He brushed his lips down her cheek, briefly savoring the sweet taste of aloe vera before he forced himself to pull back and study her delicate features.
“As much as I want to pretend that we’re alone in the world, we need to get out of here.”
She nodded, rising to her feet. Javad frowned as he watched her sway. How much blood had he taken? Enough to heal himself, although he remained dangerously weak.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he flowed upright and grasped her arm.
“I’m fine.”
“Not for long,” a male voice drawled as Vynom appeared through the opening on the far side of the cave. “You cost me a lot of money, Seraf.”
Javad wrapped a protective arm around Terra. He was still too weak from his battle with Frack to directly attack his sire, but Vynom couldn’t know that. The older male would have to be cautious until his backup band of mercenaries arrived.
“You had your battle,” he snapped, trying to catch the scent of any nearby demons.
Nothing yet, but it was only a matter of time.
“I want more,” Vynom stepped forward, a sneer twisting his lips even as he kept a wary gaze locked on Javad.
“More what?” Javad demanded.
“He was auctioning off the chance to put a stake through your heart while you were unconscious,” Terra muttered.
Javad curled his lips in disgust. “Classy as always, Vynom.”
The male shrugged. “I’m a survivor.”
“Just another way of saying you’re an immoral, spineless coward who will sacrifice anything and anyone to make a buck,” Javad taunted.
Vynom narrowed his eyes, the air chilling to a temperature expected in the Arctic, not Nevada.
“Did you call me a coward?”
“I’m pointing out the obvious.” Javad covertly glanced toward Terra. She seemed…distracted. Her head was turned toward the far wall, her brow furrowed as if she were concentrating on something that he couldn’t see.
Was she attempting to create a portal? Damn, he hoped so.
Vynom took another cautious step forward. “The only obvious thing is that you chose the wrong path. We could have ruled the world together.”
Javad rolled his eyes. He’d been with Vynom for centuries, and never once had the male treated him as more than an object to bring in the crowds. Certainly, he hadn’t considered him a partner.
“Yeah, thanks, but no thanks. I’m happy with my club in Vegas.”
A layer of ice suddenly coated the ground. “Perhaps you’re right,” Vynom spat. “I tried to believe that you were worthy to stand at my side, but you’re a small, pathetic demon who deserves to die in this barren cave.”
The older male held up his hand to reveal the wooden stake he had clutched in his fist.
Javad muttered a frustrated curse. His strength was returning, but not nearly fast enough.
“Terra, now might be a good time to think about getting out of here.”
She seemed oblivious to the approaching danger as she studied the wall. “Fairies.”
He arched his brows. “What?”
“And…a gargoyle.”
Javad’s confusion abruptly cleared. He didn’t know anything about fairies, but only one gargoyle could possibly be in the caverns.
“Levet.”
The scent of granite drifted through the air, along with shrill voices that sounded as if they were arguing. And was that…singing?
There was a brief second of chaos as the tribe of fairies swarmed out of the crevasse. Javad took swift advantage, unleashing a small burst of power that shook the cavern beneath Vynom’s feet. The male snarled as he leaped back, obviously assuming that the floor was about to crack open. Instead, the ceiling over his head shattered and showered him in jagged boulders.
Vynom crumpled to the ground, covered in stony rubble. He wasn’t dead, but he was knocked out. At least, for the moment.
“Oh, there you are.” Levet waddled forward, absently polishing the tip of his tail.
“Where have you been?” Javad demanded.
“Exploring.”
Javad scowled down at the miniature pest. “I was being held hostage, and you were on a tour?”
Levet blew a kiss. “Did you miss me?”
Javad shuddered. “Like a stake through the heart.”
Levet pursed his lips, leaning forward to sniff Javad’s arm. Javad scowled. What was wrong with the strange creature?
“Stop that,” he snapped.
“You’re mated!” the gargoyle exclaimed, glancing toward Terra, who watched him with a bemused expression. “I am Levet.” He offered a deep bow. “KISA. At your service.”
Terra blinked. “KISA?”
“Don’t ask,” Javad growled.
“Knight in shining armor,” Levet announced in proud tones.
“He truly is a knight in shining armor.” A tiny, pale-haired fairy appeared next to the gargoyle. “He rescued my people.”
“It is what I do.” Levet smiled smugly at Javad before introducing his companion. “This is Sparkle. She’s a frost fairy. Have you heard of them? They’re super rare.” Levet winced as shrill shouts came from the fairies across the cave. They had gathered in a circle to watch two males who were apparently wrestling over some small stone. “And loud. Really, really loud,” Levet muttered.
Javad clenched his fangs. Was he being punked? It was hard to believe there could be any creatures more annoying than the gargoyle.
“Can you get us out of here?” he demanded, raising his voice to be heard over the shouts.
Sparkle nodded, pointing toward a door on the other side of the cave. “There is a tunnel that will lead us to the surface,” she said.
Levet nodded. “We just need help digging it out.”
A flare of hope eased the knot in Javad’s stomach. Was it possible that they might get out of the caverns?
“Fine, lead us to it,” he commanded.
“Javad!” On cue, Vynom regained consciousness. Digging himself out of the rocks, he rose to his feet.
Javad braced himself for the attack. He wasn’t at full strength, but he was growing stronger every second.
Concentrating on his sire, Javad was only vaguely aware of the cries of alarm from behind him. He didn’t have time to worry about the fairies. It wasn’t until they ran screaming past him, holding long, pointed icicles that he realized they weren’t fleeing in horror. Nope, they were headed straight for Vynom.
“Monster,” Sparkle cried in her high voice, jabbing the icicle into Vynom’s lower stomach.
Vynom cursed, tossing aside the fairy, but ten others swarmed him like ants on honey. And each possessed a needle-sharp weapon they stabbed into him over and over. In the blink of an eye, he was leaking blood from a hundred wounds.
Roaring in fury, Vynom wind-milled his arms, trying to knock away the tiny attackers. But the creatures were surprisingly tenacious, returning to the battle even when it appeared they were grievously injured.
Standing next to the stunned Javad, Levet cleared his throat. “Is he a friend of yours?”
“He’s…” A smile curved Javad’s lips as Vynom dropped to the ground, dying by a million pinpricks. “He’s nobody.”
It was a fitting end.
* * * *
It took them less than an hour to dig through the tunnel thanks to Javad’s brute strength and Levet’s explosive fireballs. Then, leaving the gargoyle surrounded by the chattering frost fairies, who eagerly insisted that he return to their homeland as some sort of hero, he stepped into the portal that Terra formed.
Now, after a quick tour of the Viper’s Nest to give Terra a sense of where they would be staying, along with feeding his mate the finest ambrosia and nectar to be found in Vegas, they retired to his private apartments that were deep underground so they could each shower away the grime from Vynom’s caverns.
Javad paced through the long living room that was surprisingly cozy with wood-paneled walls, an open-beamed ceili
ng, and thick rugs on the floor. After endless centuries of Vynom’s gaudy taste, he craved simplicity. Even the furniture had been chosen for comfort and not style. The low, sturdy sofa and chairs had thick ivory cushions and matching pillows. The only decoration was the exquisite tapestry that hung on the far wall. The delicately stitched scene was that of an oasis in the desert with a midnight sky speckled with stars. It’d been a gift from Viper when he first opened the club and was one of Javad’s most prized possessions.
He was on number thirty—or was it forty—of his circuits around the room when Terra at last entered. She wore a gold silk bathrobe that matched his own—compliments of the Viper’s Nest. It hit her mid-thigh and clung to her slender curves to perfection, creating an explosion of heat in his lower stomach.
Halting in the center of the carpet, Javad watched as Terra walked toward the tapestry, studying it with seeming interest before continuing toward the plain wooden bookcase.
At last, Javad could take it no longer.
Having her so near sparked a fire of need inside him. The sweet scent of aloe vera swirled through the air, along with a lemony shampoo that clung to her damp hair. He ached to have her in his arms. In his bed.
But more importantly, he desired to know that she was pleased with his lair. She’d sacrificed so much to offer him the healing potency of her blood. Her home. Her family. And the duty that had been the essence of her life since she was very young.
The fear that she might be unhappy in this place was gnawing at him like cancer.
“Well?” he at last demanded.
Terra turned around, her brows lifted in confusion at his sharp tone. “Well what?”
His lips twisted as he moved to stand directly in front of her. He couldn’t remember his life as a human, but he presumed the fluttering nerves in the pit of his stomach were what it’d been like to have a crush on a young maiden.
Or maybe a young male. Who knew what had pleased him during those years?
“You know that I’m desperate to hear you say that you love this place,” he said, framing her face in his hands. “And that you intend to spend the rest of eternity here with me.”
“This is your home.”
“Yes.”
She smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling her face against his chest.
“And now it’s my home.”
He bent his head, resting his cheek on the top of her head. He trembled, as much from her soft words as from the delicious heat of her body that soaked through his skin and eased the tension that cramped his muscles.
“You can be happy here?” He kissed her damp hair, his fingers trailing down the curve of her spine. “It’s not too dark? Or sparse? Or—?”
She chuckled, pulling back to press her fingers against his lips. “As Goldilocks said…it’s just right.”
He stared down at her upturned face. “You’re just right,” he murmured.
And she was. It wasn’t just the delicately carved features, or the narrow nose and lush lips. Or even the stunning lavender hue of her eyes. It was the kind gentleness that radiated from her and surrounded her like a halo.
It had called to him like a siren’s song from the second he caught sight of her. Back then, he’d convinced himself that his soul was too jaded for her innocence. He’d wanted her protected. Even from himself.
Now… Now, he was going to hold her so tightly, she would never escape.
Her fingers traced his lips, the soft caress sending sparks of pleasure shooting through him.
“I’m not going to argue with that,” she assured him.
“Good.” He grasped her hips, maneuvering her until her back was flat against the wall. “We have better things to do with our time,” he assured her.
Her lips twitched, her fingers drifting down to wiggle inside the vee of his robe. Her touch was light, but it scorched him with pure bliss.
“Do we?” she teased, fingers continuing their trek downward as if she were fascinated by the feel of his skin.
“Oh, yes,” he rasped.
“You mean this?”
Holding his gaze, Terra grasped the lapels of his robe and jerked it open. Then, with a firm motion, she peeled it off his body. Dropping it to the floor, she looked smug.
A startling burst of joy raced through Javad at the same time his lust hurtled into hyperdrive. Well, well, well. Who could have known his sweet Seraf was such a tease? The glimpse of her naughty humor was like receiving a rare, unexpected gift.
One he intended to treasure.
“That’s a start.” He tilted his head down to capture her lips in a soft, seeking kiss as he removed her robe and tossed it across the room.
She trembled, but it wasn’t with fear. He could smell the rich scent of desire that perfumed her skin.
“There’s more?” she whispered.
“Much more.” With a fluid motion, Javad swept his mate off her feet and cradled her against his chest. “Much, much, much more.”
Her lavender eyes shimmered with anticipation as he carried her into the adjoining room. He wasn’t the kind of male who had to have a soft bed and silk sheets to enjoy sex. The more adventurous, the better, as far as he was concerned. But their mating had been on a rock floor in a dank cavern. He’d be damned if their first time together was anything but perfect.
He strode across the glossy wood floor to the large bed that had been hand-carved from teak. There was a matching armoire and a heavy trunk where he kept his weapons. Above them, a muted light spilled from a bronze and crystal chandelier.
With gentle care, he lowered her onto the mattress and straightened to simply appreciate the sight of her. Damn. Nothing had ever been so beautiful as the shocking contrast of her golden hair spilling across the black duvet and the pale limbs that appeared to have been carved from the finest marble.
She was a work of art…
And his. All his.
A growl rumbled in his throat as he moved to lay beside her. Then, pulling her into his arms, he pressed her against his body.
“Terra.” Hunger clawed through him at the feel of her satin-soft skin and delicate curves.
“Oh,” she breathed as if in shock.
Javad instantly froze, lifting his head to gaze down at her. “Is something wrong?”
She hesitantly brushed her hands over his chest. “I can feel what you do.”
Ah. From the moment of their mating, they’d started to share a bond. It began with being able to sense what the other was feeling. But the longer they were mated, the more intense the connection would become, allowing them to physically share the sensation of each other’s touch.
He combed his fingers through the golden silk of her hair. “Does that bother you?”
A soft sigh fell from her parted lips. “It’s astonishing.”
“Astonishing,” he muttered, absorbing the echo of her pleasure as it reverberated inside him. “Yes. That’s exactly what it is.” He kissed a path down her jaw. “And glorious.” He paused at the base of her throat, directly over her racing pulse. “And exciting.” Using the tip of his fang, he pricked the delicate skin, lapping the droplet of blood. Another blast of hunger wrenched a groan from his lips. “And delicious.”
“Delicious?”
“Mmm.” He pressed the hard length of his cock against her lower stomach. “Like the finest champagne.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair. “I spent so many centuries fantasizing about being in your arms. This doesn’t seem real.”
“I had the same fantasies.” He pulled back a bit to study her bewitching beauty. “I dreamed of how the torchlight would shimmer in your golden hair.” His fingers teased the sensitive tips of her nipples until she gasped in pleasure. “And the soft perfection of your skin.” He lowered himself to brush a light kiss to her lips. “And your sweet scent that drives me crazy.”
She arched toward him in invitation. “How crazy?”
He chuckled, then
used the tip of his fang to trace the curve of her neck. Terra groaned, her hands lifting to thread her fingers in his hair.
“Hang on tight,” he warned.
“That sounds dangerous,” she breathed.
“Nothing but pleasure, I promise.”
“I trust you.”
Her words were as intoxicating as her enticing heat that wrapped around him like a caress.
This female was so tiny and vulnerable beneath him. He could crush her with one blow. Or drain her dry before she could stop him. But as he lifted his head to study her, there was nothing in her eyes beyond a smoldering lavender desire.
Holding her gaze, he brushed his fingers over the ugly brand on her shoulder. Vynom’s mark.
“Nothing will ever hurt you again.”
She nodded. “As long as we’re together, I’ll never be afraid.”
Unable to resist temptation, Javad sank his aching fangs into the pillowy softness of her breast. Terra hissed at the combination of pleasure and pain. Javad ran his hands down her body in a soothing motion as he sipped her blood.
Her taste hit his tongue with a heady warmth. She’s more addictive than any drug, he silently acknowledged.
Feeling her tremble as her passion threatened to overwhelm her, Javad reluctantly pulled his fangs out and gently licked closed the tiny wounds.
Eventually, he would drink from her while their bodies were entwined. But for their first time together, he wanted to concentrate on ensuring that she was drowning in heart-stopping, bone-melting, unforgettable joy.
“Javad,” she murmured with breathless anticipation, gliding her fingers down his back.
He turned his attention to her puckered nipples. The scent of aloe vera drenched the air, but he wanted more. Using his tongue and the sharp tips of his fangs, he teased the sensitive nubs until she squirmed in bliss.
“Faster,” she complained.
He chuckled in delight, skimming his lips down her shivering body.
“All good things, in good time,” he promised.
She tugged at his hair. “The early bird gets the worm.”
His startled laugh echoed through the room. “What?”
“I don’t know,” she muttered, her face flushed with passion. “I’m not thinking very clearly right now. I just want…”
Sacrifice of Darkness: A Guardians of Eternity Novella Page 9
