She obeyed, and he sucked at the tendon between nape and shoulder. Her movements quickened, but the thrusts became shallow, her body riding him only part of the way. Sweetest. Torture. Ever. She kept him in a state of unwavering desire, his skin so sensitized even the caress of air stoked him higher.
II love you, she said.
W-what? Dare he hope shed said
I love you.
Oh, sweetheart. She was everything to him. Simply everything. After her declaration, there was no holding back. No going slowly, no taking their time, playing it safe, easing their way to climax. Amun rolled her over, releasing her hands to grip her knees and shove them as far apart as they would go. Tell me again.
I love you.
He pulled nearly all the way out before slamming home. Again.
A cry spilled from her lips. I love you.
Again. In, out. In, out. Hard, fast. The heat spreading, the ice consuming. He stared into her eyes, so deep, losing himself, glad.
I love you. Her nails dug into his back, drawing blood. Her head thrashed from side to side.
In, out. In, out. He released one of her legs and placed it between his own, his testicles suddenly rubbing against her thigh. The new position diminished the space between her core and his hammering erection, the rounded, weeping head scraping against her clitoris with every insistent inward pounding.
Soon she was gasping, incoherent. So was he. From pleasure, no hint of pain. And if hed thought their first time intense, he learned the error of such a mind-set. She loved him. He owned her heart, just as she owned his. They were melded by more than their bodies. They were melded in spirit, part of each other forevermore.
Relief and ecstasy poured off him, enveloped them both, and without thought he closed his teeth over that well-sucked tendon. Immediately she gasped, went rigid. Her back bowed, her hips lifted, forcing him as deep as he could go, her inner walls clenching on him, milking him.
Amun erupted. He gave her every drop, filling her up, branding her, staking that claim.
Mine, mine, mine. No secret. Not to him, and not to his demon, and not to Haidee.
Finally, when he had nothing left, he collapsed atop her. She didnt complain. She sagged to the ground, as depleted as he was. He barely managed to angle his body so that he wouldnt crush her, but he didnt move off her all the way, didnt pull out of her. He was where he belonged, and he was loath to lose the connection.
Hurting?
Her eyes were closed, the long length of her lashes creating a fan of shadows over her cheeks. No. Dead. He chuckled. Then my woman is pleased? Even though she had to do most of the work herself?
She blinked open those pearl-grays. So I am your woman?
His humor drained in the face of her doubt. Now. Always.
Will you? She licked her swollen, well-kissed lips. Will you say the words, then?
He smoothed his hands over her brow, not surprised to note that he was shaking. He had needed the words, so it stood to reason that she did, as well. He was ashamed he hadnt said them before now. Had been so selfish, enjoying her declaration but not offering his own. I love you, Haidee. I love you so much I ache.
Tension seemed to drain from her, though hed never felt her stiffen. Do you forgive me for what I did? All those centuries ago?
Sweetheart. What is there to forgive? You were as consumed by your demon as I was by mine.
Tears sprinkled from the corners of her eyes, then rained down her cheeks, streaking down her lovely skin. My demon. I dont think Ill ever get used to hearing those words in conjunction with myself.
But its true. You took a piece of Hate, but didnt know to purge it. That piece bonded with you, became a part of you. That piece drove you.
She placed her palm over his heart. Your friends will never understand that. Theyll never accept me.
He cupped her jaw and angled her head, forcing her to peer up at him. Youre first with me. Theyll accept that or theyll lose me.
But I dont want you to lose them. You need them.
I need you.
What if I accidently take their demons?
You wont.
How can you be sure?
Just like with me, you wont want to. Therefore you wont.
You trust me that much?
Yes.
Her arms banded around his neck and drew him down, allowing her to bury her face in the hollow of his neck. The tears continued to flow, icy crystals that broke his heart. Her lithe body rocked against him as she sobbed.
Whats wrong, sweetheart? I wanted to make you happy, not sad.
I am happy. Ive never been first before. I mean, for a while, with my parents, I was. After theyd decided to keep me, I guess, and before my sister was born. But then, when Hate tortured them, they begged him to take me, and that hurt me. Here, now, I know youll always put me first and I shouldnt let you do that. Not for me. Not for anyone, and Im babbling, I know, but if I let you do this, youll just be unhappy later on.
He rolled to his back, fitting her atop him like a well-placed puzzle piece. Unhappy? Why, are you planning to leave me?
No, you deliberately obtuse man. Im too greedy.
He found himself chuckling again. As long as Ive got you, I can never be unhappy.
Your friends
Will accept you. Or else, he thought.
Secrets remained quiet. Perhaps the demon knew the truth of their reactions, perhaps not. Either way, Amun planned to do everything in his power to ensure his friends did, in fact, accept his woman.
If they couldnt, fine. Hed go. Hed miss them, always love them, but hed go. If they threatened her, hed gobut hed hurt them before he did. If they tried to make him choose between them and Haidee, theyd lose. No question.
His heart beat for this woman. He lived for this woman. Shed endured travesty after travesty when she only deserved pleasure. He would now provide that pleasure. Nothing would stand in his way.
She was amazing. She had survived the only way shed known how, with grit, courage and determination, never realizing she was battling herself as well as the forces poised against her. With Hate a part of her, she probably shouldnt have been able to loveby her own admission, loving wasnt easy for herbut again she had proven just how amazing she was. Her love was stronger than the darkness inside her.
He held her until she settled, caressing her and whispering to her, then kissed her temple. I want you to know that Im not going away, sweetheart, and Im not going to regret choosing you. Im with you, now and always, just like I said.
How can you love me? she asked between hiccups.
How can you love me?
I just do. Youre a part of me.
Exactly.
Her arms squeezed at him again, and he felt her chilly sigh. The demons have been purged from you, she said sleepily. We dont have to stay down here anymore.
She was right. He should have realized. Hed already planned to leave, but now their mission was actually completed. Funny, but he found he wasnt quite ready to abandon their cave. He wanted his woman all to himself for just a little longer. Lets get some rest, and when we wake up, well find a way to summon Zacharel. He brought us here, so he can return us to the fortress. If he didnt, well, they would simply find another way.
Nothing was impossible. He knew that now.
All right, she said.
Before we go, though, were going to use the pack to summon the proper tools to tattoo you. He wanted Micahs name erased and his own added. All over. On every limb, finger and toe, so that she would always know the name of the man she belonged with.
Good idea. Yours can be the first name on my un-inked arm.
More than my name. Theres going to be an entire paragraph dedicated to how much you love me.
She chuckled, and the husky sound delighted him. Turned him on. Hell, everything about her turned him on.
Who are the others tattooed on your arm? Skye? Viola?
Skye saved my life once. We were prisoners, and I was too injured to escape on my own. And Viola is possessed by the demon of Narcissism. See how the i is dotted with an x? We fought. I dont remember the outcome.
Secrets could help her with that.
Well need to send you notes about me, then. Pictures, too. If he could find a camera that could capture his face, that is. Somehow his demon managed to distort even drawings of him. Still. He wasnt taking any chances. Yes, he was going to do everything in his power to defend her, would even die for her, shield her with his own body, but damn it, all their bases were going to be covered. Just in case.
Another good idea, she said after a big yawn.
Sleep now, sweetheart.
Yes. She drifted into sleep almost immediately, her body relaxing against his.
He wanted every night to end exactly this way. With Haidee on top of him, sated and trusting him to keep her safe. And he wanted to awaken each morning with her still in his arms. Theyd make love, talk and share, drown in each other.
He was smiling as he, too, drifted off to sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CLAWS SCRAPED AGAINST A nearby wall. Haidee. The eerie howl of her name echoed, blending with the swish of a robe.
Blood, a river between her mother and her father. Both helplessdead.
Haidees eyelids popped open, dread already curling in her stomach. She knew those sounds, knew that voice. Only a nightmare, she told herself, or another realm of hell. Trust no one and nothing. Except Amun. A lesson shed learned well.
Little Haidee, the voice sang, a whisper. I know youre close by. I can smell you.
Please be a nightmare or another realm of hell, she thought desperately.
You cannot hide from me, little Haidee. You have whats mine. Mine, mine, mine. Scraaape. Haydeefinally, youre going to give it back.
Blood, a river between her mother and her father. Both helplessdead.
Haydee You hid when you were a little girl, too. Do you remember? I do. The screams, the splatter. The pleas. Your sister squealed like a pig when the blade sank into her belly. Your mother begged me to stop, to take you away. Your father, well, he was the first to die, wasnt he?
She cringed, fought a wave of sickness. No, not a nightmare, not another realm. There was too much glee in that tone. Too much truth to the memory.
Hate was here.
Somehow, the demon had found her. Had come for her. Again.
Denial roaring through her headnot now, please not nowshe jackknifed to her feet, wild gaze already searching. She didnt see him, but that didnt lessen her dread. She was still in the cave, Amun lying on the pallet hed made for them.
He must have awoken at her movement, or maybe hed heard the bastards taunts. His eyes were already open. He sat up stiffly, pulled on a pair of pants and grabbed two blades without pausing to clear his head.
He asked no questions. Maybe he didnt have to. Since making love that second time, theyd been utterly attuned to each other, and shed actually felt his emotions for her, the sweet depths of his love.
Haidee. Hate was closer now. Come out, come out wherever you are.
Blood, a river between her mother and her father. Both helplessdead.
No. No, no, no. The memory would not consume her. Since meeting Amun, shed barely thought of that night and thought perhaps she was finally healing. She would not be distracted. Not this time.
She dressed as swiftly as Amun had, then weaponed up. Shed known this day would come. She just hadnt expected it to come now. No warnings, no sensing Hates approach. Just hello, terror.
Actually, no. The old crone at the circus had tried to warn her, hadnt she? Soon had finally arrived.
Amun tugged her toward the only entrance to the cave, pressed her to the side, out of striking distance, then turned and waited, ready to attack. His shoulder pressed into the center of her chest, holding her in place.
Haidee girl. Dead girl. You have whats mine. Youre not going to die before I can take it. Not this time. That will come after.
Blood, a river between her mother and her father. Both helplessdead.
Her molars ground together. What are you planning? Hes not like your friends, she whispered. Not human in any way.
I know, Amun finally said, dark and menacing as their thoughts merged. Secrets knows. He is more than immortal. He is a child of a goddess. Of Themis. Her son. Always he enjoyed killing, suffering. Thats why he was sent to Tartarus.
She couldnt hide her sudden spike of terror. Not from Amun. Her breathing grew shallow. Hate was the child of a goddess. A god himself. How would they defeat a god?
Secrets flashed images of Hate through Amuns head, which in turn caused them to flash in hers. He was fast, too fast, his strength unparalleled. Haidee was the only person whod ever walked away from him, and shed done so only because the cold had surprised him. He wouldnt be surprised this time.
We cant fight him. Well lose.
I fought gods all the time when I lived in the heavens.
Yes, and that was thousands of years ago, and you had an immortal army as backup. Right now its just me and you. Hell slaughter us.
Well think of something.
Secrets disagreed, and his certainty swam through her.
No matter what we do, Im going to die today, she said flatly. The demon wasnt even trying to hide the realization, the knowledge now as much a part of her as Hate. She wasnt ready, though. Needed more time.
No. No, youre not. I wont let you.
Just as surely as she could discern Secretss knowledge, she could feel Amuns rising panic. She had to fight her own panic all the more stringently or they would feed off each other, make each other worse. Someone had to stay calm. Someone had to get Amun out of this alive.
It was already too late for her.
Listen to me. As she spoke, she forced herself to accept her fate. She would diein her wayand she would hurt. So what. Shed done it before. And this time, shed do it for Amun. There was no greater reason. In a few days, Ill be in my cave. No, she rushed out when his gaze swung to her. Dont say anything. And dontdont come for me. I wont remember you, and Ill attack you. But I think hoped Ill dream of you again and when the hate settles, Ill come for you. Well be together again.