He grimaced. Was it possible the two alchemists were safely going to indulge their passions? It was hardly unusual for party guests to seek out companionship among the female servants.
He hesitated at the arched opening to the harem, peeking a glance into the large inner chamber.
The floor was covered with mosaic tiles, and in the centre was a large fountain that sprayed water into the air. The walls were made of delicate latticework, and the ceiling was domed and covered with precious gems.
Kain watched as the two males crossed the floor, waving away the females who scurried to offer their services. They exited into a darkened room on the other side of the main chamber.
Kain shuffled through his memories. When he’d been li
Kain paused to smooth the short strands of his hair and to ensure that there was no dust clinging to his clothing before he returned to the throne room. Then he forced himself to count to one hundred.He’d learned from a young age that alchemists missed nothing. Even if they acted like they were entirely focused on King Edward and his wife, not one of them was blind to what was happening in the room behind them.Including the fact that the lycan king had disappeared and recently returned.The last thing he wanted was the alchemist’s return to be associated with his own.Finally, he casually strolled through the doorway and along the edge of the crowd. Kain kept his gaze lowered as was expected for a mere half-breed, and used his sense of smell to direct him to Pearl.Not that he actually needed her scent.There was something deep inside him that would always pull him to her side. Like a homing pigeon.A terrifying realization—that was tucked in the back of his head along with all the
He’d been behaving. Hell, he’d practically been a saint. What other alchemist could have resisted the urge to strip off her sparkly gown and breathe fire over her luminous flesh?Now Kain’s hands reached to cup her face as his head lowered. He pressed his lips against her soft mouth. Passion blasted through him. Immediate, white-hot and shockingly vast.Her lips were lush and soft and spiced with sweet temptation. The taste flooded his senses, as intoxicating as demon’s brew.There was a rustle of silk as she stepped closer, allowing the heat of her alchemist to play over his body. Kain groaned, his fingers skimming down the side of her neck.Her skin glowed brighter, her eyes shimmering with breathtaking beauty. The sight ignited hi
“Is something wrong?” she demanded. The male frowned, moving toward them. “This is the private quarters of the lair.” Kain instinctively angled his body until he was half standing in front of her, his aggression filling the air with a searing heat. “I am aware of our location,” he said. The alchemist’s nose flared, a curl of smoke trailing from his nostril. “I was speaking to your mistress,” he reprimanded Kain. Flames danced over Kain’s skin, and Pearl was swift to move so she was the one standing in front of him. What was wrong with the foolish male? He was going to get himself killed. “Did King Edward send you to follow me?” she asked the alchemist. There was a tense pause before the alchemist moved his gaze from Kain back to Pearl. “He mentioned that you were worried that there was a plot to harm his unborn child,” Kain admitted. Pearl was confused. If King Edward wanted to keep an eye on them, why not send a guard? “Are you a member of his clan?” she asked. The alchemis
Something flashed in Pearl's eyes—anger, resolution, warmth, or a combination of all three. The girl has a fire in her, and Ethan has always been attracted to flames. Together they perched on the narrow bench, and, clearing her throat, Pearl offered a condensed version of her life. She told him about the curse when she’d been just a baby. She told him about the Council condemning her to death and her mother’s frantic effort to keep her hidden while protecting her from the evil magic. She told him about Kain’s magic that had given her a temporary reprieve, and her own ability to use the curse to pull herself backward through the centuries until she’d arrived in this time and place. Ethan listened in silence, his expression unreadable. Then, as she stopped speaking to give him the opportunity to absorb her wild tale, he released a harsh breath. “So you are King Edward’s daughter,” he said. He spoke the words slowly. Was he was trying to make sure that he’d heard her right? Or maybe
Kain finished his sweep of the empty guardroom. It looked the same as it did many many years in the future. No big surprise. Most warriors had zero interest in interior design. They wanted someplace to practice their skills, store their weapons, and sleep without concern they were going to be attacked. Simple. Once he was certain it would be the perfect way to locate the treacherous servant, he stepped into the corridor, and headed back toward Pearl. He didn’t know if it’d been five minutes. And he didn’t care. Kain could tell himself a thousand times that Pearl could never be his. And that he would have to walk away when she chose a pureblooded mate. Someone like Ethan. But his magic was restlessly pressing against his
Kain hissed at the reminder that Ethan was about to become formally betrothed to Pearl. Then, with a valiant effort, he forced himself to ignore the deliberate provocation.Kain couldn’t afford distractions until the demon was dead.After that he would worry about how he was going to deal with his demon’s determination to claim Pearl as his own.He offered a stiff nod of his head. Ethan was right. The demon would have no choice but to follow him if Ethan told him that King Edward had need of his services."Give us time to set up an ambush," he commanded.Ethan waved a dismissive hand. "I do not need your assistance to kill a demon."Kain’s lips parted, but before he could speak, Pearl was moving to stand directly in front of the demon."Ethan, he is hold
Pearl turned to discover that she was in the same room they’d arrived in. The room that would eventually become her nursery.Her first instinct was to break down the door and rush to protect Kain. For all of his courage, he was no match for a pureblood demon.But his last words continued to echo in her mind.Trust me.How often had she demanded that he offer her his trust? To insist that he believe in her ability to make her own decisions?Now that the shoe was on the other foot, she discovered it wasn’t as easy as she assumed. In fact, it was taking every ounce of her willpower to accept that Kain could handle the large demon.Closing her eyes, she sucked in a deep br
“Save a place for Lycan King in the underworld,” Pearl hissed before she was swiping her claws across his throat, easily slicing off his head. She was turning away from Flynn as a dark burst of energy surrounded his body and it began to disintegrate into a pile of ash. She no longer had an interest in the demon who’d destroyed her life. Coming back in time meant that she now had a chance for a future. That was all that mattered. Oh, and Kain. He mattered most of all. About to head out through the destroyed wall, Pearl felt the strange magic brush against her skin. She frowned, instinctively reaching out with her powers. Immediately she realized that it hadn’t come from a demon. Which meant that Ethan wasn’t responsible for his own disappearance. Her heart missed a sudden beat. If someone else had created the portal, then that meant… Hope. Kain pressed his back against the wall, gritting his teeth as he struggled to remain upright. A task that would be a lot easier if the fur
Henry approached the captives, who were dangling from a tree. He leaned in close to take in June, Ryan, and then Janet's features. In his murmur, he said something along the lines of "This woman is unusual; she smells like a lycan but also human. It has an odd scent that reminds me of Her Majesty Queen Janet herself. When June and Ryan heard the massive lycans, they looked to each other and toward Janet, who was smirking at them, as if to say, "I told you so." Henry continued, as he went to Janet's side and licked the blood from his forehead and raised his brows. "You are an oddity, little one. And you are not from around here, either. Who are you?" Henry and his band of mercenaries might have been the same ones that June's own people were on the lookout for. It was a long-running blood controversy that began some years ago. Nonetheless, June had been on the verge of passing out when he felt that all the blood flowing to his head from the wound made him conscious of the fact that he
Suddenly, they were knocked senseless by three lycans as they were transported to their secret lair when someone appeared out of nowhere and attacked them, rendering them unconscious. Janet's nose was dripping with blood, and a trickle of it dripped out. It did not drip down her chin, but rather up into her eyes and over her forehead, due to the fact that she, along with her partner Ryan and June, were hanging upside-down in the air. After being taken and strung up, they will be skinned alive and eaten by a gang of feral lycans who have come to take advantage of their situation. Earlier, however, the three had been attacked when they were seen traveling down a trail near the cliff, and their belongings, including their backpack and weapons, had been taken from them. And now Ryan and June were arguing with their backs to the wall. "I told you we shouldn't stop," June snarled at him. "But you dickhead, you weren't even forced to walk in front of us, but for your own bloody sense of im
"We need to check to see if my friend is still in the building.""Why?""Wait a minute, and you'll see."Before they knew it, they were being waved at by someone who said, "Thank goodness, your little train is still running." June uttered the words and walked over to the man, who appeared to be an elderly retired soldier."Nice to see you, young man, and I've received your secret message on my radio, and right now we must move quickly. After ten minutes, the train would depart from the station. I already had a secret compartment set aside for you three, but please don't leave your cabin at any time, okay? I've managed to bring on a dozen lycans. Actually, you're dealing with tourists, so keep your mouth shut and never, ever open your cabin door, okay? Unless, of course, it's me knocking on the door.""Of course, Joe, and thank you for your assistance." June wrapped her arms aroun
Suddenly, June shook his hands, as though he were attempting to dislodge himself from the spell of Ryan's lips. "It was a dirty trick," says June."Oh yeah? According to the person who made me drunk and then attacked me to prove a point. What is it about you that requires everything to be a test? Is it June? Remember when you chose the army over me?" Ryan said with a sigh, "We are done with that nonsense.""Come on, sweetie. Play fair now. Tests enable you to push yourself to new limits, mate," June moved in so quickly that he was standing by the couch one moment and standing right in front of Ryan the next. His punch was deflected by June, who moved more slowly than usual, and Ryan managed to avoid his punch back."It's a bitter past, Ryan! And I already apologized a hundred fucking times, did I?""I don't care! You still hurt me." Ryan added with a bit of a smile on his lips. He knew it drove June
June added, "I think this is going to be good." He murmured to himself as he sat in a nearby chair and rummaged through his backpack."This is the possible trail that we have to follow to reach the peak." "We needed a compass and a certain map to reach the cavern.""What cavern?" Janet asked.June gestured to his own graph and mumbled something under his breath, "There is a cavern at the peak of the mountain, and if I'm not mistaken, then there is a possible entry on the west side." So maybe whatever you've been looking at was inside the cave, right?"Worth a try." Ryan smiles, knowing full well that there was an adventure waiting for them.After two bottles of June's grandmother's wine, Janet was unable to keep her mouth shut. When she told them everything, they laughed at the foolishness of her tale and didn't believe her at first, but after an hour of hearing about the Scroll of Fate, the message behind Ethan's research paper, and her time traveling with Finn, Vergel, and Ethan, th
"No, not at this time." "I believe the trail has been buried beneath the sleet." She sighed as she took up a position beside him."Fuck it. I'm done with it. Does that mean we're stuck here? "I'm not sure whether I should be angry with you or grateful," he said as he turned away from her and back into the chimney fire."What the hell are you talking about?""While you were outside, I needed to go to the bathroom." "I happened to stumble into some sort of attic." Ryan went on to say that, as he stared into the flames, he felt something stab him in the back of the head. There was a ray of hope. Then he went on, "...and then I found this," he mumbled as he handed her a small brown military bag that looked like it had been abandoned."Can you tell me what this is?" "What am I supposed to do with this?" Janet inquired as she purposefully opened the back and began to untangle what was inside."That, Janet, you know. That notebook, of course. Take a look at it right now." He muttered somethi
Human Realm. Present Time With two warm sleeping bags of her own, Janet warmed up beside Ryan. They were lying close enough to the chimney's fire that Ryan could feel the warmth of it lapping at his face as their wet clothing dried on the brick quarters hanging near the vent as Janet added wood to rekindle it. When the storm had passed, Janet had buried the family in the snow a few yards away from the cabin, just in case. By the next day, however, the storm was still raging outside, with the entire bracket of the house trembling under the force of the storm's powerful wind. After his encounter with the father's dead body, which was lying in the living room the day before, Janet's eyes were opened. She couldn't help but wonder. She didn't mean to touch his forehead, but she was not expecting those memories to come crashing down on her like hurricanes. It was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. Janet had no idea she possessed the ability to read the memories of someo
He nodded.She stroked his shaft with the curled tip of her hand, rubbing back and forth on his glans. "To bring you down before we even started," she snarled, her tongue slithering across his ear, causing him to moan. "Of course, I'd go further... I'd keep going until I thought you couldn't take it anymore, but I'm a kind woman. After all, I asked to have your soul... but let me have fun!"She giggled again before attacking the other side of his neck, causing Darwin to whimper again as his fangs elongated. He wanted to taste her. She pumped him carefully, tightening her grip and almost wringing his rod out. Her leafy scales moved on his naked skin and garments, wrenching and untwisting as she shifted her coils, all over again as he moaned.His body bucked, turning involuntarily against her shackling grip. He feared this would enrage her, but it didn't. It had the opposite impact: it was terrifying and erotic.She liked it. Her veins shifted to enable his reflexive twists to gain some
Darwin murmured. He was getting eager, clenching his thighs together automatically. Alicia hissed sensuously, her rich fragrance only marginally less sensual. "I can smell your blood boiling, I can smell your aroused soul, little vampire, just like what I smelled from the little sorcerer earlier—wanting it, wanting me." "I... I don't..." he began, unsure of what he was saying. He couldn't quite get what she was saying, but her voice was fascinating and alluring. He was in a trance; he understood, but he couldn't get himself away from her. "But don't you wish to enjoy the pleasure no dark creature can provide? What do you have to lose to get a taste of heaven and a replica of the manuscript? If you only accept, you will discover new passions." She slithered closer, her head brushing his hips, her eyes peering up into his. Her body loop softly nudged his back, her head rising in an arc again. Her movements were slow and deliberate, a lovely performance that soothed the senses. Nothi