Dangerous Sacrifice (The Harcourte Vampyre Society Book 6) Page 28

  It made her heart race.

  And she didn’t know why.

  ‘Help me,’ he whispered into her mind. ‘Please help me get free.’

  She didn’t know how to communicate with him.

  For the life of her, she wasn’t sure how she could get him to hear her back.

  Then she knew.

  The scrying bowl.

  It was an ancient tool to see past your surroundings with a simple spell. Heading toward her altar, she knelt in front of the large glass bowl. Pouring water that had been blessed by the full moon, and goddess, she began the ritual.

  Kiera closed her eyes, held her hands over the water, and spoke the ancient words.

  Slowly, she drifted into the spell. The voice became louder, clearer, and more intoxicating to her.

  Kiera needed to see him. She needed a clearer view of who was reaching out to her. So, she pulled off her crystal, the one she religiously wore around her neck and let it hang above the water. With a few more words, she was able to focus.

  ‘Who are you?’ she whispered into the dark surrounding him.

  There was a pause.

  ‘You can hear me?’

  ‘Yes, I can hear you. Who are you?’

  ‘My name is Alexzandre. Save me. Someone save me. I’m dying. I need to be saved.’

  She was drawn to him.

  For some reason, he reminded her of someone. As she focused all her energy on the crystal, his face began pulling together in her mind.

  He was so very handsome. His cheekbones were gorgeously sculpted, and Alexzandre reminded her of some fallen angel. His eyes were filled with pain, hiding the beautiful lavender color beneath layer after layer of anguish.

  His body was marked and destroyed.

  ‘Oh, Alexzandre, who has hurt you?’

  His words faded in and out.

  She tried to refocus, but the spell was slipping from her grasp. It was unraveling as he was going under in the darkness.

  ‘Help me,’ he begged.

  ‘I’ll find you. Give me time. I’ll work it out.’

  ‘I don’t have much time. I’m dying.’

  Her heart began racing.

  ‘They’re coming again. Please save me!’

  She lost the visual on him.

  The only thing she heard was his howl of pain and the scream of what reminded her of a wounded animal.

  It scared, horrified, and wounded her heart.

  ‘Alexzandre?’ she whispered into the dark, only to be completely ignored.

  He was gone.

  But was it forever?

  Kiera needed to find out.

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  Paris

  Gradius walked through the halls of his magnificent home and his thoughts went to the woman he stalked. His brother had told him a great deal about her.

  She’d been his prized toy.

  He gushed on and on about how she was strong and unbreakable. He’d also spoken of her as if she was the most precious thing he owned.

  Jolie Harcourte had been his favorite slave, his to use and abuse as much as he wished, and she never broke.

  Her beauty had captivated him, but her unrelenting will had kept him intrigued. With each night that he hurt her, she still didn’t break, and he saw that in her brother too.

  His Tueur had tortured him hourly, and Alexzandre Harcourte wouldn’t relent.

  This must be something they’d inherited.

  When he watched his men try to break him, he thought about Jolie. He remembered seeing her when he had visited his brother’s home.

  He recalled tasting her blood as his brother offered to share her for a few seconds. As his hands touched, his fangs invaded, and he even had a chance to bury himself in that broken, yet strong body, he, too, had been captivated.

  He’d always been jealous of Goethe’s prize.

  One taste of that forbidden fruit and he was addicted.

  A part of him wondered if she’d remember him, and that moment he’d spent tormenting her. Had he known then, that their lives would reconnect, he might have killed his brother to have her.

  Now she was hunted, and he didn’t want her to die. Yes, he had sicced his killers after her, but the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to take her alive.

  If he killed the babies, cutting them from her body, he could keep her. She could be his prisoner, much like she’d been Goethe’s.

  He would own the prize.

  It was more than what Goethe saw in her. He could have unmatched power. If she could give her simple guardian a baby, growing the next Destroyer, he could have that power too.

  If he found her, killed the children she carried, and impregnated her himself, he would be legend.

  He would be the father of the Destroyer.

  It would be perfect.

  He could wield so much power over life, death, and the undead, that they would fall and worship him as a deity.

  The simple vampyre his brother sought to break so many centuries ago would give him a precious, precious gift.

  She would make him unstoppable.

  All he had to do was find her.

  Then he could take and hide her away, using her body to grow him a legacy.

  He would unstoppable.

  He would be worshipped.

  His mind was made up. No matter how long it took, he would keep her and sire a child.

  It was his destiny…

  And hers.

  ∞ Chapter Twenty-Three ∞

  Saturday Evening

  The night had been a whirlwind of planning. While Jolie had gone to death, Jacques had avoided his other mate to make the plans for her surprise. He’d only spent a little time with death, recharging, before their plans had to be set into motion.

  It wasn’t easy avoiding Flynn.

  The man didn’t sleep.

  He stalked the halls like some hunter seeking prey. Whenever he’d cross paths with Jacques, he’d have to pretend to be working on their finances or his hedge funds. He would make some excuse about being busy, and his mate would walk away.

  He only hoped that Flynn had believed him.

  Now his mate was out patrolling the trees around the home. He was restless, and Jacques had asked him to handle it. Flynn didn’t hesitate. He’d headed out to ensure his family’s safety.

  It bought Jacques the time he’d needed.

  It wasn’t easy putting a ‘wedding’ together on such short notice. Cork had many fine shops, and they were willing to accommodate, but still…he’d had to delegate a great deal of it to Mina.

  He only hoped she could pull it off.

  When she and Percy returned from the errands, he was able to cross them off the list.

  The dress was purchased, and if he did say so himself, it was absolutely gorgeous. Jolie was going to be very happy and a lovely bride.

  Flynn had a suit to wear, as did he.

  The most important part to Jacques was the rings, and they were amazing. He’d gotten exactly what Jolie had wanted for each man.

  Arrangements had been made with Kiera, and she was going to handle the setting and the actual ceremony.

  So far, he was off to a really good start.

  It was coming together nicely.

  Even Jolie, before going to death, had handled some aspects of the celebration, only she wouldn’t tell him what. She wanted to surprise him, too, since it was also his special day.

  He appreciated that more than she’d ever know. Jacques was looking forward to the ceremony and the look on Flynn’s face when he was ambushed with a bride.

  Oh, and a groom.

  It was going to be priceless.

  He couldn’t wait.

  As he finished his details, he knew they had actual hunting work to do. Jolie wanted to head to the other vampyre’s homes to check for the black magick spells.

  So, he needed to wake Jolie.

  Sneaking into their room, he made sure his other mate was still out on patrol. Pu
shing energy into Jolie’s body, by way of mouth, he pulled her from death.

  When she inhaled that first precious breath, her eyes focused on him.

  “My love, how are you?” she asked.

  “I’m really good. I’ve been planning your surprise for our Flynn.”

  Jolie’s eyes lit up like a child’s on Christmas morning. “What can you tell me? Is Flynn around?”

  He grinned. “He’s on patrol. Flynn has been avoiding me all day. He’s lost in thought and distracted, and not in my mind. We might be able to pull this off.”

  It hurt her heart that he was suffering, but soon it would be over. He just had to make it through that day.

  “Perfect. When is the ceremony?” asked Jolie, getting incredibly excited.

  “Tomorrow after you wake, Kiera is going to officiate it. I spoke to her, and she’s handling everything from her end. I’m trying to figure out how to get Flynn there.”

  She thought about it.

  “He can find me while I’m with death.”

  “What?”

  She told him about how she was with death, and Flynn had sought her out. “If I ask him to join me, can you get Percy and Mina to help transport us? You can bring him there, and when he wakes, he’ll be in for one hell of a surprise.”

  He laughed. “You realize this all hinges on us being able to carry out this lie, right? We don’t know if Flynn can pull from death easily. If we move him, and he can wake—the jig is up.”

  She was aware.

  For all they knew, he wasn’t locked into death like they were. It was a risk they’d have to take.

  It was going to be worth it.

  “I picked out rings, the jeweler in town had them in stock, and mina picked them up.”

  “Did you get him the one I wanted?” she asked.

  “I did. I picked out the one you liked for me, and it’s really nice.”

  “Perfect.”

  She thought about it.

  “What about a dress?” she asked, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

  “It’s done.”

  “I can’t believe we’re having a wedding.”

  He grinned. “It’s amazing. I never wanted one, but now I can’t imagine not having one with you both.”

  She completely understood.

  “I think we’re going to be good.”

  Oh, she knew he had a few surprises coming too.

  Jolie laughed. “I will never doubt the magic you can create in a couple hours.”

  He shrugged. “We all have our gifts, my love.”

  Suddenly, they could hear him coming.

  “I’m going to go shower,” Jacques said. He knew their mate needed to have the festering wounds in his heart healed. Plus, Jacques didn’t want Flynn getting suspicious and peeking in his mind. The man was unstoppable, and they couldn’t block him out.

  Jacques hoped Jolie was just as successful at doing it.

  As she lay in bed, Jacques escaped into their bathroom. Jolie cuddled down into the feather comforter.

  When the door opened, she could feel his pain.

  “Jolie?” he called, moving close to the bed.

  “I’m alive,” she reassured. “Jacques just woke me, and he’s showering.”

  Flynn stared down at her, and his heart ached.

  It shouldn’t, but it did.

  He wasn’t human anymore.

  Hell!

  He wasn’t even a vampyre. Why did he have this overwhelming need to have her as his wife? All the while patrolling, he was plagued with that one question. As he fought that demon, he was trying to work through the situation with Mathew. It was one he couldn’t share with Jolie.

  If she found out, it would hurt her. So, for the time being, he was going to stay out of her mind so she couldn’t know what Clariel had told him.

  It was for the best.

  “Want to curl up with me for a little while? We don’t have to leave for a little bit yet.”

  He would never turn that down.

  He might be upset, but he wasn’t crazy.

  Flynn kicked off his boots and pulled back the blanket. Jolie was naked beneath, and immediately, his body reacted.

  It always amazed him the lure of mate to mate. It was this primitive call that he was helpless to ignore. Maybe that had to be enough.

  He should be grateful, and he knew it.

  Flynn slipped into the warm bed and Jolie curled against him. Their children were pressed to his side, and they were yet to move around.

  “You feel upset,” she said.

  “I am.”

  “Did I do something?”

  Maybe if he told her some of it, she’d let it go and not dig around for details.

  “Really. If I’ve done something, I need you to tell me.”

  She had done something.

  Jolie had made him fall helplessly in love with her, and that was the issue. He wanted her more than anything in his life. She was his, but he wanted that one last tie that would bind them together.

  Call him greedy, but Flynn wanted the privilege of calling the mother of his child his wife. Each time he had to introduce her as his ‘fiancée’ it bothered him. There was nothing beyond that, and it hurt.

  “No, baby, you didn’t.”

  She could smell the lie, but she opted to let it go.

  Flynn needed his privacy too.

  “Can I have a kiss?”

  He rolled to his side. When he pulled the comforter over them, so they were huddled beneath it, he felt like an asshole. Here he was sulking, when he had a really good life as it was.

  They had money,

  Eternal life.

  Their daughters were going to powerful.

  Plus…

  Here was a beautiful woman, and she loved him.

  Flynn forced himself to shake off the melancholy. It wasn’t attractive on him, and it was time to stop the pity party.

  “I wish you’d tell me what has you so upset.”

  Flynn sighed. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “I would, but I need you to believe in me enough to share that with me.”

  “I can’t, Jolie. I need to work this out on my own. I need my space on this one.”

  Since she knew what was eating at him, she chose to let it go. From here on out, she needed to soothe, at least until tomorrow when they set the plan into motion.

  “Can I ask a favor?”

  He brushed a stray hair from her cheek. “Anything.”

  “When I go to death next, can you find me again? I need you, Flynn. Since you found me, I missed having you there with me.”

  He rubbed his thumb across her lower lip. “Yeah, baby, I can do that.” He didn’t like the idea that she was lost in the darkness either.

  He wanted her always to be safe.

  Besides, maybe it would give him peace. At least he had that. As far as he knew, no one else could do that. It was a gift he could share with her.

  “We can find Jacques if you like.”

  “We can if it’s not too much of a drain on you.”

  Flynn grinned.

  “I can do it. It would be my pleasure.”

  “Now about that kiss.”

  Their lips slowly met, and Flynn allowed that peace to flow over him, washing away a lot of the hurt. This was a beautiful thing. He wanted to cherish it.

  When he set her mouth free, he wanted to crawl into Jolie and never leave. Holding her always offered him such peace. She was his everything.

  “That was nice.”

  “Yeah, it always is,” he replied.

  Jolie kissed him again, and again, she could feel some of the stress ebbing away.

  Flynn sighed in contentment.

  Jolie knew how to make him relax.

  “Do you trust me, Flynn? And Jacques?” she asked, running her hand down his torso to the button on his jeans.

  “Always,” he offered, trying to concentrate.

  It wasn’t easy.

  Jolie was unzippi
ng his pants.

  “You know how much I love you, right?”

  He blinked as her fingers brushed against his erection. “Yes, why?”

  “I want to give you something to take away the pain,” Jolie said. “Will you trust me enough to do that?”

  He didn’t understand where she was going with this, but he trusted her with his life.

  Well, he didn’t know if he actually had a life, since he couldn’t die. Didn’t you have to have one to have the other?

  “Yes.”

  Sliding down his body, he watched her pull him from his jeans. As she stroked him, his body went on autopilot.

  Yeah, this would definitely take away the pain.

  When her mouth found his erection and she began worshipping him with teeth and tongue, all thoughts were gone.

  Flynn was focused on one thing—the blowjob Jolie was giving him.

  She worked him hard, and then she teased him. It was like being on a rollercoaster. There were ups, downs, and so many thrills in between.

  As she stroked, palmed, and worked him into a frenzy, Flynn forgot everything that was bothering him.

  This was a good life.

  He had a woman.

  A child.

  He was a demon…

  When she sent him a barrage of sexy images, he moaned in pleasure. His hand found the back of her head, and he forced her to take him deeper. Flynn wanted to feel her lips touch the base of his erection.

  When they did, he nearly came.

  Jolie was in his mind.

  ‘I want to do this forever and ever,’ she admitted. ‘I want to wake up each day and have you by my side.’

  He laughed. “I’m with you there.”

  And that was part of the problem.

  He wanted a wife.

  He wanted her.

  Flynn stared down his torso as she blew him. It was a pretty hot sight. If he weren’t accustomed to her, he would have cum a while ago.

  ‘I love you,’ she whispered into his mind.

  “Please don’t stop,” he replied, as she offered him so much pleasure.

  ‘I’ll never stop. I’m yours forever, Flynn. I’m already your wife.’

  His heart quaked that she knew.

  Of course she did.

  It was Jolie, and she had free access to his mind.