Defeat the Darkness (Hearts of Darkness) (28 page)

“How would we ever get anything accomplished?” She giggled.

“Who needs to accomplish anything when we have this?” He thrust deeper and grinned when she gasped in pleasure.

When he brought her to orgasm a little while later, he felt like a teenager with his first girl.

He wrapped a large towel around his waist and helped her dry off. When he saw his reflection behind hers, he couldn’t miss the shit-eating grin on his face. No wonder his jaw hurt. He hadn’t smiled like that since…since he left New Orleans.

“You climb in bed, and I’ll meet you in the bedroom after I prepare your medicine,” he said.

As she walked naked back into the bedroom, all he could think about was kissing the dimples in her ass.

A few minutes later, he stood over her beautiful sleeping body. He hated to wake her, but he couldn’t risk messing with the dosage or timing for the medication.

“Shelby?” he said, barely rousing her from her deep sleep. “Drink this, baby.” He handed her the jungle potion Victor concocted and helped her drink it. Then he climbed in beside her, cocooning her with his body. He skimmed his hand down her silken skin and marveled at how lucky he was she didn’t blame him for what was happening to her.

His phone rang, interrupting him before his hand reached the point of no return. When he looked at the screen and saw it was Victor, he slid from the bed and stood. “I need to take this,” he whispered.

Shelby grunted.

“Can I get you anything else while I’m up?” He touched the
answer button before she responded and said, “Kyle here,” into the phone.

Victor’s words on the other end of the line left him speechless.

“Water would be nice,” she mumbled, still half asleep.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” he said, glancing at her over his shoulder. This was a conversation he needed to take into the other room.

“Come right back,” Shelby said to his retreating back. Her throaty tone had him hardening up. Again.

As soon as he was out of hearing range, he spit his words into the phone in a low whisper, “She’s a what?”

Victor repeated exactly what he’d just said, and Kyle still didn’t know any more than he had a minute ago.

“What the hell is a sex fae, Victor?”

The Spaniard tried to explain. “A sex fae ingests the essence of an orgasm for sustenance. They need sex to survive. Climaxes.”

“That explains a lot.” Kyle tugged at his hair, pushed the long strands off his face as he stalked to the kitchen.

“They consume sexual energy the way vampires consume blood. Shelby needs sex to live, and at the moment, thanks to the jaguar virus, she is also experiencing symptoms similar to a female cat in estrus.”

“Heat? She’s in heat?” Kyle grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and turned back to the den.

“Kyyyyle, where’s my water?” Shelby’s normally smooth whiskey voice sounded more husky than usual. The pitch alone made him hard as stone.

He ran his hand over his face and groaned. “Listen Victor, I have to go.”

“Are you up to the task of…
caring
for her?”

“Don’t you worry about whether I can handle my former fiancée. We never had problems in that department before.”

“This is different.” Victor ignored Kyle’s sarcasm. “Max is returning with me later. And, I will come by to explain the details of the virus to Shelby. She should know what she will face in the coming few weeks.” Victor cleared his voice and Kyle knew he chose his next words carefully. “Her sexual appetites will likely confuse and distress her. She was never a sex fae before.”

“I was never a shifter or a vampire. Or for that matter, I’ve never been a hell’s spawn before. You of all people should understand the driving sexual nature of my demon. The jaguar’s no slouch in the sex department, either, but the demon’s sexual prowess is almost formidable. One reason I’ve kept it suppressed is because I’m not willing to put Shelby at risk for sex.”

“Excellent. You need to be careful. This isn’t about you having control. Her demand on you will call to your beasts. It is very important you understand she will be uncontrollably voracious until she goes through stasis.”

“That isn’t so different from when she was human.” Kyle chuckled lightly.

“Letting either your cat or the demon loose could kill her. She
is
a mortal with a sex fae’s needs. Later she will regain some control. Until then, Max will stay with you, too.”

“No fuckin’ way!” The growl rumbled through his body. “No. No Max.” He’d seen the way they looked at each other. He wasn’t opening that door again.

“There’s something you should know. At some point, she also bonded to him. Dylan sensed it the same way he saw she was your soul mate. If this is true, she will need Max to survive—at least until she completes the change. Under the circumstances, there is an advantage to him being a human.”

“Got it.” Kyle knew Victor was right. He could feel Shelby’s need calling to him. It nearly drove him to distraction. “Max won’t kill her in the process if she gets too demanding.”

“Kyle, please. I need to come,” she cried out from the bedroom.

The jaguar roared and the demon attempted to unfurl his taloned wings. Kyle needed time to think with a clear head, away from the damned beasts inside him clamoring for release. He had to get a grip.

“You understand this is for her own safety?” Victor asked. “Kyle, are you all right?” he repeated when Kyle didn’t answer.

“I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you when you get here.” Kyle clicked off and tossed the phone carelessly across the room. He strode back to the bedroom, his blood boiling for her. He was so hard he was
ready to explode. He needed her as badly as she needed him. It was next to impossible to resist her when her very essence called to his.

But…if she succeeded in calling out his beasts, Victor was right—he could kill her.

Damn it all. I’ll share her with Max to keep her safe if I have too, but I don’t have to like it.

Chapter 34 Sex Fae

Shelby sensed Kyle and his desire even though he wasn’t in the same room with her. The sexual tension between them had never been so intense. When he wasn’t inside her, she felt as if she were starving for him. With every minute that passed, her hunger for him grew, her body ached with need, and her skin itched for his touch.

She couldn’t wait for him any longer. The room was stifling and hot. She rose off the bed, not bothering with the sheet, and stretched. The sensation made her breasts tingle and increased the dampness between her legs. Her insides were burning up, tight and throbbing for attention.

Although she didn’t know where he was, her senses knew how to find him, and every one of them was on high alert, searching for him like a radar beacon. The pull of her body led her down the hall in his direction. She followed the sound of his voice and his delicious masculine scent through the hallway until her vision narrowed and everything turned to shades of black and white.

The closer she got to the sound of his voice, the higher the flames built within her, and crimson flooded her vision.

Kyle was still on the phone.

She paused listening to the deep resonating sound of his voice. It sent chills up her spine until his words cleared the sexual haze cluttering her mind.

“Sex fae,” Kyle said. “That’s right, Dylan. That’s what Victor said. He’s on his way back here now.”

He paused while Shelby assumed Dylan took over the conversation.

Sex fae?
Her? She ran her hands up her body and caressed her skin.
Mmm, whatever. It feels wonderful.

“I’m not going to be able to stay here through the full moon. She’s already affecting both of my beasts. Yes, I know. Victor warned me I could be dangerous under the circumstances. He’s convincing Max to come. I could kill her in either one of my states without knowing what I was doing. You know I won’t risk that.”

What was he talking about anyway? A sex fae? Had she heard him correctly? Or was the medicine he kept shoving down her throat causing more weird side effects.

Shelby leaned against the mirrored wall dismissing Kyle’s concern, and thinking of how the coolness felt so sensual against her heated flesh. At this point, running ice down her body and letting it melt between her legs would be enough to send her into a lengthy orgasm. Better yet, convincing Kyle to fill her and thrust inside her until that sexual itch was thoroughly scratched might satisfy the hunger…temporarily.

She must have groaned because she caught his reflection, turn, and look at hers in the mirror. She watched his eyes and saw what he saw. She was naked and flushed. Her breasts were swollen, high, and full with desire. Her nipples, tight little points poking through a few loose curls, were aimed straight at him.

His gaze dropped lower taking her all in. A strange glow emanated from her body. Her skin glistened, almost shimmering with a fine aura of golden particles that dusted the floor around her. She never felt so beautiful before—never looked so beautiful before. The sight of her own image astounded her.

She glanced up when a growl filled the space between them. For a moment, she saw a variety of desires cross over Kyle’s face. Lust. Love. Fear. Sorrow. Finally, resignation.

“I trust you, Kyle.” Of one thing she was certain, he would never hurt her, even unintentionally.

He shook his head and narrowed his eyes. They flashed with a reddish glow before he lowered his lids and his thick black lashes hid the color from her.

He turned away and spoke into the phone, “Yeah, Dylan, I’m still here, but I’m going to need some help before Victor and Max get back. Give us a minute to get decent.”

He walked toward her, unwrapped the towel around his waist, then covered her in it.

“What—?” she started to ask.

He dismissively shrugged a shoulder and steered her back to the bedroom without answering her. The low growl she’d heard coming from him earlier stopped. He tried to finish the conversation he was having with Dylan while embracing her.

“Once Max understands the circumstances, he’ll do what’s necessary to keep her safe and satisfied.”

“What’s Max going to understand?” she asked.

He mouthed to her, “I’ll fill you in later.”

“No, I’m not going to give her up.” Kyle kissed the top of her head. “But I need Victor to help me figure out how to use these damned wings and control this demon inside me before I test my resolve on Shelby.”

He’s not giving me up.
Damned wings? What wings?

When she lifted her head and looked at Kyle, her knees buckled. His eyes were blood red, he was hard as steel, pumped with desire, and behind him she saw enormous, talon-tipped black wings. Shelby blinked several times trying to clear her vision, but nothing changed.

Astonishment replaced desire. The shock of seeing him like that cooled her ardor.
Wow, fear can be a powerful emotion even for a sex fae.

“You think these are impressive? Wait ’til you see yours,” Kyle said and handed her, her clothes. “Put these on, quickly. Dylan is on his way.

She realized too late that Kyle was the only thing keeping her upright when he released her and turned to leave the bedroom.

Shelby sank to her wobbly knees, too confused to argue.

Mine?

Chapter 35 Succubus

The tank top worked out fine once Shelby figured out where to situate the thin string straps around her wings.

Her wings?

They actually were lovely. Delicate. Fragile. Colorful. Iridescent. A contrast to Kyle’s dark, powerfully masculine wings. He managed to get them back under control with Victor’s help, once he and Max arrived in Dylan’s library.

Kyle’s wings were contained under his skin along his spine for the time being, but she knew he was keeping his distance to maintain his self-control. She twitched hers and they moved a fraction of an inch spreading a fine golden dust into the room all around her. All the men groaned at once and backed away from her. Apparently, the dust acted like an aphrodisiac.

“Ah, sorry,” she said, suddenly feeling hungry again. As quickly as her sexual hunger started, it stopped.

She suspected Dylan was the one controlling not only her hunger, but also, what under normal circumstances would be, her and Max’s hysteria.

Victor still hung back with Kyle while Dylan finished explaining everything to her and Max. “I’ve called
Símone
. She’s a succubus, the closest thing we have to a sex fae in the area. She should be able to assist with questions and be able to teach you something about your powers until I can locate another of your kind.”

“A succubus? What’s the difference between us?”

“A succubus can be deadly when out of control. They sneak into your mind while you sleep and exist off sexual dreams. They are dark fae and are likely to kill their hosts without consideration.
Símone
has learned how to exist in our world without killing, and her knowledge should be very helpful to you.”

Max had the next question. “You’re saying the difference between Shelby and
Símone
is that one lives off waking sex and the other dream sex?”

“Not exactly. Shelby would never kill her partner. She can pleasure herself and survive off her own orgasms, if necessary. A succubus feeds off the orgasm created during a dream, during a deep dark sleep. It’s dangerous for the host because they want to remain in the state of ecstasy—that moment of the perfect orgasm. They don’t want to awake.”

Max said, “Our tests show Shelby is undergoing changes. Her blood has the same virus as Kyle’s.”

“Yes, it is the jaguar virus. But she can’t change as Kyle can. She has no shifter DNA. The one jaguar symptom she is experiencing is the cat’s estrus. With the onset of the full moon, her needs are greater.” Victor explained.

“Hey, ya’ll. I’m really not comfortable having this conversation with a bunch of men.” Shelby spit out.

Kyle said, “I’m sorry, Shelby, but Dylan is here to help you and Max remain calm while you assimilate all this information, and Victor is the only authority we have on my condition.”

Kyle looked remorseful when he glanced at her. And well he should be. He was the one who’d gotten them into all this.

“You and your big ideas. I hope those wings haven’t given you a super-hero-complex to go with your plans to save the world,
doctor
,” Shelby said, feeling bitchy.

“Wait a minute,” Max interrupted. “You can’t blame this on Kyle’s good intentions. The blame rests squarely on that woman’s shoulders.”

Darn that Max. Wouldn’t you know he’d side with Kyle.
Humph, men.
Shelby sighed as she sank into the nearest chair, jumping when her wings bent.

She glared at all of them, daring anyone to say something. Stretching her wings wide, dust flew everywhere before she was able to re-situate herself in the chair. The men all squirmed for a
brief moment. Shit! She needed to learn how to fold them up and reabsorb them into her skin.

Dylan did something to subdue the sexual hunger. Hers, too.

At least she wasn’t ready to hump the first man who stepped within her grasp, but she realized too late that the effects of abstaining made her snappy. She was being downright mean.

“You’re right, Max.” She held up her hands in defeat. “I didn’t mean that, Kyle. This isn’t your fault.”

With her elbows on her knees, she dropped her head to her hands. “Everything is that bitch’s fault, and so help me, one day I am going to find a way to even the score.”

A knock at the door had everyone except Dylan jumping. He stood and motioned to Shelby. “
Símone
’s here. You won’t feel so put upon by us males.” He chuckled on his way to let her in.

“Right. And I’ll be safe and comfortable as long as I can keep my eyes open,” Max said, fidgeting in his chair.

Shelby laughed at him and winked. “Not from me, darlin’. If Dylan let’s down my guard none of you will be safe until the full moon is past.”

The rumble started in Kyle’s chest and everyone in the room heard it. She frowned and pointed her finger at him. “Tell me you didn’t activate my sex-fae-in-heat-gene and now you think you can get all pissy over my one source of survival. Because if that was a jealous sound instead of a whatever-gets-you-off-babe sound I am going to personally sic the succubus on you.”

Símone
slinked in to the library, hips swaying like there was a strong breeze. Her short red, thigh high dress was cut to her navel. She was every man’s image of a wet dream—long blonde hair, large breasts, and legs that didn’t stop. She followed Shelby’s pointed finger, stared at Kyle, and said, “Be my pleasure,
chér
. He looks like a meal I could feast on for weeks.”

Kyle scowled and said, “Very funny. Are you coming with me, Victor?”

Not giving Victor time to think, Kyle snatched his arm, pulling him from the room. Victor managed a quick polite bow to the succubus and expressed his pleasure at meeting her fade off as he walked down the hall.

Max and Shelby held out their hands to greet
Símone
and introduced themselves one at a time. Max was visibly uncomfortable with the obvious erection in his pants. Apparently, two sex fae, one light and one dark, in a room was more than most men could handle.

Dylan used his mind control to help
out Max. “Why don’t you ladies use this room while Max and I go to the gym and watch Victor train Kyle. If you need anything, Shelby, think about me and I’ll know.”

“Kyle needs training?” Símone sized Shelby up as soon as Dylan and Max left.

Shelby giggled. “Oh, yes.”

“The big blond guy and Kyle, the dark surly one, are both hot for you?”

Shelby shrugged uncomfortably.

“You’ll get over those old human inhibitions after a few more moon cycles. The blond, Max is it? He’s easy going enough, but I’m not sure the dark one is ever going to accept your fae nature.” She shook her head slowly while inspecting Shelby carefully. “Can you live with that?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No,
chér
.” The succubus smiled sweetly. “It’s not like you can undo what has been done. You can make the best of the situation and remind him, you wish things could be different.”

“I don’t need anyone but Kyle,” she said, admittedly sounding like a petulant child.

Simone smiled. This was a sad, patient smile. She spoke softly as if she were speaking to a small child, “
Chér
, he will never be enough. He cannot be with you every minute of every day. He cannot be steak when you crave ice cream. You will wither and die without variety,
no
? He wouldn’t want that. None of you understands your true nature, yet. Give it time and have patience. I sense the dark one cares enough to share you if he must.”

“You think so?” Shelby asked, incredulously. She could hardly imagine Kyle accepting another man in their bed. “What about my feelings? I love him.”

“Ah, love. Those are the most satisfying meals. The rest is eating because something looks good. You know when you’re not really hungry but the apple pie is to die for.”

Shelby smiled, “I think I understand. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not sure I feel like that yet, but I do understand the difference between sex and love.” Then she remembered the other issues. “That isn’t the biggest hurdle, though.”

“No?”

“No. I’m mortal and he’s not. Max has agreed to feed my hunger because Kyle won’t. His jaguar infected me, and I go into heat at the time of the full moon. If what everyone tells me is true, I’ll need more sex than Max can supply for me. I’ll need Kyle too.”

“What is wrong with this Kyle? He wants you,
no
? I sensed it. Why won’t he service you?” She looked Shelby up and down as if trying to see what he could possibly find missing.

“To protect me. Kyle’s a shifter, a vampire, and a demon. His powers are new. He’s afraid he’ll kill me.”

“Ah, I see.” The succubus tapped her finger against her plump lip. “What do you believe?”

“Never. He’d never hurt me.”

“
Oui.
He loves you. Then there is no problem. Do what sex fae do. Seduce him,
chér.
When you are ready, he won’t be able to resist you.” Símone’s voice tinkled when she laughed and the sound lightened Shelby’s heart.

“Yeah.” Shelby grinned. “I guess I’ll have to get used to the idea. I have the power to bring any man to his knees if I want him.”

“
Oui
. Now let’s teach you how to control that power so you don’t have a caravan of men following you around being…obvious.”

“Good idea.” The image made Shelby giggle
, and when she tried to move she became tangled in her wings. “Oh, and have you had any experience with wings? I could use a little advice about using them and putting them away.”

“No experience with wings. Sorry. But I wonder if controlling them is similar to the way I turn into shadows.”

“Shadows? You dematerialize?”

“Yes,
chér
. That is how I enter dreams. As a shadow. Once I’m in the dream, I am much the same as a sex fae.”

“What about the wings?”

“Imagine them folding up, rolling into the skin beneath your back. Close your eyes and try it.”

Shelby did as Simone instructed and on the second try, the wings returned into the decorative pattern on her back. She exhaled and sat down heavily. “That was exhausting. I’m suddenly ravenous.” Sweat burst out on her upper lip and chills spread over every inch of skin. The sound of Simone’s voice became muted.

“Shelby, think of Dylan. He needs to send the willing one to you.”

“Max?” she murmured, calling to Dylan, her vision narrowing before she collapsed.

Kyle!
Her heart screamed. Then she thought of Símone’s suggestion.
Seduce him.

Shelby, Max is on his way.
Dylan’s voice reassured her mind, but her soul continued to cry out for Kyle.

Kyle was right. If he didn’t feel ready to do this, they would wait until he was strong enough to control the demon beast. Whether they fought the attraction or not, the inevitable pull of the jaguar bond would force Kyle to come looking for his cat’s mate before the full moon waned.

…and she would be waiting.