CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
“What the fuck do you mean she’s not here? You bring us all the way up here, Richard, for what? I could have fuckin’ stayed in bed, you bastard.” The disgruntled tone was finished with a belch and the sound of a crushing beer can.
“Shut your mouth, Ian. She can’t have gone far—the damn Jeep is still here. I swear if that little bitch has taken my daughter away I am going to hunt her down. That kid is a fucking cash-cow. Healing! Can you believe it? A real-life goddamn healer! I am going to be the richest sonofabitch alive!” Richard looked around the large driveway, his eyes landing on the snowmobile trail.
“What the hell you talkin’ about, Rich?” Ian virtually stumbled out of the truck’s cab, nearly hitting his balding head on his trip down to the frozen ground.
“Hey, Dick! You think your ex will mind if I use the head?” asked his other passenger.
“Fuck, James, I don’t give a shit! Hurry up. They must have headed up to the hunting cabin. And don’t call me Dick, you asshole.” Richard leaned back against the truck, crossing his arms over his chest. This was turning into a nightmare. He knew he should have come up here during the night, but convincing his so-called “best buddies” from high school to come here and back him up had been a lot tougher than he expected.
It looked like his old school-fuck had made quite a little home for herself since he had left for college. Not only did the town think she walked on fucking water, but they adored that damn kid. The idea that he had put his dick in that freak nearly turned his stomach. But she had been a good lay, freak or not—nice and tight. Pressing his hand to his groin, he couldn’t help but remember her pert little breasts swinging back and forth as he took her from behind. She was still hot as shit as well; time seemed to have stopped for Layla Thorne. Groaning, he banged his head against the cab of the truck, his old mate Ian stumbling to his feet.
“Dude, we out of beer or what?”
Richard scowled. Ian was a fucking pathetic, alcoholic loser. He had married the prom queen, knocked her up, and popped out a couple brats. Now look at him. Impotent and jobless. Of course, offering him five hundred bucks to come up here would give him a hard-on and make him salivate.
“I’m sure there is some in the house. Layla is shacked up with some fuckin’ biker dude.” Yeah, that big-ass bastard, damn freak as well. He had no doubt he could convince CPS that the pervert was abusing his daughter. He was well respected in Denver, had the ear of all the right people. If he said the tattooed brute was touching his kid, then he could make it so. All he had to do was get Annbeth, or Annie-whatever away from them. He could learn her name later, what did it matter?
Ian stumbled off toward the house, tripping on the stairs as he went. Richard rolled his eyes and followed behind, entering the cabin. He breathed in the scent of baking and wood smoke, below that the subtle scent of Layla. He went hard again, then cursed and curled his lip. The fact he still wanted to screw the bitch didn’t sit too well with him. But he was a man, and she was just a pussy he was familiar with.
Hearing James up the stairs he joined him, remembering the house pretty well. He hated to acknowledge he had some good memories here. The twins’ mother had been a real fuckin’ looker. Damn, he had jacked off more times than he could count thinking about her tits in his time as a teen. Not to mention Lexi. Yeah, Lexi Thorne, cold-hearted little bitch she was—every boy in school wanted a piece of her ass. He stopped at Lexi’s door and leaned against it, watching James rifle through Lexi’s drawers.
“Dude, what the fuck you doin’?” Richard frowned. James, the one-time captain of the basketball team, was pocketing pairs of Lexi Thorne’s panties.
“Bro, are you kiddin’ me? I’m in Valhalla! This place is like the Holy fucking Grail! Do you have any idea how many times I tried to get in her pants? Frigid bitch, you know she broke my nose at prom?” Richard shook his head as James picked up a pair and raised them to his nose.
“Sick man, there are just some lines. Besides, you tried sticking your hand up her dress. You deserved it. Lexi was a prize to be won; you were just not man enough for her.”
James scowled at him. “Fuck you say?”
“You heard me. I got in this house, and had her sister on her back screaming my name with my cock in her pussy with no more than a smile and a wink. If the stupid little bitch hadn’t gotten knocked up I could have had Lexi on her knees sucking me off as well. It would have been easy.” Oh, that had been an ongoing fantasy, even after he left. Hell, even now. Fuck, might as well admit it; those two blond twins were always in his fantasies, the pair of them together, him fucking them both. Of course he could buy women now—had many times—but he always regretted never having them both at his feet.
“Sonofabitch!” James tried to go at Richard. But with six years of beer, fast food, and a pack-a-day habit, all it took was a fist to the gut and the man was on the floor coughing up a lung.
“Stay down, James. Best place for you, at my feet.” Richard turned with a cruel smile on his lips. He had always been better than this place, than these people. Getting Layla pregnant had not been in his plans, not at all. She had been a fun fuck during high school. And obviously he had hoped to get between her sister’s legs as well and thaw out that sweet pussy. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Once he found out little Layla had a fuckin’ bun in the proverbial oven, he accepted the scholarship in Denver and ran for the hills.
Karma was a bitch, one that bent him over and fucked him in the ass with no lube. When he blew out his shoulder and blew his chances at a free ride in college, it took all his parents’ influence to get him a secure job. Now look at him, two steps from partner of the realty company his father had taken over four years ago. He could have any bitch he wanted, so why the fuck was he in this house, hard as steel, thinking about his old girlfriend?
He stopped by the door to his ex’s bedroom and pushed it open. She hadn’t changed the room much since they were nineteen. Walking in he moved to the bed and sat down. He reached out for her night shirt and picked it up, bringing it to his nose. Yeah, now who was the pervert? Fuck it. He was hard and needed to get his rocks off or he was going to drive himself nuts. This whole sneaking into her house thing was turning him on more than he thought possible. He could touch anything he wanted, and she would never know he had been here.
His cock jumped behind his zipper. Fuck yeah, she would never know. He palmed his groin, remembering that innocent face of hers the night he took her. He had never been so freaking noble in his life. What a crock of shit—spouting some crap about being a virgin, fuck had he been! He had lost his V to the high school slut queen, Melissa Saint, four years before. She had ridden him good and long, opened him up to a whole new world of experiences. Until, of course, he hit his growth spurt and he took control. He fucked her ass so hard he left Melissa bleeding in the gym and begging him for more.
Richard squeezed his cock hard in his pants and groaned, catching his breath. Layla had been different—the innocent, perfect little school girl. He, of course, was the handsome quarterback. All it took was sweet words of love, a few touches, and letting Little Miss Innocent ride the wave of orgasm—thanks to his mouth—and she was all his. Of course, he didn’t want slow or sweet, and he hadn’t given it to her either. Even though she whimpered at the pain, he fucked her through her first time. Apologizing like the perfect innocent “virgin” he was, she forgave him. Loving, stupid girl.
His hand moved to his fly, unzipping and releasing his cock. Nightshirt in hand, he leaned back, a sick smile on his face. She got used to his rough handling pretty quickly, didn’t even question when he asked to come over more and more. Why? Because he wanted to watch Lexi, he wanted to see them together. He groaned. His mind started playing over his usual fantasy, Lexi and innocent Layla knelt before him their mouths fused together, their fingers dipping between each other’s legs. He hissed, rubbing his cock faster, his hips arching up as he squeezed his cock to the point of pain. The scent of his ex in this room just made it so much fucking better!
This was beyond anything he had imagined before—being here in this house, it felt more real. Fuck! Lexi was sucking him now, her mouth hot and almost angry around his dick. Layla knelt over his face, parting her glistening lips so he could see her fingers running along her wet slit. Richard hung his head back, he was so close to spilling, his balls drawing tight, fire racing up his spine. Fuck, yes, Lexi, suck me, you dirty whore! Suck me hard! Layla, ride my face, bitch!
With a grunted, he came, spilling hard into the night shirt with a low groan. “Fuck, Layla, fuck me.” He lay back on the bed, a twisted grin on his lips. Maybe he would keep Layla. If he had the kid she would have to come to him. Then he could have her again. He continued to stroke his now flaccid cock until he was spent. Sniffing, he sat up and cleaned himself off, dropping the nightshirt on the floor. Richard tucked himself away, adjusted his pants, and stood looking around the room before exiting. Yeah, he was going to fuck her again if it was the last thing he did.
“What the hell is going on in there?” Lexi hissed low, her grip on Deus’ arm like death. He turned his eyes to her and cleared his throat. Sometimes being the Sin of Lust sucked. Having just had a front seat download of one very fucked-up human’s sexual fantasy in his brain, he really didn’t want to see that shit ever again. Watching the house from this distance had been the best course of action. The moment they saw that car in the driveway he knew he had been correct in keeping Lexi away. By the gods, he didn’t want to think about what would have happened had they disturbed the Sickos now rummaging around in her home.
“Deus, answer me.” Her tense voice brought his head around.
“Nothing. I mean there is something going on. Just not something you need to know about. Trust me.” Deus pushed himself off the forest floor and walked back to the car. There was something very dark and very, very angry writhing in his soul right now. He had never felt anything like it before. The only thought his mind could focus on was ripping that man into small pieces, small enough so he would live through every bit he cut from his body. Deus wanted to rage—he never raged, not ever. Gritting his teeth, he couldn’t get that sick vision out his brain. Even sicker was the mortal who had conjured it. The bastard wanted that fantasy so badly he was willing to take it by force, if need be.
“Deus?” The soft voice from behind him snapped him from the rage like a twig, and he turned around, scraping his hand through his hair. He gave her his best lazy smile. Yeah, she didn’t buy it.
“Sorry, Lexi. Just, it’s nothing. I take it you know these men?” Calm, Asmodeus, breathe, calm.
He watched her lick her lips. His eyes focused on it, his gut tightened. Dammit, fuck, dammit! He was no better than that sick pervert down in the house! He couldn’t get that vision out of his head, but now it was his vision—Lexi on her hands and knees over him, her mouth sliding down his… stop! Turning around quickly, he kept his back to her.
She started to speak, clearly hesitant. “Er, yeah. James Mason, the first one who went in the house. He was the prick who tried to feel me up at prom. I broke his noise, pervert…” Dead man number one. He listened as she spoke. “The drunk one is Ian Ford, pathetic loser, but always left Layla and me alone…” He gets to live. “That piece of walking shit in a suit, Richard Ashton. That’s the bastard who got my sister pregnant and ran out on her. Such a scumbag, he tried getting me into bed while he was with Layla. He always gave me the creeps.” He dies slowly, very slowly, I will gut him.
“Deus, sure everything is okay?” Breathe in, breathe out. Okay, not working. Her scent is too strong, oh god, she smells so good. He felt like she was some kind of siren, and he was a sailor destined for destruction at her command. He could do this, he did not let his Sin rule him any longer. He closed his eyes, calling on those years of calm, collected ambivalence that had helped him get through so many centuries of endless craving and gut-wrenching need to fuck and claim. A white wash of cool flooded his mind, like white noise drowning out the pounding demand of his Sin to pin Lexi to the car and follow through on the images in his head. Turning around, he finally met her eyes and nodded, keeping his mind locked firmly in that void of empty nothingness.
“Yes, I’m fine. Why are they here? I am assuming they are not welcome?” He watched as she frowned at him. Clearly, she noticed the change in his demeanor. He was no longer that joking, smiling demon. His face was blank, his eyes devoid of emotion, more like a plank of wood than a man.
Lexi had no clue what the hell had just happened, but it freaked her out. Who was this man, and what the fuck was going on with him? He must have multiple personality disorder or something, because the one staring at her now with dead eyes was not the one who joked around with her this morning, trying to drive her to distraction. Hell, he was not even the one who, a second ago, looked at her like a starving beast—the look that sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach and made her body clench in very deep places.
Fine, if he wanted to ignore that annoying flutter between them, so could she. Turning back to the tree line that hid them, she watched as Richard exited the house. Her lip curled in disgust. Deus moved to her shoulder and Lexi staunchly ignored his presence, even if her whole body heated up while he stood close.
“No, they are not welcome. None of them. If they’re here it means Layla’s not. If Richard has returned after all this time, I have no doubt it is because he saw the video online, the same one you and your brothers saw. So, if he is here, it means he is here for Annabelle. That I will not allow. No one hurts my family, least of all that piece of shit pretending to be human.” Lexi turned and headed back to the car. She hoped the demon at least carried a gun, or something she could use as a weapon.
“Lexi, what are you doing?” There was that dead voice again. She didn’t like it.
“I’m going down there, and I am going to do what I swore to do to his perfect face if I ever saw him again… find something to break his knee caps with.” Resolute in her decision she headed off down the hill toward where Richard lit a cigarette and leaned against the beat-up Chevy truck in her driveway.
“Lexi, I am not sure that is a good idea.” Turning to face him, she looked him over. His purple eyes were flat. His face devoid of emotion, even his voice plain and monotone—she didn’t like it.
“I’m sure it’s not. But considering you have gone all wooden boy on me, I don’t much care what you think, Deus. I’m going down there to break Richard’s kneecaps, then his perfect nose. You see, I made a promise, and let me assure you, demon, I keep my promises.”
Deus watched her, blinking. This was bad. She should not be going down there with three human males. They could harm her. The white wash he was attempting to keep over his mind was cracking rapidly. Damn, damn. Putting a hand to his head he leaned against a tree, trying to breathe through the trickling emotional rush. Stubborn wench, she couldn’t just leave him to deal with the mortals? Why did she have to go off swinging a bat like some Amazonian goddess and get him all hard as a fucking rock again?
Swearing, he took off after her, almost tripping and breaking his neck in the process. Just before the crazy banshee managed to break the cover of the forest, he covered her mouth with his hand and yanked her off her feet to spluttering indignation and sharp biting teeth against his hand.
“Ow, will you stop!” He swore he had received more injuries in the last twenty-four hours the he had in the last twenty-four days.
Twisting her, he put her back to the closest tree and kept her mouth covered. Her eyes sparked rage at him, and hell, what rage. He couldn’t help but love the way those stormy blue eyes swirled at him. He was a damn fool for her.
“Calm down, would you? You can’t just rush out there swinging a bat around like a crazy person.” Her eyes flashed at him and she bit him again. Ripping his hand away he shook it quickly. “You’re vicious, you know that?”
“So I’ve been told. What is this now? You take your normalcy pill or something? Did personality number two not like me?” She pouted, and that seriously didn’t help cool his desire to kiss the sass from her mouth.
“What in the hell are you talking about now, crazy woman?” He narrowed his eyes at her, then looked over to where Richard was finishing his cigarette.
“You and your Pinocchio trick. ‘I wanna be a real boy.’ What the hell? Switching off like that. Shit, that’s freaky, don’t do it again. Now let me go!” She hissed, struggling against his arms.
“I have to shut down, Lexi, or I will do something incredibly stupid, and I have a feeling you won’t forgive me if I do!” Hissing through his teeth he pressed her harder again the tree. His whole body felt like it was on fire. Gods, what was wrong with him? If she didn’t stop moving… he held back a groan, her scent intoxicating him.
“Oh really? Think you know me so well, demon? You don’t know shit. Let me the hell—” His mouth covered hers—not just covered, he claimed, his tongue spearing deep. His hands held her head still for the kiss that curled her toes and sent her body into heated overdrive. She had never been kissed like this before.
Oh god, he tasted… she couldn’t describe it, but she wanted more. Her scalp tingled, her whole body coming alive. Her hands moved of their own accord to his waist. His low growl was her only warning before his hands moved to her ass, and he lifted her and pinned her to the tree. She felt like she was being drugged, the longer he kissed her the less she seemed to care she was being kissed—the more she wanted him to kiss her.
She was feeling lightheaded. His fingers moved to her inner thigh, rubbing up and down the crease, making her tremble in his arms. His tongue danced in and out of her mouth, encouraging her participation. A pure seduction in her blood, and she was helpless to resist his draw. She kissed back, her tongue entering his mouth, a surge of pleasure hitting so intensely she could have sworn she had hit the sky. More, she wanted more. Her hands pulled at him, and he reciprocated, his hand sliding to bare skin. He was a drug, his hand touching her skin sent a surge of need right to her core. She felt out of control. His hands were everywhere, his energy sinking into her skin, encouraging this insane feeling to spread. It called her to give in, give everything to him, succumb to him, become his eternal slave.
She was hovering on that perfect precipice between release and insanity. He was holding her there. His mouth was at her throat. Blinking, she saw trees. Where the hell was she? Why was it so cold? She was outside? Panting, another wave of bliss washed over her as his low groan turned her insides to wet heat. He nuzzled her throat, and, god, it felt so damn good! Then she felt it, a drawing of her power. It was low-level stuff, but he was feeding on her.
“Deus… stop.” She tried to push him away but the demon growled against her throat. His hand moved to her stomach and it began to pulse softly. Lexi started to struggle in earnest until that hand touched her. Gasping, she threw her head back as orgasm rushed through her like a freight train. Fucking bastard, he was a dead man for this!
Tears burned in her eyes. To think she had liked this sonofabitch! She lifted her hand and pushed back against the effect he was having on her traitorous body. Her nails found his face. She dug them in and raked down his cheek as hard as she could.
Deus reared back at the sudden pain that speared through his brain. He tripped, falling flat on his ass, his hand going to his face. Blood filled the wounds and he blinked, not comprehending what had just happened to him. He looked at the blood on his fingers, then at Lexi. The flush on her skin, the rage in her eyes, the scent of release on the air. Her nails filled with his blood and skin, and his own body humming with fresh energy. He turned his eyes to hers imploringly. She already had the baseball bat back in hand. Realization hit him like a block of ice.
“Oh gods… Lexi…”
“You stay the hell away from me. I swear to whatever god you worship, Deus, if you come near me again I will end you.”
The pain he saw on her face made him feel like he had just been run through with a sword. What the fuck had just happened? One second she had been talking, then he had kissed her. He remembered the kiss. Her taste had been like ambrosia on his tongue. So sweet, so perfect, he was so hungry. It had been so long since he had fed. Lust, you fucking lowlife piece of shit. He might as well have just forced himself on her. Hell, he just did. Forcing her to feel pleasure for him, to experience need on a different, more carnal level so he could feed on it. He deserved what she had done to him, and so much more. He slowly moved to his knees in the snow. Lexi kept both eyes on him the whole time. Anguish filled his mind as he bowed his head to her.
“What I did to you is unforgivable, Lexi.”
“You’re damn right, I won’t ever forgive you for that. You make me sick. Don’t ever touch me again, demon.” She spat the word demon at him as an insult, and he felt it like a whip against his flesh. She turned and headed out of the forest, determined to continue her task to avenge to sister.
Deus couldn’t breathe. He sat back hard in the snow, cradling his head in his hands. Why hadn’t he fed more earlier? Why had he put it off? He knew why. Because the idea of just screwing any faceless mortal made him feel nauseous. If it wasn’t for the fact he needed to feed off the sexual energy from lust, he would have stopped a long time ago. Until her, he had been numb from the brain down—until Lexi. What made it fucking worse, he could feel her inside him, her energy zinging around in his veins. He could taste her on his tongue. Her energy was sweeter than any he had ever had before. He was a monster; he had no other word for it.