Her gaze narrowed on the red splatter now marring his cheek. Blood. Not his, though. Frowning, she moved her attention to her arm. She still held the blade shed stuck him with, she realized. She dropped the weapon, heard the clatter of metal against rock, and looked at her hand. There were multiple puncture wounds.
Her frown intensified when she swayed, overcome by dizziness. Wasnt that just typical? Shed felt fine until she actually spotted the wound. But damn, she must have lost quite a bit of blood. Which made sense. Those piranha-like creatures had chomped on each of her limbs. And God, did she remember the pain. Like having acid-tipped pins drilled into her bones.
If she had suffered, shielded by Amun as shed been, how much had he suffered, completely out in the open?
And how had she repaid him? By knocking him into a stupor.
He wanted you to do it, she reminded herself, but that didnt ease her guilt. Maybe because, deep down, she had wanted to do it. Shed heard her mothers voice, her fathers, her sisters, had known their deaths were approaching and had almost collapsed. If shed had to listen to them dieagainshe would have collapsed, no question.
Amun had known that, and had fought to spare her. Always he considered her well-being first, no matter the cost to himself. Hed known what he was saying, what he was about to say, and hadnt wanted her hurt by it.
Until that moment, she hadnt truly realized the constant burden he carried. He ascertained the dark thoughts and vile pasts of those around him and drew them inside himself. Unwittingly, yes, but rather than allow those poisons to spill from him, he held every drop inside himself. That way, no one else had to be tainted.
The strength of will such an act required Haidee knew she would have crumbled long before now.
What am I going to do with you, Amun? she muttered. She hated that he hurt himself that way, that his only means of purging the darkness inside him came at such a high price. For him, for those he loved.
Sighing, she grabbed the backpack and gathered the supplies necessary to clean and bandage him, then herself. Then she ate a turkey sandwich and an apple and drained a bottle of water. Several more hours passed, but Amun didnt awaken.
Had she caused permanent damage?
Concern rocked her, and she paced the spacious cavern. Soon a sense of déjà vu overtook her. The enclosure looked exactly like the one the angel, Zacharel, had brought them to that first night: rocky walls splattered with red, bones in every corner. Had they made no progress?
This was hell. Maybe every cavern looked like this.
As she paced, her heart ached and swelled, any resistance she still might have harbored toward Amun vanishing. He gave her what no one else had ever been able to give. A past to cherish. A present to enjoy. A future to anticipate.
And he wanted her, too. She knew he did. When he had pushed that image inside her head, the one of her in front of him, on her knees, his pants at his ankles and his hands in her hair, her mouth swallowing every inch of his massive erection, her own hands tugging at his testicles, she had nearly melted. Shed felt the raw need pulsing from him, the consuming hungerthe primal satisfaction.
Shed also felt his reasons for resisting her so steadfastly. Guilt, fear and remorse. Guilt for having inadvertently helped to kill her that first timeshed known that already. Fear that he would hurt her againthat had been a surpriseand remorse for giving her up, even though it was for her own good. That wasnt going to be tolerated.
He didnt want her to regret what happened between them. Didnt want her to later hate him. He would learn. She wouldnt, couldnt hate him. Not for any reason.
There had to be some way to prove how wrong he was. That the only way he could hurt her was by giving her up. That she would never regret being with him.
Amazed, she ground to a halt. It was true, she realized. She would never regret being with him. The Hunters would view her as a traitor, and they would target her as they targeted the Lords, but she didnt care. And Micah, well, he would turn on her, too.
He would feel betrayed, personally and emotionally, but maybe one day, when he finally experienced the sizzle for himself, he would realize their split was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Now that shed experienced it, she only wanted more. Would do whatever was needed to have more. Even seduce Amun within an inch of his life.
No more waiting to move forward until she broke things off with Micah. Yes, she still planned to call him, to tell him they were finished, but their relationship was already over, done. Amun had her loyalty now. Demon, immortal, whatever, he had her loyalty. He deserved her everything.
And really, she was operating under a limited amount of time. If she couldnt reach him before they left these cavernsif they ever left these cavernshe would dump her somewhere and take off. For her own good. That, she knew, as well. Somehow, some way, she had to prove they could make a relationship work before then.
Turning his vision into a reality would be a good start.
She gave herself a once-over. Her clothes were ripped, caked in dirt and dried blood, and she probably smelled like dead piranha. She could clean up with wet wipes from the pack, she supposed, but tiny towelettes could only do so much. And yeah, she could summon another angel robe and that would magically wash away every unwanted speck, but mentally, she would still feel dirty.
I need a bath, she murmured to the backpack. A real bath. Can you fit a tub in there? Huh?
A whoosh at her side had her twisting and reaching for the blade shed dropped. Though there had been a rocky wall beside her only a few seconds ago, there was now a wide, bubbling spring of water.
Haidees eyes widened with shock. How hadwhythe backpack could manipulate the earth? Seriously? Then she thought, who the hell cared? The urge to soak and scrub overwhelmed her and left her trembling with anticipation.
Soap, shampoo, conditioner, she said giddily.
The backpack plumped at the sides, signaling it had filled with everything she had requested. After lining the items along the edge of the springa real freaking spring!she stripped herself, stripped Amun, and then shook him until his eyelids cracked open. His spirits needed this. Besides, she was still concerned about him, fearing she had struck him too hard, and if hed just wake up for a few minutes, she could relax.
He moaned, the sound broken, his throat obviously tender. At least he was rousing.
Shh, she said, covering his mouth with her hand. Dont talk out loud, baby. Okay? Neither one of them was strong enough to deal with the consequences just yet.
His black eyes were glassy as he focused on her. Something wrong?
Somethings right. Can you stand? Were going to take a bath.
A bath?
Thats what I said, she told him with a grin. And just then she knew; he was going to be all right. Come on. On your feet, big boy.
He lumbered to a stand and tripped his way to the edge. Then he just sort of fell over the side, splashing headfirst into the water. Haidee jumped in after him and dragged him to the surface before he drowned. His eyes had closed again, his head lolling to the side.
She chuckled as she settled against the rock and anchored him against her, chest to back. You still awake, baby?
Yes. He uttered a soft sigh. Just barely.
Im going to scrub us both. Tell me if I hurt you.
You couldnt hurt me.
Youre injured and
And Im in your arms. Ill be fine, I promise.
Darling man. She tried to be impersonal, she really did. He wasnt ready for the seduction she had planned. Yet. Still, as her hands lathered the soap and spread the bubbles over his big arms, his corded chest, his strong thighs, her blood heated with desire, a reaction only he could cause.
His silky skin covered a body built for war, and she marveled. He made her desperate, hungry, mindless of anything except pleasure. Maybe because, when she was with him, she didnt belong to herself. She belonged to him. And that probably should have frightened her. Instead, it only made her trust him more. Amun would die before he hurt heras hed proven time and time again.
Amun?
He gave no response. Poor baby must have fallen asleep again.
I love your body, she admitted, bold because he couldnt hear her. Did you know that? Everything about you seems custom-made for me. I mean, its almost like I ordered you from a catalog. And I wouldnt change anything about you. Youll probably never believe that, but its the truth.
One day, she hoped he would feel the same about her.
After she shampooed his hair, breathing in the scent of sandalwood, she tilted him backward and rinsed every strand. When she finished with him, she gently shook him awake. Or maybe hed been awake the entire time. His eyes were no longer glassy; they were blazing.
Her cheeks flushed. Can you get out on your own?
Yes. He climbed out and settled back on the floor, lying on his side to peer over at her. Your turn to scrub up.
The flush spread as she washed herself from top to bottom. Despite her embarrassment, the water soothed the little aches and pains that continuous walking and sporadic fightingand nearly being eaten alivehad left.
Haidee? Amun said after shed rinsed her hair.
The water splashed as she straightened. She leaned over the edge and stared down at her mighty warrior. His eyes were closed again, lines of tension branching from them. Yes?
Come here and hold me.
For a heartbeat of time, she could only gape at him. He had just requested her touch? No, not requested. Demanded. Such sweet progress already, and his true seduction hadnt even begun.
Anything you want, she rushed out before he could change his mind. Naked and dripping, she moved out of the water. She didnt bother drying off but curled into his side, spooning him, resting her cheek on his outstretched arm.
He didnt draw her closer.
She didnt let that irk her. Much. She linked their fingers, and though the action wasnt meant to arouse either of them, it did exactly that. His penis grew and hardened against the crease of her bottom, and liquid need pooled between her legs. God, she wanted to arch back, grind into him, beg him to grind into her, but she didnt. Not even when his heat wrapped around her, far headier than it had been in the water, the force of it causing her to tremble.
Not yet, girl. Not yet. He wasnt ready for her seduction to begin. That tension Soon, though. Please, God, soon. Youre not mad at me for bashing your skull in, are you?
She didnt expect an answer, but a soft chuckle wafted through her mind. Im grateful. Im just too weak to show you how much.
Show her, hed said. How? Im glad, she said, suddenly breathless. Now go to sleep and rebuild your strength. Youre going to need it. She kissed the inside of his wrist. Ill be here when you wake up. And by that time, she would be doing things to his body that he would never be able to forgetthings he wouldnt want her to stop doing.
Unaware of the sensual assault he would soon experience, he obeyed her, his breathing evening out as he drifted back to sleep.
AMUNS MIND JOLTED into sudden awareness, three things instantly, absolutely certain to him. His body was on fire, his cock was being iced and he was loving the hell out of both. He jerked upright, panting, wondering if hed had an erotic dream and embarrassed himself.
When he saw a lusciously naked Haidee planted between his legs, licking his hardened shaft from root to tip, then swirling her tongue over the slit, then moaning as if shed tasted something sweet, he realized he hadnt been dreaming. He hadnt embarrassed himself, either, but was probably going to.
He wanted to come. Desperately.
Secrets was eerily silent, and hiding in the back of his mind. The other demons were silent and hiding, as well. Again. That icy chill of hers must truly scare them. That, or they feared shed start doing that tugging thing and they were trying not to draw her notice.
Sweetheart?
Haidee paused, lifting her head away from him, and every cell he possessed screamed in protest. Cool breath tickled his skin as she offered him a wicked smile, her breasts firm and taunting, her nipples hard and pouting, almost close enough to rub against his thighs.
Yes, baby? she asked throatily.
IIShit! He didnt know what to say to her. Except, maybe, continue. But he couldnt allow her to do this. She would regret it, and he wouldnt be able to live with himself.
Youre awake, right? Youre not in danger of falling back asleep?
Im only in danger of dying.
Too weak, then?
No.
The huskiness of her laugh echoed between them. Do you want me to stop?
Yes.
Really?
She gave him another lick and he was rushing out, No. No, I dont want you to stop. Oh, gods, he thought. Yes, you have to stop.
She blew on the weeping tip of his shaft. What if I dont want to stop?
Oh, gods, he thought again. The torturethe pleasurethe possible repercussionshed never been this torn.
Amun, darling, say the word and Ill suck you so deep youll feel my throat closed around you for days. Another chilly breath coasted over his slit. Ive been thinking about this, needing it. Craving it. Let me have it.
His resistance shattered. Do it. Please, do it. You can blame me later. Hate me later, but please dont stop. He didnt care about later, didnt care that he was begging. He had to have this, couldnt exist another moment without it.
I will, Ill do it, she said, fingers tracing up one side of his shaft, then down the other. And I promise Ill blame you later.
He knew he should be concerned but couldnt manage the emotion. Sweat beaded over him in an effort to purge the intensity of his hunger. She hadnt fit her mouth back over his length, but her breath still stroked him. So good, felt so good. And then that was the only word he could say. Good. He was trembling, aching, desperate. Good, good, good.