Wicked Fantasy (34 page)

“Pretty much.” He looked amused. “Every time I met your gaze tonight, I was imprinting the fantasy in your mind. Once I leave, all you have to do is relax, close your eyes, and it'll come.”

Gerry didn't think so. She could never fall asleep on Christmas Eve when she was a kid because she knew Santa was coming. This was sort of the same concept. “Will we have any free will, or have you scripted everything?”

Eric held up his hands. “It'll unfold the way you want it to. All I do is put you in the situation and give you the belief that it's all real. The rest is up to you.”

Gerry glanced at Conall. “You buy into this?”

“Donna, Brynn, and Kim all said Eric's fantasy was one of the highlights of their sexual lives, so I guess, yes, I do buy into it.”

“Okay, I can do this.” She rubbed her clammy hands on the sheet. “Don't we have to get undressed?”

Eric shrugged. “It's your call. It won't make any difference to the fantasy.” He glanced into the hallway. “Asima's asleep out here. Do you want me to shield both your doors? Wouldn't want any interruption right at the best part.”

Conall nodded. “Sounds good. And would you shield Jinx's door, too? I don't want to come out of the fantasy to find he's lifted Holgarth's sorcerer's ring.”

“Call me when you want the shield gone.” Eric gave the iron maiden a friendly swat as he passed it. “Ah, the good old days, when death was still creative.” Winking at Gerry, he left.

“Wow, I can't believe Eric's power.” Why was she talking about Eric's power? Why didn't she just close her eyes and relax. Because her eyes were glued wide open, that's why.

“You won't lose control during the fantasy, vampire lady.”

She frowned. “Of course I will. I mean, that's been my sexual fantasy forever. Being chased through the woods by this savage.”

“And you've been lying to yourself.”

Gerry blinked. “Is that what Eric saw?”

“Yep.”

“It's
my
mind. Why didn't I know?”

“You wanted to believe your version. You wanted to believe you could be different from what you were because . . .”

“Wanting to be in control and being supercompetitive was okay for my brother, but I always got the feeling Mom and Dad didn't approve of me being the same way. It wasn't ‘feminine.' So I figured I could at least live down to my parents' expectations in my fantasy.”

Something seemed to pop inside her, and suddenly she felt free. Finally, she understood.

Conall reached across to clasp her hand. “A strong woman is sexy. She needs a strong man to match wits with, though. Otherwise boredom will set in, and she'll run amok raising bloody hell.”

“Run amok? Bloody hell?” She smiled. Sometimes in the midst of his contemporary speech patterns, Conall would throw in phrases that reminded her of his long past. “And you know this because?”

“I just know.”

“That's an Asima answer.” Laughing, she closed her eyes and at last let herself relax.

When nothing immediately happened, she didn't know whether to go limp with relief or be really disappointed. But she'd give it another few minutes and then . . .

Suddenly, Satona opened her eyes. What was she doing just lying around? Tonight was the annual Mate-Hunting celebration. It was the one night of the year when a female vampire who was ready to claim a mate could go into the Sensual Forest and hunt down one of the savage males that lurked there.

Of course, the aforementioned savage males weren't vampires, so they didn't have much chance of escaping once one of the Sisters of the Night picked up their trail.

Even though the Sisters could've claimed any of the many males living outside the forest, the males who called the forest home were so potent, so totally sexual, that every Sister wanted one for herself.

Well, tonight was her night. Satona climbed from her bed, carefully readied herself, and then left her house. The other members of her sisterhood waited for her.

“Oooh, I love the sparkly champagne tint you used on your nipples, Satona. Very sexy.” Meerit almost thrummed with excitement.

“The champagne thong that matches your nipples is sooo sensual. I wish I'd thought of it.” Tahira twirled for all to admire her naked perfection. “I'm just me tonight.”

Satona laughed. “And that'll be much more than any male can handle.” The ten Sisters surrounding her were either naked like Tahira, or wore a bare minimum like Satona. She'd chosen to tint her nipples and wear a thong because she thought a few subtle accessories made her body sexier.

She glanced up. “A full moon. The hunting will be good tonight.” The darkness called to her. Even if Satona hadn't been a vampire, she'd love the night—its shadowed secrets, its danger. She shivered in anticipation.

Chiva held up her hand. “It's time, Sisters. May you all achieve orgasms so powerful you'll have to sleep for three straight days.”

With shouting and laughter, the Sisters of the Night swept into the Sensual Forest.

Once among the trees, everyone separated. Satona became one with the forest, a stealthy shadow stalking her prey. An unskilled female wouldn't catch a forest male. But she was one of the sisterhood's greatest hunters. A male would be hers tonight.

It didn't take her long to pick up a trail. She found proof of his passing, a discarded ticket stub for one of the ritualistic male events called football. Satona moved faster now, gaining on her prey. There, she spotted a further sign of his passing, a tab from a metal container that held a forest male's favorite drink, beer.

She'd never tasted beer, but since the forest males were a primitive species, she assumed their beverages would be bitter and nothing a Sister of the Night would enjoy.

Satona thought of the smooth muscular neck of the male she hunted, and the hot blood pumping beneath his skin. She peeled back her lips to expose her fangs. Now
there
was a drink worth sampling.

Startled, she realized the male had led her into the heart of the Sensual Forest, where the magical trees grew. A Sister was allowed to hunt in the Sensual Forest only once in her life, so Satona knew she'd have only this one chance to experience what older vampires only whispered of.

She quickened her pace. The male she hunted was fast and clever, but he didn't have her enhanced senses or her preternatural speed.

Suddenly, she burst into a small clearing dominated by one enormous tree. She stared, awed. Its massive trunk, thick branches, and gold-tipped leaves proclaimed that this was the storied Tree of Eternal Pleasure.

Satona gasped. Few even from the sisterhood had ever seen this tree. But it was the male standing in front of the tree that held her complete attention.

He was all a forest male should be. With feet planted wide and eyes narrowed in defiance, he was six feet plus of naked, muscular, male animal.

Forest males who'd been captured and brought back to be the mates of other Sisters rarely spoke. Satona thought this was an admirable characteristic. Vampire males had an opinion on everything.

So she wasn't surprised when he said nothing. His low warning growl warned her off. A challenge. Yes! She wouldn't want a mate who whimpered and cowered. Of course, she'd have to be in control, but she also needed a male who didn't fear her.

Satona knew her smile was sensual, promising that he'd enjoy being her mate. All males desired the Sisters of the Night for their erotic knowledge and insatiable sexual appetites. Lucky male.

The lucky male didn't look like he appreciated the honor she was about to bestow on him. Oh well, it wouldn't be any fun if he groveled at her feet. She smiled with wicked anticipation. Anything he did with her body wouldn't be aimed at her feet.

She inched toward him, watching his eyes for a hint of when he'd launch himself at her. Lord, he was magnificent close up.

His bared body gleamed in the moonlight, a play of light and shadow in the darkness. His broad chest rose and fell, proof of the strong heart pumping all that glorious blood through him. He had the sculpted pecs and washboard abs all forest males had, but he somehow seemed bigger, more impressive here in his natural habitat.

She slid her gaze past his chest and stomach to admire his thighs, all powerful muscle and sinew. His legs had the strength needed to run for miles. It spoke much of his courage that he chose to make his stand here instead of forcing her to chase him until he dropped from exhaustion.

“Who are you?” His voice was a harsh rasp of anger.

“Satona.” Deliberately, she shifted her gaze to his sexual organs. If she could breathe, she'd be gulping for air. She'd seen male vampires naked, but none of them came close to
this
. Even though the male was not sexually excited yet, his shaft showed promise of huge size. And his sacs hung large and heavy between his thighs.

She would've asked his name, but it wasn't his name she hunted tonight. Only his body mattered, and all the pleasure it would give her over the years until she discarded it for the body of a male vampire. Because the Sisters of the Night could only keep their beautiful savages for ten years. Those ten years were their pleasure years. When their time was up, they had to do their duty by mating with one of their own kind.

“You're a Sister of the Night. Only your sisterhood would dare stalk their mate to the very center of the Sensual Forest.” He narrowed gray eyes that shone silver in the moonlight and tightened his sexy lips into a stubborn line. “Your hunt is useless. I don't wish to be your pleasure mate.”

She'd throw out a few incentives, although Satona hoped he'd reject them. She looked forward to a battle. “I have a big-screen TV and an endless supply of beer.” The beer was a lie, but how hard would it be to find some? “You can watch primitive sporting events such as football and NASCAR.” When he wasn't sharing his yummy body with her.

He raised one dark brow. “You think to bribe me? The sisterhood wants forest males only for sex.”

She frowned. “Is something wrong with that?”

“I'll choose my own mate.”

He turned his back to her, prepared to walk away. Satona lost precious seconds admiring the smooth play of muscles in his back and the firm perfection of his butt cheeks. She'd been truly blessed in finding him.

None of the other Sisters would come even close to capturing a male like the one who was walking away from her.
Walking away?
No. Reaching for her power, she gathered it to her, and then flung it outward.

With a startled yell, the male was flung face-first against the Tree of Eternal Pleasure and held there, spread-eagled.

Mine, all mine.
Ten years wouldn't be nearly enough to explore all the sexual possibilities with him. She wouldn't hold him against the tree for long, though. After all, males had fragile egos. She didn't want him to feel completely powerless, even though he was.

“If you promise to stay, I'll release you.” Perhaps not just yet, though. “But first I'd like to touch you.” She wisely didn't ask his permission.

Surprisingly, he laughed. “Go ahead, touch me.”

Strange. Where was the anger, the threats? Satona decided not to think the whole thing to death.

Moving up behind him, she ran her palms across the warm, smooth expanse of his back. If she didn't know better, she'd almost believe she felt a light tingling in them. “You have a wonderful back. I look forward to snuggling up to it on a cold winter day.”

“What do you know about the Tree of Eternal Pleasure?”

Satona frowned. What did that have to do with anything? “Not much. I know it sits at the very center of the Sensual Forest. And there are legends hinting of its magical powers. Only a few have ever even seen it.”

She wasn't interested in the Tree right now. For some reason, she felt a little dizzy. She was vampire. Vampires didn't feel dizzy or experience any other human weaknesses. It was probably just the excitement of capturing her very own pleasure mate.

But as the dizziness increased, she slid to her knees. That was okay, because now she was in a perfect position to glide her fingers over his butt, that firm and deliciously masculine monument to sin and temptation. Forcing herself to ignore her wooziness, she squeezed each cheek just to make sure they weren't the products of clever implants. No, they were as real as her growing desire.

He clenched his buttocks, and she smiled. Leaning forward, she kissed each luscious cheek.

“Do you feel a strangeness, vampire woman?” His husky voice was so sexy it banished her dizziness for a moment.

“I'll be fine.” Well, maybe.

The unusual physical sensation made her uneasy. Perhaps it was this place. Over the centuries, a few of the sisterhood had never returned from the forest. It was so rare that no one thought too much about it. Satona thought of it now. She needed to leave the forest with her mate.

“I'm going to release you, and then we'll leave the forest. Don't try to flee because I can stop you with my mind. Once we reach my home, you'll realize how fortunate you were to be chosen.” She struggled to her feet, trying to keep from swaying.

“Maybe the Tree doesn't want you to leave.” The husky voice she'd thought was so sexy a few minutes ago now took on a sinister tone.

“I don't think I have to ask the Tree's permission.” As a new wave of dizziness hit her, she fell against his back and reached around him to brace her hands against the Tree's trunk.

As soon as her palms touched the bark, she got a sinking feeling.
A sinking-into-the-tree feeling
. What the . . . ?