Not going there. Aeron opened the door, punched his friend in the face and shut it again.
Only a heartbeat later, Strider opened the door himself, punched Aeron twice, smiled sweetly, although a bit sadly, and replaced the block between them. I won. As for the other thing, youve got thirty minutes, and then every single one of us will be inside that room to talk to you. Understand?
Yes. Unfortunately.
Footsteps echoed.
Behind him, Aeron heard Olivia sit up. Whats he talking about? Losing you? And why were you punching each other?
At the sound of her voice, Wrath uttered a sigh of contentment.
Slowly Aeron turned and faced her. Having her worry wasnt something he would allow, so he offered her a grin, one he hoped conveyed everything he felt for her. Perhaps it did. Her eyes widened, and she nervously licked her lips.
Ignore him. I think hes suffering from brain damage. Which wasnt necessarily a lie. Aeron had always considered the warrior a bit deranged. Besides, we have unfinished business. Ive never had you in a bed, and I really want you in a bed.
Yes!
At first, she gave no reaction. Then, before panic could bloom inside him at the thought of a rejectionno!she reached up to the collar of her robe and pulled. The material parted, revealing those beautiful breasts with their pink, pearled nipples, that smooth stomach and those long, perfect legs.
I would like that.
Yes, yes.
A tremor traveled the length of him, his shaft filling, hardening. He stalked toward her, stripping along the way. A process that included kicking off his boots and stumbling over himself because he refused to stop, even for a second. Skin to skin. Thats what he needed. When he reached her, he was as naked as she was. He crawled up her luscious body, settling some of his weight atop her.
Perfect. Heat, so much heat. They both hissed in a breath. She closed her eyes and arched against him, even as her hands clutched at his back. Her neck was exposed, her pulse hammering wildly. Her lips were parted, and her hair in tangles around her shoulders.
Passion had never looked more exquisite.
He should have spent every minute of their half hour pleasuring her senseless. Licking her, tasting her, sucking her. He should have started at her toes and worked his way to her mouth. He should have lingered over her thighs and her breasts. But he didnt. He couldnt. He had to be inside her, couldnt go another minute without being joined, totally and completely, with her.
Lock your ankles on my back, he commanded.
She didnt hesitate. Obeyed instantly.
The moment she was opened up to him, he was shoving inside. Deep, so deep. As deep as he could go. A moan left her, because it wasnt the easiest of fits. His second thrust was a little smoother, though, and his third a rapturous glide.
Aeron, she gasped out.
Mine.
Ours. Learn to share, Wrath. Ive had to. He braced his hands at her temples and rose, just a little, drinking her in while he moved in and out, in and out. He couldnt have stilled had Galen burst into the room and placed a gun to his head. This woman delighted him, frustrated him, enraptured him, angered himbelonged to him. As he belonged to her. He wanted to brand her, so that shed never forget him. He wanted to erase himself from her memory, so that shed never remember him.
He didnt want her to suffer when they parted. He wanted her to find someone elsejust as much as he wanted to kill that someone else. But mostly, he wanted her to be happy. To smile. To have her fun.
Fun. Yes. Thats what hed give her this day. Fun.
Did I ever tell you why its bad to be a penis? he asked, slowing his thrusts.
Her eyes blinked open. Passion still glowed in those sky-blue depths, but mixed with it was sudden confusion. Wh-what?
Paris had told him a lot of jokes over the years, but he only recalled this one. Hed never been able to scrub the thing from his mind. Why its bad to be a penis. He twisted his hips on the inward glide, hitting her in a new spot.
A cry of delight parted her lips. No. No, but it doesnt matter right now, I want you to
Its bad to be a penis because theres a hole in your head.
Her lips twitched as she clutched at him. I never thought of it like that.
Well, it gets worse. Your owner is always strangling you.
The twitching became a half smile. Her knees tightened at his hips, and she bit her bottom lip. What else?
You shrink in cold water.
There was a strangled chuckle.
And youre forced to hang around with two nuts.
The chuckle became a full-fledged laugh. Gods, he loved the sound of her laughter. It was pure and magical, washing over him like a caress, dessert for his ears. He felt like a king, that he had been the one to cause that reaction in her.
Well, your penis can hang out with me anytime he wants.
Now he chuckled. He wished. Oh, how he wished. Baby, sweet baby, he said. My baby.
Ours. Learn to share.
He twisted his hips again, and she again closed her eyes and cried out. She reached for the headboard, meshing her breasts into his chest, and met him thrust for thrust. Common sense slipped away, the need for completion taking over. Yes, yes, so good.
Her body squeezed at him, wet and warm and silky smooth. Faster and faster he pumped inside her, unable to slow, unable to savor. He had to hear her cries of abandon. Had to spurt his seed inside her. Had to brand her, just as hed wanted.
Soon she was thrashing beneath him. Soon she was calling his name over and over. She was all he could see, all he could hear, all he could smell, and he wanted that to last forever. But the more he pounded into her, the closer he came to the end. His muscles tensed, his blood heated to boiling, burning him up, ruining him for anything else. Anyone else. This was it. All he existed for. All his demon craved.
I love you, he roared, pushed over the edge.
Just like that, she climaxed as well, spasming around his shaft, hands back on him, nails digging deep. She even leaned up and bit the cord of his neck. Perhaps she drew blood. He didnt know, didnt care. Only knew that his body continued to rock into her, spurting and clenching and burning some more, his demon humming, purring, as lost as he was.
And when Olivia finally settled, when he finally caught his breath, he collapsed atop her before rolling to the side. Immediately she burrowed against him, several minutes passing in silence. Never had an orgasm been so intense, so consuming.
Hed wanted to brand her, but he was the one whod been branded. She was all over him, inside him, his everything. His every breath. With her, he was calm, the demon was calm, and life was everything hed ever dreamed.
That wasthat was She sighed with contentment. One of her fingertips traced a heart on his chest.
Amazing, he said. You are amazing.
Thank you. You are, too. Butbutdid you mean what you said?
Tread carefully. If he told her the truth, she might decide to stay, even though he had to be with Legion, even though his end was near, forcing her to witness both his betrayal and his death. Forcing her to live without him ifwhenDanikas vision proved true.
Yes, he said, then cursed under his breath. Still, regret wouldnt come. She deserved to know. She was more to him than sex. She was more to him than, well, anything. I love you.
Oh, Aeron. I love
Do not say another word, Olivia, a male growled from the center of the room.
At the interruption, Wrath snarled in fury.
Aeron stiffened, already reaching for the blades resting on his nightstand. He didnt relax when he spotted Lysander, gold wings outstretched, white robe glowing in the moonlight. The mans eyes were narrowed with fury.
Who takes my head? hed asked Strider.
Lysander. I think.
Lysander, Olivia gasped out, holding the bedsheet to her chest. What are you doing here?
Silence, he commanded.
Dont talk to her like that. Aeron stood, jerked on a pair of pants, and said, Tell us what you want and leave. Dont be here for the reason I think youre here. Im not ready yet.
Lysander met his stare and uttered the words Aeron dreaded hearing. I want your head. And I wont leave until Ive taken it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
FINALLY, LEGION FOUND GALEN. He was in a dingy pub in London. Shed been flashing all over the place, from Buda to Belgium to the Netherlands, and now London. The coward had flown himself here and was nursing a glass of whiskey in a shadowed corner. She could smell the ambrosia hed already consumed; she recognized the sweet scent because Paris always smelled like that, and she knew Galen would be drunk very soon. She had only to wait.
She was too impatient to wait.
Her gaze raked over her own body. She still wore that T-shirt and jeans. They were plain but clean. And though they werent revealing, her breasts were so large they stretched the material. Several men had noticed her already and whistled as she strolled by. Outwardly, shed paid them no heed. Inwardly, shed thrilled at being viewed as something other than ugly, disgusting or at best, something to be tolerated.
She stopped at Galens table, and he looked up through the dark shield of his lashes. Go away.
Steady. Instinct demanded she attack first and ask questions later. Resist. Galen delighted in tricking the Lords, in sending Bait to distract them before acting. Today, she would be their Bait.
Youre beautiful, she said, and he was. With his pale hair and pale blue eyes, with his flawless features and sensual mouth, he was every womans fantasy. But hed helped destroy her Aerons life, and for that he would pay. I want you. Dead, but she didnt add that part.
He arched a brow. Of course you do. You cant help yourself. None of you can. He almost soundedupset by that. Heres a little news flash for you. No matter what I make you feel, hopeful for a future, a wedding, babies, youre not going to get it from me. There at the end, hed been sneering. He drained the rest of his drink. Now go away like I told you. I came here for peace and quiet.
He was the second man to turn her away since her transformation. She couldnt help herself; she slapped him. His head whipped to the side, and a trickle of blood formed at the corner of his mouth. Guess Im stronger than I thought, she mused smugly. Good.
When he faced her this next time, his expression was lit with interest. Why did you do that?
Perhaps you didnt hear me when I said I wanted you.
And you thought slapping me would win me over?
Youre still here, arent you?
He studied her before moving his gaze across the bar. So where do you want me?
Bathroom. No witnesses. Not for what she had planned. And by the way. I dont want to wed you and I dont want your babies. Were gonna have sex, and youre gonna like it.
Forceful little thing, arent you?
You have no idea. So we doing this or not?
Those lush lips twitched. Let me get this straight. Were going to the bathroom, and Im going to fuck you, and you dont even care to know my name?
Id actually prefer it if youd keep your stupid mouth closed. Oops. Her hatred was slipping out.
Well, well. You might just be my soul mate. He was on his feet a second later, his chair skidding over the sticky floor. He didnt say another word as he kicked into motion, arm snaking around her waist and pulling her along with him.
There was a woman in the bathroom, washing her hands, and Galen pushed her out without preamble.
Hey, the girl cried in irritation. She softened as her gaze raked him. Hey. Sultry now.
Stay out or die, he told her flatly. And then he slammed the door closed and whipped around to face Legion.
She trembled, she just couldnt help herself. There was so much heat in his eyes she was momentarily shocked stupid. It was what shed wanted from Aeron. What she might never get.
One step, two, he approached her. She backed away. Attack now. Kill him. But she didnt.
Scared? he asked silkily. You should be.
She raised her chin, looked behind herand saw the counter and the mirror. Her reflection stunned her. The fall of golden hair, just begging for a mans hands. The wide, dark eyes so filled with longing.
Longing? She wanted him? Him? How could she want Hope? He was her enemy. He was Aerons enemy.
Strong hands banded around her waist and hefted her up. She gasped as she returned her focus to him. He was already working the button of her jeans. That button gave easily and then he was jerking them off her legs.
He chuckled. No panties. You are eager for me.
His amusement irritated hereven as it spiced her desire up another notch. That wasnt because of him, she told herself. She refused to believe so. Shed wanted to have sex; that was one of the reasons shed bargained for this body. Shed expected it to be with Aeron, though.
Yet he might never want her that way. Not really.
Who said I was eager for you? Youre beautiful, yeah, but youre just a substitute for someone else. Truth. A truth she liked. She could use him. Have the sex she wanted and then kill him.
Galens eyes narrowed to tiny slits. Is that right?
There you go, talking again. I thought I told you how much I hated that.
Youre the one who better watch her mouth. With a growl, he ripped off her shirt. She wasnt wearing a bra, either. He didnt ask for permission, but leaned forward and sucked a nipple into his mouth. A mouth that was hot as fire and had her moaning. In pleasure.
This waswonderful.
Yes. Yes, shed have the sex she wanted. It would distract him so that she could more easily go in for the kill. That was all the rationale she needed to spread her legs and jerk him into her. His pants-clad erection hit her sweet spot, and she cried out.
Wonderful was not the word to describe that. Perfection was. How much better would it have been with Aeron, then? Aeron. She didnt want to think about him right now. She only wanted to feel.