Junga’s human lips turned into a smile reflecting her humor at the irony of the situation. She was in Elizabeth’s elegant penthouse with Darkwolf, planning to pen a note to Silver Ashcroft, when a hotel employee delivered this letter to her.
Ah, yes. The witch had saved her the trouble. Junga had no intention of releasing the elder Ashcrofts, she simply planned to use them as bait.
Darkwolf moved closer to her and she felt the heat of his body, smelled his spicy human male scent. He took the letter from her grasp, leaving her momentarily annoyed at his arrogance.
He studied the note, then clenched the paper so tightly in his fist that it crumpled within his grip. He brought his other hand to his throat and to the stone eye.
Junga stared in fascination as red light bled through his fingers, the stone glowing in his grasp. Darkwolf began breathing heavily, his eyes moving beneath his closed lids as if he were watching a movie.
A wicked smile creased his face, and he opened his eyes so that his dark gaze met Junga’s.
“We will not have to wait until Samhain to get Silver Ashcroft.” Darkwolf released the stone eye, which continued to glow even as his hand dropped away.
A sick sense of horror roiled through Junga’s belly as the eye darted back and forth, and then focused on her.
She cleared her throat. Tore her gaze from the glowing stone to meet Darkwolf’s gaze again. “If you know of a way to claim Silver and the other witches, then speak.”
“Tomorrow night they will all be in an ideal location that will be to the benefit of the Fomorii. They will be unprepared for attack.”
The letter drifted from his hand to settle on the living room’s carpet. The look in his eyes became suddenly erotic, as if he were thinking of something that pleased him sexually. “And then I will have Silver Ashcroft.”
Irrational anger flashed through Junga at his obvious desire for another woman. Followed by sick dread when she heard the queen calling her name from another part of the penthouse.
A beautiful blonde carrying a handbag and dressed in a revealing blue evening gown sauntered into the room.
Kanji.
The former human’s body the queen now inhabited had belonged to Barbara Wentworth, a wealthy woman and senator’s wife. Barbara had been staying at the hotel when Kanji murdered her and took over her shell.
Kanji fastened her gaze on Darkwolf and it turned seductive as her eyes raked him from head to toe. “Such a fine specimen. For a human,” she murmured.
A sensual smile eased across the warlock’s expression.
Horror crawled up Junga’s throat like Fomorii claws. If Kanji forced sex on her with Darkwolf, the queen could learn Junga’s secret.
“I will—” Junga’s gaze darted to the elevator doors leading from the suite. “I will check on the witches.”
“You will stay.” Kanji’s cold voice brought Junga’s gaze snapping back to the queen. “It will please me to see the warlock take you in this human form.”
No, no, no!
The look in the queen’s blue eyes held fire and a promise that if she wasn’t obeyed, she could very likely slay Junga where she stood.
Kanji folded her human arms and tapped the toe of her heel. “Bare yourself.”
Junga clenched and unclenched her jaw, trying hard not to let the queen see her defiance or her fear. She lowered her head in a submissive bow, gritting her teeth before saying, “Yes, my queen.”
When she looked up at Kanji, the queen wore the blonde woman’s haughty expression upon her features. “Do it.”
Junga caught the amusement and desire in Darkwolf’s gaze as she slowly unbuttoned her tailored suit to reveal the black lace bra that did little to cover her breasts. She let the jacket slide down her arms and to the carpeting. Her nipples betrayed her, growing hard beneath their gazes and pressing against the lace.
Kanji gave a throaty laugh. “Hurry, bitch.”
Startled by the use of the word that Darkwolf called her during their frequent matings, Junga’s hands trembled at the back fastening of her skirt. Had the damnable warlock told the queen about Junga’s submissiveness during sex?
As she fumbled with the zipper, Kanji gave a sound of impatience. Junga quickly unzipped the skirt and let it drop around her ankles, then stepped out of it. She remained in only her bra, thigh-high stockings and garters. She had taken to not wearing panties and had enjoyed the sensual feel of being partially naked beneath Elizabeth’s business suits.
Junga struggled to keep herself from trembling beneath the queen’s gaze. Kanji began to walk around Junga, studying her.
“I can see it,” Kanji murmured, and in that instant she knew the bastard Darkwolf had betrayed her. “She wants you to take her and beat her into submission.”
Darkwolf’s eyes held both amusement and a promise. Junga trembled with anger, fear, and horribly intense arousal.
It was then that Kanji unsnapped the evening bag that matched her elegant gown. From within the purse she drew out a large hook.
Junga’s blood went cold.
Kanji moved to one wall, hook in hand. She slammed the end of the big iron hook high up on the wall. It broke through the plaster and buried into wood.
“Her wrists, bind them.” Kanji nodded to the hook. “Loop the ropes over the hook so that she hangs by her wrists.”
As terror took hold of Junga, Kanji gave an evil smile in Darkwolf’s direction. “And then you have much to show me in the ways of humiliating this bitch.”