared at them, then began to whisper together. More heads turned as they rode past, and Natalia held her chin high against the disapproving glances. His breath warmed her ear, and she felt her nipples stiffen. “The thought of being without you makes my heart ache. When I couldn’t find you yesterday, I thought I would go mad.” They swayed together with the motion of the horse. “Stay with me, Natalia.” 159

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Instead of answering, she nodded and gripped his hand harder. The market fell behind them, and they approached the gates to his home. Shouts went out and the black wrought iron swung open. A tall, thin man waited for them inside and let out a sigh of relief. “Gregor, you found her!” The man smiled at Natalia and she returned his grin, unsure of his identity but happy to share in his joy. “Yes. Alert the staff that I want a hot bath in my room and a meal. We are not to be disturbed.” Gregor slid off the horse as the groom held the reins and helped Natalia down. The tall man took a knee before her, and she had a startling flashback of Eline doing the same, but naked. His eyes watched her carefully as he said, “I assure you, Miss Shura, that the entire staff knows who you are now. You will never have a problem like yesterday’s again.” At a loss for how to respond, Natalia hid her face in Gregor’s tunic. He wrapped an arm around her, and his shoulders grew tense. “Thank you, Filip.” The maid at the front door looked at Natalia with something akin to awe and dropped into a curtsey as they passed. Gregor ignored the servants and led her through the marble foyer and up the carved walnut stairs. The house still smelled of fresh paint, and she was reminded how very recently Gregor had come to Kazan. It seemed like ages ago that they had met, but in reality, it was only a week. She stole a peek at him out of the corner of her eye and admired his strong profile. Raum’s voice whispered in her head. I will be outside the room. If you plan to take him to Hell with us, you must finish his binding. He is already yours and loves you. It would be cruel to leave him here. Give him your blood and take his. Then you must say the words of binding. He will complete his part of the binding once we reach Hell. Gregor closed the door and watched her wander around the room. His love of the colors green and bronze were reflected in the decor. Warm and masculine, the large room contained a massive sleigh bed and a cushioned windowsill that overlooked the garden behind the house. A white tile washroom was visible through the half-closed door and a brown mink blanket covered the lower half of 160

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the bed. Strong arms wrapped around her, and Gregor rubbed his face over her veil. “Natalia. You have no idea how worried I was when we couldn’t find you. Please don’t run away from me again. I promise, whatever happens, it could not be as bad as being apart from you.” Frustration filled his voice, and his grip pressed the air from her. “I’ve never loved before, and I don’t know if this is normal, but the world seems to sink into darkness when you’re not with me.” Lifting her arms from his, she pulled the pins from her diadem and veil, and tossed them onto the table next to the bed. “Unbraid my hair.” She needed his touch, his warmth. Needed to wash the unhappiness from his gaze with her body and love. His breath came out in a sigh as his long fingers worked through her hair with gentle tugs. As he combed through the silken mass with his fingers, she unlaced and began to remove her tunic and skirt. The fabric slid to her feet, and she kicked off her boots. Warm and heavy, her hair brushed against the thin silk of her chemise as he released it. Turning, she perched on the edge of the bed. “Remove my stockings.” His lust hit her like a wave of heat and pulled a throb from her body. His eyes burned with desire as he knelt at her feet and slowly rolled down a stocking. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured as his mouth brushed over her calf. Fire licked through her veins and settled in a deep pulse between her legs. She wanted to sink into his touch, lose herself forever in the pleasure he offered her. The shadowy essence of her soul stretched and purred beneath his lips. She let that darkness fill her, and she embraced its awakening. Now that she wasn’t fighting her nature, she found it easier to control. His lust still energized her, and she could still read his desires, but she could appreciate them and draw it out into sweet torture. And he had so much desire for her. It was staggering, and she wanted to do everything she could to deepen his need. Gripping his hair in a tight fist, she yanked his head back and ate the sigh from his mouth. “You are mine,” she whispered against his lips. Energy moved from her body to his in a soft caress, sinking into his skin. “Yes.” A shudder wracked his body as their bond deepened. Love threaded 161

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through his lust and melted her heart. The kiss was long, amazingly so. She broke their kiss and looked down at him with a smile. “You’re unbearably handsome, my love. Show yourself to me.” His smile filled with male pride as he stood before her at the edge of the bed. She let her appreciation shine in her gaze as he removed his boots and tunic. Full and perfect, his lips grew soft as her hand began to stroke her breasts through the thin chemise, pinching her nipples that stood out hard and aching. His clothes quickly joined hers on the floor, and he tilted his head up in silent challenge, secure in his power. A lazy smile stretched her lips. He was magnificent and deserved every ounce of arrogance in his grin. Once she thought his skin pale, but after the true white of a demon’s skin, his was a healthy tan. Golden red hairs gleamed on his chest and lead a path down to his thick erection. She wet her lips. “Feed me your cock.” His eyes grew wide and his breath came out in a rush. Approaching the edge of the bed, a small bead of moisture gleamed on the head of his shaft. She wet her lips and ran her hands over his body in a possessive gesture. “Mine,” she purred out and rubbed her face against his length. He clasped his hands behind his back. “Yours.” The words of submission stroked against her shadowy essence. Running her nails down his lower back hard enough to leave red marks, she engulfed the head of his cock in her mouth. Musky, earthy, different than a demon’s scent, but just as delicious. She ran her fingers through his pubic hair and delighted at the sensation, so unusual compared to the velvet smoothness of Raum and Eline. Removing his cock from her mouth, she said, “Do not move.” He shivered and watched her with a hooded gaze. Her fingers gently worked his sac as she licked along the length of his cock in a lazy manner. Ever so slowly, she slid her lips down to the base and tried to fit him into her throat. His groan and twitch made her pussy tighten. Slipping a hand between her legs, she spread her cream over her mound and rubbed her clit in time with her sucks. The jerks of his hips became more pronounced and he hissed, “If you don’t stop, I will spill myself down your throat.” Part of her wanted that, wanted to drink his lust in long gulps. She slowly 162

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pulled back with a long and teasing rasp of her tongue. He was so sensitized, hovering on the brink of orgasm. She blew on his cock with a warm breath. “I want you to spill your seed inside my pussy.” A wicked grin blossomed on her lips as his cock jumped at her words. “Remove my chemise.” Strong hands skimmed along her sides as he drew the fabric over her head. The tip of his cock peeked out of the soft foreskin, and she dipped down to quickly run her tongue around the tip. His pleasure was her pleasure, and she felt an echo of how close he was. His eyes fastened on her bare breasts and he growled low in his throat. “For being such a good boy, you may touch me.” Her breath came out in a gasp as he tossed her back into the center of the bed as if she weighed nothing, and straddled her. “Mine,” he repeated her word back and gripped her breast in a punishing grasp. Her back arched as the sweet pain shot through her. “Yours,” she whispered back. “I love the pain. Don’t hold back.” He snarled, flashing teeth, as she let loose the leash holding back his selfcontrol. Velvet-coated steel, the muscles of his back rippled beneath her hands and she delighted in his strength. She urged him on as he bit and sucked at her nipples. His thick thigh parted her legs, and he rubbed the tip of his cock along her wet slit with a groan that rumbled from her nipples straight to her clit. His teeth bit down on the aching tip of her breast, and she arched beneath him. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she tried to urge him into her body. The warmth of his chuckle flowed over her, and he held himself just out of reach, capturing her lips in a long and soft kiss with his nails scraping over her bare mound. Leaning back on his heels, he ran his hands up and down her body. He paused at her toes and gently sucked on one. To her surprise, the sensation was highly pleasurable, and she parted her thighs, giving him a direct line of sight to her wet heat. Nostrils flaring, he jerked her to the edge of the bed and wrapped her legs around his waist. Standing at the edge, he would be able to use all of his strength 163

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to take her and the thought made her pussy clench. As his hands grasped her breasts, he leaned over and bit the tip of her nipple hard enough to sting as the fat head of his cock brushed against her nether lips. A shudder of need ripped through her body. “Gregor, pleasure me.” The broad tip of his cock nudged deeper into her entrance and he whispered, “I love you.” Slow and sure, he began to push his way in, and she bit down on the meat of his muscle where the shoulder and neck met, to distract him from noticing she was no longer a virgin. So good, so thick, her connection with him deepened as he sank his shaft into her. Magic, power, and lust swirled about them as he thrust, and she licked the blood from her bite in long strokes that matched the movements of his hips. Calloused hands stroked her hair back from her face as he whispered her name. Sweat began to shine on his chest as he finished each move with a punishing shove that made her toes curl. They chased their orgasm together, each intent on the others’ pleasure. “Bite me. Take my blood as I took yours.” Her pussy tightened around his cock, and he groaned into her neck as his teeth sank in. His strokes dragged his body over her clit as the sharp burn of his teeth broke her skin. Strong lips sucked at her, and power rolled through her blood and into his soul. The magic deepened between them and she whispered, “Blood given, blood received, you are mine to protect and cherish until the end of time.” Magic, hot and fierce, burned through them and they both screamed their pleasure. Their souls broke and reformed, each carrying a piece of the other now. His hips slammed into her and she groaned. “I love you.” “Natalia!” he yelled as his body strained for its orgasm. One final, punishing stroke and her body tightened to the point of pain, then began to relax as a wave of bliss left her limp beneath his thrusts. Her pussy gripped his cock as his seed flooded into her, his orgasm feeding hers until they both shuddered and moaned. Each wave brought on another until he finally collapsed on top of her. She was unsure how long they lay there, each trying to relearn how to breathe. The sun sank almost below the horizon outside of the window. Wiping some 164

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blood from her neck, she eased him out of her and smeared it on his cock and her pussy in a subtle motion. Gregor’s eyes remained closed, and he nuzzled his face into her hair with a groan. “You’re beyond anything I ever imagined existed.” She stroked the side of his face and placed a gentle kiss on his sweat damp brow. “You are mine, Gregor. And I will love you and protect you always.” His eyes cracked open a slit, and he gave her a lazy grin. “I can’t imagine life without you. Stay with me.” She pulled away from his arms. “I need to wash up.” Glancing down, his eyes softened. “Did I hurt you?” “Yes.” His face fell and she giggled. “And it was wonderful.” A boyish grin lit up his strong features, and her heart swelled with happiness. She didn’t know if it was a result of binding him as her concubine, but making him happy truly made her happy. Studying him, she thought about how mistaken she was to believe that the Master or Mistress had all the power in a relationship. She would do anything to make him content. Gregor gave her bottom a slap. “Go wash up. I’ll have food waiting for you when you get out.” He strode over to his wardrobe and pulled out a thick navy robe with a silver fur collar. She took a moment to admire his body, still shiny with sweat from their lovemaking. He wrapped the robe around her and gave her a gentle kiss. After washing herself, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her coal black hair hung in long, disheveled curls around her face. Leaning closer, until her nose almost touched the glass, she tried to believe what she was seeing. It was still her face, but subtly different. Her mouth was fuller and her lips a deeper pink, though she still had a small scar from where she fell out of a tree when she was little above the bow of her top lip. The arch of her cheekbones stood out more and her jaw curved a little more square. The most surprising were her eyes. Thin slivers of purple and silver chased through the turquoise blue, and she raised a shaking hand to her face. Breathing heavily, she curled her lips back from her teeth with terror twisting her stomach. Her breath fogged the mirror as it came out in a rush. Normal teeth greeted her instead of a sharp smile. 165

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Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the cool tile wall and rubbed her face into the fur. Her mother might notice the changes, but she still looked enough like herself to not cause an uproar. At least, that was the hope. Stealing another glance in the mirror, she was glad to see her nose was as sharp as ever. Not everything had been smoothed into perfection. Finger combing her hair, she tried to rationalize when this change had taken place. The last time she could remember looking at herself in the mirror was during her initial stay in Hell. Had her time there brought this transformation about? Gregor didn’t react to her any differently, but he was in love so he might have overlooked any changes. Her mother hadn’t commented, but she had been so happy to see Natalia that she may not have noticed, either. Voices came from outside the door of the washroom, and she lowered the gas lanterns on the walls before leaving. Clad in a black velvet robe with a red fur collar that was two shades darker than his hair, Gregor glanced up and smiled at her. He poured them glasses of red wine, and she marveled at his easy grace. Maybe it was because this was the first time she had ever been around him when they were both sated and alone, but she had never noticed how beautifully he moved. Like a deadly predator. Plates of meat and vegetables swimming in a cream sauce filled the room with a delicious fragrance. For the first time, she worried how he would adjust to Hell. It struck her as utterly selfish that she had not worried about what his everyday life would be like there before this moment. Feeling guilty, she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head against his warm back. A hint of cinnamon filled the air, and she smiled at Raum’s invisible presence. Gregor turned in her arms and gave her a long and slow kiss. “I have to leave in a bit.” “Why?” she asked and snatched a carrot out of the sauce. It was delicious and she moaned happily as she chewed. He smiled at her and licked a dab of sauce off her lips. “I think I’m jealous of that carrot.” She grinned up at him and smoothed the fur brushing against his chest. “Take me with you. I don’t want to leave your side right now.” If Gregor was to meet the 166

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barge tonight, she had to be there. For both their sakes. If she didn’t do her job, her father might strike out against Gregor, and she could not let that happen. Already she was willing to fight to the death for him, and she mused how it was true that the bonding cut both ways. His pain was her pain. His joy her joy. His body grew tense and he stared down at her. “Natalia, you don’t want to go where I’m going.” She swallowed and looked into his eyes. “Gregor, I promise you, whatever you have to show me, whatever you have to do, I will still love you. I hope you can say the same for me.” Truth rang in her words, and she hoped he heard her sincerity. “I want to be a part of your world, in all aspects.” The smell of cinnamon grew stronger, and she hoped that was Raum’s way of telling her she was saying the right things. Gregor’s shoulders softened slightly, and his lips twisted into an unhappy grimace. “I’ll take you along on one condition.” “What is that?” she asked and fed him a bit of meat. He sucked it from her fingers, and her body grew heavy with desire. “You follow my every instruction, and you keep your face veiled in the manner of the Tartar women. I will not have these men looking upon your beauty.” His jealousy made her grin, and she licked at the warm skin of his exposed chest. “Thank you.” He sighed and buried his hands in her hair. “My men will think I’ve lost my mind. That you’ve enchanted me.” The remark struck too close to home. “Just tell them I’m your bodyguard,” she teased and gently bit his wrist.

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Chapter Sixteen A soft breeze smelling of river and wet timber ruffled the black fur around Gregor’s collar. Natalia stood in his shadow by the edge of a dock on the Kazanka River. Across the river, the Suyumbike Tower glowed softly out of the moonlit darkness. Gregor kept her at his side, and his men stole glances at them whenever he wasn’t looking. The wind pressed the thin linen of the pale blue veil against her face. It was held in place by a light blue cap embroidered with silver thread and amber beads. She had no idea where Gregor got it, and was afraid to ask. Gregor leaned and whispered into her ear as a large barge came floating up the river, “They will be here soon. Some of my father’s men are...different. Do not say a word and do not attract attention to yourself. Let them believe you are my current woman. Not the most precious thing in the universe. If you see Vicktor anywhere, yell and I will be at your side in an instant.” His words warmed her, and she smiled with a nod. In her mind, Raum whispered, I have to pull back so they don’t sense me. Watch and listen. Your father will view your memories. Natalia, please be careful. I love you. She pretended to rearrange her veil as she held up her hand in a goodbye gesture. The wind off the river held a chill despite the warm spring night. For the twentieth time, she checked her demonic essence. It was sated and sleeping after the feast of Gregor’s lust. Her eyes scanned the barge as it approached, noting they used no lights. Shadows moved on the bow as ropes were tossed to the pier. Gregor’s men secured the thick lines and guided the barge into its berth. Gregor gave her a subtle nod and strode toward the barge, leaving her with Filip. Curiosity battled with fear as she watched the men disembark. They looked so ordinary, none of the shimmering skin or long hair that she had come to associate with male demons. The wind carried their scent, and she was relieved to note that none smelled as appealing as Raum. It would be just her bad luck to have a potential blood-mate among them.

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Gregor clasped forearms with a man in a long black cloak. The wind blew it back and revealed a broad figure dressed in exotic red silk pants and tunic. Demon, her mind identified. It was something in the way he held himself, in the superior look he gave everyone else. Five other men joined him, and her breath caught in her throat. Demon and human alike all turned to look at her standing with Filip. Rills of energy moved over her in a cold caress, and she fought to remain still. Hopefully, they would think her shivering was just the wind moving her clothing. Her heart slammed against her ribs as Gregor’s face tightened, and he exchanged words with them. A demon masquerading as a blond man in a black cloak and purple silk clothing broke off and sauntered toward her. Gregor moved to stop him, but the man in red put his hand out and said something in a low voice. The blond man stopped before her and she shrank back against Filip, her fear very real. There was nothing she could do against five demons, even if Raum made it in time to help. Worse than that, she knew Gregor would not survive the fight, and the thought made her panic. “Greetings on behalf of Buri Trezent. He looks forward to meeting the woman that stole his son’s heart.” The man smiled at her and did a little bow. “Who is that?” Natalia whispered to Filip. “Gregor’s Father.” “But Gregor and I just met. How did his father hear about it so quickly?” asked Natalia in a confused voice, pretending ignorance. Filip hesitated and the blond man said, “He has his ways. Perhaps Gregor will bring you to have lunch with us tomorrow and we can discuss it further.” Her eyes locked with his and he frowned slightly. Before he could say anything, Gregor appeared over his shoulder and pushed Natalia into Filip. “Take her home at once, Filip.” The blond man reached out to touch her, and Gregor grabbed his hand as Filip hustled her off to the carriage. “She is off limits,” Gregor hissed and the blond man said something back in an angry growl that was lost in the slamming of the carriage door. Filip wiped sweat 169

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off his forehead as the coachman drove quickly from the docks. “What’s going on?” she asked in a shuddering voice. Her mind swirled with dread. Somehow, that demon knew something was not right about her. She tried to calm herself and think that maybe it was the fact that she was a woman. There was no way he could possibly realize the truth. “I don’t know.” Filip stared out the window. “Forgive me for being blunt, but you should not have been here tonight.” She nodded. “I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Did I get him in trouble? And who is his father?” Filip opened and closed his mouth before he finally said, “Gregor is smart. I wouldn’t worry about him too much. More than that, if anything were to happen to him, his father would slaughter anyone or anything that brought him harm.” He stared at Natalia as he said the last part, and she fought the urge to press herself into the seat. “Gregor is his only child, and he is grooming him to take over his legacy.” “I thought they were bringing in a shipment of silk,” she whispered and sniffed, wiping at her eyes with a trembling hand. “Gregor said I could pick out a bolt for a special dress.” Filip’s shoulders relaxed, and a wide and false smile filled his face. “Oh, I’m sure Gregor will still bring you some silk. Now, please relax, Miss Shura, and we’ll be safely back at Mr. Trezent’s before you know it.” Despite his words, he kept leaning to try to see the street behind them. As the road turned from rough cobblestones to wood that creaked beneath the wheels, the carriage rumbled to a halt. Filip helped her from the carriage and began to lead her toward the brightly lit house when he jerked and crumpled to the ground. She gaped as blood began to ooze from a wound on his temple. Invisible hands jerked her into the hedge and she hissed, “Raum?” “Yes.” His voice came from the darkness inside the scratchy hedge, and the sharp spice of his blood filled the air. “We have to get out of here. Those demons know who you are, and they are on their way to find you.” “What about Gregor?” She clenched her hands into fists, fighting the urge to 170

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run out and protect him. “Gregor is fine. The leader is meeting with him while the other men are supposedly offloading the opium.” His low chant filled the air, and a doorway shimmered in the granite. An invisible hand held hers and dragged her through the portal. Shaking her head at the spinning feeling, Natalia jerked her veil off and sucked in a lungful of air. Around them, conversation buzzed and the guards at the portal dropped to their knees. Raum steadied her with one hand. “Are you all right, Princess?” He cocked his head to the side in a motion she recognized as someone talking to him in his mind. Getting her bearings, Natalia adjusted to the explosion of color and sound that was Hell. Sunlight streamed through tall windows and gleamed across the black marble floors, picking up hints of silver sparkle. The guards remained kneeling, and she hesitated before walking past them. If another potential blood-mate was among them, they would have to wait. “I need to see my father, General.” Raum nodded and led the way through this unfamiliar area of Hell. They stopped before a small brass door and Raum knocked, leaving her to wonder where they were. Eline answered and happiness filled her at the sight of him. Yet another kind of love graced her life. The kind of love that one had for a best friend and confidant. Instead of smiling, Eline ushered them in with a worried look. Once the door was closed, he grabbed her and held her against his warm body, kissing her with an urgency that left her breathless. Eline held her close and clasped Raum’s arm. “Much has happened while you were gone.” Looking around curiously, Natalia perched on the edge of a cream damask sofa and Raum sat next to her while Eline paced the room. “The demons bringing the opium knew about Natalia,” Raum said. Eline grunted. “I figured as much. Our spies brought word that Belal knows Asmodeus has a Cambion daughter. They also know she’s somewhere in Russia. When she came into her lusts, she set off quite an avalanche of power.” Eline 171

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smoothed his hands on his black leather pants and sat down across from them. “There’s more.” Natalia looked into each man’s face as she and Raum waited for Eline to collect himself. “From what our spies and covens can tell, it looks like Belal is going to try to overthrow Satan.” “So it is true.” Raum leapt from the sofa and ran a hand over his face. “He must be mad. Insane.” “How can he do that?” Natalia asked, feeling very lost. Eline knelt before her and took her hand in his, the bond between them sharing her worry. “Satan has been withdrawing more and more from ruling Hell. When he lost his blood-mate, Lilith, twenty-three hundred years ago, he began to slip into a state of apathy.” “The High Princes have been covering for him, hoping that he will let go of his grief. But it looks like Belal got tired of waiting and is going to use his power to try to overthrow Satan.” She slumped back against the sofa, stunned. “But the Fallen crave power. How could Satan give so much up?” Eline shrugged. “I don’t know. All I know is if Belal succeeds, it will mean Hell will be reshaped into his image. And that would be devastating for demons and mortals alike.” “Won’t God step in?” Both men shook their heads. “No, God leaves the ruling of Hell to Satan. If Satan no longer wants to rule, then the void will have to be filled.” “And there are factions among the Angelic Horde that would love to see Satan gone. He is a very efficient and ruthless ruler of Hell. They either think Belal would be easier to control, or have made some kind of deal with him.” The men stared off into the distance, each deep in their thoughts. “We need to get to my father and tell him what we saw.” Eline stood. “My apologies, Princess. You’ve had a rough night on Mortal Earth as well.” He helped her to her feet. “High Prince Asmodeus is holding Court and wants you there as soon as you’re ready. He is going to claim you as his.” She grabbed Raum’s hand. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” A gentle knock sounded at the door, and Eline quickly opened it. A petite 172

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woman with wavy strawberry blonde hair in a yellow sheath dress came in. Around her neck, she wore a gold collar with an onyx and diamond pattern. A sheer red gown with hints of sparkling gold dragon skin gleamed on her arms. Eline gave the woman a gentle kiss and turned her to face them with a proud smile. “Princess, I would like you to meet my concubine, Owena.” Owena dropped into a graceful curtsey. “An honor to meet you, Mistress.” At a loss, Natalia replied, “A pleasure to meet you as well, Owena.” She looked to Raum for help, and he gave her a sharp grin. Owena swayed over to them and gave Natalia a shy smile. “Thank you for choosing Eline as your Captain of the Guard. It’s a great honor, and we are pleased to be in your service, Mistress.” Eline watched them with a hopeful look, and Natalia tried to put herself in his place. If he felt for Owena the way she felt for Gregor, it was understandable why he was nervous. “I think I’m the lucky one.” The concubine blushed and spoke to the men. “If you please, I’ll help the Princess get dressed.” Raum arched a brow but nodded. Eline gave Owena and then Natalia a kiss. Owena narrowed her eyes at Eline and gave him a once-over. “Go make yourself ready for Court, Master. And don’t forget to wear your ceremonial sword.” Eline snorted but pinched Owena’s bottom and left. The silence was thick as the women examined each other. Clearing her throat, Natalia said, “Please feel free to speak your mind around me. I’m afraid I don’t know much about being a Princess, and I could really use your help.” Owena nodded. “In private I will respect your wishes.” She sighed and some of the tension went out of her stiff shoulders. “Well, you’re doing better than I did.” “What?” Owena snickered and laid the dress down on the sofa before kneeling in front of Natalia and helping her take off her boots. “When I came to Hell, I spent the first year here screaming at everyone who had sharp teeth and waiting for them to eat me.” She folded Natalia’s stockings and helped unlace her tunic. “Which Eline eventually did, but not in the way I imagined.” 173

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Natalia giggled and shimmied out of her dress. Owena sat back on her heels and examined her. “You are a beauty. I can see why the men are so enamored of you.” Blushing, Natalia resisted the urge to cover herself. Owena wasn’t looking at her with lust, more like a groom examining a horse. She wasn’t sure if she should be offended by the lack of interest. Owena caught her frown and gave her a teasing smile filled with good humor. “Don’t worry. I’m not attracted to women. But you’re going to be a representation of my skills as a concubine, so I want you looking your best.” They slipped the sheer red silk over Natalia’s shoulders, and she sighed as the fabric flowed over her skin. It secured around the neck, leaving the back open all the way down to where her bottom was covered with gold dragon skin. The shimmering gold wrapped around the front like flames and shielded her breasts and womanhood. The rest of her pale skin shone through the transparent silk. “Owena, do you mind that Eline and I...?” Her voice faded off as she tried to find the right words. Owena watched her with clear blue eyes and finished her sentence. “Am I jealous that you and Eline had sex?” Feeling shameful, Natalia nodded and avoided her gaze. It was clear by the way Eline and Owena interacted that they were deeply in love and had been together for a long time. Everything about her upbringing told her she was a horrible person for sleeping with him. Owena’s chuckle startled Natalia out of her self-loathing. “No.” She gently pushed Natalia down into a chair and began to pile her hair on her head in an elaborate series of twists and curls. “Five hundred years ago, I might have been.” Natalia tried to look at her, and Owena turned her head back to face forward. “You are his Princess, and I am his concubine. We occupy two very different roles in his life, though they are both connected by love.” Owena moved around so she stood in front of Natalia. “You do love him, don’t you?” Ears burning with a blush, Natalia nodded and Owena continued, “But it’s different from how you love your concubine, isn’t it?” Again Natalia nodded and began to feel silly. “I see what you mean.” She ran 174

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her hands over the luxurious fabric of the indecent gown. “I grew up in a place where love between a man and a woman was not a reason for two people getting married. I was always taught that being with a man was about security and prosperity.” Owena helped her to her feet and slipped soft, red leather boots onto her feet. “Things weren’t much different when I was mortal. I married our neighbor’s son to help expand our farm. When we couldn’t kindle a child together, I was given to his brother instead.” Natalia gasped and Owena nodded. “I know. Now, it sounds horrible. Back then, it was accepted among my people. That’s how I ended up in Hell, the sin of breaking the covenant of marriage by sleeping with my husband’s brother.” “But you didn’t really have a choice in the matter,” Natalia protested as the women stopped before the door. “It took me a couple years of self-torture before I believed that, and a great deal of my forgiving myself and moving on came from Eline’s love.” Owena took Natalia’s hand and looked into her eyes. “My fate and the fate of my beloved is bound to you now, Princess. If anything happens to you, Eline will pay the price. Please, for our sake, try to stay safe and I will do everything I can to aid you.” Natalia appreciated her honesty. “I’ll do my best.” She gave her gown a disbelieving glance. “Dressed like this, I may be able to pretend to be the demon Princess everyone thinks I am, instead of the scared-out-of-her-wits peasant girl I know I am.” Owena frowned and said in a low voice, “You are a princess. Those men believe in you, and I believe in you.” She worried her lower lip. “Watch out for Tuan while you’re in Court. She holds a grudge from being rejected and is trying to turn the other concubines against you.” Natalia rubbed her eyes. “Is there anyone that doesn’t want me dead or destroyed?” With a snicker, Owena opened the door and revealed Raum and Eline. Raum wore his black dragon skin with silver sleeves and black leather pants. An elaborate onyx and metal sword gleamed from its sheath at his side. His hair was drawn back into a complicated braid, and his eyes lit with desire when he saw 175

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her. The shadowy side of her soul stretched in pleasure beneath his regard, but was easily put back to sleep by using the trick her father had shown her. On his other side, Eline wore his black armor with the gold shoulders and gold decorated breastplate. He bowed his head and smiled at them. Owena whispered into her ear, “I see two very fine demons that will lay down their lives for you. Be worthy of their devotion.” Natalia nodded, barely aware of Owena. Her nipples tightened beneath the warm press of the gold dragon skin, and her demonic essence purred in approval. These were her men, and they were glorious. A brief pang of loss went through her as she missed Gregor. She worried about his safety and wished this was over with so she could go back to Kazan and bring him to the security of Hell. The absurdity of that thought eased her tension a bit, and she gave each man a small smile. Raum held out his hand, and Natalia noticed a crowd of well-dressed demons and devils milling about the hallway. “With your permission, Princess Natalia, I will escort you to your father.” Raum’s voice rang through the hall, and the crowd shifted as their whispers hissed through the air. She could practically feel their speculation and curiosity pressing on her. In a tight breath, she said, “Thank you, General.” She lay her hand over his and hoped he didn’t realize she was hyperventilating as they walked down the hallway to the Portal. Eline clipped a gold chain about Owena’s collar and followed a pace behind them, his contained menace wrapping around them and making a path clear through the crowd. Natalia tried to copy Raum’s posture. Shoulders back, head held high, and eyes focused on some distant point. She couldn’t manage his gliding walk, but settled for not tripping over her gown. As they reached the roped-off portal, the guards knelt and the males among them removed their gauntlets. Natalia shifted impatiently. “General, I would like to try and see if my demonic essence can smell them all at once. It would save us time.” Raum lifted one white eyebrow and nodded. “As you wish, Princess.” 176

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The guards kept their heads lowered, but tensed when she stood in the middle of them. Closing her eyes, Natalia tried for the first time to wake her demonic side. She knew that she reacted strongly to Gregor, Eline, and Raum without having to smell them. Perhaps she could tell a potential blood-mate without having to sniff the wrist of every demon male in Hell. Raum’s warm breath blew over her skin as he whispered into her ear, “When I get you alone, I am going to tie you to my bed post and spank you until your bottom glows red.” The sensual image and erotic bass of his voice ran through her, and she smiled. His rough talk did the trick, and her shadowy essence stirred within her. Taking a deep breath, she tried to extend her awareness. The first thing she smelled was Raum, warm and delicious. Then Eline, different and musky, but holding something intangible that she identified as hers. Further out, she touched on different scents and musk. Her nose wrinkled as she smelled something foul and nasty, and she came back to herself with a shudder. “Nothing, other than you and Eline, and a rank odor.” The guards rose as one and schooled their features into stillness. She could still feel their disappointment and didn’t know if she should apologies or not. “Rank? You sensed something bad?” Raum’s back stiffened as he took a deep breath of the air. Eline did the same behind her and yelled, “There’s a shielded harpy in the room!” Screams broke out and in a hallway to the left, a fierce shriek made her clap her hands over her ears. More screams joined the shrieking, and Eline and Raum hustled her into the portal with Owena not far behind. Before she entered the mist, the metallic tang of blood filled the air.

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Chapter Seventeen Mud, thick and cold, sucked around her feet as she stumbled after Raum. As soon as she looked around, she froze and stared. Instead of black marble and guards, the only sight that greeted them was an endless expanse of swamp with a large river slowly churning just beyond them. Black and green moss hung from the silvery white trees, insects buzzed and chirped, and frogs croaked in the thick air. Raum and Eline immediately put the women in between them and Raum hissed, “The harpy was a distraction. Someone threw a spell on the portal to take us to the Swamp of Senot.” Natalia tried to lift her foot and lost her boot. “How do we get back? And what’s a harpy?” Eline tensed and turned to a thick and boggy sound coming from deeper in the swamp. “A harpy is a half-woman half-bird, not too bright but utterly vicious. Someone took a huge chance to bring one into the palace. They are next to impossible to control and kill indiscriminately.” A movement drew their attention, and Natalia let out a relieved breath. It was a small blue and red frog, hopping across the mud toward the river. Raum started to say something when the frog leapt at Natalia. With a shout Eline smacked it away, and the frog slammed against the tree and splattered. Screaming, Eline held his hand away from his body. Owena joined his screams as she saw that where the frog had touched, the flesh was eaten away to the bone. Natalia clutched at her stomach and shrieked at the sight. Cursing, Raum grabbed Owena and tore a section of her sheath off. “Owena, focus.” Taking a shuddering gulp of air, she said, “Eline, we have to get him back to the palace.” Her face had paled, and deep purple circles of shock stood out around her eyes. Natalia averted her eyes from Eline’s gruesome hand and whispered, “Raum,

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get us out of here.” Raum gave both women a snarl. “I’m trying.” He secured the bandage around Eline’s hand as Eline slumped on his shoulder. “Eline, stay with me. You’ve had worse injuries than this. What’s a little frog compared to a baby dragon?” Raum’s tone was fierce, but he held onto Eline with a gentle touch. Owena’s gazed darted up, and she sucked in her breath. “Kappa,” she whispered and stared behind Raum. Trying to hold Eline up, Raum turned and Natalia was able to see beyond his broad shoulders. Her hands rose to cover her mouth of their own accord, and she muffled her scream. Four creatures, the size of small children and covered in yellow and green scales, hissed at them. Each wore a loincloth of some kind of red fabric, and to her disbelieving eyes, bronze bowls on their heads in the shape of lilies. Teeth sharper than Raum’s glinted in the low light of the swamp and black webbed feet easily traversed the mud. Raum growled a warning but the Kappa gave a chuckling whisper and darted forward, impossibly quick on the sludge that trapped Natalia’s feet. “Stay back,” Raum warned and his hand twitched toward his sword. More Kappa appeared out of the mist, and Natalia turned with a gasp. Behind her, a Kappa snapped its teeth with a growl that sounded strangely like laughter. Its eyes were a flat-black with the smallest striations of red. “Bow,” Owena said in a soft voice. When no one moved she spoke louder. “For the love of God, bow to them.” Holding the creature’s gaze, Natalia bowed to it while she felt the movements of the others behind her following suit. Waiting for the Kappa to attack, Natalia was startled out of her bow by the sound of water hitting the mud in a splatter. The lily-shaped bowl on the Kappa’s head spilled the last dribbles of water out and it remained frozen in a forward lean. Eline began to cough and shiver as he whispered, “Poison.” Owena moaned and stroked at Eline’s sweating face. “I don’t have any of my herbs with me.” 179

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Natalia remained staring at the Kappa inches from her. A slight burning sensation began to sting in her hand as she felt an echo of Eline’s pain. “Why aren’t they attacking?” “Eline,” Owena sobbed out and stroked his face. Natalia’s jaw dropped as the Kappa hissed, “Refill my bowl with water from the river, and I will heal your guard. You will not reach the palace in time.” Owena rounded on the creature and yelled, “Swear to it!” The Kappa flinched but said, “I, Ssseim, ssswear to heal your guard.” “And let us leave, unmolested and in good faith,” Raum added and struggled to hold Eline‘s weight as his body convulsed. Natalia glanced back, and her worry doubled as she saw the black-tinted sweat pouring off of Eline’s face. “I ssswear,” Ssseim hissed and remained frozen in his bowed state. Owena snatched the bowl off his head and ran toward the river. Unsure what to do, Natalia tried to gently lift the bowl off of another Kappa’s head and ran after her. The women slipped and skidded through the thick mud. Swearing, Natalia fell to the ground and cut her arm as she tried to keep the bowl from touching the earth. Struggling to her feet, she followed Owena and knelt at the bank of the river. The water smelled of fish and was a thick brown color. When the rim of the bowl touched it, the water turned clear and sparkling as it filled the bronze vessel. They women exchanged a startled glance and carefully stood with the bowls full of water so clean, it shimmered with a soft glow in the light of the mistcovered sun. “Hurry!” Raum yelled. Owena was already slogging through the mud, balancing her arms to keep every drop of water in the bowl that she could. She reached Ssseim as Natalia reached the Kappa with its missing bowl. Carefully, she placed the bowl back into the soft dent of the Kappa’s head. The bowl rang softly as if being struck by a metal mallet, and the Kappa stood up with a soft sigh. Black eyes held her, and she watched the play of the light off its green and gold skin. Something about its face struck her as feminine. A softness of its lips and its eyes were a little larger than Ssseim’s. “Why did you refill my bowl?” the Kappa hissed and remained still. 180

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Natalia hesitated, trying to think of the right words and deciding on the truth. “Because it was the right thing to do.” The almost non-existent lips of the Kappa pulled back into a smile. “Your mother did a good job in teaching you manners.” Natalia couldn’t help but grin back. Of all the things she thought today would bring, a Kappa complimenting her mother was among the last. “Thank you.” Eline’s scream jerked her head around, and she gaped at the sight before her. Owena and Raum knelt in the mud as Ssseim held Eline’s injured hand. A bright glow surrounded them as the Kappa wet its fingers in the bowl on its head and dripped the water onto Eline’s hand. Squinting against the glare, Natalia gasped as Eline’s hand began to rebuild itself and black liquid sweated out of his skin. The Kappa behind her said, “You’ve hurt yourself, Princess.” Natalia glanced down at her arm and inspected the cut. Mud covered the long slice from her elbow to her knuckles. Thick blood mixed with the ooze and dripped down her fist. Now that she was paying attention to it, the cut hurt. “Ouch,” she said in a low voice before what the Kappa called her registered. “How did you know I’m a Princess?” The Kappa hissed a laugh. “I know many things.” “Should I refill the others’ bowls?” Natalia asked. The Kappa shook its head. “I will take care of my people. You need to return to the palace.” The Kappa paused, dark eyes examining her closely. “It is known to us that you have a traitor among you. We do not know who it is, but they used this swamp to bring the harpy in.” “How do you know this?” Instead of closing from the top to bottom, the Kappa’s eyelids closed from side to side as it hesitated. “A portion of our home is in your father’s territory. Bubbles of Chaos are now found there. We are not loyal to your father, but we do not side with those that would unmake our world out of arrogance.” “Princess, we need to leave,” Raum yelled. Natalia nodded at him and pulled her legs from the sludge. “Thank you again for your help. I hope I can return the favor someday.” 181

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The Kappa dipped its finger into the bowl above its head and stroked its hand down her cut. “Consider it a gift, Princess.” A shudder ripped through Natalia’s body as the liquid soaked into her wound. It began to burn, then faded to an itch. She scrubbed away the mud and stared at her arm. A long pink scar ran down her skin, but the cut was healed. The Kappa began to walk away from her. “Hell is changing, Princess. Tell your father that if it is continued to be ruled in absentia, the void will be filled.” Turning back, the Kappa gave her a last look. “You have powerful enemies, Princess. Come back and visit us if you find life at Court too painful.” Raum’s warm and dirty hand slipped around her waist. “We must get back to the palace. Someone is trying very hard to keep you from being acknowledged, and we need to get out of here.” “How is Eline?” She glanced over Raum’s shoulder and watched Eline kiss away the tears running down Owena’s cheeks. She smiled and went to touch Raum’s face, then grimaced at her hand. “I look like I’ve been rolling in mud, and I stink like dead fish.” Raum tugged her toward a thick tree and bit his thumb. Rich cinnamon filled the air, and her essence wanted to roll in his blood. Raum’s lips quirked into a smile. “Stop looking at me like that, or I’ll be tempted to take us to my home instead of the palace. I want you to meet Kiron, my concubine.” That distracted her as Eline and Owena joined them at the portal. “You don’t live at the palace? You have a concubine?” “No, I have my own estate outside of it. And yes, Kiron has done me the honor of being my concubine since I defeated him on the battlefield of ancient Greece.” Her jaw dropped, and she went to question him again when Owena whispered in her ear, “Later. We need to get back.” Natalia nodded trying to focus on the problems on hand, not the man bound to Raum and the sexual implications of that pairing. “How did you know to bow to the Kappa?” Eline answered, “Owena is brilliant. She’s one of the concubines that keeps the Library at the palace.” Owena blushed and stroked Eline’s face with tears in her eyes. “When I was 182

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human, women were forbidden to learn. So when I found out that in Hell I could read all the books I wanted, I took full advantage of it.” Raum’s voice cut them off as the trunk of the tree disappeared and a portal shone in its place. “Enough gossip. Let’s go.” *** Natalia let out her breath as the now familiar black and silver marble of her father’s palace greeted her. They stepped out of the landing portal, and the guards stiffened at their appearance. She tried to smooth her straggly hair out of her face and caught a glimpse of her hand, now covered in a mixture of dried blood and mud. Raum and Eline didn’t look much better, but the mud stopped at their pants. Owena looked like she had bathed in filth and had a bit of broken shell stuck to the back of her dress. “General, what happened?” The guard on the right asked as the others turned. A human male with cream hair and deep wrinkles turned and ran toward the end of the room where two giant silver doors gleamed in the sunlight. Natalia tried to subtly pick the shell off of Owena’s dress and tossed it to the floor. Owena snickered and whispered, “You look like Hell.” She pulled a hunk of moss from Natalia’s hair. Natalia laughed and Eline gave them both a stern look, which made them snigger even harder. Raum narrowed his eyes at them and Natalia tried to stop her giggles, but they bubbled up in her throat. Raum interrupted their whispered laughter. “I’ll explain it to the High Prince.” The guard hesitated and tried not to stare at Natalia’s disheveled appearance. “The High Prince is awaiting the arrival of the Princess, as well as emissaries from all the High Houses.” The guard winced as he glanced at Natalia. Eline tugged on Owena’s chain, and she whispered to Natalia before joining him, “Word of your arrival has spread. The emissaries are here to inspect you for their Houses.” Natalia looked down at her ruined gown and bare feet caked in fishy smelling muck. Owena gave her a sympathetic nod as Raum held out his arm. “Princess, if 183

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you please.” Two guards followed them down the vast hallway, and she tried to keep from gawking like the peasant girl she was. Massive portraits framed in silver lined the hall, each featuring a man or woman of clear demonic origin. All had the demonic pale skin, but kissed with different shades of color, and hair ranging from cardinal red to Raum’s pure white. Their manner of dress differed as well, some in outlandish costumes she could barely imagine considered as clothing, to more common but still ornate gowns and tunics. “Who are they?” Natalia whispered to Raum. “Your brothers and sisters,” Raum whispered back. “I have brothers and sisters?” She slowed to a stop and Raum tugged her along. “No, they’re all dead. Assassinated long before you were born.” He ignored her gasp and searched the faces of the twelve guards flanking the great silver doors. “You do have some cousins and a couple nephews.” Raum tightened his grip on her hand as the lead guard, a woman with hair as green as mint leaves, broke rank and approached them. “General, I’m glad you finally made it.” Her voice was low, barely above a whisper and Natalia had to read her crimson lips. “The emissaries are inside and throwing a fit over the insult of the Princess not being there. They accuse the High Prince of lying to them and a few are pushing for retribution.” “Who?” Raum asked in a barely audible tone. From behind the thick doors, Natalia could hear voices raised in anger. “The emissaries of Belal, Mammon, and Pythius. Merihem’s emissary is also upset, but he is not aligning himself with the other three.” “What about Beelzebub and Astaroth?” “They side with High Prince Asmodeus, as does Lucifer.” “Who are all those people?” Natalia whispered to Owena. “High Princes of Hell. It sounds like Mammon and Pythius are throwing their lot in with Belal. This is not good.” Raum raised a hand to cut off any further questions. “Open the doors.” The silver-haired man that was waiting for them at the transporter. “I will 184

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announce you.” He shot Natalia a worried look. “The harpy was killed, but we found a charm made of the Princess’s hair around its neck.” Raum’s growl echoed down the hall, and Natalia shivered as his anger washed over her in a hot wave. As the doors began to crack open, a rich river of lust pushed against her and carried with it a tang of sweet blood. Loud shouting echoed through the arched and vaulted silver ceiling, and the press of the crowd moved back to allow them entrance.

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Chapter Eighteen A man with cream-colored hair drew himself up and shouted over the yelling. “Your Majesty, may I present the Princess Natalia of the House Asmodeus.” The shouts cut off and a low conversation rumbled through the room. Richly dressed demons, devils, and humans all turned their eyes on the doorway where Natalia stood, trying not to tremble. Raum held his head high and an arrogant smirk shaped his handsome face. She could feel his pride and joy as the Court saw him escorting her. For her part, she wished with all her might that it would start raining indoors and wash the grime from her. A copper-skinned woman near the entrance snapped open a black lace fan that matched her elaborate gown and gave Natalia a disgusted look. Reactions ranged from shock, to disbelief, to cold indifference. Eline moved behind her and his strength bolstered her courage. At the end of the assembled Court, Asmodeus sat on a gold throne clad in silver dragon skin with his concubines assembled on jewel toned silk pillows. Men and women, all wearing their collars with pride, displayed themselves for the pleasure of the Court. Each was exquisite in his or her own way, and Natalia’s self-confidence hit new lows. Galina reclined on a white silk pillow at Asmodeus’s feet in a sheer peach shift. Her eyes widened at the sight of all of them, and her pink painted lips curled into an O of shock. Raum led them forward as Asmodeus rose from his throne. Anger darkened his face as he examined them, and the air grew chill with his rage. The marble floor burned cold against her bare foot that had lost its boot back in the swamp, and she could smell nothing beyond the funk of the swamp and Raum’s cinnamon scent. Her demonic essence fought its sleep and awoke with a low growl. There was danger in this room, and unfamiliar energies pushed and prodded at her shielding. They obviously thought she was an easy target. It didn’t

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look like anyone was attempting to breach Raum or Eline’s personal barriers. The essence knew what to do, and she welcomed it into wakefulness. Her grip on Raum’s hand loosened, and she stroked a finger along his skin. There were women in the Court that wanted him, desperately, and she used that energy. Sweet and thick like candy, their desire melted on her tongue. Her hips rolled as she walked, no longer hunched but with her head held high and her shoulders back. The energies probing at her pulled back, and someone deep in the crowd hissed in anger. Raum glanced down at her. His breath came out in a soft whisper and his full lips curled into a smile. His lust stroked along her like a warm hand. A male voice to their left caught her attention and she stopped, turning to search out the speaker. Harsh and low, his words grated along her soul like broken glass. Something in his tone challenged her, and awoke the need to dominate. Eline abruptly stopped behind her to avoid running into her back, and Raum tried to tug her forward. She dropped his hand and the whispers in the Court doubled. At the edge of the crowd, a woman twitched away the full skirts of her gown with a sniff. Asmodeus watched this and held up his hand to still his personal guards. The silver of his horns gleamed in the light of the hundreds of will-o-wisps clustered about the Court as he followed her line of sight. There, the source was the demon with the green tint to his skin and the long navy blue hair. His lip curled into a sneer as she stalked toward him, and the crowd melted out of her way with swishes of fabric and clink of metal. “Who are you?” she purred out and invaded his personal space. He backed up and licked his lips, trying for arrogance. “I am Junit, the ambassador of the High Prince, Belal. And who might you be? Oh wondrous human who reeks of dead fish.” She smiled at him and he balked. Instead of answering, her demonic essence urged her to show him how beneath her he was. She captured his gaze and held him as he fought to look away. “I am someone you will never touch. I am the vision who will haunt your dreams and make you wake up sweating and unfulfilled. I am Natalia, Daughter of Asmodeus, and if you try to harm my people, I will make you suffer.” The last word came out in a hiss, and he stumbled 187

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from her. “Daughter, come to me.” Asmodeus’s voice rolled through the Court like quiet thunder and her essence submitted to him. With one last mocking smile at Junit, she turned her back on him and wished he would make a move against her. Nothing stirred behind her except a whisper of words, and she strolled back to Raum’s side where he and Eline stood fighting their smiles. Turning to Asmodeus, she knelt at his feet. Galina watched her carefully and the other concubines froze. Natalia could smell their fear and their lust. It washed over her clean and pure after the stink of Belal’s emissary. “Rise, Daughter.” Asmodeus held out his hand and helped her to her feet. His voice rang out over the room as he said, “Flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood, come to me.” He bit his wrist and his blood dripped out onto the floor. Her mouth was suddenly parched, and her tongue felt as dry as wood. The crimson gathered on his silvery skin and dropped to the black marble with a small splash as he held his wrist out. She grabbed his warm arm with both hands and sank to her knees, greedily sucking at his wrist. The power of his blood rolled through her in a rich wave of lighting and heat. As she drank, his voice whispered through her mind. I will search your memories for the faces of the demons on the barge. We will talk more later. His strength moved through her mind, and she groaned against his wrist. Her demonic side did not like the intrusion, but the strength of his blood flowing down her throat helped to calm it. This was her father, and he loved her. She could feel it in his soul as he gently pulled his arm back from her lips. A tear rolled down her cheek and he smiled softly, brushing his blood from her mouth. “I name you, Natalia, a Princess of House Asmodeus, and welcome you to Hell.” Cheers and clapping rang through the room at his pronouncement, and Natalia held him close in a hug. His arms hesitated then he returned her embrace. He whispered into her hair, “I am blessed to have you, even if you do stink.” She tried to move away but he tightened his grasp and whispered, “There are traitors in our House.” 188

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She nodded and stepped back, wiping dirt from her cheeks as she brushed away her tears. They turned to face the Court together. Galina shifted on her silken pillow and her chain jingled slightly. Natalia watched her out of the corner of her eye and noticed Galina’s lips were moving slightly as she chanted something. Raum examined the crowd from the bottom of the stairs, and Owena knelt at Eline’s feet. His hand stroked her hair, whole and healed thanks to the magic of the Kappa. Natalia’s nostrils flared, and she took in the mood of the room. Musk, perfume, confusion, anger, and a thin thread of fear. Asmodeus’s chest swelled as he did the same, and she followed his gaze. At the left edge of the crowd, a small and thick man ducked into the back of the throng. “Today, someone brought a harpy into my palace with the intent of killing the Princess. It provided enough distraction for a disruption spell to be thrown on the portal.” Shouts and anger rolled through the crowd, Natalia shivered and firmed herself against the swell of bloodlust that washed over her. Fear became clearer now, a sharp metallic ting easy to follow among the darker emotions of fury. “We lost three guards and Lord Rocedus was slaughtered while defending his pregnant concubine.” Sorrow laced through the emotions, its taste bitter on her tongue. “Who would dare to do such a thing?” Shouts and yells rang through the Court, and Asmodeus observed them all. “A traitor who we welcomed into our sanctuary. Someone who claimed to run from a Master that abused them, a Master that broke his blood-oath to protect his concubine.” The Court murmured and looked around. Natalia carefully watched their faces, noting how some wore their emotions for all to see, while others were as unmoving as stone. Magic blasted out from Asmodeus in a raw storm of power that was over so quickly Natalia wasn’t even sure if what she felt was really true. “Nemel,” Asmodeus purred, and the chains of the concubines behind them jingled as they shuddered. A deathly silence fell over the crowd, and a human male protested loudly as he was pushed to stand before the throne. Handsome, with a shock of blond hair that skimmed his tanned shoulders, he 189

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staggered to a halt and tried to adopt an arrogant stance. A female devil stopped a pace behind him, her narrow face filled with shock and grief. Her long purple hair was piled atop her head and held in place with gold leafing. Diamond earrings ran up the curves of her pointed ears, and her skin gleamed with shimmering bronze scales. The man turned to her and held her gaze. Her breath hitched in her chest and she began to sob. “High Prince,” the concubine replied and threw his shoulders back in a challenging gesture while his hands shook at his sides. “Why did you betray us, Nemel?” Nemel shrugged his broad shoulders and took a shuddering breath. “My Master never abandoned me.” The woman behind him let out a rough moan, and he flinched at the sound. “Milla knew nothing of my betrayal. She is innocent.” “Why!” Milla screamed from behind him. “I loved you!” He flinched again and didn’t turn his head. “I have already taken a potion that will kill me and destroy my soul, so I have no fear when I say this.” He locked his gaze with Asmodeus’s as his healthy tan faded to a pallor. “Satan’s time is coming to an end, and you’re too blind to see it. The High Princes run Hell while Satan sits in his palace and fades away. If something isn’t done, the High King will take us all into Chaos with him.” He dropped to his knees and gasped. “Cannot...her...save him.” The man’s tongue bulged from his mouth, black and bloated, as he clawed at his throat. Screaming, Milla threw herself on him and tore at her hair, long strands of purple covering his body. She was pulled from his corpse by two male demons dressed in Court finery, and she collapsed in their arms. Asmodeus roared over the whispers of the crowd. “Enough!” Shrinking back from him, Natalia bowed under the weight of his rage. It was a physical thing, burning along her skin and making her bite her tongue to keep from crying out. Galina grabbed her hand, and the pain eased enough for her to see through her tears. “Satan is and always will be my King. Anyone who tries to dethrone him will face my wrath.” The crowd cheered, but Natalia saw a good many people exchanging worried glances. She turned to Galina, who nodded and turned back 190

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to Asmodeus with a significant look. Sharp teeth flashing in the light, he unclipped Galian’s leash from the throne. “Daughter, come with me.” She followed him down the steps and darted a glance to Raum. He was busy scanning the crowd as Eline whispered into his ear. The crowd sank to their knees as they passed, and Natalia caught the glare of hatred the emissary of Belal gave them. Now that her essence had been soothed by her father’s blood, her human side felt a rush of fear at the threat the green demon represented. Raum fell into step behind them, and they walked in silence until they reached Asmodeus’s personal study. Once the door shut, Natalia was about to collapse onto the sofa when Galina said in a dry voice, “If you could avoid getting the sofa dirty, that would be appreciated.” Strong arms wrapped around her, and she leaned back into Raum’s chest. His touch soothed her, and she relaxed against him as he rested his chin atop her head. Asmodeus stared out the dark window with his back to them. “Raum told me where you ended up, Daughter. I’m sorry I could not protect you in my own home.” She tried to move out of Raum’s arms but he held her close as Galina ran a hand down Asmodeus’s back. “It’s not your fault.” “It is. I have grown over-confident in my own powers.” He turned his head slightly and glanced back at them. “A situation I plan to remedy soon.” Raum stirred against her. “War?” The silver horns on Asmodeus’s head gleamed as he nodded. “I’m afraid Belal is going to force our hand. Before you came in, Junit was practically declaring war unless we supported Belal against Satan.” Natalia rubbed her eyes. “What’s Satan going to do about it?” Asmodeus hesitated. “So far, nothing. He doesn’t see the threat as credible and nothing I’ve said has made any difference.” Stroking Raum’s arm, Natalia asked, “Is it true what that man said? Is Satan a King in name only?” “Yes and no.” Asmodeus turned and faced them fully. “I think he’s been tired 191

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for a long time and the loss of his blood-mate and the inability to find her killer broke something inside of him. He’ll face Belal’s challenge, but I hope it’s not too late.” “What will we do?” Raum asked and smoothed back a tangled lock of Natalia’s hair with a gentle hand. “Go back to Natalia’s rooms and try to get some rest. I’m going to send you back to Kazan to finish your work there, but first we have a situation at one of the villages that Natalia can help with.” “Me? What can I do?” Galina curled her arm around Asmodeus’s waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. “We need you to take your Nightmare and cleanse a local village. Something is giving the children horrible nightmares, and they are growing worse. Nothing I’ve done seems to help, and they are desperate.” Asmodeus glanced out the window. “It’s too big of a coincidence that this has happened at a time when my power is being drained by Belal. We believe he is behind this somehow, but have no proof.” His claws flashed in the light as his hands clenched into fists. “What we do have is a village full of people that I swore to protect being tortured in the most vile of ways known to man and demon, through their children.” Shivering, Natalia drew Raum’s arms closer about her. “I want to help, but I have no idea what to do.” “Eline will go with you, as well as a full escort of guards.” “I’m coming, too,” Raum grumbled as he tightened his hold. Galina rolled her eyes but Asmodeus nodded. “She will need all the protection she can get. I wouldn’t expose her to this danger if I had any choice, but she is our only chance. The only hope we have is the use of a Nightmare, and the only Nightmare at our disposal is controlled by Natalia.” “Funny how this happens now,” Raum mused. “A situation that will take Natalia from the safety of the palace for a job only she can do.” Asmodeus’s teeth snapped together. “I’m aware this could very well be a trap, which is why I’m sending you with her.” He held her gaze and said in a low voice, “I wish I could keep you safely hidden away, but I am sworn to protect my people. 192

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The choice is still yours. I won’t force you to help them.” “And if I don’t go, what will happen to the children?” “They will go mad and die,” Galina replied in a soft voice. The laugh that came out of Natalia’s throat was brittle and humorless. “Well then, there really isn’t any choice, is there? Either risk my life, or live knowing I condemned children to a fate worse than death.” Raum’s large hand splayed across her stomach, offering a soothing hint of anger-tinted lust. “How many guards are you sending with her?” “A dozen. The village is on the border of Mammon’s lands. If I send too large of a force, it may look like an act of war.” “And give them the excuse they need to attack,” Raum said in a low growl. Asmodeus reached over and cupped Natalia’s face in his hands. “The risks you took to gain the information we needed in Kazan were great. Thank you. Your memory of the demons is exactly what I needed. I will send their images to the other High Princes aligned with us. Hopefully they will be able to use it to ferret out traitors in their Courts.” “What about the opium, and Gregor?” she asked. Though Kazan seemed a distant dream, the thought of Gregor alone with those demons made her heart hurt. Galina leaned her head on Asmodeus’s shoulder. “Is he fully bound to you now?” Natalia nodded. “Yes, on my part.” Galina glanced at Raum. “Then you must get him to come to Hell with you. You swore to protect him and you cannot break your oath on that. You belong to each other now, heart and soul, and his life would be misery without you. As would yours.” “How in the world am I supposed to do that?” Raum’s voice vibrated against her head. “We’ll figure something, but right now you need a bath and some sleep. You’ll need your wits about you tomorrow.” The idea of not stinking like swamp and fish filled her with longing, and she stepped out of Raum’s arms. Asmodeus stroked a hand down Galina’s back. “Sleep well, my daughter.” 193

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Galina added, “Once you return from Kazan, we’ll arrange for new quarters for you and your men.” The thought of sharing her life with Raum, Eline, and Gregor soothed her spirit and made her smile. “That would be wonderful.” *** After the first tub of dirty water was drained, Natalia refilled it and floated in its warmth. Her body ached from running and falling in the swamp, and her mind refused to think. The will-o-wisp in the corner shone a dim gold, and she absently reminded herself to ask someone how to use them. So far, they seemed to respond to her mood. The door to her bedroom opened quietly and cinnamon blended with the perfumed air. She didn’t open her eyes as Raum sank into the tub with her, but she did smile as she felt his long and hard legs entwine with hers beneath the bubbles. Neither spoke as Raum’s calloused hands ran up and down her calf, his claws lightly tickling against her skin. She lazily ran her hand down his calf in return and traced the contours of his muscles. Even relaxed in a warm bath, his body was rock hard. Opening her eyes a bit, she drank in the sight of him. His broad and solid shoulders were wreathed in steam, and his golden eyes gleamed with hints of emerald and silver as he brought her foot to his mouth. Watching her, he licked the arch and gave her a sharp grin when she giggled and tried to pull away. Desire drew her nipples tight as he sucked her little toe into his mouth. His hands traced down her calf and back up, stroking her skin in a smooth motion. She pulled her foot from his hands and floated across the bathtub, placing her palms on his chest and enjoying the smooth velvet of his skin. After all that had happened, words were unnecessary. Fisting his hand into her hair, he dragged her across his body and her pussy clenched at the feel of his thick cock resting against her cleft. Instead of kissing her lips, he jerked her head back and sweet pain made her arch against him. He 194

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kept her there, arched with the tips of her nipples growing tight in the air. Her hands found his chest again and she braced herself, scraping her fingernails across his skin. He pulled her forward, nuzzling against her neck and whispering, “My love.” Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she sighed as his hand slipped beneath the water and traced over her hip. She found his lips and murmured against them, “May I kiss you?” In response, his mouth captured hers in a harsh assault that left her breathless. The stroke of his tongue mirrored the stroke of his claw as it gently teased apart her nether lips. Thrusting against his hand, she moaned as he pinched her clit and pulled the hood back. His cock pressed to her entrance, and she tightened with anticipation. Need made her ache and she rolled her hips up and down his length, drawing out a growl that vibrated over her lips. With a hard thrust, he pushed the thick head of his cock into her and tore a cry from deep within her throat. Using both hands, he held her hips and rocked her down on his cock until he was completely buried in her heat. His sharp teeth flashed in the subdued light, and his golden eyes locked with hers. Fierce passion and possession, tempered with love, filled his gaze. She watched him as they moved, marveling that such an amazing male was hers. He fit so well against her, and the lust that he gave off in waves stroked over her and made her clench. With each thrust, his eyes flashed with striations of silver and green, mesmerizing her with their beauty. The water gently lapped and spilled over onto the floor as their movements gained intensity, Raum controlling their pleasure and letting her relax against him. His arms wrapped around her as he moved inside of her, pressing her body tight to his. The smell of cinnamon increased as she licked along his chest, grinding her hips into his and wrapping her legs around his waist. Long nails scratched down her back and the burn brought her orgasm to the edge. “Raum,” she cried out and lost herself to the pleasure. Hot and tight, her pussy clenched around his cock as he slammed into her. With a low groan, he joined her and his seed spilled into her with his thrusts. Heart beating loud in her ears, she nuzzled her face against his nipple and stroked his damp white hair from his 195

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blue-tinged skin. His long fingers moved up and down her back in a soothing caress as their breaths came out in rhythm with each other. As he softened within her, he gently lifted her hips from the water, turning her, and cuddled her to his chest. “I’m afraid,” she confessed and his arms tightened around her. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” He held her face in one hand and searched her eyes. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited and prayed for you.” She giggled and traced a finger around his blue-tinged nipple. “Prayed? Demons pray?” “Of course we do.” He sighed and the water moved against them. “While we are the opposite of and repelled by the Angelic Horde, we still serve God and ask for his blessings.” She turned this thought over in her mind as her stomach rumbled. He grinned and lifted them both from the water. His strength fascinated her as he lifted her from the tub and set her on her feet with no visible effort. Drying herself, she asked, “Will I ever be as strong as you?” He hesitated and began to dry his long hair. “It’s hard to say. You’re a Cambion, so it’s impossible to tell what will remain human and what will become demonic.” Pouting, she opened the door to the bedroom and sighed at the sight of a tray full of food. “When will I change physically? I’d like to be able to defend myself.” He scooped her up in his arms and set her on the edge of the bed. “Physical strength isn’t everything. You used your strength of will to dominate the emissary of Belal. That is an amazing feat for one that has had no training.” She blushed and took the piece of bread he offered after testing it. “I think I’m getting better at it. Once I stopped fighting my demonic side, it’s become easier to control.” He nodded and tore a leg off the roasted chicken. “Though it feels different, it’s still a part of you. Someday it will become so familiar that you won’t be able to imagine life without it.” She thought about this and leaned over, stealing a bite of his chicken. “Will you still love me if all I ever can do is have a strong will? If I don’t transform anymore 196

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than that?” He chuckled and fed her another bite. “Even though we are not blood-mates, I’m bound to you.” He grinned as she licked his finger clean. “You don’t see yourself very clearly. You’re an amazing and resilient woman. How many Russian peasant girls could survive everything you’ve been through? Not only survive, but thrive?” The thought reminded her of Gregor and her worry resurfaced. “What if Gregor won’t come with me? What if he can’t survive in Hell?” Raum ate a grape and considered her words carefully. “I won’t lie to you, it’s a real possibility. You’re going to have to hope your demonic essence picked him for a reason. Have faith.” She giggled and tore off another hunk of bread. “What an odd life I live. A demon tells me to have faith and it makes me feel better.”

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Chapter Nineteen For the twentieth time that morning, Natalia glanced over at the brawny man riding next to her on a sand-colored horse. Tight black curls surrounded a face that was all sharp angles with a bold nose and firm lips. The only thing saving his face from total severity were two deep dimples gracing either sides of his mouth. She shifted in her saddle and tugged the long purple leather dress, modest by demon standards, around her knees. His dimples deepened as he titled his head and caught her staring. “I don’t bite,” he said in a thick accent she couldn’t identify. “That is, unless it’s what you want.” The wicked purr he put into those words made her blush and stare at the shining beauty of the Nightmare’s mane. Raum, Eline, and the guards rode discreetly behind them. Allegedly, they were discussing tactics. Natalia suspected Raum was trying to give her time alone with his concubine, Kiron. She didn’t know what to say to him. A thousand questions bubbled in her mind, but the fact that he was a man, and Raum’s beloved, left her speechless. “Would you like to know how Raum and I met?” Kiron watched the woods to their right, dark eyes tracking a movement in the bushes. “Yes, please.” “He won me.” “What?” The Nightmare tossed her mane and snorted. Sometimes Natalia thought the horse understood what was being said around her. Kiron gave her a teasing grin. “I was a soldier in Greece, then captured in battle and sold as a gladiator.” The grin fell off his face and he rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, displaying his forearm. A large black eagle surrounded by a wreath spread its wings across his heavy muscles. “I was branded by my owner to aid in identification in case I escaped.” “Was Raum your owner?” “No, he was my salvation.” The smile that curved his lips grew soft and tender.

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“Unknown to me, Raum recognized me as a potential concubine the first time he saw me fight. Using a bit of magic, he bet a king’s ransom against me in exchange for the chance to win me from my owner.” “I take it you lost?” She leaned forward a bit to hear his answer. Talking with Kiron was like talking with someone who had lived one of the stories in her penny dreadfuls. “Badly.” He winked at her, and she was taken in by his rough charm. “Raum didn’t count on my literally fighting to the death. Instead of spending my first few months in his bed, I spent it in the infirmary.” Eyes wide, she tried to think of something to say. The almost pure black of Kiron’s wide eyes softened. “Forgive me for being brash, Princess. I’ve been in Hell a long time. Even when I was a mortal, I lived and fought in the company of men. Women of your beauty were a luxury few soldiers could afford.” Confused, she asked, “So you...like women and—and men?” “Very much,” he purred again and her nipples grew tight. “Even if my Master wasn’t in love with you, I would find you very appealing.” “Oh,” she said in a soft whisper. “Your innocence is refreshing, but I’m afraid we’ll have to continue our conversation later. The village is just ahead.” Raising a hand, Kiron motioned behind them and Raum and Eline joined them on their steeds. They both rode the strange cat-rabbit creatures while Kiron rode a brown stallion, and she rode her Nightmare. Raum’s mount made an odd purring chirp, and the Nightmare whickered back. “Are they talking to each other?” she asked and took a deep breath of Raum’s scent. He wore his black and silver dragon skin with a helmet covering most of his head. “Yes,” Eline said from next to her and turned to Kiron. “Our scouts say the village is clear, but that the people of the town are riled up. A rumor is going around that Asmodeus is too weak to hold his kingdom, and the nightmares of the children are a result of that.” Kiron spit over his shoulder. “Fools. What do they say about the Princess 199

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coming?” Raum cleared his throat. “There are whispers that she isn’t really a demon Princess, but a human that Galina has enhanced with magic.” “What?” she asked and the Nightmare snorted. The expression on Raum’s face turned grim. “They say that because you cannot shift into your demon form yet, you’re merely a regular mortal. They say that Asmodeus is just using you as bait to draw away attention from how weak he’s becoming.” “I hate politics,” Eline grumbled. “They’re always so backhanded and dirty. Give me a good honest fight any day of the week.” “Are they going to make trouble for the Princess?” Kiron pushed his mount a little in front of hers, creating a shield with his body. “Maybe, but the parents are so desperate for any help I think they won’t attack us outright. I hope.” Her shoulders slumped and she closed her eyes. She had been given an impossible task in an impossible situation. The world she was living in grew more complicated by the second, and her mind whirled with all the information about plots within plots. “Natalia, are you all right?” Raum asked gently. “Yes. I just agree with Eline. Things would be so much easier if we could just fight them face to face. I hate gossip and rumors.” Kiron chuckled from the other side of her. “I promise, when we find them— and we will, I will personally help you cut out their poisonous tongues.” “Thank you,” she said faintly. By the gleam in his eyes, he wasn’t just saying that. They passed stone farmhouses that wouldn’t have looked out of place in Kazan. The gardens held exotic flowers and vegetation, but the laundry drying on the lines and the herbs hanging in the sun were familiar. The homes became closer placed, and they approached the center of town. Some fieldstone, but mostly brick buildings ringed a center square holding a small garden. Despite the cheerful colors of the shutters on the homes, the air felt heavy against her skin and she nudged the Nightmare closer to Raum’s cat-creature for comfort. The 200

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guards pulled in closer as well and the mounts tossed their heads. A group of people waited for them at the center of the well-kept village, and Natalia sucked in a harsh breath through her teeth. Devil and human, their anger lay heavy in the air. “What brings you to our village, General?” The tall man standing at the front of the small crowd asked in a low voice. Big muscles covered in dark red skin flexed as he crossed his arms. A heavy hammer hung from his belt, and the scent of burning metal filled the air around him. Natalia darted a glance in confusion at Raum, but his cold beauty remained unchanging. “High Prince Asmodeus has sent his daughter to help you.” With barely concealed contempt, the man said, “Thank the High Prince for the offer, but we have the situation under control.” The crowd behind him rumbled in agreement and Kiron snorted. Eline spoke up from behind her. “But the children—” “Don’t you talk to me about my children!” The man ground his fists together. “I have been up with my sons every night for the past two weeks. Holding them as they scream their throats raw. Where was the High Prince when my oldest tried to slit his wrists to escape the fear? Where was the High Prince when Uli’s daughter fell asleep in the bathtub and drowned?” Raum shifted his mount and said, “He sent his coven—” “His coven which did nothing for us!” a woman with soft red hair and dark circles under her eyes yelled. “They gave us hope, said they were going to fix it, then slunk away with their tails between their legs. And now you want us to believe that the human with you can do what they cannot?” Natalia shrank into her saddle as the woman’s words stripped away any small amount of self-confidence she had. Glancing over to her left, she noted Eline and Kiron watching her closely while Raum argued with the villagers. They were waiting for her to do something, waiting to follow her lead. Tears of frustration threatened to spill out of her eyes, and she tightened her grip on the reins. Owena’s words came back to her, and reminded her that these brave and strong men believed in her. That she had to be someone worth believing in. 201

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“If I may,” she said in a soft voice. The crowd kept arguing with Raum, venting their frustration. Behind her, she felt her guards getting restless. A promise of violence moved through the crowd like a dark wind. Below her, the Nightmare gave a low and screaming growl that cut through the noise. Clearing her throat, she tried again. “If I may say something, please.” The tall man curled his lips back in a snarl, but a small blonde woman moved out of the crowd and laid a hand on his arm. “Let her speak, Lensar. She rides a Nightmare.” Lensar snorted. “How do we know it’s not just another illusion? Like Ju—” He flushed and cleared his throat. “Like the rumors say.” Taking in a deep breath, Natalia drew Raum and Eline’s scent into her lungs. “Please let me at least try. If I don’t try, then my failure is guaranteed. Give me a chance.” Not the most eloquent speech, but her words made Lensar’s shoulders drop a bit. The blonde’s hand on his arms squeezed harder and he said, “You can use the pasture at the other end of the village.” The crowd rumbled at this but Lensar shouted, “I don’t care what tales have been told. If I thought cutting my throat would cure the children, I would do it.” His gaze locked on hers and fear tightened her stomach. “Princess, human, peasant, whoever you are. Do not fail us.” Raum guided their mounts past the crowd, and they drew back as the guards cleared a path. As they rode through the village, Natalia felt a sense of depression and hopelessness fill her. A movement caught her attention. A little blonde girl with pink-tinted skin stood in a doorway. Her eyes were sunken back into her head and shone with exhaustion. She slumped against the doorframe and watched them pass, hands listlessly twitching at her sides. “Something is very wrong here,” Kiron said in a low voice from next to her as they rode out of the oppressive silence of the village center. Following the dirt road, they came to a broad green field surrounded by thick stands of unfamiliar trees with broad, triangle shaped leaves. Nervous tension made her stiff as they rode toward the back of the field. Raum 202

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helped her dismount and took off his helmet, tying it to the saddle of his mount. The other guards formed a loose circle around them, dismounting and scanning the area. Obviously, she wasn’t the only one who was extremely uncomfortable. The Nightmare pranced next to her and nibbled at her sleeve. With a low sigh, she stroked its velvet nose and rubbed her forehead against the mare’s cheek. Eline removed her saddle in silence as Raum spread out a thick cream fur blanket. “So I just need to fall asleep with the Nightmare nearby?” The mare blew a warm breath on her chest and seemed to nod her head. “The mare knows what to do,” Eline said and scratched the horse behind her ears. “She will need you with her to help give her strength and energy through your bond. Who knows what you’ll find.” “But I’m not in any real danger. They’re just dreams...right?” Raum and Kiron exchanged a glance. “Kind of.” “What do you mean, kind of?” “Physically you’ll come to no harm,” Kiron said. Raum nodded. “But mentally and spiritually, you’re vulnerable in your dreams.” “Vulnerable?” Her lips tightened and she tried to remain patient. “Considering I’m about to go battle this—whatever is harming the children—can you be a little more clear?” “Your soul could get eaten and you could be driven insane,” Eline said as he removed a pillow from his saddlebag and tossed it onto the fur. Raum and Kiron gave him a hard glare and Eline coughed. “I mean, you’ll be just fine.” Covering her face with her hands, she took in a shuddering breath and sat hard on the fur. Movement and the smell of cinnamon let her know Raum sat next to her. He gently removed her hands from her cheeks and brushed away a stray strand of hair. “Have faith. The Nightmare will take care of you, and we won’t let any harm come to your physical body.” Kiron reclined on her other side, his dark skin shining in the warm sunlight. 203

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Behind him, the guards shifted and continuously scanned the tree line and sky. “How am I ever supposed to sleep?” She sighed and held Raum’s hand. His answering smile made her body tighten as his eyes burned a deeper gold. “I think we can help,” Kiron said in his erotic purr. Soft and easy, his lust brushed against her and her shadowy essence stirred beneath his interest. Raum turned her head, whispering against her lips, “Would you like us to help you, Natalia?” “In front of the guards?” “Actually, we’re behind the guards. But yes. We are all creatures of lust. Our lovemaking will strengthen us all. And right now we need every advantage we can get.” Her nipples drew to tight points as his sharp teeth nibbled at her lower lip, the sting and threat of violence drawing her desire to the surface. Raum knew just how to touch her, just how to play her body. He broke their kiss and leaned back, the blue in his skin glimmering. “Would you like Kiron to join us?” Licking her lips, she glanced at Kiron and found him stretching, the thick slabs of his muscles pressing through the thin cotton of his shirt. Desire had turned his gaze black, and the wind ruffled through his dark curls. Her mouth went dry as she considered the possibilities. The thought of being pressed between the two men made her wet. Raum grabbed her hair in his fist and pulled her forward; the pain radiated from her scalp and down her skin in a shivering rush of pleasure. “We will focus only on you. I know you are unfamiliar with men loving each other, and I want to share that experience with you in private.” The thought of Raum kissing Kiron flashed through her mind, and she was surprised to find out how much that image aroused her. “Will you kiss him for me?” she whispered back, turning against Raum’s grip to watch Kiron. His strong brown fingers kneaded the fur blanket, and she shuddered at the thought of those strong hands on her body. “Only if you’re good,” Raum whispered back with a wicked grin. Raum turned her in his arms so they both faced Kiron. Slowly, giving her time 204

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to protest, he tugged at the strings holding her bodice together. Kiron watched them, focusing on Raum’s hands as he pulled the edges of her dress off her arms. The top now hung on her hard nipples. Nostril’s flaring, Kiron took off his shirt. She sucked in a breath at the sight of his powerful frame. Thick and hard, the muscles of his chest and shoulders stood out in sharp relief. A brush of dark hair covered his chest and led a path down his stomach to his brown leather pants. The silver collar studded with diamonds and topaz gleamed against his dark skin. “Magnificent, isn’t he?” Raum said in a deep growl into her ear and grazed the pulse in her neck with his teeth. She could only nod as Kiron crawled over to them on all fours. A stray dark curl fell over his forehead, bringing her gaze back to his face. The pure desire she saw there tightened her body almost to the point of pain. He wanted her, badly. The feel of Raum holding her hands behind her back made her glance over her shoulder. He nudged her face back toward Kiron and his lips stroked against her ear as he said, “Would you like to be our plaything, Natalia?” Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Eline watching them with a wicked grin. All the other guards remained with their backs turned. The rough demand in his words should have scared her, but she trusted him with her life and knew he would do nothing to harm her. “Please.” Kiron paused before them and gave Raum a questioning look. Raum’s cheek brushed against her hair as he nodded, and the grin Kiron gave her had her shifting her shoulders so her nipples rubbed against her top. Her shadowy essence stretched beneath Kiron’s gaze and thoroughly enjoyed his lust. There was so much of it to enjoy. Cupping her face with his big hands, Kiron slowly leaned in to kiss her. He stopped right before their mouths met, soft breaths stroking across her sensitive skin. Behind her, Raum ran his nails over her chest and up Kiron’s neck. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward and closed the distance between them. Kiron’s lips were firmer than Raum’s, and she was momentarily startled by the lack of sharp teeth as she deepened their kiss. The scent of his sun-warmed skin mixed with Raum’s cinnamon and stroked her desire. Firm and strong, his mouth 205

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tasted and devoured her as he groaned against her mouth. Strong fingers began to tug down her top until her nipples rubbed against the soft hair of Kiron’s chest. Then two sets of hands were on her breasts, shaping her nipples into aching points with twists and pulls of her tender flesh. The sensation tore her away from Kiron with a gasp, and her body arched and tightened in Raum’s arms. Kiron lowered his hands to her hips and gripped her hard. “I love a woman with thick hips.” He groaned and rubbed the tip of his nose over her nipple. Raum released her arms and she eagerly ran her hands through Kiron’s tight curls, moving down to trace his face as he rubbed the rough stubble of his cheek against her breast. Used to the smooth skin of the demons, the feel of his beard’s shadow made her bite her lip. Abruptly, Raum held her beneath the arms and Kiron grabbed her dress, pulling it off of her with a growl. The vibration of an echoing growl came from behind her as Raum pressed his now naked flesh against her. Hard and thick, his cock rubbed against her spine as Kiron ran his hands up and down her body, inspecting every inch. “Taste her,” Raum urged and cupped her breasts in his hands. Her stomach muscles clenched as Kiron spread her thighs, the pink secrets of her nether lips glistening in the sunlight. “Fantastic,” Kiron sighed and stroked his fingertip over her nether lips. The sensation had her thrusting her hips up toward his finger, seeking more. “Greedy little thing, isn’t she?” Kiron chuckled and spread her lips apart. His breath came out in a low hiss as he added, “That is a lovely clit. How much can she take?” Raum pinched her nipples hard enough to hurt, and her pussy clenched in response. “She finds pain a fine spice.” “On your hands and knees, Princess.” Kiron flipped her over so that her mouth was inches away from Raum’s cock. She thrust her bottom into the air, seeking some kind of release for the ache between her legs. Eline stood at the edge of the fur, watching them with a hungry look in his eyes. Grabbing the back of her head, Raum guided her mouth to his cock. In the sunlight, the blue tint to his skin shimmered beneath the surface and 206

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highlighted the ridges of his stomach muscles as he leaned back on his arms. Raum’s sharp teeth pressed into his full lower lip while he watched Kiron behind her. The only warning she had of what was about to happen was Raum’s lip curling in a sensual snarl. Kiron’s big hand came down sharp on her bottom in a hard spank. Stinging from the blow, she jerked in Raum’s grip and moaned as the velvet tip of his cock pressed against her lips. “Look at how wet she is.” Kiron groaned and gripped her bottom in both hands, spreading her open to his gaze. The feel of the warm sunshine on her nether lips made her squirm while she licked and sucked at the head of Raum’s cock. Small bursts of pleasure ran through her as the sting of Kiron’s spank radiated through her body. The sound of clothing being removed made her want to turn her head, but Raum held her in place and said, “I want you to be surprised by his cock. I want you to wonder what it is going to feel like, how much it’s going to spread that hot little pussy of yours.” He leaned his hips up into her mouth, gently forcing her to take more of his cock. “I want to fuck your mouth while he fucks you.” All she could do was groan around the head of his cock pressed against her tongue as another series of hard slaps had her wiggling beneath Kiron’s hand. It was hard to keep track of what was happening to her body, and she slowly sank into a mindless state of pure pleasure. Her bottom felt red-hot, and the gentle slaps Kiron gave her stung just as much as the hard spanks earlier. Raum stroked her face while she attempted to fit as much of his cock into her mouth as she could. Desperate for some relief, she tried to arch her back, silently begging Kiron to fill her. “Her bottom is flushed like her pussy now,” Kiron said in a deep voice. The sensation of his tongue licking along her cheeks and down between them made her moan around Raum’s cock. Cinnamon, flesh, and lust made her shudder with need. Softly, Kiron’s tongue brushed over the puckered rosebud of her anus, and she shuddered. “Virgin?” Kiron asked and stroked his fingertip over her bottom. “Yes,” Raum growled. “Kiron, fuck her. I can’t last much longer, and I want her 207

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to scream her orgasm around my cock.” “As you wish, Master.” Kiron purred and she almost cried with gratitude at the feeling of the head of his cock pressing against her aching pussy. Taking Raum deep into her throat, she held still and focused on the sensation of Kiron pushing into her. The moan that came from deep inside her moved through Raum’s cock, and he voiced his pleasure in return. Thick, Kiron’s cock stretched her and it seemed like he just kept pressing more of his hard flesh into her heat. Finally, he was buried up to his balls, the rough hair of his pubic area tickling her sensitive skin. The feeling was overwhelming, as was all of the lust. Her shadowy essence drew it all in, the lust of her men, Eline watching them, and the guards listening to their lovemaking. Power, so much power filled her. Strong fingers pressed into her anus as Kiron began to roughly move inside her, with long and pounding strokes that tore a gasp from her lungs. Her bottom burned from the spanking and added to the pleasure building hot and tight within her. Raum flinched and shuddered under her lips as she bobbed her head in time with Kiron’s thrusts. “You have no idea how amazing you look with Kiron moving in you. That beautiful bottom, pink and red from his spanks, the contrast of his dark skin against yours. Fucking amazing.” Kiron slipped a hand beneath her and pinched her clit in time with his thrusts. The sensation quickly became too much, and she whimpered and twitched her hips. “You can take it, Princess,” Kiron said in a rough voice. His pounding became more frantic, rough snaps of his hips that matched the rough movements of his fingers within her tight, rear channel. “She’s almost there. Her pussy is gripping my cock like a fist. So tight, so good.” In response, Raum began to move in her mouth, and she let herself go limp between them. Too much sensation, too much pleasure She was overwhelmed by their attentions. With one final sharp tug on her clit, Kiron sent her body over the edge into bliss. “She’s coming!” Kiron hissed through his teeth and laid himself over her back, 208

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hugging her tightly to his chest as he bit her shoulder and came. Raum’s cock filled her mouth as he swelled, and she struggled to maintain focus. The heat and tensing waves of her orgasm had her crying out around his flesh. Kiron bit and sucked on her neck as he slowly withdrew from her, murmuring words in a rough foreign tongue. With a sharp thrust of his hips, Raum began to empty himself into her mouth in long spurts. She eagerly drank him down, musk and cinnamon rolling over her tongue and down her throat. With a final lick, she released him and sighed, every muscle limp with pleasure. Panting, Kiron rolled off her and pulled her with him. His warm lips brushed against hers, and she opened her mouth to the delicate touch of his tongue. A low groan vibrated through his body as he licked the traces of Raum’s seed from her mouth. A body pressed behind her and Raum stroked along her skin where her hip pressed against Kiron’s. Sighing softly, she broke her kiss with Kiron, regretting the loss of his gentle touch, but eager for her reward. “May I watch you kiss now, please?” Both men stirred against her, and she relaxed into their bodies. Kiron lay her back onto the fur between them and smiled at Raum. Leaning over her, their lips met and she sucked in a breath through her nose. The sight of Raum moving against Kiron tightened her well-used body, and a soft wave of their lust washed over her. Their lips moved together in perfect rhythm, pale blue skin pressed against dark tan. Almost as one they leaned down and shared one of her nipples, their tongues and lips meeting against her skin. It was too much too soon, and she shivered beneath their onslaught. Raum pulled back and Kiron released her nipple with one last reluctant lick. “Thank you.” She smiled and pulled both men down next to her. Spooning against Kiron’s back, she used Raum’s hard bicep as a pillow. Kiron began to hum, and she was surprised at what a lovely voice he had. Raum smiled at her and ran a hand over her eyes, closing her eyelids. A snort and a breath of warm air stirred her hair as the Nightmare settled to the ground near them. Safe, satisfied, and cherished in the sunlight, she fell 209

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asleep in the protective circle of their arms. *** Velvet lips nibbled at her cheek, and she swatted the irritation away. Something snuffled and this time, the nibble was done with a gentle edge of sharp teeth on her hip. Natalia shot up with a shriek while the Nightmare watched her with what she swore was amusement. Looking around, she found that they were no longer in the clearing, but on the outside edge of the village. Pale and washed out, the world was a dim vision of itself, devoid of scent and taste. Looking down, Natalia found herself clad in a tunic and pants made of shimmering gold dragon skin. A dagger hung from the jeweled belt at her waist, and her hair was bound back in a long braid. “Did you do this?” she asked the Nightmare. The horse nodded her head once and Natalia gaped. Before she could ask any more questions, a sharp scream rent the air. Whipping her head around to try to trace the sound, the Nightmare nudged her with its nose toward the village. Striations of pure red joined the magenta streaks of the horse’s eyes and it took off in front of her. Trying to get her bearings, Natalia followed after the horse and stopped at the brown brick home where she saw the little girl in the doorway. Another scream ripped through the silence, followed by a sobbing that made her heart ache. Opening the door, she peered inside of the tidy home. Looking from the doorway to the mare, she asked, “How are you going to come in?” The Nightmare shuddered and shrank down in a swirl of blue sparkling mist and black hair. When the mist cleared, a small black cat sat on the floor with its tail lashing at the air. Giving her a soft meow, the cat placed its front paws on the edge of the doorway and gave another impatient mew. Nervous, apprehensive, and feeling totally out of her element, Natalia followed the cat inside. The walls of the pleasant parlor melted away and filth grew over 210

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the windows of the house. Long tendrils of green and brown moss grew from the ceiling and seemed to creep and crawl in the still air. Spinning around, Natalia watched the home become a frightening pantomime of itself. The cat seemed unconcerned and hissed at a strand of moss that crept toward Natalia’s head. The moss retreated and clung to the ceiling. With a swift leap, the Nightmare sprang into her arms, and Natalia clutched the creature close. Following the sound of the sobs, Natalia carefully climbed the stairs leading to the second floor. Next to her, the warped and bumpy wallpaper stretched out as horrifying faces pressed against it. She stumbled against the railing and almost crashed to the floor as it gave away. A scream forced its way out of her throat as she looked down and saw that the lower floor was now gone, and the stairway and second floor hung suspended above a fathomless pit. The Nightmare scratched the back of her hand and she cursed, but held on as the cat stared at the door to the left at the top of the stairs. A low rumbling growl spilled out of its throat and blended with another soul piercing scream. Biting her lip so hard she tasted blood, Natalia carried them up the rest of the stairs and refused to look at the movements in the wallpaper that she noted out of the corner of her eye. Stopping before the white painted door, she tried the handle and found it locked. The Nightmare jumped from her arms and swatted at the door. To her astonishment, the wood melted away in wisps of smoke. The sight on the other side made Natalia scream in a breathless whistle. Giant green and black wasps the size of rats circled the little blonde girl lying in the middle of a child’s room. Surrounded by toys, stuffed animals, and brightly painted walls, the little girl bled from dozens of different wounds and lay in a lake of her own blood. One of the wasps buzzed down and pierced a large hole in the girl’s thigh, ripping the flesh with small barbs on its stinger. Rage filled Natalia, and she jerked the dagger from her side. The buzzing of the wasps increased in pitch as one stopped circling the girl and headed for Natalia. The little girl on the floor moaned and rolled her head to follow the track of the departing wasp. Through her mask of pain the little girl’s eyes widened at the 211

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sight of them and a desperate hope lit her face. Natalia ducked as the wasp bore down from the ceiling, the giant stinger decorated with bits of the little girl’s flesh aiming for her heart. Reaching up, she managed to slice at the wasp’s belly with a shout. Green blood ran out from the wound and splashed on her cheek, burning her skin as she screamed and tried to wipe it off. The cat hissed and launched itself at the wasp with an impossible leap. Where its claws struck, the wasp turned to smoke. Holding her hand against her cheek and trying to swallow her moans, Natalia crawled along the floor to the side of the little girl. Her vision of the world narrowed as the injured skin around her eye swelled and began to close off her vision. As she placed a hand on her face to wipe away the blood, the little girl shrieked as she was jerked across the room by a black hand that surged up from the floor. Air rushing from her lungs, Natalia followed after them as the room stretched like taffy. A feminine presence brushed against her mind and whispered. Natalia stopped chasing after the child and followed the directions of the Nightmare, envisioning the room shrinking back to size. The stretched walls before her trembled and shuddered as whatever was haunting the dream fought against her will. Concentrating, she pictured the little girl clean and healthy standing in front of her. The cat’s snarl filled the air behind her and the walls abruptly snapped back into place. Flowing in reverse, the child’s blood sank back into her skin, and she arched her back with a gasp. Scooping the girl up into her arms, Natalia tried to hold her without voicing her own screams as the skin of her face blistered from the wasp’s blood. The little girl clung to her neck and sobbed. Making soothing noises, Natalia turned to find the cat hissing and growling at something in the corner. Little fingers gripped her shoulders as she turned and hesitantly walked toward the cat. Against the wall, a disembodied eyeball floated in a viscous blob of yellow and black ooze. The cat yowled and spit, circling the eyeball as it tried to roll away. Grimacing, Natalia did the only thing she could think of. With the child in her arms, she stepped on the eyeball and squashed it with a loud pop. Black mist rose 212

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out from beneath her foot and the cat breathed it in, taking the mist into her body with a loud and rumbling purr. Against Natalia’s shoulder, the little girl’s hand went limp as she slipped into an exhausted sleep. Leaving the cat to its meal, Natalia winced and set the little girl on her bed, tucking the covers around her shoulders. Lying down next to her, Natalia felt the dream losing its hold and closed her eyes. *** The sound of arguing woke her, and she blinked against the bright sunlight. Raum and Eline were screaming at each other while Kiron and another guard kept them apart. “We have to wake her,” Raum yelled and tried to push Kiron aside. “Look at her face! That dream was a trap waiting for her.” “I know,” Eline shouted back. “But if we take her out before they finish, the Nightmare won’t have the strength to do it alone.” Natalia groaned as she traced her fingertips over the seared skin of her cheek and whimpered. While she slept, someone had placed a light sheet over her and she clutched it to her chest as she stood. Immediately, she found herself pressed between Raum and Eline as the both tried to pick her up. She ended up suspended between them as they kissed her head and stroked her hair back. “I think we did it,” she squeaked out, and the men eased back with a guilty look. “What was it?” Kiron asked and tucked the sheet around her shoulders. “What happened to your face?” Raum turned her chin to the sunlight as Eline made angry noises in his throat. “It was some kind of eyeball, and a giant wasp bled on me.” The words came out in a mumble, talking made the skin of her cheek pull and throb. “Evil eye,” Eline said. 213

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“Giant wasp?” Kiron asked, going pale beneath his dark tan. “I hate wasps.” Raum wrapped her in his arms. “Somewhere, there is a demon that is now missing an eyeball thanks to our Princess.” “We need to get her back to the palace to get her cheek taken care of before it scars.” Eline started yelling orders to the watching guards, and they jumped to carry them out. Kiron helped her ease back into her leather dress and whispered, “Thank God I didn’t have to go in with you. At the sight of the giant wasps, I would have been as useful as a wet noodle against them.” Natalia stroked his silken dark curls and turned to the sound of a familiar whinny. Bowing her head, she sank to her knees before the Nightmare. “Thank you. Without your help I never would have survived.” Soft lips nibbled at her hair as the Nightmare gently rubbed her cheek. Glancing up, Natalia noticed everyone staring at her again. Their attention made her uncomfortable. “What?” “Nothing,” Raum replied and scooped her into his arms and gave her a loud kiss. “We’re just proud to serve you.” Running her hand over the smooth dragon skin covering his chest, she stroked his forehead and her heart swelled with tenderness. “I couldn’t have done it without your help.” Kiron rested his head on Raum’s shoulder and looked down at her with a devilish grin. “It was truly a sacrifice. If you ever need our help like that again, I’m sure we can rise to the occasion.” The shouting of the guards wiped all traces of humor from the men’s faces. Raum and Kiron placed her behind them as the tall red-skinned man from the village and his blonde wife came thundering toward them, riding double on a big green draft horse. The woman slid off first and knelt before them. She gasped when she first saw Natalia’s wounded face. “I don’t know what you did, but the children are all sleeping peacefully.” Her voice cracked as she continued, “What was it?” “An evil eye,” Raum replied and shifted his attention to her husband. He picked his wife up and dashed away a tear of his own. “Then it wasn’t 214

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because of our High Prince losing faith in us.” “Why would you think that?” Eline asked in a terse voice. The man and woman exchanged a look. “A man came to us last week and said that he was sent by High Prince Mammon to help.” “He did help, for one night,” the woman added. “But the next evening, the nightmares were back and worse than ever. He told us he couldn’t do anything more because our High Prince had abandoned us, and we are still tied to his will. That the nightmares were a result of that. If we broke our oath to High Prince Asmodeus and joined High Prince Mammon, he would be able to help us.” “He also told us those lies about the Princess.” A dark blush stained the woman’s cheeks. “When he spoke, he seemed so sure and honest. I found it easy to believe him.” “Probably a spell,” Kiron commented. The man nodded. “Looking back, it’s obvious. But at the time, our minds were on our children and their suffering.” “We need to return to the palace right away. The Princess has been injured.” Raum gestured to the guards who brought their mounts over. The red skinned man blurted out, “I can heal her.” His wife nodded and winced as she stared at Natalia. Natalia raised an eyebrow at Raum and Eline. The men looked at each other then motioned for the tall, red-skinned man to come forward. Before he reached them, Eline unsheathed his sword in a lightning fast movement and held it to the man’s throat. “If you do anything to hurt her, I will kill you.” The man snorted and pushed aside the point of Eline’s sword with his fingertip. “I know you are used to dealing with nobles, but we still follow the old ways of honor.” The tall man stopped before her and held out his hand. She studied it for a moment, noting the calluses on his skin and the lines in his palm. Gently, she placed her hand in his and jerked it back as he lowered his face to hers. “He heals with his mouth, Princess,” the blonde woman said and gave her a 215

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reassuring smile. Blushing, Natalia put her hand back. His tongue rasped across her skin, and she bit back a scream of pain. Eline came behind her and held her while the redskinned man worked on her cheek. His breath smelled of burned metal, and his tongue was rough like a cat’s. The skin quickly grew numb, and she relaxed into his grip. Releasing her hand, he stepped back and took a deep breath with his mouth open. “You taste of royal blood.” “Uh-thanks,” she stammered out and looked at her hand. Raum lead the Nightmare over and said, “It is time to go, Princess. We are needed elsewhere.” His words brought her mind back to Kazan and worry filled her. Even though they had only been gone a few hours by Mortal Earth’s timeline, she feared for what had happened to Gregor. Despite Raum’s assurances that no one would harm him, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding at the thought of leaving him behind in the company of demons.

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Chapter Twenty Acrid smoke tinged the breeze coming off the Kazanka River and filled Natalia’s nose as she and Raum stepped from the portal and into the entrance of a dark alley. She looked about for the source of the fire and staggered back against Raum, once again wearing the guise of Vicktor. On the other side of the river, flames consumed Kazan and reflected in orange and gold spangles amid broken and burned flotsam. A huge rectangular shape thrust into the air from the middle of the water with jagged points of broken timber smoldering into the sky. People stood in shock on their side of the debris-choked river, moaning and wailing at the destruction. Raum sucked in a harsh breath as a tracer of blue flared through the orange flames, and they sought to reach across the river in an unnatural arch. “That’s demonic fire.” “What?” Natalia twisted in his arms, her long purple veil tangling around her face. The fire raged and jumped to a new building as she tried to feel them with her demonic essence. Hunger, pain, and anger poured through her and she sagged in Raum’s arms. “What are you doing?” he hissed and helped rebuild her shields. Dragging her into the back of the alley, Raum sheltered her body with his. “They’re looking for you.” Natalia tried to peer beyond him. “Who’s looking for me?” “Demons, at least four of them.” His lips twisted into a snarl. “We don’t have to worry about the opium. The wreckage filling the river is the remainder of the barge.” Natalia shivered as unfamiliar energy brushed past her and pushed at her shields. “Who sank the barge?” “I have no idea.” He stared out at the river and said in a distracted voice, “Probably the demons that you called when you fed off Gregor and the whore. They traced you to the river and found the other demons waiting with the barge.

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Fearing an assault, Belal’s demons probably attacked first.” He tugged at her hand and led them out of the alley and past the growing crowd. On the other side of the river, a horrible scream rent the air and the hair on her arms stood up. “This is bad.” “Those poor people.” Natalia felt her heart clench and guilt bowed her head. This never would have happened if she hadn’t been here. “That’s not what I’m talking about.” Raum scanned their surroundings as they rushed down the street and away from the burning waterfront. “When the angelic Horde gets wind of this, they’ll come to Kazan and try to destroy any demon in the area. Including you and me. We have to get out.” “My family, Gregor!” Natalia gasped out. “We have to warn them.” Raum swore in a low voice. “Natalia, we can’t be here!” “No!” she screamed and jerked her arm away. “I have to see my parents.” Growling out an oath, Raum snatched a man off his carriage and shoved her up onto the seat. The man started to yell at them and Raum snarled, sending the man screaming down the street. Holding onto the wooden bench of the wagon with both hands, Natalia tried not to hyperventilate as Raum drove the horses down the street with a yell. If those demons were looking for her, eventually they would find her home. Gripping the seat so hard her hands hurt, her mind churned between worrying about Gregor and her parents. Her scent must be all over both places. Gregor must be safe though, they wouldn’t dare harm him. His family’s ties to Belal would protect him. They probably couldn’t even make it past his guards. People leapt out of their way and a chorus of shouts followed them as they left the city. “Thank you,” she hollered over the rush of wind. The mahogany brown mare pulling the wagon snorted as trees whipped past. A rill of energy ran over her body again, and she tried to ignore it. Raum shouted back, “We’ll be there in a minute. Natalia, we have to leave as soon as you see they’re all right. The demons from town have begun to sense you.” “What about Gregor?” 218

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“Is he still alive?” She loosened her tight hold on her demonic essence and tried to feel. Faintly, she felt his terror and sorrow. “Yes, but something is wrong.” Her voice cracked in pain and tears flew off her cheeks in the wind. “I promise, after I get you back to the palace, I will come back for him.” Nodding, Natalia strained in her seat as they got nearer to her home. There were no lights shining through the windows and the curtains were pulled tight. She had no idea what time it was, so it could very easily be too late for her parents to be awake. Keeping that thought going through her head, she leaned forward, urging the horse to move faster. As they rounded the drive and pulled past the barn, a scream tore from her throat. “Natalia, no!” Raum tried to grab her as she leapt from the seat and dashed to the front porch. Her mother lay before the door, her nightgown soaked black with blood in the light of the moon. A few feet away, the man she knew as her papa stared up at the sky with a kitchen knife buried in his throat. Weeping, she cradled the cold body of her mother and fought against her own heaving stomach. “Why?” she shouted at the sky. A storm began to gather over Kazan in the distance. Thunder rolled and lightning lit the world in brilliant flashes of light that illuminated the porch as bright as daylight. Raum tried to pull her arms away, but she screamed and held onto her mother. This was all her fault; the curse of her birth caused their deaths. Sorrow, thick and heavy, smothered her and emptied her mind of anything but a primal pain. “We have to go now!” Raum snarled at the light filled sky over Kazan. “The Horde is here!” A deep voice drawled out as the blond-haired man from the docks strolled out of her home, eating a slice of her mother’s bread. “Pity you and the Princess have to die at their hands.” Natalia lunged at him but Raum moved even faster and held her back. She fought against his grip as tears of anger and sorrow streamed down her face, and she screamed inarticulate sounds of fury at the demon. 219

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“Feisty little thing, aren’t you?” He tossed the bread to the floor where it began to soak up the blood from her mother’s corpse. Turning, he yelled over his shoulder. “Bring Trezent out.” Her lips pulled back in a snarl as a demon with green hair and a bronze tone to his skin dragged Gregor out by his hair. A black gag bit into the skin of his mouth, and his eyes were dull with shock. Raum growled deep in his throat. “You fools, Belal will kill you for harming him.” Both men laughed and the green-haired demon said, “Why, who do you think ordered us to punish him?” His bronze claws raked along Gregor’s face, and he screamed behind his gag. Natalia screamed with him as his skin split and blood leaked down his neck. Her heart stopped and sped up as the scent of his blood and pain reached her demonic essence. Raum felt the shift in her and loosened his grip. From behind them, a trumpet blared and made her teeth ache. The blond man narrowed his eyes as he looked behind them to Kazan and the green-haired man said, “They found Sewt and Xit.” He flinched and drew back a bit into the doorway. “And Ilocano.” Raum pushed her forward, and she fell at their feet next to Pasha’s corpse. “Take her. I’ll stay and fight the Horde and give you enough time to escape. Give me your oath that you will do your best to keep her alive.” In front of her, Gregor rolled his eyes to hers and they lost some of their dull look. Fury and love battled in his gaze, and she wondered what they had told him. A gleam in the darkness caught her eye and she threw herself on Pasha’s corpse, sobbing and clutching her hands to her chest. Rocking back and forth, she moaned and cried. Raum shifted and agitation rolled off of him in waves. “Please, they’ll be here any minute.” The boards of the porch stood out in sharp relief as bright light crackled closer on the horizon. The green-haired man arched a brow. “We can always hold her for ransom.” The blond demon considered this as he switched his gaze between Natalia, huddled over Pasha, and Raum. “Take her.” The green-haired demon dropped 220

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Gregor to the boards with a thud and hauled Natalia off Pasha. Raum’s eyes ticked to hers and she sobbed, hanging from the grip of the green-haired demon. Blood soaked the front of her dress and her veil stuck to her cheek. Bright and clear, a horn sounded in the air again, louder this time. An odd shimmer filled the horizon, and she had to squint her eyes against the brilliance. “Time to go.” The blond man bit his thumb and turned to sketch on the wall. She twisted in the arms of the green demon and went limp against him, pressing her hips into his as she gazed into his eyes. “Please protect me,” she whispered. Her essence stroked against him, his grip softening as he grew hard. The green-haired demon leaned down, his nostrils flaring. Jerking her hand up, she plunged the blade from Pasha’s throat into his heart and twisted, screaming her fury at him. Raum tackled the blond-haired man and slammed him to the floorboards. As her captor scrambled with weak hands at the blade in his chest, she tried to jerk Gregor up to his feet. He sagged against her and groaned as his cheek opened again and blood dripped down the side of his ruined gold, velvet tunic. Heat, like standing too close to a stove, began to radiate at her back. Raum stomped the face of the blond man and bit his own thumb, sketching another portal next to the unfinished one. Closer now, the brilliance resolved itself as a shifting rainbow of pale colors rather than the brilliant white it appeared to be at a distance. Shadows grew from the trees of her drive, and Raum hauled Gregor over his shoulder. “Natalia, we have to go.” Without waiting for a reply, he jerked her through the portal. As she stepped over the body of the blond man, she spat on him and gave the bodies of her family one last look as light blazed through the yard. Gripping Raum’s hand tightly, she stumbled out of the portal and into a desert. Dry air, acrid and hot, blew a stinging hiss of sand into her face. Gregor struggled on Raum’s shoulder, and Raum set him down into the sand. “Where are we?” she yelled over the wind. “Satan’s realm.” She stared at him and ripped the veil off her face, letting the blood soaked 221

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fabric fly away on the wind. Gregor groaned and she lay his head on her lap. “Why are we here?” Raum turned his head to the sky and said in a whisper, “Because the Horde is going to follow us, and he is our only hope.” Natalia followed his gaze and went slack against Gregor. In the distance, a hole opened in the bright blue sky and white shapes began to pour out. “How can they follow us to Hell? They’re angels!” She clutched at Gregor and tried to untie the gag with her numb hands. The white dots hovered for a moment, then turned in their direction. “The slaughter of Kazan broke an oath. That gives them the right to come into Hell and kill the oath breakers.” Raum slung Gregor over his back again and grabbed her hand. “We have to try to make it closer to Satan’s palace.” Staring at Raum like he was mad, Natalia tried to run through the shifting sand of the dunes. “But we didn’t kill anyone!” “I know, but they don’t care.” His breath came out in a rough hiss. “We are demons and we were there, that’s good enough for them.” Natalia glanced behind her shoulder and tried to move faster. The white shapes were resolving into wings and the figures of men and women. Even at this distance, she could see their long hair blowing in the wind of their flight and the gleam of their scythes and swords. “Can’t we reason with them? Angels are supposed to be good.” Raum paused at the top of the dune and he lay Gregor on the ground again. “They aren’t pure good any more than we are pure evil. And they crave power as much as we do.” Her mind raced as she tried to process his words. They went against everything that she had ever been taught to believe in. It was impossible for her to reconcile the images of pure and beautiful angels with the idea of them being as power hungry as demons. Angels were something that kept you safe from danger, not danger itself. She stood next to him, gripping his hand in fear as her braid whipped behind her. “I love you.” Agony filled his voice as he said, “I’m so sorry I failed you.” 222

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Deep and dark, a horn rent the air from behind them. The sound called to her, caressed the shadowy essence of her soul, and made her sigh. Ahead of them, the Angelic Horde paused, then flew faster toward them. “Satan?” she asked and squinted her eyes against the grit blowing in the wind. At their feet, Gregor stirred in the sand and mumbled something with his eyes still closed. Raum opened his mouth to answer when the horn sounded again, closer this time. Her bones vibrated with its tone and Raum’s hand tightened on hers. The melody called to them, and they turned as one to face the angels. Wings flapping, a woman raised her sword. Natalia stared at the angel and gaped. Long sage green hair blew in the breeze of her white and green tipped wings. Everything about her looked human, but instead of normal eyes, her gaze was a solid blue without pupil or iris. These eyes held Natalia’s and her breath caught in her throat. “Demons,” her voice carried out over the sand as eleven other angels spread out behind her. Each had wings that were edged with the rainbow colors of their hair. Blue, green, gold, and brown eyes watched them, and their lips twisted with disgust and malice. “You have broken the covenant and must pay the price.” “It wasn’t us,” Natalia yelled and Raum sighed next to her. Ignoring him, she continued, “We didn’t kill those people or set those fires. My—my parents were killed by them.” The green-haired angel regarded Natalia; with no pupils it was impossible to read her eyes. “Why were those demons there, Princess? Was it not your lust, your sin, that called them?” Natalia flinched beneath her words and her chest tightened. “I didn’t know,” she whispered. The angel smirked. “Your sin led to the death of your mother and the man who sheltered you as a father. How did you repay them for their kindness? By drawing evil to your home through your wanton and knowing actions.” “Stop trying to twist her words, seraphim,” Raum growled. “You know as well as I do that she would never have intentionally drawn those demons to her.” Natalia didn’t say anything, shame and guilt washing through her in paralyzing 223

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waves. The angel’s voice echoed in her mind, the accusations beating her down. Raum gripped her hand. “You have no right to torture her like this!” The seraphim laughed and the other angels joined her as she lowered the tip of her sword to point at Raum. “I’m afraid this will be the only torture she gets. Her soul is forfeit. I will send all of you back to the Chaos.” Natalia wiped her eyes with her hand. “Please, let Gregor go. He had nothing to do with this.” “Fool,” the seraphim said in disgust. “He knows more about demons than you. Do you really think his family has served Belal for generations and he knows nothing about it?” Natalia gaped at her, and Raum glanced at Gregor still passed out at their feet. “But he—” “He is the sole-heir of the Trezent Empire and he must die.” The seraphim flew closer, and the wind from her wings beat against Natalia’s skin. “You are all abominations.” Darkness covered the sun and one of the angels screamed.

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Chapter Twenty Raum jerked her to the ground and covered her and Gregor’s body with his. “They have come,” he yelled into her ear over an unearthly scream. The ground shook as something landed next to them, and Natalia attempted to squirm around Raum’s arms. She went limp as her mind tried to make sense of the sight before them. A dragon, black as darkness, watched the angels and snapped its long jaws as the rider dressed in red armor yelled down to them, “Flee!” Raum nodded and sliced his forearm open with the edge of his claw, dribbling a circle of blood in the sand around them. Natalia watched in astonishment as more dragon riders dressed in red armor appeared. The seraphim screamed, “Kill them!” A last harsh word completed the portal, and the sounds of battle grew distant as they landed on the black marble floors of her father’s palace. Her ankle twisted beneath her at the harsh impact and she saw Gregor’s head bounce off the floor. In the distance, a maid carrying a pile of linens screamed in long and piercing peals. Boots and shouts echoed through the hall and mixed with the screams of the maid. The breath whistled out of Natalia’s lungs as she rolled to her side, and she watched the spinning ball of the portal begin to fade as it hovered against the ceiling. Two angels, a red-haired male holding a spear and a blue-haired female wielding a sword, surged through with their war cries echoing. Ignoring everything else, the two angels dove for her and she tried to stand, but her broken ankle refused to support her weight. Pain, hot and searing, tore through her shoulder as a spear sank through body and pinned her to the cold floor. Shouts, screams, and yelling roared around her, and Raum tackled the redhaired angel with a snarl and tore his throat out with a flurry of teeth and claws. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The female angel with blue hair turned to her with a look of absolute hatred.

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“Abomination,” the angel hissed and dove from the safety of the ceiling with her wings folded tightly to her body, and her sword pointed at Natalia’s heart. With a groan of agony, Gregor spun her body around on the pivot of the spear before the angel pierced her with the sword. The motion tore at her flesh, but swung her away from the point of the rushing blade. Instead of meeting her body, the blade rebounded in the angel’s hand and swung up, cleaving into her skull with a sickening crunch. Blue eyes going white, the angel dropped to the floor inches from where Natalia lay pinned beneath the spear. Pain, unlike any she had ever known, ripped away her consciousness with white-hot claws as Gregor slouched over her and tried to tug the spear from her flesh.

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Epilogue Voices drifted in and out of the darkness. Some, she could put names to. The sounds of Raum and Gregor talking, and often yelling, filled her dreams and nightmares. Sometimes her mind was filled with visions of joy and bliss, cradled in the arms of her beloved men. Other times they featured the dead angel, her face destroyed by the slice of her sword, telling her it was all her fault. She condemned Natalia through her ruined mouth, punishing her for her sins and reinforcing the thought that she did not deserve to be loved. Abomination, evil, whore—these dream words sliced at her sleeping soul. Her Nightmare would appear in these dreams, a shining creature of darkness. The terrifying angel would blow away like smoke as the Nightmare struck at the air with her hooves and drew the smoke into her lungs. The remainder of her dream was spent bonding with her horse and riding through fantastical landscapes on her broad back. Groaning, she regained her awareness of the world beyond her dreams and the pain in her physical body. A harsh moan croaked from her throat as she attempted to sit up. Her neck and shoulder throbbed. Hands pressed her back into the bed and held her, examining the wound that burned there. She tried to raise her arm to touch those comforting hands, but they withdrew. She battled against the urge to go back to sleep and strained to open her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she tasted Gregor in the air and almost wept with gratitude. Alive, he is alive. Squinting her eyes in the dim light, she tried to make out his shape on the other side of the massive bed. Flowers of every color of the rainbow filled the small marble bedside table, and a half-empty glass of amber liquid perched at the edge. “Gregor?” she whispered and licked her dry lips. The pain in her shoulder made her moan and her fingers danced over the bandages. Flexing the fingers of her wounded arm, she was glad to find she could still move it.

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“Yes, it’s me, Natalia.” Arms crossed, he leaned back against a tall window with silver and bronze edged clouds catching the colors of a burning sunset. Black velvet leggings clung to his legs and his broad shoulders filled out the matching tunic. The slashes on his cheeks were healed to pink scars and her heart ached for his pain. His gaze remained on the clouds floating past the tower. “How do you feel?” “Horrible.” Confusion and anger flashed through his eyes as he glanced at her and back out the window. “Where am I?” She licked her lips and curled her hands into fists. In her mind, she had rehearsed her speech a thousand times, now the words failed her. “Hell.” By the condition of his scars, she must have been unconscious for a long time. She started to sit up and flopped back down with a groan of pain. Flinching, he balled his hands into fists and stared at her with hatred and love. With a muttered curse, he joined her on the bed and reached out with a shaking hand. With surprising strength, he yanked her to his chest and whispered, “It’s true, you’re a demon.” She shook her head against his chest. “Half-demon. I’m a Cambion.” His hands stroked her back, and she felt his anger and sorrow. “I’m so sorry.” His laugh was dry and without humor. “You’re sorry? My life is destroyed, my family betrayed, and I’m being held prisoner in Hell and you’re sorry?” His hands tightened and he gripped the back of her nightgown. “Do you know what the worst part is?” She tried to pull away and whispered, “No.” “Even after all that you’ve done to me...I can’t hate you.” The last part came out in a broken whisper, and she cupped his face with her good hand. He supported her weight and held her so he could see her face. Warm as melted chocolate, his eyes bore into hers and pinned her in place. “Gregor, I promise from this moment forward, I will never lie to you again. I love you.” He stared into her eyes. “Did you know that when you’re in the grips of passion your eyes shift color?” 228

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Blushing, she dropped her gaze to his lips and traced the deep scratches on his cheeks with her fingertip. “You’re not my prisoner.” “Really?” he said sarcastically and his anger burned her. “You’re the daughter of Belal’s enemy and I’m not your prisoner? My grandfather said if Asmodeus ever got his hands on me, I would regret the day I was born.” She hesitantly ran her fingers through the soft hair covering his hard muscles. “You—you’re my concubine. He would never harm you.” Lowering her back into the bed, he removed his hands and she mourned the loss of his touch. When he held her, the pain almost disappeared entirely. “Raum and his concubine explained it to me. But I didn’t believe them.” Running his hands through his hair, he stood and paced the room. “I’m your kept man?” He shook his head. “This has to be a dream.” The words struck a chord in her heart, and she remembered saying them to Raum what seemed like an eternity ago. “I’m afraid it’s very real. I’ve bound you through magic as my concubine.” Fury filled his gaze and she tried to explain herself. “Know this. I will cherish you every minute of every day for the rest of my life. You fill a special spot in my heart that only belongs to you. I have sworn to protect you and do everything I can to make you happy, and I will keep that promise. I love you.” Fisting both hands into his hair, he growled. “Did you enchant me? Is this love I feel even real?” Her lips trembled as she tried to choke back her tears. “I swear. I don’t even know how to do a spell.” He turned his back on her and her heart ached. “Please, Gregor, please don’t leave me.” “I could never leave you. From the moment you tried to slit my throat, that has never been an option.” He glanced over his shoulder and saw that she was crying. Closing his eyes, he crawled next to her on the bed and rubbed his face into her hair. Soft lips stroked against hers, and she inhaled the scent of his musk. Breaking the kiss, he tilted his head and frowned. “I really hate this speaking in my mind shit. I can’t even be alone in my own head.” He gave her a grim smile as she looked at him in confusion. “Raum and Eline are on their way. Galina felt 229

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my emotions and told them you’re awake.” Stroking his face, she drew him back down and placed butterfly soft kisses on his scars. “I don’t want you to leave.” He snorted and tucked her to his chest. “I’m not going anywhere.” Eyeing the door, his voice deepened. “Raum isn’t bound to you yet, and if I’m going to spend the rest of my life tied to whoever your blood-mate is, the decision is as much mine as yours.” Nodding, she tried not to wince as a lance of pain broke through the warmth of his presence. “No one will ever take your place.” “That’s all that matters to me,” he murmured against her lips. They held each other as the sun set over Hell. Natalia let go of her worries about the future and embraced the gift of the being alive.

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~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Ann is Queen of the Castle to her wonderful husband and three sons in the mountains of West Virginia. In her past lives she's been an Import Broker, a Communications Specialist, a US Navy Civilian Contractor, a Bartender/Waitress, and an actor at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. She also spent a summer touring with the Grateful Dead (though she will deny to my children that it ever happened). From a young age she's been fascinated by myths and fairytales, and the romance that often was the center of the story. As Ann grew older and her hormones kicked in, she discovered trashy romance novels. Great at first, but she soon grew tired of the endless stories with a big wonderful emotional buildup to really short and crappy sex. Never a big fan of purple prose, throbbing spears of fleshy pleasure and wet honey pots make her giggle, she sought out books that gave the sex scenes in the story just as much detail and plot as everything else-without using cringe worthy euphemisms. This led her to the wonderful world of Erotic Romance, and she's never looked back. Now Ann spends her days trying to tune out cartoons playing in the background to get into her 'sexy space' and has learned to type one handed while soothing a cranky baby.

Visit Ann online at: www.annmayburn.com