Netherworld: Drop Dead Sexy(87)

I drew and drew on the pulse of the current. Natural sources of energy are harder to gather. There wasn’t the heady rush I got from electronics, and it wasn’t as potent as feeding on other ghosts. But it seemed cleaner. Saner. Healthier.

The breeze brought me Tristan’s voice, smooth as molasses, as if he hadn’t been fighting for his afterlife minutes before. “Thank you, thank you all.”

Gerald had apparently given Patricia what she needed, because he was the one who reported. “Brandilynn warned us.”

“Brandilynn? How did she know we would be attacked?” Suspicious vampire, that Tristan. That’s okay. I don’t trust him after dark either.

Gerald again: “I didn’t stick around long enough to find out. Why would these paras try to kill you, boss?”

“I don’t know. The weres attacked as we rose; the vampires came afterwards.”

Dan chuckled, his rumbling laughter as healing as the water’s energy. “You gotta lotta ‘splaining to do, Lucy.” He kissed my ear.

The police sirens were close now. They’d arrive in mere seconds, and I wouldn’t be able to clue Tristan in on all he needed to know. Oh well. He was a big boy. And a politician. He could handle it.

“This is going to be a mess,” Dan observed.

I shrugged and snuggled back as deep into his chest as I could manage. “It could have been worse,” I pointed out. It almost was.





Chapter Twenty





I stepped into the library and looked at Dan and Tristan pouring over newspapers brought in by Gerald earlier that day. They muttered with their dark heads close together; Tristan’s nearly black hair slicked back with gracious style and Dan’s dark brown locks ruffled in carefree haphazardness.

The fight had been five days ago. The fallout over it was huge in terms of Tristan’s financial and professional interests.

Dan said, “I think as time passes your business revenues will recover, but you are taking a big hit right now.”

“Not to mention my political career.” Tristan rubbed the back of his neck. “Polls show that if I ran for re-election now, I’d lose against all my projected opponents.”

“There’s a lot of work to make up.”

Tristan scowled. “I nearly get killed by the Judge, yet the majority insists on believing I covered up his being the serial killer.”

Dan shrugged, ever low key. “You know how the non-paras are. Always ready to believe the worst about the rest of us.”

I leaned against the doorframe. It was time these boys stopped looking so darn grim. Now that I had my strength back and had stopped bleeding energy, I knew exactly how to liven them up once more. “Boring. You need to stop reading the op-ed pieces.”

They looked at me, and their jaws dropped a very satisfying inch and a half. Maybe two. I was glad to see the hot pink vinyl bustier that ended below my breasts and the matching crotchless shorts were such a hit.

A slow smile spread over Tristan’s face. “How would you like my opinion of that outfit?”

I stretched luxuriously. “Can I get an editorial on it?”

They couldn’t take their eyes off of me. Tristan nudged the gaping Dan. “Flip a coin to see who goes first?”

I shut that down in a hurry. “Forget it. I’m feeling needy and greedy today.”

Tristan’s clothes disappeared. “I’m fine with that.”

I crooked an eyebrow at Dan. His pants said an obvious ‘go’, but I feared his possessiveness would scream ‘no’. Fortunately for me, his mama had taught him how to share. He might not always be a good sport about it, but I didn’t hold it against him. I’m just grateful to have them both. I am such a lucky girl.

Dan’s face was pure heat. “Dibs on her—”

“Don’t be vulgar,” I warned.

He grinned. “Yes, my sweet Brandilynn. I want your honeypot, your lotus bloom, your wet, warm, tight tunnel of womanly love—”

“Okay, okay!” I yelled over Tristan’s laughter. “Enough already. Just do me.”

“She’s rather demanding,” Dan told Tristan.





All humor fled the commissioner’s face. “Indeed she is. I think she’s forgotten herself.”

I hadn’t forgotten. I just wanted them to remember themselves and be the men I ached for. Big, strong, dominating men. And as two pairs of eyes went cold and flinty, I shivered.

I’m a very lucky girl indeed.

“All fours on top of the desk, Brandilynn. I think you know the exact position to take.”

I did as I was told, my butt waving in the air. I heard the growls of appreciation. Not only were the shorts crotchless, but there were circles cut out of the cheeks.