Seduced by Power (3 page)

But I must also feel it as a man

— William Shakespeare, Macbeth

"WE HAVE TO
leave. Now.” Rainbow stood with hands on hips, a frown where others had laugh lines.

I reached for my duffel bag and shoved my few personal items into it, looking around the warehouse we’d squatted in for the last couple nights. “Where’s Jasmine?”

“The little bitch betrayed us. Went running to her cunt of a sister. She likely sent the dogs sniffing around this place, so quit messing with your shit and let’s get out of here.” She left her bags for me to carry and lifted the rose bush, caressing the multi-colored petals as if making love to them. “Soon, we can stop running and claim our rightful power. Soon, those dogs will bow to me.”

Rainbow’s delusions of grandeur had destroyed what little sanity she’d had left. She wavered between loud bursts of anger and unrestrained egotism, scaring even me at times. My desire to stay in this form, to remain free from the demon world forever, had taken a few hits as I saw more and more the kind of person who would have access to the Druid power after the ritual was complete. I warred with myself, but couldn’t give up. I couldn’t go back to that hell. No matter what the cost, I had to make it work, even if I never had a chance to get Rose back.

“Who will you use as the sacrifice now?” She’d run off the entire coven, including her daughters. We were running out of viable options to complete the transfer of power.

“Don’t you worry about those details. I have things well in hand. Bring the car around. We need to relocate and plan the next phase of our attack.” With a face scuffed with dirt, clothes that had seen better days, and a body stinking of the mattress she’d slept on the night before, Rainbow had unusual ideas about what constituted an attack.

To me, this felt like retreat, but I was just glad Jasmine had gotten out. The girl had been far too influenced by her mother for my liking, and I didn’t want to see her or Rose suffer and die for this mission. They’d crawled into my heart, each in their own way, and I’d come to care about their futures—a new experience for a demon.

In the end, we didn’t need to face the Druids head on again. We didn’t even need Rose or Jasmine to complete the ceremony. We could find someone else, someone I didn’t have such a strong desire to protect.

Best to just lay low until the solstice arrived and we could be done with this. After that, I’d figure out how to deal with Rainbow.

I fingered the sphere in my pocket, hoping Beleth didn’t need it back anytime soon. It could help me against Rainbow when the time came. For now, it kept me stronger in this body and allowed me to function more effectively until the possession was made permanent. Despite my need and hunger, I hadn’t been able to feed yet on the lust of a woman, sucking her dry as I made love to her. All I could think about was Rose. Her smile, the softness of her skin and taste of her lips. The way she’d looked our last night in her cottage, fire dancing in her eyes.

I had to be with her again. Had to find a way to make her mine.

Lugging our bags with me, I left the warehouse and unlocked the minivan, stowing our belongings in the back.

As I walked around the side of the car, a low growl from behind me made the hair on my neck stand on end.

I turned and faced a large wolf, golden green eyes glowing in the night. And it had friends.

I have almost forgot the taste of fears;

— William Shakespeare, Macbeth

"WON'T YOU AT
least give me a hint about where we're going?" I snuck a glance at Rose, who sat with her back straight in the passenger seat, one long leg crossed over the other, exposing far too much thigh for our driving safety.

She grinned and shook her head. "You already have a hint. The address is a pretty big hint."

"Like I have every address in Seattle memorized?"

"Not my fault you don't know your directions."

She'd worn a short black skirt and see-through pink blouse with a tank top under it. I wanted to tear all of those layers off, but there'd be time for that later. She shifted in the seat, revealing more skin, and I knew she'd done it to deliberately torment me.

Two could play at that game. Using my left hand to steer, I dropped my right hand to her thigh and traced a line up her leg to the tantalizing silk panties beneath her skirt. With my middle finger I pushed against the edge of the silk, moving my way deeper to her center until I felt her warm, wet flesh part for me.

She shivered and swatted my hand, pulling her skirt down. "You're being far too naughty, and we've only just begun our date. You need patience, Mr. O'Conner."

"You're being a tease, but you're well worth the wait."

As we drove through the dense fog on our way to Seattle, my thoughts drifted to my family and the fate that awaited us all if we couldn't retrieve our roses in time. Rose had left everything she knew to join us and be with me, but would we even survive the next few weeks to get to our happily ever after? I was starting to worry we wouldn't. I hoped Tammy found something to help us tonight.

Guilt plagued me for not going with Tammy to track Rainbow, but Rose had been planning this night for days, and I didn't want to disappoint her. Pushing aside all the drama, I focused on the woman by my side. Despite everything she'd learned about herself and her family, Rose had held it together. She not only kept up her own spirits, but had been a light for my family as well. If I hadn't already been head over heels in love with her before, I'd sure as hell be by now.

"What if I guess where we're going? Will you tell me then?"

She pretended to consider. "Fine. I'll tell you if you guess. Maybe."

"Maybe? That's no fun. How will I know if you're telling the truth or not?"

"Guess you'll have to use your super shifter senses, huh?"

I kept the smile plastered on my face, afraid to ruin the mood by telling her that those super shifter senses were fading fast. Instead, I considered our options in Seattle and threw out some guesses. "Is it a restaurant?"

"We can go to one after, but that's not the main attraction, no."

"Fishing?"

She laughed. "In this dress? No."

"Race car driving?"

"Nice try, but no." She shook her head in mock sadness, a dark wave of hair falling forward to hide her face.

"I know! We're getting matching tattoos."

"That would actually be super cool, but no, not tonight."

I turned to look at her. "Would you really get matching tattoos with me?"
That would be so hot.

"Yes, I would. It would be sexy. And sweet."

"Just like you." I laced my fingers through hers and put my eyes back on the road. My GPS told me to turn right, so I did. Then left. We headed down a highway parallel to the water, straight toward downtown.

"Okay, pull into the parking lot, then close your eyes." A wide smile spread over her face, and she bounced in the seat like a little kid.

I did as instructed, and she tied a scarf over my eyes. "Wait here, I'll come around and guide you."

After helping me out of the car, she wrapped one arm around my waist and the other around my arm and guided me down a street. Her soft breasts pressed against me, and I could smell her lavender perfume.

"Careful, we're crossing here." A few people honked at us, in anger or encouragement I couldn't tell and didn't care.

Shortly after we crossed, she stopped me and stood on her toes to undo the blindfold. "This may not be the most exciting thing ever, but I thought it would be romantic." Above us towered a giant Ferris wheel. "It's the World's Largest Ferris Wheel so we can see all of Seattle at night."

The chill in the air nipped at us, and I pulled her into my arms for warmth and contact. She looked up at me, a half-smile on her face, waiting for my reaction.

I leaned down to kiss her. "I love it. I've heard of this place, but never been."

The ticket line stretched down the pavement out into the sidewalk, whereas the actual line for the ride was much shorter.

She led us toward the ride and whipped out two tickets. "Already printed them online. We go straight to the ride."

"You're a planner. I like that."

"I thought you were more into the seat-of-your-pants kind of girl?"

Did she still worry that I would want anyone else but her? "You're my kind of girl. My only kind of girl. Got it?"

A small tear stuck in the corner of her left eye as she nodded. "I love you. I'm just so sorry about everything I've put your family through."

We stood in the line, heat blowing into our faces from the heater to our left while a cold breeze froze us on the right. I cupped her face in my hands, astonished that she could ever think I blamed her for any of the mess her family had caused. My struggle to be with her hadn't been her fault. I didn't want to be disloyal to my brother and family. But they showed me just how foolish that was. Even from the demon dimension, Dean had pushed me to follow my heart. I kicked myself for giving her any cause to doubt my love.

"Rose, you are my heart. My life. My everything. I'm nothing without you. My family loves you, and we will protect you and fight your mother with you. You're not alone in this, and none of it is your fault." I reached for her left hand and pulled it to my lips, kissing the diamond ring I'd given her when I'd proposed. "You're my soul mate. It's like the story Aristophanes tells.  In the beginning, humans were both male and female, but the gods feared their strength and so Zeus tore them apart, leaving them dying until Apollo stitched up the broken pieces. Since then, men and women have wandered the earth searching for their missing half. Most never find it. Whatever else happens, Rose, I'm so glad I found my other half in you."

The line moved forward, and Rose gripped my hand, huddling close to me. "I'm so scared that I'll lose you. Everything seems stacked against us. My powers… "

We'd found a way to contain them, but she'd been demanding more pain, more rough sex to keep it at bay. I was fine with it all, as long as she found pleasure in it, but I feared crossing the line into real pain. Despite those fears, my cock hardened at the memory of our time together last night, the way her body responded to my touch, the way she tasted and felt.

Rose giggled, her hand brushing against my raging hard-on until my cock pushed painfully against my jeans.

"Thanks for that," I said, adjusting myself. "I'm sure our ride will be really comfortable now." She pressed her body against me, and I swatted her ass. "Better watch it, love. I might find some ways of torturing you, as well."

She moaned against my lips as we kissed, pulling back when someone cleared their throat.

The man running the ride rolled his eyes and held open the door for us to get in.

The car swayed as we took seats side-by-side. Glass and metal locked us in a bubble, protecting us from the elements, but offering a full view of the bay and Seattle's downtown lights.

Night closed in around us, the stars blanketing the sky as the Ferris wheel jerked forward, moving inch by inch to allow new passengers aboard. Rose's head settled on my shoulder, the scent of her strawberry shampoo filling me. I kissed the top of her head, so glad we could touch, even if we still had to be careful. I'd been lost without her and knew no matter what I'd never let her go again.

As the car gained altitude, the downtown lights came into view, flickering like alien stars. The Seattle Space Needle, while not the tallest building, had the most distinct shape and stood like a strange beacon in the distance. Behind us, the dark waters looked sinister, as if they waited in the night to consume all those who strayed too far from the lights.

I wondered what evil lurked in our future, plotting to pull us from our happiness.

Shrugging off the morbid, I tilted my fiancée's face up and kissed her softly, deepening it as her fingers dug into my arms. My hand slid down her shoulder, falling to her soft breasts.

She pushed herself into me, then pulled back and captured my hand with hers. "People can see us, you know."

Through the glass, a little boy stared up from his car with big eyes. Oops. "Sorry, love. I just can't help myself."

"Are you enjoying the ride?"

I watched Seattle spin around me. "Yes. But I'd enjoy anything with you by my side."

"You're full of romantic words tonight, aren't you?"

"Only for you. I just want to get past the solstice so we can set a date for our wedding, and I can make you mine for good."
And then maybe this perpetual fear in my gut will go away.

"Me too. But, I'm already yours for good. No paper will change that."

When the ride stopped after three cycles around the wheel, I didn't want to get out. In here we could make our own world and pretend the rest didn't exist. Once we stepped out, reality would, once again, rule.

Rose went first, tripping over the lip of the floor in her heels.

I caught her around the waist and steadied her as I walked out. "You okay?"

She flushed pink. "Yes. This outfit was Ocean's idea, naturally. I don't walk well in heels."

"I hadn't noticed. I swear." I held up the sign of the Boy Scouts in mock seriousness.

"Liar." She pushed her shoe back on her foot and stood up. "Okay, you ready to eat?"

"Always. Where to?"

We walked back to the car hand in hand, not wanting the seafood fare that lined the sidewalk by the Ferris wheel.

I opened her door and admired her legs as her skirt rode up her thigh when she got in.

She saw me watching and flashed more skin. "How about we go back to that Italian place from our first date? Maybe we can recreate a better ending?"

Like one that didn't involve her getting scared, running away and nearly being raped. Just remembering that night, the bastards who attacked her with a knife, blood trickling down her arm, made the wolf inside of me fight to come out. But this time, his fight was weak. My eyes didn't shift, and my senses stayed as dim as the average human. Heart pounding, hands shaking, I closed her door and tried to compose myself as I walked around the car to the driver's side. I slid in, steadying my breath. "Sure, we can go there."

She tilted her head toward me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, love. Just don't want anyone to hurt you ever again."

"Good." She smiled. "I'm on board with that plan. Now feed me!"

Her playfulness boosted my spirits, and we drove to the restaurant with flirtatious teasing and banter.

The host recognized us from our last visit and showed us to the same table we'd had before. He lit a candle in the center and told us our server would be with us shortly.

Rose shrugged out of her coat and draped it on the chair behind her, revealing her sexy blouse that dipped to show enough cleavage to make me hard again.

I groaned. "You know you're entirely too distracting for us to be in public right now."

"You have to feed me before taking advantage of me. I require sustenance."

I sighed. "If I must. Wouldn't want the lady to expire from too much amorous attention."

Our server, a young man who paid a little
too
much attention to Rose, came to take our order. If he kept looking at her like that I was going to have to ask Rose to put her coat back on before I beat the guy.