STORY EXCERPT

At last, she let him go. It was a bitter parting for him; all he wanted to do was hold her forever. Someday.

“Well, now that you’re here, let me tell you what I found. While you two were away packing the last of Shanna’s things, I paid a visit to our library under the manor. I thought perhaps I could find something that might help us discover who your father was, or where he might have gone. Instead I came across a legend.”

He now had their full attention. Max was still finding it difficult to concentrate on anything but Shanna’s voluptuous form. His cock ached for her.

“What legend?” Shanna asked with her flawless pink lips.

“The Legend of the Cryptis.” As he spoke, Max turned the dark podium toward his companions. A dark book bound in night-blue leather was opened to a page with an intricately carved dagger drawn in an exquisite style.

“Cryptis?” Robin asked. “Why does that name sound familiar?”

“Because we looked for it ourselves,” Max replied, “years ago.”

Max looked down at the page, studying the exacting detail of the image. The blade curved sharply into a polished hilt that could have been ivory or bone.

“The Cryptis is an ancient object of incredible power. It has many uses, but for those of us in the Knights, Celestial or Oblivion, it comes into its full capacity.”

“What does it do?” Shanna asked, her eyes locked on the drawing. Max’s eyes were locked on her.

“It allows a Triumvirate to expand their powers with only two members.”

Shanna took a moment to consider that. After glancing sidelong at Robin, she trained her intense gaze on Max.

“You looked for this?”

“Indeed we did, but not to use it. The power of the Cryptis is dark and corrupting. As Celestial Knights we could never use it without becoming perverted ourselves. Years ago, when the Oblivion Knights came to this area, I believed they might have been looking for it. Robin and I searched the entire town and far beyond, hoping to discover it first. When we failed, we assumed the Oblivion Knights had as well and gave up the pursuit. I hadn’t thought of it again until I returned to the library in the manor, looking for clues of your father.”

His explanation served as a momentary distraction to the throbbing in his loins. As soon as he finished speaking, his passion for Shanna flared anew. She was all he wanted, all he needed. His whole body began to ache for her.

“Well, what is this place?” she asked.

“This is an archive built centuries ago. Robin and I discovered it recently, but have only just begun to delve into it. If we’d known about it earlier, perhaps we’d have been able to discover the whereabouts of the Cryptis.”

“Well, you know about it now. So where is this knife?”

Max smiled at Shanna’s brashness, a smile that came from the depths of his soul, and spoke of his love.

“I still haven’t discovered that yet. But I have managed to find some clues.”

Max pulled another book from one of shelves along the far wall. He noticed Shanna’s eyes locked on the binding that was the same night blue as the tome with the image of the Cryptis.

“Demon hide,” Max offered in explanation.

Max thumbed through pages, finally stopping toward the back of the new book.

“This book is an account of a broken Triumvirate. They fled here from Europe sometime in the thirteen hundreds, before the European explorers. They managed to evade the Native Americans and finally found this place, deep in the forest. Some of these books are part of their collection.”

Robin stood next to his friend and master, perusing the open pages.

“What have you discovered?”

“The broken Triumvirate had an artifact with them. It was why they left the old country.” Max continued. “Though this book does not say what it was the two men carried, it is definite that they fled to keep it out of the hands of the Oblivion Knights. It is quite possible this object was the Cryptis.”

Shanna nodded.

“What makes you think the Oblivions would start looking for it again?”

“Your refusal to join them will make them desperate,” Max replied. He shuddered at the mere thought of Shanna being captured by them again, held away from his arms and his heart. “If they find it, they will surely challenge us.”

“So what?” Shanna said flippantly. “There’s no way they can beat us, even with this fancy knife.”

Max smiled at her brazenness.

“Perhaps not. But such a conflict could expose us to the outside world. Above all, we must keep this war a secret. You can imagine mankind’s reaction should our existence be revealed.”

“You mean the Triumvirate’s, or the vampires’?” she asked.

“Either.”

Max was finding it harder and harder to concentrate with this stunning beauty standing before him. His body burned, and his heart ached.

Robin was still studying the book Max had brought.

“You mentioned some clues earlier.”

Robin’s question brought Max back to the matter at hand.

“Ah, yes. They seem to have left some clues as to where they hid this artifact. Keep in mind this is some six or seven hundred years ago. Some landmarks may have changed.”

Max flipped several pages in the demon-bound tome.

“Okay, here’s something odd.”

Max read it aloud.

One to find, two to get, a third to see their needs are met.

The flow of power, eddies still, and you shall find the crystal will.

Max looked up to see his companions stuck in an odd daze, as though he’d just spellbound them. He tried not to smile.

ADULT EXCERPT

Shanna stared into the darkening trees. An idea sprang into her mind. “Our power manifests itself most when we express our passion, right?”

Robin looked over, not yet sure where she was going. “Yes, yes it does.”

Understanding dawned on him as soon as he said the words.

“Of course,” he stated rather excitedly. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Shanna raised a curious eyebrow. “Why indeed.”

“But will it work, without Max being with us?”

“I don’t know. But we have to try something, don’t we?”

Robin nodded, agreeing totally.

There was no time to find a nice, clean place on the ground, nor would their quickly growing passion allow them to search for one. Within a second, they were in each other’s arms.

Shanna swam in the desire reflected in Robin’s eyes. Her heart raced under that gaze, seeing in him how badly he wanted her.

She wanted him just as bad.

His lips caressed hers. A shock went through Shanna as their tongues quickly intertwined. Every breath grew their passion exponentially. Robin’s hands explored every inch of Shanna’s ample body. She had to have him inside her. She had to have him now.

Robin began unbuttoning Shanna’s blouse. She did the same for him. Shanna’s bra nearly snapped off as Robin undid the clasps. His warm lips closed on her erect nipples. While engaged with one supple breast, Robin held the other, firmly and gently caressing.

Passion flowed between them and over Shanna in a wave of pure heat, filling her body from head to toe. Shanna’s pussy was wet. After touching her clit in a coquettish act of self-pleasure, Shanna raised those fingers to Robin’s waiting lips. After sucking lightly, she knew he had to have more.

Laying her gently across the ground, Robin undid Shanna’s pants and slid them down past her generous hips and her well-toned calves. Her panties were soaked. Robin smiled as he leaned up, kissed her passionately, and then slid those down as well.

Heat shot from Shanna’s breasts as Robin kissed each in turn. Warmth followed his lips as he traced a straight line from her nipples down her belly. Hovering over her trembling mound for only a moment, Robin dove in to her waiting snatch.

Lightning passed through Shanna as Robin’s tongue lightly caressed her clit. Each stroke, up and down, sent another shock through her body. Each motion elicited an almost desperate moan for more, more please.

Soon her entire clit was encircled by his warm lips. Shocks grew into waves of pleasure each time he pulled gently on her quivering flesh. Orgasm threatened to overwhelm her, but she needed him inside her, wanted to come on him, with him.

As if her needs mimicked his own, Robin moved slowly up, kissing a belly Shanna was once ashamed of, but no longer.

Somehow, he’d gotten out of his pants as he was licking her.

Robin’s rock-hard cock called to her and she simply had to reach out and hold it, feel his massive size in her hand. She felt every heartbeat course through his dick as she softly stroked him. She couldn’t wait long. She had to have him now.

Shanna’s legs opened, inviting him in like the nectar she was to his hummingbird. Robin’s lips met hers as, after pausing a moment that seemed like an eternity, he slid his great hardness inside her.

His cock seemed to fill her very soul. Heat, excitement, love and desire all seemed to emanate for a moment from deep within her pelvis.

Craving pulled her spirit every time he withdrew from her sweet pussy, and passion covered her being each time he thrust within her. Shanna looked deep into Robin’s eyes, saw his love and desire there, and wrapped her legs around his, drawing him in even deeper. She wanted to come, needed to come.

Robin’s love shone on his face. She saw his need there as well.