Eliana (9 page)

For a few precious moments, the only sound was their breathing. Encased within cold, white walls, the rest of the world vanished. Kon felt none of the chill. There was only Eliana, the heat of her, the curves of her body fitted tightly against his. His groin tightened. His cock strained in his pants, yearning for her bare skin against his.

Then he caught himself. She was too young. He was too old. She knew nothing of the life he led, of the incubus which had attacked her, of the inhuman heritage he and Dane bore. This wasn’t a life for her, no matter how much he desired her—and wanted to be used by her.

A shadow passed over them. Dane offered a hand to Kon, helped him up, then did the same for Eliana, making sure she was steady on her feet with cane in hand before letting her go. Kon caught Dane’s usual determination to keep him safe, but under it was a note of worry. They’d have to talk. Later.

Dane rubbed his hands together. “I think we need some hot chocolate with peppermint Schnapps.”

“Some of us aren’t old enough.” Kon waggled a finger at him.

“I’m not drinking. Not even when I’m able.” Eliana turned abruptly and limped toward the room.

There was no mistaking the vehemence in her voice. Kon and Dane hurried to catch up with her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—” Dane began.

“Sorry for what? You’re not responsible for how I feel about alcohol. But touch me when you’re drunk and you’ll wish you hadn’t.”

Dane held up his hands in surrender. “I won’t. I promise.”

Inside, they turned on the TV while Dane made hot chocolate, two with Schnapps, one with only marshmallows, and handed them out. Wrapped in a robe, Eliana sat in a chair, fingers curled around her mug.

She was hurting again. Kon felt the ache in her hip. It was his fault for urging her to go outside, where she’d overexerted herself. Tempted as he was to offer his help a second time, he didn’t dare. If he touched her again, he might not be able to keep a professional distance.

Dane shoved a steaming mug into Kon’s hands. “Drink up,” he said so harshly that Eliana stared.

“I’m going to bed.” Eliana set her half-empty mug on the side table and stood. “Don’t worry about feeding me dinner. I have leftovers from last night.”

Kon took a step toward her with the intention of bidding her good night, but Dane clenched his shoulder in a bruising grip. Dane waited until Eliana had shut the door to the adjoining room before speaking. “You deserve a spanking for the way you acted today.” He pressed his body against Kon’s, his erection snug against Kon’s ass.

Dane’s demon was hungry. So was Kon. Letting Dane punish him would solve both problems—and take his mind off Eliana.

* * * *

Eliana had just managed to doze off when unmistakable fleshy sounds came through the connecting door. Annoyed, she rose, meaning to give Kon a piece of her mind. She pushed at the door until it swung open enough for her to see inside.

She froze.
Holy shit.

Naked, Kon was splayed across Dane’s lap as Dane sat on the love seat. Wooden paddle in hand, he slapped it again and again against Kon’s backside.

Her gut twisted. By all rights, she should be disgusted by the display, but she wasn’t. For one freakish moment, she wished she were in Dane’s place and wielding the instrument that caused Kon to wriggle and moan in obvious pleasure.

Then she recoiled.
What kind of a fucked-up person am I to want something like that?
Her skin crawled, but she wasn’t the only one craving Kon’s submission. Dane’s expression was soft and loving as he slapped the paddle again and again across Kon’s reddened buttocks.

She’d known plenty of people who got off on beating others, but this was the first time she’d seen someone aroused by being the victim. She didn’t want to punish Kon—though an inner part of her thrilled with the idea of being able to retaliate after he’d picked her up without asking—but because
she
would be in control. She could run her hands over that smooth, white body and wring that cock into wanting, needy hardness—and let him suffer without release. She longed to stroke the abused, heated skin and feel Kon shiver all the way down to his core.

“Suck me,” Dane whispered. “I want to be hard so I can fuck you like the bad boy you are.”

Kon slipped down between Dane’s legs. Since the chair was angled, Eliana had a view of Dane’s pale cock and the way Kon eagerly took it into his mouth. Dane’s half-lidded eyes and slightly parted mouth spoke to Kon’s expertise. That tongue, that mouth made her wonder what it would feel like if—

Queasiness turned her stomach. She shook her head. Sex was a tool, nothing more, and she probably couldn’t get any physical enjoyment out of it anymore—not that she had in the first place. All those romance novels and movies were fairy tales. They were dreams as impossible as finding a family who wanted and loved her.

Yet despite Dane’s orders and Kon’s acquiescence, Eliana could feel the mutual love burning between them. Nothing in Kon’s attitude spoke of hatred or pain, nor did Dane emit the anger and drunken violence she was so used to seeing in men. They cared for each other and were getting more out of the physical contact than just satiation.

Dane grabbed Kon’s hair and yanked back his head. There was no mistaking the adoration in Kon’s eyes. The lust. Dane dug his nails into Kon’s chest and raked downward, leaving reddened lines all the way to Kon’s erection. Growling low in his throat, Dane kissed the exposed flesh of Kon’s neck while kneading Kon’s balls in his hand. Kon gasped but made no protest.

Dane had a beautiful body—firm, solid, and graceful. He easily threw Kon face-first to the ground—making Eliana wince at the idea of bare skin touching the filthy carpet—and straddled him. Dane liberally coated his cock and Kon’s asshole with lube. Kon whimpered as Dane pinned his arm to his back and nudged it upward. With his free hand, Dane positioned himself and thrust hard.

Eliana clasped a hand over her mouth to keep from crying out at the brutality. She nearly pushed open the door to rush to Kon’s aid, but then she looked at him. The reddened face tightened and slackened, and he breathed hard in the same rhythm as Dane’s thrusts. Perspiration shone on their skin. The scent hit Eliana, and she turned away, retching, sickened by the reminder of her stepfather’s sweaty arousal.

My stepfather is gone. It’s over.

Kon and Dane were nothing like him. She got control of herself and looked again at the pair. Kon didn’t struggle as Dane viciously plunged inside him. The whimpers weren’t of pain but of pleasure. Even as Dane increased his speed and hardness, Kon remained servile.

Soon, Kon’s body spasmed. He let out a groan as his eyes rolled back. For a moment, Eliana feared he’d had some sort of seizure, but when Dane rolled him over to reveal the shining stickiness on his belly, she knew.

His eyes…

She’d never seen an expression like that on a man, as if he’d been lifted on high to be granted the greatest pleasure ever imagined. Kon was utterly beautiful as Dane tugged the limp body into his arms.

As if he’d sensed her, Dane turned his gaze toward the door. He wore a sly half smile. A shock hit her as if an electric current flowed between them. They were alike, he and she. Both wanted to fuck Kon until he reached that point of ecstasy—but only Dane had the privilege of doing so.

She crept back to bed, overcome by a deep, physical longing. She
wanted
that—the power to reduce men into puddles by using pain and pleasure, the knowledge of how a body worked and the limits it could endure.

How far she could go.

The adjoining door opened to allow a figure to step through. Dane, wearing boxers, padded silently to her bed and sat on the edge facing her. His hair was damp and scented like bottled ocean breeze. Voice low and husky, he asked, “Enjoy the show?”

The man was impudent to just invite himself in. She didn’t know him well enough to be sure if he was threatening or amused. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I bet you haven’t.”

“Is he all right?”

Dane laughed. “He’s better than all right. That session was pretty tame, but if I do it right, I can give him a high. I tucked him in to sleep it off. I, however, always get insomnia.”

That was a
mild
session?
Morbid curiosity made her wonder what a fiercer encounter might be like.

“Are you all right?” His voice was closer to normal. He reached over and patted her knee.

Instead of the sensuality she’d expected to feel after seeing him with Kon, Dane’s touch sent a shiver of unease through her. She pushed his hand away and sat up, managing not to wince at the ache in her side.

“I’m sorry. I should have asked if it was all right to touch you.”

“It’s just…” She paused, trying to find words that wouldn’t make her sound like a jerk. “Somehow, you remind me of the man who attacked me the other night.”

The smile faded. “Kon hasn’t told you about me, has he?”

“All he said was that you’re his friend. It’s obvious you’re more than his friend.”

“I won’t hurt you. All that stuff I do with Kon,” he said and waved his hand toward the other room, “is play. Very carefully choreographed play.”

The earnestness in his face made her feel bad. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“You ought to be. Because if you do anything to Kon,
anything
, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

So that’s why Mr. Protective was here. “I’m not going to touch your lover.”

“But you want to.” Their gazes met and locked.

Ah. He’s jealous
. She still wasn’t afraid of him. One sharp jab in the nuts and he’d be sorry. “So? Wanting and doing are two different things.”

“If you
could
touch him, what would you do?”

“Are you trying to get me to tell you some fantasy so you can jerk off?”

Dane’s eyes narrowed. “I’m asking because I want an honest response.”

He beats the shit out of Kon, but he’ll murder anyone who
really
hurts him
. She thought a few moments before answering. “I wouldn’t. Not without you showing me what to do. Kon strikes me as a man who’s very specific about what he does and doesn’t like, and I have a feeling you wouldn’t hesitate to break a few bones if anyone mistreated him.”

“Good answer.” His gaze never left hers. She had the oddest feeling he was studying her inside as well as out, much the way Kon had. “He means the world to me. No one touches him without my approval.”

“So what does it take to get your approval?”

He inched closer. This time when he touched upper arm, his hand was warm and free of the earlier strangeness. It probably hadn’t been anything more than some sort of flashback to the night she’d been attacked. Dane was an ordinary man and behaving like one.

Except… “You’re gay.”

“Oh, you noticed? I adore a willing man, but I have to say you’re a beautiful woman. I’d be a fool not to appreciate that fact.”

She wasn’t attracted to him as much as his actions and the pure sexuality of his movements. Even so, she was tempted despite her vow to be rid of men. He was being sweet, yet underneath that facade she had a sense there was another reason for his visit. “Why are you really here? I don’t believe a gay man will go from a man to a woman in the same night.”

“I want to know you better.”

“And you think inviting yourself into my bedroom is going to make me inclined to tell you my deep, dark secrets?”

He grinned. “It’s worth a try.”

She jabbed her finger into his chest. “You’re arrogant.”

“That’s one reason Kon adores me.”

She found herself liking him. The way he was so protective of Kon’s well-being reminded her of the way she’d looked after her brothers and sisters—or tried to. A bubble of grief caught her unaware. She’d never get the chance to care for them again. To her mortification, tears streamed down her cheeks.

In an instant, Dane’s entire demeanor changed to contriteness. He rubbed her arm. “What did I do?”

She shook her head and wiped at her eyes with the edge of the sheet. “Nothing. I’m fine. It’s—it’s that time of the month.”

“Do you need anything from the convenience store? I’ll go. I don’t mind. It’s actually kind of fun flexing my muscles at the clerk while buying feminine accessories.” He held up a bent arm and twitched a bicep.

Shame heated her cheeks. Unable to stand the thought of Dane wading through the snow on an errand for supplies she hadn’t needed since being shot, she said, “You don’t have to. I was just thinking of my brothers and sisters.”

“Oh. You must miss them.”

She choked off a sob. He had no idea how much she pined for her siblings. They’d looked up to her, and she’d had no choice but to leave them behind.

“Hey. It’s all right.” His palm was warm against her back as he rubbed in slow circles.

“It’s stupid. I haven’t cried since—” She had to stop and think. There’d been no tears when she’d been thirteen and found her mother on the floor dead from a drug overdose, only cold shock and determination to look after her siblings. No tears either the day she’d caught her stepfather fondling her half-sister Rosa’s womanly curves when Rosa wasn’t yet fifteen. Eliana had intervened. She’d slapped her stepfather and threatened him with a broken beer bottle. She’d paid later for her indiscretion when he’d caught her alone in the kitchen. Hate had filled her as his sweaty hands grabbed at her, but he’d sworn not to touch Rosa again—as long as Eliana availed herself to him. In the end, giving her body hadn’t been enough.

Emilio was dead, and Rosa was forever mute and paralyzed. Eliana had little hope of seeing her remaining family again.

She said none of this. Dane didn’t need to know her secrets. Yet, to her mortification, she couldn’t make the tears stop.

“Poor thing. Come here.” Dane drew her into his arms.

He was so warm, comfortable, and sturdy, she didn’t mind the embrace. It helped that he didn’t ask questions or bother with useless platitudes. She couldn’t explain how, but he was present in more than a physical manner.

He didn’t let go even when she’d stopped crying. “I was adopted. I never had brothers or sisters. I always wanted to be a big brother, but my parents decided one kid was enough.”