Page 48 of A Velvet Kiss After Dark

But, alas, waste not want not. This blood was best when fresh, and she doubted even he could have predicted such a thing, and yet, here they were; her own natural essences cascading from her flow and gifting her all the magick she could ever need.

Alas, they had never mated fully in their short marriage. Having ridden off into the night with him all those hundreds of years ago and foregoing her father's wishes for her to stay true to her heritage and mate with a fellow white witch from her own coven, she'd known in her deepest of hearts back then that Ezekial was made for her, and she, for him. But whatever had remained of her having a "heart" was laughable to her now, and even her laughter had long morphed into a grotesquely frightening cackle that would scare even the most heinous of violent psychopaths. She didn't even try to be naughty, she simply was evil.

And it made her proud to be so evil, so wicked, like a prideful thirst overriding her and creating the warmest, most delectable of sensations that seemed to abscond from her very pores with venomous need. And, that need right now, sat at the core of her, devouring her with the desire to feel her so-called mate's tongue joining with her own, to feel his rabid sensual hunger for her consuming her, and then once the pleasure purge thrust through her—she'd decimate him and drink his vile blood, and leave him in a pool of his own demise.

Smiling with sickening sweetness, Olivia the black witch faced the door way and thrust up her hands, and with a mere thought, the blood between her legs acting as fuel for her power, she threw open the doorway as easily as saying ta-da!

16

"You were right about one thing, Torpence, I should have gotten out of bed for our newfound visitors," Jhakob, king slave trader said as he speared meat onto his fork and plopped it into his mouth. "They're headed for the Golden One."

"How can you know that?" Torpence said, barely refraining from giving an eye-roll at his master's summation.

"Because there's nothing else east of here of import. But, what would they ask of him, if they even find the illustrious kingdom?"

Torpence shrugged and nabbed a fruit from a bowl to nibble on. "Perhaps to steal from him?"

"Perhaps," Jhakob said. It's true the Golden King had immense wealth at his disposal, but he was reclusive and powerful. No one dared enter his kingdom—even if they could find it—as the kingdom was said to be protected by a magical spell and that only one with a pure heart could enter, let alone see it. And, even then, the magic of the castle was pure illusion, ever shifting, ever changing—whatever that meant. All Jhakob knew was that he'd never laid eyes on the Golden King and he'd prefer to keep it that way. He preferred his much shadier dealings hear in his own city. Slaves made a lot of money around these parts, and most people owed him lucrative debts, which he harbored against them.

"The goblins are in disorder and are beseeching to be fed living flesh in recompense for their losses, sir," Torpence said around a mouthful of fruit.

Jhakob stroked his chin in thought. "Feed them some fresh refuse, and gather a search party. I like the pretty human. She smelled nice. The big werewolf seemed to covet her. We can use this against him. Such unique prey will gather significant value once sold. I want them all caught, if possible, unharmed."

Torpence nodded in agreement. "Consider it done."

"And, before you go, ask the local priestess for a potion or spell, without any side effects please, to allow me to understand these beings language. It was incomprehensible to hear. And, if you catch sight of the vampires, decimate them," Jkakob said between clenched teeth. "I could feel them invading my mind, and I will not tolerate it!"

"Yes, sir!" Torpence said and beat feet for the door.

Jkakob sat back and fingered the stone around his neck as he thought back on the human. Tab-itha was her name—that she'd declared succinctly enough to understand. She'd make a good personal slave to keep his home clean and feed him by hand. He liked exotic wares, after all.

"And, make sure the human is brought directly to me. I liked her," Jkakob said.

Torpence nodded in understanding before exiting.

17

"I fear she's losing it, Graham," Kane said. He walked a pace beside the werewolf who was looking decidedly better than he had hours ago. The sun had already crested above the horizon again with the beginnings of dawn. It was day two of their assignment. He had only one left before they'd have to make their track back to the spindle island in the air near the dragon's layer and recite the spell that would portal them home. In his mind, he'd already made calculations on timing. It wasn't looking good for them. And, if he returned without ever finding this damned castle and without the relic, then he wouldn't be able to obtain rightful permission to keep Tabitha as his own. Considering how she looked at him—like an insane ape-man with a flair for murder—perhaps she'd never accept him anyway. It was one thing to get his alpha's permission to have her, it was another thing to get around the fact that she was human and he was not, and she seemed to detest him half the time or tolerate him all the rest.

Tabitha marched ahead of them, defiant and rather glorious in her posture. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail at the top of her head, and she had a long knife in one hand, his pistol in her waist band with all of his remaining magazines stuffed into her jeans.

"She hasn't stopped muttering to herself for the last hour." Kane could scarcely keep his eyes off her, even as he tried to keep track of the terrain for underground minions, flying dragons, or any other number of possible enemies. "I fear she's losing her mind from trauma. She's not used to fighting battles. She's used to typing up lucrative lies for a living."

Graham had returned to his human state, and his wound look far better than it had, yet he still couldn't stand straight up without tearing the wound open further. He let loose a rough laugh. "I'd say she's manning up well enough."

"I heard that!" she hollered back bitingly.

Kane nudged Graham with his elbow. "Keep it down, I don't wish to be overheard." He wanted to marry this woman with all the bells and whistles, and get lost in her kisses.

"She seems much revived, Kánnérd. I'd relax."

Heh, as if he could relax now. "One of us needs to catch up with Alexis and Seth, it's been too long since we've seen them."

Graham shrugged. "I could go, but I won't be as fast as you are at this point."

Kane nodded in agreement, but the last thing he wanted was to leave Tabitha for even a second, as he was growing more attached to her by the hour; and she was the most vulnerable part of their squad.

"Have you told her the good news yet, mate?" Graham asked with a grimace instead of a smile as he held a hand over his scabbed-over wound.

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