Bound in Darkness (The Legend of Mortem Book 2)

  Bound in Darkness

  The Legend of Mortem - Book 2

  By J.L. Weir

  Published by Scarlet Lantern Publishing

  Copyright © 2021 by

  J.L. Weir & Scarlet Lantern Publishing

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  This book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language.

  Other Titles by J.L. Weir

  The Legend of Mortem

  - Paranormal, Mates / Reverse Harem Romances -

  I'd Rather Burn

  Bound in Darkness

  Beyond the Veil

  The Legend of Mortem Book 4 - Coming Soon!

  CHAPTER 1

  Silas and Jadis were in their master suite dressing for the upcoming party, but Silas had been dressed for an hour. He wandered around the house elated; his exuberance overshadowed his normally calm and controlled demeanor. It was obvious he couldn’t wait to reveal her change to their clan.

  Jadis, however, was dawning and discarding multiple outfits, all the while trying to motivate herself for what laid ahead. Mag and Limi playfully romped around the room, and their boisterous roughhousing had Silas fully entertained. He sat in his chair next to the large floor-to-ceiling windows, waiting for Jadis to finish ‘primping,’ as he called it.

  “I think I like you better naked,” he joked, with a coy smile as he watched her failed attempts to pick an outfit.

  “I thought you wanted me to get dressed?” She tossed a discarded camisole at his face, which he caught with a light hearted smile. She slowly strolled over to where he sat and placed her hands on either side of the chair, climbed into his lap, and straddled him.

  This was more than a soiree for Silas. Her reveal that would take place later in the evening was his pièce de résistance, and she was his newly ‘turned’ hidden gem. Jadis, however, was a mixture of anxious emotions; the mere thought of telling their clans she was vampyr sent her mind spiraling into an abyss of self-doubt. She felt like she was choking on her untold truth, and she was fixated on their worst-case reactions. The visions seemed to go off in her head like a carousel of slides, slowly clicking one after the other like scenes flickering onto a blank wall in a darkened room, an animated movie without sound or color.

  “Baby,” Silas gently whispered as his eyes met hers. “Calm yourself; your mind is besieged with unnecessary thought and worry.” His words were absolute and provided her a sense of tranquility and amity. She wrapped her arms around him and placed her face in the crook of his neck.

  “This is an evening we’ve been anticipating, two and a half weeks to be precise,” he teased.

  Silas wrapped his arms a bit tighter around her, and his devotion, his confidence were unwavering. She knew this was a fate they could no longer conceal. She let out an exasperated sigh, much to Silas’ amusement.

  The effervescent sounds of the staff preparing for the fifty or so guests arriving within the hour, was as abrasive as a single cricket hiding under a floorboard while one tried to sleep. She mentally closed the bedroom door to put some distance between herself and the racket that seemed to endlessly pound in her head. Once she had turned, all her senses were heightened ten-fold. It had only been seventeen days since her conversion, and Silas had been grooming her, helping her to cultivate, refine, and control all her newfound abilities. However, there were hours when certain sounds would suddenly turn into the equivalent of a screaming siren, and her auditory range seemed endless. Silas, on more than one occasion, had to help her drown out the noises when she couldn’t control it herself.

  “Now stop dilly dallying, and get ready, baby. We don’t have a lot of time,” Silas playfully stated, along with a kiss.

  “Dilly dallying? Really?” she replied in a mocking tone. She finally got up from his lap and walked over to the antique dresser, looking into the mirror deep in thought. She studied her features and the uniqueness of her eyes… Silas’ eyes. Damn. She was still trying to get used to her ‘new’ look. She studied the changes to see if they were noticeable enough for anyone to pick up on before they could disclose the truth.

  She raised her hands to her ears to muffle the noise the closed door couldn’t. What I need is to calm down. I have Silas by my side; everything will be fine, she told herself.

  “Yes, baby, you do have me right by your side.” He could see the look on her face, feel her trepidation, not to mention she was covering her ears, so naturally, he knew the noise was once again getting the better of her, as well as her nerves.

  “Come here, baby… Let me help,” he offered.

  She dropped her hands, turned around to face him, and clung to him. He hugged her back and enveloped her body with his. He laid a gentle kiss to the top of her head, cupped her face in his hands, and lifted her head so her eyes met his. “It’s going to be fine; you don’t need to worry about this. I’ll be with you the entire time.”

  He bent down and parted her lips with his. Once again, Silas took control for her, and a hush of silence washed over her. She gently pulled away and looked up at him.

  “Thank you, baby. As always, my knight in shining armor,” she joked.

  “I’m not sure about that; the armor’s a bit tainted and blood stained, and I think your knight is more of an assassin.”

  “Blood, huh?” She looked up at him with one raised eyebrow. In an instant, she nipped his bottom lip with her canines and licked the droplet of blood with her tongue. “You taste amazing, assassin.”

  Silas grabbed her and tossed her onto her back on the bed. She let out a yelp and laughed as her body bounced on the mattress. He hovered over the top of her and pinned her arms above her head. “Feeding ti-m-e, is it?” he asked coyly.

  “Maybe, maybe time for something else?” She winked as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him down on top of her. She could feel his arousal rising beneath his jeans as he settled between her legs.

  “Maybe… Well, maybe I need a snack and a little something else,” he said, half-joking, mostly aroused. He gently rocked back and forth, rubbing his hardened muscle on her crotch. Her body was alive with desire and hunger—hunger for not only his blood but his sex.

  “Our guests will be here in about forty-five minutes, baby…” Silas rumbled.

  She cut him off. “I only need forty-four.” She winked.

  He quickly unlatched her bra and tossed it to the floor. “All right then.” He straddled her waist, pulled his shirt over his head, and tossed it aside, revealing his perfect body and mesmerizing tattoos.

  She was always enamored with Silas. He’s gorgeous, perfect, and mine. She ran her hands over his shoulders, down his muscular chest, and slowly traced his tattoos and battle scars with her fingers. They were like poetry intertwined, portraying centuries of life well lived. The battle scars, however, told more about his hardships, the wars fought and won, his bravery, and courage than the tattoos did.

  She moved her hands further down and unbuttoned his jeans, freeing his erection. He quickly repositioned their bodies and slipped off her panties as well as his jeans.

  He rested his hard body on hers, and the soft warmth of her tongue welcomed his. Her eyes became the cat-like slits that mirrored his own.

  “I can never get enough of you,” she whispered.

  He kissed his way down her neck and slid his mouth across her vein. He paused and listened to the heightened beat of her pulse. He gently kissed his way across her collarbone, to the other side of her neck, and back up to claim her mouth. “I think I’m hungry as well,” he murmured.

  She writhed beneath him; she craved him in every way, from blood to bone. She let out a low, animalistic growl, and it was clear to Silas—she was no longer mortal in the slightest.

  She was a now a complex labyrinthine, an ornately designed mythical being. She had ascended into a mixture of her semi-mortal coil as a witch and Silas’ vampirism. They just hadn’t figured out what she was capable of, although she had a feeling Silas already knew.

  He parted her legs and thrust himself inside. Exactly what I want, need. God, he feels amazing. As he rocked back and forth, she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him to her, needing to feed.

  He turned his head and aligned his neck for her, so she could take his vein. “Let me help you out a bit; your aim is mediocre at best,” he joked. She was still a bit awkward being newly turned. At times, she struck his vein with her canines; other times, she missed and had to try again. She wasn’t sure which entertained him more.

  She sank all eight of them into his musky, tanned skin. The blood flowed, and her body consumed every drop. Her appetite was insatiable when it came to him; his blood was like an aphrodisiac. Between feeding from him and his shaft filling her body at the same time, it increased the intensity of her arousal.

  As soon as he felt the sting of her bite, a groan rose from within his core. He rocked with greater force, trying not to move his neck, so she could take her fill.

  His blood flowed over her tongue and seared through her veins. With each hungry pull, she felt the orgasm coil up. He shoved so hard, she released his throat, pressed her head back into the pillow, and let out a painful moan.

  He licked the bloo
d from the tips of her canines and took her mouth to his once again. He didn’t think he would get used to the way his own blood tasted on her tongue. Shit, that’s intoxicating.

  He gently turned her head to the side, exposing her neck. He felt her pulse thumping beneath his mouth as he pierced her tender flesh with hungry abandon.

  The painful pricks sent a jolt through her body. “Damn… That never ceases to catch me off guard,” she moaned.

  As her blood pooled into his mouth, he let out a low, deep-throated rumble that rose from his chest, vibrating her body.

  “Ohhh… Shittt,” she rumbled beneath her breath, as a crack of sensations rocked her body.

  With each grind of his hips, and the feeling of her core throbbing against his shaft, it brought about his own release. He let go of her neck and let out a guttural moan. “Damn, that hits hard,” he moaned.

  He fell on top of her and rested his face next to hers before slowly pulling out. “There’s no better feeling than lying in your arms,” she stated.

  “I couldn’t agree more,” he replied.

  She lay there sated and listened to his heavy breathing as his chest rose and fell with hers.

  He rolled over and pinned her body beneath his. “I finally have everything I’ve ever wanted, the perfect mate.”

  “Me too, baby. You have no idea how much I cherish you. I’m obsessed with you, assassin.”

  “You’re mine, all mine, say it. I want to hear it with your new voice,” Silas purred.

  “Yes, baby. I’m yours and don’t you ever forget it.”

  “Good to hear.” He playfully tangled her body in his.

  “Silas, let go… I can’t breathe.” She laughed.

  He rolled over a couple of times with her in his arms and slapped her naked ass. “Let’s go, mon cheri. We have a party to attend, not to mention a little announcement,” Silas said, beaming.

  “Great, you just had to go there, didn’t you?” She jumped out of bed and punched him in the chest. He grabbed her hand, pulled her body straight into his, and cupped her butt cheek in his other hand.

  “I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces. I have a feeling Eden and Aiden’s expressions will be worth every penny. Now get dressed; everyone’s already arriving.” He winked.

  “I know.” She heard the nervousness in her own voice as she answered him.

  They put their jeans back on, along with matching bluish-grey shirts, which Silas had picked out. His was a button-up, collared dress shirt, and hers was a flowing silk tank. They matched perfectly. It was apparent her indecision about what to wear took too much time. Not sure what is with Silas dressing us alike; it’s just his thing. It’s pretty charming. He wanted everyone to know I’m his; he owns me, and anyone gazing in our direction will know one way or another. She chuckled, not realizing she was doing so aloud.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked, amused.

  “The fact that you, this big, bad, blood-thirsty assassin picked out matching outfits for us.” She waved her hand up and down his body and gently tugged at the front of his shirt. “It’s adorable and charming.”

  He raised his eyebrow. “Adorable and charming, huh? I’ll show you adorable and charming.” His tone was playfully menacing.

  She laughed and poked him in the chest with her finger. “You’d be scarier if we didn’t match,” she teased.

  He grabbed her finger and pulled her in for a kiss. “Let’s go. We need to greet our guests. Being fashionably late is becoming a habit. No pun intended,” he quipped, with a wink and a half-cocked smile. “Just one more thing.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “We need to conceal you. If any of them see you looking like this, they’ll know you’ve fed. Your eyes speak for themselves. They’re sated like a leopard’s after a kill.”

  “Really?” She looked back into the mirror. Yep, they’ll know, the transformation is plain as day. Not only do our shirts match, but our eyes are also an exact mirror of each other.

  “Let me.” He quickly showed her how to conceal them, having adding a little of his own energy to make sure they didn’t betray her before it was time. “There, you look just like you did when they last saw you in the Valley of the Kings.”

  She turned and looked into the mirror. Sure enough. As she gazed into her ‘normal eyes,’ her only thought was that they seemed to have lost their essence. I love having Silas’ eyes; these are just mundane and nondescript, another pebble in an oyster.

  Silas gently rubbed her shoulders. “There is, was, nothing mundane about you, and you’ve never been a pebble. You’ve always been stunning; now it’s just an enhanced version.”

  He bent over, kissed her cheek, and traced her jawline with his fingers. “You’re enticing, my love, regardless of which set of eyes we’re looking at.”

  She reached up and placed her hand on the side of his face. “I’d rather have your eyes.” She winked.

  “Agreed, and the sooner you get them back, the better. Now let’s go.”

  “Wait… What about your eyes?”

  “I’ll mask them as well.” He interlaced their fingers together and led her out the door with Mag and Limi in tow.

  They walked out to the hallway and headed towards the top of the expansive staircase. The hallway overlooked the large living area, which Silas still referred to as ‘the parlor.’ The upper hallway was lined with beautiful hand-carved railings and dark-oak flooring. The parlor was large and had floor-to-ceiling windows that spanned the entire room, allowing a panoramic view of the Jungle outside. They were adorned with large, deep-red, velvet, imported curtains which hung in generous folds from either side of the windows, resting in soft, pleated piles on the dark-wood floor.

  The bartenders were quietly waiting for the guests to arrive, and the wall behind them was lined with every hue of amber liquid in their ostentatious bottles. The caterers were busy making their final preparations for the guests that would be dining with a human palate, while the rest of ‘their kind’ would be feeding from amenable hosts throughout the duration of the party. There were two rooms, one on either side of the main parlor that would serve as a more private dining area for the vampires. There were always plenty of beautiful women willing to let a vampire feed from them, all longing to be suitable bedmates.

  Jadis knew her sisters were about to enter, and she looked up at Silas for reassurance. Once again, Silas squeezed her hand in response. “Relax, baby, I’ll be right by your side.”

  As soon as they made it to the top of the stairs, Skye and Ivory entered through two large, ornate front doors, having been opened by two impeccably dressed doormen. They walked in hand in hand with Syth and Agaeus. The moment Jadis saw them, she pulled from Silas’ grip and headed quickly down the stairs.

  Skye and Ivory looked up and saw Jadis trotting down the steps towards them. They let out squeals of excitement and ran to her. They embraced each other like they hadn’t seen each other in months.

  Silas and his brothers greeted each other as well before turning their attention to their mates. They greeted Jadis, Skye, and Ivory with a kiss on each cheek and a tight embrace. They hadn’t seen or spoken to each other since they left the Valley of the Kings two weeks ago. Silas and Jadis were too busy enjoying each other, not to mention hiding the fact that she had turned. Their allusiveness went unquestioned; vampires normally chose to retreat for a period of time after mating.

  “Jesus, Jadis, you look amazing! We never thought being mated to Silas would look so good on you,” Ivory teased.

  Skye looked at Silas and laughed in jest. “You’ve been good for my sister. What have you done or dare we ask?” She held Jadis’ hands out in front of her, and she knew right away that she looked different but couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

  Ivory grabbed Jadis’ hand and spun her around. “What the hell… Did Silas also build you a gym?”

  As Jadis laughed nervously, she heard Silas in her head. “Shhh… Calm, baby, they don’t know. Be at ease.”

  “What and speechless? What the hell is up with you?” Ivory exclaimed, in a joking manner.