The Hard Way (Box Set) (33 page)

This is not a happy story.

This is not a sad story.

This is a story about a place that exists betwixt and between.

The thirteenth floor, the object of much superstition and fear, has been the subject of much debate and speculation. Its mysteries are vast and ever changing, the power it holds immeasurable.

But only a select few ever enter its halls… and if they exit, their lives will be forever changed.

Cloven hooves sank into the rich moist earth as the creature raced with abandon through the humid air of the jungle. It had no idea how long it had been there, but it felt a freedom like it had never experienced in all of its long years. Ebony hair streaked with silver stars flowed behind it, its cream-colored horns twisting in a majestic arc as it darted between the trees and tall grasses that made up this newer prison.

Long, scarlet robes draped, fluttered open around its lithe, muscular body to expose a solid chest and thighs corded with muscles as it ducked under branches and leaped small fallen trees.

Suddenly it paused, lapsing into complete stillness. It tilted its head to the left, listening to a new sound entering its domain.

Then it was off. Its legs, covered in silky black fur from just below its knees down, flashed and reflected silvery stars as it moved with unearthly speed toward the sound that drew its attention.

“I hope someone has come to play with me,” it thought as its scarlet robes caressed its body. “Company would be so… nice.” It smirked at the thought. “So long as it isn’t as delicate as my last visitor.”

It felt its cock swell at the remembrances of its last guest in this jungle paradise screaming and begging for mercy even as she spread her legs wider, begging for a harder, deeper fuck.

Delicious.

It continued onward, absently reaching down with one clawed hand to adjust its swelling cock as it moved toward what it felt would be its destiny… at least for a short time.

How long had it been trapped here? It couldn’t remember, it had been so long. But it retained slight memories of past visitors who had eased its hunger and its loneliness for a time.

There was a male who had been afraid of sex, of all things. It recalled that it’d had to work very hard to even get the man’s clothing off in the oppressive jungle heat, let alone get him to spread his legs and dip his wick, as the humans say.

Then there was another male who couldn’t control his urge to fuck everything in sight. That had been a fun time, being constantly fed until the male in question learned to control his urges. It was a pity when that one left.

Then there was a female who was afraid of men due to a childhood incident involving an uncle. The creature’s appearance had greatly helped ease the fear in the female, and it had taken several long weeks of slowly introducing her to tender lovemaking and educating her in ways to please herself for her to become more comfortable with her own body. That her tastes turned to the more delicate sex was no surprise, and it had eagerly given her the confidence to leave its domain and strike out on her own.

Yes, it had met the most interesting people here.

And it seemed it was about to meet another. It hoped the person wouldn’t try its patience because, frankly, it was running out of places to dispose of the bodies. And dead meat was no fun to play with.

Sharp fangs flashed in the so, so dark skin as it raced toward its newest plaything.

This place offered up the most tempting morsels… Hopefully this one wouldn’t end up dead.

* * *

Ash let out an involuntary scream as a red and black blur raced toward her.

She had seen a lot of things in her long years of living, but she had never even contemplated a creature such as this one. She couldn’t get a good look at it -- it was moving with preternatural speed -- but the overall impression was big, hairy and hungry.

She took a step back, reaching behind her for the doorknob, but she only tripped backwards. The door behind her -- the door to the hotel she’d just exited -- seemed to have disappeared into nothing but humid air and the stink of rotting vegetation.

This was not good.

And the thing kept on coming.

Ash regained her balance and threw her arms protectively in front of herself, waiting for the death she knew was about to rain down upon her. But there was a whoosh of hot air, the heavy scent of musk, and the feeling of something standing before her… and that was it.

Cautiously, she moved her arms away from her face. Her brown eyes widened in her paling face, and she stared at the thing. It appeared to be grinning at her.

Slowly, her eyes traveled over its body, noting the red, draping… sheet that covered its genitalia. Pity that, because she had no idea if she was looking at a male or a female.

It had full red lips, rather soft and delicate looking -- okay, they were leering --but that shape could be either gender. It had high cheekbones and some seriously long black hair with definitive bright highlights. A set of spiral horns twisted straight back over its head, the tips glinting with a brilliance of gold and sharpness. Its eyes were a delicate oval, the color of a clear sky at midnight. Its skin… was it licking its lips at her?

It was!

Ash blinked and looked down, only to be confronted with a set of the most realistic goatskin pants and shoes she’d ever seen. Either this -- this -- creature was into some serious role-playing games or it was the real deal.

She gulped and took a step back, her eyes rising over the oddly shaped legs and the red-draped chest, only to get caught up in its starry gaze.

It smiled at her, exposing dangerously sharp teeth. Either it was flirting with her, or she looked like the next main course at an
al fresco
banquet. And frankly, she didn’t know which to hope for most.

Someone had to speak, had to break the strange tension building up between them.

And there was tension.

She had no idea why, but there was a curious tingling in the pit of her stomach. Kind of like how she felt when she took on a new lover or when… when… what’s his name with the blue hair and the tasty blood had come on to her. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to speak, but the creature had other ideas.

“Oh, you are so pretty-pretty-pretty,” it purred, stepping forward.

“Um,” Ash stuttered, taking another step back. “If you are done with the Barbarella sound bites, care to tell me who you are?”

“Who I am? Who are you, my pretty-pretty-pretty?” It leaned forward, eagerness in its eyes as it again licked its lips.

“I am seriously freaked,” Ash admitted, her breathing increasing, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the hairy thing lean even closer, close its eyes, and inhale deeply.

“You smell so good.”

“Um, thank you, I think…”

“You smell of musk, and water, and age.” It opened its eyes and leered again. But just as quickly, the smile turned into a frown. “And you come to me with the stink of another man on your skin! This cannot be.”

He
, Ash decided. It said another male, so it had to be male, right?

“Look, darlin’… oh, my God, it’s growling.” She took another step back at the sound of the deep vibrating growl emanating from the thing’s… from his throat.

“This is very disrespectful, pretty-pretty-pretty,” he snarled over the growl, flexing fingers that suddenly seemed to be tipped with razors. “This insult cannot and will not go unpunished.”

“What insult?” Ash demanded, though her fear spiked, sending her senses reeling. “Look, Sugar, you just show me the way out of this place, and I’ll leave you to your forest romping.” She tried to hide the quiver of fear in her voice, but from the way his eyes flashed, she didn’t think she was successful.

“This will never do,” he growled again. “There is a special punishment for pretty-pretty-pretty things that do not show me proper respect.”

“I didn’t even know I was coming here,” she nearly shouted, her heart racing as she prepared to making a break for it. “I don’t even want to be here. What’s up with this stupid hotel?”

“Yes, special punishment, indeed.” Then it reached for her.

“Oh, hell, no!” Ash took off, running so hard that her heels nearly slapped her in the ass. What was this place? Why was this happening to her? And why was that thing chasing her?

She chanced a glance over her shoulder and nearly screamed. The thing easily kept pace with her, bending down to deliver a small lick to her nose.

“
Ahhhhhhh!”
she shrieked. She ran faster.

Branches slapped at her face, leaves tangled in her hair, and she ran through some pretty disgusting slimy things, but she kept to her running, trying to outrace the demon behind her.

“This is unbecoming in a tribute, pretty-pretty-pretty!” it laughed, easily matching her stride for stride.

She couldn’t outrun him, Ash thought, so maybe she could outsmart him.

She increased her speed, her arms pumping as she tried to gain a little distance between the two of them. Then, as he raced in front of her, she slammed both feet down, dug her heels in, and skidded to a halt, almost falling on her ass for the effort.

But she didn’t take time to regroup. She immediately twisted her body, used her hand to push her back onto her feet, and took off in the opposite direction, legs pumping as hard as they could -- and for a vampire, that was pretty damn fast.

“Damn… stup-stupid… ho-tel,” she gasped, her throat burning and her eyes watering with the effort.

She again chanced a glance over her shoulder, and grinned a bit as she realized he wasn’t behind her anymore. “Go, baby!” she laughed.

She had just turned forward again, intent on increasing the distance between the two of them, when she ran smack dab into something hard and firm.

“Got ya,” it crowed, its mellow voice filled with menace as two very long, silky, fur-covered arms wrapped around her.

“Don’t look up,” she gasped to herself, her heart nearly beating itself out of her chest in fear. “Don’t look up. In horror films the black chick always gets it after she looks up at the monster.”

“The black chick…” came the purred response. She found herself pulled tighter into the soft red drapes over his chest. “…is definitely going to get it.”

He tightened his grip and Ash blinked. She could swear she felt a set of small, firm breasts pressed against her face. But the thick hard-on pressed against her stomach belied that thought. It was a male, right?

“Going to get it,” he… she… it continued, “over and over again.”

Ash didn’t know how she had been transported, seeing that she was stuck face-first to the chest of the goat-legged thing that didn’t want to let her go. But before she could regroup her thoughts and try to come up with a decent escape plan, she found herself flying through the air.

“
Arghhhh
!”
Splash
. Ash sputtered, struggling to rise to her feet, floundering in what had to be about three feet of warm water. Her sopping hair dripped a constant stream of water and hair moisturizer into her eyes as she tried to regain her balance.

“Agh,” she complained, chest heaving as she sank her hands under the mass of hair to lift it from her stinging eyes. Okay, this was just plain ridiculous! “What the hell?”

“Pretty-pretty must be thoroughly washed before I can partake of my meal.”

Flinging her hair back, Ash scrubbed at her eyes, then turned to face the voice, her anger overriding her fear. Hell, what was she running from? She was a vampire. She was at the top of the food chain.

“Meal?” she snarled, turning to face him/her/it. “I’ll have you know --”

“I love a meal with bite.”

It smiled, showing all its fangs, then its hands went to the ties of its red robe. The robe slithered down that dark body, exposing… Ash stared. It was all she could do.

“What?” the female/male asked, cocking his head to the side in a fall of long dark hair. “Am I so fascinating, pretty-pretty-pretty? We both have the same parts.”

“And a few extras,” she breathed, her eyes sliding over the full, chocolate-tipped breasts with their pierced nipples straight down to the overly large… wide… uncut… Damn it, she had a dick! And it was pierced, too, edged with the metal studs of a ladder piercing.

“The better to please you with, pretty-pretty-pretty.”

It took a step forward, and Ash was rather forcibly reminded of the goat legs as the hair that covered it from mid-calf to hoof swayed in the breeze. She took a step back, shock making her inhale deeply. Then she caught scent of a teasing, musky smell that made her belly tingle and her knees weak.

“Oh, don’t try to run away,” it growled. “The fun is just about to begin.”

Before Ash could blink, it was upon her, its hands gripping her upper arms to drag her deeper into the water. But then those hands -- oh, those hands -- were sliding down her arm to caress her breasts. The smell about it was seductive and tantalizing. It pierced the fear filling her and changed it into something dark and seductive.

She leaned into those fingers and shuddered as they plucked at her nipples.

“You must be clean, pretty-pretty-pretty,” it whispered, pulling her closer.

“Clean,” she whispered in response. And Ash willingly went, her eyes widening as her heart began to pound. This was growing more exciting than anything she had ever felt before, and she had no idea why.

But her eyes began to droop as those same hands went around her back to cup her ass, pulling her against the hard chest and the soft breasts and hard metal that adorned the creature. Its hands were soft, softer than she could have imagined, but they knew how to touch her to make her skin tingle.

Suddenly the water felt warmer, the body pressed against hers hot, and the need to take and be taken became nearly overwhelming. Her hands went to its shoulders, rubbing at the soft skin there, tugging at the locks of long hair that seemed to reach for her and cover them both in their silkiness.

The muscles felt so good, so solid, and yet covered by a layer of feminine softness that just made her want to purr. Tilting her head back, she allowed it to lave its tongue along her neck, pulling whimpers from her throat as some small part of her mind held her back from mindless pleasure.