Braun shook his head. "We cannot act until Darius returns. Our orders are to stay outside of the palace, detaining any who try to enter or leave."
Vorik frowned down at her. "The time for war will come, and then we will act. Until then, we do nothing." His gaze became piercing. "Understand?"
"When will Darius return?" she demanded. "I am eager for vengeance."
Ignoring her question, Coal exchanged a concerned glance with Braun. "As are we. As are we."
JASON GRAVES STUDIED the vampire stronghold with assessing eyes. While this fortress lacked the same magnitude of wealth as the dragon palace, it held enough to capture his attention. Silver walls. Gold inlaid floors. A violet ram's fleece rug.
Perhaps he needed to rethink his alliance with the vampires.
They had supplied the tools necessary to strip the dragon walls of their jewels, as well as the location of coins and other treasures. And in return, Jason was to slaughter the dragons. A good bargain, in his estimation. Or so he'd thought. He was beginning to suspect that the moment the dragons were exterminated, the vampires would feed off of him and his men, the alliance forgotten. He swallowed, allowing the idea of striking first to take root in his mind. That way, he would not only save his own life, but also gain vampire riches. He had heard they knew where to find the greatest treasure of all. The Jewel of Atlantis. A powerful stone, granting the owner unimaginable victories.
Right now, his unlikely allies knew that any human wearing a medallion was to be left alone. Jason had made it clear in the beginning that if one of his men were harmed, just one, he would join forces with the dragons instead.
That threat would no longer work when the dragons were gone.
"You have defeated Javar," Layel, the vampire king, said. He stroked deathly pale fingers over the seam of his red lips and leaned back in his throne. A throne comprised of bones. "It is time for you to defeat Darius, as well."
"We haven't emptied out the first palace yet," Jason hedged. He stood in the center of the room and shifted nervously. He hated coming here and never stayed longer than necessary. Knowing his men waited outside the throne room doors, weapons cocked and ready, did not soothe his unease. Layel could have his neck ripped open before he managed a single scream for help.
"No matter. I want them killed immediately." The king slammed a fist onto his armrest--a femur, Jason thought. "The dragons are cruel, evil murderers. They must die."
"And they will. We just need a little more time. I cannot divide my forces, and I will not leave the first palace until it is completely emptied."
Heavy silence encompassed them.
"You dare tell me no?" Layel said quietly.
"Not no, exactly. I'm merely asking you to have more patience."
Layel slowly ran his tongue over his razor-sharp teeth. "I knew you were greedy, human. I didn't know you were also stupid."
Jason scowled. "You are more than welcome to fight the dragons on your own." He didn't need the vampires anymore--he already possessed the tools. But they both knew Layel still needed him. Jason might be intimidated by this creature, but damn if he didn't enjoy what small power he held over him.
Intense fury blazed in Layel's eerie blue eyes. "How much longer?" he ground out.
"A week. Two at most."
"That is too long! The only reason you were able to defeat Javar was because you surprised him. Without that surprise, you will not defeat Darius." In a hiss of rage, Layel hurdled his jeweled goblet at Jason's head.
Jason ducked and the cup sailed past him. Barely.
"He is stronger than his tutor ever was," Layel said.
Jason glared up at him, a heated retort pressed at the gate of his lips. The doors burst open before a single word escaped.
One of his men ran inside. "Alex and the female escaped."
"What!" Jason shouted, spinning.
"Word arrived only seconds ago. They escaped through the forest."
"How?" Scowling, he strode toward his man and met him halfway.
"We aren't sure."
"Damn it! Search the forest. I want him found within the hour and brought back to me."
"Alive?"
"If possible. If not..."
The man hastened to do as he was bid.
Jason stood there, grinding his teeth. A part of him didn't care that Alex had escaped. The bastard would probably be found and killed by any number of vicious creatures. But the other part of Jason, the part that acknowledged wars could be lost by a simple mistake such as this, recognized the damage that could be done. Alex could stumble upon Darius, could warn him.
"Jason," Layel said.
The hairs prickled at the base of his neck, and without looking, he knew the vampire king was directly behind him. Jason slowly turned, hoping his features remained emotionless. "Yes?"
"Fix this. Fail me and I'll add your bones to my throne."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
HOURS TICKED BY as Grace thinned the carpet in her tiny living room, pacing back and forth, from one wall to the other. The hallway had fallen silent half an hour ago. Every time she blinked, she pictured Darius sitting just beyond her front door, his eyes closed, expression pensive, his mind thinking of ways to leave her behind. She scowled. Darius might travel home in the morning, but not without her. Whether he approved or not, she was going.
Pushing out a breath, Grace rubbed her temples. Her shoulders slumped dispiritedly. What am I going to do? Beneath her frustration with Darius hovered a constant fear for Alex, and she knew that was the true catalyst to her riotous emotions. Helplessness ate her because she knew there was nothing she could do but wait and pray Darius was right. That Jason Graves would keep Alex alive because her brother had something he wanted.
The medallion.
She laughed humorlessly. It always came back to that. If she'd suspected the true value of that damn chain, she would have held on to it tighter. Where the hell was it?
She needed Darius. She needed him to reassure her. She needed him to wrap his arms around her and reaffirm wrongs would be righted and life would continue with promises of pleasure and happiness.
"Darius," she said in frustration. What was he doing?
The air in front of her thickened and blurred, sparkling with crystallized raindrops. A whisper of heat, a waft of masculine scent, then Darius materialized right before her eyes. His features were taut as his gaze darted left and right. "What is wrong?"
"I need you," she said. "I need you. That's all."
His visage relaxed, fraying his worry but leaving behind lines of tension.
Their gazes locked. She stood frozen, drinking him in. More than strained, he looked...changed. Different somehow. Sexier than ever before. Scorching. Needy. He sensed her growing desire, perhaps, because his nostrils flared and his eyes lit with fire.
Grace's heart flip-flopped in her chest. Darius didn't resemble the man who accosted her in the cave, a sword raised over his head, death in his gaze. Nor did he resemble the man who had nearly choked the life from Patrick. Right now he reminded her of the man who found delight in colors and chocolate, who had tenderly kissed her lips, savoring her every nuance. He had licked her palms and soothed her bruises.
Oh, God, how she wanted this man.
But guilt swam through her, locking her in place. How could she want him, enjoy him, when Alex was hurt?
"You cannot help your brother right now," Darius said, as if divining her thoughts. His gaze reached across the space between them, caressing her with quiet strength.
"I know," she said softly, yearning for him all the more. She tried to absorb his comfort from a distance, but that wasn't what she needed. Only full-body, skin to skin contact would work.
He stretched out his hand. "Then come here."
Without another word, Grace launched herself into Darius's arms. He caught her with a humph and banded his arms around her waist, anchoring his hands on her bottom and backing her into a wall. Instantly he smothered her mouth with a kiss. N
o, not a kiss. A devouring. He worshipped her taste, and she reveled in his, and as their tongues danced, she became a part of him. He became a part of her. She moaned, and her legs tightened around him.
He pulled away. "I will not stop this time," he said raggedly.
"Good, because I wasn't going to let you."
He trapped her earlobe between his teeth and gently tugged. The time had come; the wait was over.
One hand cupping his neck, the other kneading his back, she fit herself against his erection. The contact sizzled. A tremor moved through her, leaving a desperate arousal in its wake. He reclaimed her lips in total possession, branding her very soul.
She was his woman, and he was her man.
His tongue swept inside her mouth, and her desire raced toward the point of no return. No, that wasn't exactly true. She'd reached the point of no return the first moment she saw him.
She quivered with the force of her need, with the intensity of his heat, and the consuming ache to finally know him. All of him.
"Darius," she whispered.
"Grace," he whispered back.
This is where he belonged, Darius thought savagely, gazing down at Grace. Right here. With this woman. He'd never felt more alive than he did right now, in her arms. She showed him a world he'd never thought to see again, a world of colors and tastes...and emotion. True emotion. And he exalted in it. In her.
Slowly, seductively, her fingers crawled up his chest. She smiled a feminine smile. He nearly spilled his seed just then. The deepest, most primitive part of him had recognized her the moment she'd stepped through the mist. She was his mate.
His reason for being.
He would wed her, Darius decided in the next instant.
As he continued to watch her, Grace licked one of her fingers and drew a moist heart around his right nipple. Air hissed between his teeth.
By mating with him, Grace would become a citizen of Atlantis. His oath stipulated only that he kill surface dwellers who passed through the mist. If she were Atlantean...gods, yes. He would make her Atlantean.
The relief, the joy, resonated through him like a torrid rain.
He claimed her mouth with more ferocity, growling his need. She responded by weaving her hands in his hair and slanting her lips over his more fully. She rubbed herself against his erection, gasping, taking, giving. Their clothing only added to the friction. His fingers dug into the soft roundness of her buttocks, quickening her rhythm, and their kiss continued, hard and fast, then slow and tender.
"You are so beautiful," he said brokenly.
"No, I--"
"You are. I burn for you. I flame."
She melted against him. Into him. Her breasts meshed against his chest, her nipples pearled, waiting. Tasting them became as necessary as breathing. In all of his other couplings, Darius had rushed. He'd been savage, giving the woman pleasure, taking pleasure for himself, but offering nothing more. Never more. There would be no rushing now.
He wanted to savor and give.
"I will take care of you," he whispered. "Do you trust me?"
"So much, I ache."
With her legs still wrapped firmly around him, he sank to his knees and laid her tenderly on the carpet. He gently gripped her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. "This will not just be a coupling, sweet Grace. I am giving you me. All of me." He paused and studied her features. "Do you understand?"
Something he couldn't read leapt into her eyes. Uncertainty? Or excitement? She chewed on her bottom lip, then shook her head.
"I want to make you mine for now and always," he explained.
Her brow crinkled. "Do you mean...get married?"
"More than that. Life mates."
"There is a difference?"
"One that cannot be explained. One that must be shown."
"And you want to do this here?" Her eyes widened. "Now?"
He nodded.
Grace gulped. Surely he wasn't serious. He had to be teasing her. But the lines of his face stretched, determined, and an air of vulnerability clung to his shoulders. He refused to relinquish his hold on her gaze.
He meant every word.
And she didn't know how to react.
Grace en Kragin, her mind whispered.
Though she didn't understand what had brought him to this decision, the thought tempted her on every level, and a great need welled inside her. She'd already admitted that she loved him. Why deny her feelings in this? I want to be his wife. She did. Now and always, like he'd said.
How wonderful to be the one who snuggled in bed with him each night, the one he pulled tightly to his side, his breath on the back of her neck, his whispers of love in her ears. How wonderful to be the one who gave him children. Her mind easily supplied the image of a plump baby. Their baby. A boy as strong as Darius, or a girl as intense and focused.
"You saw the violence of my past," he said, mistaking her silence. "You know the things I've done and can guess the things I will do. I'm asking you to accept me regardless. If you can do this, I will give you my life, my riches and my vow to always protect you." The last words left his lips with all the desperation inside him. With all the longing. With all the need.
Her expression softened; her lashes dipped to half-mast. "I don't need your riches," she said. "Only you."
At her words, the possessiveness Darius had always felt for Grace raged to the surface. Raw, primal arousal burned inside him, hotter than ever before. Everything inside him cried for her. Not just part of her, but her entire essence.
He joined their hands, palm to palm.
Not pausing for a moment, lest she change her mind, he uttered, "To you I belong. My heart beats only for you." He held her gaze with the strength of his own. "No other will tempt me, from this day and beyond. To you I belong."
As he spoke, the places where his body touched hers warmed, became blistering, and a strange swirling unfurled in the pit of Grace's stomach, sweeping through her from head to toe.
"Say the words back to me," he intoned harshly.
Yes. Yes. "To you I belong. My heart beats only for you." As she spoke, he inched his lips closer to hers. "No other will tempt me, from this day and beyond. To you I belong."
The moment the last word left her mouth, he fit his lips directly over hers. She cried out, and he caught the sound. His eyes tightly closed as his entire body clenched and bowed.
A part of her soul ripped out of her body and into his. Instantly the void filled with his essence, sweeping through her like wildfire. The exchange was powerful, wholly erotic. Her stomach heated and tingled, and she lay there, panting. The fine hairs on her body clamored for him.
"What happened?" she asked between breaths.
"Our joining."
No more needed to be said because she understood. They were joined, not physically--not yet--but joined in a way that was even more tangible. Undeniable. She didn't understand the implications or mechanics of it. They were not two separate entities. They were one. She'd needed him before, but now she would die without him. She sensed it, knew it in the deepest part of her being.
"I am nothing without you," he said, echoing her thoughts. "Do you feel how much I hunger for you?"
She did. God, she did. His hunger mingled with her own, purring within her veins.
"You are more important to me than air," he said. "More important than water. You, Grace, are my only necessity."
"I love you," she said, at last giving him the words in her heart. As she spoke, the contentment that had always remained elusively out of reach was suddenly there and hers for the taking. So grasp it she did, holding Darius closer. He encompassed everything missing from her life: danger, excitement, passion.
Fire flashed in his eyes. Reaching back, he peeled his shirt over his head. "I'm going to give you everything you crave, sweet Grace." His lips lifted in a fleeting smile. "Everything."
Anticipation shivered through her. She threaded her palms up the strength of his chest, over his ribs and nipples,
over his tattoos. He sucked in a breath. His tattoos were slightly faded, not as red and angry as before, but still there. Still sexy and warm. Her mouth watered for a taste of them, and she rolled him onto his back. Leaning down, she licked a path along the colorful dragon wings, savoring the salty taste. His muscles jumped at the first stroke of her tongue.
He slithered his hand between her legs and played; the fabric of her jeans created a dizzying friction. She moaned, arched her neck, and became lost in the breathtakingly sensual caress. Everything within her sprang to life, even places she hadn't known existed, starved for more of his attentions. She ached to be filled. By Darius. Only Darius.
He claimed he had done horrible things, but deep down she hungered for that fiercest part of him. For the wildness. The danger. She might have tried to deny it upon occasion, but she'd always known the truth. He was her every fantasy; his presence alone offered her more excitement than any challenge or adventure. When she was with him, she felt whole. She felt alive.
She felt vital.
"I want you naked." Darius didn't wait for her response, couldn't. Impatient for her as always, he did exactly what he'd done before. He gripped the neck of her shirt and ripped. Underneath he found lacy green fabric, her sexy belly ring and a light outline of a dragon tattoo.
He traced the edges with his fingertip. "Look," he told her.
Lost in sensation as she was, a moment passed before she obeyed. When she did, she gasped. "What the--I don't understand. I have a tattoo." Shock dripped from her tone, and her stunned gaze went from the tattoo, to him, to the tattoo. "I've never gotten a tattoo in my life."
"You bear my mark," he said, rolling them over once again and easing her down. "I am a part of you forever."
He tore the green material in half, just as he'd done to her shirt. Her breasts were lush and lovely, and the sight of them made him tremble. Tremble like a boy. He palmed one then the other, loving the way her eyes closed and her back arched, a silent entreaty for him to continue. He moved down her body and sucked a nipple into the hotness of his mouth. She gasped his name like a reverent prayer.
He sucked harder.
"Oh, God," she groaned.
Her knees clenched around his waist; her hands gripped his hair. He continued to knead one glorious breast, abrading the pearled nipple between his fingers while he laved and sucked the other. Like raspberries, they were, pink and rosy, sweet and delicate. One of his hands gravitated to her belly, fingering the delicate silver loop.