“Good,” she replied, a coy smile shaping her lips. “Shall we?”

*****

Ianna tried very hard to keep her eyes on the road, even as her body was strongly responding to the scene taking place scant inches away. The convertible’s top was down, allowing Kael to straddle the hips of their guest, who gave his name as Raphael. He’d pulled down the tight material of her dress and was feasting on her breasts, each in turn, as she tossed back her head and laughed in primal abandon, her hands strong on his broad, muscled shoulders.

Her nipples were so tight and so engorged with blood that every strong draw of his mouth gave as much pain as it did pleasure, and she relished it, mouth open wide as she drew sweet night air into her needy lungs.

Knowing well that the road ahead was flat, straight, and empty, Ianna took her eyes off that particular view and turned it to a much more pleasant one instead. She turned to look just as Kael’s strong, veined hands left Raphael’s shoulders to disappear between their bodies for a long moment.

Raphael groaned as he felt her deft hands unclasp his belt and unzip his trousers. His groan became a moan when he felt her cool fingers grasp him, firm and sure, and position him just so. Then he gasped as she lowered herself upon him and he felt the wet heat of her engulf him so wonderfully and so totally that he feared, for one brief moment, that he would spend himself right then and there.

Kael laughed as she caught the brief instant of panic in the man’s eyes. She leaned in to kiss him hard as her inner walls began an intimate caress, swallowing his breathless moans with delight. Feeling him begin to succumb to the primitive urge to thrust deep into her, she grinned and used the weight of her body to keep him still, passing along the wordless message that it was she, not he, who would lead this particular dance.

There ensued a long, tense, sexually charged battle of wills between them, neither giving ground, until, finally, Raphael bowed beneath the weight of her superior tactics, grasped her hips, and simply went along for the ride.

*******

Ianna had to grant Raphael one thing as she pulled into her driveway. The man certainly had staying power. After a full half hour or more of being ridden like a prized Thoroughbred by one of the most breathtaking women on the planet, he was still going strong.

She felt a flash of regret as she eased herself out of the car. Regret for the loss of what looked to be a marvelous plaything. Then she shrugged and walked around to the passenger’s side. Men of Raphael’s particular talents were easy enough to come by, if one knew where to look. And right now, he was worth so much more to her dead than alive. She only hoped Kael would see it that way.

“Oh honey,” she purred into the American’s flushed ear, “we’re home.”

Kael turned passion-dark eyes toward the priestess, her breath coming in rhythmic pants as she raised and lowered her hips in long, smooth, deep strokes. Reaching up, she grabbed a handful of Ianna’s dress, tearing the silken fabric as she pulled the grinning priestess down to her lips and almost swallowed her whole.

Unprepared for the blast of undiluted carnality, Ianna’s knees weakened and she staggered, leaning her weight against the sturdy car door. The power of Kael’s arousal stole the breath from her lungs and the strength from her muscles.

After a long, extremely intense moment, Kael pushed the priestess away from her, and with a small sigh, disengaged herself from the man beneath her.

Recovering her strength and wits somewhat, Ianna gathered herself, stepped back, and swung the car door open. Kael stepped out gracefully, and with a wicked little smirk, reached down and tucked Raphael back into his trousers. “Keep that warm and ready for me, hmm?” she asked, not even attempting the task of trying to zip him back up, knowing well that any attempt would be a futile one indeed.

Raphael didn’t move. He didn’t speak. His glassy eyes didn’t even blink as he sat slumped against the bucket seat.

“What did you do to him?” Ianna asked with some concern.

“A little thing I picked up from a friend.”

“Ahh. Lao Ma, your little Chinese whore.”

The priestess gasped as iron claws sunk themselves into the tender skin of her throat, cutting off her air.

“I told you never to speak her name,” Kael hissed, her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.

“S-sorry,” Ianna ground out breathlessly. “I didn’t—”

“No, of course you didn’t. You never do, do you.” Releasing her captive, she turned back toward the car. “Help me get him outta here.”

*******

Kael blinked in surprise when Ianna led them away from the house and toward the little outbuilding on the side of the sprawling grounds. Dazed as their guest was, she knew that one whiff of the interior of that building would send him running as fast as his legs could carry him.

Sensing the American’s disquiet, Ianna smiled and leaned in close. “Trust me,” she murmured, before releasing her hold on Raphael and unlocking the door. “Keep Romeo here occupied for a moment, would you? I’ll be right back.”

Kael prepared herself for the blast of foul air as the priestess pulled open the door. To her amazement, the only scent her sensitive nostrils could detect was a faint hint of candle wax.

Ianna smirked at the raised eyebrow she received, and disappeared inside the building.

Raphael roused a little from his bliss-induced haze and tried to shake off Kael’s firm grip on his arm. Smiling, Kael leaned in and captured his lips once again as her hand slid down and pressed intimately against him. “Relax,” she murmured against his lips, “we’re just gonna have a little fun.”

“Fun?” he whimpered, arching helplessly into her expert hand.

“Ohhh yes,” she purred, sealing her lips to his and pressing him back against the rough wood of the outbuilding. “Wonderful fun.”

Ianna separated them by laying her hands on their shoulders. “Please,” she intoned, voice husky, “follow me.”

As she walked away, the priestess slipped the thin straps of her dress down her shoulders, and let the soft material fall to the ground, baring her silken flesh in all its majestic glory.

All around the room, dozens of candles flickered, casting a soft, dancing light over an otherwise black room. In the very center, where the cauldron had been, stood a low table covered with a deep red cloth. Reaching the table, Ianna stopped, then did a slow turn, displaying her fire-licked body to its greatest advantage. Her dark eyes were sparkling, her smile as welcoming and seductive as she could manage.

“Do you like what you see?” she asked, staring into two sets of eyes which raked over her naked flesh in undisguised want. “Come in. Don’t be shy.”

Placing a warm hand on Raphael’s broad back, Kael urged him forward and into the shadowed darkness.

Raphael shuffled forward until he was pressed against the naked body of the woman standing before him. His hands slid smoothly down around the curve of her hips, and he pulled her to him more strongly as his head bent to devour her glistening lips.

With a throaty laugh, she pressed his upper half away, the palms of her hands pressed flat against his muscled chest. “Not quite so fast, little man,” she husked, elegant fingers reaching for the lapels of his jacket and pushing it free of his broad shoulders. “We have all night.”

Kael drew the jacket off as Ianna ripped open Raphael’s silk shirt in a scattering of buttons. The priestess smiled as the points of her neatly polished nails scratched invitingly through the thick mat of dark hair on his chest.

He growled and tried to pull her in for a kiss, but she evaded his advances easily as she worked on divesting him of the rest of his clothing. Within moments, he stood naked to the world, and only then did Ianna allow him to grind roughly against her body and capture her lips in an urgent kiss.

Looking on with interest, Kael slipped slowly, gracefully out of her own garments, then padded silently into a position just to the right of the action, eyes narrowed and flickering between Ianna and Raphael as their moans of pleasure filled the still air of the building.

It was only when Raphael attempted to lift the priestess onto the low table that she broke away and, in a move that seemed effortless, especially given the difference in size of their bodies, spun the man so that his thighs were against the hard edge of the platform. With a little push, she eased him down. “Lay back and relax, my friend. I promise, you’re going to love what comes next.”

After a moment of silent contemplation, Raphael gave in to his body’s insistent urgings, and drew himself back until he was laying completely atop the table.

Eyes glittering, Ianna turned her smile toward the intently watching American. “He’s all yours.”

Kael’s return smile was absolutely predatory as she brushed against the priestess. Coming to stand at the foot of the table, she allowed her burning gaze to rake hot coals over the well-made and very aroused man below her.

Raphael did his best to remain absolutely motionless as the stunning woman towering over him flicked piercing, glittering eyes up and down his body. Everywhere her eyes set down it felt as if she were stroking him with hot, urgent hands. He willed his body not to shift or to tremble. His machismo snarled at him, ordering him to move, to take charge, to show that damned bitch who was running this show, but the rest of him succumbed to her lust like a newborn puppy.

Pressing her hands flat upon the firm, level surface, Kael gracefully climbed aboard the table and, cat-like, crawled slowly over Raphael’s prone body until she loomed above him on all fours, straddling his slim hips comfortably, and allowing him to feel the searing, wanton heat of her so very, very close.

Kneeling up just slightly, she reached out and brought his hands up to her engorged breasts, then leaned down and licked a trail around his lips with just the tip of her tongue, moaning in pleasure as his hands tightened reflexively, passionately, his blunt, strong fingers sinking deliciously into her needy, wanting flesh.

“Oh yes, lover,” she growled against his lips, “just like that.”

As she deepened the kiss, she lowered herself until once again she filled herself with him, sighing happily as he slid easily within. Steadying herself by placing her hands once again flat against the table, she began to rock her hips in a slow, sensual motion.

Off in the fire-flecked shadows, Ianna began to softly chant, her eyes riveted to the coupling going on just in front of her. Passion’s sweat shone on Kael’s muscled back, and the glorious length of her raven hair fanned out across the face of the man she was riding, providing a living, luxuriant curtain which shifted and glimmered with each thrust of her arching body.

The prayer fell easily from the priestess’ lips as she prepared the libations her particular gods required for the sacrifice. Rum was poured into the center of a circle made from red, white and black candles. Ashes from a pungent cigar came next. Three tiny shells, the color of the candles, followed.

The candles flared high in acceptance of their gift, highlighting the deep blackness of her eyes and the cruel, twisted smile curling her lips.

Bending down, she easily hefted a long, razor sharp dagger from its place just outside of the circle. Her chanting grew louder as she passed the blade of the knife through the candles’ flame three times in a counterclockwise fashion.

Hefting the rum bottle, she poured the liquid over the blade, coating both sides carefully. When she drew the dagger through the flames again, they leapt up, causing the metal to flare as if it had been forged by the sun itself.

Laughing in triumph, she once again rose to her full height and lifted her prize to the heavens, her chant winding down and becoming a low drone.

As her gaze returned to the pair on the table, she noticed that Kael had straightened and was thrusting in earnest. Her body was taut, every muscle exquisitely defined. Her hands were caressing her own breasts and torso. Raphael’s hands had a death grip on her thighs, fingers sunk deep into the tender flesh around corded, bulging muscle. His eyes were glazed, fevered and hot. His mouth hung wide open, his breath coming in tortured gasps.

Turning her head, Kael watched as Ianna stepped out of the shadows, dagger in hand. Grinning, the American took her proffered gift and spun it easily in her hand.

Faster than a striking snake, she had the point of the dagger pressed against the bounding pulse of the man beneath her.