Poisonous Pleasure (4 page)

“Stop, I can’t. I need to leave. There’s someone I have to see.”

“Dammit, give them back! It’s impossible for me to take them from you. All you have to do is hand them over and I
might
let you leave.”

“But I don’t know how. I’m not even sure I can.”

The feeling of leather materialized around parts of her body. Marcella looked down and still tried to cover herself. A black halter top barely covered her generous breasts. Pants were so low cut and tight, she knew she’d be stupid to bend over or sit down.

“Did you do that?”

“Yes, let’s go. You’re not leaving until I get those souls back. There’s got to be a way to unlock where they’re staying. But if I can’t, you can face the masters and explain the situation. In the meantime, I’m going to have fun trying my damnedest to open everything up inside of you.
Everything.
” He laughed. With the mischievous look on his face, she had no doubt he was referring to something sexual.

“But I can’t leave with you. I need to find Jason. I need to make sure he’s all right. He lost his father last year and today he saw me and my family rolled out of the house in body bags. Do you have any idea what he must be going though?”
Or what I’m going though? I need him.
Even though Marcella knew Jason was hurting, he was all she had left. She wanted to cry to him, to have him tell her everything was going to be all right.

“I don’t care, truthfully. Do you have any idea what I’ll go through if you don’t give me back those souls?”

Marcella screamed in frustration and ran for the opened side of the wall. The spiked stilettos made it impossible for her to make good timing around all the debris blocking her path. She wasn’t halfway across her front lawn when Dominic tackled her.

“Oh no, you don’t. Let’s go.”

A hand clamped across her mouth while he lifted her back against his body. In shock, she watched a red car materialize before them. What looked to be the symbol of a pitchfork rested at the very front of the two-door, sports car.

“Now get in here and be quiet. If you give me any more trouble I’ll tie you up and gag you. Is that clear?”

“Is that what you’re into?” She raised her eyebrow as his lips parted, quickly turning to a smile.

“Not particularly, but for you, I think the gag would be necessary. Now, stop giving me trouble. Hear me?”

“Perfectly,” Marcella bit out. She had to think of a way to get to Jason. Without him there to emotionally support her, Marcy wasn’t sure what to do. When anything had ever happened, he’d been her rock, the one telling her he wouldn’t ever leave.

Throwing herself down into the passenger side seat, she cringed when the door slammed. The keys resting in the ignition moved her into a motion. She jumped in the driver’s side and started the car, leaving Dominic standing in the middle of the road in a cloud of smoke.

The car quickly jumped to sixty as Marcella left what was considered, Ingleside on the Bay. She hit the highway headed toward town pushing the car over a hundred. Houses blurred by and she didn’t slow until she reached Jason’s road.

“Come on. Be home. Please!”

The big black truck sat sideways on the front lawn as if it had been parked recklessly. Sickness rushed through Marcella’s stomach. Her hand pushed against the horn as she slid to a stop. Jumping out, she raced toward his front door. “Jason!”

A red-eyed, Mable met her at the door before she could even knock. She almost didn’t recognize his mother, her face was so swollen. “Where’s Jason? I need to see him.”

“Honey, he’s asked for no visitors.” She paused, her eyes raking over the tribal tattoos. “I think you should go…and put some clothes on. You look ready to hit Leopard Street dressed like that.”

His mother saying she looked like a prostitute, dressed to hit the most well known street in Corpus Christi, broke her heart. “I know Jason is dealing with a lot right now, but it’s imperative I see him. Don’t you recognize me?”

The door began to close in her face and panic set in. Marcella’s whole body started shaking with anger and fear. She quickly placed her boot in the way. “Listen, get Jason or I’m coming in. I don’t have much time.”

“Who do you think you are? I’m calling the police.”

“Jason!” Marcella pushed passed the door and rushed to his room. The moment she entered, she stopped. His face was blotchy and just as swollen as his mother’s. A look of confusion crossed his features before his eyes grew wide. She quickly shut the door behind her and locked it.

“Jason.” Rushing to the bed, she threw herself at him. Marcella buried her face in his neck, breathing deeply, inhaling his scent. “I thought I’d never see you again,” she whispered.

He pulled back, taking in her appearance. For what seemed an eternity, he shook his head back and forth. His eyes narrowed, only to grow big again. “No. It can’t be.” He peered into her face harder. “You’re dead. I saw them take you from the house.” He bit his lip. “Who…are you?” Pressure gripped her arms, trying to separate them.

The alarm he was feeling physically pushed against her skin, startling her. Did she make a mistake in coming here? “It’s a long story, but I’m not dead. Well, not exactly dead. I’m not human, either.” She held around his neck tighter, afraid to let go.

“Jason! Is everything all right?”

Marcella turned at the pounding on the door. “I don’t have much time. There’s a… man after me. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”

“There’s no way you’re Marcy. You can’t be. You look a little like her, but you’re different.” The pressure increased on her arm as he tried prying it off, again, in earnest. “I think maybe you should leave.”

“I promise it’s me, Jason!”

“Don’t talk to me. I don’t know who you are.”

“Yes, you do! When we fought last night, I told you to go to Kasey and to leave me alone. I told you never to come back. I lied. I love you. I only said that because of the pain I was in. Please, you have to believe it’s me. Something happened that I can’t explain, and now I’m scared. “

“Go on.” Hazel eyes narrowed in her direction.

“You said last night while I was sitting on your bed that you hadn’t seen me cry in four years. You were there for me then. My family, Jason, they’re gone. You’re all I have left. I can’t bear to think that even though you’re alive, I lost you, too.

His jaw parted as his eyes filled up with tears. “Marcella?” Rough hands cupped her cheeks while he leaned in closer to look into her face. Multiple expressions passed over his features as he remained quiet.

“I’m going to have to go with the man for a while, but I couldn’t leave without you knowing the truth. I’m so sorry for the way I acted. Please forgive me and know that I do love you. You’ve always been the one.”

“Don’t leave me.” He crushed her against his chest before she could take a breath. She felt fear rush though him. The sensation prickled her skin. “I can’t lose you, again. Please don’t leave. Wait, let me come, too.”

“Jason!” Another round of banging rattled the door.

“Mom, I’m fine. Give us a few minutes.”

“If you need anything let me know.”

He turned back to Marcella. “Let me come, please.” His whisper could barely be heard over the beating of her heart. “God, you’re so different. I almost didn’t recognize you. If it wouldn’t have been more of a feeling, I might have never known it was you.” He shook his head as he held her stare. “You’re
eyes
, they don’t look real. They’re orange or gold, and definitely not normal. I swear I’ve seen them before…seen you before.”

Jason looked down and ran his fingers over the tattoos. Marcella shook as pleasure tightened her pussy. He pulled her down on the bed, covering his body on top of hers. “I thought I lost you.” He kissed her deeply, running his hand along her hip. She clung around his neck, moaning at the hardness that pushed against the leather between her legs.

“Well lookie here. So this is what you needed to do? We could have done this back at my place. Do you have any idea what you’ve just done by exposing yourself to a human?”

Gasping, Marcella gripped to Jason’s arm, tighter. Her boyfriend sprung from the bed breaking their contact. The moment the men looked at each other, Marcella could see something pass between them, but it was too fast for her to determine what it could have been.

“How in the hell did you get in here?” Jason snapped.

“I have my ways.” Dominic gave him an unsettling smile.

“You’re not taking her. I won’t let you. She belongs with me.”

Marcella eased to Jason’s side, grabbing his arm. More than anger resided on the demon’s face. He was downright scary looking. “Jason, don’t. You don’t know what he is. I told you I had to leave. I want you to wait for me. Can you do that?”

“You can’t be serious.” Dominic’s laugh filled the room. “He can’t stay now. You’ve just condemned your own boyfriend. Humans are not allowed to know about us.” Dominic crossed his arms across his wide chest, narrowing his eyes. “Unless you want me to kill him right now, I suggest he starts packing his stuff. If for one second he tries to outrun me, you know what will happen.” The demon stared at Marcella letting his point set in.

“No, I don’t want him to come. Not where we’re going.”

“You should have thought about that before you stole my car and came here. Look, we obviously can’t all leave together. Marcella, meet me outside. Jason.” He paused. “Such a good boy. What a shame.” Dominic shook his head. “Anyway, pack up and tell your mother goodbye. You won’t ever see her again. Then, you can meet us in town. I trust you not to do anything stupid. Just know if you do, you can’t hide from me.”

Jason took a step forward. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth? You could be setting us both up, for all I know.”

“You don’t know and you won’t. But I need Marcella, and she needs me. I can’t have her hunted down because she ran her mouth to
you
. Meet us in town at the supermarket parking lot and hurry.”

Dominic vanished into thin air. It took a few moments for Jason to regain his composure. “Did that just happen? What is that guy? Why do I feel like I’m having some kind of weird dream? I swear I’ve seen him somewhere before.”

“Calm down, Jason. He’s a demon. It seems I summoned him whenever I died. And I assure you, you’re not dreaming.”

“Fuck, this is a lot to process. I can’t think passed what just happened.” Jason picked up a book off his dresser and launched it across the room. “Son of a bitch. Who does he think he is, talking to you that way? Looking at you like…” Jason seemed to catch himself. “You better go. I won’t be long. Just be careful until I get there.” He ran his hands through his dark hair as he looked around the room like a predator. She couldn’t ever remember seeing him so angry. A stab of anxiety filled her.

Deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, Marcella kissed him goodbye and eased out of his door. Jason’s mother was nowhere to be seen while she cautiously escaped. Dominic sat in the driver’s side of the car, gesturing for her to hurry. Getting in would mean she needed to trust him, something she didn’t think should do. But with Jason now involved because of her, did she really have a choice?

Chapter 3

Jason threw everything his hands touched into his old school backpack. Who in the hell was that guy? And what gave him the right to decide anything having to do with Marcy? Demon or no demon, Jason wasn’t scared of him. The feeling as if they knew each other only left him feeling confused. He wanted to hurry and make sure the guy didn’t leave town before he could follow, but being distracted continuously made his hands fumble.

The truth of their current situation hit him in the chest like a bag of bricks. His mother. How would she cope knowing she not only lost her husband, but now her only child?

She did have Bill, but would he take care of her? The demon said Jason would never be able to see her again. Could he? Was it possible for him to come back after awhile and tell her he was okay? He’d find a way. He had to.

As for Marcella, he couldn’t leave her alone with that monster. Everything inside of him forced his arms to move faster. The need to protect his girlfriend overpowered everything. And when it came to her, he never questioned his intuition. A part of him just knew things, even he couldn’t understand.

Jason grabbed his bag and headed down the hallway to his mother’s room. “Mom, I need to leave town for a bit!”

The wooden barrier between them flew open, her eyes wide. “Why? What’s wrong? Who was that girl? Did you see what she was wearing? I didn’t raise you to hang out with people who dressed like that.”

“It was just a girl I knew a few years ago from high school. She heard about Marcella and wanted to know the truth from me. I can’t take all these phone calls and people. They’re smothering me. I’m leaving town for a while. My phone will be on at all times. Call me if you need anything.”

“I’m so sorry, sweetie. I know it’s hard. Marcella…she was such a pleasure to have around. I loved her like a daughter. We all were so sure you’d both end up getting married someday.” Tears poured down his mother’s cheeks while he shifted uncomfortably. “I can’t believe this happened.”

Seeing his mother cry made tears blur his vision. His voice was hoarse when he started to speak. “Call me if you need anything. I love you, Mom.”

“Where are you going?”

There was only one place he could go that was far enough away where no one could check up on him, his father’s cabin. “I’ll be in Camp Wood.”

“Be careful, honey. I know things are hard right now, but no worries. They’ll get better.”

Jason took his time hugging his mother. He kissed her forehead and headed for the door. He’d be back. He’d make sure of it.

* * * *

Marcella tapped impatiently against the dashboard while they sat waiting in the parking lot. “What kind of car has a pitchfork for an emblem?”

“A Maserati, that’s what kind.” Dominic looked toward the intersection with irritation. “Your boyfriend better hurry up. I’ve given all the patience I plan to hand out today. What you pulled…complete and utter bullshit. Taking off like that could have been the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen. My god, Marcella, you’re dead. You can’t be running around flaunting yourself to everyone you knew.”