STORY EXCERPT

He flirted with his red boa, shook his hips from side to side, and sang to the rowdy crowd. His earlier tension drained, leaving Sy to have a great time on stage, shaking his moneymaker and belting out his favorite list of songs. That was until he saw Fang moving around the tables, as if he were trying to get a closer seat.

Don’t panic. The man isn’t going to do anything in front of this crowd.

 Sy made sure he stayed away from that side of the stage—which really sucked considering all the money that was being waved into the air. Gritting his back teeth, Sy forced himself to strut over there. He kept a good distance from Fang as he jutted his hip out and continued to sing. This was his career, his life, and Sy wasn’t going to let anyone scare him away from what he loved doing.

He just wasn’t going to allow the man to get close to him. He was being brave, not asking for trouble. Sy set one foot in front of the other, gripping the microphone as his eyes scanned over the crowd. The music flowed, as well as the drinks, which only helped the customers toss more bills at Sy’s feet.

His eyes drifted back toward his stalker and to his dismay, Fang winked at him as he raised his glass. Sy wanted to kick the wolf in the face, but restrained himself.

Barely.

When his last number ended, Sy hauled ass behind the curtain, hurrying down the steps of the stage. His heel caught and he almost went sprawling, but thankfully he managed to keep himself upright. The last thing he wanted to do was sprain his ankle.

He stopped at the bouncer’s side before looking over his shoulder to make sure Fang wasn’t hot on his heels. This routine was getting tiring, and Sy wished the wolf would just disappear. Sy grabbed the bouncer’s arm and guided him back toward the curtain. He parted it before he said, “The nutjob is back.”

The bouncer’s eyes glinted with anger. “I’ll keep him from getting to you.”

“Thanks.” Knowing the bouncer was going to keep Fang away didn’t stop Sy’s stomach from tying into knots. There was still the small fact of Sy leaving the Tuck & Tease Lounge. Fang might be waiting for him in the parking lot.

The shit I get myself into.

Which only reminded Sy of the date he was supposed to have tonight. Count Vladimir Dracul had called in a favor, and Sy knew he couldn’t turn the coven leader down. He owed the vampire.

But he was in no mood to entertain some Ministry guard. Sy had bigger problems on his hands. But if he didn’t show, Vlad would have his neck.

Once back in the dressing room, Sy showered and changed into a pair of tan cargo pants and a light-brown sweater. It wasn’t his normal getup, but he was trying to throw Fang off of his trail. In this bland outfit, he blended in, and that was just what he needed to escape his psychotic stalker.

Fat chance considering the man had the ability to scent Sy out. He also didn’t want to lead his date on. Sy was doing this as a favor. He’d never even met this Van Pierre before. With the way his luck was going, the man would be butt ugly.

Please don’t let him be butt ugly.

At this point, Sy would take anyone who wouldn’t hound him like Fang. Being stalked wasn’t flattering in the least. It was downright scary. Especially considering that Fang was twice Sy’s size.

“You knocked ’em dead,” Kat said as he winked at Sy. “I wish I could sing like you.”

“Honey, you have the looks,” Sy said as he stared at the gorgeous guy. Kat Nipp really was a looker, and he knew how to use it. He had more admirers than even Sy did. “You rake in enough dough for the both of us.”

Kat batted his eyelashes. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

Too bad it couldn’t get him out of his current situation or he’d flatter the shit out of Fang and Van Pierre. Resigned to a night of false smiles and fake laughter, Sy headed out of the club. The parking lot was empty. The security lights were shining brightly over the rows of cars. The owner of the Tuck and Tease Lounge believed in keeping his customers safe. Sy had been tempted a dozen times to tell his boss that he was being stalked, but Sy didn’t want a big production made. As naïve as it was, he kept hoping that Fang would just give up.

He crept toward his car, scanning the parking lot. It took him six seconds to get from the door to behind his steering wheel. Sy maneuvered out of the parking lot and onto Bishop Road, heading toward Massimo De Milano restaurant. Part of him hoped that he was stopped at the door for his lack of attire so he wouldn’t have to suffer through this date.

But luck was still shitting on him. The maître ď happily showed Sy to his seat. Van Pierre wasn’t here yet, which only gave Sy time to think…and think…and think.

Sy was sitting there tapping a thin breadstick on the table, ready to leave when he spotted the hottest guy to walk on two legs. The man walked through the restaurant as if he owned the entire world.

Sy felt his cock perk right up as he stared at the cleanly shaven face, a dark expensive suit, and a chiseled cut that said the stranger took damn good care of his body.

And the man was heading right for him.

Sy sat up straight, feeling like a boob for not looking his best. He wished he had pulled out all of the stops when the man drew nearer. If this was Van Pierre, he would have to thank Vlad.

“Monsieur Wren.” The stranger dipped his head before he took Sy’s hand and kissed the back of his knuckles. “What a pleasure to finally meet you.”

There was a high possibility that Sy was drooling. Thankfully when he wiped at his mouth, it was dry. “Van Pierre?”

“Ouí.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“We…” Sy licked his lips until they glistened. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this.”

The side of Daemon’s mouth twisted into a grin, mirroring the perverse amusement brought on by Sy’s attempt at stopping the blazing inferno igniting between them. “We should definitely do this.”

Daemon gave one hard jerk, shredding the lounge pants. Hunger burned deep in his belly as he gazed over the golden flesh beneath him. “Oh yeah, it would be criminal if we didn’t.”

“Ca–can’t ha–have that.” Sy’s stutter was almost as cute as he was.

Almost.

Daemon ran one hand over Sy’s slim chest, his fingers lingering at the siren’s dark nipples before he pinched the peaked flesh one at a time. “This shirt has to go.”

When first kidnapping Sy, he’d thought he could resist the man. He thought he could keep his distance. But the pure pleasure of finally tasting Sy shattered any control he’d fooled himself into thinking he’d had.

His fingers caressed the material as he pulled Sy into a sitting position and then began to push the buttons through the eyelets. Daemon clenched his hands when they began to shake. He couldn’t let Sy see how nervous he truly was. He had to be in control—as thin and fragile as that control was.

Daemon wasn’t even sure why he was this uncertain. Never before had he been this careful with his lovers. He was used to having rough, raw, nameless sex.

But Sy was different.

He just didn’t know why.

Sy touched the side of his face with gentle fingers, and the tenderness ripped all thought from his head and left him in a reality where the only thing that mattered was Sy’s fingers touching him.

 It was becoming increasingly clear to Daemon why the man was considered one of the best performers in the city. The soft sounds the siren was making was enough to bring any man to his knees.

They were bringing Daemon to his.

When Daemon climbed off the bed and started stripping his own clothes off, he felt Sy’s eyes on him like a wave of heat scorching his skin. By the time he dropped the last piece of material to the floor and grabbed the lube out of the nightstand, he was so hard his dick ached.

Daemon’s legs shook, his heart beat wildly, and his cock throbbed at the sight before him. Sy lay on his stomach, his knees drawn up underneath him. His ass stuck up in the air.

As he stood there, he wondered if Sy was going to be his destruction. His entire life Daemon had viewed sex as an act to satisfy a need, two people scratching an itch.

Sy was no itch.

But he was also just a contract, and Daemon needed to remember that.

The siren looked over his shoulder, gazing at Daemon behind the fall of his thick hair, one golden eye peeking at him with mischievousness, and he knew for certain that Sy was already under his skin.

Daemon dropped everything on the floor except the lube. That he tossed on the bed next to Sy. Daemon climbed behind the man, trailing his hand from the nape of Sy’s neck down his back to flare of his ass.

Sy’s groan filled the room as he arched his body, pushing back against Daemon’s hand.His hand shook as he reached out to caress one round globe then the other, his fingers tracing the curve.

Sy’s skin was so silky.

Daemon could touch Sy for days, years.

Hell, centuries. Sy’s skin was like liquid silk.

Their breathing was hard, heavy, and loud as Daemon grabbed a large handful of hair and pulled the siren’s head back until it tilted up to his. He leaned down and latched onto Sy’s neck with his lips, licking the arch of the man’s throat. As he languidly tasted Sy, Daemon turned the imp over and then sucked Sy’s skin until he reached a dark little nipple.

He lapped and bit, raising it to a peak until Sy was crying out his name in a needy, breathless voice. Daemon’s body tightened as his tongue trailed across to reach the other, rolling the flesh in his teeth. He nibbled until he felt Sy shudder in his arms, twisting, pulling at Daemon’s hair as the man’s nails scraped across his scalp. The sensation made Daemon growl, guttural and low.

He nipped his way down Sy’s side, lapping a trail back up as his hands caressed the siren’s smooth skin. Daemon leaned down and bit Sy’s hip, sucking up a mark. He trailed his tongue across Sy’s abdomen and then bit the other hip, raising a matching mark.

He gazed up at Sy with half-hooded eyes, feeling his eyes blazing as his demon instincts were brought close to the surface. Daemon’s skin was hot, the temperature in the room rising. His nails were growing thicker. He gave Sy a wicked grin before he leaned back and swallowed Sy’s cock to the back of his throat.

Sy’s hips shot forward as he cried out. Daemon worked his throat muscles around the thick girth, massaging Sy’s shaft before creating suction as he pulled back, slowly teasing the man with his lips and forked tongue.

The flames of lust and desire licked along Daemon’s body, wrapping around his cock. Sy was a scorching force of sensuality that sucked the air from Daemon’s lungs.