Tarq Read online

  Lily was losing her goddamned mind. She needed to get away from him. Her pride, however, wouldn’t let Tarq have the last word. She rounded on him and put her finger in his face.

  “I prefer to work with grown-ups. Like Quin. When your gonads drop, give me a call.”

  Stupid, stupid broken filter. Lily could not believe she was stooping to name-calling. In under thirty seconds he’d made her a total nut job.

  Tarq laughed again and it did things to her insides. Dirty, naughty things. Damn him and the sexy horse he rode in on. She should not be turned on by a douchebag.

  “Lily, listen to me,” he told her in a voice an adult would use with a child. It was how he usually got hysterical humans to calm down. He let his power out again, this time he used an extra dose because she’d easily snapped out of his last thrall.

  “You will return to the table and forget what I said to upset you. I entered the room shortly after you and we shook hands. It was all very cordial. You’ll retrieve your materials and present as planned. Understood?”

  Lily’s eyes bugged.

  “Yes, see? It’s all okay now. Here, I’ll even escort you to your seat for being such a good girl.”

  Tarq reached for her elbow. His focus was on her left arm, which is why he didn’t see her right arm as it flew towards his face. He did, however, feel the impact once her palm came in contact with his cheek and smacked the ever-loving-shit out of him.

  Ohmygod-ohmygod-ohmygod. She’d struck him. Lily had never hit anyone in her entire life. But something about his patronizing tone and the imaginary stroking she felt on her skin when he spoke, well, it broke something inside her.

  She wanted to scratch and bite, to hurt him. Then she wanted to rip off his clothes and take him on the floor. It was official. She’d lost it.

  She stood there, shaking, not knowing if she should run away or apologize profusely. He was well within his right to call the cops. Though, Lily couldn’t imagine this was the first time he’d been hit if this was how he treated women.

  Tarq raised his hand to rub the sting on the side of his face, in total shock. He’d never been slapped before.

  Brawls with his own gender had occurred in his past, but never had he tussled with a woman in anger.

  He wanted to throw her across his knee and spank her voluptuous ass. It was no less than she deserved. She’d probably like it, angry little kitten that she was. But he had a much bigger problem on his hands. His persuasion didn’t work on her.

  It wasn’t possible. No human in the history of humankind had resisted any of Peitho’s progenies. He swiveled his head towards Quin, hoping he had some explanation.

  “Oh, shit,” was Q’s response.

  Mother. Fucker. This was bad.

  4

  Persuasion didn’t work on Lily. He couldn’t erase the epic ass he’d been from her memory. Something akin to panic spread through his chest. If he couldn’t erase it, how was he going to get a redo? A start-over?

  He’d always been able to in the past. It was why he rarely tempered his words. It seemed like no big deal, swiping his little faux pas. Lily would be better off not remembering this. It was the only reason he’d used his magic to try to get her to sit.

  He’d effectively ruined the meeting with the most sought-after architect on the eastern seaboard. His siblings would kill him. He needed to rectify this.

  Once he did, he was going to have this little minx underneath him. He’d take her in every way she could imagine. And then some. Tarq could not recall ever wanting someone as much as he wanted her.

  Yes, he’d fix it, and then he would show her what a real grown-up could do. She’d be saying please and thank you to his rod in no time.

  “You should apologize. Immediately.” Quin said, breaking the silence, allowing his power out to show Tarq he was pissed.

  Persuasion didn’t work on other immortals, but it could be manipulated in anger and feel as though one was being scratched when there was enough force behind it. He hoped he’d chafed the shit out of him.

  “I am sorry I hit you. I can’t believe I did that. I was angry, but there is no excuse for hitting,” Lily stated.

  Tarq and Quin looked at one another. Her voice was weirdly devoid of emotion.

  “Lily, I was speaking to Tarq. He was completely out of line and deserves anything you throw his way. Why don’t you sit and we’ll all calm down?”

  Lily robotically moved to the chair and sat. The brothers continued staring. She was acting like she’d been under Quin’s compulsion, but maybe this was how she freaked out after emotional encounters.

  A few seconds passed, and Lily shook herself out of her stupor. She was in the chair again. She didn’t even remember moving. She really was out of sorts today. All thanks to the fuckwad over there, looking at her like she was about to detonate.

  “I need to go,” she said, standing and adjusting her tote.

  “No, please sit,” Tarq insisted, throwing his power out.

  “Absolutely not. I’ve been insulted enough today, don’t you think?”

  Use your power and tell her to sit again, he communicated with Quin telepathically.

  What? No. It didn’t work when you tried.

  Yes, but when you used your power and told me to apologize, she complied. And she sat when you told her to sit. Maybe it’s just me she’s immune to, which Tarq really did not like admitting.

  Quin sighed. Fine.

  “Lily, will you please sit and finish the meeting?” he blasted extra power. Not because he wanted to overpower her, but because he wanted to lash out at Tarq for being a dumbass.

  Her eyes glassed over and she, once again, took her seat at the small meeting table in his office. Well, shit. Q smiled, knowing it would mess with Tarq that Lily reacted to his power but not to Tarq’s.

  Wanting to be sure, Quin told Tarq, “Tell her to raise her right hand. Use your influence.”

  Tarq doubted it would work, but he, too, wanted to be sure.

  “Lily, raise your right hand.”

  She blinked and scowled at him, coming out of the thrall. Damnit. Did his power have the opposite effect from Q’s?

  “Calm, Lily, be calm,” Quin cooed.

  Lily relaxed and Quin, whose attention was on Tarq, started laughing. Of all the immortals, Tarq relied on his ability the most. He was out of his depth with this one. He’d have to watch his mouth. He’d also have to keep his dick in his pants.

  “Fuck you, Q,” Tarq muttered.

  “Hey, don’t get mad at me. I didn’t do this. In fact, if you hadn’t been such an ass, we’d be well into the presentation by now.”

  Tarq knew his brother was right.

  “Yes, well, neither of us could have anticipated her resistance to me.”

  Quin laughed again. “Yes. I find it rather amusing.”

  “You should find it worrisome. You ever heard of any human having resistance to our persuasion?”

  “No, no one outside fellow immortals. But she’s not a goddess or even a demigod. She smells human to me.”

  “Me, too.”

  Tarq ran one hand over his stubble, thinking about her slap. He’d be taking it out on her ass soon enough. The anticipation was enough to mollify his need to dominate her. For now.

  He’d need to the hit the club after this meeting and work off some tension. The sooner they finished the meeting, the sooner he could bury himself in one of the club’s professional submissives.

  “Tell her to forget what happened. Wipe me out completely, but don’t make her forget getting here or coming to your office.”

  “This is not the first time I’ve used my power, dickhead. I do know I’m doing.”

  Tarq couldn’t help himself. He wanted this fiasco gone. He’d never needed to be careful around women, with what he said.

  Honestly, though, he’d never spoken quite so callously to a woman before. Most females adored him. He didn’t know why he had such a visceral reaction to Lily, or why he’d hated hea
ring her speak to Quin.

  “I’ll go out and come back in. We’ll start over.”

  “I have a feeling this is going to be fun to watch,” Quin mused.

  “Just do it. I’ll knock in 30 seconds.”

  Tarq left, slamming the door behind him. Q’s secretary jumped, but said nothing. She knew better. He wondered if he could teach Lily to muzzle her mouth, as well.

  He licked his lips and knocked.

  5

  “What in the hell did you do to her?” Tarq barked at Quin. He’d waited until Lily had enough time to be out of earshot.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know exactly what I mean. She was nothing but polite and professional. She didn’t react to me. Not once did she flirt back. And I was bringing my A game.”

  Quin leaned back in his chair, thinking. Tarq was acting awfully interested in Lily, for only having known her a couple of hours.

  “What does it matter?”

  “It matters because I want to know what you said to make her that way.”

  “Maybe she’s just not into you.”

  “Bullshit.”

  Quin rolled his eyes. “I didn’t say anything or instruct her to act in any specific manner towards you. I know you won’t listen, but I recommend you back off. Let this one go, Tarq.”

  He should. But he couldn’t. He needed to get away from the office and let off some steam. The damned architect had done a number on him.

  “You should ask Angelique about this, Q. See if she knows anything. There’s no way Lily is just a human.”

  Angelique was the one who had recommended the firm. She knew Lily socially and might know something of her parentage. He needed to figure her out.

  If he didn’t strip her bare soon he’d die from want. Gods, he should have his head examined. He shouldn’t care anything about her. But he did. He cared too much.

  He’d find a worthy substitute. Or three. He texted his driver.

  “I’m out of here. I’ll see you on Monday.”

  With that, Tarq left the building. He didn’t even give his driver time to get out and open the door for him.

  “I’m in a hurry, David.”

  “Where to, Sir?”

  “Club Shadow.”

  The club was just outside the city. A sprawling manor catering to the wealthy. It was a social club, on the surface. Really, it was a high-end sex club. Immortals, who loved and fed off sex, were drawn to it.

  The club was more than happy to help any fantasy come true—for a price.

  It was one of Shadow, Inc.’s more lucrative businesses. Sex was always profitable. It was also illegal, so they were very careful with whom they let join.

  All of the employees were immortal, and most were of a breed who thrived on heavy doses of sex. Some, such as succubi, needed it to live.

  Club Shadow provided a mutually beneficial relationship for immortals not interested in relationships. There were a few human members, but they were closely monitored and, occasionally, had to have memories altered.

  Tarq texted Amelia to have his room ready. She was a siren, and men, especially human men, flocked to her. She had to reign in her melodic tones constantly.

  Her powers were almost identical to his. The exception was the siren’s call could be permanent.

  When a Marcellus used persuasion, it did its job and then faded. The wiping of a memory was permanent, but the trance went away, and the subject could go about his or her life, wouldn’t need someone to tell him or her every little thing to do.

  With Amelia, she could hypnotize a person and leave them in their dream-like state forever if she so wished. They were the only immortals allowed to go completely against the whole free-will thing. Something about being enslaved millennia ago and being owed recompense for unspeakable crimes.

  It was all very sordid, and no one spoke of it. Whatever happened had reduced their numbers to near-extinction.

  The Originals, in their totally misguided and inappropriate effort to help the sirens up their numbers, pronounced the sirens could unduly wield their powers.

  The rationale had been two-fold. First, the sirens demanded it and the Originals owed them. Big time. Second, the Originals hoped the sirens would use their power to convince males to impregnate them.

  It was messed up. It wasn’t like anyone would turn down a free fuck from such beautiful women.

  The ruling had never been lifted. Probably because their numbers were still so low. But he’d never heard of any siren using her power to get a male to dip his wick.

  It was more like they wanted the option to enthrall anyone they chose as a defense strategy. If he’d been enslaved and set free, he’d want some insurance, too.

  The car pulled in front of the manor and, too impatient to wait for his driver, Tarq jumped out. He strode with purpose up the stairs and through the front doors. His shaft was still painfully hard. He might need to stay here the entire weekend.

  “Hello, handsome,” Amelia greeted him in the foyer.

  “Amelia. Forgive me, but I’m in a hurry.”

  Amelia looked at the bulge in his pants and smiled. “I’d say so. Tough day at the office?”

  “You have no idea.”

  “Everything you requested is ready. Call if you need anything else. Or if you need any … help.”

  He was already climbing the grand stair case when Amelia’s words gave him pause. She had never offered before. She never serviced the male members of the club, but she did partake in pleasures with the females.

  Picturing it made his cock twitch.

  “Give me an hour, then come up.”

  “Gladly,” she replied.

  If he didn’t take care of himself now, his dick was going to explode. And not in a good way.

  Tarq jogged up the stairs, undoing his belt and pants as he moved. He was like a damned teenager knowing he was about to get his nut off for the first time.

  He opened the door to his personal suite, not even bothering to close it. The brunette was secured in the swing as he’d requested. A small vibrator was attached to her clit, held by a thin belt. She was glistening for him.

  Her brown eyes locked with his, pleading. She knew better than to speak without permission. And he knew exactly what that ready pussy needed. But he didn’t want to look at her, not when he wanted green eyes staring back at him.

  Tarq grabbed the harness and flipped her over. He palmed his throbbing flesh, lowering it towards the opening of her weeping hole. His patience shot, he plunged inside her pussy and she pulsed around him.

  He sometimes didn’t bother with a condom when at the club, but he never came inside anyone while bare.

  It helped that immortals couldn’t get or spread diseases and the female employees were all on special birth control. It was a welcome convenience.

  He grabbed her hips and moved her back and forth on his cock, hard and fast. Neither of them would last long, which was fine. One fuck wasn’t going to be enough, anyway.

  “Come,” he commanded.

  She came almost silently, air stuck in her throat, struggling to get out. He was fond of the sound. It meant he was doing his job and she was getting off.

  He pulled out, grabbed his length and spewed all over her ass. Perfect. He hadn’t even planned it, but it was the ideal lubrication for what he intended to do next.

  6

  An hour later, Amelia came to the suite, covered in nothing but a silk robe. The door was still open from his hurried entrance. The brunette, Ava, had passed out twenty minutes ago, and was on the bed.

  Tarq was currently naked, sitting on the loveseat in front of the window. A cute blonde named Jessica was straddling him, easing herself up and down his shaft while he squeezed each globe of her ass.

  After he’d finished with Ava he’d called down and asked for someone with lighter hair. Ava was good, but her hair started to annoy him every time she turned around and he saw the wrong face.

  He was only torturing himself by
trying to pretend she was Lily. There was no substitute for his little flower.

  How he knew she would be the best he’d ever had, he had no clue. He could just tell. Maybe it was her innocent appearance.

  He’d learned in the meeting she was twenty-four, had her masters, and had started her own firm before she’d even graduated. She was one of those studious-types, finishing high school early and overloading during undergrad to get ahead of the game.

  He admired her ambition, but wondered what she did to unwind, to treat herself. She didn’t seem the type to allow it. However, she was friends with Angelique, so there must be some part of her that let loose. His sister could be rather wild.

  Amelia closed the door and walked slowly, untying and dropping the robe as she did. She didn’t stop until she was between his legs, her front pressed against Jessica’s back.

  She reached over Jessica’s shoulders and rubbed her hands up and down the blonde’s breasts.

  “Widen your legs a little, Amelia,” Tarq instructed.

  She did, allowing him to rub his knuckles up and down her slit. She was getting wet. Amelia would probably not let him fuck her, but she would allow his touch as payment for access to his playtime.

  She sighed and swayed gently. At the same time, she pinched and pulled Jessica’s hardened nipples. Tarq really liked this little game they’d started. But he wanted to watch Amelia taste Jessica’s sweet honey.

  “Jessica, hop up and turn around.”

  She whined a little in protest, but did as he said.

  Once she was standing between his legs, Amelia pressed up against Jessica’s front. Amelia bent around to look at Tarq.

  “May I?” she requested.

  “Not yet. Jessica, sit.”

  Jessica sat on his lap. He adjusted himself, so his dick was in between them, not inside her. He pulled each of her legs to align atop his and then spread them wide.

  “You now have permission, Amelia.”

  Amelia knelt between their legs, inching closer until her breasts were flattened against Jessica. She grabbed her face and kissed her, driving her tongue deep, showing her what it would soon be doing elsewhere.