Demon Dreams (5 page)

“There wasn’t a choice. The witch hunters nearly killed you in Spain. They might have succeeded the next time. You would be safer in the vastness of the new world.” Samuel closed his eyes for a moment before looking back to Alec. “You will not enjoy it.”

Victory shone in Alec’s stare. “I will, if you glamour me,” he said gently.

Samuel shook his head. “No, it would be as if I was helping them rape you.”

“I have given consent. There will be no force involved. I refuse to watch you waste away or worse.” Alec’s face hardened. “I am giving myself to them, as many times as it takes to save you. No matter what you say.  I won’t let you suffer any longer. It will be in vain if you do not help me find pleasure.”

I watched as Alec stood then walked over to the men. He didn’t make a sound, only stared at Samuel calmly as the clothes were removed from his body and he was shoved to his knees. I couldn’t tear my eyes away at first as the other men drew out their hard cocks. Then I saw Alec shiver as his eyes went half lidded in arousal.

I turned around even though I was screaming inside. The sounds coming from behind me turned my belly, and when I heard Alec’s moan of pleasure, I went to my knees and emptied my stomach. I looked to Samuel and I saw that even though tears were coursing down my cheeks I was not crying near as many as Samuel.

Thankfully, at that point, the vision faded quickly and I wrapped my arms around myself trying to shut off my tears. It was not that Alec had been with others or that he had been with men that had me upset. The reason for it and Samuel’s shattered form shaking on the ground was what broke me.

Samuel whispered, “We were fleeing the Spanish Inquisition sweeping through Europe. The journey would’ve been successful but a hurricane blew us off course. Many on the ship died, including the only three women. The added month was too much for me to last without feeding on something more substantial than Alec masturbating. It just doesn’t provide enough unless his energy is joined with a partner.” Samuel’s eyes were damp as he said, “It would kill me to walk away from Alec and you, Becca. But never doubt I will do it—if it means he’ll be happy with you.”

I could see the self–hatred still in his eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, Samuel.”

He didn’t say another word. He just turned and walked away, leaving me to wake alone in bed.

Chapter Six

I never really got back to sleep after Samuel left me alone in my dreams. Every time I closed my eyes I saw the pain in his and… I had to fight the urge to find him and hold him close to me. Finally, I gave up and stumbled to the kitchen to make some coffee.

Samuel had beat me to it. He stayed quiet as I made a cup, then avoided my gaze when I sat down next to him at the kitchen island. I took a slow sip of my coffee and waited.

“The storm front has stalled. They say we have another day now. I’m going to run back into town and pick up a few more things. If you would like to make a list, I would be happy to pick up whatever you need.”

“Okay. Thank you.” I tilted my head. “Are you going alone?”

“Yes, you and Alec should spend time together.” Samuel lowered his head, and he hesitated before saying, “You should do whatever feels right for you.”

A slow burn started in my stomach at his gall. “Are you giving us permission to have sex without you?”

A golden gaze shot to mine, and the shock in it settled my ire. “No, I’m not that arrogant to think you need that. I just…” He threw up his hands as frustration twisted in his features. “I know you are confused by the ties to both of us and you don’t want to hurt me. I only mean that—Fuck!—I don’t know what I mean honestly.”

This time I didn’t fight my instincts and stood up. He looked startled when I pulled him to his feet and wrapped myself around him. After a moment his arms surrounded me and he sighed as he rested his cheek against my head. His hand gently stroked my hair.

“Samuel, I don’t know what’s going to happen between us. Days ago I was alone and on the run, there really wasn’t another option in sight. Now I have two men that I’m drawn to and they aren’t asking me to choose. They are offering me a dream.” Even if I still didn’t know how I would be able to stay with them.

“It’s hard to remember that this is new to you. We have known since you were a child and waited for you.” Samuel pulled away slightly so he could look at me, the few inches difference wasn’t enough that I had to tilt my head back to see him. “I need to go so I can make sure I’m back well before the storm. Can you make your list?”

I grabbed the note pad and scribbled a few things down. I giggled slightly as his eyes widened when he read the last item—tampons.

“Well, I can honestly say this is a first and considering I’m nearly five hundred years old that is saying something.” He grinned at me. “I almost feel as if we are truly mated now.”

This was the Samuel I had so missed and I went with my instincts once again, putting my hands on his cheeks. “Then I’ll make it even more so by giving you a goodbye kiss.”

He resisted me at first. “Becca, I won’t feed from you. Not unless you give me permission beforehand because it will be intense.”

I smiled at him. “I never thought you would.” That truth rocked me a bit. “Can you take a taste without it getting out of control?”

Samuel gave a small shudder before he nodded.

“Then shut up and kiss me.”

Samuel’s full lips pressed to mine so softly at first it felt like a whisper. Slowly the pressure increased and his tongue licked at the seam of my lips. His fingers threaded through my hair as the kiss deepened. Our tongues were in a soft tangle as warmth spread through me.

A moan escaped me as the heat built. I arched against him as I tried to get closer. The kiss deepened as his flavor of a rich, decadent dessert nearly had me drunk. His hands slid down to cup my ass, pulling me tighter against him. The aroused length of him made me feel empty and I wrapped a leg around him as I tried to soothe the ache.

Samuel let out a groan and lifted me up, sitting me on the island. I gasped as heat and desire spread from the touch of his hand as they slid over my backside, pulling me to the edge.  My legs spread open in surrender. When he fitted himself to me I grabbed his ass to bring him against me harder, needing the firmness of his body pressing into me. I sucked on his tongue while I rocked against him. Somehow, I realized this was getting out of hand and I managed to pull my mouth away from him regretfully. “We should stop now.”

Samuel took a deep breath and stepped away from me. “Yeah.” He pocketed my list and walked over to the mudroom off the back so he could pull on his coat. “Becca?”

“What?”

“I just want you to know.” Samuel shot me a wicked grin. “I didn’t take a taste. That was one hundred percent glamour free, Sweetness.”

I blinked at him as he left. That kiss had been just us?

Well holy fuck!

* * * *

Alec had convinced me to take a walk with him after he assured me that the wolves were gone.

“I love it out here,” I told him then said wryly, “At least when nothing’s trying to kill me.”

“Do you like it enough that you could live here or someplace similar?” Alec’s hand steadied me as we crossed a small creek.

“You mean if I wasn’t hiding from the police?”

Alec gave me a sheepish grin. “Yeah. If everything else went away and you could choose.”

I understood why he was asking so I was honest. “Yeah, but I don’t think I could do without trips to a city. I’d want to go do things occasionally. Like movies, restaurants, dancing, stuff like that.” I looked up at him. “Do you have to avoid places like that?”

Alec shook his head. “No. I like doing stuff like that too. I just have to avoid being in a huge crowds for long periods of time.” He grinned at me. “I love dancing.” Then he blushed.

I arched a brow at him. “Let me guess, that’s how you picked up women.”

He shrugged. “It worked.”

I hesitated a moment before I asked something that had been bothering me. “Those women…Did they mean anything to you? Or Samuel?”

Alec ran a hand through his silver and black hair as he shifted on his feet. “We only took the willing. Those who were only looking for a night or two of pleasure.”

“Every time?” I asked, as I noticed the slight shadow of guilt and unease in his gaze as it slid away.

“Occasionally someone would try to convince us to stay but we couldn’t.”

“Because it was too dangerous?”  I bit my lip.

Alec sighed. “Yes, in part, but mostly because they weren’t our mate. We’d leave them to their lives as we went on with ours. But we tried not to be cruel.”

“What about precautions? Did you use them?” They had been with so many others that the idea from sex ed that when you slept with one person you were basically trusting them and everyone who’d been in their bed —frankly it blew my mind.

Alec shrugged. “They weren’t necessary since we’re immune to diseases, but yes, once condoms were developed we did. Not doing so could’ve made us stand out plus it was their right to protect themselves.” Alec raised his brow as he headed off my next question. “We can’t father children with anyone other than our mate.” He continued after a brief pause. “If you accept us, we’ll take whatever precautions you wish so you don’t become pregnant until you’re ready.”

“I have a birth control implant so that won’t be an issue for a while.”
Thank God!
I swallowed deeply.
Kids…
I had no idea what to say to him about that because—hell, I had no idea if I would even be free in a month’s time and he’s talking kids?

I must’ve looked as panicked as I felt because Alec tried to calm me.

“I just meant to tell you the facts, not that we are anywhere near ready to even think about such things.”

Okay, that makes sense.
I decided to change the subject. “So—dancing? Are you any good?”

Alec smirked playfully. “I’ve never had any complaints.” 

I was ready to lighten the mood too so I gave him a once over. “If you can shake that ass with any skill, then I bet you didn’t.”

Alec shot me a grin then turned around and proved he could shake it with a high level of skill.

When he turned back to me I was fanning myself while I gave him a comical leer. The next thing I knew he had me plastered against him and started dancing as he hummed an unfamiliar tune. “That’s beautiful.”

“Something my mother used to sing. They died four hundred and fifty years ago but I swear I can still hear her singing to my father’s cittern.” Alec explained when I gave him a curious look. “It was similar to a guitar. It had a longer neck and more slender body. His was carved with gothic style faces.” He shuddered. “It actually scared the crap out of me as a boy.”

“Where are you from?” Sometimes I thought I detected a faint accent to his words but nothing strong enough to hint at his birthplace.

Alec shrugged. “We were peasants in what is now France, near the Italian border.”

“You don’t have an accent, at least not much of one.”

Alec looked at me seriously. “We worked hard to get rid of them. It doesn’t matter as much now but it used to be very bad if you stuck out in any way. Speaking differently would make you seem too different. I saw people burned for having speech impediments. Most paranormals learned how to mimic language and dialects quickly.”

“Why did you…” I let my words trail off because I wasn’t sure I had the right to ask him.

“Why did I bond with Samuel?” Alec smiled at my nod. “You can ask me anything, Becca, don’t worry.”

He was lost in thought for a few moments. “We didn’t know he was any different until he hit puberty. He started to get sickly often then he would disappear. I followed him one day and saw him glamour a girl.” Alec looked at me worriedly. “He only kissed her. It didn’t feed him much but it was enough for him to survive, barely anyway.”

“It didn’t scare you away from him?”

“He’d been my brother for ten years by then. I was scared
for
him, not
of
him.” Alec grimaced. “He begged me not to tell our parents.” He looked lost in thought another moment before he continued. “We never did. They died of a fever a few years later.”

“So you only had each other at that point,” I said quietly, realizing how alone Samuel must have felt among humans that would have turned on him in an instant.

“Yes, it’s always just been the two of us. What Samuel didn’t know instinctively we managed to piece together,” Alec said. “I chose the bond because I knew when I died he would’ve let himself fade. I’m so glad I did. We’ve seen wondrous things over the years.” He smiled down at me. “And we found you.”

* * * *

A little while later Alec and I were coming back in from our walk. Thankfully Alec had let me think while we had continued our walk in silence. As I was hanging up the extra coat of Samuel’s I had been wearing Alec broke the silence.

“So are you going to tell me what happened before Samuel left?” Alec smiled at me.  “I knew before we left but after what we talked about earlier I thought I’d wait before bringing up another possibly heavy subject.”

I looked at him in surprise. “Huh?”

Alec shrugged. “Samuel went back to town on his own, without one word to me first. That’s kind of a tip off since he hates to go there by himself.”

I focused on his wide chest, unable to meet his gaze.
Should I tell him?

“Hey, what’s with the guilty look?” Alec cupped my chin in a gentle hand. “Becca, I know you kissed him. I could smell him on you this morning. That’s nothing to worry about.”

“You honestly don’t mind?”

“Mind?” he asked incredulously. “I’m ecstatic.”

I shook my head. “It’s going to take some time to wrap my head around this ménage idea. I mean I’ve read about them in books but I always liked the ones that had all members involved with each other.”

“Sorry, babe, but I’m not fucking my brother to make it easier to understand.” Alec said, completely deadpan.

I couldn’t hold back my wince at his bluntness. “Point made.”

“Don’t worry about the details, not those kind anyway. The sex is the easy part. Now please tell me what the real problem is,” Alec said gently.

“I hurt Samuel last night.” I explained about the sexy dream I had started having about him. “He was so unhappy.” I bit my lip as I thought about Samuel’s offer. “I might be having trouble coming to grip with what he is, but I never wanted to cause him pain like that. He looked so defeated.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“I accused him of messing with my dream again.” I pulled away from Alec. “He said…”

“He told you he would set me free and we could be together. That he would make us forget him if that’s what you wanted, didn’t he?” Alec growled.

I nodded.

Alec drew his shoulder up and he spun around. “That isn’t an option.” He slammed his fist on the kitchen counter. “Damn him for even thinking of it! How could he consider doing that to me?”

I saw wild fear in Alec’s eyes. “There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?”

Alec turned back to me as he seemed to collapse into himself. “If he breaks the familiar bond then he will only have two options, feed on others or waste away. And he would never choose to feed on others.”

Samuel’s weak body lying on a pile of filth as he faded before my eyes.

I felt myself go sheet white and I clapped a hand over my mouth. “Oh God, he would…again?”