Sweet Ruin (Immortals After Dark 16)

She shook her head hard, but her breaths had shallowed, those creamy breasts rising and falling before his rapt gaze.

She clearly struggled for control. Which meant he could take it. She leaned over him, gripping his shoulders, her dress slipping higher.

The scent of her arousal swept him up, blanking his mind. His target was forgotten, his mission. Liabilities, vulnerabilities, gods, wars—none of it mattered at that moment.

Her claws dug into his shoulders. The vampire was pinning her prey? This prey was going nowhere.

He released his bow to slip his hand between her thighs and cup her soft pussy. He groaned when his palm met hot, giving flesh. “Female, I’m going to make you come till you can’t walk.”

She blinked. “Rune?”

Just his name on her tongue made him shudder. “Give me your lips, Josephine.” Gods, he needed her kiss—

She snatched his hand away then launched a haymaker at his face. “Don’t you dare!”

“The hells, woman!” He seized her wrists. “Dare? Because I’m a dark fey?” And damn if he wasn’t leaning up to do it again, pulling on her wrists. “Any barrier between us disappeared when you drank me down.”

With her hands captured, she defended herself with her legs, squeezing her thighs around his waist, shoving her knees into his sides.

His plan to take her mouth and slip his cock inside her wasn’t happening—for now—so he snagged the cuffs. Quick as a blur, he bound one of her wrists to his own.

She gasped with realization, attempting to teleport. She even did that slow tracing thing again, but she wasn’t going anywhere. The metal would hold her. Earlier, as he’d been running down Nïx’s scent, he’d hastily etched runes into those cuffs, directing the power only to one. Josephine couldn’t trace—but he could.

As she thrashed to get free, he caught a glimpse of white between her breasts. “And there’s my treasure.” He reached for the talisman, but couldn’t resist a grope. He groaned. A perfect handful.

She slapped at him till he reluctantly released her, collecting the talisman. Back into his pocket where it belonged.

“Take this cuff off, Ruin!”

He laughed at her. “Not a chance, dove.” He yanked on the chain, forcing her closer. “And it’s Rune.”

Still she fought him. “What are you doing?”

“Exactly what I said last night.”

Her eyes went wide. “Imprisoning me? Until you decide to kill me?”

He grated, “Till death us do part, Josie.”

SEVENTEEN

Rune can trace?

Jo wobbled when they appeared on the roof of the building. His teleporting was harder and sharper than hers, as if they’d been shot from a cannon.

Compared to his tracing, hers was like shifting a finely-tuned Caddie into gear. But she couldn’t manage it when stuck in these cuffs! Even her ghosting had failed.

He collected his bizarre arrow from beside the crash site. As he surveyed the empty street, sirens wailed toward their location.

He cursed under his breath. “Drawing the attention of humans?” He shook his head at her. “Reckless female.” Then he traced them again.

When she opened her eyes, they were in an echoing room with a glass floor. Beneath them was another story with a glass floor, and on and on.

Her lips parted. Each story below was populated with all manner of creatures. Freak-show central.

Some had wings, others four legs. She saw beings with glowing skin, scaly skin, pus-covered skin. She recognized centaurs from comic books and behorned demons from Rune’s memories.

Females were interspersed among the males. Most of them sported breasts and wore less clothing.

Everyone seemed inebriated, with goblets in hands, pincers, or tentacles. Peculiar music and loud partying sounded.

“What is this place?” None of her voyeurism had prepared her for scenes like these. When she saw copulation happening everywhere, her heart raced. At least, she hoped that was sex; otherwise creatures were bludgeoning each other to death.

“Ah, you’re nervous about what’s to come,” Rune murmured, mistaking her alarm. “You should be. You’re soon to discover something I’m very, very good at.”

“Where have you taken me?” And how would she get back to her brother?

Since her resurrection (or her transformation?), she’d often wondered why she’d been given all this strength and speed, all her talents. I can safeguard him.

If she could reach him.

Why would Rune target Thaddie anyway? How had her brother gotten mixed up in so much danger? Like sister, like brother? Had he kicked his own ant mound?

She consoled herself with the knowledge that every second Rune was with her gave Thad time to get farther away. Maybe she should stall.

“We’re in Tortua, a pleasure den,” Rune said. “I maintain a residence here. This is the observatory.”

Were any of the freaks below observing up her dress?

Reading her mind, he said, “Each floor can view the ones below, but not the ones above.”

She craned her head up. A solid dome stretched overhead.

“I’ve got the coveted top floor. Welcome to your new home.”

Wait, Rune meant to keep her in a pleasure den? “In other words, you have digs in a whorehouse. If the dark fey fits . . .”

A muscle ticked in his wide jaw.

Oooh, did I jab a tender spot?

“A wiser vampire would be convincing me to spare her life. Not insulting me.”

“You won’t kill me.” How could he? She’d taken six slugs to the face. Unless a wooden stake to the heart could end her?