Poisonous Pleasure (12 page)

“If you gentlemen will excuse me. I have some shopping to do.”

The red silk gown Dominic insisted she wear spun around her body while she flew out of the room. The tattoos appeared, and with them, her human appearance vanished. More than ever, she could feel her collector. It called to her, comforted her at the joy to be back.

She focused on the name. Samael. Her body reacted defensively, yet there was something there that felt overpowering. Love? Surely not, but she might be able to use it to her advantage. If she truly knew this demon master somewhere from her past, she hoped she’d remember more when seeing him.

What would he look like anyway? Would he be a vision directly from books, a red-eyed, vicious looking creature, or would he be dressed in a dark robe like she imagined most masters would wear to hide their appearance?

Marcella jumped in Dominic’s car and headed down the dark deserted road. Turning onto the highway, she tried to think of a place where no one would be, and they could have a private conversation without someone seeing them. Only one place came to mind. The Harbor. Sure, some boaters might be loading or unloading at the ramps, but she’d summon him on the pier away from everyone.

The town of Aransas Pass wasn’t very big, but nevertheless it took a good ten minutes to get from one side to the other without getting a ticket. Thirty miles an hour wasn’t nearly fast enough for the adrenaline pumping through Marcella’s body. But she wasn’t sure she could give the cops an illusion as pumped up as she was.
God, goddess, whoever resides up there, please don’t let me be cast to hell tonight. All I want is to keep Dominic safe.

Water appeared through the headlights while the Maserati winded around the hill. Shrimp boats aligned the walls and she couldn’t help but think of the times she’d been out here with her own family.

Pulling into the parking lot, Marcella screamed as a phone began ringing. Looking down to the passenger seat she saw her cell. Where it had come from? She had no doubt Dom was behind it. “Fuck, please don’t let them know something is wrong.” She picked up the phone and tried to calm her nerves. “Hello.”

“Hey, love, Jason’s throwing a fit. He says it’s not fair for you to buy a gift for one without buying for the other. I told him it’s because I’m sexier than he is, but I don’t think he believes me.”

Marcella laughed. “Tell him his gift is already at the house, but he doesn’t get it until I come home.”

An old memory pushed into her mind and she thought of the watch he mentioned before her change. She materialized it in a box with a bow, imagining it under their bed. If she would have planned better, everything would have been prepared.

“I’ll tell him. Are you okay? You sound…different.”

“Fine, really. I’ll see you soon.”

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you, too. More than you’ll ever know.” Marcella quickly hung up the phone and pulled the car to the far side of the harbor. Not a vehicle or a person was in sight. She quickly got out and walked to the end of the small, square pier. The heavy smell of salt water reminded her so much of when she used to stand on her deck back home. Now, she fought to save the only home remaining in her life.

Blocking out the fear and hurt, she focused on what Dominic had taught her in their countless lessons. Minutes of silence went by while she pulled at the connection. “Samael, come to me. Feel my call and show yourself.”

The wind began to pick up, whipping long strands of hair across her face. The sound of thunder shook the wooden boards beneath her feet as lightning began to strike the water not ten feet from where she stood. The red silk gown clung to the front of her body while air pushed her back against the railing.

“Samael, I know you can hear me. I command you to show yourself!”

A mist began to form at the far end of the pier. She could feel her heart rate accelerate. The foggy presence slowly began to take shape, easing toward her. “You better have a good reason for awakening me from my sleep.” The voice growled as it made its way closer to her.

Glowing red eyes broke through while the features of a man began to form. The clearer the face became the more calmness settled over her. At least he wasn’t a creature. A man she could deal with.

“I have a very important reason for awakening you. Take a good look at
who
wakes you from your slumber.”

The figure suddenly appeared inches from her body, taking her breath away. She
did
know him! She just couldn’t place from where. God, he was beautiful. Heartbreakingly so.

Bits of information leaked through as he came closer to her. Long dark hair reached his broad shoulders and he looked no older than Dominic, twenty-five at the most. The red of his eyes turned to a startling blue while they narrowed in her direction.

“So it is you. Never, did I think I would see the day when our paths would cross again, collector.” The look on his face almost seemed amused. It made her jumpy as hell.

“I see you didn’t remain on the good side. You’re angel has been corrupted by darkness, Samael. I’m disappointed. So tell me, how’s life treating you?”

The words she spoke came from nowhere. Marcella only wished she could truly remember him. Somewhere buried in her subconscious, she obviously did.

Full lips parted as the amusement quickly melted from his face. “I couldn’t be better now that I have you back. We were a great team, you and I. Weren’t we?” Something in his words felt off making Marcy know she needed to proceed with caution.

Searching her mind, she wasn’t sure what to say. When no words came, she decided to change the subject. “I didn’t come to talk about our past. I’ve come to help out a demon you’re in charge of. Dominic.”

“Dominic? I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

“Ipos, that’s his demon name. He’s one of your servants.”

Samael’s laugh caressed her body, making her want to walk closer to him. It wasn’t until she almost took a step that she physically felt her skin prickle with his emotions. Something about what she had said evidently hit a nerve with him. By the way he bit his lip and turned toward the water, he momentarily looked hurt, and that was the exact emotion that squeezed her heart.

“Ipos is not a servant. He is a prince of the underworld.” Samael turned back to her. “Has he neglected to tell you? It’s a shame you were killed before you had the chance to watch him fight his way to the top. Great demon, really. Hell of a motivator.”

Marcella’s face shook back and forth from confusion. “Prince? You mean he doesn’t deliver souls to you?”

“Souls, yes. That’s his job here on earth. I, like you, am a sort of collector. What about my souls? Is he ready to hand them over?”

“What happens if he’s not?”

A smile lit Samael’s face. “Then I bring him back to face the consequences. What happens to him after that is up to more people than just me.”

“What if you and I make a pact, like old times? I’ll deliver you souls, truly bad ones and you can decide what to do with them. Dominic…Ipos, I want him left alone. He stays with me.”

“Like old times…Oh, yes, just
like
old times.”

Marcella instantly was pulled into Samael’s chest. Just the touch of his hands on her bare arms made her body almost go into immediate orgasm. Flashes projected across her mind nearly causing her legs to collapse. The lights surrounding the pier began to flicker at the panic she felt.

“You and I are connected somehow,” Marcella whispered. “We share a past, but…” Pictures flipped through her too fast to comprehend. But she could see him, no them, together, a lot. The way they looked at each other. What was that look? Her mind wanted to scream from not being able to understand what their connection could be.

“You wanted me?”

“So, you’re starting to remember. Things could have been so different between us. All you had to do was submit to me, let me pleasure you the way you were meant to be. No one will ever be able to make you feel the way I can. You know that, don’t you? ”

“No, there’s more. A part of you is lying. You want me, but something else more important is trying to come. You’re not what you seem. There’s so much more.”

“Let her go, Samael!”

Dominic and Jason rushed up the pier. A laugh came from the dark angel holding her in his arms. “Ipos, would you like to explain why you’re harboring a collector? The trouble you could get into for this is equivalent to treason.”

“Just let her go and I’ll do whatever you want.”

“I want my souls. Where are they?”

“They’re gone. I couldn’t get them. But if you give me another list, I’ll have them in half the time. You have my word.”

“They’re gone, yet you didn’t get them? That doesn’t add up, prince.”

Marcella jerked against his arm feeling the pleasure ignite all over again. “I have them, and couldn’t give them back. Please,
I’ll
get you more. Just leave Dominic alone.”

“My beautiful collector. What I wouldn’t do to have you sacrifice your eternal days for me. But I will have those souls, and you’re going to give them to me.”

Full lips crushed into hers while his hand pulled her body closer. Air left her lungs while burning replaced the warm cozy feeling of her souls. Only one stayed as the others were sucked from her body in agonizing pain. It felt as if they physically grabbed and pulled at her insides, not wanting to leave.

Tears poured from her eyes and a weak scream came from her mouth. Hollowness settled in the pit of her core when he dropped her to the ground.

“Since I’m missing two souls, you’re job just got harder, Ipos. You have a month’s time to get me five more souls plus a supernatural soul. It’s not like they need them anyway. They live just as long as we do.” His gaze narrowed at Jason causing her a moment of panic. Dominic’s voice distracted him.

“That’s impossible! I can’t take souls from supernaturals. You know that.”

A laugh came from above her and she looked up at Samael. “She’s part of you now. If she can get it, I’ll collect it from her. If not, find a way.” The smile grew bigger as he looked off into the distance. “I know just the one I want, too. He goes by the name Ambrose, a vampire of the vilest sorts. Have his soul ready for me to collect in a month’s time. Pleasure doing business with you, Marcella, Ipos.”

The dark angel kneeled before her, placing his hands on her cheeks. The deep blue of his eyes penetrated into hers. “It really is good to see you again.” The softness of his lips pressed against hers gently. Samael disappeared just as something tugged at her memory.

The taste of blood coating the insides of her mouth, pulled her back to reality. Damn, having the souls removed forcefully had really hurt, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything. Dominic was still here and at the moment that’s all she cared about.

* * * *

“You have Ambrose’s soul!” Gwendolyn flew off the bed. Marcella held her hand up, placing an invisible barrier between the two of them.

“Do you want to listen to the rest of the story or not?”

“Do you have his soul? Answer the question.”

“No, you don’t have his soul?”

Marcella rolled her eyes and looked up into the light green depths of Gwen’s. “No, I’m not answering your question. Now sit back down. You do realize your lover’s soul isn’t the only one you should be worried about, don’t you?”

Gwendolyn immediately stepped back. “I knew you were trouble the moment I saw you. Now finish the damn story before I
really
lose my temper. If you think this wall will keep me away from you, think again.” The vampire sat back on the bed.

“That’s better.” Marcella tried to calm her growing anger, and focused back on the pier, leaving the wall between them just in case her guard fell for the slightest moment.

Chapter 8

“What in the hell were you thinking? He could have taken you back and had you killed! I told you I would handle it.” Dominic lowered his voice and continued, “Marcella, do you know what you’ve done? You’ll forever be at his mercy. He owns you now. If he finds one thing he doesn’t like, he can turn you over to the one man who can kill you.”

She jumped to her feet and faced both Jason and him. “If that’s the price I pay, so be it. Can’t you see I refuse to lose either of you? I think I’ve lost enough. Plus, I don’t know… something is off about him. I don’t know what it is.”

Dominic shook his head. “Yeah, you’re telling me. I’ve never seen him act so…caring.” He shook his head, the anger coming back to his face. “Regardless, this mess could have been prevented if you would have let me try to convince him to give me another chance to begin with.”

“No, you just assume that he wouldn’t have taken you because you trust him. You forget I can feel your emotions.” Marcella took a step closer to her men. “Listen, I somehow know Samael. I have a feeling he plays both sides, good and evil. I’m just not sure which dominates him. The fact that he and I share some kind of link scares me. I don’t know what it means and it confused the fuck out of me.”

The sound of her stiletto clicked against the wooden board as she took another step forward. “I want you safe. Don’t underestimate him, Dominic, AKA Ipos,
prince
of the Hell. This time I play things by the book and keep what belongs to me, and that’s you and Jason. You’re both are all I have. Until I know more about Samael, I’m not taking any chances.”

Marcella vanished, appearing in their house. Let Jason and Dominic manifest the car back to the house. She waved her hand toward the coffee table placing a small, white box wrapped with red ribbon there for Dom to find. Inside held a gold ring with odd looking symbol covered in diamonds. Marcella wasn’t sure what made her think of it, but something about the significance pulled at her heart. The thought of what his gift would be came natural. As the meaning taunted her memory, she pushed it away, still thinking about Samael. The fact that she couldn’t remember only made the aggravation worse.

The dress disappeared leaving behind red lace panties, bra, stockings, and heels covering her. Walking to the mirror, she stared at herself. The reflection that looked back caused her stomach to twist. Everything about what she was doing made her feel ill. Changing the way she looked wouldn’t make a difference to what was going on in her life, but it’d make her feel better at the moment.