Lover of the Nightkin Read online

  He came quickly and as he did, he bit into her and sucked hard. A low moan escaped his throat as he buried himself deep in her. Danielle melted against him as pain and pleasure collided simultaneous leaving her in a state of mindless bliss.

  Before she collapsed and fell before him, Prince Sethris gathered her up and laid her out on the couch. As she trembled and winced, trying to regain her composure, the prince brought his armored hand down upon her breast again and made a cut with his thumb across the top of one nipple. He brought his mouth down and suckled hard.

  Danielle arched against him, her head turning from side to side, torn by the painful pleasure ripping through her.

  Before she could react, Danielle was being tossed on to the bench beside the chair and taken once again. She gripped the ends of the bench as the prince—now on his knees—thrust into her, gripping her hips and pulling her to him. When he moaned again and throbbed inside her, he dragged her up and stood her before the loveseat. As she stood with her legs slightly apart, his need dripped from her and the prince took a cloth from the table and gingerly wiped the sticky mess away. He then sat her down once again on the loveseat and had her legs open for him.

  “The taste of you has been tormenting me for too long. Now I will have it again,” he said, baring his fangs. Then the prince knelt before her and bit into her inner thigh. Danielle arched and moaned and as he sucked. He licked the last bit of blood away and then turned his head and flicked his tongue over her core. Danielle winced and cried out, but dared not close her legs around him. He tugged and teased then brought his full mouth around her and Danielle gripped the sides of the seat, her legs beginning to shake once more.

  “My prince... I never... meant to torment you... please... forgive me,” Danielle choked out as the ache burned in her core. In her mindless pleasure, Danielle hoped to find some way to appease him. His lust was boundless, but she needed more. “I want you... I want you to taste… all of me.” Danielle lifted her hips up and moved against his tongue and mouth. She sat back and raised her arms to grip the back of the seat and urged him to deepen and quicken his pace. She rose and fell to meet him, shifting her body, and moving in tiny thrusts until the heat broke from her once more. She let out a soft, pained cry and heard a sharp crack as the wood lining of the loveseat split and splintered from her incredible grip.

  Danielle fell to the seat, breathing heavily. Beads of sweat trickling along her back and between her breasts.

  Prince Sethris rose, licking his lips. He seemed to tremble a little himself as he sat beside her. He closed his eyes for a long moment and placed a hand over his mouth as if still lingering over everything they had just shared. Danielle recovered enough as he rested to get up on shaky legs and make her way over to the table to pour more wine into the goblet. She eyed the dagger and an idea brightened in her mind. Gently she took up the dagger in one hand and the goblet in the other and turned back to the prince. She went to sit once again beside him and, when he opened his eyes to look at her, offered him the goblet.

  The prince took it gladly and drank heavily, then set the goblet on the ground. He looked back at her and noticed the dagger in her hand.

  “What do you think you plan to do with that?” he said, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

  Danielle shook her head and dropped from the seat to kneel in front of him. “I want to taste you now, my prince.”

  The prince’s eyes widened and he almost laughed, but then stopped himself. “Oh? You would take pleasure in such a thing?”

  Danielle bowed her head. “I... would find it equally intimate to do so.”

  When she glanced back at the prince, she saw him watching her curiously. He gestured for her to sit back beside him and she did.

  “Very well... I will allow it,” he said. “I too may find it pleasurable.”

  With a steady hand, Danielle brought the dagger up to Prince Sethris’ chest and cut a small tear along the side of his skin. The vampire prince inhaled through his teeth as his blood spilled from the wound, some dripping onto the knife. His cock sprung hard again as Danielle leaned in and pressed her lips to the cut. The prince hissed and clutched Danielle’s arms in a hard grip. He moaned as she grazed her tongue against him and tasted his salty, sweet blood.

  Danielle drew her head back and glanced up at him to see his dark expression, his eyes half closed and glowing red, as if drunk. Danielle smiled at him then brought her head back down. The prince lifted his head and reclined back as Danielle sucked and lapped against him.

  When the prince closed his eyes and sighed deeply, Danielle lifted her head again and straightened. The prince lied there for a moment and smiled. Danielle nearly flinched as he brought his hand up suddenly and caressed the side of her face.

  They locked eyes. Danielle searched his face and, with a deep breath, moved in towards him and gently pressed her lips to his.

  Startled, Prince Sethris jerked up in alarm, his fang catching Danielle’s bottom lip. The shot of pain caused Danielle to wince and inhale sharply. Her lip throbbed and she tasted blood on her tongue as she licked her lips. Danielle saw the look of shock on the prince’s face and feared she made a great mistake.

  “I’m sorry, my prince, I didn’t mean to—”

  Danielle had tried to move away, but the prince caught her firmly. His gaze fixed on hers then flickered back to her lips. He blinked and shook his head a little, but Danielle saw his pupils dilating and felt his hands trembling.

  Stunned, Danielle stilled as he lowered his face closer to hers and licked away the bit of blood on her bottom lip.

  Then, like a shock of lightning between them, the prince brought his mouth down on hers and kissed deep. Danielle returned the kiss, tasting more blood.

  A moment later the prince pulled away and glared at Danielle, his eyes searching her face as if seeing her for the first time.

  He seemed as if he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words. Danielle smiled and brushed her fingers along his face.

  “Perhaps some more wine?” she said.

  The vampire prince nodded slowly, watching transfixed as Danielle got up and took his goblet. He turned his head away and his eyes seemed to glaze over as if coming into some realization. He stared at the far wall and Danielle turned, taking the dagger and the goblet back over to the table.

  As he wasn’t looking, and her back was turned to him, Danielle quickly and carefully took off one of the vials from her necklace. She opened it and, with the bloodied dagger tilted above it, tapped a few drops of the prince’s blood into the vial. Closing it back, she reattached it to her necklace and placed the dagger back in its original place. She poured the wine into the goblet and returned to the loveseat next to the prince.

  “For you, my prince.” Danielle handed him the wine and he took it gladly. When he topped it off, he placed it back on the ground then firmly wrapped his arms around Danielle.

  His embrace reminded her of their first encounter when he had her against him while hanging along the ceiling. He held her to him just as firmly now and buried his face in the curve of her neck. He spread out his leathery wings, folding them around her, and swathing them both in darkness.

  Chapter 9

  Just as everything had gone surprisingly well for Danielle before, it was only fitting after that things would take a turn, even when coming so close to reaching her goal. She realized now how lucky she had been with all the princes, even including Prince Sethris who she had feared would be a challenge.

  But now she realized her real challenge lay with the final prince. Prince Morgin, who had been so much more open to his want of Danielle before, now, in some perplexing twist, had shut her away from him.

  He did not request her to his rooms the next night as she had hoped and when she inquired to Melina about it the head servant told Danielle what she had mentioned before. That the prince was “occupied” and not looking for company.

  Worry began to gnaw at her, fearing her chance to claim all the ene
rgies to make the key orb was slipping fast. Her body was changing, she couldn’t deny it. Every time she looked in the mirror she would see the dark marks spreading, her nails sharpening. Even her hair was darkening and her eyes brightening with flecks of gold. She didn’t understand what was happening to her and she didn’t know how to feel about it. A part of her was afraid, but another part of her felt something else. Something akin to excitement. But those feelings only frightened her more.

  The same could be said of her feelings for the princes. She feared them now in a different way.

  Because she had nowhere to be for the night, Danielle took to wandering the halls instead; visiting the corridors she remembered and finding new ones. No one cared to guard her or follow alongside her. Melina and the others didn’t worry that she would try to escape again. And in that they were right.

  Danielle wandered for some time until she found herself before the door leading to the holding cells beneath the palace. Guards to each side watched her carefully as she approached. When she made for the door, they placed themselves in front of her.

  “Mistress, this is no place for you,” one said.

  “These are the cells of our prisoners, no place for a woman,” said the other.

  Simultaneously, Danielle placed her hands on their chests and fixed them both with a seductive gaze.

  “I won’t harm them I promise.” She smiled, moving closer to them. “Won’t you let me pass just to say hello?”

  The men stiffened as her hands fell slowly down their chests. They looked to one another then back at her then slowly stepped away.

  “As you command, Mistress,” they said in unison.

  Danielle walked passed them and through the door, happy to know her powers came with some necessary convenience. As she went down a flight of stairs, she found herself before a row of cells fixed with thick metal bars that glowed faintly blue and hummed softly. Cautiously she walked passed, peering into the dark interiors until she stopped in the middle of the row to see movement.

  One by one the Night Lords appeared before her.

  “Danielle?”

  Danielle turned to see Lord Tyris gazing over her behind the bars. Danielle frowned and for a moment thought she might cry. Whatever fealty she swore to the princes she still couldn’t help feeling pity for the Night Lords.

  “My lords…” Danielle’s voice trembled.

  “It’s good to know you’re alright, girl,” said Lord Virsis.

  “Though we didn’t much enjoy having to watch your punishment on that stage,” grumbled Lord Grabril.

  “Well... maybe just a little,” said Lord Wryth, the red devil. His brother beside him elbowed him and Lord Wryth shrugged with a smile.

  “I’m glad you all aren’t…”

  “Yes, I suppose this is a tad better than death, isn’t it?” said Lord Virsis.

  “We have managed fine,” stated Lord Tyris, glaring at them all. “It’s you we worry of. Have you been treated alright? After that dinner…” Danielle caught his hands turning into fists.

  Danielle nodded. “I’m fine. But, I don’t understand. What will happen to you?”

  “It’s hard to say,” said Lord Grabril, his wolf eyes glaring at her through the bars.

  “Probably rot down here,” said Lord Wryth.

  “But... I thought you were to serve them. Prince Morgin said if they won you would serve them till your dying breath.”

  “Yes…” said Lord Tyris. “That is true. But until they have a use for us, we remain down here.”

  Danielle shook her head and, for the first time since returning to the palace she felt anger and self-doubt toward her princes. She vowed she would talk to the princes, to find some way to help the Night Lords.

  Then guilt began to sink into her heart. She had used them as well, stolen from them. When all she could think was to return to her world; now knowing that, if not for her, this might not have happened.

  Danielle wrung her hands and felt tears prick her eyes.

  “I... must confess something to you all,” Danielle said softly. “I have tricked you all for my own selfish reasons and I hope you can forgive me.” Danielle lifted her hand to the necklace of vials, her fingers trailing over them. “I have stolen from you, your energies.”

  The Night Lords stilled before her.

  “What are you saying?” Lord Tyris growled.

  “When I laid with each of you, I took parts of you and placed them in these vials. The hair of a beast, the venom of a great snake, the fire of a devil, the thunder of a dragon…”

  “Why?” breathed Lord Virsis.

  “To find my way home,” Danielle replied honestly. “I’m sure you’ve heard already, but I fell into the palace by accident. I found a strange purple orb on the beach after a storm. It brought me here and then it broke and I couldn’t use it to return home…” Danielle told them everything that happened after, up till she was returned to the princes.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, bowing her head. She waited to hear their shouts and cries of rage, but she was met with only silence. When she glanced up she saw each of them looking at her.

  “I suppose I was right about humans after all,” Lord Tyris said. Danielle looked to the ground feeling ashamed. Then she heard a low rumble, an odd growling, and she realized it was meant to be laughter. Lord Tyris and the others laughed.

  “Best keep that story to yourself, girl.” Lord Grabril laughed. “It would put us to shame.”

  “Yes,” Lord Skye, the blue devil, snickered. “A human besting us.”

  They chuckled some more and then fell silent.

  Lord Tyris glared down at her. “Because you dared to do it and got away with it, who are we to say we aren’t impressed. And I’d like to think what we shared wasn’t a total lie…”

  Danielle shook her head and smiled. “No. No, not at all. I was happy to be with you all, even if it was to take something in return.”

  “And in that then,” said Lord Virsis, “We can forgive you.”

  ***

  Danielle vowed she would find a way to help them before she returned home. She didn’t tell them how she had acquired the energies of the princes or how she planned to remake the orb (even that she was still uncertain), but she promised to make amends.

  After that, she left them and returned to the elegant halls of the palace. As she traversed down a dim-lit hallway back to her room, an odd crackling filled the air and a bluish glow filled the walls. Danielle stopped and glanced around with a confused frown.

  The girl has changed. No longer shrinking against the walls.

  Danielle recognized the voice in her head and when she twirled around she came face to face with Lord Torquel. Tendrils of mist fell around him; from under his armor and out from his mouth.

  “You seem troubled, though,” he said to her out loud. “Is something not to your liking?” He began to circle her and Danielle turned with him, her gaze never leaving his. “Are you... displeased at your treatment... or of those locked away?”

  “It’s none of your business,” Danielle said.

  “Oh, perhaps not mine. But for the princes... I’d say all that you do is their business.”

  “Yes, well, your not one of them are you?”

  Danielle caught the ghost lord flinch.

  “So spirited. You really have grown throughout your time here. Soon maybe you’ll be one of us.”

  Danielle didn’t like the tone of prophecy in his voice.

  The geist stopped in front of her and sighed. “I know you’re still angry with me. In truth, I did not come here to anger you more.”

  “Oh, is that so?”

  “Yes. In fact, I came to try and make amends. Now that I am still serving the princes, I must please them. Only then will my punishment be over. And to please their favorite would please them as well.”

  “So you would serve me then?” Danielle asked.

  The ghost lord shrugged. “In a way... if it would please you.”

&nbs
p; She paused for a moment, thinking. Anything she was likely to ask of him he would immediately tell the princes.

  “There is nothing,” Danielle said.

  “No? Nothing I can do?”

  Danielle thought again, eyeing him closely.

  “Alright,” Danielle said softly. “You can do something for me…”

  “Yes?”

  “Or rather something you can give me…”

  The geist eyed her curiously. “Fine then.”

  Danielle knew she was taking a risk, that he likely wouldn’t hesitate in telling princes of her request. But she had to try...

  “Do you still have the key orb? The one I broke?”

  The ghost lord stiffened. He paused for a moment, eyeing her with interest. Then, slowly, he reached his arm out and, in his hand, the orb appeared, still cracked on one side.

  Danielle stared at the purple sphere, her heart thumping.

  “You know it still won’t get you back…” The geist commented.

  “I know,” Danielle said, “but I would very much like to have it, regardless.”

  Lord Torquel tilted his head. “As a keepsake then?” He chuckled. He stepped toward her to hand her the orb.

  Danielle took it, noticing it was heavier than she remembered. She turned it in her hands, studying its dark, empty contents.

  “Is there anything else you would like of me?” The ghost lord asked.

  Danielle shook her head. “No. This is all for now.”

  Chapter 10

  The next night came and still Prince Morgin had not called on her. Melina mentioned at moonrise that the princes were allowing her to rest a full night, but that they soon grew impatient to have her beside them again and she needed to prepare.

  At moonset, she was taken to a private room shared by the princes who reclined against throne-like chairs around a circular table displaying a wide map of the entire Nightlands.

  She kneeled before them waiting patiently until they called upon her to sit beside them. When she glanced around, she noticed Prince Morgin was absent.

  “The sorcerers are close to seizing the eastern city. The dead have been roaming about aimlessly,” mentioned Prince Cyre. “I will go there tomorrow night to force them to submit. To keep them from taking hold of the city and to control the dead.”