Desire After Dark: Lords of Pleasure (30 page)

“Legion!” she shouted. People must make lots of noise here all the time. No one even looked at her twice.

Immediately the air around her crackled, but her friend had barely materialized in front of her before he grabbed her hand and teleported them away. They ended up in a long driveway. She wasn’t sure whom it belonged to because she was too busy trying not to throw up. Teleporting didn’t agree with her system anymore.

“Sorry, I had to get us away from the crowds,” the demon said, then shook his head. “Shit, where have you been? And how did you end up in downtown New Orleans?”

“My punishment for saving Luc is that Zeus has stripped my title of Valkyrie, along with my powers. There’s more, but I want Luc to hear it first.”

“Well, you’re just in time! Luc was gravely injured during the battle, and he’s had a very tough recovery. He hasn’t gotten over you, and he was saying some things to me earlier that really had me worried. I knew it would piss him off, but I went looking for his brothers and told them my fear.”

“That he would take his life.”

“Yeah. We got to his hospital room, but he was already gone. We’ve split up to search the city for him.”

“What about the resort?”

“That was the first place we looked, but he wasn’t there,” he said, worried. “He’s despondent, so where would he go?”

She thought about that. “Nothing seems to mean more to Luc than his family. I can’t see him going very far from home to do what he’s planning. He’d want to be found and laid to rest, I think.” The thought chilled her to the bone. That wasn’t going to happen if she could help it.

“We’re going to find him. Think. With that in mind, is
there a place hidden from the resort and main house, yet easily found if they expand the search area?”

Frowning, she considered the question. What was around the resort, she didn’t know. The only time she’d ever been on the grounds was when she…

“Oh gods!” she exclaimed. “I think I might know where he’s going. There’s a clearing in the woods on their property where I saved his life. It’s where we first met.”

“And where everything was set in motion.” Legion’s body tensed. “That makes sense. If I was going to kill myself, I’d pick someplace meaningful, too.”

“I’ve told you before—don’t even think of doing anything stupid, or I’ll kick your ass.”

“Don’t worry. I’m far too conceited to harm my beautiful self.”

Kass rolled her eyes. “Good, make sure you stay that way. Now transport us, because I can’t do it anymore.”

“You’ll have to send me a mental image of the exact spot, since I’ve never been there. I’ve spent some time at the resort but haven’t ventured far from the main house, except for the skirmish with the wolves.”

There
was a horror she didn’t want to remember, but she couldn’t help it. She’d never forget Luc’s body on the ground, run through with the sword, blood pooling around him. She hadn’t been able to fathom the agony such a grave wound had caused—until she’d been skewered as well.

Pushing that from her mind, she concentrated on forming a picture of where she’d found Luc that day. A clearing with trees all around, dappled with sunlight, a fallen tree lying nearby—

Then Legion caught the image, and they vanished.

Luc stumbled into the clearing and stopped, studying his surroundings. This looked like the right clearing, and ahead was a large fallen tree he thought was there before. The trunk would be perfect for what he needed, heavy and sturdy, and he walked slowly to it. He stood and stared, unseeing, as a wave of sorrow drowned him in an icy lake.

He couldn’t stop seeing Kass’s face. Her shock and anguish, the bloodied tip of the sword thrust through her chest, the light fading even as she fell. Just that quickly, she’d been taken, leaving him bereft. Heartbroken.

He couldn’t live with this another day, much less forever. His brothers would have to understand. Perhaps they’d think of him fondly, long from now, when the passing of the centuries had softened their loss and anger.

Lowering himself to his knees in front of the tree trunk, he dragged the sword in front of him. Using the trunk for leverage, he wedged the hilt between the ground and the trunk, the point out toward him. Not bothering to take off his shirt, he positioned the sharp tip just below his sternum, angled toward his heart. Piercing through flesh and muscle would require very little effort.

All he had to do was bear down his weight, and the blade would set him free.

Closing his eyes, he took several deep breaths and found his center.

“Forgive me,” he whispered to whoever might listen, then readied himself to apply killing force—

“Luc, no! Stop!”

Jumping back, he sat hard on his ass, hardly aware of the sword falling harmlessly to the ground. He was more stunned by the sight of Kass racing across the clearing toward him. He barely had time to brace himself, arms spread, before she launched herself in a flying tackle, taking him to the ground.

There she straddled his waist and sprawled on top of him, peppering his face with kisses. “You stupid asshole!” More kisses. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Still more kisses. “I’m going to kick your ass.”

The kisses became heated, and he gave in, joy and amazement warring for first place. “How are you here?” he breathed. “Oh gods, Kass.”

“Well, maybe I’ll just check on you lovebirds tomorrow,” Legion’s amused voice said from nearby. “Looks like things are under control here.”

“Tell my brothers I’m okay, would you?”

“So they don’t interrupt? Will do.”

Luc raised a hand in good-bye, but his mouth was otherwise occupied. He gladly let Kass have her way with him, and when she came up for air to tug at his shirt, he drank in the sight of her. “How is this possible? I saw you die.”

“I’ll tell you everything, but for now focus on the fact that I’m alive. I’m right here. Feel me?”

“Shit, do I ever.”

Kass tugged her honey blond hair from its braid and shook it loose to fall around her shoulders. Then she pulled off her shirt and unclasped her bra, letting it slide off. Luc sat up, making sure she stayed on his lap. Cupping her breasts, he thumbed the nipples until he was rewarded with taut peaks and an appreciative moan from his mate.

Lowering his face to the curve of her neck, he inhaled her wonderful scent. She was clean and pure, flowing with rich blood he’d soon taste. He grazed the delicate skin with his fangs, but he resisted the urge to bite.

“I want inside you,” he said. “Off with the rest.”

Standing, she quickly shimmied out of her jeans and panties while he did the same with his sweats. Then she sat again, and he almost went cross-eyed at the delicious friction of his erection rubbing her bottom.

“Make love to me,” she murmured, eyes heavy lidded.

“That’s what I’m doing, baby. Going to love you and never let you go.”

His loins ached; his cock throbbed. He needed her heat surrounding him, clasping him. Gently he urged her to rise up a bit, and placed his cock at her opening. Then he spanned his hands at her waist and brought her down, controlling the slide.

She sank to his base, and he hissed in pleasure. He loved it even more when she made this cute, needy sound in her throat, sort of like a whimper. Being able to wring sounds of need from his lover made him feel about ten feet tall. She was wrapped around him, clinging like a burr, as if she wanted to climb him, to crawl under his skin. And he’d let her.

Together they moved, Luc pumping his hips in slow, strong upward thrusts as Kass sank to meet him. Their rhythm increased some, but not too fast. They made passionate love on the forest floor, steadily rising on a swell to the precipice.

Just before they reached the edge, he tilted her chin up and nuzzled her neck. “Want to bond with you again. Need it.”

“Please,” she entreated. “Do it.”

Pressing his face to her neck, he sank his fangs deep. Rich
blood flowed over his tongue, detonating his senses. She cried out with her release, her slick walls pulsing around him as he exploded inside her. The golden bond between them spun out, connecting them again. They were two hearts, beating for each other. He drank, loving her flavor, and withdrew his fangs when finally he’d had enough.

“I’m not letting you go again. Ever,” he rasped, looking into her eyes. “Tell that to whoever thinks they’re going to take you from me, because they’ll be in for a fight they’ll regret.”

She smiled, two fat tears streaking down her cheeks. “That won’t happen. I’m here with you for good. If you’ll have me.”

“What—you mean, you can stay?” His pulse pounded. “How?”

“First I want to tell you how sorry I am for putting you through so much pain.” Her eyes clouded, and she looked away. “I saved you from the werewolf and then from going to Valhalla to serve Odin because I realized you were my mate. But I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to keep you when I’d broken the rules.”

“Odin was upset the day I went with you to see him.”

“More like gravely concerned. He’s fond of me, and he knew I wouldn’t have flouted the rules without a good reason. But by then, I’d already screwed up fate, and a new destiny had to be worked out.” She licked her lips. “Lachesis cut two new threads—one each for you and me. One was short and one longer, and I had to pick who received the short life thread.”

Luc felt his face pale. “You chose the short thread for yourself.”

“Yes.”

“But that would leave me without you, without a reason to
live!” He shook his head. “And had you not come back and stopped me, your sacrifice would’ve been for nothing. There’s no way I would’ve lived an eternity without you. Not even a day.”

“I know that now, but I was thinking only of sparing you an untimely death. I learned there’s no way to manipulate destiny.”

“Then you have to return?” he asked, his voice rising in panic.

“No! I was called before the gods, and Zeus heard my story. He chose my punishment for saving you that day.” She took a deep breath. “He decreed I am no longer a Valkyrie, and I’ve lost my powers.”

“Oh no. I’m so sorry.” He caressed her cheek. “Being my mate has caused you nothing but trouble.”

“Not true. Anyway, Zeus ruled that I could come here and stop you from harming yourself, but there was a catch. Once I left my realm, I could never return. So now I’m…human.”

“You’re what?” He stared at her in disbelief.

“I’m human.” She bit her lip. “Are you disappointed? I’m not the warrior you met, with immortality, a big sword, and gods to consort with. I’m just a woman and—”

“Enough. You’re
my
woman,” he said, kissing her soundly. “I can give you immortality and a big sword, and we do have a god or two living in our world. You’ll never be just a woman to me, Kassandra.”

Throwing herself against him, she hugged him close. He was content to hold her for the longest time, his softened cock still nestled against her. He’d never felt more a part of anyone in his life.

“Kassandra?”

“Hmm?”

“Would you marry me?”

“You mean have a ceremony of joining, like the humans do?”

“That’s right. Would you stand in front of my brothers and friends, and commit to me for as long as we live?”

Pulling back, she beamed at him, excitement lighting her face. “Of course I’ll marry you! Nothing would make me happier. Is that step one of my becoming a proper human?”

“Well, let’s not get
too
proper,” he drawled, winking at her. “I prefer more naughty over nice any day.”

“Ooh, I like the sound of that. Will you make me like you someday—a vampire?”

“Only if you really want me to. I’ll love you until you’re old and gray. But I have to let you know, the day you leave this world again—for good—I’m going with you.”

“Don’t worry, love. That’s not going to happen.”

“Good. I’m holding you to that.”

“Want to get naughty again, vampire?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

With a grin, he proved it, long into the evening.

Kassandra had never attended a wedding in Luc’s world, and she never would have believed that her first would be her own.

Or that it would be the most wonderful, offbeat event with the most interesting guests she’d ever seen assembled in one place.

Kass stood out of sight, hiding behind the rose trellis until the music started and it was time to march down the aisle. The guests chatted and laughed quietly as they waited, a curious mix of humans and other beings such as shifters, Fae, demons, and more vampires. Some were colorfully dressed as befitted their wilder nature, some were more stylish and classy, some plain and
trying to hide. All were friends of the Fontaines, and she was happy that her mate and his family were so well liked.

The music started, and she took Odin’s arm. Despite his protests, she knew he was rather pleased that she’d asked him to give her away. He took her through the gardens and down the aisle—and her breath caught at the sight of her mate, soon to be her husband.

The spring breeze ruffled his blond hair, and his blue eyes were alight with happiness. His tailored gray suit was cut to fit him perfectly, emphasizing his trim, lean build. She couldn’t wait to get him out of his impeccable clothes later, and the hunger on his handsome face said he felt the same about her simple cream dress.