A cold wind washed over Fen’s skin. He shifted in his sleep, searching for his blankets. The air burst from his lungs on a gasp before icy water filled them just as quickly. All he saw was murkyblue sea water in every direction. He tried swimming in what he hoped was the direction of the sky. His arms ached. He was too panicked to even question how he had ended up here.
Then Fen stared into a huge electric-blue eye. He was transfixed. Almost hypnotized. The eye shrank until it became the size of a human’s. Frost-colored hair and perfect features accompanied the eye. There were two of them now. He stared at the most flawless man in existence.
A wicked-looking smile stretched the man’s lips, as if he heard Fen’s thoughts. Warmth engulfed him. He stood dry and firmly on the ground. His surroundings didn’t matter. Only those blue eyes existed.
A finger trailed down his bare chest. “You smell like him. Why do you smell like him?” He leaned in close and took a long sniff of Fen’s neck.
“Who are you?”
“I see. His mutt has a mate. You drank his blood. All his creations smell just like him. It makes sense his dog’s mate would also carry his scent.”
“Who are you?” Fen repeated the question a little louder. He hated being ignored.
Blue eyes snapped to his face again. “I should really stop wiping your memory. This constant reintroducing myself is tiresome. Unfortunately, I don’t think you’d play the good little spy if Ilet you remember me. You may call me Monnie. Show me what you’ve seen.” Monnie cupped his head.
Fen felt the guy trying to flip through his every thought, like reading a book. He fought him. Fen wasn’t weak. He didn’t know what the hell was happening, but he knew Yuri was his friend. He had offered his blood in a way most creatures would never. Fen couldn’t let this being, or whatever he was, have his thoughts.
Monnie rolled his eyes and dropped his hands. “Another game we play each time I see you. We’ll make a trade. Give me what I want, and you can have my blood.”
A memory tried clawing at the back of Fen’s mind. His inability to satisfy his hunger. It was this one. Whatever was in his blood was addictive. Fen wanted more every second of every day without knowing what it was he needed.
“Nae. I don’t want your blood.” Yuri had fed him. His powerful blood had helped. Fen didn’t want to go back to craving something he couldn’t have. Fen squared his shoulders and planted his feet, readying himself for whatever punishment would come. He was a warrior for a reason. Fen could take it.
Monnie invaded his space. His silky blue robe opened. A flawless body pressed against him. Fen’s cock stirred. His body betrayed him. Monnie was sexual in a way Fen couldn’t describe. Fen smelled the blood pumping through his veins. It smelled like sherbet ice cream and something else he couldn’t describe. The desire and cravings were crippling him.
Then a sensation yanked at his gut—like getting hooked and reeled away.
“No!”
The vision of Monnie’s enraged face disappeared. The cold water filled his lungs again, choking him. He watched the murky blue water zip past him. Finally, the warmth of his bed engulfed him. Fen shot upright. His gaze darted to every corner. He was completely dry. Fen shook his head. What a weird-ass dream. Everything had felt off since he had been abducted. Maybe he should ask Frost to take a look at him. Maybe there was something wrong. He knew next to nothing about any of the gods. Maybe they poisoned the skin the same way a demon did.
He settled back down and dragged more covers over him. There was a chill in the air. No wonder he had dreams about freezing. Fen shouldn’t really need sleep, but he hadn’t done much else in his off time for a while. As darkness tugged him under, a whisper brushed his mind. “Bring me the wolf.”
Fen was asleep before he had time to grasp a word.
Chapter Four
Browniecouldn’tresistlickinghis mark on Yuri’s skin. Not only did he taste delicious, pride filled his chest each time he looked at it. He honestly couldn’t believe this man was his. Brownie would never stop being awed.
Yuri stirred, making Brownie feel guilty. He tried to keep his voice low. “Don’t wake up. I just didn’t want to sneak away while you slept. I have to go watch Lucifer’s back while he works.”
“Mhmm. Okay.” Yuri’s eyes never opened. He simply swept his hand down Brownie’s chest—like petting him.
A huge grin spread across Brownie’s face. He adored Yuri. Brownie gave one last lick before slipping from bed. In hound form, he trotted down the hall and found Lucifer saying his goodbyes to Riku. He quietly waited until Lucifer joined him.
Lucifer patted his head before the two fell into step and headed for the torture rooms. “Nice mating mark you have there. I take it you found Yuri?”
“You could’ve told me instead of letting me make an ass of myself for months.”
Lucifer made a humming sound—like he wasn’t as sure. It helped a tad that he didn’t seem to find humor in the situation. “Is that really what you think? Isn’t it much better to tie yourself to someone you actually love? Who wants to feel duty-bound into an eternity of marriage?”
Love? He supposed there was a word for how he felt about Yuri after all. But he had felt something powerful from the first moment he saw Yuri, so he doubted it would have been duty that made him claim his mate. “Is that how you felt when you met Riku? Duty-bound?”
A loud bark of laughter burst from Lucifer. Blue eyes flashed his way, swimming with wicked humor. “I’m the fallen one. Duty doesn’t mean shit to me. Greed is what I immediately felt.”
Except that wasn’t true at all. Lucifer forgot they had a mind connection. Brownie had been on Lucifer’s emotional rollercoaster with him since he first felt Riku. That wasn’t his only lie. Duty was what had them descending the stairs to torture the damned. Lucifer felt no pleasure at this chore. It was his responsibility. Brownie kept all that to himself, though. It didn’t matter why Lucifer kept control as long as he did. The alternative was unthinkable.
“He’s a good choice for you. You’re too serious and he’s a marshmallow. You’ll be happy.”
