Dread was a goddamned rock in my gut as I followed behind Lilith and her pet. She took us to the bowels ofIniquity, down a darkened set of stairs to a hallway I’d never seen before. Just how big was this fucking club?
“You will be quiet when you enter, or you answer to me.”
Her tone was stern, and I almost instinctively responded with a soft, “Yes, Mommy,” but stopped myself. Especially when I realized she was talking to Rufus.
“What can you possibly do to me that you haven’t already?”
“Oh, you sweet summer child, I have all manner of wicked delights in store for you. We’ve barely scratched the surface.”
There was an almost inaudible growl, followed by Lilith’s tinkling laughter.
“Stop acting like you aren’t living for every moment of being owned by me, Prince. You know what you stand to gain. Serve your sentence like a good boy, and then you’ll have everything you need.”
I wasn’t so sure we should be here for this, but damn, did I want to keep watching.
“Why is this so hot?” Alek whispered in my ear.
“Because she’s a succubus.” In four words, Cashel proved just how sharp vampire hearing was. “Everything she does is with seduction in mind. She’s feeding on all of us right now.”
Lilith let out that bell-like laugh again. “You got me. But you’re just such easy prey. Especially since most of you are pent up and in need of release. How sad that your little mate is missing. Let’s see what we can do to help ease your pain, shall we? I could send you each one of my girls after the meeting. Kingston, we have a few new brunettes who resemble her well enough.”
My wolf growled, low and deep, the sound bouncing off the walls.
“I’ll take that as a no.” She winked, then waved a hand in front of the double doors, her blood-red nails looking more like claws than they had a right to.
A flash of those talons raking down her pet’s back and leaving bright red marks on his skin hit me hard. She must’ve sent that thought to the rest of them as well because every man in our group reacted. Their sharp grunts of surprise mirrored my own.
“Can you please shut that off? I really don’t think it’s appropriate to walk into a meeting this serious with a raging erection.” Thorne snapped, his voice edged with tension.
She pouted, batting her long lashes at us. “Spoilsport. Just like your daddy.”
“We’re mated men, Lilith,” Cashel said, clearly annoyed. “Play your tricks elsewhere. We do not belong to you.”
“That doesn’t mean you’re dead.”
“Technically...” I didn’t finish my sentence because the vampires in our group weren’t amused by my badly timed joke. “Jeez, I was just trying to lighten this shit up a little.”
“Not now,” Thorne bit out. “Are you going to let us in or continue to sexually assault us with your mind?”
Lilith’s pouty lips fell open, and then her eyes flashed with anger so intense my wolf cowered. “I take consentveryseriously, Blackthorne. You know the rules of my club. When you walk through its doors, you provide your consent for me to feed. If you don’t like it, go elsewhere. But do not, under any circumstances, accuse me of taking advantage.”
Rufus snickered. “Idiots.”
She jerked the chain around his collar. “Quiet.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
The doors opened, revealing—surprise, surprise—another dark room. This place needed a good electrician to help install more lights. Fuck.
“Go ahead, boys. We’ll be in shortly.”
“Oh, goody,” Rufus muttered, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed as we filed past.
“So pouty. It’s adorable.” She reached out and squeezed his cheeks before licking the tip of his nose. “I do so love a brat prince.”
I had to force myself to step inside the room before I did something foolish like stay and watch her work. I wanted to take notes for Sunday so we could reenact the scene later. Maybe I could ask Lilith for some suggestions...
No.Focus, Kingston.