Black Moon

red.

“It’s done.”

Excellent, pet. You could destroy an entire city with the force that’s inside you now. Do you see?

“Yes. It feels fantastic.” No denying the truth.

You can do that anytime you wish. Use it well when you practice your skills against the posers who call themselves your friends. Do you remember what I told you to do?

“A small misfortune, a dark prank. Nothing too noticeable.”

When will you begin?

“First thing in the morning. Breakfast.”

Very good. Devise something especially unpleasant that you will enjoy watching.

“Oh, I will.” He smiled at the prospect. “No one will hurt me again.”

No, because you’re going to get them. All of them, eventually.

His groin tightened at the prospect.

Now for your first real test. Lower the shields around the compound so that I may enter.

His resolve faltered. “What? Now?”

Yes. Lower them.

“I—I can’t.” His heart pounded in confusion.

You can. Don’t you desire your blood reward?

“I do, but . . . you’ll hurt them.”

I will not. That is your task. To exact revenge on the ones who have wronged you.

He hesitated, in sudden turmoil.

Remember how rich my blood tastes, how delicious our bond? Just imagine it on your tongue, like chocolate and wine, as you will recall.

Waving a hand, he chanted a few words, and the wards fell. Immediately, a dark figure stepped from the shadows beyond the pool of light from the lamp.

“Come to me, boy.”

Standing, he walked to Malik, uncaring that he was still naked. But it hardly mattered. The other male was in his true Unseelie form, in all his brutal, terrible glory. He was so tall, his head almost touched the ceiling, his leathery wings slightly spread, taking up the room. He was all muscle, raw strength, impressive as ever.

When Kalen was in front of him, the Unseelie cupped the back of his head and drew Kalen’s face to the crook of his neck. “Take my blood in the way of our kind. I know you want to.”

He did. His mouth was watering at the prospect. His fangs lengthened and he struck quickly, sinking them into the male’s flesh. The dark nectar hit his tongue and he moaned, swallowing all he could. So good. The savage potency of it arousing him against his will.

The feelings weren’t about Malik at all. But the lure of the darkness, the evil, that was another matter. The rush was a million times that of any street drug, and much more addictive. He could no more have stopped the ecstasy flooding his cock and balls than he could’ve stopped his heart from beating.

“You’ve had enough.” The Unseelie pried him off, setting him back.

“No! Please, I need more.” He hated the bastard for making him beg.

Malik grinned, looking a lot like the devil. “And so you will have it, the next time you please me. Report to me tomorrow, after you’ve completed your first task.”

“Yes, Malik.”

The Unseelie reached out and ran a claw down his cheek. Curiously, his expression softened. “You please me, boy.”

Such a fatherly gesture, accompanied by words he’d longed to hear from his own dad. “Thank you.” God, he was so messed up.

In a wink, the Unseelie was gone.

Falling back onto the bed, Kalen took his cock in hand. The flood of heady arousal had to be relieved or he’d lose his mind. If he hadn’t already. The nectar flowed like heroin in his veins, seducing. Just, he suspected, as Malik had intended, but he didn’t care.

Fisting his rod, he stroked firmly. Squeezed. His balls drew up and it took just a few more passes before his release blew, spurting come all over his belly. Even some on his chest. There was nothing like the ride the Unseelie’s blood took him on. He could easily become addicted.

Like he could have to his mate had she not rejected him.

Obviously that had been a pipe dream. This, however, was real.

Before he dropped off to sleep, he chanted a few words, replacing the magical wards over the compound.

Though in some dark corner of his heart, he had been tempted to leave them down.

* * *

Breakfast was an interesting affair.

Sitting across from Ryon, Kalen studied the blond-haired man and contemplated the best method of getting to him. The man was a Channeler and Telepath. He could talk to spirits, and he hated his so-called gift. Now to find a way to turn that against him.

As a Sorcerer, one of Kalen’s abilities was necromancy—he could raise the dead and talk to them. It came in handy at times, like in an investigation. Might be useful now.

Wasn’t this going to be fun?

From the corner of his eye he caught Mackenzie’s stare from the far side of the dining room, and for a few seconds his resolve faltered. Then the incredible pain of her walking out on him returned, strengthening it again.

Returning his attention to the silver wolf, he mulled over his challenge. Kalen couldn’t see ghosts like Ryon could. In order to speak with them, Kalen had to use his sorcery to call the spirit back into its former body at the grave site. He was in short supply of graves and bodies here, so that meant he’d have to improvise. And the best way to do that was with an illusion.

Ryon wouldn’t know Kalen was behind what was about to go down. If he suspected, it wasn’t like he’d be able to prove anything. Pretending to enjoy his eggs and bacon, Kalen concentrated. Sent out a wave of energy that drew from air and light and a touch of shadow. The composition swirled to form a tall, menacing figure draped in what appeared to be a dark cloak. The white face was blank, and it stood beside the wolf, reached out a skeletal hand and pointed a bony finger at him.

The blond was engrossed in conversation with Zan sitting beside him and at first didn’t notice the eerie presence. No one else in the room could see it, except for Ryon and Kalen, who pretended he didn’t.

Ryon laughed at something Zan said, and glanced to his left. When he did, he choked on his food at the sight of the cloaked creep. A thrill of satisfaction wormed through Kalen’s heart, even as it shamed him. Ryon had always been pretty decent to him and—

Focus, Kalen. Make me proud.

Doubt subsiding, Kalen sent another burst of magic at his creation, animating it briefly.

“You are no good to anyone with your worthless gift,” it hissed at Ryon. “Die.”

Ryon immediately went white and nearly fell off his seat. “What the fuck?”

Pushing a last surge at the figure, Kalen had it rush straight at Ryon and pass right through him before disappearing. The force of it knocked the wolf to the floor, where he landed on his ass.

“Jesus, man,” Zan blurted, startled. He offered his friend a hand. “What the hell was that all about?”

“Didn’t you see it?” He let Zan help him up and stood by his chair, clearly rattled. Wild-eyed, he spun in place, searching every inch of the dining room for the specter.

“I didn’t see crap except you falling out of your chair looking like you’d seen a ghost. You did, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. Shit.” He tugged at his hair in distress. “But I’ve never had one attack me before. I felt the damned