ClosertoFire Read online

  “Fire’s not like earth or air,” he mused. “More difficult to control. Water’s hard to handle too I hear, but not like fire. Fire is…” He trailed off, tugging hard at the fish. There was a liquid, tearing sound and he lifted the head and spine away from the flesh, tossing it to the side of the sink. He turned on the water and she brought him a cutting board she found lying beside the grill.

  “Fire is what?” she asked.

  He dropped the heavy filets unceremoniously on the wooden board. “Fire is hungry,” he replied with a wolfish smile. She blinked, opened her mouth to speak, and realized she had no idea what to say. He seized the opportunity to plant a quick kiss on her lips. “I’m going to shower.” With that, he was gone.

  Lily basted the fish and put it on the grate, turning on the smoke hood. She tried telling herself that she didn’t miss Darek but it didn’t work. Across the room, Bane seemed to have fallen asleep, his tall form splayed over the chair. He looked like an ER doctor catching forty winks on the sly. Lily brushed more marinade over the fish and leaned back against the counter, watching him as he slept. Where—or maybe more importantly, when—had he been born? What had his life been like? What—or who—had given him that cold, detached face he put on in public?

  Unbidden, the image of her parents’ wedding photo drifted into her mind. In her imagination, the frozen moment came to life, the flower petals thrown by the guests floating to the ground. Her mother, the new Mrs. Sinclair, tilted her head back to look up at the man she’d just married, her eyes full of hope.

  Lily could guess now what her mother might have been thinking. Perhaps there is redemption for me. I can be more—better—than my blood. We can have a life together, grow old together, bring a child into the world…together. In only a few short hours, her mother would weep over the body of her husband, her dream as shattered as her heart.

  The fire crackled loudly and Lily started, her thoughts interrupted. She turned the fish on the grill and glanced up at Bane, who still slept. Her heart ached. A car accident, Mom? Why didn’t you just tell me? She reached up to rub her cheek and her hand came away wet. Oh hell. She dabbed at the tears with a dishcloth and shook her head, trying with some success to clear her thoughts.

  “How’s it coming, love?”

  Lily jumped and whirled, dropping the towel. Darek stood behind her dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans, his damp hair tousled.

  She put a hand over her pounding heart. “Jesus, you scared me. Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

  He frowned. “Lily, I made all kinds of noise pouring the wine,” he said, reaching for her wrist. Indeed, she saw an open bottle of white wine and a single full glass. He drew her closer, tipping her chin with his knuckles to examine her face. “Were you crying?” he asked.

  “It’s just smoke from the grill,” she replied, meeting his level gaze with a smile that felt unconvincing. “I have to take the fish off. It’s going to burn.”

  Darek was silent, holding her wrist gently, waiting.

  She felt naked under his scrutiny. “Okay. I was crying. I don’t really want to talk about it.” Please don’t push me, she begged silently.

  He studied her features and his expression softened. “All right,” he said, releasing her. “I just wanted the truth.”

  Nodding, feeling tearful again, Lily set about taking the fish off the grill. She concentrated hard on the task, trying to ignore the unnerving sensation of Darek’s penetrating gaze on her.

  He stepped up behind her. She grasped the sides of the plate and his arms stole around her waist. He pressed his big, warm body against hers, curling protectively around her. His breath touched her neck. The scent of soap and skin and man filled her senses. Her eyes drifted closed.

  “It’s going to be all right, Lily. We won’t let anyone hurt you.”

  “I know.” But she wasn’t just worried about herself anymore—she was worried about Bane and Darek as well. The Inquiry weighed heavily on her mind.

  “Come on,” Darek urged, holding up a platter. “Let’s eat. You’ll feel better.”

  “Hang on,” Lily murmured. “I need to find plates.”

  Darek lifted the fish off the grill with his bare hands and set it on the platter. “No plates. Just get two forks and the glass of wine, love.”

  She looked at him, bemused. “Not three?”

  “Nope.” The mischievous look in his eye made her curious…and a little nervous.

  Bane stood as they approached, Darek carrying the plate of fish, Lily the wineglass and set of one-too-few forks. Darek spoke in Bane’s ear and the men sat down in a loveseat not far from the fire. Lily stopped, holding one fork in each hand. There was no room for her to sit between them and there were no nearby chairs.

  Bane let the silence stretch out, observing Lily’s uncertainty and eavesdropping on her thoughts. She considered how to broach the subject of seating arrangements.

  “Lily,” Bane said finally, “I want you to think about what we did in the steakhouse restroom.”

  Her eyes widened. “I remember.”

  He inclined his head, pleased. “What did you like most?” he asked, his cock hardening at the rosy blush that crept from under the top of her dress and suffused her neck, cheeks and ears.

  She hesitated, fidgeting, looking down at her feet.

  “Look at me, Lily,” he said quietly. Her amber gaze lifted to meet his and he smiled, relenting a little. “Did you like obeying me?”

  She looked flustered, but her answer came without hesitation. “Yes.”

  Bane chose his next words carefully. He didn’t want to misunderstand—or be misunderstood. “When you said earlier that you wanted to play games, was that the kind of thing you had in mind?”

  She paused, biting her lip. “Yes.”

  “Yes, what?” he asked, curious to hear her answer.

  “Yes, Bane,” she answered.

  “Good. Okay then,” he said, watching her carefully. She squirmed a bit, but he saw no signs of fear, only nervousness and excitement. Her gaze flitted to the floor, then jerked back up to meet his. “Lily,” he said, moving forward on the seat and reaching for her, “we’d love to play with you.”

  He took the wine and forks from her and gave them to Darek, then drew her onto his lap and sat back. Darek lifted the wineglass to her lips. When she raised her hand to take the glass, Bane put his fingers on her forearm, pushing down gently. She pursed her lips, an objection surfacing in her thoughts. He gave her a disapproving look and the objection vanished. She sipped the wine Darek proffered. When he held a bite of fish to her mouth, she parted her lips and took it.

  Bane waited for her to swallow, then took both of her wrists in one of his hands. Darek continued to feed her, taking bites himself in between hers.

  Bane took the other fork and ate from the same plate. The taste was divine.

  “The fish is awesome, Lily,” Darek said. Bane nodded his agreement. She smiled, seeming pleased.

  As dinner rapidly disappeared, Bane told her what he needed her to know. “We have only a few basic rules for this kind of game, but they’re important. The first rule is that when either one of us asks you a question, you answer truthfully and completely—even if the truth isn’t pretty and pink. Got it?”

  She swallowed. “Okay.”

  “The second rule is that you try your very best to do as we say—exactly as we say.” Bane saw the objection rising in her eyes and spoke before she could. “We’re not asking for blind faith, Lily. But at first, you’ll be giving us more trust than we’ve yet earned.”

  “Think of it as a loan,” Darek interjected. Lily grinned.

  “We’ll take it one step at a time,” Bane added. “Which brings us to the third rule. If you want to stop, say so. We’ll stop.”

  “All right,” she said.

  “Any questions?” he asked.

  She looked surprised. “That’s it? Tell you the truth, do as you say and tell you if I want to stop?”

  Bane c
huckled. “That’s it. We have only three rules…for now.” She raised an eyebrow but said nothing. “They sound easy but they’re not.”

  She tugged at her lower lip with her teeth. “I guess not.”

  Bane set down his fork and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, suppressing a smile. You have no idea, little one.

  Lily curled against Bane, enjoying the feeling of his strong thighs beneath her thin dress. She looked from his thoughtful expression to Darek’s hungry one. What she wouldn’t give to be able to read their minds right now… But then, maybe she didn’t really want to know.

  Bane pointed at the black duffel bag and glanced at Darek, who hefted it onto the couch beside them, piquing Lily’s interest. At last she’d get to find out what was in there. She leaned forward, peering inside as Darek unzipped it. Bane took her shoulder and gently pushed her back, shaking his head. She huffed, frustrated, but his hand sliding up the inside of her thigh turned her protest into a shiver. His fingers were warm and her breasts felt suddenly heavy and tight. His cock hardened against her flank as she explored the muscular landscape of his chest with her palms, feeling the ridged scars as her fingertips brushed over them.

  “Open for me,” he said against her ear as his hand reached the juncture of her thighs. Feeling oddly shy, she opened her legs just enough to admit his hand. A low, disapproving growl rumbled in his chest. He slid one finger into her, palming the soft curls between her thighs, and bit down on the sensitive skin of her neck just below her earlobe. Lily cried out, surprised by the dual sensations of pleasure and pain, reflexively closing her legs on his arm. Still growling softly, Bane bit down harder and found her clit with his thumb, stroking gently.

  “Open, Lily,” Darek repeated, and she realized through a mild haze that he’d moved to the floor in front of Bane. Bane added a second finger to the one already in her, stroking in and out. Her pussy clenched longingly around his fingers and she obediently moved her knees wide apart for him. His teeth released her neck and she sighed with relief, leaning her head back against the arm of the loveseat. With Darek’s help, Bane repositioned her so that she sat in his lap facing Darek, Bane all the while scissoring his fingers inside her. Lily twitched and moaned softly, her hips bucking as Darek’s hands moved under her knees, lifting her legs so that they draped over Bane’s.

  “Take this off,” Bane said, tugging at the hem of her dress with his free hand. “I want to feel your skin against me. I want to see all of you while he licks you.” Trembling with excitement, Lily tore the dress over her head and tossed it aside, wriggling in Bane’s lap. She felt his erection jerk under her bare bottom through the material of his shorts and she arched invitingly against him, turning her head to look at him hopefully. His eyes were closed as though in concentration and he groaned.

  “Lily—” he began. Suddenly restless, she lay back against him, reaching up to stroke the sandpaper stubble on his cheek and looking plaintively at Darek.

  “Please, one of you, fuck me soon,” she purred in a honeyed voice she barely recognized as her own. “Or…” A thought occurred to her. “Can I take both of you?” she wondered aloud, distantly aware of the strange, uncannily smooth sound of her voice in the silence of the room.

  Bane made an inarticulate, tortured sound beneath her. She might be vastly inexperienced but she was an avid reader of the classics—the Kama Sutra included. The physics of it dawned on her and her pussy clenched hard, bathing his hand in slick, wet warmth. “Oh yes. One of you could—”

  The remainder of her thought was lost in a shout as Darek’s mouth replaced Bane’s hand, his tongue sliding so far inside her that she thought he must have shifted. She sat up in Bane’s lap, her spine arching, letting her head fall back as her breath came in helpless little gasps. Darek groaned, the sound vibrating against her clit and sending a frisson of pleasure through her.

  “Shhh, Lily. Don’t talk,” Bane rasped, and she heard a plaintive note in his voice that was new to her. He cupped her breasts, brushing his thumbs lightly over her nipples. She fell silent except for the occasional cry she couldn’t suppress. She didn’t think she could have formed words anyway, not with Darek’s long tongue exploring her with skilled thoroughness, touching nerve endings she hadn’t known existed. He paused and sat back, pushing three fingers into her aching heat. The added girth felt incredible—Lily swore she could see stars and her pussy clenched hard in the first throes of an orgasm—and then he was gone. Lily cried out, shuddering and gasping as the precipice receded.

  “Don’t speak,” she heard Bane say after a moment, sounding as if he’d regained his composure a little. Hers, on the other hand, was shattered. “Your—your mother’s kind have a siren call… Irresistible,” he said, his voice still rough, running his finger slowly down her spine as she tried to catch her breath. “Apparently you’ve inherited that little skill. You’ll have to learn to control it.”

  They hadn’t known she could do it? Lily thought vaguely. Well, she sure as hell hadn’t known. And as for learning to control it, oh yes, that she intended to do. The smile that curved her lips felt positively wicked and she giggled.

  Bane smacked her flank and she jumped. “Don’t get ideas, Lily,” he warned. “We can handle you.”

  She shivered, remembering the silver rope. Yes, she was sure they could. She sighed.

  Watching her carefully, Darek leaned forward again, feathering kisses up the inside of her thighs. She twitched, desperately wanting to beg for more but not daring to speak for fear he’d stop. After what felt like an eternity, he spread her lips apart with two fingers and placed a kiss squarely on her aching clit, his dark, ravenous gaze holding hers.

  Lily moaned, a fresh wave of wet heat dripping from her pussy. Darek lapped up the liquid, his gaze never leaving hers. Watching his long, serpentine tongue curving lovingly over her throbbing flesh, she realized he had partially shifted shape. He also had long, white fangs on the top and bottom, which he kept carefully away from her. Dizzy, a little afraid she’d fall over, she lay back against Bane.

  “That’s it,” he purred approvingly. “Let go. He’ll let you come when he’s ready.” He splayed one hand flat over her belly, stroking her thigh with the other. She whimpered, a helpless, keening sound. When he was ready? She was ready now!

  Time became irrelevant as she lay captive—whether to them or her own desires, she didn’t know—in Bane’s strong arms. She lost count of the number of times Darek brought her skillfully to the edge of orgasm, only to back her down.

  Hands—Bane’s or Darek’s, she didn’t know anymore—stroked, kneaded, explored her entire body, until there was no part of her that didn’t belong to them. At some point, when she was very close to coming, she felt Darek’s fingers slide lower, circling the tight rosebud of her anus.

  Bane’s voice came from somewhere near her right ear. “Do you want to take us both later tonight, Lily?”

  She nodded vehemently, bumping his chin with the crown of her head.

  He chuckled, a low, satisfied, silken sound. “We’ll need to get you ready then,” Bane said, stroking her thigh.

  Darek’s hands were on her knees. Their touches, their skin against hers, their hands and arms holding her up seemed like the only solid things in the universe.

  Bane’s voice came to her again and she turned her head to meet his steady blue gaze. “Lily, I know you’re far away, but I need you to listen to me. Next time you’re close, Darek is going to put something in you, a safe, smooth toy that will help you relax where I’m going to take you later.”

  Lily began to shiver all over at the thought, somewhere between arousal and agony, and felt Bane’s arms tighten around her. “If it hurts, we’ll stop. Okay?” She nodded. “Good girl,” he said gently, stroking her hair. The praise was a salve on her aching, hungry soul. She wanted so badly to come. Her body felt like one big, raw nerve ending. She felt a tear slide silently down her cheek, then another.

  “Please,” she managed. “Don’t ma
ke me stop again. I can’t—I just can’t,” she said softly.

  Something in his expression shifted and he stroked her jaw. He looked up at Darek, who nodded.

  “It’s all right, love. You’re not the only one who’s been suffering,” Darek said, smiling at her with comfortingly human teeth. “Come here.”

  Together, Bane and Darek lifted her to the floor where she knelt, facing Bane. Darek’s hand pressed down on her back and she bent willingly, tilting her hips to give him access. She heard the hiss of a zipper and her breath came in short, sharp, hungry gasps. She reached for Bane’s fly, tugging at it with fingers that felt numb.

  Mercifully he helped her, freeing his erection for her mouth and hands. She grasped him firmly, worshipfully kissing the salty tip, running her tongue under the sensitive ridge of the head and finally taking as much of him as she could handle into her mouth and wrapping her hands around the rest.

  His body jerked, his hips bucking. “Oh God, Lily, that feels good. Thank you, love,” he murmured.

  Behind her, she felt the head of Darek’s cock spread her apart, filling her slowly and completely until the silken skin of his balls tapped her clit. She whimpered, tilting her hips in invitation. She was so close…

  With a sound that spoke of snapped male control, he dug his fingers into her hips and fucked her hard, his cock pounding into her waiting body. She came at once, howling with sheer release, moving her mouth away from Bane for fear she’d hurt him. Darek thrust in deep, waiting, giving her pussy the entire length of his cock to squeeze, suck and stroke.

  She was still twitching and whimpering, utterly relaxed, when she felt Darek spread her cheeks. The tip of something hard and smooth slid into her ass and she tensed. She half turned awkwardly to look at him, letting go of Bane.

  “Relax, Lily. Push against the plug a little,” Darek told her.

  “Okay.” There was a second of pain and then just a strange, full feeling as it settled into place. She wiggled experimentally and heard Darek groan.