Dangerous Influence (The Harcourte Vampyre Society Book 5) Page 28

  Jolie was worried.

  There was something about tonight that had her rattled and worried. Nathaniel was too willing to help. She knew that the council wanted nothing to do with her, but yet, they had offered to allow her to petition them.

  It had her worried.

  As she headed out into her office, she noticed her office manager was gone.

  That was odd.

  She never left while Jolie was in her office.

  As she headed toward her desk, a hand shot out, wrapping around her waist. Jolie was roughly yanked against a body.

  She gasped, ready to fight.

  Then she smelled him.

  “Flynn,” she whispered, as his mouth sought hers.

  The kiss was warm, inviting, and called to the predator in her. His tongue was plumbing the depths of her mouth in desperation.

  Jolie held on for the ride as she was braced between his legs while he leaned against the wall. She could feel that she wasn’t the only one who was heating up.

  As his hand slid up her leg, finding her ass, she moaned. His simple touch could melt her into a puddle.

  ‘God, you taste really good,’ he admitted silently.

  Jolie couldn’t think.

  She was too busy being dominated by the kiss. Had it been Jacques, she would have taken, demanded, and stole back. He called to the predator in her, but with Flynn, she simply held on and let him work his magic over her.

  It was heavenly.

  Slowly, she pulled away.

  “Detective Brogan, what do I owe this pleasure?” she asked, wiping the smear of lipstick from his lower lip. The plumpness made her want to sink her fangs into it.

  He grinned wickedly. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d pick you up.”

  “Perfect.”

  He swung her up in his arms, and she laughed.

  “This makes my day.”

  It was making his too. There was nothing like having Jolie in his arms. This was heaven.

  “I thought we could head home, get naked, and roll around before council tonight. You’re going to have to feed, and we might as well have fun with it.”

  She wouldn’t say no to that.

  “Where’s my office manager?”

  “I scared her away. I told her I was going to abduct you, do wicked things to your body, and make you mine.”

  Jolie flushed. She was pretty sure any woman would. Flynn was rugged, handsome, and strong. The sheer bulk of him made her wet and crazy.

  What woman didn’t want that in a mate?

  “Maybe I should walk out,” she offered.

  He grinned. “Maybe I like carrying you.”

  “Flynn.”

  He gently put her on her feet. When she turned, he smacked her sharply on the ass.

  Jolie wanted to jump him. That one love tap alone made her hot and bothered.

  She wanted to ride him to the ground, feel him in her body, and shout his name as she came over and over again.

  “I say do it,” he offered, reading her mind.

  God.

  She wished she could.

  As he helped her into her coat, her office door opened. There stood Doctor Tomes, carrying two coffees.

  “Oh, Jolie, are you leaving? I thought we could have coffee together--maybe share some cases.”

  Flynn growled low in his chest as the man approached. He was smiling brightly at Jolie, and Flynn wanted to take his head off his shoulders.

  Oh, he knew who he was.

  Jacques had warned him.

  This man coveted what was his, and it was clearly written on his face.

  It wasn’t happening. Jolie was taken.

  His woman.

  His mate.

  The mother of his children.

  “Actually, I don’t drink coffee, Doctor,” she said, moving closer to Flynn. Hopefully, if he went after the man, she could stop him.

  Or at least help clean up the blood.

  “That’s too bad. I was looking forward to spending some time with you, so we could talk.”

  Flynn growled, and Jolie could see his fangs peeking out from beneath his lip. It was clear he was getting angry. For the doctor’s sake, she needed to get him out of there, and fast.

  “I’m sorry, but I was just leaving.”

  The man didn’t get the hint.

  “Who are you?” he asked, directing his gaze at Flynn.

  “He’s a very close friend, and a police detective that I’m working with on a case,” she said, knowing that she already explained Jacques as her fiancé. Had she not, she would have been all over Flynn.

  “Oh, I see. Am I interrupting?”

  He opened his mouth, ready to tell the man he was going to get hurt if he didn’t back up, but Jolie cut him off.

  “Yes, you are. I’m sorry, Doctor, but can we talk another day?”

  Flynn stared at her, giving Jolie the look. He wasn’t happy—at all.

  “Oh, sure! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  When Hell froze over.

  Flynn was making sure of that.

  As soon as he left, Jolie went to explain, but Flynn didn’t care. He pushed her against the wall and claimed her mouth again. This time, he was brutal, punishing, and drew blood. His fangs were out, and he didn’t care if he nipped her lip.

  He was pissed.

  Jolie couldn’t think. Flynn was angry and punishing her. She loved every second of it as she clung to him.

  When he pulled away, his fangs, and hers, were out.

  “If you ever call me a friend again, and not your fiancé, I’ll make sure you forget the word.”

  She believed him.

  “I already told him Jacques…”

  He didn’t care.

  “I mean it, Jolie. I’m not your friend. I’m your mate. Have some respect for it.”

  She couldn’t think.

  Jolie could hear the tone in his voice. Flynn was angry, and that didn’t happen often. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  Sliding his hand beneath her tailored skirt, he found her panties and tugged. They ripped, making her gasp.

  “Mine,” he muttered, as he stroked her roughly with his fingers. He was marking her, and he didn’t care what anyone thought.

  Jolie moaned as he tormented her. Just as she got into it, he stopped. She blinked in confusion.

  “Let’s go home,” he said, dropping the ruined undergarments in the trash can, as he pulled her from the room.

  Jolie wanted to overheat.

  Flynn was definitely changing. There was something very different about him, but she didn’t care.

  A dominant vampyre was hot.

  And she had one.

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  Harcourte Plantation

  Jacques was dressing when he heard them coming toward the room. As he looked over, the door opened.

  He relaxed. Jolie was fine, and so was Flynn.

  “You’re home early. Wasn’t I was picking Jolie up at the office?”

  He grinned. “I couldn’t focus at work. I’m too worried about tonight, so I thought I’d pick our girl up and get her somewhere safe.”

  She laughed. “What? I’m hardly safe in here, and you know it. You have that look in your eyes, Flynn.”

  He did.

  Why?

  Because he planned on molesting her as soon as he could get out of his clothes and guns.

  He went to accost her, but Jacques moved between them. Flynn stopped and lifted a brow.

  “Can we talk first? I need to have a conversation with you because you need to know something first.”

  Flynn took a step back when Jacques moved toward the bed to sit.

  “You look worried.”

  “I am.”

  Flynn glanced over at Jolie. “Can you give us a few minutes?” he asked.

  She could because she already knew what was bothering Jacques. If they wanted to have sex, they would need to talk and clear the air.

  When sh
e was gone, Flynn took a seat beside Jacques, but he moved away to put space between them.

  That alarmed him.

  “What was that?”

  “That’s what we need to talk about. You and me.”

  Flynn had no clue where this was heading. “What’s wrong, Jacques? You don’t often shy away from me.”

  “I want to have sex with you.”

  Flynn opened his mouth and closed it.

  “Pardon?”

  “You heard me. You’re not human any more. I can smell our kind all over you, and it makes it hard to control my urges. We’re basically animals beneath the human shell, and I feel like mating with my mates. When you were human, I could smell you and realize that there were boundaries. Now I’m struggling to tell the difference.”

  Well, Flynn didn’t see that one coming.

  At all.

  Now he had to figure out what to do about it.

  “So, what you’re saying is…?”

  “I’m attracted to you. As your mate, your scent calls to me, and I want to touch you. I wanted to talk to you first before I did anything. I don’t want my actions to hurt us.”

  Flynn had a few options.

  “Okay, as in…?”

  Why was this conversation so difficult?

  “As in touch you. I’m pretty sure I have the terminology correct. We can switch to French, and I might have better luck.”

  He was babbling.

  He was off kilter.

  Flynn knew that his mate was worked up, and he didn’t know what to do about it.

  “I know you’re still human, and you still have those baseline rules about men being with men, but I needed you to know what is living in me. When we’re together, I might not be able to handle it. If you think that it will damage our relationship, and the foundation we’ve built, then I’m going to have to not have sex with you and Jolie.”

  “It’s my scent?” he asked, sniffing his collar.

  “Yes.”

  “It’s turning you on?”

  “Yes. It’s a pheromone thing. Like Jolie’s scent calls to us, yours calls to me.”

  Flynn leaned closer to Jacques body, and sniffed him. He smelled like Jolie and his pricy French cologne. Other than that, there was no allure to jump the man.

  None.

  “The boundaries are crossing. I don’t know if Death is screwing with us, or if this was simply because of our union, but I needed you to know.”

  He went to get up.

  Flynn grabbed his hand. “Wait.”

  Jacques didn’t move.

  “I appreciate you saying this to me. I know it had to be uncomfortable for you, but I appreciate your honesty.”

  He nodded.

  “As for what we should do about it, I don’t have a clue. I’m as hetero as they come.”

  “Vampyres aren’t, and you know that.”

  “I’m aware. I don’t have an answer for you, Jacques. I don’t think I’m there yet. I love you, and I don’t mind the contact, but that act of intimacy isn’t in my comfort zone yet.”

  He understood.

  “I’m not saying it won’t happen one day, but for now, I’m not there.”

  “I won’t touch you, but I think it’s best I not have sex with Jolie and you. I can’t make a promise, and I don’t want to damage us.”

  He had a choice.

  Jacques, while a trained killer, tended to have a soft spot underneath the armor. He hurt easily.

  He pulled him near before wrapping his arms around his mate. They were pressed together. “I love you, Jacques, and I don’t want you to leave our bed. Give me time, and if you cross a line, I’ll tell you. If it becomes uncomfortable, I’ll stop you.”

  He didn’t speak.

  Flynn pulled away and stared into his eyes. “We’re a family. Help me navigate this. If I’m nearly all changed, eventually it’ll go there. Help me stay the course. Don’t leave our bed.”

  Jacques touched his face with his pale hand.

  “I can’t stay. I’m sorry. I love you and Jolie too much to risk ruining what we have. I need time too.”

  With that, he walked out of the room.

  Flynn didn’t have words.

  When Jolie appeared beside him, she looked confused. “Where’s Jacques?”

  Flynn told him.

  “Oh, no!”

  Flynn wanted to go after him. “What do I do, Jolie?” he asked. “I know that had to be hard on him.”

  Honestly, she wasn’t sure.

  Vampyres didn’t really look at the sex of a person. When you had a mate, you were attracted to them, and if they were male or female…it didn’t matter. The scent called to you, and you followed the instinct.

  “Flynn.”

  “I love him, but I just can’t go there. I don’t know if I ever will be able to either.”

  She hugged him. “This isn’t your fault. Jacques occassionally needs time. When he does, he likes to think it through.”

  He kissed her. It was full of heat and passion. When she tried to crawl up his body, he stopped her.

  “What?” she asked.

  “If Jacques isn’t going to sleep with us, I can’t do it to him. I can’t have sex either.”

  She stared at him.

  “Please tell me you’re kidding. I’m pregnant and turned on. Someone has to…”

  He touched her cheek.

  “I’m serious.”

  Jolie sighed. “I hate that you’re a good man, Flynn. Damn you.”

  He laughed.

  He was something, all right.

  Insane.

  Crazy.

  A glutton for punishment.

  Hell!

  He was a masochist.

  “Tell me about it.”

  ∞ Chapter Twenty-Three ∞

  Tuesday evening

  Oh, they fed all right.

  Only, it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as Flynn had hoped. Jolie had dined on her mates, but Jacques had been quiet the entire time. Even when she rubbed against him, she couldn’t get him to respond.

  So, they donated and left the safety of the house to face the unknown.

  In the Hummer, Jacques sat in the front, Vanth drove, and Flynn rode in the back with Jolie in his lap.

  It was hell.

  When he said no sex, he assumed she would throw him that abstinence bone. Instead, she wrapped herself around the front of him to drive him insane.

  As she squirmed in his lap, Flynn was getting overheated. His fangs were already out, and he was dying to shove them into her smooth, sexy neck.

  ‘You’re pushing your luck,’ he warned.

  ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘I’m thinking about putting you over my knee and spanking you.’

  ‘That doesn’t make me want to behave.’

  He growled low in his chest. Even Jacques looked back at them. His face was emotionless, but there was pain in his eyes.

  Flynn took a chance and reached out to place his hand on the vampyre’s shoulder. Jacques covered it with his own hand.

  It offered them both peace.

  “Tonight, Jolie, you need to stay by me,” Jacques stated. “I’m going to be all over you, and not like you’re all over Flynn.”

  “That doesn’t sound like much fun, my love.”

  He stared back at her. “Flynn, tell her to obey.”

  Jolie opened her mouth.

  “Obey, Jolie.”

  She shook her head. “Did you just try to use compulsion on me?” she asked in outrage.

  “Yep.”

  “Flynn Xavier Brogan!”

  He laughed. “You’re going to stay by Jacques’s side and behave. This feels off to me, and he’s your guardian, right?”

  He had a point.

  “Yes. I’ll stay by Jacques, okay?”

  That made him happy.

  “Vanth, are you ready?”

  The demoness glanced up and into the mirror. It was funny how over the last few months, Jolie had cea
sed to be in charge of their family. Flynn was taking over, and no one really minded.

  He was worthy and liked.

  “I am. Death has given me carte blanche when it comes to protecting Jolie. If I let anything happen to her, my feathers are in the fire.”

  Jacques glanced over. “You have feathers?”

  She laughed. “Yes.”

  He shook his head. Jacques was the only one who hadn’t seen her true form. Both Jolie and Flynn had died, and Vanth had tried to cross them.

  Then again, he could live without knowing.

  “We’re here,” Vanth said.

  Flynn pulled his guns and began checking his silver. There was no way in hell he was entering that council without them. In fact, he had a few knives on his person too.

  Then he thought about Jacques.

  “Here,” he said, pulling his one sidearm and handing it to him. “Use it in case of emergency.”

  Jacques stared at it.

  “What?”

  “I don’t like guns.”

  “I don’t like dead mates. Take the gun, use it, and live,” Flynn said, adding some push to his words.

  Jacques didn’t hesitate.

  Jolie stared.

  Flynn was getting powerful. She knew he tried to use his gift against her, but it was clear that he had done it before. Jacques was the king of blocking.

  ‘You two are my mates,’ Flynn whispered into her mind. ‘I don’t have to even work at it.’

  ‘We’ll discuss this later.’

  He was sure they would.

  When they arrived at the plantation, Jolie scanned the area. There were indeed vampyres everywhere. Up ahead, just off in the distance, there were lights illuminating the grounds.

  It looked like they were ready for them.

  “Be careful,” she warned, sensing the tension waiting for them. Jolie didn’t believe they were going to be safe, and as Flynn and Jacques flanked her, she knew they felt it too.

  The four entered the field. They found themselves stopped in front of Nathaniel.

  He was waiting for them.

  “Mistress, we welcome you,” he said stiffly.

  Jolie, remembering the process and formality, reintroduced her entourage.

  “This is my mate, Flynn, our guardian and mate, Jacques, and one of my family, Chloe.”