Jewel gasped. "What are you doing? Put me down!"
He shot back into motion. "You're too slow."
"This puts you at a disadvantage." She slapped at his hard, muscled bottom. "Put me down this instant or I'll stab you in the back!" Truth. She'd stab him with her nails, but he didn't need to know that.
"I hadn't realized you'd be so bloodthirsty." He chuckled. "You wouldn't let me hurt the centaur or the nymph, but you yourself attempted to kill a demon, and now you want to draw my blood. And if you don't settle down, your feet are going to bruise my favorite body part."
"Your penis?"
He made a choking sound in the back of his throat, and his feet nearly tripped over themselves. "Watch your mouth, Prudence. You shouldn't talk like that."
Watch her mouth? Watch her mouth! "Penis, penis, penis," she muttered, but she stilled, her body bouncing over his shoulder.
Stone chips were scattered across the floor, and Gray kicked past them to rush through the wide, jagged hole that used to be a wall. He settled into the shadows whenever a demon flew past, doing his best to keep them out of view. When they found themselves alone again, he would jump back into motion. Her satchel pressed into his stomach. She directed him toward the center of the palace, toward the demon queen's private pool.
Three sentinels awaited them.
Gray spied them and quickly settled her on her feet. "Stay here."
She was getting sick of those words.
He sprinted in front of her. The guards' evil red eyes narrowed hungrily. He didn't slow. Gray grabbed a small, round object from a side pouch in his pants, pulled something thin and silver out of it with his teeth, then tossed it at the creatures.
"Down," he commanded Jewel, turning and diving on top of her, propelling her to the ground. The moment she hit, Gray's heavy weight crashed into her, and cut off her air supply.
Boom!
More jagged pieces of stone rained over them. More dark plumes of smoke. More hisses of fury as the demons were tossed into the air like play toys. Before they even hit the ground Gray was up and running toward them. Fire flickered around him, licking dangerously.
Coughing, eyes watering, Jewel shoved to her feet and raced after him. When the demons landed, Gray expertly killed two. Jewel didn't hesitate. She knew what needed to be done. She gripped her knife and killed the third.
Demon blood splattered her clothing.
She'd never killed before. She'd attacked the other demon, yes, but she herself hadn't been the one to render the deathblow. Now that she had...she stared down at the lifeless body. She expected to feel guilt or remorse; she'd always fought for the survival of the Atlantean races. But she felt neither of those emotions. Instead, she felt empowered. Like she had finally taken control of her life.
Gray grabbed her by the arm and whipped her around, his gaze dipping over her, scanning for injuries.
"Did you see me?" She couldn't stop the slow grin that spread her lips. "I killed him. I really killed him."
"Yeah, and you surprised the hell out of me." Grudging pride laced his tone. He plucked the bloody dagger from her hand and sheathed it in his belt. "We can't stay here. We need to find an exit. Fast."
"We'll use the pool."
His gaze shot to his right, at the debris-covered water dappled by pinpricks of light from the flickering flames.
"We can swim to safety," she said.
He frowned. "I hate to break it to you, babe, but I'm guessing that pool is only seven feet deep. All we can do in that is swim laps." And have sex, his mind added, never far from the subject.
Hearing his unbidden thought, her cheeks warmed and her stomach knotted. This time he hadn't been imagining any woman except her. Her. He'd pictured her naked and rosy, skin covered with droplets of water waiting to be licked away.
Tendrils of pleasure curled inside her veins, spreading like the fire around them. When she spoke, her voice cracked. "There's a hatch on the bottom. A door that leads into the forest."
He paused, considering her words. His frown deepened. "If the demons follow us inside the water--"
"I'll make sure they do not."
His mouth opened to ask how, but he shut it with a snap, changing his mind. "All right. We'll swim."
He stepped to the pool's ledge, Jewel still close to his heels. Before he entered, he turned to her and said, "Take off your clothes."
Her head snapped up, and she met his stare with wide eyes. "The demons will sniff you out soon and you want me to get naked?"
His mouth twisted in one of those wry smiles of his. "Silly girl. Can't you read my mind?"
"Not always," she grumbled. Like before, he had erected some sort of wall she couldn't breach. It had to be him, but how he managed it, she could not fathom.
"Just so you know, Prudence, that thick material of yours will weigh you down in the water. Take it off." As he spoke, he began removing his shirt.
She'd seen him naked a hundred times before, perhaps a thousand, but those visions of him had always been in her mind. Seeing him now, in the flesh, was so much more potent. She forgot her surroundings, forgot the danger, focusing only on the bronzed strength of his muscled, sinewy chest. His abdomen was chiseled into perfect rows of hardness.
"You can look all you want. Later," he added. "Right now, Pru, you need to get naked." He dropped his shirt and withdrew his dagger.
Her gaze still locked on him, she brought her shaky fingers to her waist and tried to untie the satchel.
"No time." He sliced the ties with his knife. The satchel dropped to the ground with a thwack. In the next instant, he cut the shoulder straps of her robe. The white material swished to the floor, joining the satchel and leaving her in only a thin chemise.
Bending down, Gray grasped the robe and said, "Step out of it."
The moment she complied, the robe was stuffed inside his bag, followed quickly by her satchel. All the while, he perused her up and down. His eyes were heated. What did he see when he looked at her? She gulped, too afraid to try to probe his mind to discover the truth.
His hands reached toward her and she felt their warmth as they neared her skin. What did he plan to do? He stopped just before contact.
He shook his head, and his gaze grew cold. Empty. "We need to get the hell out of Oz. Can you swim?"
It took a conscious effort to tug herself out of the sensuous spell he'd woven over her, but force herself out she did. "Yes." Swimming was one of the few memories she possessed of her childhood. Frolicking many hours in sunshine and water. Laughing. Enjoying the day. Over the years, she'd forgotten how to laugh and enjoy, but she'd never forgotten how to swim.
"Just try to keep up with me," she said, proudly tilting her chin.
His lips twitched. "Can you hold your breath for long periods of time?"
That, she didn't know. "We'll just have to see, won't we?"
"I'll take that as a no," he muttered. "Listen, I've trained in water. The key is to stay calm, to slowly release the air trapped in your chest. Understand?"
"I will not let you down." She'd prove herself worthy and strong if it killed her.
Jewel entered the water with Gray right behind her. The wet warmth lapped at her skin, seeping past the thin garment she wore, making her shiver. A cloud of red swirled around Gray, his open wound coloring the water.
"I want you holding on to me at all times once we leave the pool," he said. "Don't let go for any reason."
"I'll do my best."
"No, you'll do it." His voice whipped out like a king instructing a servant. "I want to know you're with me every second we're down there."
"Yes, sir."
He shook his head at her impudence. Without another word, she dragged in a breath and dove underwater.
She kicked her way to the bottom. Marina often used this secret doorway to sneak into the city undetected, commit her crimes, feast off unsuspecting creatures, then return. The queen thought she herself was the only one who knew. She should have realized
long ago that with Jewel, there were no secrets.
Once they reached the bottom, Jewel grabbed for her dagger. When her hand encountered only wet cloth, she nearly panicked before she recalled Gray had taken it.
She jerked on his pants to gain his attention. A few bubbles slipped from his mouth as he faced her, and he nodded as she slipped the weapon from his belt. Gliding away from him she inserted the tip into a tiny crevice. Marina used a key, a key Jewel did not possess. She pried at the opening, making it widen slowly.
The water stung her eyes, and lack of air soon caused her lungs to burn. Her dark hair floated into her line of vision like curling ribbons. Gray worked feverishly beside her, his strong hands pushing the slab of rock farther and farther apart.
Both she and Gray had to go up for air before the opening was wide enough for them to slip through. Jewel wanted to swim to the surface one last time and steal another gasp of precious oxygen, but when she pushed up, she saw a horde of demons had entered the room. They spotted her and cried gleefully.
Ice filled her veins, and she sliced her way back to the bottom and pointed up. Gray saw them and tried to wrench her through the opening, but she violently shook her head. I have to keep them from following us.
He stilled. Had he heard her, or was the block still in place? Gray, deciding to trust her, released her and held his palms up. Do your thing, baby.
Thank the gods, no block. She closed her eyes, her thoughts directed at the creatures above. No one is in the water, her inner voice suggested to them. You do not see the human; you do not see the girl.
She'd never attempted to direct so many at once, never tried so valiantly to keep a being from knowing she'd entered its thoughts.
The shouting demons pressed their lips together, going silent. They stared down at the water, shaking their heads, their eyes glazing as they accepted her plea, but they didn't leave the room. They looked around, confusion flittering over their expressions.
Why wouldn't they leave?
Jewel's strength was quickly depleting, and her hold on them began to lessen. Gray must have sensed her need for him because he yanked her through the opening and worked swiftly to close the hatch.
Whether the demons had seen them there at the end or not, Jewel didn't know, and she no longer had the strength to find out.
She held a firm grip on Gray's pants. Her lungs burned, and she desperately needed air, and even though her strength was nearly depleted, she kicked her legs and lowered her free arm, trying to increase their speed. A thick fog soon wove its way through her mind.
I can't...need...to breathe...
Gray wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. His eyes met hers and the connection managed to strengthen her. Calm her. She'd been thrashing, she realized, but settled as his hand snaked around her neck.
Slowly he drew her face to his and their lips met.
Open, he commanded. His voice filled her head, bringing with it a wealth of hope and confidence she eagerly embraced.
She did so without question, parting her lips wide.
He blew air into her mouth, precious air her lungs accepted with relief. The warmth of his breath curled through the rest of her as her black tresses floated around them, a dark cloak that wrapped them in a private haven. Time seemed to slow. She savored his sweet essence.
All too soon, he drifted a few inches away and met her gaze. Better?
Better.
You can do this. I know you can.
She nodded, praying he spoke true.
CHAPTER FIVE
JEWEL'S HEAD BROKE the water's surface, her lungs screaming in pain. She gulped in great gasps of oxygen, her arms and legs flailing to keep her afloat. Pitch-black greeted her eyes, an unholy darkness filled only with phantomous shadows. Every inch of her burned for more air, and the burning eased only slightly with each intake. In, out, she breathed, as fast as her lungs would allow.
The choppy, frantic sounds must have disturbed nearby wildlife, because the clatter of snapping limbs, rustling bushes and pitter-pattering hoofbeats rang in her ears.
"Gr--Gray," she called between pants, swallowing a mouthful of water. The liquid slid down her throat, cool and sweet, but it was too much, too fast. She choked and coughed.
"Don't," he said, his voice labored and hoarse as it sliced through the void. "Don't try to talk. Just breathe. Slowly."
Where was he? She'd lost her grip on him somewhere along the way. The darkness around them wasn't thinning and she couldn't feel him near her. "Tr-trying."
"You're talking again. Stop," he demanded.
"I need you," she croaked. "Where are you?"
He must have followed the drum of her voice, silently treading through the restless water until he found her. His arm brushed her stomach, and she shivered, resisting the urge to grab onto him and ascertain he truly was there.
"You okay? Since you won't obey a direct order, you might as well give me the info I crave."
"Yes." The sound of lapping water beat between each syllable. "You?"
"I can't see shit, but I'm fine." He sounded relieved, concerned and angry all at once. "Think you can make it to shore? Wherever the hell the shore is," he added darkly.
"Of course." Determination rode her hard, and she said, "I can make it." The words were for her benefit rather than his.
She must not have sounded convincing. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her into the curve of his body. "Just keep breathing, and I'll do the rest."
"No, I--"
"Save your strength for an argument you can actually win."
The feel of him holding her, his strength surrounding her, was a heady thing, but the thought of lying back and allowing him to do all the work... No! She might love the feel of his arms around her, and she might teeter on the brink of total exhaustion, but she kicked and paddled with him, adding to their speed.
"Sometimes," she said between breaths, "an argument...can be won...without words."
"Smart ass. Don't you know you're making me look bad? I, man, do the rescuing. You, woman, do the eager accepting."
Jewel grinned, loving the way he teased her. It made her feel normal, accepted. As if she was his friend, not just a woman watching him from afar, wishing she were part of his life. Besides, set apart from the Atlantean races as she was, she'd never had a true friend before. But she'd wanted one. Gods, she'd wanted one. At times, the ache had been so fierce, it had almost been a living entity.
"That is not how our rela--" Sharp pains shot through her calf like a thousand knives cutting through bone. She jerked and cried out.
Gray's arm tightened around her, and they ceased moving forward, his leg movements the only thing keeping them above water. "What's wrong?" he demanded, concern in the undercurrents of his voice.
"Just a cramp," she gritted out, her leg already relaxing.
Expelling a relieved breath, he jolted back into motion, his muscles bunching and straining. "You're doing great. But listen to me this time, and stay still." He spit out a mouthful of water. "I've done this kind of rescue before, and with a two-hundred-pound man no less. Featherweight that you are, I can get you to shore, no problem."
"I will help."
"Damn it, Jewel."
She forced her arms to swim more quickly.
"Stubborn woman," he muttered. "Have it your way."
"I will. Thank you."
His legs kicked out and brushed hers. His free arm pushed at the water and skimmed over hers. Because of the danger, such an innocent contact shouldn't have affected her, but it did. Currents of something dark and light, hot and sweet, floated through her blood as swiftly and surely as the river flooded around her, giving her added strength.
"Thank you for coming for me," she said, swallowing more liquid. The words whispered from her, soft and raspy, husky with her gratitude.
"I wish I could say it was my pleasure, but so far the adventure has sucked like a Hoover."
She laughed heartily.
&
nbsp; The water slapped as if he'd whipped his head to face her. She wished there were at least a kernel of light to reveal his actions and features, but the darkness was simply too heavy.
He squeezed her waist. "I didn't expect you to get that. Do you even know what a Hoover is?"
"Well, yes. I know a lot of things about the surface."
"You ever traveled there?"
She heard his true question: do Atlantean creatures travel to the surface? "I've never been, no. None of us have. It's forbidden, not to mention impossible. I've only seen it in my visions." Visions of him. She'd wondered why she'd been gifted with glimpses of his life, but the answer had never come. Finally she'd stopped wondering and just accepted the fact that he was meant to be part of her life. They were connected.
He huffed out a moist breath. "Impossible how?"
"Just impossible," she hedged. "I admit I've always dreamed of visiting the surface." She couldn't hide her edge of wistfulness. "You have so many fascinating things there."
"Yeah? Like what?" Fatigue was beginning to layer his words, making them drag slightly. "Exactly what does Prudence Merryweather find fascinating? This I've got to hear. Wait. The water is becoming more shallow," he said. "We're almost to shore. See if your feet touch."
Her legs sank toward the bottom until her feet hit a soft, mossy foundation. "Yes! I can touch." Limbs almost too weak to support her, she labored onto the sand, trudging step by step.
Finally she collapsed atop a soft bed of foliage. Water poured from her as she smoothed sopping hair out of her eyes. Gray dropped beside her. The ragged sound of their breathing blended with the gentle rush of the river. Gods, they had made it.
They had escaped the demons.
Several minutes passed in raw silence. She could have closed her eyes and drifted to sleep--would have drifted to sleep, if Gray hadn't picked up their conversation where they'd left off.
"What do you find fascinating about the surface?" He was only a little winded. "This land of yours is amazing. It's littered with evil incarnate, true, but the sheer beauty of the terrain is awe-inspiring."
She shivered as a wave of cool air brushed her. "I'd trade every flower and tree for the chance to sit inside a theater and watch a movie. To anchor myself in a hoodless car and soar down the road, the wind in my hair. To wiggle on a waterbed and smoke a cigarette. To taste a--"
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