Vision of Seduction (28 page)

written when she was Very young. Day-to-day happenings of a child. I

can't see what value they would offer anyone."

Damien's gentle smile made her suspect he knew what she'd been thinking

about his arms, which flamed heat up her neck and into her cheeks. "Either

of you have jealous ex-boyfriends, fiancés, or husbands who don't like you

being in business together? Anything like that? The damage here seems

very personal, since they didn't touch the shop downstairs."

Aedan. Damn, I'm engaged to Aedan, and here I am ogling the local police. She

glanced at her engagement ring as if surprised to find it still on her finger.

"I'm engaged, but my fiancé and Katelyn have never met—although

Katelyn doesn't like him. She says she gets bad vibes every time I mention

him."

Damien nodded as though he understood completely, which confused

Rita, because she didn't understand. "Do you ladies have insurance on the

shop?"

Rita frowned at the quick subject change as she tried to figure out why he

had asked. "Of course. Why?"

He gestured to the char marks along the wall.

Her temper snapped as she realized what was behind his question. "I have

no idea what those are from." She crossed her arms and glared up at him.

"If we were going to burn down our building for the insurance money, we

would be smart enough to actually set fire to the building instead of just

charring the walls!"

Damien only smiled at her outburst. "No offense intended. You realize I

have to ask these questions, and, of course, we'll investigate further."

Her brow furrowed. "Yes," she said, still angry.

"I'm going to have some plainclothes detectives frequent your shop for the

next several days. You'll never know they are here, but they should keep

you safe. Do you have a friend you can stay with in the meantime, in case

this is personal against one of you?" His purple gaze captured hers, and

Rita had the distinct impression he could see all the way into her soul and

liked what he saw.

A deep shudder ran through her body, and she inhaled a shaky breath.

"Take a look around the shop and let me know if you find anything

missing or disturbed. I'll be back later."

Before she could form a coherent reply, he disappeared through the ruined

door of Katelyn's apartment.

Rita furrowed her brow, and she chewed her bottom lip as she gazed

around the walls at the char marks that were probably the marks of

something else.

"Wait—I've never met a detective with long hair, and he didn't leave me

with a phone number to contact him or anything." She growled low in her

throat as she berated herself for thinking with her crotch and not with her

head when it came to Detective Damien.

She raced down the stairs and searched the shop, but he was gone. The

front door of the shop she'd found shattered several minutes earlier was

now boarded up and had been locked tight behind him—without the key.

"What the hell?" she demanded of the empty room.

***

Sela paced the length of the basement and back; the click-click of her

strappy sandals echoed off the walls with each step. She raked her gaze

over the finished basement that had the holding cell on one side, the full

bar along the far corner, and, of course, some of her favorite torture devices

displayed in the center.

This was usually her favorite room, but today it brought her no pleasure.

She wasn't sure if it would cheer her to hear the screams of some poor

human or even of a Cunt who had displeased her.

Her stormy mood billowed around her like a large, dark cloud. Guards and

servants scattered to stay out of her way, much to her annoyance. If one of

them pissed her off, maybe it would break this funk she found herself in.

It was all Aedan's fault!

She'd played with fire, and now she'd finally gotten burned.

The pleasant ache between her thighs and even between her ass cheeks

reminded her of Aedan's domination the night before—all night.

Why had she ever given in to her fantasies and let the man dominate her?

She sighed. She knew exactly why.

It was tiring to always be the one in control, to always have all the power.

She had tried with other men to give them the illusion of control, but it

hadn't been enough to fulfill her fantasy, and, worse, Aedan knew it and

exploited that embarrassing fact.

A shudder ran through her, and her nipples tightened against her soft

cotton tank top. Her slit slicked with moisture, and her clit pulsed at the

thought of how Aedan had made her beg him to drive his cock inside her

tight ass while he fisted his hands in her hair.

She ground her teeth as need rose up bright and hot along with the

knowledge she would submit to him again and again. Maybe she should

kill him and save herself the humiliation of her people finding out about

this chink in her armor. Maybe—

"My queen." The guard's voice was soft, as if he thought she might kill him

for speaking.

Kill a few guards out of anger in the past, and they think you're ready to do it all

the time. "Speak," she said through gritted teeth, almost glad he had

interrupted her tortured thoughts.

The man never flinched, but she sensed that he braced for her attack, which

irritated her further because she wanted to do just that. However, attacks

weren't as satisfying when the victims were ready for them, so she resisted.

"My lady, Aedan has returned with a report and a prisoner and humbly

asks if you will see him."

Sela clenched her jaw as she searched the guard's face for any sign that he

knew her weakness. Or that she craved that weakness like a drug, even as

self-loathing and terror at such an admission clawed at her insides.

The man kept his gaze down, as was proper, which gave Sela no chance to

see if the knowledge of her shame shone in his eyes.

Rage boiled inside her, and she let her power build as she backhanded him,

sending him flying against the wall.

As he slumped to the floor, dazed, the plaster from the wall crumbling

around him, a great emptiness filled Sela. The usual rush of adrenaline and

even sexual satisfaction she usually found by causing others pain had

paled.

Only her new drug of choice would do. Damn.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, holding it for several seconds

before blowing it out slowly. "Tell Aedan to meet me in my bedroom in an

hour." Let him wait.

One hour later, exactly, Sela walked through the doors to her bedroom,

anticipation curling inside her stomach like a hungry dragon.

Aedan stood next to a very handsome Cunt warrior, who wore only loosefitting jeans, which hung low on his trim hips. His wrists were manacled

and suspended above him, attached to a chain hanging from the ceiling

that had been installed for Sela's sex swing and activities just such as this.

The chain was just a few inches short, so the man balanced on bare tiptoes

to keep his entire body weight from centering on his wrists.

Sela walked a slow circle around her new captive, carefully keeping her

gaze from colliding with Aedan's. "Report." She continued to circle the

bound man and trailed one manicured fingertip over his pale skin,

enjoying the gooseflesh that rose in the wake of her touch.

"This warrior has failed you, and I brought him as a gift."

She narrowed her gaze and finally met Aedan's. "How has he failed me?"

And what did you have in mind for my gift?

"He broke into the Seer's shop as instructed, but just as he found the

journals, a team of Klatch found him. He escaped but without the journals.

However, at least we know our intelligence is sound."

"There were six of them, my queen—" The man's voice cut off in

midsentence when Aedan punched him in the face. Blood spurted from the

cut on his lip, and his head lolled a bit on his shoulders.

Obviously, Aedan wanted him alive for whatever Sela's "gift" happened to

be. She nearly moaned as her labia swelled around her clit with arousal.

"As I was saying, my lady, he found journals that seem to be in a child's

hand and have many of the ascension symbols on them—both Klatch and

our versions of the ceremony." His eyes blazed with passion, which nearly

made her whimper. Then he whispered, "They are the Seer's journals, and

he was able to draw the lost power symbol for us."

Sela stared at Aedan a moment to make sure he was serious and then

grabbed the man's chin between her fingers and squeezed, making sure he

looked her in the eye. "Are you sure you drew it exactly? I'll peel your cock

like a banana and feed it to the rats if you've brought me the wrong

symbol."

"I remember it exactly, my queen. I swear it." His lip had started to swell

where it had split, but she detected only truth in his words.

A small bubble of triumph surged through Sela, and a smile slowly spread

across her face. She laughed, the sound filling the entire room. The power

symbol for the triangle ascension had been lost when she had killed her

successor. How could she have known she needed to divulge the woman

of her secrets before Sela slit her throat?

The split between the Cunts and the Klatch had been a long time coming,

and the Cunts hadn't stopped at just wanting enough energy to rule

Tador—they wanted to rule Earth, too, because a large energy supply

existed here. However, the weaklings that ruled Tador saw no need for

greed. Sela sneered at their shortsightedness.

"The Seer has foreseen our success, Aedan. That means we no longer need

that pretender queen to take back what's ours." Tador was a living entity

that had a drive for survival, and even though the planet had an affinity for

the throned queen, if that queen couldn't supply the planet with the energy

to thrive and survive, Tador would find another way to continue to exist.

Sela rubbed her hands together with satisfaction. "As long as we perform

our ceremony before the triangle ceremony is complete, the planet is ours."

"I promised you I wouldn't disappoint you again, my queen."

"You've pleased me." She darted her gaze from the prisoner back to Aedan.

"Now, what about my gift?"

Aedan smiled, but the gesture looked more like he had bared his teeth.

"Would my queen do me the honor of a private audience in which to enjoy

your gift? I promise I have wonderful things planned."

Heat seared through Sela's entire body, and she somehow managed to say,

"Very well."

The guards left without a word, and as the door closed, she turned toward

Aedan, only to see his smile had turned feral.

"So?" she demanded, glad her voice didn't betray her. "Show me." She

gestured toward the captive man, enjoying the way his muscular shoulders

bunched as he struggled to keep his weight off his wrists.

"No—you show me." Aedan's low voice sent a tendril of excitement snaking

through Sela.

"What—"

The back of Aedan's hand struck Sela hard across the cheekbone, which

blossomed pain and sparks of light just behind her eyelids as she fell to the

floor.

She landed on her hip, and the taste of copper along with a sting inside her

mouth told her she had bitten her cheek on the way down. Her tongue

glided over the cut even as her body cried out for more.

"Show me, Sela." Aedan's gaze bore into hers. "I want to see you on your

knees sucking his cock like the good little whore you are."

Sela's pride balked even as a dark flood of erotic excitement surged

through her. "You—"

Pain blossomed again as Aedan's fist caught her in the same cheek,

throwing her backward and causing her pussy to throb.

"Do as I say. Now." Aedan loomed over her. "Suck your gift's cock, Sela."

When she didn't move right away, Aedan grabbed her by the hair and

dragged her toward the man, whose eyes had widened.

No one had seen the queen of the Cunts treated this way.

Which is why Sela would make sure the prisoner died before he could pass

on the information.

She pushed to her knees, the hard floor uncomfortable under her capris.

The man's low-slung jeans were easy to unbutton and unzip, and they took

only a small tug before they fell around his ankles to reveal a long, thick

cock with pearly pre-come gathered in the slit. Sela wrapped her fingers

around his length and leaned forward so she could dart her tongue out to

lick away his salty essence. The tart, musky flavor burst over her tongue,

and she made an "mmm" sound in the back of her throat.

When she sucked the swollen head between her lips, the Cunt warrior

moaned as his cock hardened further. Sela swirled her tongue over the

smooth skin and then teased the indent of the slit.

She took his length as deep as she could until it bumped the back of her

throat, and she sucked hard, making the man hiss with pleasure.

Aedan moved away, but Sela didn't pay attention, more intent on the cock

in her mouth she stroked with her hand while she sucked, licked, and

played.

The man lurched and then stood flat on the floor, and she had to adjust her

position. She wasn't sure why Aedan had set him free, but she wasn't