Cook, Kris - Lillian's Rogues [An Eternally Three Novella] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read online

  An Eternally Three Novella

  Lillian’s Rogues

  Though Lillian Devereaux would enjoy being back in her jeans drinking coffee at the corner café, she must do her job. Naked under the ancient robe, she walks to the cell where the Conclave’s two immortal prisoners are kept.

  Reno’s new immortal life sucks. Day one, he’s captured by cult followers. When he sees Lillian entering his cell, everything about her, much more than his chains, holds him hostage.

  Titus has been imprisoned by the cult for centuries. The moment he spots Lillian, primal hunger rises up inside him. Still, his ancient hate won’t go down without a fight, despite his growing desire for the new high priestess.

  Lillian performs the seduction ceremony on Titus and Reno, and cravings take hold of all of them. Will the threesome let hate pull them apart or despite the evil pursuing them, will they hold on to their new love for each other?

  Genre: Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal

  Length: 23,809 words

  LILLIAN’S ROGUES

  An Eternally Three Novella

  Kris Cook

  MENAGE AMOUR

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer.

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Ménage Amour

  LILLIAN’S ROGUES

  Copyright © 2010 by Kris Cook

  E-book ISBN: 1-61034-067-1

  First E-book Publication: November 2010

  Cover design by Jinger Heaston

  All cover art and logo copyright © 2010 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter from Kris Cook

  Regarding Ebook Piracy

  Dear Readers,

  Some believe electronic piracy is a victimless crime. It is not.

  I love my job! I’m an author. I work hard to create books. Every sentence is painstakingly created, revised, edited...and edited again. All the work is done in the hope to take readers on adventures that they enjoy.

  Like most, I have to make a living. That is done through royalties earned when my books are purchased. Please, do not pirate my books by downloading them from file sharing sites.

  With deep gratitude,

  Kris Cook

  DEDICATION

  To Mike Cintron. I appreciate your amazing help on this book. Thank you, my friend.

  To my author-buddies: Sophie Oak, Shayla Black & Melissa Schroeder. Thanks for always being there for me, even when I’m a bit _______________. (Ladies, please feel free to fill in the blank.)

  Seriously, thank you!

  LILLIAN’S ROGUES

  An Eternally Three Novella

  KRIS COOK

  Copyright © 2010

  Prologue

  Twelve years ago

  Lillian Devereaux’s Aunt Grace clicked off the television. “Time for a quick review of what you’ve learned from The Book of Timu.”

  “B-but…” Her favorite show, Dawson’s Creek had just started.

  Aunt Grace, who had assumed the role of single parent for Lillian since her mother’s death ten years ago, sat beside her on the sofa. “Record it on the VCR. You can watch it after we’ve talked.”

  Lillian used the remote to set up the recording. When she saw the red light that indicated the show was being taped, she turned back to her aunt. “All right.”

  “Sweetheart, let’s get started.”

  Lillian didn’t like the lessons about all the crappy things in the world most people didn’t believe existed. She knew they were real—and important. Someday she would have to depend on this knowledge to stay alive. But sometimes…Lillian just wanted to forget about her future and just be a normal teenager.

  For years, Aunt Grace had bribed her with cookies to keep studying. Since Lillian had turned thirteen, her aunt no longer used trickery or promises of sweets. Instead, she demanded Lillian take time to study or lose privileges. If Lillian didn’t pacify Aunt Grace tonight, she wouldn’t be allowed to go to Jenny’s sleepover next Saturday. So, she sighed and waited for the questions.

  Aunt Grace placed the big black book on the coffee table. “Tell me about this book.”

  Lillian knew the volume so well, sometimes she dreamed about it. “It’s called The Book of Timu. It has lots of information about immortals who live in secret around us, but most of it is ancient propaganda.”

  “Excellent, Lillian. Continue.”

  “Past members of The Conclave also added stuff like secret spells to keep immortals from hurting us.”

  Her aunt smiled at her, encouraging her to continue. “And the other pages?”

  “They list all the bloodliners in the world. You can use the book to find any living bloodliner by invoking a spell while touching it.” She’d memorized all of this long ago, and now she recited the information in the hopes that her Aunt Grace would be satisfied. She really wanted to see if Dawson was going to dump Jen.

  “That’s right. You’re doing great, honey.” Aunt Grace opened the book up to a picture of a leathery-winged man with horns jutting out of his head and a spear in his hand. Black fire surrounded him. “Lillian, what kind of creature is this?”

  “A demon.” Malevolence all but leapt off the page. Aunt Grace’s boyfriend had been killed by a demon after an attempt to capture the immortal. A shiver shot down her spine.

  “That’s right. And what do most people think about demons?”

  “That they’re evil and want to destroy humanity.” Lillian’s frustration welled up. “Aunt Grace, I already know this stuff. Can’t we do this another time?”

  Her aunt didn’t respond to Lillian’s protest, but tapped insistently at the page in front of her. “Do we believe demons want to destroy humanity?”

  “Yes,” she recited, as she’d been taught all her life.

  Her aunt turned the page to another drawing. “What kind of creature is this?”

  Lillian leaned forwar
d and peered at the picture. A winged man flew with a sword in his hands. Blue light rays shot out from him. “He’s an angel.”

  “What do most people believe about angels?”

  “That they’re good.”

  “What do we believe?”

  Lillian rolled her eyes. She wanted to call her friend Jenny after the show so they could talk about the episode—and the cute guys. If this lesson didn’t end soon, it would be too late to call. “Angels are not good.”

  Aunt Grace nodded and turned the page to a picture of a man who held daggers in his hands. Green smoke hid the lower half of his body. “What kind of immortal is this man?”

  “A jinn.”

  Her aunt mocked, “Don’t they grant wishes to humans?”

  “No. They’re evil.”

  “Exactly.” Aunt Grace turned to another page. “What about this guy?”

  Lillian looked down at the page. Similar to the jinn in many ways, but instead of daggers he carried a large hook in each hand and his smoke was purple. “That’s an ifrit. Very nasty.”

  Her aunt opened the book to two pages, each with its own brand of immortal.

  Lillian trembled. The two immortals imprisoned in the secret chambers of The Conclave’s Temple looked just like the creatures in these pages. Most of her friends in middle school didn’t know monsters were real. When Lillian looked at these pictures, she wished that she didn’t either.

  “Take your time, sweetheart.”

  She didn’t need time. “The one with the silver wings, that’s a phantom. The other with the gray smoke is a shade. Both very creepy.”

  “That’s right, sweetheart. Immortals are all evil. They want to destroy all humanity, but in particular our kind.”

  She meant bloodliners. Lillian had been born a bloodliner, like everyone in her family, and she would die young because of it. No one had ever hidden the truth from her. For Lillian, there would be no fairy tale with a happy ending.

  “Good girl. Yes. If it weren’t for The Conclave of The Bloodline, we would all have become extinct long ago.” Aunt Grace blinked as tears slid down her cheeks. “How long do bloodliners live?”

  “Never past age thirty. Are you okay, Aunt Grace?” As soon as she asked it, Lillian wished she could take the question back.

  Her aunt didn’t answer, but hugged Lillian tight. After a long embrace, Aunt Grace released her.

  She tried to forget that Aunt Grace was already well into her twenty-eighth year. Time was ticking away for her precious aunt and stand-in mother. Her shoulders sagged at the thought of a world without Aunt Grace. With the genetic age limit of a bloodliner, Lillian’s own life was almost half over.

  “I’m fine, sweetheart.” Her aunt wiped her eyes. “I’m just so pleased at how much you’ve learned. Let’s keep going. How many immortals does it take to drain life from a bloodliner?”

  This was the part of the lesson Lillian always dreaded the most. “Two immortals for every human.”

  “That’s right, sweetie. Some passages in this book say that immortals can receive energy and return it to unsuspecting humans. Those are lies. The two monsters take the mortal to their bed, strip her, and then ravage her until they steal all her life into their own bodies.”

  She’d never seen an immortal in person. As an adult, she would have to face at least two of them. Aunt Grace didn’t suspect that she knew the X-rated nature of the ritual she would perform someday for The Conclave.

  Lillian had secretly read the passages in the book that outlined the ceremony she would be expected to carry out. She’d cried herself to sleep that night. Sure, it was incredibly risky to siphon magical power from such creatures, but also very necessary. “If the bloodliner doesn’t die immediately, the human victim will pray for death.”

  “That’s the truth. Listen to me, Lillian. Never trust any immortal. They will lie to get what they desire from you. They will talk with silver tongues, but don’t believe their false promises and empty compliments. They want to eat you alive.”

  “I won’t, ever.” Fear chilled Lillian’s bones. She couldn’t imagine being naked in front of anyone but Aunt Grace, but especially not two nasty immortals.

  “You’ve been chosen, Lillian, for the highest honor of The Conclave. I know you will make me proud. Keep yourself pure and you will triumph.”

  She had to or else. Once her initiation ceremony began, she only had forty days and nights to succeed in performing all the duties of her new position. The consequence of failure was too much to think about.

  There were a few years and a lot more things Lillian had to learn before she would have to face the nightmares described in the book. But with her short life, the day would come all too soon. She repressed a shiver.

  “It will be your job to make sure The Conclave has the power necessary to fight the immortals with their own weapons.”

  Lillian wasn’t sure she could do it. Defeat weighted her shoulders down. Tears pricked the back of her eyes. She shook them off. She had to be strong—all bloodliners must. That was another lesson Aunt Grace had been teaching Lillian all her life.

  “Why did I get picked? Shelia or Katie would’ve been better.”

  “Because you’re very special, Lillian.” Her aunt leaned in, kissed her cheek, and smiled gently.

  “Why weren’t you ever chosen, Aunt Grace?”

  “Unlike you, my capacity to channel energy and wield magic is weak.”

  “How does The Conclave’s council know mine isn’t weak too?”

  “Trust their judgment, Lillian. The council has been choosing successors to keep The Conclave intact and The Bloodline safe for centuries.”

  Lillian knew the day would come when she’d have to carry that burden, and she dreaded it. But tonight she wanted to watch her show and pretend she was a normal teenager. “I’m tired. Can’t we pick this up tomorrow?”

  “Patience. The VCR is catching your program.”

  Lillian sighed, rolling her eyes. “Fine.”

  Aunt Grace touched her shoulder. “The Conclave keeps tabs on the three factions of immortals, making sure the scales don’t tip too far in any one group’s favor. What is the faction of angels and jinn called?”

  “The Alliance.”

  “Perfect. They claim to protect humanity. They lie. And the one for demons and ifrit?”

  “The Dark.” Thankfully, her aunt wasn’t reading one of the passages from the book about how the demons and ifrit tortured their victims. That always made Lillian nauseous. She wondered what Jenny and her mother talked about. Likely silly things like makeup or whether her room was clean. Lillian longed for that normalcy. She closed her eyes tight. It would never happen for her.

  “That’s right, Lil. At least they don’t lie about their intent. What about the phantoms and shades who don’t side with either The Alliance or The Dark, claiming to be neutral when it comes to mortals?”

  “The Rogues.”

  The nature of phantoms and shades troubled Lillian. Though Aunt Grace had told her these immortals could work together when necessary, it rarely happened. They held no allegiance to authority and were very unpredictable. Benign one day, deadly the next.

  In Lillian’s mind, of all the three immortal factions, the self-serving and isolated Rogues seemed to be the most dangerous.

  Chapter 1

  9) Before the sun went below the horizon, the angel Rajiah was completely healed from his wounds from the earlier battle with the demons and ifrit. 10) He sipped the wine I had given him, and told me about other immortals roaming the earth. Timu, you know about angels and jinn, demons and ifrit? 11) I answered him: I do. Everything you have spoken I have written down as you commanded. 12) He continued: There are other immortals in the world that side not with the angels of The Alliance or the demons of The Dark. They live in secret, away from the Eternal War. 13) Like angels and demons, phantoms can hide their wings. Like jinn and ifrit, shades can hide their smoke. 14) Timu, beware the Phantom and the Shade, known to humank
ind as The Rogues.

  The Book of Timu: Verses 9 through 14—Chapter 3

  * * * *

  Present

  If Aunt Grace were alive, she would’ve been filled with pride this night, standing right beside Lillian. But she wasn’t. Lillian had to do this on her own.

  Looking at her reflection in the full-length mirror, she appeared as if she’d traveled in time from the present to a more formal and elegant era before fast food chains and Internet dating sites. The white gown she wore helped to create the illusion with its silky lace, spaghetti straps, crystal beading, corset back tie, and chapel train. Her attendants, four giggling women, helped her with the veil.

  The youngest of the four squeezed her hand. “You look so beautiful.”

  She didn’t feel beautiful, just frightened. “Thank you.”

  I can do this. I have to do this.

  “Are you ready?” One of the others asked.

  Lillian scanned the mirror again. Nothing was out of place. “It’s an important day, but I think I am.”

  The music in the other room grew louder, indicating the time had come.

  “You’ll need this.” The youngest held out the ancient dagger still sheathed in its scabbard.

  Trepidation filled her at the magnitude of the new role she was about to take on.

  Taking the weapon, Lillian studied it. She’d only seen it once before. It felt heavier than she had expected. The camel bone hilt was covered in symbols, and the scabbard had jewels and gold fittings. The steel of the blade showed no stains or nicks, though Lillian knew it to be centuries old.

  The four attendants knelt before her. “Mistress, be well.”

  Lillian sucked in a lungful of air, turned away from the mirror, and faced the large wooden door with The Conclave’s rune etched into its surface. Outside the walls of the temple was a metropolis with freeways, skyscrapers and millions of residents with no idea of the existence of evil immortals or of The Conclave.

  A shiver ran up her spine accompanied by awkwardness and unease. One of the women tilted her head slightly.

  They’re waiting for me to speak the ritual words. “Rise. Walk with me and be my witnesses.”