Love in the Fortress Read online

  Griffin, sex with you is magical.

  He grunted quietly. I feel the same way because I’m with you.

  When he pulled his long damp hair off to the side, she knew where he was headed, that she’d made a promise to feed him. His lips touched her cheek, gliding down to her throat. She’d never done this with a vampire before, offered up a vein in the middle of sex. But the idea of it sent her heartrate soaring.

  When she felt his breath on her throat, her body clenched. May I, he asked.

  Please. Yes. I long for it. Knowing she would feed him, she became aware of her heart and how it seemed almost heavy with nourishment. Was it because she loved him, as though her affection for him had translated into her heart aching to feed him?

  He licked her throat above the vein, helping it to rise.

  When his hips grew quiet, she knew his fangs had emerged. In anticipation of the strike, she clenched around his cock, deep inside her sex.

  She felt his head lift up for a fraction of a second and the next moment he struck. Pleasure began to cascade in a series of shivers all down her neck and side and continued as he formed a seal with his lips and began to drink.

  Sandra grew very still, not from fear or pain, but from the wonder of being so thoroughly pleasured at her throat, between her legs and the exquisite feel of his mating vibration stroking hers gently, all at the same time.

  But when his hips began to move once more, the vibrations within her body deepened so that soon she was gasping for breath. A kind of euphoria had begun building around her heart. She’d never experienced anything like this in the entire course of her life.

  Everything she’d felt for Griffin coalesced as he suckled. She admired his warrior mind and valued the way he protected those weaker than himself. But mostly, she treasured all the times he’d sought her out just to talk with her, to see how she was doing, to ask if she needed anything.

  Still suckling, his hips moved into her faster now. She wrapped her arms tight around his shoulders. Her body was quickly rising to a place of release. It won’t be long for me, she pathed. I’m overcome.

  I love you, Sandra. Had he actually said those words? He had and she knew he meant them, as well.

  Just as she did. She moaned but quickly bit back the sound. I love you, too. So much. Tears touched her eyes.

  With his lips suckling her throat, he moved into her deeper still. His mating vibration made profound circling motions around her own, so that her vibration pulsed heavily, keeping pace with her sex.

  She was breathing hard as she dug her nails into his back. That feels good, Griffin. She drifted her hands lower to his waist, then his buttocks, loving the rise and fall of his hips as he drove into her.

  I love your fingers digging into me.

  Griffin, she pathed, though no other words followed.

  He must have understood her need because he began to thrust harder. Suddenly, he released his hold on her throat, swiping the wounds to seal them.

  Lifting up, he locked his gaze with hers. She held his buttocks in her hands and slowly began to press her nails in.

  Are you ready? He pathed.

  She nodded.

  And with his mating vibration moving swiftly and keeping time with his hips, ecstasy gathered like a mounting wave. Higher and higher it rose, taking her to the top and Griffin with her.

  He slammed into her now, going vampire fast.

  The wave peaked and pleasure became a powerful streak of lightning moving over her sex, and into her, up and up, pulsing rhythmically. She’d never felt anything like it as Griffin grunted his release, holding back the sounds she knew he wanted to make.

  But on the pleasure flowed through her mating vibration as he stared at her. His neck arched, and she could see he was holding back, his teeth gritted. His pleasure matched hers and once again she rode straight to the top and plummeted over. She wanted to scream, but couldn’t. Instead, she gripped his arms, his waist, his hips, his buttocks, her body writhing beneath his until at last the wave flowed to shore.

  As her breathing began to settle, her body felt so light, her heart as well. She couldn’t remember feeling this good in a long, long time.

  His mating vibration still held hers fast, pulsing softly. It would take so little to complete the bond and for a powerful moment she wanted nothing more.

  She took steady breaths as Griffin hovered above her, still connected. He was breathing hard, having done most of the work. His skin was flushed but a smile curved his lips.

  He met her gaze. I feel amazing. Really amazing. Different, somehow.

  She chuckled, keeping her laughter quiet. How long since you last had sex?

  He looked thoughtful and his brows rose. “A week or so before I was captured. I’d been with one of my doneuses.”

  She was sorry she’d asked because she felt a sudden powerful impulse to find the woman and scratch her eyes out. The sensation was so profound, even Griffin reacted to it. What’s wrong? Shouldn’t I have answered your question?

  It’s not that. For reasons I can’t explain, I reacted with a fierce desire to hurt the woman. She laughed, thinking it was absurd.

  At that, he relaxed on top of her. He was still connected and made no move to disengage. She loved it and took the opportunity to rub her hands up and down his arms. He was so built, so muscled. She took her time.

  I love that it bothers you.

  She shook her head. I have no right to such thoughts.

  He glanced around, frowning. And now I’ve had the worst thought, very unromantic, that I need to get back to sparring.

  She nodded. She hadn’t forgotten everything about sex and withdrew a cloth from beneath one of the pillows. He saw it and smiled. Good thinking. She even loved his deep voice within her mind, a resonant sound that made her sigh.

  She would have made use of the linen herself. Instead, he took it from her and gently performed the task while drawing out of her. It was incredibly thoughtful and her heart warmed up.

  Thank you for this, Sandra. It was beautiful.

  It really was. She smiled and repeated what she’d said earlier. “Magical.”

  He nodded, leaned down to kiss her once on the lips, then headed to the bathroom to clean up.

  Sandra stayed where she was but drew the sheet up to cover herself. She needed Griffin to leave because they’d already risked so much being together in her room. But she feared if he saw her naked again, he’d want to stay.

  She shifted her gaze to the roses on the windowsill and the twilight she saw because of her fae vision as she stared out at the night sky. The land sloped at this end of the fortress, so she had a view of the beauty of the Dauphaire mixed forest, the shapes of the bare trees and the dark green of the conifers. She loved all the seasons.

  When Griffin returned, he was buttoning his leathers. His chest was bare, his thigh boots zipped up. He’d wiped them down as well. Normally he would have worn a vest, but it had been cut away from him when he’d been injured.

  His gaze swept her sheet-covered body. “I’m grateful you did that, but was hoping for something else.”

  She smiled. “I know. That’s why I covered up. I thought there was a good chance if I didn’t, you’d never leave.”

  She watched his chest rise and fall. “You were right. I wouldn’t have. I would have stayed.”

  She nodded, her head sliding on the pillow. “Come give me a kiss, then get out of here.”

  He drew close to the bed once more, dipped down then took his time, plucking at her lips and teasing her to open. She slid a hand beneath his long hair and caressed his neck. She parted for him and he plunged his tongue inside.

  Her whole body seemed to rise up toward him, every muscle flexing, wanting to be closer.

  I have to go. He drew back, his lips swollen, a glitter in his eye.

  She looked away from him, feeling as though she was holding herself together with a delicate length of string. If he touched her again, or kissed her, or anything else,
the string would break and she’d haul him back to bed.

  Fortunately, he rose up then began walking backward to the door. “I love you, Sandra.”

  She nodded again. “I love you, too.” Oh, sweet Goddess, so much more than she should.

  With that, he turned on his heel, moved to the door then unlocked it.

  “Levitate,” she whispered. “No noise as you leave.”

  “Got it.” He pulled the door open then closed it behind him.

  He was gone.

  Quick tears rose to her eyes. For some stupid reason she thought making love with him would ease her and perhaps physically it had. But now she craved him worse than ever.

  She trembled as she rose.

  Yvonne would need her soon and might be missing her presence in the kitchen already.

  She hopped in the shower and made quick work of cleaning up. Dressed once more, she moved swiftly back to the kitchens.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Took you long enough to feed.” Mastyr vampire Fulton ran the sparring line. He was completely bald but had exotic red and black tattoos over his entire skull. His nose was broad and his black brows thick.

  As mastyrs went, he was even more powerful than Griffin and would soon be bonded to an equally powerful wraith. Margetta favored him as one of her more loyal subjects.

  Once he was Invictus bonded, he would gain substantial power, even more than Fulton presently possessed. He’d be able to defeat any of the ruling mastyrs, for one thing. And Fulton was the one who’d delivered the near-fatal slices of his dagger that sent Griffin to the stables for healing.

  Griffin despised Fulton for many reasons, mostly his brutality. Griffin was convinced the mastyr had always been this kind of man. He was originally from Walvashorr, one of Mastyr Seth’s Guardsmen and a significantly lesser mastyr than Seth. Griffin knew of more than one mastyr in the Nine Realms who would welcome a chance to have more power than any of the ruling mastyrs. Margetta’s Invictus bond provided that means.

  Rumors had it that Fulton had been promised a realm to rule once Margetta won the war. Griffin held his peace, but what motivation could Margetta possibly have to make good on any of her promises? By nature, the woman had no conscience.

  Griffin thought Fulton was a power-hungry fool.

  Fulton drew close to Griffin, scowling. “I wanted you dead. Thought this time I’d made the cuts deep enough.”

  “Guess you were wrong.”

  Fulton back-handed him across the face, throwing Griffin to the ground. The seasoned Invictus warriors around them showed no emotion. No one laughed or expressed pleasure that a Camberlaune Guardsman had gotten hurt. Fulton didn’t tolerate any excessive displays. His men were well-trained by Fulton’s tyranny.

  Fulton sneered. “Get up, mastyr.” His lips curled as he stared down at Griffin.

  Griffin felt his muscles flood with power, more than usual, and his battle energy lit up like he’d never experienced before. His arms vibrated heavily, gathering a killing quantity. He rose slowly to his feet. He wanted nothing more than to lift his hand and release his power. But he didn’t understand why he felt he could tear the more powerful mastyr to pieces right now.

  Fulton faced him, his brows high, his dark eyes wild. A slow smiled curved his lips. “You want to kill me right now, don’t you? I can see it in your face. Wasn’t my dagger enough for you earlier? I can repeat it if you like. But this time, I’ll sever your fucking spine.”

  Griffin didn’t respond. He knew the moment he engaged in battle with Fulton, he wouldn’t be able to stop.

  Fulton’s brows drew together suddenly. “Wait a minute. You think you can take me, don’t you?”

  That made Griffin stop in his tracks because Fulton was right. Not only that, Griffin knew it was true, he just didn’t know why.

  He watched Fulton’s scowl deepen and knew the camp leader was processing new information. Griffin wanted to take him down, but if he did, how would he explain it to Margetta or anyone else? Especially, since he didn’t know why.

  Except that he’d fed from Sandra.

  Holy shit.

  He put a hand to his stomach, and on instinct looked back at the fortress. But that was a mistake, because Fulton threw a heavy punch, hitting Griffin square in the jaw. Griffin flew back into the dirt. He could have hopped up and fought back. Instead, he forced himself to stay put, feigning a knock-out.

  He heard Fulton jeering at him once more, but apparently the successful blow had satisfied Fulton’s rising doubts. He barked a series of orders for the sparring men to get back to business.

  Griffin’s mind whirled as he made a great show of struggling to get to his feet. Part of him was in agony that he couldn’t go mano-a-mano with Fulton and send his sorry ass to the next life. But his greater commitment was to Sandra and if what he suspected was true, she was now in danger from every mastyr vampire in the camp.

  Once on his feet, he lowered his head submissively and got back to work sparring with some of the more powerful Invictus shifters and vampires. But the whole time his mind was fixed on Sandra and wondering how the hell he was going to get a blood rose safely out of Margetta’s fortress.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “I’ve found a wraith to serve as your bond-mate. It’s taken me a long time, Sandra, because I wanted a man of power for you, someone you could respect. He might be rough with you, but he’ll rise quickly in the ranks, so it will be worth it.”

  Sandra’s heart sank to her toes. “A wraith?” And a rough one at that? Oh, sweet Goddess, no.

  She felt a flush of fear rising on her neck and flooding her face. The last thing she wanted was to become part of an Invictus pair. She would lose who she was and she’d become a killer.

  Her knees felt wobbly.

  Margetta stared at her in the mirror, her lips curving. “It’s very odd. Your face went red, now it’s white. Maybe you should sit down. I suppose I’ve given you a shock.” She gestured for Sandra to sit on the button-tuck ottoman in the center of the Ancient Fae’s large dressing area.

  Uncertain her knees would hold her up, Sandra availed herself of the ottoman.

  Margetta was preparing herself for her midnight meal, the one time of night she enjoyed a formal dinner with her husband, Gustave. “But remember, once you’re Invictus, you won’t care about the comforts of fortress life, or the wraith’s proclivities for bondage sex. You’ll be content to be assigned tent quarters with your mate. And you’ll finally get to have lots of sex on a regular basis. And you need it, honey, if you don’t mind my saying.”

  Sandra had thoroughly enjoyed her marriage bed, but so much of the pleasure of sex for her was about being well-loved in all ways by a man she trusted. An ambitious, rough, male wraith? She felt sick to her stomach.

  “Stop pouting. It will all work out. You’ll see.”

  The Ancient Fae was a beautiful woman, with large violet eyes, well-shaped brows that Sandra plucked every other day, an elegant, straight nose and a softly pointed, fae chin. Her long blond hair hung in curls to her waist, also Sandra’s work with the help of a super-heated curling iron.

  She wore a floor-length gown of maroon velvet, matching heels, and a sapphire pendant. Sandra had just tucked a diamond-studded comb into the woman’s hair, just off to the side, when the Ancient Fae had delivered her news.

  Sandra had often marveled that what Margetta possessed abundantly in her physical beauty, she lacked to a corresponding degree in her soul. The woman was empty, completely devoid of decent realm feelings and compassion. If anything, she delighted in causing pain as she was now.

  Uncertain what to do, Sandra swallowed hard. She was a slave and had to do her mistress’s bidding or Margetta would have her killed. But to become Invictus? No, that wasn’t acceptable on any level. She’d prefer death to a wraith-bond.

  She schooled her features, however, since she didn’t want the Ancient Fae to know her deepest feelings.

  Margetta turned toward her, swiveling in her vanity table
chair. “You look different somehow.” She lifted her nose. “You smell sharper in your scent tonight as well. What’s going on with you?”

  Sandra knew better than to rise to the fly. The woman was fishing and the last thing Sandra wanted was to confess she’d taken Griffin into her bed. Margetta would demand all the details. Sharing with the Ancient Fae what Sandra had come to feel was one of the most significant and beautiful experiences of her life, was so not going to happen.

  Sandra shrugged. “I’ve switched soaps. Maybe that’s it. One of the undermaids gave me a bar with sage in it. Not sure if I like it.” She wrinkled her nose for effect.

  “Well that must be it. Now, what do you think of my news?” The Ancient Fae smiled. “You’re to become part of my Invictus army at last and I think we’ll have the ceremony just before dawn. How does that sound? In fact, I intend to preside over it myself.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” She really didn’t. She wanted to tell the bitch to go to hell, but she also wanted to stay alive.

  “Well, you mustn’t think I have no feelings for you, Sandra. I do understand you’d rather not become a fighter, but we all must make sacrifices for the greater good. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  “Yes, Mistress.”

  “Your future bond-mate is a talented vigorous leader and together you’ll accomplish much. You’ll see. Now, I think a few of these curls need reworking.” She turned back to face the mirror.

  Sandra rose to her feet and moved to heat up the curling iron once more.

  As she picked up the Ancient Fae’s brush and began to perfect the two long errant curls that now fell from the diamond crusted comb, her thoughts turned to the Ruby Fae and to Griffin.

  She had to come up with a new plan, because the last thing she’d ever do is join Margetta’s army.

  She’d die first. It was as simple as that.

  ~ ~ ~

  At one in the morning, Griffin sat on the ground. Sweat streamed off his body from a couple of hours of intense sparring. He ate his middle-of-the night meal made up of a tin plate of beans, sopping it up with a thick slice of bread. He had a mug of beer on the ground between his knees, protecting it. Rations in the camp were on the small side.