Текст книги "Bonds of Fire"

Автор книги: T. A. Grey

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Текущая страница: 18 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

Chapter 35

When the world reappeared, they were back in her room at Tyrian’s castle. She spun around taking in her antique chests, canopy bed, and lace draperies hanging from the window.

She turned to him. “What are you doing?”

Draven disappeared and returned a minute later with her luggage.

“Master—I mean, Draven, my lord, please tell me what’s going on. Why am I back here? I never said I’d go with you,” she rushed to add.

He cut her a sharp look. A look passed over his face like a shield and guilt nagged at her. Had she just hurt his feelings?

“You are my frimar. You will do what I say.” He looked away. When he looked back at her, his eyes were dark with something she didn’t recognize but it made her heart flutter like a pack of trapped birds in a net.

“You left me.”

She retreated before she was aware of what she was doing. Her legs hit the mattress of her bed. She held her hands out before her, pleading.

“Please, Draven. I truly did not want to leave you. I—”

He laughed, the sound hard. “But that’s exactly what you did, Lucinda.” Her name was a silken caress from his lips. He took a step toward her, backing her against the bed.

“I care for you, truly. You must know that after so many years.”

He gave her a hard look that silenced her. Another step forward and his body brushed along hers.

“You left me,” he said darkly.

Helpless she shook her head. “I merely wanted some freedom. I care for you but I need—”

He silenced her with his mouth.

Hot hands, passionate mouth touched her, tasted her everywhere.

He didn’t let her up for air until dawn crept in. Only when her body was a languid mesh. She attempted to talk but the only thing that came out was a yawn. He rolled against her, cradling her back to his front...and she fell asleep.

When she woke, he was gone.

* * *

 “I refuse to be treated like this,” Lucinda said softly.

She sat in a high-back, antique chair facing the fireplace. Even without seeing her eyes, he knew she was sad, angry even.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Rarely in his life did he not know what to do. He didn’t always make the right choices, but at least he’d made one. But now? He had no idea what to do. He’d stolen her from her escape and kept her locked in her room ever since. It didn’t sit right in his gut at all, but damn if he couldn’t think of anything else he could do.

If he let her go, she’d run. He knew with absolute certainty that that wasn’t a possibility for him. In a short period of time, she’d managed to get under his skin and take up a permanent living there. If he let her go now...he might never be able to deal.

She was so unlike his previous frimar. When Charlotte betrayed him, he hadn’t known what to do. A dark part of him had wanted to kill her but had been unable to go through with the deed. So he’d sent her to Tyrian to be disposed of. He hadn’t wanted to know where she’d gone, but he couldn’t deny his curiosity. It was only three weeks before he’d gone to Tyrian to ask about her. He’d said he sent her to a remote vampire clan in the far east of Europe to live. He’d warned them of her knack for attempted murder.

Draven hadn’t felt better about it. A sick, twisted part of him had still missed her. After all, just because the crazy woman had tried to end his life didn’t stop him from caring about her.

Because you are a fool!

But now he understood that Lucinda wasn’t anything like Charlotte. Charlotte had been full of coy smiles, lies, and incredible anger. He could still remember the sound of her voice screaming at him.

For the life of him he couldn’t fathom why she was upset. He’d taken her in as his frimar and even she admitted he’d been very good to her, allowing her spoken privileges that not all hosts gave.

Yet she ran from me.

Still that knowledge put a dark anger inside him. She could have been hurt, lost, abused. She didn’t know how to fight. He didn’t even think she had any money. Where had she planned on going? A fresh wave of anger tightened inside him. It hadn’t even mattered. So long as she was away from him she’d be happy.

After she gave me her body!

How could she make him feel so...different then leave him. It felt like another betrayal.

Finally he came to her and took the chair next to her. “Treat you like what?”

She looked at him with soft eyes, eyes filled with confusion and anger. A blush crept over her cheeks and her lips moved but no sound came out. Draven had a feeling he didn’t want to hear her answer but he asked anyways.

“Treat you like what, Lucinda?”

She swallowed hard then said so softly he barely heard it, “A whore.”

He sat there stunned, mouth open. She saw his expression and looked even more embarrassed before she looked away to stare at the floor.

Draven’s mind raced a mile a minute. A whore? She thought herself a whore? His gut churned painfully, his chest pulling uncomfortably tight. Stark cold came over him. He’d made her feel like that. He never should have taken her body. Should have been stronger or taken her advice and gotten rid of her. But how could he? She made him feel good. He could have laughed. She actually made him feel younger and not like the jaded ass he was.

He thought over the last few days he’d kept her here and hated himself even more. He’d done nothing but work himself between her thighs. Shame had him turning away from her. God, he was an animal. He kidnapped her, brought her to a place she didn’t want to be then took her body.

“Fuck,” he muttered and stalked across the room.

That strange tightness in his chest constricted even more until he wasn’t sure if he was breathing anymore. Quit being a selfish asshole, he thought.

“You’re right, of course. I accept your relinquishing. If you ever need anything, please let me know.”

He heard her gasp but couldn’t bear to turn to her. What would he see on her face if he did? Surprise, happiness? He didn’t think he could handle seeing her happy to be rid of him.

“I can leave you here or take you to wherever you want to go before I leave.”

So preoccupied was he in his busy thoughts, he never heard her step up behind him. The soft hand curling around his arm had him stiffening. Slowly, he turned to look at her. Whoosh. The air in his lungs left him in a rush. She was so beautiful it hurt to look at her. Flawless skin and innocent eyes all looking right at him. He felt humbled and sickened all at the same time. Whore. The word echoed inside his mind as a nasty reminder. God how could she think that? She was the loveliest of creatures.

“You mean that,” she asked softly.

He gave a tight smile and nodded. “Do you,” he paused to clear the dryness in his throat. “Do you know where you want to go?”

Her mouth turned up into a tumultuous smile. “It’s not a matter of where I want to go, Draven, so much as who I want to be with.”

His first instinct was violent anger. “Who?”

Her eyes widened at his tone and she took an instinctual step back. “Why with you of course.” Now she looked at him as if he was daft.

Never a man of great patience, Draven felt his slipping quickly away.

“What are you talking about? You said you want to be rid of me.”

“No,” she said sternly. “I said I don’t wish to be your whore or your frimar.” She blushed before going on. “I want more. And I want it with you.”

Frowning, Draven pulled his arm away from her touch. “Never use that word with me again, Lucinda. You were never nor could you ever be a whore. Then what the hell is it you want from me?”

If she was shocked at his language, she didn’t show it. She actually smiled at him, smiled!

“I want you to be with me for me. Because you care for me as I do you.” She held that hopeful, happy smile for a full minute before it started to dim at his silence.

“Be with me,” he said slowly as if he didn’t understand the words. “How?” he said, genuinely puzzled.

She flushed darker and stood straighter. “Well, I don’t know. Like Chloe and Commander Tyrian. They are...together.”

Draven finally understood, and his brain felt like it fell through the floor. She wanted to be with him as in...a marriage. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe. Then he was breathing too fast too hard. The room spun around him in circles.

And then he fell to the floor.

* * *

Draven awoke with a pounding headache and a beautiful woman sitting on top of him.

“Lucinda?” His voice was hoarse and his head felt like he’d had a run in with a rock.

She smiled down at him, eyes glittering in the firelight. He struggled to remember how he came to be here and why he was on the floor but it was hard to think because she leaned down and kissed him square on the mouth.

“Welcome back,” she said softly.

“Thank you,” he said hesitantly.

She laughed, the sound surprisingly husky and loud. He loved that laugh. He was grinning back at her before he knew it.

“I take that as a yes.” Her lips trailed across his cheek. The nibbling at his ear was entirely too distracting. His arms were wrapped around her in the next second.

“What’s that?”

“That you do want to stay with me.”

Then it all came back to him. She wanted to be with him as in marriage, mating, forever together. Draven’s heart hammered in his chest and he forced himself to relax.

Her lips trailed down his neck, her hands moved under his shirt and up his chest. She owned him. With each touch, he felt himself giving in. It was a wonderful, soft feeling, how he imagined melting felt like.

She pulled his shirt up and scattered sexy little kisses across his chest. Slowly he felt himself succumb to her. To her touch, her kisses, her soft words.

“Please, Draven.” She kissed the flats of his nipples then lower. “I can’t have my life without you in it now.” She fanned her hands along his sides and he closed his eyes on a groan as she neared his erection.

“Please, please, please.”

His mouth floundered open and closed, eyes slammed shut as she tugged his pants down to his thighs. Her hot, wet mouth enclosed over him and he groaned, hands burying in her long, loose hair.

“Lucinda,” he gasped.

She licked and sucked, taking him to the back of her throat again and again. His body tightened to an excruciating point. It was too good; he wouldn’t last like this. Her mouth was untrained for this but her simple touches were driving him mad.

She pulled away. In a ragged whisper said, “Do this for me, please.” Then she claimed him whole again, wet sucking heat.

For her. Yes, he’d do it for her. Before he exploded, he fisted her hair and pulled her away, forcing her to meet his eyes.

With a fierce, possessive look he said, “Anything for you.”

For a moment she looked as though she’d cry, but then she gave him a smile that he felt all the way to his soul.

Then she took him deep again and didn’t let up until he gave a hoarse shout and shot his hot release in her mouth. She swallowed over him, her fist pumping his cock to wring him dry. She climbed over him afterward and held him.

Somewhere in the back of his foggy mind, he knew he’d just given her complete control over him. And strangely, he trusted her with it...

Chapter 36

Willow was still staring at the clock when he finally came through the door at four-thirty in the morning.

To say she was pissed was the understatement of the century. She was able to forgive the first night he didn’t come home—because she was super nice. But she was not able to forgive excluding her from a meeting about a demon stalking her. And she was so not able to forgive being ignored for two days. Like she was some kind of breeding mare and now that she was mated to him with his child, he could just lock her up here and come visit her when it fancied him.

“Fuck that!” she shouted coming to a stand.

Lyonis paused in the doorway, then shut it with a soft click. Embarrassment threatened to make her blush, but she was too mad for that now. God, it felt good. Anger she knew, anger she loved.

“Fuck what?”

“You! You can’t treat me like this.”

For a moment he looked as though he’d pretend he didn’t know what she was talking about but then he shrugged.

“Yes I can. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you and our young safe.”

He went up the stairs and she followed him. “By locking me up here? By not telling me there was a meeting about the demon after me! Oh, or maybe you’re protecting me by not telling me my sisters were here!”

He started tearing his clothes off as he headed for the bathroom. “Let it go Willow. It doesn’t matter.”

She saw red. Count to ten, she thought, and calm down. She made it to two before she was ready to pull her hair out.

“Maybe it doesn’t matter to you, but this is my life and it matters very fucking much, thank you.”

Naked, he turned to her and nearly bumped into her. “You got to see your family. You should be happy I let you do that.”

Her heart stopped beating.

“What?” she said, her voice dangerously quiet.

His expression tightened. “You heard me. Be happy I let you see your sisters. I can’t trust them not to help you escape.”

“This can’t be happening,” she muttered. All the anger wiped out of her in an instant.

She fell against the door and for whatever reason he was there to catch her from sliding down it. He held her up and for a moment, she thought she saw concern there. No, he didn’t love her. People who loved didn’t do these kinds of things. Monsters did.

“Are you a monster?”

He looked away from her, when he turned back his expression was controlled. What was he hiding from her? That thought had anger spiking sharply inside her. She pushed his hands off her shoulders and stepped away from him.

“You’re just like him!”

Willow’s eyes shot wide the moment the words slid from her lips.

Dark eyes narrowed to a dangerous glint. “Who?”

Realizing what she’d just done, Willow clamped her mouth shut and spun from the room. But he followed her, grabbed her arm, and spun her around.

“I’m like who, Willow?” His voice was hard, his eyes angry and a little sad. It was on the tip of her tongue to ignore him, to tell him to fuck off because he didn’t deserve to know...but it was that hint of sadness that pulled at her heart. She couldn’t deny him anything when he asked like that. Or maybe she just finally wanted someone to know. Though why she’d ever want that she didn’t know.

“David.”

He straightened, his face guarded. She watched the light of recognition turn on his eyes. She hadn’t been a virgin when she met him.

“He was the one...”

A clipped nod.

“Tell me his name.”

“David Co—” she stopped, eyes narrowing. He’d asked it so deceptively soft, like a simple inquiry. Angry or not with him, she knew what he’d do if she told him. Even she didn’t wish that on the bastard. “No.”

“Tell me what he did and tell me his name.” His voice was stiff like he had a hard time controlling it.

Willow sighed. Her heart feeling like it was breaking all over again. “Just forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything. This isn’t what I wanted.” She wanted to rail at him with all her pent-up anger not discuss her previous, failed, fucked-up relationship.

She turned from him and when he made to grab her arm, she dodged it and fled down the stairs. Her foot caught near the last step and she went soaring through the air.

A choked scream left her throat, panic immobilized her as she flew towards the hard ground. My baby! At the last second she tried to push her arms out in front of her to break the fall but it all happened so fast. She wasn’t going to make it in time.

Her knees slammed hard into the wood floor and then she was caught, thrust back against Lyonis’ hard chest.

He turned her to face him, breathing wild, eyes wide with fear. He clutched her to him and she latched onto him with all her might. A choked cry left her, and she couldn’t stop the rush when it came. She broke down like an old, beat up car. He held her tight as she cried every tear of worry and pain and frustration.

He spoke soft words to her, his hands creating warm comforting strokes around her back. It made her feel safe, like everything was okay, like he’d always be there to protect her. She’d only ever felt that with Papa, but this was still a bit different. This wasn’t the paternal comfort from father to daughter, but the loving comfort between a man and woman.

Tears stopping, Willow pulled back at the thought. When his arms refused to let her go, she pushed hard at him. Love. Loving comfort. He didn’t love her.

“Don’t touch me,” she said coldly.

Jaw clenching, he did as she said. Something dark and spiteful built inside her. She was just so angry at him. Her body burned like a fever, her hands shook with the need to clench and hit something. She’d always thought she’d loved David. That’s why she let him do the things he did and how, in her mind, she excused his actions with reason after reason. But she couldn’t have loved David, because she was head over heels for Lyonis and his betrayal hurt so much worse. What David did had hurt her emotionally, maybe even mentally, but Lyonis’ actions broke her damn heart.

“I’m asking you once more. Please, don’t do this,” she pleaded with him. His mouth opened, closed, and finally he looked away from her. With one shake of his head, she had her answer.

Suddenly, all the anger went out of her. Her body turned cold, body unfeeling, numb like the dentist had just novacained her entire body. The only thing she felt was her heart, so tight in her chest, it was almost unbearable.

“Until the baby’s born and this demon is dead, I can’t do that. I won’t take any chances.”

“Somehow going out in the pack is dangerous?”

“We already know that Stephanie has been used by the demon for whatever purpose. Is it really that far-fetched that she, if not others, may be under the demon’s control and want to hurt you, Willow?”

“Yes it is,” she said simply. He looked like he was about to shout but then he took a deep breath.

“Lily already told me that Stephanie spoke to you at the festival that the demon was...inside her. Is that true?”

Nodding, she said, “It’s true, but if it was using Stephanie to kill me then it would have done it then. We were alone after all.”

He closed his eyes. “I’m not taking that chance. You’re my mate now.”

“Then I wish I never did it.”

Pain flashed across his face. He shook his head slowly and went back up the stairs with heavy steps.

At the top the stairs, she called out to him. “Are you even sorry?”

He didn’t look back at her. “Not at all.”

“If I tell you about David will you let me out of here?” She couldn’t believe she’d just said that. But she was desperate.

Without a word, he shook his head and went into the bedroom.

Willow stared after him, stunned and heartbroken.

She didn’t go to bed with him that night, and he didn’t make her. Huddled on the couch, she made her plans.

Chapter 37

Lyonis left the next morning without a word. She wanted to pretend it didn’t hurt, that she didn’t care, but it was big fat lie. She cared way too much. Watching his silent back retreat, he just cemented her decision.

With only one thing left to do, she grabbed her backpack and tossed a few of her things into it. She still had no idea how she was going to leave, but she’d find a way. She always did. Grabbing the few meager belongings she’d come here with, she shoved them in her bag and tossed it under the bed in case he came back early.

Heading downstairs, she walked outside to the guard posted on her porch. “Where’s Draven?”

“He left a few days ago.”

Her face paled. “What?”

The guard shrugged. “He had a fight with his lady friend, then took off after her when she left him. Said he wouldn’t be coming back.”

Willow thanked him and closed the door. So much for her only plan. If he wouldn’t do his little dissolve thing and get her out of here, then she’d have to figure something else out.

By late evening, she still didn’t have a plan. Genuine worry started to creep in that she may never think of a way to get past the guards. But luck was on her side, when, at six o’clock that evening there was a knock at the door.

Willow opened the door and her eyes widened in surprise. “Rachel, what are you doing here?”

The shapeshifter smiled gaily and wiggled her fingers at her. “John’s watching the baby tonight, so I have the night off. Unfortunately I couldn’t find anything to do so I thought I’d stop in and check on you.”

Willow let her in and they took a seat on the sofa. It felt strange seeing another face that wasn’t through a window as someone walked by. Of course now she had something more interesting to stare at as the streets were littered with tall, battle-ready Atal Warriors. It wasn’t until now that she realized how much she felt like a prisoner.

“It’s so good to see you.” Willow meant it from the bottom of her heart.

Rachel smiled kindly. “I heard that you’re being kept under lock and key. I’m so sorry, Willow. It’s really unfair.”

Willow laughed bitterly. “Tell me about it. Is this normal or something?”

Rachel looked contrite as she shook her head. “Not really. I mean I’ve heard of some Alphas who went off the deep end when their mates’ lives were in danger. But this is different. Danny went missing today, Sara’s boy.”

Willow nodded, unsure what to say to ease Rachel’s worry.

“I’d just seen him too, you know? I saw him at the festival with his friends. Now he’s gone and we all know it’s because of that demon. God I’m so scared for him.”

Not knowing what else to do, Willow hugged her.

“Do you smell that?” said Willow, pulling away with a frown.

Rachel’s brows shot up. “What?”

The bitter, almost sulfuric smell dissipated and Willow shrugged. “Guess it was nothing. So how’s the baby?”

Willow knew she had the perfect opportunity to escape now with Rachel and she wasn’t going to let it go to waste. But first, she’d woo her into the craziness with pleasantries. After all, it wasn’t polite to ask someone to assist you in escaping and betraying their Alpha without asking about the kids first.

They chatted for a while. Ever since she met Rachel, the woman had the ability to make her feel like she was back with her sisters again. She was happy for her visit. If Rachel hadn’t come then she might not have had the chance to escape, ever. Lyonis had placed even more guards at all hours of the day along the cabin and the perimeter of the pack.

According to Rachel, the pack was even more tense than normal. It could be cut with a chainsaw. What with Danny gone and the Atal Warriors everywhere, and to Willow’s surprise, her being locked up here were all signs of bad times. Willow snorted at that. True dat.

“Oh damn, I didn’t even think about it. Can I get you something to drink? Sorry I don’t eat anymore, I didn’t even think about it.”

Rachel nodded. “Got any tea?”

Willow laughed because honestly she had no idea what was in the kitchen. “I’ll go check, one sec.”

Willow rifled through the cabinets and cupboards before finding a small box of black tea.

“Got some!”

She was bending down and making a ruckus of noise to find a pot to boil water in, so she never heard the floor creek behind her. If she had, she might have whirled around in surprise. Instead, she cursed as she grabbed hold of a small pot and came to a stand, the blood rushing out of her head made her rock on her feet as she straightened.

She’d just set the pot on the stove when a hard pressure burst inside her skin. The sharp stabbing sensation felt as though someone was trying to tear her skin from the inside out. She opened her mouth in agony to scream but no sound came. Suddenly she was immobilized. Tears rolled down her unblinking face as the hot pressure along her skin reached an excruciating point, then it burst inside her like a balloon popping.

Fiery knives stabbed inside her. She would have fallen to the floor, screaming, tearing at her own stomach to get it out, to get it to stop, but she could only stand there, frozen in place.

The pain grew like her limbs were being filled with hot air and needed a place to burst. Once it was inside her it was unstoppable. It spread to her brain and all the way down to her toes. Her baby jerked at the intrusion and more tears fell down her face.

Lyonis, where are you!?

Her thundering heart slammed against her ribs as if working hard to keep up with the pain, and then everything went black in an instant. Consciousness vanished in a single heartbeat, and she was no more.