Page 21 of You Only Die Twice

That thought should sadden me, given everything she and I had been through. She wasn’t just my partner. She was more. Luka smiles at me, baring his teeth as I continue to sift through his brain.

Mate.

Our brains collide in that one word, both of us swelling with the possessive, protective instincts to claim and keep safe. I know now that he will never mean Katrina any true harm. He can’t. To hurt her would be to cut off the one last remaining emotion he possesses.

I draw back, noting the anger burning hot in his gaze, but it’s not at me. For once, his anger is solely confined to the woman kneeling between us. His allowing me to take this part of the punishment is painful for him. He obviously wants nothing more than to see her suffer and obviously views me as too weak and human to do the job.

But that’s where he’s wrong.

Oh…Oh, he is so fucking wrong.

Now that my brain and heart are in agreement as to who and what Katrina is to us, there will be no mercy shown to Gloria. Our past will not dictate her future. I nod to Luka, conveying to him as best I can that I will handle this. Tension drains from his body as he stares me down. I can almost hear the words, “Don’t fuck this up,” But I know they aren’t there. They aren’t from him. He’s completely taking his hand off the situation and allowing me to handle it - the first true show of him trusting me.

Gripping my erection, I slide the cold metal onto my shaft, noting the snug fit. It surrounds my cock like a second skin. Just in case, I take the band and wrap it about my balls, groaning at the squeezing sensation. Gloria’s eyes widen as she takes in the sheath, her head shaking back and forth as much as Luka will allow.

Until this moment, she probably didn’t think I had it in me, but oh, is she wrong. Any threat to my mate is a threat to me as well. Sliding a hand down her face, I cup her cheek for a moment, gazing into her eyes. There is nothing but terror in those depths. My eyes flit up to Luka then over to the screen. A soft smile teases my lips as I watch Katrina, my body burning with lust for her.

“Together,” I murmur, glancing back over to Luka. His smile matches mine as he leans in, his lips skimming over mine. His hand pushes forward as I notch my tip in the ring, making sure all the spikes can clear it before surging forward.

Gloria gags as Luka shoves her head the rest of the way, forcing the razor-sharp tips deep into her throat. Warm blood coats my cock, peppering the air with that tangy, metallic, glorious scent. As the spikes slice through her delicate skin, I know there is no going back.

Perhaps this was all Luka’s end game anyway, but either way, I feel the monster squirming inside, writhing deep within me, bathing in Gloria’s blood. Frenzied lust slams into me as the tips of the spikes embed themselves into her throat, sticking for just a moment before I jerk back, tearing through the soft tissue.

The only way to describe the sensation is the jagged vibrations of a steak knife tearing through meat. I saw in and out of her mouth, each thrust and pull dragging out another pained gurgle. Luka leans over, his lips descending on mine. He continues to shove her onto me as I stand there, my hands caressing his face as his tongue invades my mouth.

I don’t even have to thrust any more. With one hand, Luka cups the back of my head, pinning me under the onslaught of his kiss while the other forces Gloria’s head back and forth on my cock. Groaning, I drop my hands to her head, Gripping her close as I shoot my cum down her throat.

The obvious burn as it drips over her flayed tissues sends her writhing about, embedding herself deeper onto the spikes. I let her. As of this moment, she means nothing more to me. Pulling back, I yank my cock out of her mouth. It’s still hard because of the sheath and band around my balls. More blood spurts out as I clear the ring.

Gloria kneels there, wheezing as blood and semen spill from rips in her throat. She never looked more glorious. The monster in me shoves his way through, shredding the final vestiges of my humanity, much like what the spiked sheath did to her. I wriggle about, feeling out this new me.

Before I can say anything, Luka steps to the side and picks up a thin hank of metal. It’s like prison wire, only thinner. The wicked edges sparkle in the soft light as he holds it around Gloria’s throat. Eyes frantic, begging me to save her, she reaches up, her gurgling breaths sending splatters of blood to the floor.

I don’t give a damn. And that’s when it hits me that I’ve fully embraced the monster inside. Normally, I’d do anything to save her, even after all the shit she put me through. But now, she’s like a cockroach under my foot, waiting to be squished.

“Even in death, she clings to the last vestiges of humanity…pathetic.” With a jerk of his wrists, he wraps it about her neck and pulls, severing her head from her body. “It is done.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Luka

I stare at Jackson’s heaving body, his torso splattered with Gloria’s blood. I never expected him to involve me like he did. In all honesty, I expected him to act like I do and take complete control of the situation, but he didn’t. Once more, he surprised me. Pleasure shoots through my core as I shove Gloria’s limp body from in between us and pull Jackson closer.

It’s dangerous. Far more dangerous than I originally anticipated. For the first time in five hundred years, someone slipped through my defenses. He managed to see my thoughts, something no underling of mine has ever accomplished. My fingers thread through his hair as I slam my mouth back down on his, desperately needing to be back in control.

I never expected to allow these mortals under my skin, especially not Jackson. He strode onto that cruise ship, determined to kill me. I didn’t need to read his thoughts to know that. And now, here we are, his cock dripping with cum and blood, and I want nothing more than to claim him all over again.

A small unfurling of emotion slithers through my heart, awakening nerves that should be long dead. I should hate him, hate them both, but I can’t bring myself to do so. And that’s what makes them dangerous. Luckily no one else was in here except my sister, and she will never reveal a thing.

If anyone else saw, it would be my ruin. Though granted, if someone did decide to kill either of them to get to me, it still wouldn’t physically affect me, and that’s the thought I need to shore me up right now. My tongue slips into Jackson’s willing warmth, and I lose myself in the man beneath me.

There will be time later to examine these feelings, mostly when I’m away from Jackson’s prying mind. He’s far stronger than anyone else I’ve ever turned, and for once, I’m glad I ensnared both him and Katrina. This will keep either of them from acting out and putting me at harm. They will guard me with their life since my death will mean their own demise.

At first, I fully intended to allow Jackson full reign of Katrina. It seemed only fair that my favorite pet has a pet of his own, someone I can wield as a club, but now that my true feelings for her are revealed, I have no choice but claim her right alongside him. That way, neither of them can come for me.

Sliding my palm lower, I cup Jackson’s balls, delighting in his groan as it ripples over my skin. I unbind him and slide the sheath off, tossing it to the floor. Crooking my ankle around his, I drop him to the ground and cover him with my body. Though he already had satisfaction twice, his cock still stands at attention, demanding release.

Grunting, I push his legs up, nearly bending him in half. I don’t mess around with any preliminaries. There’s no spit to ease my cock in, and honestly, Jackson wouldn’t understand if I suddenly had a change of heart and made things pleasurable. He wouldn’t trust it, thinking it was just another ploy to mess with his head.