Hell's Consort

Fei continued to grip Luna's hand, pulling her to the banquet table.

Cederic followed them and separated her from the warlock.

Her fellow Amazon, who had been seated next to the werewolf, watched them go, a sparkle in her dark eyes.

Whispered sounds, laughter, the tinkle of glass.

It flowed out like an invitation. Cederic's eyes dared her to walk closer.

Fool that she was, she accepted the challenge, and her mouth dropped open in shock.

The vampires were having a cocktail party along with the harem girls.

Well, they were civilized enough not to go for the jugular right away.

Luna blinked, taking in the muted lighting, the plush couches accompanied by slender flutes of champagne.

It was flirtation, enjoyment, and sex that filled the air.

Sex.

The languid heat of it dripped from its walls.

The food was clearly for the non-vampire guests, male and female, who stood talking, laughing, and flirting with some of the vampire nobility.

Dinner suits lay snugly over lithely muscled lords while the harem girls wore almost transparent silk strips of over-riding themes such as red, black, and gold with the occasional daring splash of white.

Conversations arose as soon as the others saw her, then their eyes flicked behind her, and she almost heard the collective gasp of fear.

None too soon, a vampire walked toward her, a glass of wine in hand.

At least she hoped it was wine—the dark red liquid could have easily been blood.

"Hello, my lady." The words were solid in a beautiful baritone voice, but it was his scent that was intoxicating—rich, dark, and luscious.

It was only when she found herself pressed against the heat of someone that she realized she had backed away from the clawing beauty of the invisible caress.

Heat uncurled between her legs, an involuntary reaction to his scent, a scent that held an extraordinary and highly erotic blend.

"Nice to meet you, but you feel like a threat," Luna whispered, her throat husky.

He looked down at the blade now pressing against his crotch.

He raised his head to look at her in annoyance. "If you're not here to play, why did you come at all?"

The scent dissipated as if he'd drawn it to himself.

"Take your weapon elsewhere, consort. I am the right hand of the King."

Flushing, she got rid of the knife. She just threatened the Vampire King's man.

Cederic curled an arm around her elbow. "This is the new high priestess, Jon, and officially the daughter of Hecate. She is not a consort anymore. She is here under the tutelage of the old man."

"Really?" Jon raised an eyebrow. "Now that's interesting."

"I saw her first, so you better back off."Claiming the High Priestess when she hadn't done anything yet about the curse, aren't we?" Jon said. "I think if you let the lady choose, she will choose me for sure. I'm taller and muscular. I am big all over and can take wherever and however she wants to compare to---"

"You can keep your big dick tonight to yourself, Jon, or I'd be happy to bust your balls for insulting me as the new High Priestess and the military general," Luna said.

Jon's eyebrows rose in amusement.

"As you wish, High Priestess."

Giving a small nod, Jon walked away but only after wrapping a tendril of scent around her.

Jon's slow smile said he could scent her response, and it didn't sit well with her.

The effects faded with each step he took until she no longer craved the sensual pain of his touch.

"Be careful of your words, my lady. You offend someone, and they'll kill you without letting you explain." Cederic's hand was a brand on her elbow burning through his skin. "I'm not always around to babysit a witch."

"I know, sire. Just testing the waters." Luna murmured, watching Jon went to a small curvy blonde and put his hand around her waist.

She looked up, enraptured, not surprising given that Jon was wet-dream beautiful---silky black hair and dark, dark eyes.

"Testing vampires, who you can offend and gets away with it?" This openly amused Cederic. "You do have a death wish."