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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, 
places, and incidents either are products of the 
author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any 
resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, 
living or dead, is entirely coincidental. 

 

Illicit Magic 

Copyright © 2005 Morgan Hawke 

ISBN: 1-55410-552-8 

Cover art and design by Martine Jardin 

 

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the 
reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in 
part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or 
other means, now known or hereafter invented, is 
forbidden without the written permission of the 
publisher. 

 

Published by eXtasy Books, a division of Zumaya 
Publications, 2005 

Look for us online at: 

www.zumayapublications.com 

www.Extasybooks.com 


 

 

 

Fair Warning! ~ Pure Vanilla! 

This story contains No unusual or kinky sex. 

 

 


 

 

eruditus university 

city of aesculetum, emeritus prime 

evening cycle

 

 

 

 

 

 

- One - 

 

 

H
is Eminence, the Scion of the Eruditus University 
strode down the narrow hallway with Elise in his 
wake. He turned and smiled, his striking sea green 
eyes crinkling only the tiniest amount at the corners 
under his arched golden brows. “Luke is a fully 
trained Peregrine Knight from the pilot’s guild. He 
will be able to help you with your…problem.” 

Elise winced under his devastating smile. Mother 
of Mercy, she hoped somebody could help her. She 
tugged her hand from her pocket, lifting a finger to 
curl it around one of the uneven locks of the 
unseemly bright red hair brushing at her chin. 

Someone had once said, what goes up, must come 
down. Well, not in her case. That was the problem. 

Small lights glowed along the upper edges of the 


walls, casting a gentle golden wash across the 
hallway’s peaked, plaster and oak-beamed ceiling. 
The Scion’s flowing cobalt blue and opalescent white 
teaching-master’s robes seemed to glow under the 
sparse lighting. His slippers made no sound on the 
smooth floor. 

In complete contrast, Elise’s serviceable ankle-
boots thunked loudly and clumsily on the stone flags. 
She swept her palms across the soft gray canvas of 
her coveralls, then stuffed her hands in her pockets. 
Next to the Scion’s silk-robed elegance she felt like a 
complete drab, but her simple moss-green short-
sleeved top and coveralls were comfortable, and very 
practical for her work. 

The silk robes the Scion wore didn’t appear to be 
all that comfortable, or have any practical use 
whatsoever, but they were lovely to look at. 

He was lovely to look at; broad shoulders, nice 
hands, gorgeous green eyes. His long pale gold mane 
was pulled back in a snug and precisely trimmed tail 
that fell down to the center of his back. 

She rolled her eyes. The women were probably 
throwing themselves at him. 

“Ah, here we are…” The Scion stopped at a tall, 
heavily carved door of dense black Emeriti oak. He 
pushed it open. 

Elise ducked through the door to avoid another of 
the Scion’s lethal smiles. He really needed to point 
that smile at someone else. All that blinding 
masculinity was completely wasted on her. She was 
engaged. 


Elise blinked and squinted. After the brightness of 
the well-lit hallway, the stone-walled chamber was 
dark. The heavy black velvet curtains were drawn 
tight across the entire row of gothic arched windows 
on the facing wall. Only one lamp was lit, in the very 
far right corner 

A man stood in the center of the shadowed 
chamber with his back to the door. His bone pale 
hand, resting on the back of the chair he stood beside, 
seemed bright in the room’s darkness. His snug black 
throat-to-wrist ship-suit made him near invisible, 
though the fabric shimmered with midnight 
rainbows. His knee-high boots gleamed a highly 
polished black. 

The Scion lifted his chin. “Guild Pilot Luke, this is 
the young woman I spoke to you about.” 

The man in the room’s center turned his head 
slightly showing pale cheek. Light caught in the sun-
tinted bronze hair falling about his shoulders in a 
tumble of unruly waves. 

Elise frowned. She’d expected a dark sorcerer to be 
a bit more…intimidating. He wasn’t particularly tall; 
the Scion had to be a full head taller. His shoulders 
were fairly broad and his waist narrow, but he clearly 
wasn’t as heavily muscular as some of the foresters 
she worked with. She nibbled on her bottom lip. He 
just didn’t look...evil. 

The Scion cleared his throat. “Guild pilot?” 

Luke’s pale fingers dug into the chair’s arched 
back. “Leave her and get out.” 

Huh? Elise blinked. 


The Scion’s gaze narrowed. “You’ll have to forgive 
him. He can be a little…direct.” 

No kidding. Elise felt a smile lift her lips. That was 
pretty direct. 

Luke turned to face the chamber door, moving 
behind the chair. His face was fine-boned and rather 
nice-looking, but not screamingly masculine, like the 
Scion. His eyes seemed huge; the color of summer 
skies, framed with long dark gold lashes. His pale 
mouth was set in a tight line, but color pinked his 
cheeks. His gaze narrowed on the Scion. “I said, get 
out!” 

Elise rocked back on her heels. That wasn’t direct. 
Luke was seriously pissed off. Something definitely 
wasn’t right. She turned and offered the Scion a 
friendly smile. “Why don’t you go? I’m sure I’ll be 
fine.” 

Luke choked out a sour laugh. “Oh, you are 
perfectly safe with me.” His gaze razed the Scion, and 
then Elise, and then slid away. “The school-master 
has me collared and leashed. I can’t lay a finger on 
you.” One hand fisted on the back of the chair. “Not 
even if my life depended on it.” 

 The Scion’s green gaze chilled as he watched Luke, 
but he continued to smile. “He’s right, you’re 
perfectly safe.” He turned to Elise and his expression 
warmed. “I’ll return for you in an hour.” In a whisper 
of expensive silk, the elegant Scion of the University 
of Emeritus walked out, closing the door quietly 
behind him. 

Luke’s breath exploded from his lungs. “Damned 


prick!” He walked around the wooden chair and 
dropped heavily into it, kicking one booted foot out 
and folding his arms across his chest. He scowled and 
let his head fall back against the chair. “Blood and 
Night, how the hell do I get myself into this shit?” 

Elise inched a step closer. “Is there anything I can 
do to help?” 

Luke barked out a laugh, then groaned and looked 
at her with a sour smile. “Sure, you can fuck me. 
That’ll fix everything.” 

Elise jerked back sharply. “What?” 

Luke snorted “Never mind.” He rolled his eyes. “I 
can see from here that you’re not that kind of girl.” 

Elise’s mouth popped open. She set her hands on 
her hips. “What is that supposed to mean?” 

Luke smiled. “Are you kidding? Red hair and 
green eyes aside, you are obviously one of those 
‘good-girls’, the kind that waits for marriage before 
she even kisses a guy.” 

Elise folded her arms to keep from tugging at her 
freshly cropped waves, and looked away. “That’s not 
exactly true.” 

Luke sat up in the chair and dropped his arms 
across his knees. “You can’t tell me you’re not a 
virgin?” 

Elise felt her cheeks warm. Harlot hair, harlot heat… 
She looked down at the smooth wood floor. 
“Um…no, I’m not.” 

Luke’s brows shot up and grinned. “Oh, you 
naughty girl!” He grimaced and held up his hand. 
“Oh, wait! Don’t tell me, he’s you’re betrothed, or 


some such nonsense. The guy you plan to marry!” 

Elise clenched her jaw. “Yeah, so?” 

Luke sank back into his chair, closed his eyes and 
groaned. He raised a hand and rubbed his forehead. 
“Night save me…” 

Elise tapped her foot. “Is there a point to all this?” 

Luke opened his blue eyes and snorted. “Actually 
there is. The school-master…” 

“The Scion?” 

Luke curled his lip. “Yeah…him. Never mind, 
forget it.” He sighed and sat up a little straighter, 
raising a questioning brow. “He said you were 
floating?” 

Elise winced. “Yes.” 

Luke scrubbed both hands through his tumbled 
bronze hair. “Okay, so show me.” 

“Um… I can’t. I can’t control it.” She threw her 
hands out. “And that’s the whole problem! I float 
when I don’t want to, and when I want to, I can’t!” 

“I see.” Luke leaned forward and set his elbows on 
his knees, dropping his pale hands between them. 
“When did it start?” 

“I was at my engagement party…” She felt her 
cheeks warm and stopped. Fate, this was 
embarrassing. 

Luke smiled. It wasn’t a breath-taking smile, like 
the one the Scion occasionally used; it was nice, and a 
little encouraging. “Go on.” 

Elise grimaced and tried looking up at the distant 
plaster and beam ceiling. It didn’t make her feel any 
better. She took a breath. “Well, my soon to be 


mother-in-law had hired some…” She swallowed. 
“Entertainers.” She shoved her hands in her pockets 
and dropped her gaze to the floor, looking anywhere 
but at Luke. “And…I just started…floating.” She 
groaned. “Like a balloon.” 

“Ah…” 

Elise looked up from the floor. 

Luke sat back in the chair, his arms folded across 
his chest, still smiling. “Let me guess. Male 
entertainers?” He lifted a brow. 

Elise nodded and rolled her eyes. “The naked 
ones.” 

Luke’s brows shot up and his eyes widened. He 
looked away, then rubbed his hands over his mouth 
and choked. “I…uh, see.” He coughed, then frowned 
suddenly. He turned and looked at her. “When 
your…betrothed took your virginity, did you float 
then?” 

Elise jerked back and shoved her hands behind her. 
“No!” 

Luke’s brows lifted and his chin dropped. “Not at 
all? Not before, or after?” 

Elise scowled. “No, not at all.” 

Luke looked briefly to the side, then his summer-
blue gaze focused on her. “You didn’t like it.” 

Elise’s mouth popped open and her cheeks flooded 
with heat. What was there to like? She clamped her 
mouth shut and clenched her teeth. “No.” 

Luke shook his head. “Then why in damnation are 
you marrying him?” 

Elise shrugged. “I have to marry somebody, and 


he’s not as creepy as some of the others.” She scraped 
her heel on the stone floor. “He takes a bath regularly 
and he makes a good living. My mother likes him.” 

Luke’s mouth fell open. “What kind of bullshit is 
that?” 

Elise looked up in surprise. “Huh?” 

Leaning on the other elbow, Luke scrubbed a hand 
through his hair again and rolled his eyes. “You’re 
supposed to love somebody before you marry them! 
Or at least have a fairly good case of like and a decent 
helping of lust?” 

Elise flinched back. “Lust?” 

“Yeah, lust. You know; where you want to have sex 
with them?” His brows rose and his mouth opened. 
“Please don’t tell me that sex is regulated here?” 

Elise jerked her gaze away. “Sex isn’t regulated, as 
long as you’re married.” 

Luke leaned back in his chair and groaned. “I think 
I’m beginning to see the problem.” He took a deep 
breath, released it, and looked over at her. “Did you 
pick him, or did he pick you?” 

Elise shrugged. 

Luke snorted and leaned forward, setting his 
elbows back on his knees. “He picked you.” 

Elise frowned and folded her arms. “That’s not 
true!” 

 “Really?” Luke’s voice was flat. He raised his 
brows and the corner of his mouth kicked up in a 
sarcastic smile. “Why do I have a problem believing 
that?” 

Elise set her jaw. “I did pick him. He was the best 


choice.” Out of several others that had petitioned her 
mother. 

Luke smiled and held out his palm. “Okay, okay, 
you picked him.” He chuckled softly, then pursed his 
lips. He tilted his head and lifted a brow. “So how 
cute was this entertainer, at this party of yours?” 

Elise shoved her hands back in her pockets and 
dropped her gaze to the toes of her brown boots. 
“Gorgeous.” 

“Really? Hmm…” 

Elise peeked up from the floor. 

Luke nodded absently, looking over at the 
curtained windows. “Muscular?” 

Elise sucked on her bottom lip, her cheeks 
warming. “Oh, yeah.” Especially his butt. He had great 
thighs, too. 

“Uh huh.” Luke nodded again, still staring at the 
windows. “Better looking than your betrothed?” 

Elise nodded and focused on her boot toes. Her 
betrothed was rather round in the middle. The dancer 
had been carved—all over. “Much better.” 

“Nice smile?” 

“Nice butt.” Elise gasped and clapped both hands 
over her mouth. She looked up at Luke in alarm. 

Luke grinned. “Nice butt, huh?” He shook his head 
and a chuckle escaped. “And that’s when the floating 
started.” 

Elise’s breath left her in a rush and her shoulders 
slumped. “Yes.” 

Luke bit back his smile. “Lots of screaming and 
yelling, I gather?” 


Elise rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah.” She smiled 
sourly. “And naked men running every which way.” 

Luke smiled. “I bet that was pretty funny.” 

“It was, actually.” Elise smiled even as her cheeks 
warmed. “But Fate, I didn’t think so at the time.” She 
rolled her eyes. “My mother in law was not amused.” 

“Pity.” He swept a hand across his jaw. “Well, I 
think I can help if you let me.” 

Else took a step closer. “Really?” 

Luke nodded and then smiled. “Are you feeling 
brave?” 

Elise tilted her head to the side. “How brave do I 
need to be?” 

Luke shrugged. “Well, how about coming over 
here, for a start?” 

Elise snorted and tromped toward his chair. “That 
doesn’t take bravery.” She grinned. “My mother-in-
law is a lot scarier than you.” 

Luke’s brows shot up, but a smile played at the 
corner of his mouth. “Should I be insulted?” 

“I’m here because she brought me here and 
demanded that the Scion do something about it.” 
Elise stopped at Luke’s knees and smiled. “He took 
me in and promised to find a cure just to get her out 
of his University.” 

Luke’s smile broadened. “You’re right, she sounds 
pretty scary.” He held out his hands. 

Elise set her hands in his. His fingers curled 
around hers. His palms were soft, but there was 
strength in his fingers. And something…else. A small 
shiver raced up her spine. She swallowed and looked 


into his summer-tinted eyes, feeling suddenly 
uncertain. 

Luke raised his brows. “You okay?” 

Elise shook her head. It was nothing…nothing. 
“Yeah, fine.” She looked down at his hands and saw 
metal poking out from under his sleeves, enclosing 
both his wrists. She frowned. “Are those…?” 

“Yes.” Luke’s voice was flat and hard. “I’m in force 
cuffs. I’m a prisoner, Elise. I can’t walk out the door, 
and I cannot touch you in any way without your 
permission.” 

“A prisoner?” Elise looked up into his blue eyes. 
“But how? You’re supposed to be a magician…?” Her 
cheeks heated. “Oh, I’m sorry. It’s none of my 
business.” 

“My big fat ego got me in trouble. It does that 
sometimes.” Luke smiled sourly. “The school-master 
invited me. I walked right in and stupidly drank what 
he offered. I woke up cuffed to…” He cleared his 
throat and glanced away. His cheeks tinted with pink. 
“By the time my head was on straight, I was drained 
of most of my power.” 

“But why take you prisoner?” 

Luke took a deep breath. “I’m here to teach you. 
I’m leashed because I’m…dangerous.” 

Elise frowned and gripped his fingers tighter. Luke 
wasn’t dangerous, but he was a prisoner, because of 
her. “I’m…sorry.” 

Luke released his breath and stared at their joined 
hands. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t make that 
school-master a greedy bastard.” 


Elise’s brows shot up. “Greedy…?” 

Luke smiled sourly. “Elise, you’re what I am, only 
you’re female. That makes you rare and extremely 
valuable. The guild won’t even flinch at whatever 
price he asks for you. They’ll pay it and gladly.” 

“The guild?” Elise blinked. The pilot’s guild would 
want her? 

He tugged her closer, until her knees bumped his. 
“I’m sorry, but because of your power, the guild 
would have come for you anyway, sooner or later.” 

Elise shook her head. “I can’t. I have to go back…” 

Luke’s fingers tightened. “Elise, you can’t go back. 
We don’t mix well with…normal people. Anyway, 
the schoolmaster is not going to let you go back. 
You’re worth too much money to him. He’ll make a 
fortune off the guild.” He snorted. “That is if he 
doesn’t decide to try and use you for political 
leverage of one kind or another.” 

“Political leverage?” Elise jerked back. “But I don’t 
have leverage, I’m nobody!” 

“Elise, it doesn’t matter.” Luke tugged on her 
hands. “You have power. To people like him, that’s 
leverage enough.” He smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll get 
you to the guild. 

Elise’s hand closed tight on his fingers. “But I’m 
not a pilot!” 

“Neither was I, originally.” Luke smiled sourly. “I 
lived in the middle of a desert. The closest I got to 
piloting was a land-hopper.” 

Elise winced. “Oh…” 

Luke smiled. “You fly a land-hopper too?” 


She nodded. “Have to, we’re foresters.” 

“Lots of territory; makes sense.” Luke shrugged 
then smiled. “You’ll like being a pilot. Space-flight 
comes easy to us.” 

Else sucked on her bottom lip. “It does?” 

Luke’s gaze focused on her mouth. “Very much 
so.” He took a slow deep breath and licked his lips. 
“We have an…instinct for it.” His gaze shifted to her 
eyes. “Are you ready to learn how to control your 
magic?” 

Elise smiled. “It’s not magic.” 

Luke smiled right back. “Oh, but it is.” 

Elise rolled her eyes. “Okay, so it’s magic. What do 
I have to do?” 

Luke leaned back in the chair. “Sit on my lap.” 

“Sit…where?” Elise’s brows flew up. 

Luke grinned, then shook his head. “I’m going to 
show you how to trigger your power and hold you 
down when you reverse gravity. Then, I’m going to 
show you how to bleed it off so you can control it.” 

Elise blinked. “Oh, okay.” She shifted to the side. 

“No, silly.” Luke tugged on her hands. “You have 
to sit facing me.” 

“You want me to…” Elise swallowed. “Straddle 
you?” 

Luke nodded slowly. “Yes. And I want you to curl 
your feet around the legs of the chair when you do 
it.” 

“Oh.” Elise felt a sudden damp warmth curl low 
and deep within. He wanted her to spread her legs 
and sit on his…lap. “Is this absolutely necessary?” 


Luke’s gaze focused on her mouth. “I could hold 
you down on the bed in the next room.” His gaze 
darted back up to her eyes, and he smiled. “But I 
doubt you’d find that comfortable.” 

Elise snorted. “You got that right.” 

Luke raised a brow. “Elise, just sit down.” He 
tugged. 

She tipped a little forward and sat, straddling his 
knees. It was that or fall. She would have never sat on 
the Scion’s lap, but Luke wasn’t anywhere near 
that…alarming. Luke’s thighs were warm under hers, 
and unyielding. He was a lot more muscular than he 
appeared. And not particularly tall. Seated, her chin 
was level with the top of his head. It made her smile. 

“Put my hands on your hips.” 

She leaned back to look down into his blue eyes. 
“You want me to put your hands…?” 

Luke nodded slowly. “On your hips. I can’t hold 
you on my own. I have been forbidden to touch you. 
You have to put me there or give me permission.” 

Elise took a deep breath. She wanted to control 
this…power of hers, and Luke was willing to show 
her. “Okay.” She guided his hands around her. 

His hands closed on her hips and he sighed. “Yes, 
good. There are straps on the shoulders of my suit. 
Hold on to them. Don’t forget to lock your feet 
around the chair legs.” 

Elise leaned forward a little and caught hold of the 
straps. His shoulders were surprisingly solid. 

“You need to sit closer.” His arms closed around 
her hips and he pulled her up against his chest. 


She gasped softly. His chest was rock solid against 
her breasts and her crotch was tight up against his. 
His warm scent rose from his body. He smelled of 
soap and…him. He smelled…good. Heat filled her 
cheeks. 

He tilted his head back and smiled. “Now, try to 
get your feet around the chair’s legs. 

“All right…” She searched for the legs of the chair 
and encountered his ankles. “Oh, sorry!” 

“It’s okay.” He chuckled and the vibration rumbled 
pleasantly through her. “You can use my ankles if it’s 
easier.” He shifted his feet. 

Elise found it a lot easier to just use his ankles. “As 
long as you don’t mind…?” 

Luke gave a smile and his cheeks flushed very 
slightly. “Are you kidding? I have a gorgeous 
redhead pinning me with her hands and feet. You 
honestly think I’m going to say no?” 

Elise ducked her chin. “I’m not…” 

“Gorgeous?” He snorted. “Give me a break! I’ve 
seen a lot of women, I know gorgeous when I see it.” 
He frowned. “Though that hairstyle… It looks like it 
was done with dull scissors and a bowl.” 

Elise winced and pulled away. She had done it with 
dull scissors and a bowl. 

Luke locked his hands behind her, pinning her to 
his lap. “What?” He ducked his head to catch her 
gaze. “Talk to me. What?” 

Elise shifted but his hold was unbreakable. He was 
a lot stronger than he looked. She stopped fighting 
and looked everywhere but at his face. “I did it. I cut 


it.” 

“You cut it? Why?” 

Elise shrugged. “My betrothed…” 

“He…what? He didn’t like your hair?” 

Elise bit down on her lip. “He said, ’harlot hair, 
harlot heat’.” 

Luke grinned. “You say that like it’s supposed to 
be a bad thing.” He snorted. “I love red-heads and I 
don’t know a guy out there that wouldn’t kill for a 
woman that would act the ‘harlot’ for him.” 

She closed her eyes. “Mine doesn’t, and he’s 
not...like that.” 

“Then he’s an idiot.” He tightened his arms. 
“Hands back on my shoulders. It’s time to see what 
you can do.” 

Elise expelled her breath, glad to change the 
subject. She gripped the straps on his shoulders. 
“Okay.” 

“Look at me.” 

Elise focused on Luke’s summer-blue gaze. 

He lifted his chin and focused on her mouth. “Kiss 
me.” 

“What?” She couldn’t have heard that right. 

Luke’s gaze rose to her eyes and his lips lifted into 
a half smile. “Your lips on my lips, a kiss. Kiss me.” 

Her mouth fell open. “Kiss…you?” 

He frowned. “What? Am I hideous or something?” 

“No…” He wasn’t hideous at all; or way too 
handsome, either. He was just right. “But…kiss you?” 

Luke rolled his eyes. “Elise, sexual excitement is 
what triggers this. I need to get you sexually excited 


to see how strong your talent is. A kiss is the fastest 
way to do it.” 

“Sexual excitement?” Elise dodged his gaze. “You 
have got to be joking…” 

Luke’s hold tightened. “Elise, you floated the first 
time because you were sexually excited by the 
entertainer.” He looked up into her eyes and smiled 
briefly. “Or at least his butt.” 

Elise winced and groaned. There had been just a bit 
more to it than merely staring at his butt. 

“Elise.” Luke’s focus was on her mouth. “I’m not 
asking for sex, just a kiss.” 

Elise lifted a sarcastic brow. “You did ask for sex…” 

“Elise.” Luke looked up and glared. “Kiss me.” 

“Fine, whatever…” She leaned forward and set her 
lips against his. His lips were soft. 

His mouth opened under hers. Warmth, breath… 

It startled her. He opened his mouth to kiss? She 
felt heat brush her mouth, then withdraw. Curiosity 
struck and she touched the tip of her tongue to his 
bottom lip, encountering the damp warmth of his 
tongue. 

He moaned softly, caressing her tongue with his. 

She stroked his tongue out of sheer reflex. He 
tasted of clean, fresh water and something else, 
something darker, wilder, and exciting… Her nipples 
tingled and tightened. Tension coiled low and hot. 
She shifted restlessly on his lap. 

His arms tightened around her and his palms slid 
lower, one settling on her hip, the other on her butt. 
He turned his head to cover her mouth more fully 


and his tongue stroked hungrily. His hips shifted 
under her. 

Liquid heat coiled and spread. Her nipples began 
to ache. Elise moaned without meaning to. 

His knees spread, opening her wider. His hands 
pressed against her backside, pulling her tight against 
him. 

Elise sucked on his full bottom lip and became 
aware of a heavy ridge pressing up against the 
softness of her crotch. She shifted and rubbed against 
it. Pleasure spiked and spiraled inward. A small 
needy sound escaped. Her panties dampened. 

Something sparked in the back of her skull. She felt 
a shift in perception, as though the world had moved 
under her. Her body started to lift from his lap. 

Luke’s hands tightened around her. 

Elise pulled from his mouth and gasped. “Oh, 
Mercy… It’s… I’m…” 

 “Relax, I have you.” He looked up at her. “See? 
Sexual excitement.” He smiled. “And you’re very 
strong.” 

Elise’s throat tightened. “And this is going to 
happen every time I get…” 

“Sexually excited, yes.” Luke nodded and 
continued to smile. “You’ll eventually learn to trigger 
your power in other ways, and learn to direct it, but at 
the moment, your power is manifesting in a cloud 
around you. That’s what’s making you float.” 

Elise trembled in his arms. “Okay, yeah, sure, 
terrific… How do I stop it?” 

Luke licked his lips. “You orgasm.” 


Elise sucked in a breath. “What?” 

Luke smiled. “Excitement generates power. 
Orgasm releases it. Masturbate.” 

“You don’t mean…” Elise choked. “Right now?” 

Luke shrugged. “Well, it’ll eventually wear off…” 
He pursed his lips. “How long did you float last 
time?” 

Elise cringed. “I was on the ceiling all night and 
into the middle of the next day.” 

Luke’s brows shot up. “All that, from staring at a 
butt?” 

Elise scowled. “It was a very nice butt.” And so was 
everything attached to it. But it hadn’t been merely 
the view that had made her float. 

In the shadowed room, the entertainer had set his 
palms on the wall and leaned over her chair. Only 
inches away, his lean muscular body stretched over 
hers in pale sculpted relief. His dark hair had been 
long enough to brush her shoulders and his eyes had 
been a brown so light they were almost gold. 

She had stared up at him in wonder. He was the 
most beautiful male she’d ever seen. She’d actually 
had enough honey beer in her to tell him so, too. 

He’d smiled. “You think I’m beautiful? I think 
you’re very lovely yourself. Would you do me the 
honor of putting your hands on my butt?” 

She simply could not resist the request. She’d 
blamed it on the beer, but truthfully, she’d wanted to 
touch him since the moment she’d seen him. The 
muscle had been hard and warm under her palms; 
the skin smooth and slightly furry. He was everything 


she’d imagined. With his deliciously firm ass cupped 
in her hands, the heavy curve of his cock had pointed 
directly at her breasts, trembling. 

“Thank you.” He leaned down and touched his lips 
to hers. Just the briefest of touches. 

A tiny jolt went from his mouth to hers--and 
through her, bringing a wash of shivers and a small 
gasp. 

And then, the floating had happened. And the 
screaming. 

The entertainer had grinned, like he’d 
accomplished something, then fled with the others. 

Her cheeks heated with memory. 

“Elise, you floated almost all the way around the 
clock.” Luke grinned. “It must have been a 
spectacular butt.” 

Elise shot him a narrow glare. “It was the nicest 
naked…butt I ever saw.” It was the nicest naked butt 
she’d ever felt. 

Luke lifted his brows and bit down on his lip, 
clearly trying not to laugh. “Apparently so.” 

Elise clenched her jaw. 

“Relax, I like naked butts, too.” Luke chuckled, 
then shook his head. “Elise, are you ready to come 
down, or do you want me to let go?” 

“What? No! Don’t let go!” Her fingers clenched in a 
death-grip on the straps of his ship-suit. Her feet 
locked around his. 

Luke sighed, then smiled. “I can’t hold on to you 
forever, the schoolmaster is coming back, remember?” 

“Oh… Damn.” 


Luke smiled. “My opinion exactly, but that’s beside 
the point. Either you orgasm or I let you go to float 
over the bed until you run out of power and fall.” His 
lips brushed hers. “It’s a big bed; really soft. Good 
landing spot.” He sucked on her bottom lip, then 
licked it. 

Elise returned the caress. The caress swiftly became 
another deep and inciting kiss. She liked kissing Luke. 
He made her feel…pretty, and wanted. 

Luke smiled and licked his lips. “Personally, I’m all 
for letting you stay up there, and out of that school-
master’s reach.” His blue eyes narrowed. “Of course, 
you might come down while I’m in bed.” He grinned. 
“And I sleep in the nude.” 

Elise smiled. Luke was teasing again. “Too bad you 
couldn’t take…advantage of me, huh?” 

Luke snorted. “Not without your permission.” His 
lips brushed hers and encouraged her into another 
kiss. He released her lips and smiled. “But I won’t say 
I wouldn’t try to get your permission.” 

Elise licked her lips. Maybe Luke wasn’t teasing 
after all. “Masturbation, huh?” 

Luke nodded. His hands closed tight around her 
butt cheeks. “Like this.” He slid just a bit down in the 
chair, pulled her tight up against his belly and lifted 
under her. The ridge of his erection slid directly 
against the seam in her trousers, and her clit. He 
groaned. 

Tingling heat burned, and clenched within. Elise 
gasped and arched against him, pressing tighter for 
more. “Oh…shit.” Moisture dampened her panties. 


Luke smiled. “Feel good?” 

Elise licked her lips. “Oh, yeah.” 

Luke rose under her again, holding her hard 
against his crotch. And then again, and again. 

They both groaned. 

Elise clutched Luke’s shoulders and pressed 
against him, rubbing against his strokes, riding him, 
using his body to drive the coiling tension in her core 
to a fever-hot pitch. She pressed her burning nipples 
against the hard wall of his chest and gasped softly. 

Luke panted in her ear, thrusting against her. “If 
you let me suck on your nipples, this will go a whole 
lot faster.” 

Elise released his right shoulder and fumbled open 
the shoulder buckles to her cover-alls. She tossed the 
shoulder straps over her back and the front flap 
dropped. She knew damned well she shouldn’t even 
consider doing this, but the cresting fire in her body 
was far louder than reason, and damn it, her nipples 
wanted attention too. 

She jerked up her moss-green shirt revealing her 
plain, serviceable and snug, white bandeau. She 
tugged it up and her breasts popped out from under 
the strong elastic. She swept her palm across her 
aching breasts and groaned. She hated the 
uncomfortable thing, but it did its job. 

Luke’s gaze darted from one breast to the other. 
“Mmm…nice, and hard nipples, my favorite.” He 
licked his lips. 

Elise blinked. “Oh, you like…them?” 

Luke lifted his brow and grinned. “Put one in my 


mouth and I’ll show you how much.” 

Elise’s cheeks bloomed with heat, but she found it 
surprisingly easy to lean forward and offer her 
breasts. 

He leaned close. His lips closed around her left 
nipple and his wet tongue swirled. His eyes closed. 

Fire lanced straight down to her clit. She gasped 
and bucked hard against him. 

He moaned in obvious appreciation. Then, he 
sucked strongly, making loud and wet sounds. He 
shifted under her and his hands pulled her tightly 
against the hard ridge of his cock. 

Elise grabbed Luke’s head, holding him to her 
breast. She rocked against the cock only a few layers 
of cloth away, encouraged to greater speed by Luke’s 
warm strong hands on her butt and his lips on her 
captured nipple. Fire spiraled and blazed. Small 
urgent sounds escaped her throat, and then her lips. 

Climax rose and tightened. 

Luke’s teeth closed on the swollen tip of her nipple. 
He bit down. 

A spark of sharp pleasure stopped her breath. Her 
entire body tensed and stilled. 

Luke released her nipple and lifted his head, his 
gaze locking on hers. His gaze was hooded and his 
cheeks flushed. His chin lifted and his lips parted. 
“Kiss me.” 

Elise pressed her mouth onto his. 

He bucked hard under her. 

Her body released in hot, wet, undulating waves of 
pleasure that sparked all across her lower back, up 


her spine and shimmered at the back of her skull. She 
writhed on the hard ridge of his cock, prolonging the 
delicious sensations that wracked her and moaned 
into his mouth. 

He sucked in hard and stole her breath. And her 
power went with it. 

She dropped heavily, collapsing onto him, gasping 
and trembling with small aftershocks. “Oh, 
Mercy…Luke.” 

Luke’s lips brushed her brow. “You okay?” 

“I don’t think…” She had to stop for a breath. “I 
don’t think I ever… Oh mercy.” 

 “That good, huh?” He chuckled. “Wait ’til we 
actually fuck.” 

Elise pushed up against his chest. “I don’t think…” 

He covered her mouth in a quick kiss. “Don’t 
think. Feel.” He kissed her again, more slowly, more 
thoroughly. He released her mouth and leaned back. 
“We’re supposed to fuck, Elise. It’s what we do.” 

Elise frowned. “Sex is for making babies.” 

Luke lifted his gaze. “Not for us.” The black heart 
of his eyes had expanded impossibly wide. Only the 
thinnest ring of blue surrounded the darkness that 
filled his gaze. “For us, sex is power.” 

Elise felt a chill race down her spine. 

Luke glanced down at her bared breasts. “Much as 
I like the view, you may want to pull your shirt 
down.” He glanced at the door. “We’re running out of 
time fast.” 

Elise grabbed for her bandeau and her shirt, 
tugging them down. She pushed off his knees and 


stood on wobbly legs. 

Luke promptly pouted. “Aw, you didn’t need to do 
that!” 

Elise reached for the straps to her coveralls and 
smiled. “You are so silly.” She began setting her 
clothes to rights. 

“I can be.” Luke rose from the chair and grimaced. 
“Night, you made me hard.” He reached down to 
adjust his rigid cock. 

Elise shifted her gaze away. She’d made him hard. 
She’d gotten him excited. It made her feel wanted and 
feminine. 

He strode for her, stopping only inches away. 

Elise looked up in surprise. Luke was barely half a 
head taller. 

Luke caught her shoulders and dropped a sudden 
kiss on her lips. “Thank you.” He turned away and 
walked to the far right corner. He stopped at a small 
round wooden table with two tall wooden chairs. 
Jerking out the chair in the back of the table, Luke 
lifted up a long length of black fabric. 

Elise pressed her fingers to her lips. “Thank you?” 
She followed him to the table. The room’s only light 
spilled over a black glass pitcher sitting on a warmer 
in the table’s center with a heavy ceramic tumbler 
beside it. She eyed the pitcher and tumbler. She was 
thirsty. “For what?” She lifted the pitcher. It was 
heavy, and warm. 

Luke shrugged into a long black robe. “For being 
sweet, and…” He turned. “Elise, don’t! You don’t 
want that!” 


Elise stared at the red liquid tumbling from the 
pitcher into the glass. “What is this?” 

Luke turned to face her, his mouth set in a tight 
line. The long robe swept the floor around him. “It’s 
blood.” 

Elise hurriedly set the pitcher down on the table 
with a heavy thunk. “Then it’s true?” She stared at 
Luke in complete shock. “You magicians drink 
blood?” 

Luke winced. “Yes, but not like that.” He pointed 
at the pitcher. “We don’t live off of it, not the way 
people think.” He approached her. 

Elise backed away. Blood, he drank blood. It was 
real, he was real. 

“Elise…” Luke stopped, his jaw clenched. “Please, 
don’t. It’s not like that.” His gaze dropped to the floor 
and he closed his eyes. “Elise, I swear, I won’t hurt 
you.” He looked up. “Please, don’t be afraid of me.” 

“Luke, I…” Elise stared at Luke. He was a 
Magician of the Night, a creature of darkness, and yet, 
she knew him. She’d kissed him. He’d been…sweet. 
Her betrothed hadn’t been half as nice as Luke had 
been. Not ever. Shame washed through her. She took 
a step toward him. “I’m sorry, it’s just a 
little…shocking.” 

“Elise…” Luke came to her in one long graceful 
lunge, and caught her by the upper arms. “You have 
nothing to fear from me. I swear it.” 

Elise shivered in his hands. “I know.” He was a 
creature of darkness…and she was supposed to be 
what he was. She swallowed. “Luke, will I have 


to…drink blood, too?” 

Luke sighed and dropped his gaze. “Eventually.” 
His head lifted and he stared at the door. His gaze 
locked on hers. “Elise, I have to go, but I’ll be back.” 
He dropped his mouth onto hers in a quick but 
thorough kiss. He released her and stepped back. “I 
promise I’ll come back for you.” He turned and 
leaped, rising gracefully into the air, his robes lifting 
around him. He landed at the row of curtained 
windows. 

Elise gasped. He’d levitated during the jump, only 
he’d controlled it the way she couldn’t. 

Luke jerked the curtains back, revealing small 
circular panes of glass in the wooden screen set into 
the window. He raised his hands. 

“Go?” Elise felt something shift in the back of her 
mind. “I thought you couldn’t leave?” 

“I couldn’t leave.” He stopped. “Shit.” He curled 
his lip and shook his hands. “Night, I hate these 
things!” The cuffs dropped from Luke’s wrists. 

Elise gasped. He’d used power to remove them, 
and she had felt it. 

Luke raised his hands to the window. “I couldn’t 
leave because I’d been too drained to get the cuffs 
off.” He glanced at her. “Your orgasm fixed that.” 

Elise felt a definite buzz at the back of her mind. 
“You seduced me so you could escape.” It wasn’t a 
question. 

The wooden panel exploded outward in a spray of 
glass and splinters. 

Luke grabbed the edge of the window and climbed 


up. He turned to her. “I’m sorry, but I had to. It was 
the only way.” He turned away, jumping out the 
window. 

Elise ran to the shattered window. It was two 
stories straight down, but there was nothing to see 
but the night and the endless forest of emeriti black 
oaks. He was gone. “You bastard!” 

Behind her the door opened. “Stupid child!” 

And then the shouting began. 


 

 

 

 

 

 

- Two - 

 

 

E
lise gripped her elbows as she paced across the 
huge scarlet carpet spread out across the center of 
the floor of the room the Scion had put her in. It was 
actually a very nice room; much nicer than her room 
at home. Nicer than any place she’d ever been. She 
was betting that the room belonged to one of the 
university professors. 

Massive shelves loaded with books lined the walls. 
Tall, decorative standing lamps with painted shades 
occupied all four of the room’s corners with green 
velvet comfort chairs beside them. The door on the far 
right led to a luxurious facility and the door on the far 
left led to a sleeping chamber fit for a prince. 

The round table to the right sat four and held the 
remains of a truly sumptuous dinner. A dinner she 
hadn’t been able to do more than taste. 

Luke had been right. The Scion was not about to let 
her go. He hadn’t actually said that she couldn’t 
leave, but the exquisite room had a stone floor, stone 
walls, a stone ceiling and no windows. And the door 
was locked. She was as much a prisoner as Luke had 
been. 


Someone knocked on the door. 

Elise didn’t bother to answer. She knew who it 
was. She turned her back to the door and a smile 
lifted her lips. This was how she had first seen Luke, 
with his back to the door, and for the same reason. 

The lock loudly disengaged and the door opened 
behind her. “Elise?” The voice was unmistakable; the 
Scion, of course. 

Elise rolled her eyes. “Were you expecting 
someone else?” 

Silk rustled as he moved toward the table. “You 
didn’t eat your dinner.” 

Elise gripped her elbows tighter. “I wasn’t 
hungry.” 

“I see.” Silk whispered as he moved around. The 
whispers stopped directly behind her. 

Elise stared at the carpet directly in front of her. 
“Can I go home now?” 

“I’ve already notified your family that you will be 
remaining here at the university.” 

Elise’s head came up. “What?” She turned around. 
“Why?” 

The Scion smiled from less than a foot away. His 
long golden hair was loose about his shoulders and 
he had changed, for bed. He was in a magnificent silk 
and velvet dressing gown of midnight blue that 
displayed a remarkable amount of lightly furred 
muscular chest. Green velvet and cream silk was 
draped over one arm. “I brought you a night shift and 
robe.” 

Elise stepped back. “Why can’t I go home?” 


The Scion stepped closer. He’d bathed. The scent of 
expensive amberwood soap rose from his skin. “Elise, 
because of your foolishness, your instructor has fled. I 
will have to acquire another, and that may take some 
time.” 

Elise stepped back. “He showed me how to stop 
floating. That’s all I needed to know.” 

The Scion dropped his chin and tisked softly. 
“Elise, you have a unique power. You should learn 
how to use all of it.” 

Elise folded her arms tight across her chest. “I 
don’t need it. It’s not practical for what I do.” 

The scion moved closer. “But you are meant for 
better things than mere forestry.” 

Elise backed away again, feeling resentment 
building around her heart. “I like being a forester.” 

“Alas, that is not to be your fate.” The Scion lifted 
his chin and his smile sharpened. “I have already sent 
your contract by messenger and credited the bride-
price to your mother’s account. She’ll receive it in the 
morning.” 

 “What?” Elise froze. He sent her bridal contract? 
They weren’t signed until the agreement was settled 
and a wedding date set. Fury seared her heart. How 
dare he? He hadn’t even made an offer! Not that she 
would have taken it, but he hadn’t even asked! “My 
mother won’t take it without my agreement.” 

“I doubt she’ll say one word.” The Scion shrugged. 
“I just made your mother a very wealthy woman.” 

Elise’s hands fisted at her sides. “I won’t marry 
you.” 


“You’re not marrying me.” He smiled. “But once 
that contract returns with her mark, according to our 
laws, you are legally my property.” 

“It’s not legal without my agreement!” 

“I’m afraid that you will find the laws quite 
adjustable, where I am concerned.” His smile chilled. 
“It is time to change for bed, Elise.” He caught her by 
the wrist and pulled her across the room toward the 
bedchamber. 

“Let go!” Elise’s heels skidded across the carpet. 
She dug her fingers into his wrist. He was too strong; 
she couldn’t remove his fingers. 

The Scion towed her through the doorway and 
released her in front of the heavily carved four-poster 
bed taking up the left wall. The bed was big enough 
to sleep four people comfortably. 

He dropped the clothes at her feet. “Undress.” 

She clenched her teeth. “I will not have sex with 
you!” 

The Scion choked out a laugh. “Elise, I have no 
intention of fucking you. I have two perfectly 
matched and fully trained concubines. I do not need a 
fumbling beginner.” 

A fumbling beginner… Elise reeled back as though 
slapped. But that didn’t make sense. If he didn’t want 
sex…? “Then why are you keeping me?” 

The Scion reached out and caught her chin in his 
hands forcing her to look into his sea green gaze. 
“Because, sweet child, a properly trained and 
obedient sorceress is quite an asset.” 

Elise grabbed his wrists, but couldn’t move his 


hands from her face. “But I’m not a sorceress!” 

“But you will be.” He smiled and released her. 

Elise stumbled back toward the bed. “You’re 
insane!” 

“No, but I am losing my patience.” His brows 
dropped and his gaze chilled to artic ice. “Undress. I 
want to see where that magician marked you.” 

Elise reached for the buckles on her overalls, and 
froze. Marked her? She leveled her angry gaze on the 
Scion. “He didn’t.” 

The Scion folded his arms. “If he fucked you, then 
he bit you. Obviously he didn’t bite your throat or 
wrists, so he had to have bitten you somewhere else. I 
want to see the mark.” 

Elise smiled. “We didn’t have sex.” Asshole. 

The scion’s expression blanked briefly. “You must 
have…” 

Elise grinned. “Nope.” 

The Scion’s cheeks and neck turned a dull red. His 
jaw clenched and his body tensed. “Get those clothes 
off before I rip them off you and then beat you!” 

“Fine.” Elise glared at him and released the buckles 
on her coveralls, then tossed them over her shoulders. 
She knew that if she had any sense, she’d be 
frightened. The University Scion was one of the most 
powerful men in the country. He could beat her. 
Bleeding Mercy, he could have her killed and no one 
would say a word, but she was too angry to be 
sensible. And for some reason she was in the mood to 
prove him wrong. 

She took two long steps to the bed and leaned 


against the green velvet heavily embroidered spread 
to pull off her boots. Damn it, Luke was right. The 
soft boots hit the deep green carpet with muffled 
thuds. She should have listened to him when he told 
her that she was a prisoner. She tossed her socks after 
them, then stood up and jerked her coveralls down, 
exposing her plain white panties. Damnation, two 
stories down or not, she should have followed Luke 
out the damned window. 

Elise stepped out of her soft gray coveralls and 
jerked up her moss green shirt exposing her plain 
bandeau. She tossed the shirt on the floor with her 
coveralls. “See? No marks.” She threw out her hands 
and turned all the way around. “No bites.” 

The Scion smiled. “Remove your undergarments.” 

Elise’s temper spiked hot and something sparked 
in the back of her mind. “What for?” 

The Scion tilted his head and his smile turned very 
nasty. “Because I told you to.” 

Elise narrowed her eyes at him. “You are a total 
bastard.” 

The Scion grinned. “Yes, I know.” He lowered his 
chin and his brows. “Your undergarments, Elise.” 

Elise drew in a deep breath and released it. “Fine.” 
She stuck her thumbs into the lower edge of her 
bandeau, but just couldn’t make herself lift it off 
while he was staring at her. She turned her back, 
staring at the cream silk pillows, and lifted the snug 
elastic off her breasts. She tossed it on top of her other 
clothes, then shoved her thumbs into the sides of her 
panties. Fear trickled through her. She set her jaw. 


Why the hell was she worried? He had no interest in 
fumbling beginners. She drew her panties down then 
bent over to take them off. She took a deep breath, 
lifted her chin and turned around. “There, are you 
satisfied?” 

The Scion’s gaze darted over her body. He 
frowned. “Come closer.” 

Panic brought a sudden chill to Elise’s skin but she 
stepped away from the bed. 

The Scion stepped forward, then walked all the 
way around her. “You had to have fucked. I could 
smell your cunt all over that room.” 

Elise sucked in a sharp breath. That was a nasty 
thing to say. She clenched her teeth. “Well, we 
didn’t.” 

The Scion stepped around to the front and faced 
her. “So it seems.” He rubbed his jaw. “They feed on 
sex and blood. You must have done something…” 

Elise rolled her eyes. “I told you before, all he 
showed me was how to stop floating.” 

The Scion’s gaze focused on her face. “How?” 

Elise’s cheeks heated. “None of your damned 
business.” 

His hand flashed out, catching her by the hair at 
the back of her head before she could move away. He 
jerked her head back and stared hard into her eyes. 
He smiled. “Elise, my sweet, I asked you a question.” 

She winced in his tight grip. A small tight sound 
escaped her throat. He had to be bio-mechanically 
augmented. Ordinary people just didn’t move that 
fast. Now she was scared. “Masturbation. Orgasm 


releases it.” 

The Scion sighed. “And there is my answer to his 
escape. He fed on your orgasm.” He released her and 
waved at the clothes he’d tossed on the floor. “Get 
dressed.” He turned away. 

Elise grabbed for her clothes. 

The Scion scowled. “No, not those rags; wear what 
I brought you.” 

Elise was too unnerved to argue. She lifted the 
clothes he’d brought and discovered a long cream silk 
nightgown with entirely too much lace and a heavy 
velvet robe. 

The Scion paced back and forth before her door, his 
arms folded behind him. “I knew his power was 
sexual, so obviously he had you masturbate, but the 
question is; how did he feed on your release, if he 
didn’t bite?” 

Elise turned her back on him and pulled the cream 
silk over her head. The heavy material fell in rich 
folds to her ankles, but it took a bit of tugging to get 
the snug lace bodice over her breasts. It was not 
something she would have ever worn at home, the 
lace was far too form-fitting, but it was still better 
than being naked. She reached for the green robe. 

“Elise.” 

Elise’s hand clenched on the robe. She looked over 
her shoulder. 

The Scion frowned at her. “Did he masturbate 
you?” 

Elise blinked. “No, not at all.” Her cheeks warmed. 
“I did it.” By rubbing against him, but she was not 


about to mention it. 

The Scion scowled. “There was no physical 
penetration, whatsoever? Neither his fingers, nor his 
cock?” 

Elise shrugged into the velvet robe and shook her 
head. “I had my clothes on the whole time.” 

The Scion’s gaze narrowed. “Masturbation made 
you float?” 

Elise nodded, reaching for the robe’s tie-belt. 

“And you came down when you reached orgasm?” 

Elise nodded again. “Fast, too.” 

He raised his brow. “And you landed…?” 

Elise’s breath stopped. Landed? She hadn’t landed. 
Luke had held her the whole time, but that was 
probably something better off left unsaid. So, if she 
had floated…? Luke had offered to let her float until 
she ran out of power and landed… “On the bed.” 

“The bed, of course.” The Scion looked up at the 
ceiling. “Was he able to float?” 

Elise knotted the belt to the robe. “No, not at all.” 
Not until after her orgasm. 

The Scion scowled at the floor. “I’m missing 
something. I can feel it.” He opened her door and 
looked over his shoulder at her. “I will see you after 
breakfast.” He smiled pleasantly. “Good night.” He 
stepped through and closed the door behind him. The 
lock engaged. 

Elise wanted nothing more than to hurl one of the 
books that littered the room at the door. Luke was 
right; he was a prick. 

An antique book flew across the room. The 


wooden cover slapped hard into the door and fell, 
landing with an undignified fluttering thump. 

Elise nearly jumped out of her skin. Did I do that? 
She picked up the book. She had to have done it. 
She’d wanted to. The fabric and wood cover didn’t 
feel any different against her fingertips; neither did the 
wood-pulp leaves. 

She turned and looked over at the bookshelf 
stretching across the wall behind her. There had to be 
a million books on it. Some were wooden antiques 
like the one she held, but clearly half were very 
modern data disks in heavy-duty protective cases, 
and more than a few were archival data crystals from 
off-world. 

She blinked. Why this one? Why not one of the 
modern books? Data-disks were light and fragile. 
Archival crystals had a nasty tendency to explode into 
sharp fragments in a million directions at once. Her 
hands swept across the heavy cover. This one would 
have hurt more. A smile curled her lip. If she did it 
once, she could do it again. 

Elise eyed the heavily loaded bookshelves. The 
Scion might be augmented to the hilt, but she wasn’t 
exactly without resources. She hefted the book. She 
just needed a little practice… 

 

* * * * 

 

A full hour later, Elise stopped staring at books that 
simply refused to move. She tucked her feet up on the 
velvet chair in the corner on the far side of the bed 


rubbing at her pounding temples. Practice was 
proving harder than she’d thought. 

She slid a hand to the back of her neck and 
groaned. Her shoulders and upper back had 
developed aches, too. She pushed off the chair and 
wandered across the rich scarlet carpet toward the 
facility, wondering just how hot she could make the 
water in the bathtub. 

The facility was magnificent. A silver-veined white 
marble counter and bowl sink occupied the left wall 
commanded by a mirror that spread from wall to wall 
to ceiling. Creamy white fluffy towels and bathing 
cloths were folded into a neat display by the sink with 
half a dozen squeeze bottles of assorted scented soaps 
and lotions. The commode on the back wall was a 
little old-fashioned but quite pretty, with fluted 
edges. 

Elise rolled her eyes. Why anyone would want to 
beautify a commode was beyond her. 

The tiny shower stall in the far right corner was a 
simple affair with frosted glass, white marble tiling, 
chrome handrails and dual showerheads on hoses. 
Very efficient. 

On the other hand, the huge round white marble 
soaking tub that filled a full three quarters of the 
room, was pure decadence. The curved walls held a 
lovely beach and ocean scene complete with leaping 
sailfish. The showpiece of the facility, the tub was 
nearly neck deep and clearly meant for more than 
three bodies. 

Elise activated the controls on the right wall, 


wondering how long it would take for the massive 
tub to actually fill. Probably a long while. 

Water exploded from eight spigots. The tub began 
to fill with incredible speed. Steam curled and wafted. 

Her brows shot up. On second thought, perhaps 
she wouldn’t wait all that long. 

Elise turned back to the counter and collected a 
pair of fluffy towels. Her gaze drifted to the 
decorative and colorful squeeze bottles. After a few 
experimental sniffs, she chose a pair of frosted yellow 
bottles that smelled of sweet vanilla. She strode for 
the rapidly filling tub, and upended one of the bottles, 
pouring the entire contents into the swirling water. 
Foam bubbled and frothed. Her lip curled into a fierce 
smile. If she was going to be a prisoner in a cage of 
decadence, she might as well abuse what hospitality 
she could. 

The water stopped at exactly the right depth. 
Practically an entire swimming pool’s worth of water 
mounded with creamy vanilla-scented foam. 

Elise stuck her hand through the thick foam and 
into the water. The temperature was just this side of 
hot. Perfect. She dropped her robe and pulled off the 
silk gown, then eased down the curving steps into 
heated liquid bliss. 

The water was deep enough to actually swim to 
some degree, but the high mounds of bubbles made 
her choose to roll onto her back and simply float. She 
stared at the steam rising toward the domed ceiling 
painted with blue sky and clouds. 

The heat eased the aches from her body and her 


thoughts drifted into stillness. 

“Elise…” The voice was little more than a whisper. 

Elise opened her eyes, jerking upright with a 
splash. She looked all around. No one else was in the 
facility. Was she imagining things? The back of her 
skull tingled. 

“Elise. Can you hear me?” It sounded vaguely like 
Luke’s voice. 

Elise’s mouth fell open. “Luke?” 

“Yes. Are you all right?” 

“I’m fine! Where are you?” She looked around, but 
there was nothing to see. 

“Close by, and don’t speak, think. I’ll hear you.” 

Elise frowned. Telepathy? 

“Yes.” 

Elise blinked. Oh… 

“Where are you? I’m getting this impression of 
water and…vanilla?” 

Elise ran her hands through the foamy water. I’m in 
the tub. 

“Bubble bath?” However he was communicating, 
his amusement was crystal clear. 

Elise smiled. Yes. Vanilla bubbles. 

“Oh, okay. I like vanilla. Very sweet.” 

Elise frowned at the ceiling. Are you all right? 

“I’m fine. I’m back at my ship. Can you hold on 
until I collect you tomorrow at sunset?” 

Elise frowned at the bottle of frost-yellow soap 
sitting at the rim of the tub. Could she fend off the 
Scion till tomorrow sunset? Anger simmered at the 
back of her mind. 


The bottle rose a few inches, tipped to the side and 
floated. 

Shocked, Elise stared. She did it! 

The bottle dropped. 

Elise scowled at it, but the bottle refused to move 
again. “Damn.” 

“Elise, did you just…do something?” 

I just lifted a bottle of soap. But it fell. Elise sighed. I 
lifted a book earlier. She winced. Actually I threw it at 
the door. But I can’t seem to lift anything when I try 
to. 

“Ah… You need more power and tighter focus.” 

Elise rolled her eyes. More power, great… 

“Elise.” Luke’s voice held a wealth of amusement. 
“I showed you how to make power.” A curl of heated 
interest shimmered. “Go on, do it.” 

You mean… Her voice dropped to a whisper. 
Masturbate, right now? 

“Are you alone?” 

Elise looked around again. She was definitely 
alone. Yes. And talking to Luke in her head. 

“Then what’s the problem?” 

He had a point. Who was going to see? Elise 
winced. Um, okay. She moved to the back wall of the 
tub, leaned her head back on the rim and closed her 
eyes. 

“Open your eyes and picture me. Picture me 
floating right above you, watching you.” 

Elise opened her eyes and looked up at the rising 
curls of steam. She could almost imagine Luke’s form 
among the steam. The steam seemed to gather shape, 


coalescing into the vague outline of a floating man, 
his arms spread wide. Robes fluttered around him in 
a wind she couldn’t feel. 

He smiled. “There you are.” 

Elise shivered. Is that really you? 

“Yes and no. It’s an image placed there by your 
imagination.” He seemed to wince then roll his eyes. 
“It’s a little complicated, but you can look at it as how 
your mind is translating what you’re picking up from 
me telepathically. The more you concentrate the 
clearer the connection, and my image, will get. I see 
you the same way.” 

You can see me? Elise ducked lower into the water. 

“Oh, yes.” He grinned. “You look delicious under 
all those bubbles.” He seemed to drift lower, and 
closer. “Show me your belly.” 

It was an odd request, but she couldn’t see a reason 
not to. He’d already seen her breasts. He’d had her 
nipples in his mouth. She let herself rise, floating on 
the water, stretching out the line of her throat. Her 
breasts and belly surfaced above the bubbles. She 
caressed the soft roundness of her stomach, feeling a 
little exposed. Her nipples tingled under his phantom 
gaze. Her hands drifted across her breasts. Her 
nipples tightened under her palms, then ached. 

“Yes, that’s it.” He licked his lips. “Touch yourself, 
Elise.” 

Elise’s hand drifted lower, into her bright red 
lower curls, then between the plump lips to her inner 
folds. 

His gaze followed her delving fingers. “Yes, that’s 


it.” He sighed. “Open up and show me your 
sweetness.” He smiled. “Show me your secrets.” 

She spread her thighs wider and touched the 
tender point of her clit. Delight sparked, then curled 
warmly. She rubbed slowly at first, then more 
quickly. Heat gathered, coiled and pooled. Her lips 
opened on a sigh. 

Luke drifted lower, a creature of mist. “Good, very 
good.” His hand lowered and his fingers brushed 
against her belly with a whisper of tingling warmth. 
“More, but don’t cum.” 

Elise shivered under his phantom touch. A small 
spark leaped within her. She began to lift above the 
water. 

“Yes, that’s it.” Luke reached out with both hands 
to touch her belly leaving a whisper of warmth. “This 
is where your power lives. Pull it in, hold it in. Keep 
the power.” 

Elise drew in a deep breath and pulled. Her belly 
warmed and her core seemed to fill with…something. 
It felt like sexual possession, but it wasn’t solid, 
exactly. Her delving fingers encountered nothing. She 
groaned and arched her hips. The presence didn’t 
move, but something was definitely there. What is 
that? 

“It’s your power. 

She frowned. It feels like… 

“It feels like a cock.” He smiled. “Our power is 
sexual in nature so when it fills us, that’s what it feels 
like.” 

She looked up at Luke, and couldn’t stop the 


question from rising in her thoughts. Does it feel this 
way for you too? 

“Yep. If it feels exactly like I have a dick up my 
ass.” Luke grimaced. “If I hold it in too long, without 
using any of it, it feels like I’m getting fucked hard by 
it, too.” 

Elise blinked. You’ve been...? She couldn’t say it. She 
could barely imagine it. 

“Fucked?” Luke rolled his eyes. “I have fucked, 
and been fucked, by just about everything; male, 
female and otherwise.” He smiled sourly. “When you 
live on sex and are hungry, you’ll take the orgasm 
any way you can get it out of them.” 

Elise thought about Luke in the embrace of another 
man. Hard muscle moving against hard muscle… The 
sharp curl of excitement caught her off guard. 

Luke’s brows rose and he grinned. “Excited you, 
did it?” 

Elise’s cheeks heated and she looked away. It had 
but… She wasn’t sure if she liked the idea of needing 
sex to the point that she’d sleep with anyone, or 
anything. 

Luke snorted. “You won’t have to worry about 
getting your needs fed. You have me.” His smile 
sharpened. “And you’ll like my shipmate Kelso. He’ll 
definitely like you.” 

A shipmate? Elise sucked on her bottom lip. Are the 
two of you are lovers? 

“Only when we have to be.” Luke smiled sourly. 
“Kelso and I both prefer women, but some flights are 
longer than others. As I said before, when you’re 


hungry, you take what you can get. That’s why I 
came down here. I was looking for some female 
company before our next scheduled flight.” He 
drifted closer. “Having you with us is going to make 
the flight a lot more…comfortable.” 

Elise felt a sharp spurt of temper. I have no interest 
in sleeping with the both of you! 

Luke bit down on his grin. “I don’t think that’ll be 
necessary. I spoke to Kelso a little while ago. He says 
he’s found a cute little blood-doll willing to take us 
on.” 

Elise frowned. A blood-doll? 

“A blood-doll is one of us, only they like to be…” 
Luke glanced away, and smiled just a little. “They 
prefer to have the pleasure, the orgasm, rather than 
the power that comes from holding release back. They 
tend to be…submissive.” 

Elise froze. Submissive? As in: obedient, a servant? 

Luke rolled his eyes. “No, it’s not like that. 
Submissives allow their partner to dominate them 
sexually.. Most sexual submissives are bossy in all 
other areas. They can be really bitchy when they feel 
they’re not getting enough attention.” He chuckled. 
“She’ll be good for him, she’s just his type; hard on 
the outside and soft in the middle.” 

Elise winced. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know 
what Luke thought of her. The Scion had called her a 
fumbling beginner. 

Luke groaned. “Elise, don’t listen to his shit, I told 
you he was a prick.” 

Elise flinched. She hadn’t meant for him to hear 


that thought. 

Luke narrowed his gaze at her. Elise, listen to me. I 
like you exactly as you are. You’re still new at this 
sure, but that just means you have undiscovered 
depths.” He drifted close enough that his phantom 
form brushed against hers. “Depths I’m simply dying 
to explore.” 

Oh… Warmth curled around Elise’s heart. If he had 
really been there she would have kissed him. 

He smiled. “That’s better.” 

She focused on the bright blue seeping through 
Luke’s insubstantial form. It was the domed ceiling. 
She was only a body length away. 

Startled she looked over her shoulder. The water 
was far below. She was floating a lot higher than 
she’d thought. If she released the power, it was a long 
fall down. 

“Floating too high?” Luke frowned briefly. “Pull 
more of your power in slowly and you’ll ease back 
down.” 

Elise pulled more strongly. The phantom presence 
within her core gained in solidity. Her body drifted 
back down. 

Luke followed her down. “Yes, that’s it. Take it in 
slowly.” 

Elise settled down onto the water, but did not sink. 
The water was a gently rolling warm blanket beneath 
her back. It was soft, there was some give, but she did 
not penetrate the surface. She had regained gravity, 
but not completely. 

 “Very good, excellent control.” Luke smiled and 


drifted to her right side. “Now, let’s try to lift that 
soap bottle.” 

She sat up on the water. It was very strange to be 
so light that she didn’t sink. She speared her hand 
and stabbed into the water. Her brows lifted. Her 
fingers passed the surface, but it took direct force to 
do it. If she simply sat, gravity was not enough to pull 
her through. Huh… She looked over at the bottle by 
the rim of the tub. 

Luke hovered at her side. “Reach out as though 
you have an invisible hand. Hold it, but don’t 
squeeze! Just hold it.” 

Elise reached and could almost make out a misty 
curl of…something, uncoiling from her belly. The 
phantom curl closed about the bottle. She blinked. 
She could feel the smooth sides of the soap bottle, as 
though it were actually in her hand. 

Luke smiled. “That’s exactly what you should be 
feeling. Very gently, lift.” 

Elise sucked on her bottom lip. The bottle had 
weight and heft, but no more than usual. She lifted 
the bottle easily. 

“Good.” Luke nodded. “Bring it to you.” 

Elise tugged. The bottle raced toward her hand. 
She reached out and caught it, and was bowled over 
backwards by the force. She gasped. The speed and 
strength of the pull was a lot more than she’d 
thought. “Mother of Mercy!” 

“I told you, you’re strong!” Luke grinned. “Practice 
will smooth that out.” He drifted closer and dropped 
a barely felt kiss on her brow. “I have to go.” He 


smiled and began to fade apart. “See you at sunset.” 

Elise gasped. He was leaving? “Luke, wait!” 

Luke solidified. “What?” 

Elise wasn’t sure what she wanted, but she didn’t 
want him to leave. She didn’t want to be alone. 

Luke shook his head. “Elise, I’ll be back for you at 
sunset. If the school-master gives you a problem, use 
your power to throw something at him.” 

Elise blinked. “Oh!” Suddenly her appointment 
after breakfast took on an entirely different light. She 
grinned. “Okay. See you at sunset!” 

Luke smiled. “Don’t forget to get some sleep.” His 
image drifted into mist. “Good night, love.” 

And he was gone. 

Rocking atop the undulating bathwater, Elise 
stared at the place where he had been. He’d said, 
good-night…love. The bottle dropped from her hand 
with a soft splash. 


 

 

 

 

 

 

- Three - 

 

 

F
ace down in the massive bed, Elise pressed her face 
into the pillow and shifted uneasily among the silk 
sheets. The bed was too wide, the pillows too thick 
and too plentiful, and it was entirely too warm in the 
room. She’d already tossed half the pillows onto the 
floor and shoved the blankets off, but she just 
couldn’t get comfortable. The cream silk nightgown 
had a nasty habit of rising and bunching, or twisting, 
in all the wrong places, too. 

To make matters worse, the power filling her core 
had solidified into a warm hard presence that was 
definitely shifting within her. It felt like it was slowly 
sliding out, and then slowly sliding back in. 

And it was driving her insane. What her power 
was doing to her was completely unlike the time her 
betrothed had taken her virginity. This didn’t hurt. It 
actually felt pretty damned good. Too good. Her 
thighs were slick and wet with excitement. Now, I 
know what the girls meant when they talked about a slow, 
delicious screw. 

It was impossible to even think about trying to 
sleep with the tension growing in her belly. 


The power gave a sudden short thrust. 

Elise moaned and grabbed for the power, forcing it 
still with her thoughts. Sweat formed across her lower 
back. She knotted her fingers in the pillow to keep 
from reaching down to give herself some relief. Damn 
it, she was supposed to be holding it in. 

The power thrust again, harder and deeper. 

Elise gasped and gripped the pillow with both 
hands, panting for breath. She was not going to get 
any sleep this way. She had to do something. 

Elise flipped over onto her back and reached for 
the hem of her nightgown. Knees spread wide, she 
cupped her mound and parted the very wet outer 
lips. Her flesh was hot, swollen and very slick. She 
touched the small, knot of her clit. Fire blazed up her 
spine. She arched hard and gasped. She was right on 
top of an orgasm. 

She rubbed gently across the hard knot of flesh. 
Sparks danced and her entire body jolted with near 
painful delight. A small moan escaped her lips. She 
stroked her wet flesh, writhing and shuddered in 
agonizing delight, her toes curled with tension. 

It wasn’t enough. She needed more. 

She cupped her breast and tugged on a hard 
nipple. She panted, moaning, her body shaking the 
mattress. Her moans turned to whimpers. It still 
wasn’t enough. She was so close, so close…and she 
couldn’t go over! 

“Elise…” 

Elise opened her eyes in the darkness. 

Luke was a pale shadow floating above her. “Elise, 


stop, you’ll only make it worse.” 

Elise gasped softly and shuddered in need. “But 
you told me orgasm would release it.” 

Luke glanced away. “It would have if you hadn’t 
let it go so far. You should have masturbated when I 
left you.” 

Elise’s mouth fell open. “Are you saying I can’t…?” 

Luke shook his head slowly. “You’ve built up too 
much power. You’re going to need my help to cum.” 

Elise hit the mattress with her fist. “I can’t take this! 
Luke, what do I do?” 

Luke sighed. “You have to bleed your power off by 
using it. Let yourself float. You’re radiating quite a bit 
of power so I doubt you’ll fall, but it should ease up 
enough for you to sleep some.” He smiled. “You’ll 
probably be up against the ceiling, so grab a pillow 
before you go up.” 

Elise groaned and reached behind her for her 
pillow. “Great. I suppose floating is better than 
being…like this.” She relaxed her hold on the power 
within her. Her hair and gown lifted and floated. The 
insistent pressure within her core eased. She sighed 
and wafted up from the mattress. She looked over at 
Luke. “Fine, so I’m sleeping on the ceiling. Then 
what?” 

 Luke chuckled and rose with her. “In the morning 
you should have used enough power to comfortably 
contain the rest and come back down. Then, just keep 
using some of your power until sunset. I’ll help you 
then.” 

Elise stroked a palm across her tummy and 


stretched. Floating in the air actually felt more 
comfortable, and cooler than the mattress. “I have to 
wait until sunset? Can you come any sooner?” 

 “I have to wait until Kelso and his girl get back. 
He says he’s on the other side of the continent. I think 
he’s just buying more time in the sack.” Luke grinned. 
“He’s a greedy bastard when it comes to sex.” 

Elise shot a narrow glare at Luke’s phantom form. 
“This isn’t funny.” 

Luke raised a brow. “Funny? I assure you, my stiff 
dick is not happy with me right now. If I could be 
there with you I would.” 

Else frowned. “You’re…excited?” 

“I’ve been rock hard since I left you.” Luke’s eyes 
narrowed and his smile broadened. “I am dying to 
hear you cum as I fuck you.” 

Elise felt the hair on the back of her neck rise and 
jerked upright in mid-air, clutching the pillow to her 
stomach. “What? Oh, I don’t know if I want to…do 
that.” 

Luke drifted closer. “Elise, it takes orgasm to bleed 
off power, and you have a lot of power. How did you 
think I was going to do it? We’re going to have to 
fuck.” 

Elise clutched the pillow tighter. “We didn’t have 
to last time.” 

Luke’s arms spread. “You floated on a kiss, Elise. 
One kiss. You masturbated this time and held it for 
several hours. If I took you right now, it would take at 
least two strong orgasms before you stopped floating. 
By the time I get to you at sunset, it’s going to take 


more than just sex before your feet will even touch 
the ground.” 

Elise swallowed. “More than just sex?” 

Luke nodded. “I’m going to have to drink you.” He 
licked his lips and his gaze focused on her throat. 
“I’m going to have to take your blood and drink your 
power straight from your veins.” 

Elise’s mouth dried. “Drink…my blood?” She 
shivered but at the same time a wet throb struck in 
her core. Her chin lifted. “You’re not serious, are 
you?” 

Luke smiled. “Very serious.” His gaze did not 
leave her throat. “I’m betting your power tastes like 
raw fire.” His gaze lifted to hers. “My bite will make 
you cum very hard, Elise. Very, very hard. It’s not like 
a normal orgasm.” 

“It’s not?” Her voice came out in a squeak. She 
couldn’t imagine anything more intense than what 
they had shared earlier. 

“When I ride you that first time, and my teeth find 
your throat…” Luke drifted right up against her. She 
could almost feel his warmth against her skin. “Your 
release won’t be just your body; it’ll be your power, 
too.” He leaned close, his phantom lips right near her 
ear, and whispered. “I expect it will make us both 
scream.” 

Elise jerked back. 

He was gone. 

Elise turned face down and looked for him. He was 
nowhere in the darkened room. Her back gently hit 
the ceiling and pressed lightly. She set the pillow 


behind her head. “Great, I’m sleeping on the ceiling.” 
A yawn stretched her jaw. She turned her face into 
the pillow’s softness. Sleep began to drift through her. 

Her last thought was a vague image of Luke lying 
on his back, knees up, completely naked. He moaned 
as his fist pumped up and down the graceful curve of 
his shaft. He gasped and cum spilled over his fingers. 
She could almost smell it. 

A smile curved her lips, and sleep took her. 

 

* * * * 

 

“Miss? Miss, are you in there?” 

Elise yawned and rolled over onto her back. 
“Yeah?” 

Something fell and shattered. 

Elise’s eyes snapped open. She stared at the floor 
so very far below her and gasped. She’d utterly 
forgotten that she was on the ceiling. Because of the 
way she was floating, it hadn’t felt like the ceiling at 
all. 

Below her in the bedroom doorway, a middle-aged 
woman stood staring up at her. Her silver-streaked 
brown hair was coiled tight to her skull and she wore 
a knee-length uniform dress of dark blue. A black 
pitcher lay shattered at her feet with liquid pooled 
around it. 

Elise winced. Oops… Looks like I scared the help. 
Well, at least the service fem wasn’t screaming. Elise 
sat up as though it was perfectly normal to be asleep 
on the ceiling and smiled as warmly as she could. 


“Um, good morning?” Her inner computational 
chronometer said it was just after dawn, so it was 
definitely morning. 

The service fem glanced from side to side, then 
looked back up. She cleared her throat and pasted on 
a smile. “I have set your breakfast on the table in the 
sitting room.” She nibbled on her bottom lip. 
“Though with you being…up there, and all?” 

“Oh, I’ll be right down.” Clutching the pillow, Elise 
closed her eyes and drew her power in. It filled her 
core with gentle ease, completely without the insistent 
pressure she’d felt last night. Oh, yes, much better… 
Gravity began to pull her down and she opened her 
eyes. 

The service fem watched Elise descend, eyes wide. 

Elise landed gently on the bed, set the pillow 
down, then stepped off the mattress in a slow easy 
jump. She turned, picked up the green velvet robe 
and stuffed her arms into her robe. “There, you see?” 

The woman nodded in quick jerks. 

Elise took a long floating step toward the door. 

The woman stepped back sharply. He foot landed 
on a shard from the fallen pitcher and crunched. She 
jumped, looked down, then groaned. “My apologies, 
I’ll bring you another pitcher of wine.” She knelt to 
collect the shards. 

“Wine? For breakfast?” Elise stopped and rolled 
her eyes. “That’s silly. I drink kaffa, like everybody 
else.” She moved through the doorway, trying to 
walk as normally as possible, but it was tough to do. 
She was still awfully light. Her steps kept pushing her 


forward in small bounds. 

The table in the far end of the sitting room held a 
tray with streaming covered dishes. The scent of eggs 
and bacon made Elise’s stomach grumble with 
interest. 

“Kaffa?” The woman turned and climbed to her 
feet frowning. “Oh, but His Eminence, the Scion, said 
you should have a cup of wine as soon as you woke 
up.” 

“Oh, he did, did he?” Elise turned and smiled. It 
actually hurt. Probably because of the way her teeth 
were clenched. Luke had said something about the 
Scion giving him something to drink that knocked 
him out. “His Eminence was mistaken. Ordinary 
kaffa will do for me.” She was not about to drink 
anything the Scion thought she should. 

“Very well.” The woman bobbed a curtsey. “I’ll be 
right back with a pot of kaffa.” She went to the door 
with her hands full of pitcher shards. 

Elise followed. Was the door actually unlocked? 

The woman knocked on the door. The lock 
disengaged and opened. She stepped through. 

Elise caught a glimpse of two rather large brawny 
men standing on either side outside her door. She 
scowled. Guards. 

The door closed and locked. 

Damn it. Elise stomped her foot, and rose a little off 
the floor. She rolled her eyes. Being light enough to 
float was getting annoying. She sighed and looked 
over at the table where breakfast sat. On impulse, she 
pushed off with her toes and floated toward the table. 


Her brows rose. The sensation was actually kind of 
interesting. It felt a lot like moving through very still 
water. 

Elise grabbed the edge of the table and 
maneuvered herself toward the chair seat. And got 
stuck between the chair’s back and the table’s edge. 
She groaned. The chair hadn’t been pulled out far 
enough. She turned to look at the chair. 

The chair jerked back about a pace. 

Elise’s brows lifted. She actually hadn’t meant to 
do that, but it was pretty much what she’d wanted. 
She sat and reached for the covered dishes. Maybe 
having power wasn’t going to be so annoying after 
all? 

 

* * * * 

 

Someone knocked. 

Elise looked down from where she rested stretched 
out and floating comfortably only a few feet from the 
ceiling. It was probably the Scion, but he was late. He 
had said he was going to visit after breakfast but 
according to her inner chronometer, it was several 
hours past noon and closing in on dinnertime. She 
shot a narrow glare at the door. Fine, be late. She 
turned back to the pillow that floated before her and 
the book she was reading. It took only a suggestion of 
thought to turn the page. 

The door opened. 

Although Elise was supremely uninterested in 
anything the Scion had to say, she found her gaze 


drawn. He was accompanied by a man and a woman 
that had to be a pair of the most beautiful people 
she’d ever seen. And they matched. They both had 
long, nearly white hair and sculpted bodies; both 
wore skin-tight black leather pants with boots that 
buckled up to their thighs. Their only difference in 
dress was that the female wore a plain black bandeau 
that barely contained her generous breasts. 

They simply oozed sex. 

Elise’s brows rose. They had to be the Scion’s 
concubines, but why did he bring them to her room? 

The Scion looked about. “Elise?” 

Elise smiled. If she was lucky, he wouldn’t bother 
looking up and think she escaped. If she was really 
lucky he’d walk out, leaving the door unlocked. 

The Scion looked up. His brows lifted. 

Elise scowled. Damn. The service fem must have 
told him about her being on the ceiling. 

The Scion lifted a golden brow. “Elise, what are 
you doing up there?” 

Both of the beautiful people looked up. Their eyes 
went wide. 

Elise gave him her sweetest smile. “I’m reading. 
There isn’t much else to do.” 

The Scion folded his hands behind him. “Would 
you come down here and join us please, I would like 
you to meet my companions.” 

Elise’s brows shot up. He wanted her to meet his 
concubines? She took a breath and sighed. She 
couldn’t think of a good enough reason not to; other 
than the fact that her power had begun to make its 


presence known within her--even with the floating. 
She collected the pillow and the book, tucking them 
under her arm and eased upright. 

Crossing her ankles, she pulled in her energy and 
let gravity take gentle hold of her. As she descended, 
her skirts fluttered around her and the power became 
uncomfortably solid within her. Well, she’d have 
plenty of energy to toss books at him if he proved 
difficult. 

The Scion’s gaze sharpened. “It seems that you 
have gained quite a bit of control over your powers 
since yesterday.” 

A full three strides from the Scion and his, 
companions, Elise stopped her descent with her feet 
only inches from the floor. She just couldn’t make 
herself meet the floor. The power was too 
uncomfortably solid to hold any more inside her. “It 
seems to have increased, too.” That was far too true 
by far. She felt positively stuffed. 

The Scion nodded. “So I see.” He turned to his 
companions. “This is Kitty and Todd. They are among 
my personal staff.” 

The pale-couple nodded. Their brilliant blue eyes 
were wide but they smiled with full sensual mouths. 
They were absolutely stunning up close, and tall. 
Their heads were about even with the Scion’s. 

Elise couldn’t think of a word to say to them. How 
were you supposed to greet someone’s concubines? 
She smiled and nodded. 

The Scion took a casual step toward Elise. “The 
service fem told me that you were not interested in 


the wine?” 

Elise broadened her smile and drifted back from 
him. “Nobody drinks wine with breakfast.” 

The Scion smiled. “Or midday supper?” 

Elise shrugged very casually. “I’m not much of a 
wine drinker.” 

He lifted his chin and his smile broadened. “Then 
perhaps you won’t mind sharing a glass with us with 
dinner?” 

Elise felt her smile slip. “I’d rather not.” 

The Scion sighed dramatically. “I somehow 
thought you would feel that way.” He shook his head 
then shot her a narrow glance. “Apparently that pilot 
told you quite a lot in my absence.” 

Elise leveled a cool stare at the Scion. “He told me 
enough.” 

The Scion’s brows lifted. “I see. Well, then…” He 
glanced at his companions and nodded slightly. 

Both concubines lunged for her with stunning and 
inhuman speed. 

Elise gasped and grabbed for her power, lunging 
upward. Their hands closed tight around her wrists, 
jerking her forcibly and painfully to a halt. 

Todd laughed. “Oh, don’t go!” His voice held a 
velvety purr. 

Kitty smiled. “We only bite if you ask nicely.” Her 
voice was deep and throaty. 

Elise fought their hold but her arms didn’t have the 
physical strength to lift them more than a few inches 
from the ground. They were simply too heavy. Her 
arms were not augmented, but theirs clearly were. 


She was dragged down and stretched between them. 
“Let me go!” She kicked out. 

“Easy, sweetness.” While holding Elise’s left wrist 
Todd grabbed her left ankle with his free hand. “We 
only want to get to know you!” 

Kitty caught hold of Elise’s right ankle with her 
free hand. “We’re not going to hurt you!” 

With one hand each on Elise’s ankles and wrists, 
they spread her out, floating on her back between 
them. 

Elise jerked and twisted in their hold, but couldn’t 
break free. “I said, let go!” 

Kitty grinned at Todd. “So fierce!” 

Todd chuckled. “Passionate, I’d say.” 

The Scion shook his head. “We need to drain that 
power of hers immediately.” 

“Drain me?” Elise froze. “What?” 

Kitty took both of Elise’s wrists, letting Todd take 
Elise’s ankles. “Same way as with the other?” 

The Scion smiled. “Yes. Would you like to do the 
honors?” 

Todd shot Kitty a narrowed glance. “I thought it 
was my turn?” 

The Scion’s brows shot up. “If you are so 
inclined?” 

Todd laughed. “Are you kidding? I love breaking 
in beginners.” 

The Scion nodded. “Very well then, she’s yours.” 

Elise froze. “His?” This had better not be what it 
was starting to sound like. 

The Scion lifted his chin. 


The matched pair nodded and began towing Elise 
head first toward the bedroom doorway. 

The bedroom? The hair on Elise’s neck rose. “Oh, no, 
I am not doing anything with anybody in the 
bedroom!” 

The Scion followed in their wake and smiled, his 
sea-green eyes blazing with chilling amusement. 
“Elise, surely you have no objection to 
some…pleasurable entertainment?” 

Elise jerked at her arms and twisted. “No! 
Absolutely not! Not with any of you!” 

“I’m afraid you don’t have much choice in the 
matter.” The Scion grinned as he followed them into 
the bedroom. “Your mother’s acceptance reply came 
in first thing this morning. Apparently she didn’t 
even question the fact that the document made no 
mention of marriage, merely ownership. You are 
legally part of my household.” 

Elise felt her temper spark white-hot. “You’re 
lying!” 

 Kitty set her knee on the broad bed, “No, I’m 
afraid he’s not.” She climbed up, tugging Elise after 
her. 

“Sorry, sweetness.” Todd kept a firm grip on 
Elise’s ankles, positioning her with her butt barely on 
the edge of the bed. “We were there when the 
documents arrived.” 

“It’s not so bad, really.” Kitty turned on the broad 
bed and knelt. “Once you get used to it.” She pinned 
Elise’s wrists on the mattress between Kitty’s spread 
knees. 


The Scion nodded. “I can be a very generous 
master.” 

Stretched taut across the mattress between Kitty 
and Todd, Elise bucked hard but couldn’t fight their 
augmented strength. “No, I’m not yours! I didn’t 
agree! You don’t have my mark!” 

“I didn’t need your mark. I had your presence on 
my property. That was legal agreement enough.” The 
Scion stepped to the foot of the bed and smiled. “As I 
said before, the law is flexible where I am concerned.” 

Elise bared her teeth at the master of Emeritus. 
“You bastard!” 

The Scion smile sharpened. “I can be, if that is what 
you prefer.” 

Todd pulled Elise’s ankles wide. 

Elise gasped and her head came up. “Hey! Stop 
that!” 

“Easy, sweetness.” Todd smiled, his blue eyes hot 
with intent. “I only want a taste.” He stepped 
between her spread thighs, pushing the green velvet 
robe and cream silk of Elise’s nightgown higher. 

Kitty gripped both of Elise’s wrists in one hand 
and leaned over her. “Todd, dear, let me help you 
with that.” She unknotted Elise’s robe and jerked it 
open. 

Elise gasped. “Please don’t help!” 

Kitty smiled. “But I like being helpful.” She tugged 
the creamy silk of Elise’s nightgown up, revealing her 
bright red feminine curls and then the soft curve of 
her belly. 

A small whimper escaped Elise’s lips and her 


cheeks burned with embarrassment. 

“Thank you, love.” Todd grinned. “Oh, look, a 
natural red-head, too!” He released Elise’s ankles, and 
grasped her around the thighs. “That pussy looks 
juicy and smells delicious.” He licked his lips. “In fact, 
I’d say she was masturbating right before we walked 
in.” 

Elise hissed and bared her teeth. She hadn’t 
actually, but the power had been boiling in her core 
all damned day. “Get off me!” 

“Now, now, play nice, little girl.” Kitty tugged 
harder, pulling the gown all the way up past Elise’s 
breasts. “And we’ll play nice with you.” 

“Speaking of nice…” Todd’s brows rose. “Those 
are some nice tits.” He leaned down, his gaze locked 
to Elise’s. 

Elise yelped. “Stop! Right now!” 

“Are you sure, sweet?” He pressed a kiss to the 
bottom edge of her breast. His tongue brushed 
against her skin in a damp caress. 

Elise’s entire body went rigid, her mind focused 
entirely on the hot wet mouth moving on her skin. 
She couldn’t catch her breath. The power in her belly 
coiled tightly and shifted hungrily. It wanted… 
Mother of Mercy, she wanted. Her thighs jerked apart 
all by themselves in blatant invitation. 

Kitty smiled. “I don’t hear any more ‘stops’..” 

Todd’s lips curved in to a smile that reeked with 
male satisfaction. “Neither do I.” His lips and tongue 
inched closer to her rigid nipple. 

Elise sucked in a breath and trembled with raw 


and near painful expectant tension. 

Todd’s mouth closed on Elise’s nipple. He sucked. 

Fire blazed straight to her core. Elise gasped and 
arched up into his mouth. 

Todd moaned and pressed his trapped cock into 
her, rubbing directly on the swollen bud of her clit. 

Elise bucked hard against him and cried out. Her 
legs locked around Todd’s waist, pulling his leather-
restrained cock tight to her overheated and starving 
cunt. She arched up against him and moaned, unable 
to think past the shadowy boiling hunger in her belly 
and the burning ache in her core. 

Kitty grinned. “I think somebody just changed 
their mind.” 

Todd grunted and released her nipple. He sucked 
in a breath and grinned. “I’d say so.” He scraped his 
fingers down the center of her body. 

His touch was electrifying on her skin. Elise arched 
up under his hand. 

“She won’t protest again.” The Scion smiled. “The 
one thing you can count on with these magicians, is 
that their crotch will always overpower their heads.” 

“So I see.” Todd’s fingers brushed her intimate 
curls, then a long finger slid past her plump lips and 
eased among her damp folds. “She is so wet.” He 
plunged his finger into her core. 

Elise moaned and her hips bucked against his 
hand. 

Todd sighed. “Oh, look, eagerness.” He pumped 
his finger into her, flicking at something shockingly 
pleasurable deep within. 


Elise jolted with each delicious flick. She trembled 
with erotic tension, but climax did not rise. It wasn’t 
enough. She ground hard against his hand. “More!” 

Todd drove a second finger into her and licked his 
lips. “Oh, yeah, somebody definitely wants to get 
fucked.” 

The Scion lifted his chin. “No fucking; she cums, 
not you.” 

Todd’s gaze narrowed, but he nodded. 

Kitty chuckled. “I’ll take care of you when you 
finish, dearest.” 

Todd grinned at Kitty. “You always do.” He knelt 
and pushed Elise’s thighs up over his shoulders and 
curled his arms around them. “Let’s see how fast I can 
get her to cum.” 

Kitty licked her lips. “I’d give it under a minute.” 

Todd pressed his hot mouth against Elise’s hungry 
flesh. He moaned in obvious delight and lashed his 
tongue across her over-sensitive clit. “Bloody Fate, 
she tastes incredible.” The sounds of eager wet 
lapping followed. 

Elise writhed against him, boiling in a morass of 
agonizing and torturous pleasure, but climax was too 
far to reach. What he was doing wasn’t enough. It 
wasn’t nearly enough. Something vital was missing. 

Todd settled down to noisy lecherous feasting, his 
mouth and tongue sucking and nipping at her tender 
flesh even as his fingers pumped in and out of her 
body. 

Elise shuddered and moaned. The power in her 
belly shifted restlessly and expanded in complete 


contrast to the climax that came no closer. 

Todd attacked the oversensitive point of her clit. 

Elise’s breath stopped and her body went rigid. 
She shuddered hard, shaking the mattress under her, 
no closer to the edge than before. She gasped in a 
breath and howled in defeat. 

Todd lifted his head and wiped at his mouth. “It’s 
not working. She may be too overexcited to cum.” 

The Scion scowled. “Keep trying. I want that 
power bled off.” 

“Let me help.” Kitty reached down and cupped 
Elise’s breast. “Mmm, very nice indeed. Very firm, yet 
so soft.” Her thumb brushed across the hard nipple. 

Elise’s core gave an interested throb. She gasped. 
Kitty’s hand felt wonderfully exciting. She looked up 
at Kitty in shock. Several of her friends preferred 
women to men, but she’d never considered herself to 
be that way. 

Kitty smiled at Elise. “Oh, so you like that?” Her 
long nails trapped a nipple and plucked. 

Elise moaned and arched up into Kitty’s hand. 

Kitty grinned. “Sweet girl, yes, you do.” She 
looked over at Todd. “You ready for round two?” 

Todd shot a narrow glare at the Scion. “This would 
be easier if I could fuck her.” 

The Scion bared his teeth. “You almost lost control 
fucking the other one, and he was nearly drained. 
She’s at full power. You put your dick in her and 
you’ll be cumming in seconds.” 

Kitty winced. “He has a point. I nearly came just 
from sucking him off, and I wasn’t even touching 


myself.” She shivered slightly. “It was like he was 
pulling it right out of me.” 

The other one? Elise stilled between them. The only 
other person they could be talking about was Luke. 
They had done this to Luke? 

The Scion’s jaw clenched. “Make her cum. Now.” 

Todd pressed his mouth to Elise’s wet flesh with 
renewed determination. 

Every thought in Elise’s head evaporated under a 
wave of intense sensation. She moaned and 
shuddered. 

His gentle licks became deep tongue forays 
punctuated by hard suction. His teeth nipped sharply 
at her folds and her clit. 

Kitty leaned down, her long silky hair spilling 
across Elise’s shoulders. Her mouth closed on one 
nipple as her fingers tugged mercilessly at the other. 

Elise thrashed between them, moaning and 
bucking, drowning a torturous delight too intense to 
withstand. The power swelled angrily, a hot, hard 
weight in her belly that pushed painfully at her 
body’s limits. But release would not come. 

Todd clamped down on her clit and sucked hard. 

Agony blazed in a bolt of white-hot fire straight up 
Elise’s spine. The power burst in her belly. A volcanic 
eruption of black hunger spread through her 
bloodstream in a river of midnight fire. She arched off 
the bed and screamed. 

Kitty flinched back but didn’t release Elise’s wrists. 
“Damn.” 

The bed rattled under them then heaved; the feet 


lifting from the floor and slamming down. 

Todd fell back from between Elise’s thighs. “The 
damned bed is coming off the floor!” 

“It’s haunted!” Kitty screamed and rolled from the 
bed, pressing back against the far wall. 

“It’s not haunted!” The Scion jumped back 
shouting, but was barely audible past the thumping 
feet of the bucking bed. “It’s her fucking power!” 

The heavy wooden bed frame cracked and 
shattered, spilling the mattress and pillows to the 
floor. 

Elise remained where she was, floating. The 
darkness in her spilled from her skin in rippling 
shadows full of breathtaking rainbows. It wrapped 
around her in a warm glittering blanket, turning her 
body with it. Surprise and delight echoed though her. 
This felt right, this felt good. 

The power unfolded and coalesced into a long and 
slender scaled shape of sinuous midnight beauty that 
solidified, taking on mass and breadth. 

Free, at last. 

She carefully lifted her long, elegant head at the 
end of her serpentine neck. The ridges along the top 
of her head brushed the ceiling. Her clawed hands 
and feet floated barely above the floor of a room that 
was far too small for her. She looked around, puzzled. 
A small burst of fright shimmered through her. She 
couldn’t quite grasp what she was doing in this small 
space or how she’d gotten in it. 

A very small man in long robes stood with his back 
to the room protectively pressing another man and a 


woman tightly into a corner. Locked in a mutual 
embrace, they were a very small presence in the far 
corner. 

Were they supposed to be that small? She couldn’t 
quite remember. 

The silence was deafening. 

“Is it over?” The woman’s whisper seemed loud as 
a shout. 

The man in the long robes turned and gasped. 
“Elise! Mother of Mercy…” 

Elise? Something shifted in her mind. Oh, that was 
her name. 

The other man lifted his head and stared up at her. 
“Oh, fuck…is that a dragon?” 

The robed man urged the two others along the wall 
toward the door. “Dragons are creatures of myth.” 

The other man scowled. “I know that, but what 
else would you call that?” 

The woman looked over her shoulder. “She’s 
actually pretty, if she wasn’t so damned scary.” 

The robed man snorted at the other man. “And just 
think; you wanted to fuck it.” They hurried through 
the doorway. 

Fuck it? Memory crashed down on Elise’s head. 
The Scion and his concubines. Anger blazed. Her 
head rose and brushed the ceiling. I’ll show them some 
fucking… 

“Incredible! Can you imagine what the council will 
say when I bring her before them?” The Scion’s 
delighted voice carried from the other room. 

“Are you kidding?” Todd’s voice was hoarse. 


“They’d never believe she’s real! Blood and Fury, I 
don’t believe she’s real, and I saw it happen!” 

“When she transforms right in the middle of the 
hall, they’ll believe. But, I need to gain control over 
her power quickly. We’ll wait until whatever that is 
wears off and try again.” 

 “I’d rather not, if it’s all the same to you.” Kitty’s 
voice was a touch tight. “I think I’ve had enough 
magic for one day.” 

Elise ducked down and thrust her narrow head 
through doorway. 

The Scion had his back to her with his hands on his 
hips. “That isn’t magic.” He tossed the long tail of his 
blond hair over his shoulder, and it fell down his 
back. “There is no such thing as magic.” 

“She changed right in front of us!” Todd rolled his 
eyes as he paced in front of the closed door with his 
arms folded. “What else would you call it?” 

The Scion sighed. “I’m sure there’s a rational 
explanation for it.” 

Todd shot a glare at him. “Good, because I’m 
dying to hear it!” 

Kitty turned around and stared at Elise. “Great 
Mother, she’s coming after us!” 

The Scion looked over his shoulder. “That’s just 
her head. Relax, the rest of her is too big to pass 
through the doorway.” 

Elise tilted her head. Too big? Well, if she could get 
this big, then she could get smaller, too. She drew on 
her power. It shimmered and rippled, part of it 
folding within. She stretched out her arm and 


extended a hand that had become a forefinger and 
thumb with the last three fingers elongated into the 
long bones of her wings. She pulled. Her thumb and 
finger claws tore furrows in the red carpet. Her 
shoulders eased through the snug doorway. 

Todd’s mouth tightened to a white line. “I think 
you need to look again!” He banged on the door to 
the room. “Let us out!” 

The Scion turned around and scowled. “Damned 
witch-beast.” 

Kitty trilled out a nervous laugh. “I thought you 
said it wasn’t magic?” 

The Scion grabbed Kitty by the arm and pushed 
her toward the door. “Remind me to beat you later.” 

Kitty bit down on her lip. “If we live that long.” 

The door opened and three of them rushed out. 
The door slammed closed behind them, and locked. 

Elise eased the rest of the way through the 
doorway. Her tail lashed and her lips lifted from her 
long sharp teeth. A growl rumbled. They were not 
getting away that easily. That puny door was not 
going to stop her. 

The heavy black oak door crashed open. 

Elise blinked. Damn… She had barely formed the 
thought. She shoved her long scaled head through the 
open door. 

The armored guards that she had seen posted to 
either side had fallen in the hallway. They took one 
look at her and fled. 

Guilt stabbed through Elise. She lowered her head. 
She hadn’t meant to knock them down, just open the 


door. Her keen sense of smell detected the Scion’s 
perfumed soap. She looked up the hallway. That 
way… She eased all the way into the hallway and set 
after him. 


 

 

 

 

 

 

- Four - 

 

 

F
ollowing the scent of the Scion’s amberwood soap, 
Elise floated through the university’s narrow, but 
not impossible hallways. She was big, but her 
serpentine body was considerably more length than 
width, and quite supple. 

However her wings were proving somewhat 
problematical. When she tried to walk on her hands 
and feet, the last three fingers--her wings--tilted up 
and scraped nastily along the low ceiling making the 
plaster fall. She had been forced to float with her arms 
tucked tight to her sides. Even more annoying, the 
nearly body-length finger bones were completely 
inflexible. She simply could not maneuver around a 
truly sharp corner or go up a staircase that wasn’t 
wide enough to let her to float straight up the middle. 
Not without dropping size again. 

Elise had no intention of dropping size. She was 
not in the mood to be small--and helpless. 

Grumbling rather loudly, Elise was forced on a 
fairly straight route. To make matters worse, her tail 
seemed to have a mind of its own, and apparently it 
liked knocking things over. She couldn’t seem to stop 


overturning tables and bookcases with it. In addition, 
the ridges on her long wings had a habit of catching 
on pictures and wall hangings. She was leaving 
something of a mess behind her. 

Elise’s route eventually took her to the broad and 
high-arched upper hallways, where all the classrooms 
were located. She progressed slowly, floating as close 
to the ceiling as she could. She had no interest in 
hurting anyone accidentally. 

A knot of gray-robed students stepped out of a 
doorway directly below her. They froze and looked 
up. Their eyes opened wide, then their mouths. As 
one, they screamed and fled back through the door 
they’d come out of. 

People came out of classrooms, drawn by screams. 
Everyone stopped, stared and then panicked, 
teachers, students and staff. Screams and shouts 
echoed through the halls. Papers went flying as they 
scrambled back into classrooms. Doors slammed. 

Elise snorted in cynical amusement. Goodness, you’d 
think they’d never seen a mythical creature before! 

A young man in teacher’s robes stepped out of a 
room with his head buried in his book. Completely 
oblivious, he walked right under her and went into a 
room across the hall. He closed the door quietly 
behind him. 

Elise counted to three. 

The door opened back up and the teacher stuck his 
head out, looked up, saw her and screamed. He 
jerked back in and slammed the door closed. 

She rolled her eyes and continued through a wide 


cross hallway. Arched narrow windows marched 
along the right side revealing the deep blue of early 
twilight. Classrooms gave way to offices and 
audience chambers. 

More people, more papers tossed in the air, more 
yelling, more screaming. 

Elise winced. It was nice that no one seemed 
inclined to try to stop her, but the high-pitched 
screaming was getting on her nerves. She was big, 
sure, but she hadn’t threatened anybody. A liquid 
growl rumbled. Not yet anyway. 

The scent of the Scion’s soap led her to a door on 
her immediate left. The door was very small. She’d 
have to return to her other form if she was going to go 
through it. 

She didn’t want to. She liked being this way. But, 
she wasn’t getting through that door in this shape. 

Elise dropped her head. Damn. She lifted her head 
and looked up the hallway. It looked fairly familiar. 
She was close to the university’s main entry hall and 
the big doors. She looked back at the small door the 
Scion had passed through, then gazed back toward 
the exit. 

What in Mercy was she doing? Why was she 
bothering with chasing the Scion down when she 
could simply walk out of the University and go 
home? For goodness sake, she could fly home! 

Screw him. She shook her head and headed for the 
main hall. It’s not as if he can come get me. He’d have to 
bring the national militia. She could just hear him 
asking to borrow a battalion to chase down a dragon. 


If she could have smiled, she would have. 

Elise reached the four-story high main entrance 
hall with a complete sense of relief. The halls had 
begun to feel decidedly cramped. Marble columns 
lined the walls with the master staircase rising at the 
back, but the floor’s center was blessedly clear of both 
people and furniture. She had room to move at last. 

She dropped to the floor and headed for the 
massive double doors leading to the outside. Down 
on her hands and feet, her body moved oddly, rather 
like a snake, and her tail had a tendency to lash. 
Luckily there wasn’t anything to knock over. 

Elise glared at the closed doors, wanting them 
open. 

The doors remained closed. 

Temper sparked. She wanted out. She pulled back 
her head. If she couldn’t open the doors with her 
power, she’d open them with brute force. 

“Elise.” 

She froze. That sounded like… Luke? She lifted her 
head but she couldn’t see anything or anyone. 

“Yes, it’s me. I’m very impressed with your 
transformation, love, but it’s time to go back to your 
other form.” 

Where are you? Elise circled, coiling her long body 
close. She had to lift her wings a little to do it, they 
simply didn’t bend the way the rest of her did. I just 
want to go home. 

“I’m right here, and we’re going home as soon as 
you return to your other form.” 

My other form? Elise looked all around but saw 


nothing, only the marble walls and the master 
staircase arching up to the upper halls and private 
chambers. But I like being this way. 

“Elise, we all prefer this shape, but you can’t wear 
it around people. It frightens them too much.” 

Her head lifted. You have this shape too? 

He laughed. “Of course. You’re one of my kind.” 

She sat up on her haunches. Can I see it? 

Luke chuckled. “Absolutely! But not right now.” 

She dropped back down onto her hands, 
disappointed. Why not? 

“Elise, I’m a lot older in power than you are. I 
wouldn’t fit inside this building.” 

Older in power? Elise tilted her head. Then I’m 
going to get bigger? 

Luke sighed. “Much bigger. You’re only a 
hatchling. When you achieve full strength, you’ll fly 
between the stars. Remember when I said we have an 
instinct for piloting? Now you know why.” 

Elise shook her head. Fly between the stars? Did he 
mean flying in space? That didn’t make sense. 

“Neither does transforming into a dragon. Magic, 
remember? Return to your other form.” 

Elise dropped her head. I don’t want to go back to 
being…small. And helpless. 

Luke chuckled. “Elise, you’ll never be small again. 
You’ll only look small. Your power will still reflect 
this size. Transform.” 

She turned and faced the door. She didn’t want to 
transform, she wanted to go home. 

“Elise, you can’t go back to your other life. I told 


you that. You’re home is with your kind, with me. 
Return to your other form.” 

Elise pressed the flat of her head against the 
wooden doors. I am going home, my home. She pushed. 
She couldn’t budge it. 

“The door will not open for you.” 

Elsie dug her clawed hands and feet into the floor 
and pushed with all her strength. It didn’t even 
groan. She reached out a clawed hand and raked it 
down the wood. She didn’t leave a scratch. 

She couldn’t get out. 

Elise whirled around. Fine. There were other doors. 
She headed back toward the archway leading into 
tunneling halls, her claws rattling on the marble floor. 
Her nose hit something hard, and invisible. She 
couldn’t get into the hall. Something was in her way. 

“Elise, return your other form.” 

Elise whirled around. She couldn’t go through the 
door and she couldn’t get into the halls. She couldn’t 
get out. She was trapped. Frustration and fear 
combined to make the ridges on her back rise. A 
coughing roar escaped her throat. The loud sound 
startled her. Luke, are you doing this? 

“Return to your other form, Elise.” 

She scrabbled back to the main doors. I don’t want 
to! 

“But I need you to.” 

She slammed her head against the doors. A hollow 
bong sounded, but it clearly wasn’t a sound made by 
the wooden doors. What for? 

“I can’t kiss you in that form.” 


Elise froze. Shadowy hunger clawed at her from 
within. Her blood heated with carnal greed. She 
wanted that kiss. She needed that kiss. Her form 
shimmered, then faded into a rippling whirl of 
glittering smoke that folded within with startling 
speed. 

She opened her eyes, facing towering wooden 
doors. She gasped and rocked back on her heels. 
“What am I doing here…?” And she was naked. Her 
cheeks heated and she wrapped her arms over her 
breasts. “Great Mother Mercy, where are my 
clothes?” Memory drifted like smoke. Endless 
hallways, a long sinuous body, wings… “A dragon?” 

“Elise.” 

“Huh?” She looked over her shoulder. 

Luke descended through the air, arms out and 
robes fluttering, awash in a power that rippled the air 
around him. His sun-bronzed hair fluttered at his 
cheeks as he smiled. “Miss me?” 

Elise’s mouth fell open. “Luke?” 

“What?” Luke held out his hands. “I told you I’d 
come back for you.” His eyes were thin rings of sky 
blue around wide orbs of night black. “Do you have a 
kiss for me?” 

“A kiss…?” Voracious carnal need flashed white-
hot and urgent within her. Her gaze was drawn 
downward to the strong line of a heavy erection 
tenting his suit. A spat of moisture slicked her thighs. 
She didn’t want a kiss. She wanted to feel that cock 
moving in her while bathing in the scent of his 
arousal. She wanted to hear the sound of his moans as 


he came in her body and the taste of his soul in her 
mouth… 

Shocked by the strength of the urge, she closed her 
eyes and took a deep breath. Consider rape much? 
Down, girl. She opened her eyes and smiled as sweetly 
as she could. “I’ll trade you a kiss for your robe. I’m 
kind of naked here.” 

Luke groaned. “You’d rather have my clothes than 
my kiss?” He stepped closer pulling the black robe 
from his shoulders. “I’m definitely doing something 
wrong.” He held it out with a sour smile. 

Elise took the robe from his hand and grinned. “I 
think you’ll survive.” She shoved her arms into the 
full sleeves and pulled the edges together. She didn’t 
see any fastenings of any kind. “Does this thing 
close?” 

Luke grinned. “Nope.” 

She winced and pulled the edges across her. 
“Great.” 

Luke dropped his chin and stuck out his bottom 
lip. “Now can I have my kiss?” 

Elise rolled her eyes. “Great Mother, don’t pout! 
Yes, you can have your kiss.” She took the last step to 
him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing 
her open mouth to his. 

Luke’s tongue engaged hers and his arms closed 
tight around her. One hand slid down her back to cup 
her butt, pulling her tight against a very firm erection. 
He moaned into her mouth. 

Up against his warm, solid body, breathing in his 
familiar scent, an answering moan rose from her 


throat. She rubbed her belly against the enticing ridge 
in his suit. 

“I’m pleased that you were able to return her to her 
proper form, sorcerer, but I will thank you to refrain 
from fucking my property in my own hall.” 

They broke their kiss, turning sharply to face the 
grand staircase. 

A battalion of twenty guards in deep red, marine-
issue power-armor proceeded with military haste 
down the stairs. They spilled onto the main floor in an 
orderly arc, blocking the stairs, their energy rifles 
raised and pointed directly at Elise and Luke. 

The Scion, in midnight-blue marine power armor, 
followed them at a more sedate pace, a pistol in his 
hand. “Please keep your distance from the doors, I do 
not wish to chance an energy pulse destroying them.” 
He smiled. “Wood is easily replaced, but Terran 
marble is a bitch to import.” He stopped two steps 
above the arc of marines. “I don’t even want to think 
how difficult it might be to replace a pilot.” 

Confusion made Elise frown. Where in fury had 
the Scion gotten a suit of power armor? And why 
would he need it when he was a university professor? 
Her frown deepened. The insignia splashed across the 
guards’ chests wasn’t right either. The Emeritus 
militia wore the green Eye of Mercy, not a black 
raptor. 

Luke’s arms closed tight around Elise and his lips 
pulled back into a predatory smile. “Showing your 
true colors finally?” 

The Scion shrugged. “One never really leaves one’s 


past behind.” 

Elise looked from Luke to the Scion. “What past? 
What’s going on?” 

Luke lifted his chin. “Once upon a time, your 
schoolmaster was a rather influential Imperial lord.” 

Shock knocked the wind out of her lungs. She 
gasped for breath. “An Imperial lord, here? But 
Emeritus is a colony world. We’re as far from 
Imperial space as you can get!” 

The Scion groaned. “Tell me about it. We are so far 
beyond the outer reaches that the jump-gates aren’t 
out this far. In fact, the telecommunications beacons 
don’t even reach this far.” He raised a brow. “And 
from what I understand, jump-capable ships can’t 
reach this here either, because there are no established 
coordinates to this location.” 

“Eventually there will be.” Luke took a deep breath 
but his smile did not waver. “The guild keeps 
Emeritus connected to the Imperium.” 

“Why, yes, you do.” The Scion leveled a glare at 
Luke. “The pilot’s guild has no difficulty taking ships 
on long jumps that even battleships cannot bridge, or 
transferring telecommunications. Now, how is that 
pilot? How do you jump ships that don’t have a jump 
engine, and transfer messages without a beacon?” 

Luke rolled his eyes. “I keep telling you, it’s 
magic.” 

The Scion scowled. “And I jammed enough truth 
drugs in you to discover that you actually believe it is 
magic.” 

Luke shrugged. “Sorry.” 


The Scion lowered his chin and folded his hands 
behind him. “All I want is to go home. Is that so 
terrible?” 

Luke shook his head. “I’m afraid the entire guild is 
well aware that you are in exile.” 

The Scion smiled sourly. “I gathered as much from 
our initial meeting.” 

Elise gripped Luke’s hand. “Exile?” 

Luke glanced at Elise and nodded toward the 
Scion. “Your schoolmaster caused rather a messy little 
revolution, quite some time ago, but he’s connected to 
the royal line. Rather than set him before a firing 
squad, they exiled him.” 

The Scion shrugged. “Rank occasionally has its 
privileges.” 

Luke looked around the marble hall. “You’ve done 
quite well for yourself, all things considered.” 

The Scion looked around the huge hall. “Yes, I 
suppose so. A nice little interstellar import-export 
empire, an influential master’s university, complete 
control of a city…” He delivered a dazzling and 
somewhat engaging smile. “It’s all quite nice, but I 
left something rather important behind, and I really 
like to go back and get it.” 

Luke smiled. “From what I understand, the 
Emperor is rather attached to his crown.” 

The Scion pursed his lips and sighed. “Yes, I 
suppose he is.” His icy green gaze focused on Luke. 
“But it really should be mine. I am the elder brother.” 

Luke shook his head and leaned close to Elise. 
“He’s a little obsessive” he whispered. 


Elise winced and whispered back. “I can see that.” 

“You believe in magic, I believe in destiny.” The 
Scion shrugged. “Not so very different.” 

Luke sighed. “I’m sorry, Lord-general, but the 
guild is under compact with the Emperor to ensure 
that you never reach the Imperium.” 

“For how long?” 

“To the end of your line.” 

“I see.” The Scion winced. “Harsh, don’t you 
think?” 

“That’s something you’ll have to take up with the 
guild’s Prince, but considering your less than peaceful 
history with Prince Vladimir, and your current 
activities…?” Luke shrugged, then smiled. “I really 
wouldn’t hold my breath.” 

“No hope at all?” 

“I’d say…” Luke raised his brows and contrived to 
look as though he were considering the situation. 
“Not a chance.” He smiled. 

“Then, I’m afraid this little engagement is over.” 
He raised the pistol. “Please step away from my 
property, pilot.” 

Elise felt her temper rise and her power surged 
with it. “I’m not your property, ass-hole.” 

“The legal paperwork I have says you are.” The 
Scion smiled. “Be a good girl and back away from the 
sorcerer.” 

Luke’s brows dropped and his mouth tightened. 
“She can’t take a ship on a jump. She doesn’t know 
how.” 

“Oh, I know that.” The Scion waved his hand in a 


negligent manner. “However, you have finally 
convinced me that your guild might have some 
interest in having her.” He smiled. “I would like you 
to go back to your prince and propose a trade. One 
little sorceress for a ship into Imperial space.” 

Luke’s eyes narrowed. “He won’t make that 
trade.” 

“Oh, that’s too bad. I guess he won’t have a 
sorceress.” The Scion smiled and his gaze chilled to 
green ice. 

Luke’s arms tightened around Elise. “You can’t 
handle her.” 

“I handled you.” 

“You drugged me.” 

“If something works...” The Scion lifted his chin 
and looked to the right. 

A guard lifted a bolt rifle and pointed it towards 
Elise. A bright pink tuft stuck out on one side. A 
guard on the right pointed an identical rifle at Luke. 

The Scion smiled at Luke. “Considering the 
wildlife this planet possesses, tranquilizer bolts are 
not that difficult to come by.” 

The hair on Elise’s neck rose. Pink-tufted? What did 
he think they were; dire bears? That dose would kill a 
person! 

Luke’s mouth tightened. “That’s not going to 
work.” 

Elise grabbed Luke’s arm and focused her 
thoughts. Luke, go invisible; like you were before. 

Luke flashed a quick smile at her. It’s not necessary. 

The Scion lifted his chin. “Shoot them.” 


There were two loud reports. 

Elise screamed, grabbing for the power simmering 
within her, and exploded in a mass of blinding black 
rainbows. Fanged, scaled and violently angry, she 
thrust out her wings, scattering armored guards like 
dolls. 

Energy pulses echoed and flashed. Black scars 
marked the pale marble walls and columns. 

Elise felt nothing so she ignored them. She lunged 
for the stairs and reached out with her left hand to 
slap a massive and heavy thumb and forefinger down 
onto the Scion’s chest, pinning him to the stairs. The 
last three fingers of her left wing mantled over the 
stairs. She arched her long neck back in a serpent’s 
strike, opened her fanged mouth and screamed in his 
face. 

The Scion bared his teeth and screamed right back 
in fury. “Get off me!” 

Luke drifted through the air and landed next to 
him on the stairs. “Elise, don’t bite his head off, he 
probably tastes nasty.” 

Elise rumbled a liquid growl. I wasn’t going to bite 
him! 

Luke bit back a smile. I know that, and you know that, 
but the Lord-general here could use a lesson in biting off 
more than he can chew. 

The Scion gasped for breath. “Get this witch-beast 
off me!” 

Luke smiled. “I thought you could handle her?” 

The Scion’s face reddened with fury. “I’m going to 
burn your fucking face off!” He snatched up his fallen 


energy pistol and fired at Luke. 

Luke calmly looked down at the small pool of light 
on his chest. He rolled his eyes and shook his head 
with a grin. “Energy weapons don’t work on us. 
We’re made of energy, remember? We just absorb it.” 
Luke raised his hand and the center of his palm 
glowed white hot. He held his palm out over the 
Scion’s head. “Would you like your energy beam 
back?” His gaze turned ice cold and his smile 
widened. 

Elise stared at Luke in shock. Great Mercy… 

“Ah, shit, I leave you alone for a few days…” The 
drawling masculine voice echoed powerfully through 
the hall. “Luke, are you causing problems with the 
locals again?” 

Luke closed his hand. The light went out in his 
palm. He lifted his head, gazing past Elise’s spread 
wing. “Oh, hi, Kelso.” His eyes narrowed. “What the 
fuck took you so damned long?” 

“I was busy!” 

“We were busy.” The voice was just as powerful 
but clearly feminine. “Can you do something with the 
youngster? I can’t get a clear shot with her blocking 
the stairs like that.” 

Elise’s turned to look over her shoulder. 

The front doors had been thrown wide, revealing a 
broad night sky. Before them stood a man with long 
dark hair, in flowing midnight robes over a 
shimmering black suit, and a woman with her dark 
brown hair pulled back in a severe braid. She cradled 
a long bolter rifle and wore a long ornate deep black 


captain’s coat with silver trim. Arranged around 
them, were twelve black-armored men bearing bolter 
rifles. 

Luke sighed. “I guess you can let the prick go, 
Elise.” 

Elise stepped back releasing the Scion from her 
grip, then eased back off the stairs. She lifted her 
wings and turned around to face the doors. She 
looked toward Luke, then back at the open doors, and 
freedom. It was more than time to go home. 

“Elise?” 

She lunged into the air and sailed on a cushion of 
power straight for the open doors. Men ducked as she 
rushed over their heads and out into the night 

“Elise, wait!” Luke’s voice echoed with power. 

She opened her wings to their fullest extension and 
the broad sails caught the warm updraft, lifting her. 
The night was an endless ocean of colored jewels over 
her head. She hadn’t realized that the stars came in 
colors. Below her the city swiftly became a splash of 
lights in the middle of a great darkness that was the 
forests of Emeritus. 

Pumping her wings like oars, she pulled herself 
into the upper reaches of the sky, and floated on the 
warm thick waves of updraft from the ground with 
the cooler thinner air currents of sky skimming along 
her back. 

Elise. The voice was deep and monstrously 
powerful. 

Elise turned to see a gigantic, broad-winged, 
rainbow-hued shadow sailing upward and straight 


for her at incredible speed. At literally four times her 
size, it was as though she were a toddler looking at an 
adult. 

The eyes burned with the blue of a summer sky. 
Elise. 

She rolled away from the gleaming shadow. Luke? 

The shadow rolled with her, staying beneath her 
and pacing her without even trying. You wanted to see 
what I looked like. The head tilted to regard her with a 
blazing blue eye. What do you think? 

Elise was impressed. He was very sleek and 
handsome in this form, and huge. You’re right, you 
wouldn’t have fit in that hall. She dove sharply, but he 
stayed directly beneath her. 

Elise it’s time to go. He rose underneath, his broad 
wingspan forcing her to rise higher or risk hitting him 
with her far more fragile wings. 

She rolled and twisted away, churning her wings 
for greater speed. I am going home. 

Yes, you are. He somehow followed her course, 
remaining under her. Abruptly he folded his wings, 
rolling onto his back, and rose hard and fast, 
slamming into her belly. You’re going home with me. 

Elise’s breath rushed out of her and her wings 
faltered. Fright washed through her. 

Relax, I have you. His power snaked around her 
body pinning her wings and wrapping her tight to his 
chest. 

Luke, no! She struggled, but it was like a child 
fighting the embrace of an adult. 

He mantled his wings and flipped them both over. 


Elise, you can’t stay here. He dropped them through the 
clouds. This isn’t your home anymore. 

She dug her claws into him and craned her neck to 
look. He was carrying them toward the broad white 
cone of a spaceport. Why not! 

We are too great a power for a single world to contain. 
His eye blazed and sadness shimmered across her 
thoughts. I had to leave my home, too. 

She looked up at him. Do you ever go back? 

Occasionally, but it’s not the same. He sighed, a deep 
and echoing rush of wind. The worlds change so fast 
compared to us. My home is not as it was. 

She twisted in his embrace. I don’t want my world to 
change! 

He circled the open mouth of the spaceport. It’s not 
something you can stop. We are very long-lived, and time 
passes differently for us. His wings flashed in rainbow 
hues as he slid in, and then out, of the powerful 
floodlights that spilled upward into space. Elise, it’s 
time. He arched his neck to gaze at her with a burning 
blue eye. Kiss me. 

Desire for his kiss exploded in a rush of burning 
ravenous heat. Her body’s demands forced the power 
back within. Her winged form faded. Her howl of 
denial became a wash of tears down her very human 
cheeks. 

Luke’s monstrous form became human arms 
holding her against his warm body. I know, I’m sorry, 
he whispered across her thoughts. His mouth sought 
and found hers in a devouring kiss that stilled her 
struggles. 


They dropped down into the open mouth of the 
spaceport, floating on the waves of his power, the 
robes she still wore fluttering around them both. 

Her bare feet touched cool metal. 

Luke released her lips, but his arms stayed locked 
around her. “It’s time to go, love.” 

Elise looked around. They stood on the railed and 
curved walkway in the midlevel of the brightly lit 
spaceport. To her left and directly beyond the rail, 
was a broad four-lane service lane, busy with 
monstrous and slow hovering cargo transports with 
cargo-lifts and passenger shuttles speeding around 
them. 

To her right and across the walkway, innumerable 
open bays showed the tails of countless spacecraft. 

Gently but firmly Luke guided her toward an open 
bay. Within a streamlined and broad-winged, air to 
space shuttle sat perched up on its landing gear. The 
black hull and silver insignia gleamed under the bay’s 
floods. The engines rumbled, vibrating the deck 
plates. It was getting ready to proceed into the launch 
core where the superconductors would shove the 
craft directly into space in less than a breath. 

Clutching the robe closed, Elise looked up at Luke. 
“Do I really have to leave?” The steel plate floor was 
cold under her bare feet. 

Luke nodded. “We belong among the stars. We’re 
pilgrims, explorers. It’s what we do, it’s what we are.” 

High up on the shuttle’s side, the door opened. The 
woman in the captain’s coat leaned out. Her long nut-
brown braid fell from over her shoulder. “Good, you 


got her.” 

Luke snorted. “Of course I got her. Did the Lord-
general give you any problems?” 

She grinned at Elise. “Your girl here scared the piss 
out of his men, so mop-up was pathetically easy. My 
men are used to dragons. Alas, the poor Lord-
general’s were not.” 

Luke held Elise in his arms and rose from the floor. 

The captain stepped back from the door. “I’m 
Captain Vasilovych, welcome aboard.” 

Elise nodded at the captain. “Thank you.” 

Luke stepped into the craft’s airlock with Elise in 
his arms. “You got her paperwork?” 

 Captain Vasilovych hit the control panel and hull 
door closed. “Oh, he bitched and moaned, but he 
finally got the point. He wasn’t going anywhere, and 
pissing off the guild by trying to hold onto a hatchling 
was a really bad idea.” Air hissed and pressure 
changed in the airlock. She smiled at Luke. “I got 
your transfer of ownership, all nice and legal.” 

Elise stared at Luke. “Transfer of ownership? To 
who?” 

Luke dodged her gaze. “The paperwork is to keep 
him from making trouble for you when you come 
back for a visit. Don’t worry, it’s not legally binding 
on any world but this one.” 

Elise gripped Luke’s arms. “Ownership to who? 
Who owns me?” 

Luke winced. “Me.” 

Elise sucked in a sharp breath. “You?” 

Captain Vasilovych turned and activated the inner 


door controls. She narrowed her black eyes. “I will 
not allow any temperamental transformations 
onboard my ship. Find a corner and get that fledgling 
drained down immediately. I want her incapacitated 
by the time we get to the Drake.” 

Luke nodded. “Yes, Captain.” 

Elise jerked in his arms. “Drained?” 

The airlock opened to the craft’s interior, revealing 
an amazingly well-built man leaning against the 
doorframe. He wore a midnight iridescent suit, 
identical to Luke’s, but he was a full head and 
shoulders taller. He turned and the golden brown 
eyes creased with humor in a stunningly beautiful 
face. His dark hair tumbled in gleaming waves down 
past his shoulders. His lush mouth lifted in a grin. 
“You got her, good!” 

Elise stared at the more than familiar face and her 
mouth fell open. “You!” 

He winked. “Hi sweet. Good to see you again.” 

Luke’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve met Kelso?” 

Elise froze. “This is your shipmate?” 

Luke stared at Elise, then shot a narrow glare at 
Kelso. “What did you do?” 

Kelso shrugged and stepped back from the door. “I 
was hungry, so I posed as a…” He winced. 
“Stripper.” 

Luke sucked in a breath, then groaned. “He was 
the entertainer at your party?” 

Elise nodded. She couldn’t decide if she was pissed 
that Kelso obviously knew why she had started 
floating and had left her, or mortified that he was 


Luke’s shipmate, and she’d kissed him. 

Luke guided Elise through the door and turned her 
in his arms. “His butt? It was his butt that triggered 
you?” 

Mortification won. Elise felt the heat flood her 
cheeks and hunched her shoulders. 

Kelso grinned. “You mean she didn’t mention the 
kiss?” 

Elise looked sharply away. 

Luke’s gaze narrowed. “No, she didn’t.” 

Kelso nodded. “Oh, then can I assume she didn’t 
mention that she was holding my butt at the same 
time?” 

Elise groaned and cringed. 

Luke raised a stern brow, but smile played at the 
corner of his mouth. “Elise, you could have told me 
that. It’s not a big deal.” 

Kelso crossed his arms and smiled broadly. “It was 
the kiss that sparked her, but damn if she didn’t want 
to let go of my butt once she started to lift.” 

Elise clenched her jaw and glared at Kelso. “Would 
you please, shut up!” 

Luke grinned. “It’s okay, there are times when I 
don’t want to let go of his butt, too.” He gaze 
narrowed. “Like when I’m pounding the hell out of it 
as he’s screaming his lungs out and cumming all over 
my sheets.” 

Kelso flinched back and scowled. “You didn’t have 
to say that.” 

“Oh, no?” Luke tightened his arm around Elise and 
walked her past him. He turned to face his shipmate 


with a tight smile and narrowed eyes. “Anything else 
you care to mention?” 

Kelso jammed a thumb over his shoulder. “There’s 
a roomy storage locker at the end of this hall on the 
right.” 

Luke nodded. “Thank you.” He raised a brow and 
smiled coldly. “And just for the record? Hands off.” 

Kelso gasped and turned around sharply. “What?” 

Luke dropped his chin and lowered his brows. 
“You heard me.” 

Kelso’s shoulders seemed to fill the hall as he 
glared down at Luke. “Foul play! I sparked her!” 

Luke shrugged, completely unconcerned. “And 
then you left her! Finders, keepers!” 

“Hey!” Elise glared from one to the other. “I’m 
right here, you two! Don’t treat me like I’m not!” 

“Gentlemen!” Captain Vasilovych’s shout came 
from further down the hall. “And lady. In case you 
haven’t noticed, we are launching! Get to a berth and 
stay there. I know you can handle a launch upright, 
but not everyone on this shuttle knows what you are. 
I don’t want any idiots getting ideas.” 

Luke shot a glare at Kelso and nodded toward the 
hall. “You have a blood-doll to play with, you don’t 
need mine.” 

“I heard that!” Captain Vasilovych stepped into the 
passageway and glared at Luke. “Keep a civil tongue 
in your trap or lose it, pilot! I may not like having 
power, but by Fate I’ll use it to teach you some 
respect if I need to!” 

Luke flinched. “Yes, Captain, my apologies, 


Captain.” 

Captain Vasilovych nodded. “Good.” 

Elise stared at the captain. “She’s one of us too?” 

Luke leaned close to Elise. “She prefers to keep her 
power at a low ebb, so she keeps one of us onboard to 
drain her down regularly.” 

 “And she’s really strong, like pure Terran vodka.” 
Kelso licked his lips. 

A cool sensual smile lifted the captain’s mouth. 
“Now that we understand one another’s positions, 
Kelso, get your ass in here and get busy.. All this 
power being tossed around has gotten me a little 
worked up and I need some relief so I can think 
straight.” 

Kelso grinned. “Yes, Captain, right away, 
Captain.” He saluted Luke and strode toward the 
open door on the left. His ass flexed enticingly as he 
walked. He entered the captain’s cabin and the door 
closed behind him. 

Luke leaned close to Elise’s ear. “Were you 
watching his butt?” 

Elise flinched, then sighed. “It’s kind of hard to 
miss.” 

Luke grinned. “Tell me about it.” He nudged her 
past the captain’s closed door and opened the last 
door on the right. The roomy storage locker was 
crammed waist-high with boxes strapped to the walls. 
There was barely enough room to pass between them. 

 Luke looked up and smiled. “Ah, yes, this will do 
nicely.” 

Elise stared at the piled boxes. “Do nicely for 


what?” 

Luke caught the shoulders of the robe she wore 
and turned her to face him. “For this…” His mouth 
covered hers, his tongue pressing inward to take 
possession in a voracious and demanding kiss. 

Elise’s belly clenched fiercely with sudden and 
consuming arousal, responding enthusiastically 
under the provoking sensual assault. Moisture slicked 
her thighs. She moaned. 

They rose from the deck. 

He cupped the back of her head, keeping her 
mouth trapped to his, his tongue engaged in violent 
hungry forays against hers, while using his other 
hand to jerk at the fastenings to his suit. 

She reached for his shoulders, discovering bare, 
hot skin. Her hands drifted, discovering sleek planes 
made of hard muscle that moved enticingly under her 
exploring fingers. 

Luke caught her right hand and pressed her palm 
over his small tight nipple, then down past his ridged 
belly to the firm heat of his cock. 

Elise sucked in a breath and cupped her palm 
around him. He was hot and hard, yet the skin was 
silky smooth. He was also fairly thick. She stroked to 
the end of his hot length, her thumb exploring the soft 
cap and flared edge. She slid down to cup the slightly 
furry fullness of his balls. 

His body stiffened, he groaned in her mouth and 
trembled in her hand. 

His boots thumped down onto the deck floor then 
his suit followed in a whispering rustle. 


Their rise stopped and gravity eased back into 
existence. 

Elise settled along the warm length of Luke’s body. 
She opened her eyes and discovered that gravity had 
done a complete reversal for them. The broad, empty, 
dark gray ceiling was their floor. 

“Look at me; only at me.” Luke’s blue eyes were 
nearly swallowed by the dark hearts. His mouth was 
lush and red from kisses. He caught the robe she 
wore and tugged it away. It fluttered to the floor over 
their heads. He swallowed and the muscles of his 
throat flexed enticingly. She could see his pulse 
beating at the base. His pale skin seemed to glow. His 
hand slid to the back of her neck, pulling her down to 
him. His mouth caught her nipple and sucked it in. 

Urgent delight burned a vivid trail of erotic fire 
from her nipple straight down to throb in her clit. She 
gasped and bucked against him, unable to contain her 
overwhelming need to be filled. 

Luke’s other hand cupped her backside. His palm 
hot against her skin, he urged her to straddle him, 
setting her knees to either side of his hips. His heated 
and urgent length nestled against her moist, excited 
flesh in wicked promise. He nipped at her swollen 
nipple. 

Carnal delight sailed from her nipple and sparked 
in her clit, provoking a tormenting clenching throb in 
her core. Elise writhed, eagerly rubbing against the 
tempting length pressing against her wet and 
ravenous core. She moaned in abject hunger. 

Luke released her breast and gasped. “Take me. 


Take me in love, and fuck me.” 

Desperately greedy for more pleasure, Elise leaned 
forward on one hand and gripped his hard cock with 
the other. She set the broad head to the hungry mouth 
of her body. She hesitated. She’d only done this once 
before, and it hadn’t been pleasant. 

“Easy, don’t rush,” he whispered then leaned up 
and caught her nipple with his lips. He suckled gently 
then more insistently. 

Sharp spikes of exquisite and ruthless pleasure 
stabbed straight down to her throbbing clit. Lush 
urgency coiled tight. Elise bit her lip, pressing him 
into her snug opening. The head stretched her flesh 
with unexpected and enticing delight. Savage carnal 
hunger seized her. She needed him, she needed him 
in her. She moaned and greedily pressed down. 

He cupped her ass with his hands and squeezed, 
keeping her from pushing all the way down at once. 

Slowly she eased downward, her body stretching 
to envelop him in her hungry depths. She settled 
down on top of him, completely impaled on his hot 
shaft, and gasped in rapturous delight. 

He groaned and released her nipple. “Powers that 
be, you feel like a hot, wet fist around me.” He licked 
his lips and his hands tightened on her butt. “Fuck 
me, love.” 

She clutched his shoulders and rocked forward, his 
shaft sliding smoothly, partway from her wet depths. 
She stopped and pressed down, driving him back into 
her. Intense pleasure washed through her. A soft cry 
escaped her lips. 


“Ah!” He gasped and arched up beneath her. “Oh, 
yeah, that’s it, love, fuck me!” He pulled, rocking her 
forward, then pushed her back down onto him. 

His cock stuck something blindingly delightful 
within her even as her aching clit pressed down hard 
on his belly, delivering a double wave of intense 
delight. A louder cry escaped her lips. More… She 
had to have more. She rocked up and slammed back 
down. 

He groaned and arched up to meet her with a 
punishing thrust that hammered straight into that 
delicious spot deep within. 

She gasped out a cry of carnal bliss. 

He caught her around the neck and pulled her 
down, capturing her other nipple with his lips and 
sucking it into the heat of his mouth. His hand 
cupped her ass, urging her to greater speed. 

She rocked forward and hammered back down on 
him with rapturous and frenzied appetite. The 
sounds of damp flesh striking damp flesh and her 
small gasping cries filled the small room. 

Climax rose in a smoldering wave of delirious 
pleasure that boiled into a froth of tempestuous 
foment. She moaned in urgency. 

Luke released her breast and licked his lips. “There 
it is.” He slid his hand between them and pressed his 
palm on her belly. His power moved against hers. 

Her power spilled out from her belly in a hot dark 
rush, pulsing into her blood. Elise gasped in agonized 
delight. 

The scent of vanilla filled the room. 


“Oh, yes…” Luke moaned. “That’s my sweet girl. 
That’s what I want.” 

Elise sniffed. “Vanilla?” 

“It’s your personal scent.” Luke licked his lips. 
“When your power spills into your blood, you smell 
like sweet vanilla.” He ground his cock up into her 
and his hand pressed against her stomach. His power 
moved against hers. 

Her power responded and rushed outward, 
spilling into her blood. The scent of vanilla 
intensified. It felt so good, and she was so close… She 
moaned and writhed on his cock. 

Luke’s lips brushed her throat, right over her 
pulse. “Fate, you smell delicious.” 

Delicious? She froze, feeling his appetite throbbing 
against hers. He’d told her he planned to drink her 
power from her veins. And he fed on orgasm. He was 
driving her power into her blood, so he could drink it 
when she came. She grabbed his hand on her belly 
and pushed back in alarm. “No! I am not food!” 

Luke caught her and pulled her down against him. 
“Elise, your power has already yielded to mine. 
That’s where the sweet scent is coming from, that’s 
why you feel pleasure when you spill it into your 
blood. You’re signaling your willingness to feed me.” 
His palm pressed into her belly, and his power 
shoved hard against hers. 

Her power spilled outward and burned with 
smoky delight in her veins -- where it could be 
consumed. She gasped and moaned, drowning under 
a wave of intense pleasure. “Luke, I don’t want to be 


eaten!” 

He rolled her under him. “Elise, I am not eating 
you, just draining your power. I have to drain you 
down. You’re too young to contain it all comfortably. 
You are very strong and need time to adjust to your 
own strength.” He thrust and thrust, fucking her with 
strong and utterly exquisite strokes. 

She tried to hold still against the sensual onslaught, 
but she could not stop her body from rising to meet 
him. Everything in her was greedy for the climax that 
boiled so close to the edge. She cried out in denial, 
“Luke, I don’t want to be drained!” 

“Yes, you do.” His arms closed tightly around her 
as his hips pumped his cock in, and in, and in… “If 
you didn’t want me to take you, you wouldn’t have 
offered me a sweet scent designed to make me want 
you.” 

Elise felt the first trembling edge of climax and 
fought against it. “I don’t want to be powerless.” 

“You will never be powerless.” His lips brushed 
her brow. “As long as you live, you will always have 
power, because it’s what you are made of. You cannot 
lose it all, even if I take the last breath of power from 
your body, it will return.” Luke smiled, showing 
lengthening canines. “Cum for me and feed me, sweet 
girl.” 

The sight of his long teeth sparked something deep 
and primal in her belly. Her breath caught and her 
core throbbed. Release crashed in a ruthless wave of 
body shaking climax. Power ignited in her veins and 
exploded in a brutally horrific and white-hot 


firestorm that was too intense for her skin to hold. 
Blinded by the ferocious and incandescent wave, she 
arched up under him and screamed. 

His lips closed on her throat, swiftly followed by 
the hot sharp burn of his bite. 

The fire spilled out of her in a second release of 
luscious euphoric delight that eclipsed her original 
climax in sheer physical gratification. 

He ground his cock into her as his hand moved on 
her belly, pressing her power out of her with every 
swallow. 

She moaned and arched her throat back, writhing 
in a raw carnal pleasure unmatched by anything 
she’d ever felt. 

His lifted his head and groaned. Abruptly he 
pulled his cock free from her body, rising up in his 
hands and knees. He grasped his cock with one hand, 
pumping it hard. 

Rolling in the last waves of pleasure, she looked up 
at him. 

He stared down at her with eyes that were solid 
black orbs of midnight. “Mine,” he said in a voice 
laced with power. Hot streams of cum spilled onto 
her belly. 

She stretched under him, feeling completely at ease 
for the first time in two days. “Mercy I feel so much 
calmer.” 

Luke lowered his head and his lips brushed hers. 
“Feeling more like yourself?” 

Elise nodded. “A lot more like myself. She opened 
for his kiss. 


He dropped down onto his elbows and took her 
mouth with endearing delicacy. “Thank you.” 

She smiled up at him. “You’re welcome.” She 
licked her lips. “I’m guessing that you can’t cum in 
me?” 

“I’d give roughly half of what I took back.” He 
nipped at her lips. “Do you want it back?” 

Elise frowned. Did she? “Um, I think I’ll let it come 
back on its own. It was kind of nice being so fierce, 
but I don’t know if I want to be that way all the time. 
It was really hard keeping my temper like that.” 

Luke leaned down to brush his lips against her 
throat. “Just let me know when you’re feeling a little 
overwhelmed and I’ll drop you down a bit.” 

Elise ran her fingers through the bronze waves of 
his hair. “Will it always feel that good, when I’m, 
um…drained?” She swallowed. Even with the 
pleasure that had come from it, part of her still wasn’t 
pleased to be someone else’s food. 

Luke lifted his head and his smile held sharp teeth. 
“Only if I do it.” 

Elise stuck out her bottom lip. “Then I suppose 
Kelso is out?” 

Luke’s black gaze narrowed. “Kelso is definitely 
out.” A growl boiled out of his chest. 

She grinned. “Goodness, look who’s feeling fierce 
now?” 

Luke blinked and his cheeks flushed with pink. 
“You had a lot of power.” 

Elise blew up at a lock of hair. “Damn, and I 
thought it was because you liked me and didn’t want 


to share.” 

Luke dropped on top of her. “I do like you, and I 
don’t want to share you.” His lips brushed her brow. 
“In fact, I can pretty much say I have developed quite 
an obsession for you.” 

“An obsession?” Elise’s mouth fell open. “Really?” 

“Yeah.” Luke leaned up and grinned. “You might 
even call it love.” 

Elise wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh 
good, I was worried there for a bit.” 

Luke frowned. “Worried?” 

Elise grinned up at him. “Yeah, I was worried that 
I was the only one in love.” She leaned up and kissed 
him. 

 

Fini 

 

 


 

 

 

About the Author 

 

For me, writing is more than a 
passion it's an obsession.” 

 

Morgan Hawke has been 
writing erotic fiction since 1998. 
She has lived in seven states of 
the US and spent two years in 
England. She has been an auto 
mechanic, a security guard, a 
waitress, a groom in a horse-
stable, in the military, a 
copywriter, a magazine editor, a 
professional tarot reader, a belly-
dancer and a stripper. Her 
personal area of expertise is the 
strange and unusual. 

 

Ms. Hawke maintains a close 
and personal relationship with 
her computer and her cat.