Shadow and Ice (Gods of War)

by Gena Showalter

  He stared at her, exuding menace, but Vale refused to back down.

  “There is only one thing you need to know,” he said. “As long as you are necessary to my cause, as long as you do not seek my downfall, I will protect you.”

  I’m necessary? Excitement bloomed, but she quickly tamped it down. Doesn’t matter.

  See Vale pretend not to seek his downfall.

  “All right.” She checked a wristwatch she wasn’t wearing. “You’ve got five minutes left. Come on. Dig deep and tell me what else you want to know.”

  “I want to know about Terra.” He swam around her, once, twice, as if he wanted to see and savor every inch of her. “Your world.”

  Terra...world. Yep, just like sci-fi. “You mean Earth.” His nearness doesn’t affect me. Nope. Not even a little.

  He stopped behind her and straightened.

  She spun—realized he was closer. His crystalline eyes instantly mesmerized her, the massive size of his body thrilling her most feminine desires. How would his thick black stubble feel against her skin? Then there was his tree of life tattoo. It gave a girl lots of naughty ideas.

  And it wasn’t her fault. He was made up of all these sexy pieces that fit together and formed an even sexier picture, wreaking havoc on her heartbeat, causing her nipples to pucker, and igniting an ache much lower...

  Dang it, what did his appearance matter? She wasn’t going to date him. Knox wasn’t a viable candidate for her love life. After her wild high school days, she’d asked herself the same three questions anytime a guy had expressed interest in her—which hadn’t been often, since word had spread that Vale London no longer put out.

  Those questions? How likely was he to (1) lie to her, (2) cheat on her, or (3) steal from her? If she’d answered 80 percent or more to even one, she’d declined the invite.

  “Earth, yes.” Knox stepped forward, only the barest whisper away. “I have also heard citizens refer to this realm as Gaia.”

  “Realm” again. She breathed him in, the exotic spices...the insatiable lust. “Why do you need me to tell you about Earth?” Will pay zero attention to my shivers, and the ever-intensifying aches. “Shouldn’t you know about your own planet? Or—” gulp “—are you an alien?”

  “My translator ascribes the most probable meaning to each word you utter. I’m currently picturing a little green man with big black eyes.”

  His translator? “Are you from another planet or not?”

  “Yes and no. The most accurate description is ‘another realm.’”

  Argh! “What is a realm, then? I think my translator is on the fritz.”

  He frowned but said, “A realm is another plane, dimension, world or kingdom connected to other planes, dimensions, worlds or kingdoms through a system of portals.”

  Portals, à la Stargate?

  “Upon our arrival,” he added, “your people called the portals Bifröst.”

  Beef-roast? What the—Forehead slap. Bifröst, not beef-roast. The rainbow bridge in Norse mythology. The way people in one world traveled to another.

  “Did you create a portal earlier, to enter this home?” she asked. Oh, frick. Was she on another world?

  “No, I created a rift. Portals take you from one plane, dimension, world or kingdom to another. Rifts take you to other locations within the same plane, dimension, world or kingdom.”

  Okay, then. She was still on Earth, which was kind of a letdown. “What’s the difference between planes, dimensions, worlds and kingdoms?”

  “Planes are stacked on top of each other. Dimensions exist within the same space without interacting, and worlds play host to kingdoms.”

  Okay, she kind of wished she hadn’t asked. Information overload. Deep breath in, out. Mistake! As close as he was, as decadent as his scent, she was growing dizzy with desires she couldn’t fight.

  Great! Now she needed a distraction from (1) the overload and (2) her attraction to Knox, which meant she needed to seek more information. “If you aren’t an alien, what are you?”

  “I’m an immortal warrior sent here to fight in the Terran All War, and win, whatever the cost.”

  “I know there are different types of immortals. Like, say, vampires and werewolves. What are you?”

  “You mean the fanged blood drinkers of Leiddiad, and the beasts of Adwaeweth—though the latter are more like dragons than wolves.”

  Excitement restored, and she nodded.

  “I’m not one of them, no,” he said. “I’m more like a god.”

  He was joking, right? “A god of what?”

  “Darkness.”

  In other words...the devil. Peachy. “And what is an All War?”

  He ignored the question, and said, “Earth still has armies, I assume. They fight wars of their own.” He reached out to sift a lock of her hair between his fingers. The jet-black strands looked like ribbons of silk against his damp skin, and the sight momentarily stole her breath.

  Then his gaze met hers, his pupils spilling over his irises, and frozen oceans became infernos of arousal.

  “Yes,” she rasped. She didn’t like the sight...because she liked it far too much. Yank. “Why do you want to know about our armies? Because your armies are planning a wide scale invasion? Well, you should watch a little documentary called Independence Day to find out what happens when our planet is threatened.”

  “If these military forces try to stop our war, the High Council will send in a contingent of Enforcers. Trust me when I say you do not want a contingent of Enforcers sent in.”

  High Council. Enforcers. All War. Too much!

  As if sensing her rising tension, he reached out once again, and gently traced his knuckles along her jaw. She leaned into his touch, seeking comfort and more warmth.

  What are you doing? Stop! She straightened with a jolt. Only one thing mattered right now. “Tell the truth. Will there be an invasion?”

  He paused just long enough to ratchet up her stress level. “As long as your governments behave, no one from the other realms will step foot on your Earth until the war ends...and I’m crowned the victor.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  THE LONGER KNOX peered at Vale, inhaling her lush sweetness, the more unhinged he felt. He was hard, his erection forged from titanium. Surely. Masculine awareness clawed at his insides, the need to taste his captive nigh overwhelming him, the desire to experience a kiss, his first kiss, a tantalizing temptation.

  I see... I take.

  Must resist! Men lost their heads around women—in more ways than one. And Knox didn’t need to know whether or not Vale tasted as delectable as he imagined. He could guess the answer: She tasted better.

  Victory depended on his ability to resist the urge to kiss her. But he could do other things with her...

  He needed to do other things with her. But every time he gave in to the urge to touch her, she would accept him one minute, and reject him the next. The white-hot and ice-cold treatment was maddening.

  “I’m going to touch you,” he told her, announcing his intent, hoping to prepare her. No surprise, no ice-cold reaction. Probably.

  “Why?” she croaked, even as she trembled. With anticipation?

  “Because I want to.” Because I must. “Because I can’t not.”

  She gulped, her defenses...moldering? Slowly he reached out, giving her an opportunity to move out of range...

  Contact.

  He sucked in a breath. She moaned, the pulse at the base of her neck quickening.

  Still white-hot.

  Emboldened, Knox conquered more ground. He smoothed a lock of her hair from her forehead and cheek and hooked the strands behind her ear. The feel of her velvet soft skin... His erection throbbed. Any moment his pants might split.

  Where was his ice-cold calculation?

  He shouldn’t have started this. And he d
efinitely shouldn’t do more. He had combatants to kill, a war to win, a royal family to execute and a home-realm to save. Distractions wouldn’t be tolerated.

  Although, if he were to indulge, there was no better location. No one could rift into the bunker, because no one had ever seen inside it.

  Voice hoarse, he asked, “Do you desire me, Vale?”

  Her mouth floundered open and closed, then her expression darkened. She lifted her chin. “Desire you? Please! I fear you. How many men did you murder today?”

  “Only one.” Unfortunately. “I also protected you.”

  “Only one.” Her dry tone mocked him. “You sound disappointed.”

  “I am. If you hadn’t noticed, they tried to murder me, too.”

  She ran her bottom lip between her teeth, making him wild for her. He wanted to nibble that bottom lip. “My point is that I do not sleep with killers,” she said.

  “Even killers who are trying to save themselves?”

  “I get that you were in the middle of a combat zone,” she said, brow crinkling, “but come on. You liked what you were doing.”

  “I like winning.”

  “You like bragging rights.”

  He hiked a shoulder. His vengeance depended on his victory, but he wasn’t going to explain his reasons to her, or anyone. “I notice you make no mention of resisting me because of your husband.”

  Anger sparked at the reminder of her marriage, his grip on her hair tightening.

  Why such a strong reaction? The husband wasn’t here and wasn’t a concern. Their bond bore no significance to the situation at hand. If Knox decided to keep her, he would keep her.

  I’m considering forever now?

  “You’re the one hitting on a married woman,” she said. “Does commitment mean nothing to you?”

  “Commitment means everything to me.” But only his commitment to victory. “And I’m definitely not hitting you.”

  “Hitting on means flirting with. Anyway.” She rolled her eyes. “Your ten-minute inquisition is almost over. Do you really want to waste time debating whether I might or might not have the hots for you?”

  Yes! Her attraction to him had somehow become a matter of great importance. “Have you tried sleeping with a killer?” He glided a fingertip under her smoky, I-want-you-to-remove-my-panties-with-your-teeth eyes, the gold molten, the green blazing. “You might like it.”

  Awareness sizzled between them.

  “No. I haven’t tried sleeping with a killer,” she replied, her tone the vocal incarnation of an eye roll. “The liars and cheaters were bad enough.”

  Was any woman sexier than this one? She was so unlike the shy, reserved women he’d bedded in the past. She was forthright and confident, with a hard edge. Did she demand absolute satisfaction from her lovers?

  Knox swallowed a moan of arousal. “The women in my realm wear makeup, but it smudges. Yours doesn’t. Why?”

  “Because it’s tattooed.” Her lids narrowed, her lashes nearly fusing together. “Now, enough about me and my sexual partners.”

  “How many partners?”

  She stiffened. “Not that it’s any of your business, but more than a horde, less than legion. Does that make me used goods in your exalted opinion? Huh? You wouldn’t touch me with a ten-foot pole, right?”

  He thought he might...envy those men. Either that, or he had indigestion. “Is that what you hope? Well, you’re right. I would never touch you with a pole. I’d rather use my hands.”

  “I... You... Well. I don’t know what to say.”

  “Did the males please you?” I will make it my mission to please her.

  No. Enough!

  “Like I said,” she said, and cleared her throat, “we’re done chatting about me and my sexual partners.”

  Not enough. Not done. “Shall we talk about me and mine instead?” he asked silkily.

  “No, thanks.”

  “Do you want to know anything about my romantic history?”

  “No need. I can guess. You’ve never had a serious girlfriend, and your favorite thing to make for dinner is a reservation for one. Long story short, girls want nothing to do with you. Because whoever told you underground lockup was a good first date lied.”

  He pursed his lips.

  “Don’t man-pout,” she said, and sighed. “Lookit. I think you’re sexy, okay. All right? There, I admitted it. You know my biggest secret. But news flash. You’re only sexy to people with eyes.”

  Somehow, she had turned the compliment into a grave insult. Not that it mattered. His shaft throbbed harder. She thinks I’m sexy.

  Doesn’t matter. Blunt the need. Forge ahead. “Tell me why my eyaer—my instinct—would tell me you are necessary to me, something it has never done in the past.”

  Her gaze widened, and he caught a glint of excitement. “Eyaer?”

  “Translated literally, it means to see.”

  “And it sees that I’m necessary? Never mind. Haven’t you realized I’m clueless about what’s going on here? I don’t have answers, only more questions. And now your time is up, so back to the ice mountains we go. We’ll search for my sister—”

  “I never agreed to find the girl.”

  “No, no, no. You did agree! A ten-minute Q and A followed by a hunt for Nola. Don’t add no-good pretender to your long list of faults.”

  “I didn’t lie. You assumed I agreed to your terms but think back. I requested ten minutes, with no promise of anything in return.”

  Frustration radiated from her, and she breathed in and out. “I’m approaching land mine level. Proceed with caution.”

  “Female—”

  “Stop calling me female!” With a screech, she dove at him, water splashing. Again and again, she pummeled her fists into his chest. “You knew what I thought, so you had better take me to Nola or...or...”

  Knox tossed her across the pool, sending her underwater for a cool down. As she came up sputtering, he climbed out, putting distance between them at last, lest the eyaer decide she was more of a threat than a necessity.

  Drawing on the icy reserve that had served him well through every All War, he plucked and ate a second piece of fruit, then stalked to his closet, a small walk-in on the other side of the bed.

  As he peeled away his pants, the drenched material caught on things—important, throbbing things—but he emerged with his appendage intact, so he’d consider it a win. He donned a black T-shirt and a fresh pair of multipocketed, leathery camo pants. Both items were made from cloth he’d acquired on another realm; they shrank or expanded according to size and acted as a type of armor. They wouldn’t stop a sword, but they could prevent minor scrapes. Next, he strapped on his preferred daggers and boots, then a belt and buckle.

  He’d made the buckle himself, a required skill for victory. If he couldn’t earn or steal a weapon, he had to create one. The buckle hid a small blade. A just-in-case precaution.

  Though he listened intently, he heard no movement to indicate Vale had left the pool. Did she think the water offered a measure of protection against him?

  Silly female.

  However, she was right about one thing. Returning to the mountains wasn’t a bad idea. Not to search for her sister, of course, but to find Carrick’s trail, and kill any combatants who hadn’t yet fought their way free of the rubble.

  Knox would leave Vale in the bunker. She was warm and healthy, his weapons were hidden, and she had no way to escape. The only way in or out was a rift, and without Rifters, she couldn’t create one.

  When he emerged from the closet, Vale still hadn’t left the pool. She watched him warily, and he realized he liked having her gaze on him. As he strode to the small alcove in back, he purposely flexed.

  Inside the alcove, a funnel of shadows mimicked a tornado, hiding his arsenal within. If anyone other than Knox were to enter, t
he shadow winds would knock the offenders away—but only after the weapons did a little damage, metal slicing, hilts and gun barrel banging and battering.

  “Avoid her,” he commanded quietly. “Do her no harm.” Berating himself for such a foolish allowance, he returned to the pool to glare down at her. “I’m leaving.”

  “Is this the part where I’m supposed to shed a tear?” she asked, and mockingly waved. “Bye-bye.”

  He gnashed his molars. “There is fruit on the trees. Eat it.”

  “Fruit.” She grimaced, as if the word left a foul taste in her mouth. “Don’t you have donuts? I’m pretty sure my blood type is sugar, vegetable oil positive, and it’s time for a transfusion.”

  Whatever that meant. “I know you’re starved. Why pretend otherwise?”

  She lifted her chin—an action he now recognized as the donning of her armor. In that moment, he thought he understood. She wanted the fruit, but she would never admit it and risk revealing a weakness.

  As much a warrior as I am.

  “The fruit contains all the nutrients your body needs,” he said, showing mercy. A first for him. “Also, there are clothes in the closet. Dress. There’s a bed. Rest. Do nothing else. Anything you destroy, you’ll pay for. And under no circumstances are you to enter the darkened alcove in back. You do, I’ll know, and I’ll be...displeased. Bad things happen when I’m displeased.”

  A shudder rocked her—a shudder she tried to hide with a yawn. “Where are you going?”

  “Back to the mountain.”

  She perked up. “How long will you be gone?”

  “As long as it takes.”

  “As long as it takes to what?”

  He offered no response.

  “Fine. Don’t tell me. But will you pretty please with a cherry on top search for Nola while you’re there?” Clad in only her lacy black undergarments, she finally climbed out of the pool. Water droplets sluiced over her curves as she rushed to the bed.

  The sight of her...

  Blood pumped through his heart valves faster, harder. So much harder.