Soul Enslaved (Sons of Wrath Book 3) (31 page)

Wow. Like hotel room service. Not that she’d ever been in a hotel. The last time she’d stayed with the demons, Anna had been kind enough to make a delicious breakfast for them, but they hadn’t stayed long enough to really enjoy the amenities.

Once left alone, Sabelle set down her purse and headed down the hall to the next room, where she found the children giggling and screaming as they jumped on the bed. “Thomas! Janie! Stop!”

Both children fell to the bed with a thump and bowed their heads as if ashamed they’d been caught.

“We are guests at Gavin’s house. Please respect it.”

“We … we’re sorry, Mommy. The bed is just so f-f-fluffy!”

Smiling, Sabelle ran across the room and jumped between them, landing back on the soft mattress. She pulled her twins into her. “Like laying on a cloud!”

The children laughed and snuggled against her. “Mommy?” Janie looked up at her. “Can we live here?”

The sting in Sabelle’s heart nearly stole her breath. Exactly what she feared. If they got too excited, she’d be letting them down. “No, baby. We’re just here for a short while.” Sabelle kissed each of their foreheads and stared up at Apollo looking down on them. “Someday, we’re going to live in a nice home. It’ll have flower baskets and bright green grass to roll in. We’ll have a porch with a rocking chair and a swing. And each of you will have your own room.” Sabelle stroked their soft spongy hair. “For now, as long as we’re together, no matter where we are, that’s all that matters.”

***

Gavin knocked once before entering Zeke’s room. A curtain of sterile smells hit his nose—much more intense than in the foyer. Like someone had recently scrubbed using a whole bottle of potent bleach.

Zeke’s raspy breaths told Gavin he still struggled to heal after his chest had been cracked open and used for sadistic sensory play by the Enforcer who’d captured him. Most Wraths healed quickly from wounds, so the snail’s pace at which Zeke’s mended gave some insight into how serious they’d been, and worse, how close he’d come to death.

At Gavin’s approach, Zeke’s head lolled to the side and the smallest crack of a smile lifted the corner of his mouth. His eyes hadn’t fully repaired themselves, and one remained milky white like he’d rolled an eyeball back in his head, while the other had begun to resemble his bright blue irises from before.

“Anna … must’ve scored some … choice fuckin’ Abyzz.” He wheezed a laugh, and the pursuing cough turned Gavin’s stomach. “‘Cause your ass is … supposed to be … getting spanked by some … burly bastard in Obsidius.”

“C’mon, Brother, you of all people should know. Enforcers don’t spank. They bitch-slap.”

“Yeah.” A bark of laughter beat from Zeke’s chest. “Always lookin’ for a goddamn …
cuddle
afterward, too.” He gave a nod. “Who’d you … have to blow … to get out?”

“Your boyfriend.” Gavin twisted the chair set beside his bed, straddling the back of it. “How are you?”

“Thought I was … better than you, til’ you came … all strollin’ in … healthy like … you been getting your daily dose of … tits and ass.”

“Glad to see your near death experience hasn’t changed you much.”

“Heh. Not even death … can stop this cock.”

“Ain’t that the truth.”

“Where you been?”

“Staying with Sabelle.”

“Succubus Sabelle?” Zeke’s head came up off the pillow before falling back. “
Sever … your-dick-with … a-machete Sabelle
?”

Gavin studied his hands as he rubbed them together in his lap. “She’s been full of surprises. I’m enjoying my time with her, believe it or not.”

“I don’t.” His good eyeball narrowed. “Wait.” That signature smartass grin of Zeke’s slowly spread across his face. “You’re … going through your … Savidon. Aren’t you?” He shifted as if wanting to sit, but flinched and stilled again. “You’re fucking her.”

“No. I haven’t.”

“You want to … I can … see it, Brother. I picked up … on your bond scent.”

Gavin snapped straight in the chair. “The fuck you did.”

“Like a bitch … in heat.” Zeke laughed, his hand fisting against his stomach. “She’s … hot. Smokin’ hot.”

“Yeah.” Gavin blew out a breath, mentally batting away the visuals of Sabelle’s fingers pumping in and out of her perfect pussy as she’d climaxed. “She’s not what I expected.”

“You’re digging … this bondage shit. Aren’t you? Been … hanging around … Xander too much.” He sniffed. “You plan to … bond with her?”

Strange how the question carried a dismal air. Just weeks ago, Gavin had sworn off women—had vowed to stay away from redheads for sure. Yet, one particular redhead seemed to be smashing through all his defenses. “No. Even if I wanted to, I can’t. Once this slave gig is up, I get shipped back to Obsidius. Bonded, or not.”

“Your Savidon … isn’t making you … wanna fuck like rabbits? Thought it … turned you stupid for … pussy … all … cuddly like a rabid … boar.”

“Just about.” Gavin shook his head. “I’m cursed. Jessica, the woman who sent me to Obsidius, placed a curse on me. Every night I turn into some raving fucking lunatic for sex. Demonic and beastly, in every sense.”

“And so … what was … the curse?”

“You’re full of it.” Gavin smiled, shaking his head. “Sabelle, she somehow
calms
it. Keeps it away.”

“So bond … with her.”

“Neither one of us is in a position to bond with each other. I’m not keen on bonding for the sake of saving my ass. And she’ll lose custody of her sister.”

Zeke’s eye widened. “Sister?”

“You’d have an easier time fighting off two Enforcers than fighting Sabelle to date her sister.” Gavin rubbed a hand along his cheek, down to his chin. “She’s fiercely protective.”

“You like her?” Zeke’s voice had turned serious. “Sabelle?”

“I do.” Gavin tightened his lips at the confession. “She’s an amazing woman.” He shook his head, waving a dismissal of the conversation. “Enough about that. How are you?”

“Same shit … different day. C’mon … I wanna hear about … you and the hot succubus. What makes her … different from the … others?”

“Lots of things, I suppose. Thing that nags me most, though? I want her.”

Zeke cleared his throat. “Then, you know … what you gotta do.”

“I smell bullshit ready to fire.”

“Give her … the most mind-blowing, toe-curling … orgasm she’s ever had … so that she … keeps you enslaved.” He chuckled. “Keeps wanting more … of the good shit. No bonding … just fucking. Perfect … marriage.”

“Sounds like a good plan. Only problem is, if I don’t bond before my Savidon is up, Jessica gets my soul.”

“Ain’t that some shit?” Zeke managed a shake of his head. “What do you plan to do?”

“Whatever I have to, to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

***

The plate in front of Sabelle looked like it belonged framed on some food enthusiast’s wall. Red and orange against the stark white rice. The greens and purples of the salad against the yellow lemon and white asparagus. She’d never seen white asparagus in her life.

“I-I-I don’t w-w-want to eat it,” Thomas moaned beside her.

“Thomas,” she whispered, her voice carrying the warning inside her head. “Don’t be rude. It’s good for you. Makes you strong.”

“W … w… will I be like uncle Gavin, if I eat it?”

Uncle Gavin?
When the hell did he start calling him that?

“Oh, yes!” Anna set down glasses of chocolate milk in front of the children. “Master Gavin eats his vegetables right up!” She leaned forward. “And asparagus happens to be his favorite.” A wink probably sold the deal. “You eat that, you’ll be just as strong.”

“And I will be beautiful like Mommy, right, Anna?” Janie poked at the stalks with an uncertain scowl on her face.

“Oh, you’ll be gorgeous, just like your mother, dear! It does wonders for the skin.”

Sabelle buried her red cheeks into the glass of lemon water she raised to her mouth. “Thank you, Anna. For everything. This meal is delicious.”

“My pleasure,” Anna answered, cutting Janie’s asparagus into bite-sized pieces. “Anything else I can get you, dear?”

“No. No, we’re good.”

“Splendid!” She wiped her hands on her apron. “Now, you enjoy your meal. Fill those tummies! I’ll return to check on you.”

“Oh, that won’t be necessary, Anna. We’re all set.” Sabelle bit into the salmon, making a conscious effort not to break out into orgasmic appreciation at the delicious flavor filling her mouth. Damn, the woman could cook.

“Nonsense, love.” Anna puttered through the swinging door.

The three of them ate without chatter, Thomas and Janie devouring every morsel on their plates.

After about a half hour, Anna returned with a tray and began piling empty plates. Sabelle added her own to the tray and gathered the silverware and empty glasses.

“I’ll take those, dear.”

“It’s okay Anna. I’ll help you. The tray is going to be heavy, if you carry everything.”

“Truly, I can handle it.”

Sabelle’s shoulders slumped. “Please, Anna. None of this feels right to me. I don’t mean to trouble you, but I simply can’t let you wait on us
and
clean up after us.”

Giving a short nod, Anna took a step back and smiled. “In that case, follow me, Miss.”

***

As Sabelle set out small piles of her clothes across Gavin’s mattress, the man himself entered the room.

Hands behind his back as he approached the bed, he smiled, his gaze roved the stacks, lingering longer on her panty pile. “Settling in?”

“I’m sorry, I’ll have this mess put away. Just trying to organize it. We packed quickly, so I’m not sure I have complete outfits here.” Where Sabelle felt like she’d had some authority in her own home, being in Gavin’s, particularly his room, made the man seem even more powerful.

“Take your time. I want to make sure you’re comfortable here.”

Gracious, too.
Jeez
, it kinda made her feel bad for being a horrible host in her own house. Then again, the only charm she possessed was in the form of a fake gold knockoff that’d been given to her as a Mother’s Day present a couple years back. Kindness didn’t come naturally, the way Gavin so easily wore it. Like the man could stab and leave you bleeding to death, but a simple wink would have you forgiving him for the act.

“When you’re finished, I’d like you to accompany me,” he said. “Anna has offered to watch the children, if you’re okay with that.”

“I’m not as concerned as the last time we stayed. As long as Gambis demons aren’t as crafty at stealing children as they are wallets.”

Gavin chuckled. “Anna wouldn’t dream of it. But to offer piece of mind about the wallets, I’ve hexed the house, so she can’t steal, even if she wanted to.”

“Do I need to run it by her first?” Sabelle lifted piles of clothes into her arms and crossed over to the armoire, where Anna had cleared some room in a drawer.

“I took the liberty of asking, pending your comfort and approval, of course. She’s quite excited. I left her filling her arms with board games and dominoes to play.”

“Wow. Aside from Denya, I can’t say I’ve come across anyone enthusiastic about watching my kids. Of course, I don’t leave them with anyone besides Denya, so there’s that.”

“Anna was a nanny back in her early days.” Gavin smoothed his hand over the bedspread—perhaps a mindless gesture, but it certainly brought his hands to the forefront of Sabelle’s thoughts. “She cared for royalty. Considering the manner in which she dotes on all of us here, I suspect your children will tire of her first.”

Smiling, Sabelle placed the last of her clothes in the drawer of the armoire. “Okay, finished.”

Gavin stared down at her, as she pushed the drawer closed. “I like sharing my space with you, Sabelle. You have a way of … not imposing yet still remaining quite present.” His brow furrowed. “Sometimes, you can be surrounded by so many and still feel completely alone.”

With a plastered grin, she pushed to a stand, placing her hands on her hips. “And here I thought we had an understanding. You annoy me, I annoy you. Your comment is threatening our arrangement.”

His cheeks dimpled again. “Don’t worry, you still annoy me on the rare occasions that I don’t find you amusing.”

Sabelle threw her head back in laughter. “I’m good for a little entertainment now and again, I suppose.” She pointed a finger. “Just don’t get me drunk.”

The corner of his lip lifted into his famously adorable smirk. “I did once. I thought the evening ended rather well.”

His reference to a couple nights prior, when they’d fought over meatballs, brought a smile to her face. “Oh, I’m not complaining. I’m just warning that I cannot be responsible for my actions—particularly when I don’t remember half of them.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Now, where am I to accompany you today?”

“Straight into a lycan’s lair.”

CHAPTER 13

Sabelle sat in the passenger seat of Gavin’s Mercedes, watching buildings fly past her window in streaks of gray and black. “Where the hell are we going?”

“Scouting.”

“Scouting?”

“You don’t do this undercover stuff often, do you?” He turned his attention back toward the road. “You always scout. Gotta know what the hell you’re getting into.”

“You know where the church is?”

“Yeah.” He glanced over. “Not the greatest spot in Detroit.”

“Not going to scare me, either.” Of course, he’d make it the golden opportunity to talk her out of the mission—she should’ve seen it coming.

Gavin came to a stop a block away from the abandoned church and threw the car into park. “Had a feeling it wouldn’t.”

A homeless man, decked out in tattered rags, hobbled down the sidewalk, but paused when he reached the front of a church, head cocked, as if he’d heard something. He took a step forward then backed up, before pivoting back onto the path he’d been following, ambling quickly away from the church.

“Probably heard something.” Gavin leaned in, resting an elbow on the console. His stare damn near burned holes in the side of Sabelle’s face, as she watched him out of her periphery. “Looks spooked.”

“Why are you doing this?”

He twisted forward again, his hand balling into a fist. “I was paid a visit the other day. By a lycan. The rival lycan to the one you’re about to seduce. Sabelle, you’re not the only one looking for this Black Book. And from what I understand, this Lachlan makes every other street lycan look like cute a pet.”