Indecision played over her delicate face. Once, twice, she opened her mouth to speak but no sound emerged. She glanced at the house, taking its measure, then at Shivawn. Finally she found her voice. "Fine," she said, stomping to the hut and disappearing inside.
He eyed the rapt crowd. Damn, but the females were closing in fast. Like Alyssa, he stalked to the home--a home he'd purchased just a few hours ago--and called over his shoulder, "Stay out no matter what you hear. Enter and you will regret it." Nymph warriors were slow to anger, but when their tempers were roused, all of Atlantis suffered the consequences.
When he closed the door behind him, he wasn't sure what he'd find. Alyssa, ready for battle. Alyssa, ready for loving. What he ended up finding broke his heart into thousands of tiny pieces. She knelt in front of the fire he'd built several hours ago, poking it with a stick. The weapons were forgotten at her feet. Her shoulders were slumped, tear streaks on her cheeks.
"Don't cry, love," he said. "There's nothing to be afraid of. We're here, together, and I own this house, so do not worry about being disturbed."
The only bed was draped with chains, the very chains she'd used on him. He'd put them there, hoping he would not be forced to use them. Had she seen them?
"Now you will chain me, humiliate me and leave me once and for all. Right?"
He sighed. She'd seen them. "No. That is not how this will progress."
Her head snapped up, and she was blinking in surprise. "How then?"
He reached back and tugged his shirt over his head. As he tossed the material aside, a shocked gasp escaped her. "Now I'm going to love you," he said. He unwound the ties at the waist of his pants, loosening them.
Alyssa pushed to shaky legs, scrubbing her face with the backs of her hands. "Wh-why?"
"If you ask that one more time, I just might punish you."
"Aha. So you--"
"No. Hurting you is not my goal." His pants fell, leaving him bare except for his weapons. His erection sprang free, hard and achy. "But if I were to punish you, it would be with a tongue-lashing, then perhaps I would tickle you a bit, then lash you with my tongue again."
She gulped, her eyes impossibly round. "But--but--I don't understand."
One by one he removed his weapons. The blades strapped to his chest and back. The poisoned arrows glued to his side. "What you did to me was deserved. We are even." Not even close. But perhaps, after an eternity of seeing to her needs, they would be. "Do you agree?"
"Yes, but--" She was staring between his legs as though entranced.
He would have laughed if he hadn't been so aroused. He wanted her hands where her gaze was. "What I told you before was true."
"You've told me many things," she said with a tremor.
Gods, he hated to bring this up. "The first time we were together..."
Her cheeks heated to a bright crimson, as if she'd been slapped. From softening female to scorned witch in seconds.
"That was not because of you, Alyssa," he rushed out. "I know that now."
"I don't want to hear this." Stiff, she spun away from him, back to the fire. Imagining him roasting inside it?
He moved to her, placed his hands on her shoulders. He'd thought her stiff before, but she proved him wrong, every muscle she possessed turning to rock. At least she didn't jerk away, even when his erection rubbed the crevice of her bottom. "Every time I was near you," he said into her ear, nibbling on the soft lobe between words, "I saw that terrible night here. I couldn't figure out why, only knew that you were a reminder of it. And with the reminder, my desire was buried under regret. Do you understand?"
She nodded slowly, and he thought he saw a fresh tear glisten on her cheek.
"What do you understand? Tell me."
"That I will always remind you of that night. That you can never truly desire me."
Leaning down, he kissed away her tear. Breath caught in her throat--he heard its cessation. He slowly glided his hands down to cup her breasts. "Wrong. I desire you now more than I've ever desired another." He kneaded, gently pinched at her hardened nipples.
A moan slipped from her. Her hips arched back, rubbing more fervently against his erection.
Shivawn experienced a wave of hope. "Once I knew why, I knew what battle I was fighting."
"Wh-what battle?"
"Thinking of you and that night together, when I should not have. I've separated the two now. All I see, all I desire, is you. And I know you aren't even close to believing me. I know you think I'm merely playing with you to hurt you, but I'm going to do everything in my power to prove otherwise." He was going to have to use the chains, he realized. There was no other way.
Slowly, giving her time to protest, he unhooked the shoulder latch that held her robe together. The bright material floated to their feet. She trembled, but didn't try to stop him.
"Step out of it."
After a slight hesitation, she did. He allowed his fingers to dip into her navel before fanning through the soft curls between her legs. Her stomach quivered.
"Do you feel how hard I am for you?" he asked, his erection nestled against her bottom.
Nibbling on her sumptuous bottom lip, she nodded.
"You know I am a warrior, yes?"
Another nod. She spread her legs, silently asking him to delve deeper, to touch her where was she already wet and hot. His desire was so fierce, he almost caved, almost sank his fingers inside her sheath, but knew he would be lost if he did. So he held steady.
"And a warrior would never willingly bind himself in the presence of an enemy."
At the word enemy, she stiffened again.
He placed a soft kiss on the side of her throat. So pretty. So sweet. So his. Then he moved away from her--gods, the agony--and strode to the bed. Her hot gaze tracked his every movement. Facing her, he sat on the mattress and clasped the chains in his hands.
"Shivawn," she said brokenly. Nervously she rubbed her palms on her naked thighs.
"I'm trusting you not to leave me and lead me on another chase, love."
Careful not to look away, he shackled one of his wrists. With a tug of his arm, he proved it was anchored to the wall. Then he bound the other wrist, motions just as measured, just as precise.
Once again, her mouth floundered open and closed.
"There is no other I would bind myself for. Do you know why, Alyssa? You are my mate. I want no other but you. I would give my life for you. I...love you. Your wit, your smile, your determination, your stubbornness, the light in your eyes when you look at me. The way you move, the timbre of your voice, the curves of your body. Everything. I worship it all. Yes, I once hated vampires. Yes, I still hate demons. Yes, your family destroyed mine. But I'm here, offering myself to you, proof of my devotion."
Those tears free-fell down her cheeks now and she hugged her arms to her stomach.
He'd hoped, been so sure of success...until now. "Am I too late? Is the hurt too great? I know I made you feel less than a woman. That will haunt me for the rest of my days. But I have found pleasure with you, love. That night in the cave, I had never experienced so much. I want to satisfy you now. I want--"
She was in his arms a moment later, placing kisses all over his face. "I love you. I've always loved you."
Thank the gods. Their lips met in a fierce, drugging kiss. Her hands were all over him: his chest, his neck, his arms, his cock. He banded his arms around her, lay down and rolled, tucking her securely underneath him.
"Let me make you feel good." He licked at her neck, careful not to wrap the chains around her delicate skin.
She spread her legs, welcoming him into the curve of her body. "You are."
"I want to give you more. So much more." Because of the chains he could not trail down her body as he wanted. "Scoot up for me, love. I need to lick between your legs. Don't deny me the honor this time. Please."
She was pulling at his hair, trying to get his lips back to hers. "Kiss."
"Soon. If I don't taste you, I'll tumble s
traight into insanity."
Unsure, she inched upward. Her sweat-soaked skin slid, abraded deliciously against his own. And then her feminine core was right there, his to devour. He did. He licked the pink lips apart and sucked on the sweet little center.
Her hips writhed, her knees dropped further apart and she moaned. "Shivawn."
"This is mine. All mine."
"Yours."
"This is what's going to keep me alive from this day forward." He pumped his tongue into and out of her tight little sheath, taking more of her sweetness down his throat. "And then you're going to bite me and take what you need to live."
She gave a violent shake of her head. "You hate being bitten. I'll find nourishment elsewhere. Oh, gods." Her muscles were tensing, gearing for release. "Shivawn! Don't stop."
"This is heaven, sweet. This is heaven. And I will take great pleasure in giving you my blood. Great pleasure." He sucked her, hard. "There'll be no one else for you. It's my blood for you. I want to give it to you."
She fell right over the edge, screaming in ecstasy, chanting his name. While she hung in the balance between satisfaction and a new flood of desire, he scooted her back under him and entered her, filling her up.
"Mine," he gritted out through teeth clenched in absolute abandon. "All mine."
Her arms wrapped around him as he began pumping. "You're mine, too."
"Always. You feel so good," he praised. "I never want to leave you."
"Don't." She pressed a kiss into his neck, where his pulse fluttered wildly. But she didn't bite him.
"Do it. Please."
"No. Not with you. Already this seems like a dream. I don't want to awaken."
His strokes never slowed. "Do it. Please, love. Please. I'm desperate. I want those teeth inside me, sucking deep and hard."
"Are--are you sure?"
"Beyond."
A moment passed. Her teeth scraped at his skin but didn't penetrate. He increased the fervency of his thrusts, pounding, slamming. "Do it, love! I need those teeth in me like my cock is in you. I need--"
With a growl as fierce as any warrior's, she bit him. Deep, hard. A cut that would mark him for eternity. On and on she drank, and the sensation of her hot tongue on his neck, her teeth in his vein, combined with the knowledge that they were joined in every possible way, sent him over.
He shouted with his release, spurting his seed straight to her core.
Her teeth pulled out abruptly as she, too, cried out in release. Their bodies strained together, spasming. "Never leave me," he gasped out, half-fearing she would bolt afterward. "Never."
"Never," she swore.
Shivawn collapsed on top of her, content and smiling.
*
VALERIAN STEPPED into the fire-lit hut and glanced around. It was bare except for a straw bed, which Shivawn lay upon. He was on his back, sleeping, naked. Chained. There were teeth marks all over his neck.
Valerian frowned. The vampire, Alyssa, was curled into Shivawn's side, her hand resting directly above his heart. She, too, was naked and asleep. And if Valerian wasn't mistaken, there was a love bite or two darkening her neck, as well. Frown deepening, Valerian strode to the bed, boots thumping against the twig-laden ground.
Shivawn's eyes fluttered open, as did Alyssa's. Shivawn growled, Alyssa screamed and scrambled backward as he raised his sword.
"Valerian, stop! This--" Shivawn threw himself on top of the woman as best he could with the chains pulling at him.
Valerian smiled but didn't stop. As if he would have hurt the woman. He hit the chains, snapping the links in half. "I see you took my advice and apologized. Good man. Now I will offer an apology of my own for not being able to give you more time with your woman. The army waits outside. We have need of you."
Once, Shivawn would have jumped up and obeyed. Now he growled, "Turn your back. Now!"
As king, Valerian wasn't used to being ordered and did not like it now, but he obeyed instantly. He understood the need to keep a mate's nudity all to oneself. If anyone were to look upon his Shaye in such a state, well, they would lose their eyes.
There was a rustling, some cooing, and Valerian rolled his own eyes. Then there was even some kissing. "Sometime today," he said.
"You may turn."
He did. Shivawn was draped by a blanket and the pretty vampire was covered with a dirty yellow robe, only her face and hands visible.
"We have news of the disappearance. Two of the warriors have been found. Rumor has it they are locked up at the Amazon camp."
"Who was found?"
"A dragon and a vampire," he said, flicking a glance to Alyssa.
She squared her shoulders, plans to retrieve the warrior already swirling in her eyes. "Is my king--"
"No. It is the other." Valerian's attention shifted back to Shivawn. "I want to talk to them and find out what happened, if they know where the others are. If the others are...I want to hear firsthand that Broderick and Jada are alive and well."
"The Amazons never allow armies near their holding," Shivawn said, but he was gathering his weapons.
Valerian smiled smugly. "As if they could turn a nymph away. As if any woman could."
"I'm going with you," Alyssa said, standing.
Shivawn pulled her to him for a deep kiss. "I wouldn't have it any other way, love. We're together, now and always."
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
LAYEL FOUND a cave as far away from the unearthly growling as possible. Whatever creature was producing the eerie rumble, he wasn't ready to approach. Only when Delilah had been well cared for would he even think of battle.
Delilah.
His chest ached for her. He laid her down gently, peering at her beautiful, expressionless face. Hestia had taken her emotions from her, and he hated the goddess for that. Yesterday he would have hated himself, too, for allowing it to happen. But he wasn't that same man anymore. He refused to wallow in pain and pity.
Today he was a man who took action, who kept his eye on the prize and did what was necessary to win it. In this case, the prize was Delilah's heart.
"We should find and kill the beast," she said, sitting up.
He kissed her softly. Her skin was cold, and she did not respond as she once had. "I love you," he told her, words he'd never thought to utter again.
She opened her mouth--to rebuke him, he was sure, so he placed a finger over her lips. "Shh. Don't waste your strength."
She shrugged as if she didn't care one way or another, but there was something in her eyes...a spark of something hot. Was she feeling? Was it possible?
"Close your eyes and rest, sweet." He draped an arm around her, surprised when she obeyed. "You're safe."
"I am tired," she said with a sigh. Just like that, her body sagged into unconsciousness. There were no fears to keep her awake, no desire to cause her to ache. Only a void to tug her under, into nothingness, as if she had lost even her will to live. Had he imagined that spark?
Layel swallowed the hard lump in his throat and stood. Darkness was thicker than a blanket as he strode forward, pushing through the trees, not noticing as the branches slapped and cut him.
When he was far enough away that Delilah wouldn't be able to hear him if she awoke, he dropped to his knees. He jerked the shirt from his torso and tossed it aside.
Hestia, the bitch, clearly wanted Delilah to win. And though it angered Layel to agree with her, his wishes now aligned with her own. Layel had thought to win the competition himself, but now knew he couldn't do it. If Delilah won, she would keep her life and could demand as her boon the return of her emotions, her will to live. But he would die. There had to be a way to save them both.
"Hestia, goddess of hearth and home," he cried. "I come before you as your humble servant, my heart heavy and my greatest wish to beg an audience."
A minute edged by, then another. There was nothing, no pickup in the wind, no dancing of the trees, no singing of insects.
"Please," Layel gritted out. He had hated the go
ds all these years. After Susan died, he had begged like this, pleaded for her life, and he had been ignored. Now he had Delilah and he intended to keep her for as long as he lived. As far as he was concerned, the gods owed him one. "Show yourself!" he shouted then, respect and decorum forgotten. "You want victory? Well, you will not get it. Not without my aid. You will lose. You will--"
"I will not lose," an angry voice said from behind him.
Layel was on his feet and spinning in an instant. His heart hammered erratically when he saw that Hestia stood before him, draped in a white robe and holding a spear. The goddess glowed with the force of her power, obviously no longer content to hide behind a veil of secrecy. But though her might had never been more evident, Layel was encouraged by the fact that she had heeded his call.
"Forgive me for my outburst." He forced his head to bow. For Delilah. "I was desperate to reach you."
The goddess sighed and was suddenly right in front of him, her sandals pressed against his boots. She smelled of the sea. "What do you want from me, vampire king?" Though he never saw her move, she was behind him again when the last word was spoken.
His jaw tightened. "I ask that you return Delilah's emotions to her."
"Why would I be so foolish as to agree to that? With them as her guide, she chose you over victory. An intolerable decision."
"Yes, but without them, she chooses nothing. She is no use to you now. She doesn't want victory. She wants only to sleep."
His knees were suddenly kicked from behind and he found himself kneeling again. He didn't fight, didn't complain. He simply ran his tongue over his teeth, the sharpness of them slicing. A pity it was his blood rather than Hestia's, but he knew he could not hurt the goddess without severe consequences.
"Better. I like you like this, vampire. Even a king should learn to show proper respect to the gods."
I hate you. What have you ever done to earn my respect? "Would you be willing to consider a trade?"
A crackling pause that seemed to stretch into eternity. Then, "What are you offering?"
"For the restoration of Delilah's emotions, I will promise to lose this competition. Not only that, but I will do all I can to ensure that she wins."
Another bout of silence. "A novel idea, but you cannot assure me beyond any doubt that you can acquire the victory for her. The dragon or the nymph could swoop in and stop you both. What's more, you cannot assure me that once her emotions are restored she will use them wisely to secure her own triumph. She could very well fight for you to win."