2560 B.C.

The son of Sargon Lagash, King of Mesotopia, was born immortal, demonic, his human mother impregnated in her sleep by Enlil, lord of the ghost land of the temple Nippur. The spirit compelled the womb of his earthbound mother fertile so the first born incubus could rest and grow to fruition until the time of birth.

The reasons for his existence were vague at best. What can be surmised is that in the time of the Gods there was a fight between Uta, the Sun God, of the temple Sippar, and Enki, the God of Beneficence. The battle between the two male Gods went on for two hundred years, putting much strife in the Dynasty and leading way to perdition for the mortals. Inanna, Goddess of the Stars, set a precedence that whomsoever conceived the first Son could claim the throne throughout the centuries.

Uta saw his claim and set forth to gain an ally in Enlil, while Enki looked to stand alone, choosing a sweet maiden to bear his child. The fragile maiden wasn’t strong enough to carry the God to full term and both mother and child perished. Since the terms of agreement were made, the childless God backed out and a new species was born.

Sargon II, son of the God of Sun, was destined to eternal life and casting of a demon spirit, with the ability to procreate physically or metaphysically, taking over women in their dreams. After his birth the King placed his wife into seclusion for as surely as the heir drew breath, his queen was mad for thinking their son a demon. So being, he kept her in the privacy of their chambers, away from the public eye. Fearful of the Queen’s lunacy, he hid her to prevent the shaming of his name among the people and to prevent anarchy from arising. During times of trials, the Asipu priests—present for the birth of the heir and the Queen’s ravings—sought out the Gods, determined to exorcise Sargon II out of existence. Uta pitted Inanna against the priests in effort to protect the first Son until his powers manifested and he had the ability to take control. With no one to guide the young prince, the tests and tasks set before him were problematic. The King, who’d envisioned his only son as a savior, died refusing to believe the blood heir was a demonic entity. Raised in his stead, Sargon II was trained to take the reins upon his father’s demise.

On Sargon’s sixteenth year feral hungers assailed him. The need for blood, the need for sex, and carnal dreams plagued him. Gifted with his first taste of the forbidden fruit on the day of his birth, he grew needy, craving more. His desires brought about a time of destruction.

Time passed and in two hundred years he had an army vast enough to manipulate humans through their dreams. With those under his control as well as those the Gods blessed him with, his greed grew and his reach knew no bounds. Until his young daughter attempted to overthrow the leader of Hell and failed.

Snaring the Dark Prince’s wrath was the beginning of the end for his people. Those caught by legions of Azazel’s demons became imprisoned on the third level of Hell. As time passed Sargon earned the privilege of running the level, using his incubus and succubus enforcers to ensure an uprising would never occur again by his people.

Later a higher authority developed a pact, and signed by the different pantheons, this decree declared the Gods responsible for the chaos they manifested in creating the legions of incubus. Guardians, including Sargon’s enforcers, were charged with finding The Lost, rogue demons left on Earth. They were also expected to locate any offspring created, specifically a rare mixed breed of female destined for their individual craft. As a reward, these women are said to hold triggers their enforcer counterpart lost over their long existence, bringing their emotions back to life.

Chapter One

Alabama Institute for Addiction Recovery

“Please, come and get me Mama, I promise to be good this time. I promise, I won’t attack anyone—come get me. Home is safe. Let me come home,” Kamaria whispered into the receiver. She sat huddled against the wall in the reception area, gripping the wall phone so tight in her hand that if it wasn’t metal she’d have crushed it without a thought. A deep shudder ran through her as she became aware of her actions, aware of herself. “Oh God.” Dropping the phone, she bit her nail. One month of sheer, unavoidable agony had passed since her parents committed her to AIFAR. Rocking in her white mandatory patient scrubs, she waited for a voice that would never utter the words she desperately pleaded for.

Nausea welled up in her. She realized the phone that was in her hand moments ago wasn’t connected to a landline and plucked the receiver from where she’d discarded it. When would the madness end? During lucid moments, she understood why they placed her here. On the floor, she hugged her knees and tears slid down her face. Her skin tingled with anticipation as her reality shifted. His scent wafted toward her, bringing brightness to her eclipsed world. Dropping the phone again, she rose from the wall to run an unsteady hand through her wild hair to tame it into place. A quick wiggle and adjustment smoothed out her wrinkled scrubs.

“Time for nighttime meds, get in line.” Darcy, the male nurse, lined the female patients in the correct order. “Kamaria Valentin, tongue out.” He placed the eighty milligram Haldol pill on her tongue. “Swallow and drink.” Handing her a small paper cup of water, he put his hands on her face, opened her mouth and did a quick sweep.

“You may go to the recreation room or to your own room.” He moved on to the next in line. His scent triggered the change within her, and his gentle touch completed it.

Joy left her and emptiness engulfed her once more. Every evening after a brief glimpse of him, an ache prickled in her loins. A primal attraction to Darcy grew with every whiff of his scent. The darkness in her beckoned, tempting her to exploit him, though she fought the impulse for now. The darkness always landed her in dire straits. But how divine it would be for him to touch her. The thought made her smile. Soon, very soon. Under her control, she’d get her taste of him and be able to rub her body against the lean length of his.

Supported by the pale green walls, Kamaria edged toward her room. Her thoughts remained wrapped around the young male employee. She trailed her fingers over grooves and indentions in the mortar. Her haggard nails scrapping against the gritty compound.

One-two-three doors down, hers opened automatically, slamming hard and clicking behind her. Gum placed in the jamb earlier prevented the lock from securing. Kamaria gagged and vomited the ingested pill. Two weeks of continual vomiting after meds wreaked havoc with her esophagus and her stomach lining. I did it, no meds. Have to get out, have to get out. Whispers in her mind grew louder, insistent. The skin on her body burned white hot. Sitting on the bed, she rocked while scratching her hair. Intense unwanted cravings assailed her aching body, making it hard for her to shake the repetitive images showing her what to do for alleviation.

Kamaria attempted to staunch the flow by thinking of Darcy and failed. Unbidden, the scent of fresh rain assailed her, her mind concocting picturesque meadows filled with fragrant blooms, so sweet she could taste them. Each depicted vision made her itch to get out. She didn’t understand the whys, only that a period of darkness descended soon after, and her muscles committed involuntary actions as her brain fought to regain control, only to have migraines split her world in two. She learned it was so much easier to just let what may happen, happen.

Darcy touched her each time he placed the pill in her mouth, comforting her body for a moment. His presence gave her an escape from the lonely existence sucking the life out of her. Darkness normally fled in his presence, only now he was part of a plan. Picking up a brush, she began humming while grooming for the night’s adventure. The face looking back at her smiled wickedly. The distorted surface from the metal mirror prevented her from seeing a clear reflection while making herself pretty. She’d be home soon and Daddy and his friends would regret locking her up in the hospital again. Her plans for the Forty-Second Police Station in Atlanta, Georgia, were ready to be initiated. A heady excitement bubbled up at the thought of exacting her depraved act of revenge. On the other side of her door she heard the lights out call and finished her primping for the evening. Like clockwork, she situated her bedding and slipped under the sheets to bide her time.

Midnight came and with it the guard’s tap on the hard plastic passing for a window pane into her small space. His flashlight momentarily blinded her. When she was young, her parents carted her to the physician for sunglasses in an effort to correct her sensitivity to light. Their efforts failed as the sun’s rays continued to irritate her corneas. Bright light always hurt, though her vision became crystal clear in total dark. Kamaria winced and huddled in her bed, turning her face the other way to avoid the sting for a second time.

In the early hours of the morning, she woke up and began checking and finalizing her plan of action. Everyone who’d played a part in hiding her away would pay. Forgiveness wasn’t an option, not with how they locked up and left her, left her without checking in on her well-being, written her off as a political nightmare. Making commissioner status had been more important than her being a part of her parents’ everyday lives. As an adult they should’ve trusted her. Instead, they went behind her back, obtaining a court order to retain medical power of attorney to give her mental stability. But they didn’t know how solitude destroyed her mind or how not feeling the rain fall on her skin affected her on a baser level. In truth, the pain that lanced her heart numbed with time. They’d pay for denying her, for abandoning her, making it so she never existed to them.

Rocking into a sitting position, a maniacal laugh broke free.

Bad. Bad. Bad. Kamaria the bad apple. Endless tears and punishments for inappropriate behavior had landed her in more therapist offices than she cared to think about. The psychoanalyses made no difference. One therapist, two or a hundred, eventually she got caught rubbing her face against their necks. No one liked her scratches or nips against their skin. Skin to skin contact, the ultimate craving, the driving force making her bend against her own will. Unable to shut the voice out, she stripped to rub against any warm body, male or female.

They didn’t understand. No one understood. Her brain felt fried and her body tired. In the silent hallway, the orderly had turned out the main light once again. No one understood what it was like when the voices in the head took over. Tired of fighting, she listened. Just maybe this time change would be different—this time maybe, just maybe going along with her madness would make her life turn out better. Kamaria stifled a yawn and stretched out the kinks in her muscles. The pulsating beat of her heart quickened. Heightened senses enabled her to smell the man she sought, the provider of her freedom. Under her blanket, strategically placed pillows and extra bedding formed a plump body. One step at a time, she moved on autopilot inch by inch, padding softly over to the door.

Flip-flops in hand, she worked the knob until it opened without making the rattling sound. The shift change underway offered her the opportune moment to slip out. A peek out the window gave her the go-ahead that the coast was clear. Her ward sat near the stairwell. She palmed the keys lifted from Stanley and Phineas, the two police officers who came to take care of her needs. The voice inside her promised her an escape route. Kama prayed for good luck. Getting caught would land her in solitude with a straight jacket.

On pins and needles, she glided down the hall past the other rooms, not trusting the voice providing her with an out, and held a bated breath another employee wouldn’t happen on her. Though the purr inside told her not to worry, she wasn’t sure everything would be okay as promised. The same voice landed her in cuffs, left bloody messes, and she was listening to it again, unable to ignore it, to stop following its cruel instructions. Promise me no one gets hurt, Kama mouthed silently, walking the last few steps to the stairwell, afraid the voice would just laugh. A marionette to its bidding, she went along for what she knew from past occurrences to be a disastrous ride. The door opened silently with the magnetic pass. Closing it behind her, she let out a sigh of relief and jogged down the stairs to the first floor.

Go to the basement. Pressing on, the voice led her to an unmanned hallway with an unlocked exit.

Kamaria looked side to side and behind her before slipping into the dark alcove. An eclipse of darkness encased, leaving no shadow of her presence. Musty mildew filled her nostrils with the dank smell of rotted wood. The purring got louder and softer as she blindly felt around her for a window or door. Claustrophobia made her body rattle and shake, her lungs refused to draw breath. What worse way to die was there than being unaccounted for and trapped in a section no one came to?

Breathe. Follow me. Don’t be afraid.

Her hazed vision cleared, instantly allowing her to see the exit sign. Nausea welled up, but she didn’t concentrate on it, only on the ability to see in front of her. Stepping over trash and other tools, she found the window unlocked and wiggled her body through it.

Go to the cars.

Putting a hand to her aching head she stumbled, running headlong toward the employee parking lot, looking for the green Prius belonging to Darcy. The smell of fresh air after a torrential rain hit her and mixed with Darcy’s scent. With wide eyes, she moved with preternatural speed and wrenched the door open. “Darcy,” she all but purred.

“Kamaria? What’s going on?”

Eyes softening, Kamaria smiled at him. “It’s a good night for a scenic drive.” The words rolling off her tongue sounded foreign to her.

“I’ll give you a lift,” Darcy agreed.

“Thank you, Darcy.” Her improved skills pleased her. Last time she pressed a thought to a guard the drugs in her system blocked it from working to her advantage. She leaned forward and then brushed a kiss across his lips, showing appreciation for his help in the only way she knew to offer.

“Where to?”

“Forty-Second Precinct.” In the dark interior, she toyed with the shoulder strap of the seatbelt as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. When they cleared the front gate, she grinned, feeling free once again. “Thank you,” she said on a sigh, trailing her fingers up his leg, watching Darcy turn on the radio. Kamaria smiled at his compliance and increased the pressure of her touch on his thigh, running her fingertips in circular patterns edging closer to the inside of his leg. “Can we make a stop first?”

The way his Adam’s apple moved when he swallowed hard amused her.

“Where to?”

“Home, I need to change out of this before going to see my father.” Her skin itched for more physical contact. Darcy didn’t deserve her inability to control herself. Thankfully, her crazed mind didn’t hold much appeal for more than a few good touches for him. However, she caved in to the obsessive urge to roam her hand up his thigh for one last feel.

“Very nice.” Kama reluctantly pulled away, clasping her hands in her lap, ignoring impulsive wants. “Sorry.”

I am lust, whispered in her mind. Slamming the door to her psyche shut, she faced Darcy with a smile and gave him directions to her childhood home. Only the streetlamps on the side street greeted them. The house on the corner remained dark on the inside. Upon closer inspection, she realized the car and utility vehicle spots remained empty.

“I won’t be long, please wait for me.” Kamaria exited the car and skipped happily up the walkway. Her eyes readjusted to the lack of light with startling clarity, from each blade of grass to manicured yards, to ornaments decorating them, as if it were daylight. The key rested underneath a loose brick on the porch flowerbed. After retrieving it, she inserted it into the lock and went into her home. “Hello?” Silence met her ears. On the table were weeks of unopened mail. Hmm. Where are they? Vacationing? Great I can take care of other issues without his intrusion. Kama shrugged and trekked up the stairwell, her hand dragging on the banister until she reached the second floor.

A long time had passed since she’d been in her room. She opened her dresser, took out a slinky top, and moved over to her closet to find a pair of low-riding hipster pants. Silk slid through her fingers and she clutched it, bringing the red material to rub against her face. Purrs cascaded from her mouth, the scent of her favorite perfume reminding her of her last trip to France—when she’d been a good girl. Kama set down her clothing and stepped into her private bathroom to shower. Her hands worked exfoliating shower gel on her loofa making it foamy. Exquisite hot water relaxed her, drenched under the generous spray nozzle holding no time limit. Kama washed and prepared her body for the night’s pleasures, touching the faint scars littering her mocha skin. The slim ones she’d received during shock therapy. Touching the sponge to the back of her neck she rubbed hard and slid the suds down her body, washing over the faded track marks dotting her arms. Each one held a traumatic memory from administration of sedation and control drugs forced on her.

Kamaria finished pampering herself and ran a comb through her hair. All that remained was makeup repair. Dark bags gave the appearance that her eyes had sunken in. Layers of concealer and foundation gave her the flawless look she desired, bringing out the light brown color in her eyes. Tweezers turned her thick brows into arched perfection. A dab of gloss brought out the fullness of her lips. Dressed, she slid on heels and walked down the stairs with a newfound purpose. A peek through the curtained window showed her Darcy had waited for her. Surprised to find him still parked outside, she took a final glance at her home and let herself out.

“You waited.” Kamaria slid back into the car and shut the door. Her fresh scent and moisturized skin an improvement from the dry scaly skin she’d been made to suffer with.

“You asked me to stay.”

“Such a good and decent gentleman you are for doing as I asked.” The purring response echoed in the small interior of the car, moving down the dim lamp-lit street. Kamaria gazed into the rearview mirror while putting on clear gloss and noted the illuminating color of her eyes. Closing them for a few seconds brought her back under control. Skin so soft to the touch burned with fever. Consumed with want, she rested until they reached the precinct.

Half a dozen red lights later, he pulled the car to a stop in front of the two-story brick building and turned the ignition off. Leaning over, she touched her lips to his and slid her tongue into his hot mouth. Kissing slow, sucking his desire into her being. A long cat-like stretch happened within her. It slammed against her body, aching to be released. Fully aroused, she pulled back suddenly and left him with only a brief but potent kiss. To protect the one who showed her kindness and avoid harming him, she wrenched the car door open, exiting as fast as her legs could muster.

Kamaria watched the car disappear around the corner. Determination set in with each step toward the station’s front door. Her hips swayed provocatively in every indomitable step. She could taste sweet revenge already. Comeuppance on the bastards who’d had her locked up within reach. The cold knob filled her small hand. One click and she was in, walking up the stairs. She pushed through the main doors, taking notice of her surroundings. Others were talking in the background in hushed voices. Leaning over the front desk, she aimed a mind-blowing smile at the young officer stationed at the switchboard.

“Can I help you, miss?”

“Yes.” Kama raked her gaze over his ledger. “Tell me, are Officer Stanley and Detective Phineas on duty tonight?”

“Do you have an appointment with them?”

“Yes. Is there a private room you can place me in while I wait?” Anticipation surged from her body, sending out a lust vibe that had the young officer stumbling over his next words. He dropped the pen in his hand and the clatter brought a smile to her lips.

“I can, um, lead you to interrogation room five. It’s at the end of the corridor on the left.”

“Perfect,” she mouthed over to him and winked. “I can find my way there.”

“Who shall I tell them is here to see them?”

“A close friend, a very close friend.” She turned and walked toward the farthest room in the wing. How grand, the room couldn’t have been farther away or pleased her more.

She halted to read the label above the door. Dark grey walls greeted her, reminding her of the interrogation she was forced to withstand, stuck in plasticuffs, cutting the circulation off from her wrists. Tilting her head to the right, she listened to the heavy footfalls heading her way. Use of her senses showed the hesitancy of the men outside the door. She laughed and sat on the table, leaning back on her forearms, waiting for the men to come in.

“Shh.” Two fingers held up to her mouth silenced the wonderment on the faces of the two men who entered. “Close the door behind you gentlemen.” She slipped off the table and positioned herself in front of them. “We have a reunion to celebrate.”

“Your father’s not here.”

“It would be inappropriate to want my father here.” Her fingers grazed Detective Phineas’s holster and belt and worked the buckle to free it. She ran her hand down his leg as the apparatus dropped to the floor. “Feel that?” she breathed huskily, turning to unbuckle Officer Stanley. Acting the part, she gave them a demure, submissive face and kicked away their protective gear. She had their attention. Arousal was in plain view.

“Let’s play a game.”

She splayed a hand across the chest of both men. “Undress, I want you both in me.” Oh, she could taste the sexual tension in the room. Caught unaware she watched the two men fumble with their clothing, each regarding her hesitantly. Deciding to play nice, she slipped one corner of her top low enough to show them the dark brown areola and budded nipple waiting for teasing thumbs.

“Surely you can move faster than that. I’ve been locked up forever, and it’s been so long since I’ve had either of your cocks.” She walked around them and slowly unzipped her pants. Caught on the swell of her hips she tugged one loop and felt the soft material brush against her ass cheeks to pool on the floor. “I’m almost naked,” she sung.

“This is wrong,” she heard Phineas say.

“Yet, you’re undressing, handsome. Playing has never been more right. Oh, you both have plasticuffs.” Dazzling them with a smile, she trailed her fingers down to her sex to part her labia with her fingers. She stroked once and drew her moist finger from her core and licked it slowly, staring at them as she did so.

“Don’t get any ideas, Kama.”

“You know you want to play. It’s been ages since we’ve played one on one. I’m ravenous tonight and I want you both. How naughty? I’m going to let you both fuck me here, just like you used to come see me in my room. No guards to pay off here. I’ve so missed having cock inside me. You never came back after the last time,” she accused and narrowed her eyes at Stanley.

“We’ve just been busy, Kamaria.”

She knew by his body language he was lying. She shrugged and slid out of her thong. Impatiently, her body hummed, waiting for the last article of clothing to depart from both men. “Now won’t this be fun.”

“Man, not on the job, in the precinct. I’m not sure about this. Stanley, is this worth a write-up?”

“No.”

Kamaria laughed. The high-pitched noise drew a look of trepidation from the males in the room. “Come on, Kama wants to play. Is leaving worth losing your life over? Just kidding. We all know you both like to fuck women and with a few males in plain view. You get off on voyeurism or the prospect of being caught with heavy cocks.” Intense hunger came over her; cramps in her stomach bowled her over. She fought to ignore the fire burning under her skin. Hot and liquid, it rippled and then stilled. While they argued amongst themselves, she helped herself to their cuffs. Tsking, she slapped the plasticuffs on both men. When her gaze met their faces, a half-tilted smile spread. “Scared? Keep your eyes on me,” the rumbled purr commanded. She tapped a fingernail on Stanley and shoved him into a chair. “Don’t move. I’m in charge tonight.” The threat rolled off her tongue.

Brushing against Phineas, she silenced him with a look. “Feels bad, not being in control doesn’t it?” Kama inhaled his musky scent. “Sit.” She didn’t wait for him to comply. Being in charge of the situation gave her a much needed high. She pushed Phineas down. Tied with no way to disrobe, she had to help him. Unwrapping her feast never pleased her more. Damn though, his hands tied behind him prevented him from touching her breasts.

Too bad, she loved having them squeezed.

Wearing a wicked smile, Kama poised her naked sex over her first fuck toy for the night. Phineas engaged, thrusting up with his hips. Kamaria grazed her drenched core over his tip and mounted him, keeping her eye on Stanley and the gun belts. Knees bent, Kama brushed her swollen sex against his thick erect cock and shivered from the smooth muscle jerking on her nub. A wanton moan left her mouth. She dipped her head to his chest and nipped. His cologne-scented skin appealed to her. The urge to bask in his delicious ardor hit her hard.

She wanted to just roll against him, bury her head in his neck and feast. “Come play with me,” Kama purred in his ear. His quickened breathing brought a shiver of want to her the more she played with him. His cock twitched. Spreading her legs, she slammed down, impaling herself on him, filling her cunt with his prick.

Sublime pleasure surged through her. The voice quieted, giving her a reprieve to enjoy skin-to-skin contact. Hot. Wet. Bad. Dirty. Sex. Slowly she began moving and brought her nails against his chest. Lust rolled through her in waves. Scratch marks welted over his skin. He hissed, his irises darkening as he took the pain she unleashed, exciting her. One drop and then two pinpricks of blood welled around his nipples. Her mouth ached, teeth hurting. She flattened her tongue on his hot skin, laving the metallic taste of his life source.

When he uttered a groan of protest, she dug her nails in harder, taking pleasure in his discomfort. Though his voice protested, his body moved with hers, his prick grew harder with each swipe of nails on his bare chest.

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten you, Stanley.” She bit down on Phineas’s clavicle. A mark for a mark, the voice within in her growled. Her flesh heated with each downward thrust of her body. Not enough.

Phineas grunted. “Kamaria, slow down.”

“Hold it. Don’t you fucking come yet.” She raged at the inability of the man under her to maintain his erection long enough for her to satisfy a portion of her needs. His fear filled her senses and fed her in a delicious way. Kamaria slapped him hard as she rode him, and a drop of blood trickled from his mouth. Leaning down, she licked the drops up and absorbed the acrid metallic taste. Her face began to hurt beyond anything she’d ever felt. When she ran her tongue across her teeth, she felt sharp long incisors and heard the command in her head saying bite. An inhuman growl left her mouth, startling her but not enough to ignore the craving to bite. A snarl sound echoed in the room. She bent forward and bit into his neck. Blood, sex, pain registered, she reveled in it, until he came, his seed filling her still-needy pussy.

When he stilled she looked down and screamed in rage. His hard cock pulsated the final few jerks and withered within her, and she hurt so badly for more. “I’m not done yet.” She narrowed her eyes at Stanley who’d found a way to work off his cuffs. The ear-splitting sound of the high-frequency radio deafened her until it went silent. Enraged, she dismounted from Phineas, advanced on Stanley and struck him hard on his chest. “Did I give you permission to call for backup?” She wanted more cock and the one in front of her was just as limp as the premature ejaculator sprawled on the floor. “Worthless.”

“I’m not fucking you, Kamaria. Untie Phineas now and we can solve this without severe consequences.”

“You are not in control here,” Kamaria barked. “I’m hungry!” The need to fuck waned and in its place the need for a blood bath ensued due to her unquestionable anger.

A horrible premonition of death prickled the hairs on her body, subduing her rage. She covered her head with her hands and sank to the floor, crawling to the far corner of the room, sick to her stomach.

Get away.

Closing her eyes she prayed for it to end. “I surrender,” she screamed in a panic. Officers swarmed in on her, weapons drawn on the ready.

“I didn’t mean to.” She sobbed. Her gaze followed an officer attending to his comrade on the floor bleeding and cuffed.

“I did.” The darker voice purred and sent a rippling effect of lust through the many newcomers.

“Shoot her,” Stanley ordered.

Kama quivered. “Don’t. I’m unarmed.”

“Take the shot, she’s psychotic,” she heard Stanley order from his seat.

“I am not crazy. I just need. I just need. I’m starving,” she sobbed and leapt from her crouched position at Stanley, raking her nails across his face. Laughter bubbled in her throat. Her hands wrapped around his neck, her teeth nipping at his jugular. Guns went off, filling the air with the stench of sulfur. When the gun smoke cleared, she realized her body was still intact.

Anxious, out of her element, the next sound terrified her as it reverberated forcefully in the room. A big ball of fur knocked her down, separating her from her newest victim, covering her with its massive body. A force to be reckoned with, the seven-foot saber-tooth tiger roared at the officers on the attack.

“What the fuck?” Multiple officers bellowed.

“Back off.” The guttural order came from the beast that covered her body and provoked the men into ducking for cover behind stationary objects, guns still drawn. All but one. She stared into a set of angry eyes, a tall lean man who wasn’t cowering in fear but bristling with rage, ready to attack. She gulped hard at the lust consuming her. The darkness registered the human threat and rolled with want to play. Kama looked back at the huge animal before her. From the animal to the man she regarded their intensity; backing down, she accepted protection from the large cat.

“I’m here to take you to safety.” He spoke the words to her in a foreign dialect. Frightened at the prospect of leaving, she backed away until he blocked her.

“I will kill you,” the lone standing cop barked, weapon cocked and pointed.

The strange animal let out a growl.

Kama forced herself to breathe as her defender shrouded them in a protective field. Around her the officers covered their heads with their hands as they dropped one by one to the floor, weapons skittering across the floor. The tiger looked at her with compassion, confusing her. Frightened, she backed away, drawing her arms over her body in a form of self-preservation. When she looked up, a wave of energy pulsated around the beast. Swallowing a knot of fear, she watched his shape change. Eyes wide in disbelief, a blond pagan god stood in front of her, naked as the day he was born. Mesmerized by his gorgeous body, Kama couldn’t ignore the vibrating purr inside her. “Kamaria, we’ve been searching for you for a long time. I’m Caedon, a friend. Don’t be afraid. There is much to tell you, show you. Once we have you delivered to safety.”

His words immediately calmed the panic rising in her. How could anyone do what he did? A wave of energy pulsated around her and her savior, and then her world went dark.

* * * *

“Kamaria.”

Kamaria roused from her faint and struggled in the arms securing her. When had her captor put on clothes? She looked around for a way out. Night surrounded them. In the distance she made out trees as far as the eye could see. The voice began whispering in her ear. Anger radiated. She pushed at him, struggled to free herself, her fingernails digging into him.

The stranger didn’t let go of her. She reached down to bite him and was rewarded with a palm striking her ass.

“Cease fighting me.”

Hearing his voice ring clearly in her head startled her into complying until the warmth from his slap radiated over her bottom. Laughter rang in her mind and then a soft purring resonated. Confusion and fear rattled her to the core. On a deeper level, she felt safe. Life had taken quite a turn, nothing was as it seemed. The height of her growing hunger alarmed her. The smell of his blood called to her from the slashes she’d made in his skin. “Sanctuary.” He stopped to quell her discomfort. “Is where we’re headed.”

“So hungry.” She tried to reach his cock. Her hot body ached. Just as she bent to bite into him, the scent of heaven engulfed her. Kama lifted her head to breathe in the heady aroma. Touching his erection didn’t compare to the aphrodisiac that lurked behind the huge steel door.

* * * *

Caedon stopped at the door with the young woman in his hands. He wanted to take her home but she needed to be fed first. “She needs aide. I couldn’t find her in time.” He kept a tight hold on her wriggling, claw-tearing hands, bracing her against the wall and himself. “Move it, man!” He let out a harsh growl at being ripped up.

“Feed me,” she hissed, and clawed his skin, moving her body into a position to flee.

A hand shot out from the dark corridor to the right of Caedon and the young woman. The man grasped her upper arm, trying to jerk her from the guardian. He held her fast, despite the clawing, kicking, and bites into his skin. “Yours?”

“Mine. Back off, Makhi.”

“No. Ours. Stand aside. She needs me right now.” Makhi crossed his arms over her to stave off the rest of the incubus males aroused by the scent of a virgin succubus.

“You will return her to me when she’s no longer afflicted.” Caedon stepped aside with reluctance.

“I’ll call you when we need you,” he said to the guardian, dismissing him.

*

“Kitten, I’m going to take you and make you all better.” He sent her a dose of tranquility and calm, brushing his name into her mind, helping to abate her nervousness.

The rest of the onlookers backed down, knowing not to anger the top enforcer’s orders. He cradled the little succubus in his massive arms, feeding off the fear mixed with curiosity surging through her. Her wretched demon gazed at him, the fight subsiding.

Good girl. His demon purred in praise.

He wouldn’t stop until they reached his chambers, where he could look her body over and see to her needs. In the past three centuries only one of her kind came home. The rare breed of hell kitten and succubus ranked high in their society. The kitten’s conscience and need for physical contact after feeding kept the succubus anchored from breaking their law and killing their prey. Her rare mix of shifter added to the insanity of their calling.

Smooth bronzed skin the color of caramel. His beast batted against him, but he held him down and brushed his lips across the side of her neck, inhaling her scent, a soft meadow rain setting his body’s lust for a feed skyrocketing. Under the scent of her body wash or spritz was the mouthwatering smell of innocence.

Fresh. Never been touched, coveted, and cherished as should be by an incubus. The thought of sharing her with another male equivalent left a sour taste in his mouth. His beast demanded she be his and his alone, though by any indication, the guardian had a permanent place in her life. He locked gazes with others starting to appear in the wings of their haven. His growl resonated, forcing them to take a step back. Being an enforcer didn’t stop those from challenging. Another male attempted to reach out and touch what wasn’t his.

“Get away from me," she screamed, kicking out.

Makhi hauled out and connected a punch to the incubus’s face, and sent words of comfort to her. A crushing blow connected to the back of his head, but didn’t alter his hold on the fighting succubus or the combative incubus determined to take her for his own. “You’d be smart to back the fuck off.” His cold glare turned to land on his attacker. Lip twisted into a silent snarl, he tucked Kama easily beneath one arm and struck out with the other. A bolt of electricity shot straight into the incubus’s chest, forcing Makhi to zap back and forth from his human form to his demonic one. He scanned the area around them and felt the shimmer of air, more of their kind drawn to the intoxicating scent of the woman he held. Her safety foremost in his mind, Makhi yanked her head back, teleporting them to his personal chambers. He’d deal with Caedon when the time came.

* * * *

Makhi pinned her svelte body to the bed, his hands stretching her arms above her head as he gazed down at her with tender eyes. Even though his beast dipped into the fear to taste, read her and get information, her face read like a book. She had no idea what she was, no idea she carried a succubus demon and kitten within her.

He bent his head down and brushed his lips over hers, gently, softly, coaxing her to relax some as the demon shredded her insides. His top priority was to make her understand that this first lesson would be the most difficult. In order to gain freedom from their protection, Kamaria had a tough road ahead, learning constraint after years of unrestrained impulsivity. His hips rocked side to side, pushing between her thighs. Settled there, he spoke, brushing his words gently into her mind. His voice an echoed caress of lust and power rushing over her sensitive skin, beckoning the succubus demon to his wishes.

“You’re home now, let me feed you.” A dark chuckle fell from his lips. “I'll take care of you anyway if you don't bend. I am going to fuck you then teach you how to feed without causing a blood bath. Let's hope those drugs still in your system don't fuck with your comprehension.” His lips swooped down to hers, taking her plush flesh into a dangerously high kiss, passing his demon down her throat. She tasted of the sweetest ambrosia, and the pulsing of power he radiated fed her starving demon.

“But being free was sooo much fun, the blood, the fear, the pain,” the succubus purred into his mind. The lips against his, teasing and sucking, were not those of the petrified girl lying on the bed moaning and whimpering, but those of the starving demon playing with her newest acquisition. Makhi appreciated beautiful women, though there was nothing sexier than African American women, with their varied shades of skin tones. He found mocha coloring one of his favorites, that and pretty brown eyes. Kamaria held the beauty of a Nubian Queen, smooth soft, skin, long eyelashes, soft full lips. He ignored his libido to take in her breathtaking body.

The sound of her heart thundering in her chest aroused him. He liked her body writhing as if on fire underneath him. She wasn’t sure of anything, but he knew she craved more than she would ask for. His voice dropped an octave, causing her skin to break out in goose bumps and her core to contract and dampen. God he loved reading her mind and the cacophony of emotions running through her. She thought herself the devil who’d devour him at will. He’d prove how wrong she was. Priceless, her demon called to him but didn’t master him. No he’d master her.

A breath-stealing dark smile, renowned for sending women’s hearts aflutter, curled Makhi’s lips. This side of him, mothers warned their daughters to stay far away from. At his worst the predator in him demanded obedience. A soft sizzling noise accompanied his next action toward her, bindings made from electricity peeled from his lean digits would keep her pinned effortlessly as he toyed with her body. Leaning back, crouched on his legs, his eyes shifted over the nude mocha body bearing the testament of a bloodletting before entering the compound. His nostrils flared as he fell back down, his hands catching his weight near her head as he ran his tongue across her delicate cheek.

“You are far too young to have been forced into this destructive way of life, succubus kitten.” The knowing whisper came from the darkness inside him. Firm lips traveled over her cheek, along her neck and across her chest. His demon cooed to the succubus, “Learn what I teach you and your kitten and you will no longer be at odds with each other.” His hand rolled along her abdomen, up her stomach, to cup the underside of her breast before moving back down across her flesh.

“Young but not too young to feed off the pleasure of those trying to beat me out of her, we’ve been hungry for so long. Feed me well. My happiness depends on her willingness. Fuck me and I'll make my kitten scream every time you come near.” Oval-shaped cat eyes glared defiantly at him. She pushed her breast into the calloused hand holding her. Her body writhed, wanting more, burning and pulsating to feel full.

Her words did not sit well with him, and to show such, his beast grabbed hold of the succubus, sinking its fangs and claws deep inside her, and ripped away any and all lust perfuming the air. His woman’s skin grew cold, the heat of want not fueling her movements as he continued to pin her down. A low menacing growl vibrated through to the demon. “Heed my words well, succubus bitch, you are young and out of your league here. I would silence your tongue and accept the help I am giving you.” Makhi’s words—not meant for Kama but the demon riding along the innermost seams of her body—echoed only for the succubus’s ears.

Impatience set in, Makhi grasped Kamaria's throat in a light grasp. “Tell me—will you agree? Or continue being a bitch and prolong your own torture?” His thumb stroked the cooling flesh of the woman. Bending down, he brushed his lips to her ear. The words leaving his lips were toned down, and the commanding echo was almost missing as he spoke in a softer tone. “Do not fear me child. First, you must be fed; then I will show you the truth of your life. Resist me not.”

“Yessss,” hissed the demon bitch. Kamaria shifted under him and trembled. “So tired of fighting.” She looked up, licking the spot of blood left on her lips. She nodded and relaxed. Her wary eyes regarded him pensively. Kamaria lay still, barely moving although he heard her heartbeat triple.

Makhi didn’t question her sudden compliance. He gave her an encouraging smile. “Just feel,” he breathed to the dainty ear as his hands spread her legs, wrapping them high around his waist as he released the lust, which he had just moments ago taken. “Lose yourself, you will not be sorry,” he murmured, readying her body. Back and forth he slid, increasing the ardor. Under him she struggled to free her hands, he acquiesced and recalled his bonds.

Kamaria touched his tattoo-raised skin. Her fingertips crossed over, brushing his nipples in a feather-light caress. Her body pushed up against his to feel more of his hot flesh. On a moan, she spread her legs wider for him. He grinned, and watched her eyelids fall to half-mast. What sounded like a soft purr resonated from her, pleasing him.

Makhi’s own pleasure began to rise as the scent of an untouched succubus, a virgin in many senses, began to perfume the air with a fresh meadow rain again.

The addictive purr of the kitty sent pleasurable chills racing down his spine; he bent his head and nuzzled her shoulder with a press of his lips. Slipping his hand between their bodies, he placed his cock at her entrance and pushed slowly inside. Vaguely remembering that she was still a succubus virgin, he sank inside her the entire way, rubbing the base of his manhood against the entrance of her core where a bundle of nerves rested. He groaned when she clenched her walls around him. The heat from her pussy and satin walls stole away his thoughts. When she wiggled, pressing herself more flush to him, the move brought him deeper inside her. A low moan ensued from her succulent mouth. Thoughts of her needs and desires surged into his mind.

The bite of her nails and visions she pushed his way sent him forward, thrusting between her slick folds in a downward stroke to ram her to the bed before he retreated and thrust back in. In and out, his thrusts were fierce as he dove back into her, vastly enjoying the way she gripped and clenched around him. Tilting her head up, he breathed lightly on her lips before taking them in a hard kiss, sending the demon down her throat, the sweetest taste of food that she would ever feel. To a succubus, copulation with an incubus was the only way to keep her fed for days at a time. He offered the rarest, most exotic of food. “Take it,” the demon brushed against her mind, enticing the female wretch to feed.

“Good girl,” the beast breathed through the link they had established. His body rocked against hers faster and faster as he could feel the tension inside her building for a release. Dipping a lean finger between their bodies, he found her tiny button and pressed, rubbing it back and forth to add to the tension. “Come for us pretty, taste your first release. Many more are coming, but embrace your inner self. Despite what you were told, this is normal, not something to be ashamed of.” His words were deep, fixing many of her fragmented images to their rightful order, giving her some sort of hope that she wasn't insane.

Kamaria gasped and tensed, then relaxed. He exhaled deeply as the kitten beneath him experienced her first orgasm induced by an incubus, her fingers digging into his flesh instinctively. Her trembling form perfumed the air with a sweet fragrance, causing Makhi to close his eyes as he fed, as his beast rolled around in it and filled up on the innocent lusts. His pelvis continued to meet hers, demanding to increase the pleasure and the food as both feasted. Her silken walls tightening each time he dove inside and withdrew, close to scalding him with the hotness that only women possess, and only succubus mixed breeds could perfect. “Perfect,” the demon purred out to the woman, his ghostly hands caressing her mocha flesh, the touch feather soft, much like a goose feather playing across her skin.

He watched as the succubus in her inhaled her pleasure and basked in it. Soft purrs of satisfaction left her mouth. She tightened her legs around his flanks and pushed upward to meet his demanding thrusts.

"See how well you feed when you’re a sweet succubus," Makhi caressed her mind with his desire to help. He could not correct what had been done. He’d provide her the stability she needed and if fate allowed him to stay by her side, he would, or he’d move on in search of other lost souls. His land still lived and breathed and as long as his home had a pulse he’d follow the path chosen for him by his elders.

His body tensed just seconds before his magic ripped through him, having had enough of his waiting and wanting to feel the next orgasm his host and the young thing beneath him would feel. A scrapping of stubble against the column of the demoness's neck and a wicked caressing of Kamaria's lusts to a higher level so the young one was forced to orgasm brought a devilish grin to both the incubus and himself.

“Make it stop!” Kamaria screamed. He teetered between the sweetest heaven and the darkest yearning to see how much further her body could take unmitigated torture. Rapid healing kept his skin regenerating during the continual sweeps of his sweet succubus’s nails shredding him. Her damp body trembled, her pulse frantic while her body tried to cool off before clamping down on his cock so hard he felt the pulsating throb of her pussy contracting for him. Cries left her mouth, cries he silenced. When her wretch took her first multiple orgasm, he fed off her growing ardor and shuddered. He came hard, filling her womb, pumping slower, her walls milking him ’til not a drop remained, marking her body with his seed. “How are you feeling, Kama?”

“I feel good.”

Her whispered words sounded sweet.

“This is only the beginning, sweet kitten. You won’t be able to leave the realm for long. Untrained novices need sustenance too much to venture far from behind closed doors for more than two weeks, maybe a month if they come back starving. Your demon has only just woken to the pleasures of what she’s been denied.” His firm lips pressed to her throat, nuzzling her softly as his body began rocking to hers gently, answering the call to feed her demon willingly.

Kamaria trailed a manicured nail up his back. “Do you have time to see to your needs, then?” She bit her lip. “Did you enjoy it? Does it make you feel better at all? I—you’re sure I'm not crazy?” She spoke with a hesitant hitch.

Her words caused him to lift his head, his eyes leveling with hers at the questions she spoke. How cute. She worried she didn’t bring him pleasure when in fact he gained his from hers. “I assure you, I am well sated. Once the innocence of a succubus is claimed, the others cannot come near unless invited or they will invoke a fight. Among our kind, the first-time pleasures are a specialty, not many can claim to have had them. Crazy?” Chuckling, he bent his head, running his lips over her face gently to ease the tension from her yet again. This time he decided to roll them over so she sat atop him, able to explore if she wished. “You’re no crazier than the rest of us are, excluding those in the family who really are crazy.” Makhi curled his arms around her sides, caressing the soft skin. “Just feel, let the sensations guide you to what you desire, want and need. Allow the wretch inside you a little breathing room for her good behavior, allow her to show you how to direct and inflict pleasure upon a partner.” Now as they cuddled, he took time to trace her skin with his fingertips.

“You said before no one may touch me. How do you know they won’t try if you’re not around?” She pressed a kiss on his shoulder and lay back down on the bedding. “I'm surprised you wanted me. You must’ve felt the scar tissue on my back,” she said, turning her face away.

"Hush. Scars will fade. I will always protect you, even from yourself. When I am done teaching you, we will go from there, but you will have control over what you are afraid of. Own your fears to remain in control. Learning to glamour your scars so they do not mean a thing won’t be an issue. Or a visit to a Healer and your skin will be perfectly smooth with no marks left behind. Otherwise you’ll come to find your scars mean nothing when your demon is awake and demanding to be fed. Internal scars will take time. You have a family now, here to help you bridge over to your new place, home.” The eyes regarding her remained ever watchful. She’d been but cast out for a lifetime before now.

Makhi's hand fisted into her hair, bringing her down for a fierce kiss as his hand grabbed her ass and tugged her up to straddle his waist, his cock brushing along her slick slit. “You will learn to control, to direct and bargain with the evil bitch. She will be an extension of you, and you will be her ability to communicate with the world and enjoy it. Feel for now, feed, and we will begin that soon.” The longer, harder, unforgiving form of the primal beast rolled them across the bed until he rested between her legs yet again, teasing her for a while longer until she was withering, begging to be taken. The demon and kitten worked as one to get what they wanted. And once they did, he drove himself inside and showed her how to take their passion one step further.

In the morning he’d set about explaining how she was never human, just lost to them until now. He’d find her the best healer and prayed time would erase the horrors pushed on her as a mortal teen. When in fact her hungers and needs were normal for their species. In time he hoped she’d find solace in his care.