11. Catalina
ELEVEN
catalina
Asher reached over and around my hip to unclip the seat belt of the fancy car I could only dream about owning. I’d have to sell my soul to afford a vehicle of this caliber. I bit back a scoff. Some could argue I’d already sold my soul for money.
His arm brushed my boobs as he retracted his arm.
I gritted my teeth. I could do it myself, but he seemed determined to treat me like the Pet he kept calling me.
Asher’s face hovered near my nose. I could see every blond eyelash. His sweet scent enveloped me and as much as I tried to steel myself, my muscles relaxed. His blue eyes peered into mine and the barest flash of red leaked into the irises. I exhaled slowly through my nose, legs clenching together.
He retreated with his bow-like lips curved in a knowing smile. I verged on panting. I rubbed my temples with my fingertips and exhaled slowly. With my shoulders stiff, I shoved open my door, smacking Asher’s leg in the process.
“I was going to open that for you,” he said in an overly pleasant voice. “There was no need to dent her.” He crouched to look at the metal.
As I swung my legs out, the silk skirt rustled around my legs. I begrudgingly admitted that although Imogen didn’t have the best taste in colors, the dress flowed beautifully.
Jax appeared near my face, making me reel back a step until the bottom side lip of the car dug into my calf. His hands rested on the vehicle, corralling my head as he leaned into my face.
“Do try to run, human. You’re mine to kill if you attempt to escape.”
I gritted my teeth. If he was trying to taunt me, it wouldn’t work, I’d already decided to accept fate.
Jerking my chin up, I straightened. My movement forced him back a step, otherwise I would have ended up against him. And the precious vampire couldn’t be touching a dirty, traitorous human.
“Stop talking about it and do it already,” I said through gritted teeth. I wanted to sound angry and defiant, but ended up sounding exhausted.
Jax scoffed, and with him being so close, I had a straight shot of his already pointy canines extending into long, intimidating fangs.
“Enough, you two,” Asher drawled and captured my hand, pressing it into his curved arm. I scrunched the cotton of his loose long sleeved shirt. The top buttons gaped open to display his collar bone.
Meanwhile Ren’s wide shoulders were already smoothly heading through the parking garage.
Asher’s grip on my arm forced me after him. My heel’s click echoed on the cement until we exited the dimly lit garage and onto an inclined pathway.
I gripped the vampire tight as I kept up with his long stride. I was a little more than half their height, so I had to do some serious hoofing.
A woman in a black dress with the hem cutting off near her ass shuffling from foot to foot came into view. A few steps further and another girl stood a bit in front of her. Rounding the corner of the building, an entire line came into view.
Women and men dressed in skimpy night club outfits waited in the chilly night. We didn’t stop at the end of the line but kept forward until reaching the front.
An awning red light shined a reflection on the ground, the cursive letters blinking.
Crimson Nights
“Is this a club?” A bouncer met Ren’s eyes and slightly widened. He pressed a finger into his ear and the wire in his shirt wavered.
I couldn’t hear what he said, but he unclipped the felt rope opposite from the one he was allowing people through. No one waited on that side.
“Sire,” he inclined his head at Ren who only grunted.
Sire?
I blinked. What? Like a maker?
I didn’t take my eyes off the man as we passed him—his eyes held an intense aura to them. He looked like any normal guy one could come across in a grocery store, but his skin seemed too smooth—like he had no pores. I ignored the intrigued expressions of the female next to the male. She tilted her head down in an almost deferring motion as she moved to the side to let us pass.
Why were they staring at them like that? Even Asher hadn’t gotten looks like these when we went to Saphire Lounge. A few steps further and we crossed through a fluttering velvet curtain. And on the other side there was another . . . and then another. Red lighting lined the top side of the walls, offering just enough to see my way, which continued to be curtains. They blocked what lay ahead until we crossed a few more. A dull throb of seductive music pulsed, becoming louder with each step. Then we were on the other side.
Black sconces lined the tops of the wall and reflected a low red glow toward the ceiling. Bodies writhed on the dance floor, so close that they practically fucked.
“Where’s Tobias?” Jax asked. He stood so close that I felt suffocated, smushed between them . . . and a little too aware. With the hand not clutching onto Asher for dear life, I gripped my skirt.
“He went through the back,” Asher said, squeezing my hip.
I frowned. Why couldn’t we have gone through the back?
This place was different than the one we’d been to . . . a lot more seductive.
“Sire,” a girl flounced over, her hair bouncing with each little hop of her step. She pressed her palms to Asher’s chest, practically feeling him up.
“Talia, my little Progeny,” Asher patted her blonde head . . . affectionately? My fingers folded into my palm. I wouldn’t fool myself into thinking he hadn’t felt me tense up.
“Meet my Pet.” He tipped his chin toward me.
She turned her shocked eyes toward me, her smile twitched and she breathed in once. I didn’t think her eyes could widen any more, but they did. Her face suddenly invaded my space, too close to my neck for comfort. I flinched.
Both guys had a grip on her in an instant. Asher gripped her ear while Jax’s hand enveloped her throat.
“She smells so good,” she breathed, fangs poking out with her words. “Could I have a taste, Sire?”
“I said, my Pet, Talia,” a threat echoed clear in his tone. “Do not touch her or I will end you.” I’d never heard such a threat uttered in his silky tone. A chill traveled up my spine.
Talia’s expression turned to shock.
“Yes, Sire,” she mumbled, lowering her head.
Asher released her ear and an affable smile spread on his lips like there had been no threat seconds ago.
I eyed Talia. She could end all of this uncertainty . . .
“Is Amira’s human here?” His voice lowered, but I was close enough to hear his question.
Talia nodded and a frown spread on her lips. She pressed a finger into her ear.
“Do not let that human in again. Make sure you scrub the location of this place from his mind.” She dropped her hand and turned back to Asher. A devoted expression settled on her expression.
I shouldn’t be jealous. I really shouldn’t be, so I focused on breathing to save my sanity.
“In the pink room.”
Asher’s fingers flexed on my hip and he pulled me away. I staggered, using his side to balance myself. He almost made me fall on my face. Inconsiderate vampire. I struggled to keep up with his long stride. Did he forget my legs were not even half the length of his? And this slippery ground wasn’t a good match for heels. It had only been a few minutes of walking in them and my shins burned, especially the not fully healed one. He wove me through throngs of thrashing bodies. Random hands caressed Asher, tugging and pulling at the hem of his shirt. He kept moving like he couldn’t feel the touches and murmured invitations.
I smacked away a hand that landed on my boob. Jax caught the wandering hand and squeezed. His fingers bent in ways that shouldn’t have been possible.
The human sucked in a breath to scream.
“Shut it.”
The male clamped his lips tight.
Jax shoved him away and a vampire dressed in black, similar to the bouncer out front, appeared to take him away.
I couldn’t focus on the utter lack of humanity in Jax. Such viciousness edged every word and action. His true self.
My toe slammed into a metal stair as I scrambled up the steps, trying not to set down the back of my heel since there wasn’t a doubt in my mind the thin heel would go through the holes. This caused a whole other burn in my leg.
I glimpsed a small bird’s eye-view of the dance floor before I was pulled through a door and into a hall with black walls. The path led us into a circular room, a bright red circular couch adorning the middle of the room, while the lighting remained the same as the dance floor, lending a seductive ambiance.
Asher pulled me in front of him, one arm across my chest, and forced me against his front. Each brush of his body against my back flickered memories of our bodies tangled with each other. I wet my lips, as he guided me through one of the doors.
I understood why they called this the pink room.
Everything was medicine pink. Even the big bed in the middle of the room.
“Mr. Crimson!” A woman jumped off the edge of the mattress. She shuddered and her eyes closed for a beat—long enough to be odd.
“Sire,” she intoned, her voice decidedly huskier and accented. “I’ve not found information about that human. Calliope keeps everything between her and Freya.”
“Is this what you’ve been up to, Asher?” Jax hissed.
Wait a moment. That was about me. Asher was looking into if I was a plant.
I stiffened, trying to jerk forward and out of the cage of his arms.
“You mean trying to find factual information instead of throwing out accusations?” Asher grinned. “I can’t take full credit. Tobias inspired the idea to question my Progeny currently undercover with Calliope. She compelled this human to meet me here.”
The girl suddenly shuddered and dropped to the bed again. She panted and pinched her temple.
Jax’s gaze blazed on my face. I scowled at him. A flicker of uncertainty washed across his features, but it was gone too fast for it to bring me any hope.
Whatever.
“Amira told me to give you what you like.” The human pushed into an upright position on the bed.
Leaning back, she spread her legs, announcing to everyone that she didn’t wear underwear under the glittering dress. She let everything hang out.
“Ah,” I choked, startled.
She sliced her wrist and blood rose to the surface, she held her wrist over her pussy. Red splashed on her folds and dripped down.
That didn’t seem, like, sanitary.
Who was I kidding, these were vamps, they didn’t care.
I cleared my throat and focused on the painting of a flamingo over her head.
My hands slipped off Asher’s arm, and I shuffled on the heels. His palm flattened on the small of my back to steady me.
“Lovely proposition, flower, but not interested.”
Jax approached the girl.
Despite myself, my lungs seized. There was no reason I should be disappointed. They were never to be trusted?—
“Leave and forget you spoke to us.” He stared into her eyes, and spoke with his voice lowered.
She clamped her thighs together with a slap and mechanically stood. With stiff movements, she left the room. The slam of the door perfunctory.
I peeked at Asher from the corner of my eye.
“What?” I grumbled. He wouldn’t stop looking at me, and it put me on edge.
“I told you, I only want you.”
Fluttering exploded in my belly. Ohhhh .
I regained my senses and I sucked in a breath.
“I don’t care.” I let him go and backed up. I didn’t like the look in his eyes.
He flashed his fangs.
“Your vamp child wasn’t able to confirm my innocence. So what now, you kill me?” My heart thundered in my chest.
“Silly girl, you are mine.”
Panic squeezed my lungs tight. Red from the sconces reflected off his teeth.
They still wouldn’t let me go.
“You know what? I did it,” I spat, the desperation unbearable. I wanted it to end. “I was sent by Calliope to get info on you guys. Like how you have your people over in her Coven.”
Jax snarled.
My heart jumped painfully. The twins stared at me, expressionless. They should have lunged at me. Torn my throat out, something.
Defeat took out my legs and I dropped to the ground, clutching my chest. God, it hurt to breathe.
“Cat.” Asher scooped me off the ground and curled me in his lap. The bed dipped under our weight. His palm rubbed down my back. “Your asthma is acting up again.”
Jax moved into my peripheral and I cringed against Asher, holding him tighter.
“Don’t touch me.” I shot toward Jax.
I squeezed my eyes shut and my head rested on Asher’s chest. A door slammed.
“There, my bitch of a twin is gone,” he cooed.
I choked on a laugh and it made it harder to get my lungs to work properly.
“You’re panting, Catalina.” His nose grazed my cheek. “Let me feed you my blood and my cock, Pet.”
My stomach tightened at his low tone. I closed my eyes tight. Being enveloped in his arms soothed my panic and I hated it. He’d conditioned me for this. Every caress to calm me had ended up here. I squeezed my eyes shut. If I didn’t see his lying face, then I could accept the comfort.
He inhaled so deeply that his chest expanded. Was he sniffing me? Vampires didn’t need to breathe much at all.
“You smell divine.” His cock swelled under my ass. My eyes widened and heat flushed over my cheeks. “I’ve fucked you like mad, and you still pinken whenever you hear naughty words.” His chuckle spiked to my clit. I wiggled my hips on instinct to soothe the ache.
I stiffened.
“Drink from me,” he murmured in my ear. I turned my head away and he sighed. Frustration. I could work with that. Maybe I could piss him off enough to drain me. “Catalina.”
My body trembled at his purred order. I swallowed hard. I would give in to him. Tension leaked from my limbs. He must have taken it as an acquiesce because he lifted his wrist to his lips and sank his fangs in. Upon removing them, blood painted his mouth. A droplet of blood trickled down and upon touching his sleeve, bloomed.
Vampire blood was a deeper red than human blood. I’d only had the slightest bit each time I’d drank it. Asher told me about the side effects, and other than that it healed a shattered ankle, and turned me on, it also caused a bond. Which was why vampires never shared their blood. If humanity found out about aging slower, healing, and the aphrodisiac qualities of their blood, it would create chaos.
I turned my head away, teeth clenched. I’d had Jax’s and Ren’s blood. I couldn’t add another even if what they gave me had already run its course?—
Asher forced his wrist to my lips and his blood slipped onto my tongue. Electricity traveled over my nerve endings. And the sweet taste exploded on my tongue. Each time I attempted to think of a descriptor, it faded from my grasp. I fought to turn my chin away but his other hand gripped my jaw, keeping me in place. I gasped and swallowed another mouthful.
And then another.
A shiver crested up my spine and I took hold of his wrist with both my hands. So, so good. His cock throbbed under my ass and I arched my spine, grinding my hips downward.
I couldn’t control the lust riding me. My grip tightened on his wrist. I swallowed the ambrosia again, humming against his silky forearm.
Asher hissed, his hips jolting up, thrusting his dick into my ass.
I opened my legs and tipped forward, keeping hold of his arm in front of my chest. The stiff cock rubbed exactly where he would enter me. Oh, yes. I groaned against his wrist and tugged another mouthful of blood into my mouth.
The liquid coated my throat and warmed my belly. Pressure in my ribcage tapered off and I breathed without my airways constricted. Blood leaked from the corner of my mouth and tickled as it trailed down my chin.
Asher clicked his tongue.
“Greedy, Pet,” he murmured huskily and gripped the back of my neck, bracing me as he pulled his arm away from my mouth. A whimper crawled up from my throat and he guided me back until I rested against his chest. I rested my temple against his jaw.
Everything seemed brighter and shiny. My body drooped, warm and needy. The hand on my shoulder slid to the front of my neck and his long fingers pressed up the underside of my jaw. He lifted my chin so I could see his eyes blazing with lust. Half-lidded and hungry.
His lips curled with satisfaction. Then he dipped, delving his tongue into my mouth. The skillful kiss remained soft and searching as he swept his tongue against mine. He pulled back slowly, keeping an inch between our mouths.
His blue eyes were so bright and pretty. His fingertip rubbed across my lip, the soft touch rubbing gently, then followed the line down the column of my throat to my cleavage.
I shuddered.
“My reactive, Pet.” He tutted. “Watch me.”
He reached inside the corset and popped my breasts free. Cupping his hand under one swell, his large hand wrapped around the mass. His thumb rolled across my nipple.
I moaned and my head fell on his shoulder.
“I said, watch me.”
I sank my teeth into my lower lip and forced my eyes open. He squeezed my breast once more then inched down. The low scrape of his fingernails dragging across the fabric encased whalebone corset echoed loudly in my ears. With a quick rustling of my skirt, he pulled them to my waist.
“Lift your heel to the edge of the bed.”
I immediately did as he ordered and my shoe dug into the mattress, the pointy stiletto pressing hard into the pink comforter.
Asher bunched the skirt over my waist. His long finger delved into the waistband of my panties and he curled his finger into the material.
“You’re so soft,” he murmured against my ear. In a quick motion, he ripped off my panties. “Watch,” he repeated.
He inched over my shaved pussy, creeping closer to my clit. I held my breath, on the precipice of shouting at him to touch me. Finally, his pointer finger pressed against the bundle of nerves. A rush of lust flooded my core.
“Your pussy weeps for me,” he murmured, finger grazing over my wet entrance.
“Asher.”
His body shuddered, causing his fingers to curl against my core. Slipping his fingers into my need, he swirled those long, male digits. My channel clutched at his thick fingers. He added another one.
Oh God, I wanted his pierced cock inside me, too. I squeezed my lips together to cage the words inside.
“Give me more of your delicious need.”
His husky order caused another wave of liquid to throb free. Moisture glinted on his hand. He withdrew his fingers, exposing more of his wet hand, then he shoved the two thick fingers back into my entrance.
The sound of his fingers fucking me blazed my lust to an excruciating level. His palm pressed against my clit as he kept the motion steady. My eyelids lowered into slivers, I couldn’t close them because I couldn’t look away from his hands.
His nose grazed against the side of my throat and I sucked in a harsh breath. Goose bumps exploded across my flesh and I stiffened in his arms. My orgasm slapped me across all my senses, and I wriggled to the rhythm of his fingers, trying to get more pressure. Pants exploded from my lips. So, so good. Oh . . . my God.
Asher didn’t stop moving and the wet gush of my need drenched his hand. His movements slowed, riding out the aftershocks of my orgasm.
He raised his fingers to his mouth and skillfully licked my moisture clean off.
His cock throbbed under my ass. He returned his licked clean fingers to my pussy, shoving them deep.
I cried out and clutched his arm banded in front of me, trying to pull his hand from the overly sensitive spot, but it was like trying to move a statue.
Biting into his other wrist, he lifted it to me again. I clutched his wrist to my mouth without hesitation. He shuddered, his moan vibrating against my ear.
“I want you filled with my blood.” He nipped my ear. “To smell of me, and only me.”
Yes, please. I gripped him tight to my mouth as I took from him . . . and he let me. Warmth spread down my throat and expanded in my belly. The buzz in my ears raised by a few notches.
Talia whipped the door open.
“Ren is—” Her smile slowly faded away and she balked. Her attention didn’t leave his wrist at my mouth.
“Out,” Asher hissed and his grip across my chest tightened.
I gripped his wrist tighter and drank another mouthful of sweet nectar.
Talia’s shoulder jerked and she disappeared from the threshold, leaving Jax standing behind her. Moving so slow, he reached over without removing his attention from me and shut the door. His nose flared and he focused on my wet sex.
I wiggled on Asher’s lap. Raw and needy for more. Moans melded with my whimpers.
In the next instance, Jax kneeled before me and burrowed his head between my thighs.
His nose rubbed against my clit, wrenching a gasp from my throat and my hips gyrated forward. Asher opened my sensitive pussy for his brother’s tongue.
The sight was too much for me to handle. Jax hooked my leg over his shoulder and sank his teeth into the crevice where my thigh bent. I shot into another orgasm.
My hearing went out, replaced by static. I could have been floating for all I knew.
A sharp sting radiated outward from the spot where Asher had been nuzzling at my throat.
Nonsense spilled from my lips but I didn’t care at the moment. I could have been giving my soul away and it wouldn’t have made a difference.
Finally, the swell calmed enough for me to hear my ragged breathing. Jax licked my pussy clean of the blood that had spread into the aching folds. Each touch jolted me against Asher. His grip hadn’t loosened.
He hummed against my throat and since my ass was bare against his slack-covered cock, I could feel the dampness beneath him.
“Was that me or you,” I croaked and then hiccupped.
“Both of us, Pet. I can’t control myself where you’re concerned.”
Satisfaction licked up my spine. Making a vampire come in his pants seemed like a skill I really should be proud of. Jax’s shoulders moved once in a jerking motion. What could Jax be feeling so intensely that he had to take a breath?
The floating sensation hadn’t abated. I wiggled my fingers in front of my face and the sight of them seemed to be enhanced, like I could see them under a magnifying glass.
I licked my lip to lap up whatever blood still painted my mouth. I’d never had so much vampire blood before. The short-haired twin’s shoulders moved again. He wanted my death, but knelt between my legs?
“Get off of me.” I jerked to the side to remove his grip from my leg. Blood leaked from the wounds he hadn’t licked shut.
He gripped my thigh and hissed. It wasn’t a damn chicken wing.
“He’s going to heal you.”
I didn’t care if he was about to sacrifice himself at my feet. I rather he killed me.
Using my other foot, I kicked out and slammed the bottom of my shoe into his shoulder. The heel punctured his shoulder and he sneered.
“No, thank you,” I slurred.
Jax suddenly leaned in my face, a violent glint in his eyes. I tipped my chin up, waiting for him to tear my head off, but no dice.
Asher poked a finger into his chest, stopping him.
“No attacking other vampire’s Pets.” Asher tugged me tighter against his chest while I jerked my skirt down to cover my legs. A trickle from the blood and my still wet pussy mingled between my legs.
Jax narrowed his eyes and straightened. His thumb swiped across his lip.
“When you no longer have his protection, be ready.” His threat hung between us.
“Looking forward to it,” I said without inflection in my tone. I squinted, was he multiplying into two of him? I rubbed my eyes.
Jax raked his hand through his hair and the short front strands stood up.
“I’ll find Tobias.”
The door slammed behind him.
I went limp against the hard chest behind me. The floating sensation became stark as the adrenaline fizzled away. Rolling my head to the side, I met Asher’s satisfied gaze.
“Let me leave.” My voice sounded far away. Asher’s features were unfairly pretty. And it wasn’t just because he was a vampire because I’d seen some ugly ass vampires—Asher was born with his gorgeous features. All the Crimson Coven vampires were. Maybe they had some sort of beauty standard requirement listed before they could join their group. “Or kill me.”
His head tilted and confusion marred his perfect features.
“You will never leave me, Cat.”
I would never leave.
A snorting laugh slipped free from my mouth.
I’d escaped the other vampire that tried to keep me captive in that cave. Years later, I found myself in the very situation I ran from.
Hopelessness settled over my shoulders. According to their laws, humans could not know about vampires. The truth was compelled from them . . . and I could not be compelled.
A tear trickled from the corner of my eye.
Asher frowned and leaned down to lick it clean.