The Lily Harper 8 Book Boxed Set

by HP Mallory

  She was so strong. And I was failing her. “I’m sorry, Besom.”

  “You call this woman by such an insulting name as if it were a term of endearment.” Aulus knew enough of the old tongue to understand ‘Besom’ meant a pernicious or recalcitrant woman. He circled us as the whips continued to crack. “How can you be sure he cares for you at all?” he addressed Lily.

  “I know… the truth,” she said and glared up at him.

  Aulus laughed. “What truth?”

  A look of determination stole across her features. “When his words fail him, his actions show his heart.” She turned to me, and I did not feel the pain anymore. “You can do this, Tallis. Humility and forgiveness. Don’t let revenge consume you. Please…”

  Even as her words reached something deep inside me, I could not turn off the rage inside me. Seeing her so hurt only fueled it. And when I remembered what this bastard had done to Sorcha…

  What if he intended to do the same to Lily? While I watched, helpless to protect her…

  Aulus’s frustration was just as potent as me anger as me lashings came to an end. When he realized the pain did not break us, he grabbed Lily and threw her onto the table. Wine spilled onto the floor.

  I knew what he intended to do. I could not let it happen. Me love for Lily outweighed the need to avenge Sorcha. The sound of her skirts ripping tore me out of the past. “Dinnae touch her!” I demanded.

  Aulus laughed mockingly.

  The soldiers attempted to restrain me once more, but I was angry and I could feel the heat of me Druid magic surfacing within me. I held out me hands and sent a shockwave of magic through the tent. The soldiers went flying like wee ragdolls.

  I lurched to me feet and threw Aulus off Lily before he could enter her. Before I knew it, I was on top of the sniveling swine. Me fists pounded into his face, and the fucker smiled up at me.

  “Tallis!” I heard Lily’s cries and though I wanted to pound Aulus’s face into nothing more than a pulpy mess, I did not. I slowed me fists as Lily’s words came back to me.

  Humility and forgiveness.

  Don’t let revenge consume you.

  I pulled away from him and turned to face me Besom. I lifted her into me arms and held her as close as I could. And I felt the salt sting of her tears upon me face as surely as I felt me own.

  Then I heard the sound of Aulus laughing. I turned to face him.

  “Ye will get what ye deserve. I leave yer destiny in the hands o’ the gods, Aulus. Pray they show more mercy than I would have.”

  Me Druid magic surrounded Lily and meself, healing us as a strange sense of peace settled within me.

  Calm.

  I could not remember the last time I had felt this particular emotion. It had been a long, long while.

  Lily cupped me face and smiled up at me. “I’m so proud of you, Tallis. I knew you could do it.”

  “I heard your words, Besom,” I replied. “’Twas the only reason I was able to stop meself.”

  The tent burned away, and a thunderous laugh came from behind us. I set Lily onto her feet, and she reached for her sword. Me own blade manifested itself in me grasp, and I turned to face me foe.

  A great horned demon with enormous bat-like wings appeared before us, surrounded by fire. The thing was immense, easily towering over me. It must have been twenty feet tall.

  Lily nudged me lightly. “We can do this, Tallis,” she whispered. “Together.”

  “Ah dinnae deserve yer love, Lily. But I’m so grateful to have it.”

  She just smiled and together, we attacked without fear. I did not fight against the demon to prove I was stronger or to exercise me anger. No. I fought for Lily and meself, for our allies that were tormented by Alaire and Afterlife Enterprises. I fought for all those who could not fight for themselves.

  Claws slashed out. The creature bellowed its anger. Flapped its enormous wings.

  I went high as Lily went low.

  We dodged the multiple attacks but failed to stay free of the flames.

  She cried out as her arm grazed the demon’s fire.

  “Besom!”

  She shook her head. “I’m okay, Tallis! Keep fighting!”

  I avoided another swipe of those vicious claws only to be captured by a meaty fist that caused me skin to blister. I fought against the thing’s grasp but it lifted into the air, its great wings flapping as me arms and legs dangled. The heat was unlike anything I had ever felt before.

  The scent of me own burning flesh filled me nostrils. I managed to get an arm free and stabbed me sword across the demon’s throat. It howled, and molten lava spilled down from the gaping hole. It fell back to the ground but never released me. Instead, its grip tightened.

  I feared death just moments before I felt something or someone covering me. Lily held her arms out in front of her, keeping herself exposed even as the demon rained down fire from its mouth upon her back. Her hair went up in flames immediately and she screamed against the agony.

  I gripped her arms and closed me eyes, channeling me power into her. Our combined energies filled me to the brim with an energy I had never known before. I turned to face the demon behind her and opened my mouth to yell as the energy building between Lily and me blasted through me mouth and burned a hole through the center of the demon’s torso.

  The locket around Lily’s neck began to glow. The demon started to disappear into a mist of black smoke. As I watched, the locket opened as the soul of the demon floated through the flames and the locket sucked away, into itself. Once the demon mist evaporated, the locket closed itself.

  I looked over at me Lily. She smiled triumphantly, and I caught her in me arms.

  “We did it,” she said.

  “Aye.” It was the only word I could manage. Inside, I felt exhausted, more weak than I had ever felt before.

  “That didn’t take as long as I imagined it would,” Lily said. And I realized she was correct.

  “Why?” I started.

  “I think you were already on your way to letting go of the past,” she said with a shrug. I dipped me head low and brushed her lips with me own.

  The taste of blood and sweat mingled with the sweet nectar of her kiss.

  ###

  LILY

  I was nervous when we appeared back in the waiting room.

  Tallis barely made it through his trail, and I feared what was to come with Asterion’s trial. Lust and Greed seemed to go hand in hand. I didn’t want to be unfaithful to Tallis and Asterion was my friend—something I didn’t want to lose. Sure, he was extremely attractive, and there was an unnerving bond between us, but I’d managed to successfully ignore it… so far. Even so, I pulled Tallis aside, wanting to talk to him about the situation to come. “You know what’s next, right?”

  “Aye, the bull-man moost face his sins.”

  “Yeah... the thing about that is…”

  “I know, Besom,” Tallis said and nodded. “I know.”

  I wasn’t sure what he thought he knew but I wasn’t given the chance to further explain or even to further discuss it. Before I knew it, Asterion was facing us both.

  I approached slowly and rested my hand on his shoulder. “Everything alright?” I asked.

  “No,” he answered then sighed. “We’re up.”

  I glanced back at Tallis and he gave me a smile. I returned it but guilt was already rampaging through me. I looked back at Asterion and the guilt only increased. Asterion’s presence alone was intoxicating. Being in a situation where we would both be tempted to give in to our carnal urges didn’t bode well for us or this mission.

  Asterion waited beside the door with his head low.

  “If my trial of Lust involves you, I’m not sure I’ll be strong enough to beat it,” Asterion said.

  “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

  “You’re worried too?” he asked, appearing surprised.

  “Yeah. There’s something between us. We’ve both admitted it and now…”

  “Now it
could be my undoing,” he finished.

  I nodded. “Are you ready for this?” I asked.

  “No.”

  “Me neither, but we have to be strong. We can get through this, but we need to face it together.” I reached for the door handle. The same darkness that came over me when I crossed the threshold with Tallis swallowed Asterion and me.

  I blinked a few times as I tried to get used to my newest surroundings.

  A flickering neon sign appeared in the distance. It read: ‘Asmodeus’s Playhouse’. Purple light washed over the tables and stages where strippers twirled around chrome poles. Throbbing music filled the cotton candy scented air. Damp bodies swayed on the dance floor. I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror above the bar.

  A leather bralette and harness scantily covered my chest and stomach. Thin fishnets climbed the length of my legs and disappeared beneath a black pleated skirt that barely came to the middle of my thighs. Dagger pumps were laced around my ankles, making it hard to walk, but I quickly adjusted.

  Lecherous eyes belonging to those around me traveled along the curves of my body, and I suddenly felt damp between my thighs. I swallowed hard as I turned to face the bar and approached it. As soon as I did, a wickedly handsome demon slid a drink over to me, and I accepted it, knocking it back in one gulp.

  The liquor hit me right away, softening the worry that threatened to take me under. I ordered another drink and the demon quickly sent it my way, with a wink. I ignored him.

  I finished the drink and pushed away from the bar, starting for the dance floor again. I swayed from side to side, allowing the music to flow through me.

  Creatures from all walks of life cluttered the club, making it hard to move more than a few inches at a time. I couldn’t explain what was happening to me, but it felt like I was on auto-pilot. That I was doing things according to someone else’s will—not my own. I wasn’t much of a drinker in general and yet, I’d downed both of the drinks like they were water. And even now, I met each lustful gaze sent in my direction with one of my own.

  Eventually, I made my way over to one of the stages and noticing it was empty, I climbed up. Gone was my usual worry about my body. Gone were my self-esteem issues. Gone was my self-doubt. And in their place? Confidence. The likes of which I’d never felt before.

  People cheered loudly as I began dancing, dipping low and circling my hips. I’d never been able to dance before, but such wasn’t the case now. The music flowed through me, bringing my limbs to life. It was almost as if I was one with it.

  Wolfish whistles and catcalls came from all directions. A naughty smile curled on my lips. I was drunk on the feeling of desire. Drunk on my own confidence.

  The crowd parted and that was when I saw him.

  Asterion.

  He was sitting at a table, washed in shadow. He leaned forward, bringing his chiseled face into the light. The glass of rum in his hand was more than fitting as his clothing was very pirate-like. Gunmetal leathers were held up by a belt with flintlock revolvers and a cutlass with a serpent handle. Asterion was bare chested except for a vest that showed off the contours of his muscles and the trail of fine hair running down his navel. His long hair hung loosely around his shoulders.

  He was like sex come to life.

  My body hadn’t been prepared for the surge of longing that pricked my nerves.

  Images of Asterion taking me roughly against the wall of a dark corner flashed through my mind. I wanted him with a ferocity I hadn’t expected, a ferocity I’d never felt before. But I wouldn’t give in so easily. The crowd clapped as I stepped down from the table and passed Asterion, grabbing another drink from the bar. On my way back to the stage, I stopped at Asterion’s table.

  “You... are very good at that,” he said uncomfortably.

  “I’ve never done it before,” I answered with a shrug. “It was… fun. I felt so… confident and in so much control.”

  Asterion’s hand dipped below the table as he adjusted himself, and I forced myself to look away. The tightness of his leathers did very little to hide the length of the bulge that ran down the inside of his thigh. I licked my lips, and he mirrored the gesture without missing a heartbeat. Each time his eyes passed over me was like a physical touch. I wanted to feel more. But we both knew what hung in the balance. I stood up and moved to the dance floor.

  “Come get me when you figure out why we’re here, Asterion. Let’s not drag this out longer than we need to.”

  I moved to the music until I felt like it was a part of me. Sweat beaded on my neck and chest.

  Hands circled my waist, and I felt Asterion pressed up behind me. He was hard and his cock brushed against my ass. I swallowed hard and I could feel my mouth salivating as I thought about taking that hard erection down my throat.

  He just felt so… delicious. Hard muscle moved behind me with the same grace when he’d fought me in the Sanctuary, when he’d helped me to discover my own powers. I found myself leaning into him, feeling the ridge of his erection against my hip.

  Asterion growled.

  And it was in that moment that I realized we were losing to Lust.

  TWENTY

  ASTERION

  She felt good. Too good.

  The lush swell of her ass rocked against my lap, and I gripped her harder, grinding into her until I felt that sweet friction.

  Lily turned around and cupped my chin. “Listen to me, big guy. You’re not yourself right now,” she whispered, but a moan escaped her lips when I lifted her off her feet. Her back hit the wall with a sudden gasp, and I pushed between her thighs. She wrapped her legs around me and I smiled.

  “You want this…”

  “You know I do,” she said against the curve of my ear. The warmth of her breath caused goosebumps to appear along the back of my neck. Her hands explored my chest. “But we can’t do it,” she said.

  “We both want it.”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “I could push inside you right now and we could know what it’s like to know each other in a way we never have,” I started.

  “Asterion.”

  “Tell me you don’t want to feel me sliding into you.”

  She closed her eyes and breathed hard. “Asterion, please… We have to fight this.”

  I kissed along her throat and tugged her bottom lip with my teeth. “I’m failing, Lily. I’ve wanted this from the moment I met you.”

  Her sounds were intoxicating, far too sensual for me to ignore with my painfully hard cock settled against the heat of her core. I spread her legs wider and stared into her eyes, and I trailed my tongue along the length of her neck. She squirmed as I slipped my hand up her skirt, past her panties, to stroke the silken flesh of her folds.

  “Fuck,” I groaned. “So wet for me…”

  “Asterion…” she whispered. “We are going… to… fail.”

  “You have to fight me, Lily,” I said, shaking my head as the realization of what I was so dangerously close to doing suddenly hit me. “Otherwise, I won’t be able to resist.”

  She shook her head and rocked against the pressure of my palm. My finger dipped inside her tightness and her thighs clenched. She was so tight, so wet, so… ready for me.

  No, Asterion, I heard my voice inside my head. You will fail!

  I pulled my hand free and licked my fingers. She tasted… like nectar. My forehead pressed against the crook of her neck. The temptation to thrust into her caused my body to convulse. It physically pained me not to take her right then and there. “I want you the way I’ve never wanted another woman.”

  Her hands caressed my back. “I know, but we must fight this.”

  “I want to be selfish. I want to steal you away from him, to trap us here and never return to the damnation of the Underground City.” I was drowning in her scent and the feeling of her hands on my body. “Please... this is too much, Lily.”

  “Asterion, you are stronger than this… we are stronger.”

  For Love’s att
ack is so precipitous that life itself all but abandons me…

  I pulled away from Lily and tried to gather my wits. I reached out for her, and she accepted, falling into my arms.

  “We need to leave,” I said.

  “Yes,” she answered and we exited the club. Outside was a beach I hadn’t expected to see and beyond it, the ocean. Freedom. We could sail away from here and leave… forever. Never look back and just lose ourselves in each other’s arms.

  Lily stopped walking as soon as she saw the ship at the end of the pier. The sailors were already loading it with the crates that were piled high on the dock. “What is it?” I asked.

  “I can’t go with you, Asterion. We have to return to the others.”

  “But I haven’t overcome my Lust.”

  “Yes, and you also haven’t overcome your Greed,” she countered. “Your lust and your greed go hand in hand.”

  I glared at her. “No,” I said, my jaw tight. “And I won’t bring you back to him, either, not when I know what you really want. You want me, Lily.”

  She shook her head. “You and Tallis are friends, Asterion.”

  “We aren’t friends,” he spat the words back at me. “I want to fuck his woman. I’m not his friend.”

  “Is that all you want?” she asked, glaring at me.

  “No,” I answered as I took the space that separated us. “I want to fuck her each and every night, all night long. I want to own her body with my cock. I want her to forget there ever was another man inside her.”

  She swallowed hard and I could see my words were having the desired effect. She was turned on. I could smell her—scent the proof of her need on the air.

  “This isn’t real, Asterion,” she whispered.

  “We want each other.”

  “Yes, but we both knew and know that can never happen.”

  “I’m not convinced.”

  “I am.”

  “You and I… we are working towards something. Something that means a lot to us both.” I swallowed and took a deep breath as she continued. “Are you willing to throw that away because of some mind trick demons want to play on us?”