“I can walk,” Alex said with a little pout on her lips as she plopped down on the bed in Tavi’s tent. The bath had relaxed her sore muscles and she was thankful to change back into a clean pair of her jeans and a t-shirt. She ran a hand through her wet hair, lamenting the fact that her hairbrush had somehow gotten lost, and looked up at the demon that was giving her a death glare. She could see the muscles in his chiseled jaw tensing. The heat in his eyes as he looked down at her was almost too much and she struggled to maintain eye contact. He was possibly the most beautiful creature she had ever seen and the fact that his incredibly muscular torso was bare made it hard for her to think.
“Your ability to walk is not the issue girl,” Balthazar bit out. “You’re too slow.”
“Well I don’t care,” Alex fired back, “I’ll walk. I don’t want to sit all day again.”
“You don’t have a say in the matter,” Balthazar said, leaning down and reaching for her. “Now get up.”
“I do have a say,” Alex said, scooting back a little on the bed. “I want to walk.”
Balthazar let out a low growl that made her recoil from him further. He had just met this human, but he was already exhausted with her intolerable defiance. She walked so slowly it would take days to reach Baal and Hasan and that was absolutely unacceptable. He wasn’t used to being defied, especially by a female. In truth, he wasn’t entirely sure how to handle the situation.
Balthazar reached down and wrapped a hand around Alexandra’s slender ankle before she could back away further. His unblinking blue grey eyes locked onto her wide green eyes as he yanked her down the bed towards him. Before another round of protests could leave her lips, he scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder, walking calmly out of the tent as she squirmed and squealed, futilely pounding a fist on his back. He tossed her down onto the cot that she had spent the entire previous day on and gave her a pointed glare.
“Stay,” he commanded her with a pointed finger and raised eyebrows. Alex moved to stand, but a sharp growl from Balthazar settled her firmly back in place.
“Tavi,” Balthazar growled as his brother came up beside him, stifling a grin. “Deal with this insufferable creature. Make sure she stays put until we move out.”
Balthazar gave Alex another hard glare before he turned around and stalked back into the tent.
“You’d be wise not to anger him girl,” Tavi said, crossing his arms as he looked down at her. He had never seen Balthazar so flustered before. This girl had managed to infuriate him in record time, and it was rather entertaining to watch. However, he knew that with everything else Balthazar was dealing with, it wasn’t smart for her to keep testing his patience.
“It’s not my fault he’s so touchy,” Alex huffed, crossing her arms and mirroring Tavi’s stare, “and stop calling me girl. My name is Alexandra. Or Alex.”
“Alexandra,” Tavi said with a lilting tone in his voice as he leaned in closer to her. “Lord Balthazar is not accustomed to being addressed so disrespectfully. So, if you enjoy breathing, I’d advise showing him some respect.”
Balthazar made himself comfortable on a cushion in Tavi’s tent. He closed his eyes and rested his hands casually on his knees. He took a deep cleansing breath and tried to push all the troublesome thoughts from his mind. He would soon be locked in combat with an older, more experienced, and more powerful demon. His father had chosen Baal as the Lord Advisor for a reason. He was strong, fast, and ruthless. He was a very powerful and feared demon, and he also knew how to do battle. The one advantage that Balthazar had over Baal was his royal heritage. He was the first born of the royal bloodline, and that meant that his powers naturally ran very deep. But he was still young, and his abilities had not had time to fully develop. It wasn’t exactly a fair fight, and everyone knew it.
Balthazar’s mind wandered to the human that had so fortunately landed in his lap. Salaman had seen her arrival. His comment during their meeting had told him that much, even though the old demon had kept his words vague. She was the key to achieving ultimate power, if he could only unlock her secrets. It was a shame that he hadn’t found her sooner. He really could have used an advantage against Baal.
It would be dangerous bringing her with them, but Balthazar didn’t see a way around it. He couldn’t spare the men or the time to send her back to the palace. There wasn’t any guarantee that he would be returning to the palace himself. It was entirely possible that Baal would kill him. No, his only option was to keep her close to him. He wouldn’t admit this to anyone else, but he just wanted her near him, in spite of her disrespectful nature. He had never felt so drawn to a female before.
Balthazar replayed the images of her slender, naked body glistening in the sun as the droplets of water trickled down her taught stomach. He inhaled deeply, smelling her scent that still hung in the air of the tent. It was intense. It was so pure and innocent, yet it was mixed with a deep, subtle power the likes of which he had never encountered. He wanted more of it, more of her. He recalled with a bit of pride the arousal in her scent when his name was first mentioned to her.
But damn she was argumentative. Balthazar grunted softly to himself, upset that his mind had become so thoroughly occupied with her. He shook his head, trying again to clear his mind of distractions. He had to concentrate on the upcoming fight and preparing himself for all the possibilities and consequences of it. Once Baal and Hasan had been dealt with, he could turn his full attention to the girl and furthering his powers.
14