Seducing the Chambermaid [Notorious Nephilim 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (13 page)

He grinned, but this time all Blair felt was fear, not arousal. “A special concoction. I can’t tell you the recipe.”

She took a sip, trying to control her trembling fingers. The liquid warmed her throat, and as soon as she’d swallowed it, she felt her muscles begin to relax. “Thank you.”

He took his seat beside her again and placed an arm around her shoulder as Andras studied her face, concern in his eyes. “We’ve never told anyone our history, but in light of this information, it’s time you knew the truth.”

“What do you know about Nephilim—fallen angels?” asked Leo.

“Um…nothing, except maybe a few things from the Bible.”

“Sixteen years ago we were part of a large group of Nephilim sent to Earth to help with the uprisings over Prohibition. We were supposed to keep watch and help the more violent protestors find peaceful ways to express their feelings.”

“You were what?” Blair put down the mug Leo had handed her and looked from one to the other, searching for any trace they were pulling her leg. What an absurd story.

“We were sent here on a mission with about forty others.”

“You can’t be serious…”

Andras nodded. “I can prove it,” he said quietly.

A shiver ran through Blair. There was something so definite in the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes. She recalled all the odd things she’d been questioning since arriving here nearly a month ago. But could they really be angels—actual angels? How was that possible? “Sent by whom?” she asked.

The corners of Leo’s mouth turned up. “By the archangels and our boss.”

“Your boss? Leo, is that a joke? Because it’s not funny.”

“No joke, Blair. We’re Nephilim.”

Blair stared at the liquid in her mug, wondering if he’d slipped her a Mickey, and why he’d do such a thing. What other explanation was there? What they’d just told her couldn’t be true. When she lifted her gaze again, they wore twin hopeful expressions. She searched their eyes again for a sign they were putting her on but saw only sincerity.

“You must have wondered about certain abilities we have,” Leo said softly.

Blair nodded and took another sip from her mug. She couldn’t argue with him there. She’d been wondering about all the owners since before these two made love to her. On the heels of that thought, she recalled how she hadn’t been afraid of getting knocked up once Andras asked her to trust him regarding that issue. That had been something she’d meant to ask him about ever since they’d had dinner. What better time than now to clear it up?

She looked into his eyes. “When I asked you about protection, you told me to trust you. Did that have something to do with what you’re telling me now?”

“We’re sterile,” he said, his eyes filling with sadness. “After our punishment, a demon cast a curse on each of us to sweeten the deal.”

“Now there’s a demon involved as well?”

“Let’s back up a bit,” he said, leaning forward. “We were sent here on a mission, but we got caught up in the lifestyle instead.” He averted his gaze for a second. “We drank illegal booze, we went to speakeasies, and we seduced women. Our favorite thing was for two of us to seduce one.”

“Oh…” So that’s all she was to them, a favorite vice?

“Needless to say the archangels were not happy. As punishment for our sins we were bound to Earth.”

Blair didn’t want to hear anymore. She didn’t even care if the crushing sadness stealing over her heart showed on her face. What a fool she’d been. These two had used her just as they’d used countless other women, and she’d played right into their hands.

Andras reached across the coffee table and stroked her arm. She pulled away so suddenly the rest of the liquid in her mug splashed all over her clothing. “Shit.” She stood up and started down the hallway. She made it inside the bathroom and closed the door just as the tears started to flow.

Blair took her time rinsing the stains out of her clothing and composing herself. The hell with them. Let them wait. She didn’t want to believe their story, but everything fit. Not that she’d been wondering if they were angels, but she’d known all along there was something extraordinary about them. Now that they’d told her, the signs had been there all along. It had simply been easier to ignore them.

But what really tore at Blair’s heart was the realization this was nothing more than a game. Would it do any good to run away again? Frankie had found her. What was to stop him from finding her again? And where would she go?

Leo had said she was safe here, and he’d tell her why. Was this what he’d meant? They were angels, and therefore she needn’t fear Frankie or his men? What did they intend to do if the goons showed up, beat them with their wings?

The image that rose in Blair’s mind almost made her laugh. She wiped her face one more time, took a few deep breaths, and went to join Leo and Andras again. Whatever happened from this point on, she resolved not to let them seduce her. At least she’d walk away with her dignity intact.

And you’ll never feel their kisses again. Can you live with that?

“Shut up,” she muttered. She’d just have to deal with that. There was no way she was going to let them use her in their sick games.

“Are you all right?” asked Andras, rising from his chair. As soon as his scent reached Blair’s nose her resolve faded away as if it had never been there. Memories of last night with Leo and her night with Andras earlier in the week assaulted her senses. So much for not becoming a pawn in their game. One look from either of them and she melted like butter. This was going to be much harder than she’d imagined.

“I’m fine. Tell me the rest of your story. How did a demon become involved in this?”

Blair folded her legs up under her bottom and hugged her knees. She was no longer cold, but she didn’t want either of them to touch her. She wanted to keep her wits about her and listen to what they had to say before she made up her mind what to do next.

“Lilith came into the picture a few months after—”

“Lilith? The person this resort is named after?”

Andras nodded. “That’s right. You’ve no doubt seen her portrait in the lobby?”

“She’s a demon?” The portrait he referred to was of a woman dressed in fashions about ten years out of date, including a short flapper skirt, rolled stockings, and strappy pumps. Blair had been drawn to her dark, intense eyes and sultry smile. She looked like a movie star.

“Yes, she is. We…” Andras and Leo exchanged a glance before he continued. “We summoned her, to see if we could reverse the punishment. But it backfired because she wanted more from us than we were willing to give, so she placed a curse on all of us, and the punishment still stands.”

“What did she want from you?”

Leo snorted. “Our affections, if you will. Exclusivity. From all of us.”

“Oh. I see.”
And heaven forbid you give away your affections to one woman.

“Blair, I can only imagine how this all must sound to you, but—”

“No, Andras, you can’t, okay? You can’t imagine it. The two of you accused me of stealing which, by the way, I did not do. Then you used your angel magic or whatever it was to seduce me. You used me as part of your silly games and took something from me I can never have back.”

“Blair, is that really what you think our night together was about?” Andras’s whisper cut straight through her pain and anger, but she mentally shook it away. She would not allow him the satisfaction of seeing how much he affected her.

“I apologized to you for what we did, and I meant it.”

“I’m sorry, too, Blair,” said Leo, his voice trembling. “And just for the record, last night meant more to me than just sex. A lot more. We never meant to hurt you. You’re just so…so damn beautiful. We got carried away.”

Blair fought to maintain her composure, but it was almost impossible. Between the charged feeling the air had taken on and their combined scents, she felt light-headed. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. “This is too much to take in. I need time to think.”

She rose and walked toward the hall that led to Leo’s bedroom, but then stopped and turned to face them. Both men wore expressions of pain and guilt, and Blair blinked back tears. She was in deep here, in danger of falling head over heels in love with both men. She could not let that happen. They weren’t even men, were they? She was more confused than ever.

“I can’t stay here.”

Leo rose. “You have to. You have to stay with one of us. It’s safer that way.”

She knew he was right, but she didn’t want to sleep in his bed any longer. “Then put me somewhere else, where you can both watch me or whatever it is you think you can do to ward off Frankie and his men.”

Andras and Leo both came to stand beside her, and Blair took a deep breath to clear her head, but all it did was let in more of their combined scents.

“Blair,” said Andras, reaching to touch her face. She closed her eyes and tried not to feel the arousal coursing through her body. “Frankie and his goons can’t touch you as long as you’re with us.”

“You can sleep in one of the other bedrooms,” said Leo. “I’ll have your things from your room in the staff wing brought here. Andras’s suite is just across the hall. This way we’ll both be close.”

When she opened her eyes again, it was to see a dark look pass between the two. When Andras finally spoke, his voice held an edge. “Then I’m moving into your suite as well, so both of us are here with her at all times.”

“Suit yourself,” said Leo.

“Stop it,” she said. “You two sound like kids on a playground, fighting over a piece of candy.”

Neither one responded, but at least they broke eye contact. “What about my housekeeping duties? I need to return to work.”

“Don’t worry about them,” said Andras. “We don’t want you out of our sight for now.”

“Come on,” said Leo, placing his hand on Blair’s lower back. “I’ll show you where the other bedrooms are.”

Leo made arrangements for Blair’s things to be brought to one of the bedrooms in his suite. She’d chosen the bedroom on the other side of the sitting room, away from the hallway leading to his room, and the room that was now Andras’s. It broke his heart to realize she wanted nothing to do with either of them now.

He understood why. She thought they’d only been using her, playing a game like they’d done with so many other women. He’d wanted to try and explain that wasn’t how it was at all, but she’d shut right down. Andras had seen it happen as well. The two talked briefly about her reaction after Andras brought a few things over from his suite, and Blair had gone back to sleep.

“She’s afraid,” said Andras.

“And she hates us right now.”

“She doesn’t hate us. Give her time. We dumped a lot on her all at once.”

“We had to.”

“I’m not disagreeing with you, Leo. Just back off for a while. Let her work this out in her own way. Oh, by the way, I just saw Hugh, who told me Sterling is back.”

Leo snorted. “Did he find his soul?”

“I don’t know. We need to tell the others what’s going on, but I don’t want to leave Blair alone. Are you okay with asking them all to come up here?”

Leo shrugged. “Sure, I guess so. It has to be done.”

* * * *

It was nearly lunchtime when the other owners began to file into the suite. Leo had food sent up, and the group gathered in the dining room. While they ate, Leo and Andras filled them in on everything that the
Tribune
had written about Blair. He and Andras had agreed earlier to keep the focus on Frankie and his men, not on their relationship with Blair. They recounted how Blair had found the jewelry in the alley and tried to pawn it then brought it here the day Frankie’s goons showed up at her home.

“So she is a thief, then.” Gregory smirked across the table at Leo.

“I beg your pardon?”

“You denied it in your office the other day, but I was right.”

Murmurs around the table and sideways glances greeted Gregory’s statement. Leo struggled to maintain his composure. “We aren’t talking about Mrs. Stanton and her disappearing necklace. We’re talking about something that occurred before Blair came here, over a month ago.”

“It’s the same thing, Leo. Once a thief, always a thief. At least she has good taste in jewelry.”

“Gregory, shut the fuck up,” said Andras. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. This isn’t about that damn necklace. It’s—”

“Wait a minute…you know about this, too? You both are protecting her? Are you both banging her, too?”

Several of the men turned on Gregory, and soon there was shouting back and forth. Leo stood up and whistled shrilly, silencing the group. “We aren’t accomplishing anything this way. This is a serious situation, and we need to figure out what to do about it. Gregory, forget the damn necklace. Elizabeth Stanton has it. End of story.” He glanced at each man in turn. “Anyone else have a problem with that?”

When no one answered him and Gregory’s sneer had turned into a sulky pout, Leo continued. “I have no idea if the
Trib
was just fishing or if Frankie knows Blair is here. But I’m certain he knows she took the satchel of jewelry from her father’s house. I don’t know if he or some of his men will be stupid enough to come here looking for the loot, but if they do, we need to be ready.”

“Regardless of what any of you believe,” said Andras, rising to stand next to Leo, “Blair Lorring is one of our staff, and we need to protect her, and this resort. We’ve all worked too hard and gone through too much to let it fall because of a crook like Frankie Fillipone. Are we agreed on that, at least?”

Murmurs of assent and nods went around the table.

“Okay then,” said Leo. “We need to carry on as before. We’re running a business here, and I don’t think any of us want to shut it down out of fear. Andras and I have moved Blair into one of the bedrooms in this suite.”

Emmett chuckled and shook his head.

“You have a problem with that?” asked Leo.

“No, it’s just that I can’t understand why you two won’t come clean and say you’re sleeping with her, that’s all. What’s the big deal? She’s a great-looking dame. Can’t say I blame you.”