Viktoria relaxed and yawned as Lurky moved away from her house. He carried some protection in his swords that made him resistant to magic, and she'd had to use a lot more than expected to keep him bound to her bed, and on the other side of her wards.
She'd suspected the vampires wouldn't be leaving. She might have to, after she found out if Ember and Musette were truly safe and aware of what they were dealing with. They could come with her when she left. If vampires had lived here for so long there were undoubtedly other supernaturals as well. She'd felt Port Storm was a powerful place, but as much as she liked it here, she did not like the drama supernaturals inevitably caused. She was only allowed as much freedom as she had because she didn't attract attention to herself.
Rising from the bed she went into the bathroom and took a hot shower as she mulled over what she needed to do. The first thing on her list—stay away from vampires. Although until figured out what was happening with Ember and Musette that wouldn't be easy.
Lurky represented a dangerous temptation she couldn't allow herself to give in to. Not when she was so close to getting everything she'd ever wanted. Well, almost. More than anything, she wanted to know what it felt like to be loved. Not for her looks, or as symbol of conquest, a prized possession, or a coveted trophy to be put on a shelf and shown off by a man who loved what she represented, but cared nothing for who she was.
She'd hurried the sex with him as much as she could, trying to make it feel good, but business like. He'd given her some of the answers she wanted, she'd given him some of what he wanted. Now, with him gone and she out of his reach, she allowed herself to imagine what it would have felt like to have him touch her.
His hand on her ankle when he'd dragged her down the bed had been cool, but the heated sensations running under her skin had been anything but. His fingers were strong, his skin rough from years of handling his swords. She had no doubt his hands always knew what they were doing, and did it well.
But he hadn't needed to touch her to make her hot and ache. He had done that the whole night with just his eyes. When he focused on her she felt it even when she wasn't looking at him. The times his black eyes had turned blacker and the predator in him had looked out at her made her want to run. Not in fear, but in anticipation of what would happen when he caught her.
He would have bitten her. That was an absolute truth, just as she knew she wanted him to. His fangs should have frightened her, but she'd bet he knew how to use them for a lot more than feeding. Would he trace them over her skin, the sharp points making her anticipate when he would strike? When he did, would it be a sharp thrust or a slow penetration?
And his muscles. So many muscles under that golden-hued skin. She imagined laying back, letting him do all the work instead—his arms rigid as he caged her in and held himself over her, the power in his thighs and back as he surged against her with her legs wrapped around him, the hypnotic sight of all those ridges on his stomach bunching and flexing as he took her with the single-mindedness he would dedicate to making sure they were both sated. She'd come tonight as she'd used him, but when
he
brought her to orgasm—
Viktoria's hand flew from between her legs to twist the hot water faucet. She screamed as cold water poured from the shower head onto her overheated body. Shivering, she lectured herself. Lurky, no matter now tempting, was a vampire. Vampires coveted. Vampires enthralled. Vampires could not love. A man, especially a vampire, would ruin everything. This close to her goal, she couldn't even let herself imagine Lurky having a place in her life. No, she couldn't even picture him while she touched herself. That way lay madness.
She hadn't come so near her freedom only to lose the chance to her overactive libido pining for a creature of darkness who would never appreciate her.
Focus, Viktoria. Find out if your friends are okay, then leave this place.
There probably wasn't anything she could do for Musette if the problem was she couldn't wake up, but there was someone who could probably help. Viktoria dried off, put on warm pajamas, and climbed into bed, thinking of her sister to guide her dream as she drifted off to sleep.
Lurky appeared instead, invading what should have been a safe space with his tempting, predatory presence. He stalked her from dream to dream, inserting himself into her hopes and future. In her dreams he kissed her with passion that offered so much more, accompanied by the words of love and devotion. Words she and her sisters had never heard from any man before, other than as false promises to trick them.
"He's kind of cute. Are you going to keep him? You'd better not let Mother see him!"
Her sister's teasing voice wrenched Viktoria from the fantasy and Lurky was swept away, leaving them standing in a room of white. Disliking the all white palette, Viktoria moved the dream to her house, where the furniture was dark and comfortable. "Memory." Viktoria turned to face her. All her sisters shared her pale skin and platinum hair, but their eyes were varying shades of blue. "I didn't reach for you."
"I'm hurt, Shadow. You never call. You never write." Memory crossed her arms over her head as she stretched full length on a black leather sofa. "You're the only one allowed to be free. I wanted to make sure you're not messing things up for the rest of us." Memory narrowed her dark blue eyes. "You're
not
messing it up for the rest of us over a man, are you?"
"No, of course not!" Viktoria sighed. "I know what it means for all of you. I won't fail so close to passing the test. I wanted to see if Dream could come visit. One of my friends can't wake up."
"I'm here, Shadow." Dream appeared before them, wearing blue and white striped pajamas and tasseled slippers. "Humans really wear this stuff?"
Viktoria grinned. "Not all of them. I was cold."
"Good." Dream's pajamas poofed into fluffy white clouds around her body. "What happened to your friend?"
"I'm not sure yet," Viktoria admitted. "All I know is she's asleep and can't wake up. Can you come for a visit?"
"Mother might let me come see you." Dream tapped her chin with a finger. "I haven't left Pohjola in a while, willingly or otherwise, and you haven't had any problems since she let you move out."
"I'll come, too." Memory sat up. "If it's safe for two of us, it's safe for three, and I haven't left home in ages."
"It will be nice to see you both again, but don't tell the others or we'll have a riot," Viktoria said. "Ask Mother and let me know what she says."
"We will!" Dream winked. "Back to your sweet dreams, Shadow."
Dream and Memory laughed as they faded away and Viktoria's dreams were once again invaded by a black-eyed vampire.
She ran, but he caught her. This time instead of keeping the vampire at bay, her shadows were disobedient and twined them together. Dark tendrils supported her back as he laid her down and knelt between her knees, one of her legs propped on his shoulder. He started at her ankle and explored with his mouth in agonizing slowness, dropping kisses and gentle bites that hinted of fang onto her skin.
She wanted to feel his bite. To let him mark her and have him as hers in return. This man would be different than all the rest. He would not claim her as spoils. Her shadows adored him. They'd never go to someone not meant for her.
His black eyes darkened and his fangs grew as his mouth traveled from her knee to the top of her inner thigh. Would she feel his fangs when his tongue was inside her? His hot breath touched her aching core just before the tip of his tongue—
"Shadow!" Dream shrieked.
Viktoria jolted and sat upright in bed. Dream's voice had not come from the sleeping world. Stumbling to the french doors, she threw them open and rushed onto the balcony. She blinked in the sunlight, then groaned and closed her eyes.
Their Mother was going to kill them all.
Dream and Memory were astride a giant swan flapping enormous wings as he circled over her property, hidden from human sight on the edge of the Soul Paths he traveled.
Viktoria dropped her wards, turned and sprinted through her house, coming out the door into the yard as the swan drifted gracefully downward to land. She put her wards back up. "What are you two thinking? You stole Mother's Sieluluntu?"
"She won't miss him." Memory snorted as she slid off the giant bird's back. "That woman will never need her soul bird. I'm not sure she even has a soul."
Dream dropped to the ground beside them, patting the swan's wing affectionately. "He wanted to get away too, and the Soul Paths were the fastest way for us to get here."
Free of his passengers, the swan curled his long neck around Viktoria and nudged her. She stroked his head and dug her fingers in where his feathers met his beak. His eyes closed in bliss as she rubbed at that particular itchy spot for him. "Thank you for bringing my sisters to me. The property is walled and warded all the way around. You are safe here, and no one can see you."
He gave a contented honk and poked at the ground with his beak as he wandered around.
"You two may as well come in so I can tell you about Ember, Musette, and vampires." Viktoria waved at the door. "But don't blame me when Mother makes us all go home and locks us up forever."
*****
