Guardian's Flame [Guardian City 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (7 page)

By midday, they were passing small houses that thickened the closer they got to their destination. Silence had taken over the party, and Nathan found himself wishing he was there already. Nathan was concerned about their mate, and what sort of challenge could possibly be issued. Nathan scanned his brain for any knowledge he remembered about Incubi, but found that he didn’t know much about them. The only thing he’d ever been taught about them was their need for victims, by using a person’s sexual desires against them. Other than that Nathan didn’t know anything else about them. He made a mental note to visit the library more and start becoming knowledgeable about other species. They approached a small hill, and the Incubi slowed to a steady walk.

Nathan followed suit, though he wasn’t even close to being winded. Jason walked beside him, wrapping his small hand around Nathan’s. Nathan smiled and quickly pecked Jason on the cheek. As they reached the peak of the hill, Nathan got an entire view of the condensed area. Buildings were strung about close together, all surrounding a circular, cobbled road. In the center of the trading post, a tented area stood with people wandering about in their daily routines. They followed the group toward the trading center, passing wagons that were set up alongside the road to be the first things travelers saw. Nathan figured there must be other towns that held the Incubus’s tribes. It would make sense to have a shared trading place, where all tribes could trade equally.

As they walked the circular drive, they had to dodge people going about their daily routines. Water was carried in large pots by women and children. Children tossed stones in a hand-drawn board, playing some sort of game. They looked like humans to Nathan, only everyone here was attractive. Nathan assumed the women were Succubae, while the men were Incubi. He just didn’t understand why they were divided into two separate species, when they were the same species. Nathan shook his head and followed the group toward a scandalizing-looking building. Animal skins hung on the windows behind women and men dressed in next to nothing. Guards patrolled around the extremely large building that was named “Fusion” in dark pink lettering. A line waited outside the building, but it didn’t seem as though anyone was getting in.

The Incubi led the way toward the door, with the leader Demend called Mufasa, whispering something to a bouncer before breezing past the guard. Their small group followed the man inside the doors that were held open by two women that had more sparkle on them than a rich woman’s diamond ring. Nathan paused inside, giving his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkened room. Music played from speakers throughout, shaking the glasses that hung from pegs behind a fully stocked bar. Tables were lined around a center stage, with an upper floor overlooking the main floor. A single woman danced on the stage in clothes that left little to the imagination. Nathan was speechless, and for a moment had no idea what they were doing here. Nathan followed their group to a reserved table, where the trio was left alone, watching a female seduce the crowd with her entrancing voice.

Nathan sat with his back to the wall, next to Demend. The table was thick, and the scratches told tales of bar fights. He was grateful he was strapped, and for once thought Demend might not be as paranoid as he once thought. The female swayed to the music, circling the pole in the middle of the stage with the grace of a ballet dancer. Nathan cocked his head at the conflicting images in his mind and quickly focused on the filled patrons in the club. Every table was full, and there wasn’t an extra chair to be seen anywhere. Money lined the table in large stacks, but no one made a move to approach the stage.
Demend, what exactly is going on here?

It’s an orgasm club. Incubi and Succubae come here from all over to try their charms, and whoever walks out with the most money wins a grand prize.

So, she is going to do the fog thing to us?
Jason asked.

If we stay out here long enough, yes, but our bond should hold. She isn’t as strong as the fog was,
Demend assured.

A waiter approached the table, dressed in a leopard-print thong. Nathan slid a glance to Demend in concern. He wasn’t really up to being social. He wanted to find their mate and disappear. A set of guards appeared from a darkened hallway and approached their table, flanking the waiter.

“Leo will allow you to search freely for your mate, with a guard of course,” the young waiter said with a dazzling smile that probably made him good money at an establishment like this. Nathan stood first, stepping in front of Demend with the protective, dumb-dog look he was learning to perfect. He needed to be in front anyways, since it was his nose they needed. He just couldn’t smell anything beyond stale beer and cigarettes in the bar itself. The guards stood aside, and Nathan went first. Jason followed, allowing Demend to cover the rear of their small group. Nathan walked to the hallway, sniffing the air experimentally before catching a slight hint of summer rain and earth. The smell was the same as both of his mates, with a hint of something exotic, deeper, and more dangerous.

Nathan looked back at his mates before nodding his head. He could smell the scent. Demend nodded his head with a look of pure relief, and Nathan swelled with pride that he could be of some use. He followed the smell down the hallway, surprised at the trailer-like wood paneling on the walls. He almost commented at the difference in the décor, but thought better of it. His nose led him past the bathrooms, and through a door that was labeled “Fusion Personnel Only.” Nathan ignored the makeshift offices that were splattered throughout the room, following the succulent smell to its source. Nathan smelt his way to another closed door, but the scent had changed slightly with harder scents of blood, sickness and death.

He opened the door, steeling himself to whatever was on the other side, but was surprised to find a staircase leading down into darkness. Nathan wondered what it was about the Incubi and darkness. He eased down the steps, with Jason latching firmly onto the hook of his jeans. Nathan was grateful for the touch, reminding him that he wasn’t walking down alone. The steps were old, and in some places had crumbled away. Nathan was careful, reaching the bottom of the steps easily. A large room that looked much like a kennel was laid out before him, only instead of cages it held closed cell doors.

Nathan almost choked on the overbearing smell of urine, sickness, and blood. A hint of death touched the scent, but it must have been a while ago. Nathan followed the summer rain smell that was hidden beneath the layers, finally landing on a cell two doors from the wall.

“Here,” Nathan said as he pointed to the cell, sure whoever was behind the cell was their mate.

“Leo would like to see you in his office where you may discuss the issue,” the guard rumbled with a tone of annoyance.

D followed the guards through the office door, almost dying to get the meeting over. The office was deviously designed in exotic furs that were meant to offend every Shape-Shifter in the world. D felt his animals inside stiffen at the room, and he forced himself to remain lax. There would be enough time to be rude. Until then, he didn’t want to set the man off. The man that sat behind the desk radiated power, and D knew he was pushing to appear more powerful. His Elvin side protected him from Glamour magic, but his mates shivered against the magic. D opened their bond, and allowed his own natural magic to infect them, protecting them from the dick-showing contest.

“You’re a mixed breed?” the man asked with a laugh.

“Yeah,” D answered shortly, not bothering to play King Mufasa with the full-bred Incubus.

“Pray tell, what mixed”—the man cocked his head—“flavors?”

“My parents are full Elf, full Incubus, and full Dragon,” D answered with a shrug, knowing the man probably had already figured that much out.

“So you’re only a third Incubus?” the man laughed loudly, slapping his hand against his leg in amusement.

D smiled at the man, one he knew to be devilish. It wasn’t like he was the greatest, in fact compared to each full-breed species, he was considered weak. It was the combination of genes that made him capable, not how much of each species he was. “Actually, I’m only a fourth Incubus. Fate gifted me with another genetic trait or two. Now, you’re off topic. My genes guaranteed this meeting, but you have our mate in your custody. We want our mate, free and clear. So what is it that we have to accomplish to keep us both happy?”

“Your mate is a prisoner of war. We do not allow prisoners to walk free from our jail,” the man snapped. His laughter drained from his face to show the rage hidden beneath. D could feel the warning bells coming through the bond, and he had to agree. The man’s emotions changed like a teenaged girl changed clothes.

“What did our mate do to end up as a prisoner of war?” Nathan asked, and D had to agree with the question. Most people that offended the Incubi ended up as a snack, instead of alive. Alive stated their mate had gone above and beyond the offensive line, somewhere between Holy-Fucking-Shit and Bat-Shit-Crazy.

“It doesn’t matter. I was considering offering her up for a prize…” Mufasa stated, with a sense of pride at his plan.

“Her?” Nathan and Jason questioned loudly.

Demend took a deep breath, calming his fast growing irritation. If she was offered as a prize, that meant they would have to win her fairly, or offer a deal to whoever won. Neither plan was a good plan, since the prizes won here would place a person in a higher social standing. Trading off their prize wasn’t something that was ever done.
This isn’t going well. The man is an ass, and is going to offer the prize only because we want her. This way he can save his prize, and get us off his back.
His mates both agreed with his thoughts, so D took a deep breath.

“Why don’t we cut the bullshit, and be honest? We want her, and you don’t want to deal with us. So, you’ll offer her up as a prize against full blooded Incubi, and Succubae, and save yourself a prize for a better day. At the same time, you still aren’t giving her up to me, because the chance of me winning one of your games is next to nothing. Am I right?” D stated flatly, as he crossed the room to lean over the desk. His magic flared at the anger that was building inside.

“You’re right. I don’t want you to have her. I don’t want her to ever have a moment of peace. So instead, I’ll put her up as a prize for tonight’s showdown. You can enter and win her if you have enough flare in you to earn the tips you would need to win. Problem solved.” The man smiled, and D wanted nothing more than to slice his throat.

“Thank you, for that bit of honesty. We’ll see you tonight,” D said before walking out of the room. They had a few hours to come up with a plan, but D wasn’t sure what they could do. They could sneak in and try to kill everyone, but that plan wouldn’t work. That left playing the man’s game.

“What are we going to do? Didn’t you tell us you couldn’t roll someone?” Nathan asked.

“I can’t roll someone like the fog did, no. I can do it, but it has to be during sex. It’s not something I am good at. These people tonight will be good at it. The idea is to roll the crowd causing orgasms. The more orgasms, the more money a person makes. Whoever makes the most, wins. My father used to do it for a living. It’s a form of Glamour magic, which I really don’t have,” D stated as they left the club, thankful to be out in the sunshine again.

So what if we spurn you on a little?
Nathan asked curiously. Desire rolled through the bond, and D looked at Jason in surprise.

“You do understand that the whole place will be filled with people watching, right? I don’t think spurning would work. We’d have to flat-out fuck.” D watched the red in his smaller mate’s eyes flare with the desire he felt inside.

And if we fuck?
Jason asked curiously with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

“Could I roll the crowd? Maybe. If we use blood at the same time, and magic, our chances are better. The problem is he’ll cheat one way or another, to try to throw us off.” D thought about it a moment. Blood always had worked to bring out what little Glamour magic he had. Maybe if he tied it to his Elvin magic it would work. They were going to need some enhancers.

“Come on, we need to drink,” D said with a smile, pulling his mates toward a shop that advertised passion enhancers.

Jason slammed the shot of red liquid down his throat, letting the burn spread through his body like the fire magic he held inside. His head floated behind the intoxicating liquid, and it took him a moment to focus on anything. They were back at Fusion, after an afternoon of drinking the same red liquid he was drinking now. His cock had been pulsing all afternoon, but he was ordered to not touch it at all. Jason swiveled his hips slightly, loving the feel of his pants sliding against his cock.

“I love you,” Nathan stated, rather loudly, to Jason, and Jason smiled brightly through the buzz in his head. He grabbed Nathan in a hug, placing his lips against the lips that promised satisfaction guaranteed. Jason giggled at the thought and realized that their bond had grown in the short time. He loved them both more than he had ever thought he could love someone. It was soul love, something that could be felt in the inner depths of his very soul. “I love you, too!”

Jason kissed Nathan quickly before leaning over to capture D’s lips. D smiled that sexy smile that only an Elf could pull off. “I love you, too. I’m glad you risked your life for me, and I’m glad you didn’t kill yourself.”

Jason smiled against D’s lips as they captured his, and his cock hardened. D teased his lips, licking along the opening before leaning back. Jason smiled at D, but his head swarmed from all the senses overflowing through their bond. “I love you,” D stated simply, as if he had known all along.

“Announcing tonight’s top prize!” the loud speaker screamed, and the crowd went wild at the booming that vibrated inside Jason’s head. The room went dark, and spotlights flicked on from between the two floors. Jason focused hard on the light, following the beams to a center, clear cage hanging above. Jason felt his stomach drop through the floor, and had to adjust his cock that had doubled in size at the sight. The woman was beyond beautiful. She had long slightly curling hair that was the color of midnight blue. Her skin was a silver blue that reminded Jason of the moon hidden behind clouds at night. He couldn’t see her eyes, but her hair was pulled back slightly in the style of an Elf. Her pointed ears gave her species away, but the small silver hoops that hung from them fueled Jason’s already out-of-control need.