Claiming Emerald (12 page)

* * * *

“Fuck!” snarled Rory as he sat up in bed.

Russell rolled to stare at him. “I agree. Someone must have woken her up.”

“Probably Vidar. The worst part is that she will be more frustrated then she was before. Now I’m wide awake.”

“Me, also. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to finish what the dream started.”

Rory chuckled and nodded. His dick was rock hard and he was left with the palm of his hand. He waited as Russell headed to the bathroom and then began to jerk himself off. He had Em on his mind and knew that if he could go back to sleep, she might be able to find them again. Of course, there were ways to block a vampire from shared dreams. If Vidar realized what she was doing, he might very well stop her.

* * * *

Vidar lay watching her as she drifted back into sleep. He knew what she was doing. The tale about the mutants was probably true, but that was not where her dreams had taken her. Maybe he would allow her a dream now and then. But then again. Maybe not. He was getting to her. Em was a very sexual woman. She had only to give into his request and she would be very surprised by the outcome.

With a grin on his face, Vidar closed his eyes and forced his mind into sleep.

* * * *

Em was lying on something soft and cool. It felt like a pillow of grass beneath her back. She was blindfolded, her hands tied above her head. A cool hand took her ankle and pulled it to the side. A band was tied around her ankle, her leg pulled up into the air before it was secured. Em had no idea who she was dreaming with. Was it Rory or was it Vidar? Dare she ask and chance angering Vidar? It was probably a better idea to wait and see.

Her other leg was tied equal to the first, low enough to have her ass remain on the ground, but high enough to completely expose her pussy. The chastity belt was always gone in the dreams.

Soft, cool hands wafted over her thighs, the feel of the touch unknown. Usually Vidar had gloves on, but this man didn’t. Maybe it was Rory. Why wasn’t he saying anything?

The feel of soft hair wafting against her thigh took her by surprise. Vidar had not done anything other than torment her. Was he really going to take things further without her permission? A tongue, cool and wet, lapped at her pussy lips. Em whimpered, the instant return of her orgasm stunning. It came on strong and hot as if the last dream had not been interrupted. The fingers pushed her pussy lips apart, the tongue pressing into her clit. It was a hummingbird’s wings, flashing in wide circles against her aroused, inflamed hot spot. “Ah.” The sound came from her throat in a whimpering cry of delight. “Rory, is that you?”

No reply. The sensation reached her deeply, penetrating the inner nerves of her pussy. She was too aroused to stop it, her hips coming up, his hands holding her down. Someone was shaking her, her cunt pulsing uncontrollably.

Em opened her eyes. She was panting wildly. Tears sprung into the corners of her mind. If it hadn’t been Vidar, who the hell had just been in her dream?

“Another nightmare, Em? It sounded like you were really enjoying this one. You called out Rory’s name.”

She stared at him in stunned silence. It hadn’t been Rory and Em knew it. “I don’t think that I was with Rory.”

The sudden concern on his face made her feel even worse. “What do you mean? I know what you were doing. I know you were with Rory and probably Russell. I don’t think Salt has the age to accomplish a joined dreamed. I was actually considering allowing it. What do you mean that it wasn’t Rory?”

She hesitated, but was too tired to lie. “Rory has a thing he does with his tongue. Whoever was in my dream used his tongue, but didn’t do it like Rory. The hands felt different also.” She was frustrated with his games and decided to lay it on the table. “Vidar, you are making me crazy. I know it’s what you are trying to do, but all you are doing is making me want to fight you. I don’t deal well with crappy emotional games like what you are playing. I know that you want to fuck me, but it’s not what I want right now. I want to be allowed to talk to Rory, Russell, and Salt about it. Stop trying so hard and just give me some space. I can’t think clearly when my cunt is constantly on high alert.”

“And the queen is back. Nice to see you have found your voice. I was wondering if you had turned into a completely passive twit over the years.”

The comment threw her completely aback. “I was trying not to anger you. I don’t want you to harm my humans or my vampires. I know such things are done.”

“Not by me. Well, I kind of fucked with Maryann, but I simply couldn’t stomach the woman anymore.”

“Who had Rose killed?”

Vidar grimaced. “That keeps coming up. The governors were unanimous about Rose. She was an extremely unstable woman. She tried to kill you at Maryann’s bidding. She had others on her hit list. It was just a shame because she was Joel and Gaelic’s younger sister.”

“Yes, and I got blamed for it.”

“I know and I apologize for that. Will you do me a favor?”

“What?”

“Go back to sleep and try to find Rory or Russell. Make sure it was one of them and not someone else.”

“I can try.”

He started back toward his bed and then stopped. “You didn’t exchange blood with Christian, did you?”

“No. Why would I?”

Vidar frowned. “Just checking.”

Em had to wonder herself. Was Christian the man in her dream? She was almost positive that it was not Rory. She lay back down, closing her eyes. Em tried to force herself into sleep, but it seemed as if it would never happen.

Rory smiled and stroked her cheek. “You told him off?”

“Kind of. It didn’t really get me anywhere. He didn’t agree to stop tormenting me.”

“How is he tormenting you?”

“He comes to me in dreams and does kinky shit to me. He never has sex with me or does anything really sexual. The first night he locked me in a pillory and whipped me. Then he hit me with a belt and put me in his lap and spanked me. I was so fucking turned on when I woke up. Then he has me drink from couples and makes me hang around while they fuck. He insists on brushing my hair one hundred strokes when I wake up and before I go to sleep. It is all little things and little comments that leave me constantly turned on.”

“Is he mean to you otherwise?”

“No. He has been really nice. Last night he found me a running partner and we ran for a good portion of the night. Oddly enough, he reminded me of Salt, except that he is four hundred years old.”

“And he claims that he won’t do anything to the fortress or the inhabitants?”

“That’s what he said. Of course, him ordering it and doing it personally are two different things.”

“Then why didn’t you just ask if you could leave?”

That was the question that she hadn’t asked. “Because he told me that I could leave if ten couples conceived. I can’t exactly just walk out. It is halfway across the country. I have no idea how long it would take me to do eighteen hundred miles on foot.

She could see Rory calculating it out, his brow narrowing in thought. “If you flashed a hundred miles an hour, about eighteen hours. If you came out at dark around six or even seven p.m. and ran until just before sunrise, you could make it home in two days.”

Em was stunned. She was thinking more along the lines of a week or two. “Wow. That’s good to know. Any suggestion of the best state to stop in for caves or underground tunnels? That, and how do I not get lost?”

“Good questions. I will have to look it up for you. I believe there is a travel book out in the main library. I’m pretty sure you could stick to the highways and find shelter pretty easily. Of course, it is a trip I would rather you didn’t make. Talk to Vidar and find out why he just won’t let you leave.”

“He wants me to sleep with him. I know why he is stalling.”

“Then go back and do it. Fuck his damn brains out, make him happy, and then come home.”

“I agree,” said Russell who had been listening quietly. He was drawing tiny figure eights on her stomach. “It is not a betrayal.”

“What if I don’t want to fuck him?”

Russell pursed his lips and rolled his eyes. “He comes into your dreams and turns you on. I quote. So wake up and get it over with. The faster you make him happy, the faster he will let you leave. Do whatever he asks and then come home.”

She looked at Russell and then turned her eyes to Rory. “The two of you want me to prostitute myself for my freedom?”

Rory leaned forward, knocking his forehead into hers. “Absolutely not. Face it. You are a nymph. Vidar is a very old and very nice-looking vampire. If you honestly don’t want to have sex with him, then don’t. We just miss you and we want you back. I learned a long time ago that sex is not what keeps a relationship strong. Love does. I love you and if I must share you with someone, Vidar is a prime choice. He is a good ally to have, and I know you. Deep down inside you are wondering what his dick looks like and what tricks he has learned during his life. Maybe he can teach you a few new things to bring home. He obviously hit the nail on the head with the pillory. You have been asking me to build you one for years.”

Em sighed. Rory was right, but she still wasn’t sure that having sex with Vidar was what she wanted to do. She did want to have sex with Rory and Russell. “I would rather fuck the two of you.”

Rory shook his head. “When you get home and can do it in person.”

“What?”

“Russell and I were discussing this. We want to have sex with you, but if you are having sex with us, you won’t even consider having it with Vidar. What if only nine of the ten conceive and then you have to stay another month or two or three. What then, Em?”

“I will leave.”

“And you will have broken a pact made with Vidar, and he will have the right to come get you.”

“But I can’t control nature.”

“Vidar knows that. He is counting on some of those couples not conceiving. The deal you made with him is a binding contract.”

Em hadn’t even thought about that. “Shit.”

He stroked back her hair. “We love you and we will wait for as long as it takes, but you are not the only one who is miserable. We want the real thing, not a woman in dreams.”

“I want the real thing, too.”

Russell tapped her in the temple. “Then go back and find a way to get home.”

Rory pulled her into a long and luxurious kiss and then faded out. Em turned to Russell. He smiled. “I love you, also. You have my blessing whatever you decide.” His lips touched hers, his tongue weaving its way into her mouth for a short while before he, too, was gone.

Vidar was sitting on the bottom of her bed when she opened her eyes. Em wondered if the man ever slept. “What did they say?”

“They left it up to me.”

“And what do you say?”

Em wasn’t sure what to say. Deep down inside, she believed the comment that she had made to Rory and Russell. “I say to you what I said to them. I will not prostitute myself to win my freedom. I love them, Vidar. You are a very attractive man and although you interest me, I made a commitment to the men I have. It feels wrong to sleep with anyone else.”

“Did you fuck them while you were there?”

“No. They want the real thing just as I do.”

“I want the real thing, also. I found you extremely enticing when we met in the past. I find you more so now, because you have my blood in your veins. We will always have a sexual connection even if you care not to acknowledge that fact. How do you make a connection between prostitution and sleeping with me? I do not consider you a whore. You would not ask me for payment in return.”

“I would ask you for my freedom. That is monetary payment.”

He raised one eyebrow to glare at her. “I do not think your freedom is in question here. You are not a prisoner. You can leave if you want.”

Em knew it wasn’t going to be quite that easy. “So you will order a copter for me anytime I ask?”

He chuckled, the sound filled with malice. “I said that you could leave. I didn’t say that I would give you transport. You like to run. Go out and run.”

“Rory figured it would take two to three days for me to get home. I would have to travel at full speed for the entire night. I would have to worry about pitfalls along the way. I would have to worry about getting lost. I would also have to stop and search for a place to escape the sun. I don’t relish the idea of getting fried again. Not exactly the ideal journey for a lone woman, even if I am a vampire.”

“Probably not. I would hate to have anything happen to you. I’m just not willing to let you renege on your contract with me. We need children here and so far this fortress hasn’t produced any.”

“Are the women lacking vitamin D?”

“What?”

“I can’t imagine they get much sun. Are they lacking in D? Do you have fish of any kind for them to consume? Are there any kind of supplements here? Although supplements are the least desirable way to get D. Do they have an option of spending fifteen to twenty minutes a day outside in the sun? Unfortunately it is winter and there is less skin exposed even when they are outside.”

“What does vitamin D have to do with anything?”

“If the body is low on certain vitamins, it can cause infertility. Vitamin D is one of the big culprits. I used to run a salad stand and we were supposed to know about properly combining nutrients.”

He frowned in obvious surprise. “That is very interesting. The humans here can go outside, but they rarely do in the winter. What kind of fish? We have a huge supply of pickled herring and canned sardines.”

“Get them to eat either or both. They are good sources of not only D but other vitamins, and also protein. They aren’t spoiled, are they?”

“I don’t know. I think we should go check.”

“It is the middle of the day.”

He rolled his eyes again. “So what? We are inside a mountain and the storage area is two levels down.”

Em supposed that he was right. She slid out of bed, tugging on a pair of jeans. Vidar didn’t bother to put a shirt on as he took her hand and led her from the room. They went down two flights of stairs and into a hallway. A guard sat at a table with a sign-in sheet by his side. He immediately stood. “Vidar. What’s wrong?”