by Nicole Hall
His thumb slid over her bottom lip where she’d been chewing on it, and the tiny sting subsided. “How altruistic of you. Tell me, had you been planning this set-up before I asked about the artifacts or did I spur the idea into motion?”
Samantha frowned and shook her head. “I didn’t—”
His mouth cut off the rest of her denial. Fierce hunger roared to life, shocking her with its intensity. Luc dragged his hand down to her throat, and Samantha lost herself in the kiss. His arm snaked around her waist, holding her tight while he ravaged her mouth.
Need and desperation and anger vied for control, but Samantha reveled in the violent emotions. There was nothing gentle or tame about Luc. She dug her nails into his back, trying to get closer. Fire raged in her blood, and all her frustrated desire poured into her response.
Light-headed, Samantha reared back to suck in a breath, and Luc’s mouth moved to her jaw, then her neck. His hand fisted in her hair, drawing her head to the side where he wanted it. She whimpered at the slick feel of his hot tongue against her skin.
“Is this what you wanted, love?” He whispered the words against her neck, holding her still. “To deliver me into the hands of the elders, broken and powerless?”
His teeth closed over her earlobe, and his magic trailed down her stomach to settle between her thighs like a feral touch. Samantha knew she should push him away, use her skills to shut him down. But she didn’t want to. She understood they’d moved past his considerable control, and she loved that she had the power to push him there. Besides, he wasn’t hurting her. Quite the opposite.
Samantha had already surrendered, and she desperately wanted him to finish what he’d started. “Don’t stop.”
Luc chuckled in her ear, dangerous and low. “You wish for my touch now?”
Her eyes fluttered closed. “Yes.” She spread her legs to give him better access, but his iron grip prevented her from adding physical pressure to his magic. “Please, Luc.”
“Ah, an unusual request. It appears you’ve miscalculated your plan as I’m not powerless, and yet trapped I stay. Perhaps you’d be willing to entertain a counter offer.” With his breathing as labored as hers, his magic stroked her until her muscles quivered. She balanced on the precipice of her dignity and wavered. Luc’s words lashed at her, but his touch. Oh, his touch.
She craved it. Enough to fall.
“What will it take to win the freedom you’ve stolen from me?”
Samantha gave herself over to the pleasure, her weak protests far behind her. The orgasm hit her in a blinding rush, and Samantha moaned out his name. Luc held her upright until the trembling subsided, then brushed a kiss across the spot on her ear where he’d bitten her. His magic retreated, leaving her cold and shaken. “Tell me. I’m beginning to enjoy the taste of lies on your tongue.”
Samantha sucked in a jagged breath, then planted both palms against his chest and shoved. Luc obliged her by taking a single step back, his hands falling to his sides. She yanked the elastic from her lopsided ponytail.
“You really are an asshole.”
He gave her a dark grin and a small bow. “At your service. I assume my duties were up to par?”
As Samantha’s heart rate slowed, her anger rose. “Do you really think I couldn’t come up with a better plan than setting redcaps on myself to get you to this forsaken realm? You admitted yourself the sigil was broken. Full of your power and without any guidance. You want the truth?” She hesitated, so tempted to throw her vision at him, but she recognized the wound glittering in his eyes. He’d trusted her and felt betrayed. She couldn’t deny that she’d withheld the truth from him.
The fury drained out of her. “I didn’t want you to die.”
Samantha had tried pushing him away, to no avail, only to find that he’d already breached her shields. His assumption that she would work against him hurt, but she’d hurt him as well. That would only be possible if he cared.
She placed her hand on his cheek and felt the muscle tick in his jaw. “I didn’t plan any of this. I reacted. Somehow you’ve annoyed your way into being important to me.”
Her voice trembled on the last words, embarrassing her. The softer approach posed a huge risk. Luc respected strength. How would he respond to compassion?
Suddenly weary, he covered her hand and turned his face to kiss her palm. His rough stubble caught on her skin, and Samantha had to drag her mind away from wondering what those whiskers would feel like in other places. “I’m sorry for my rash words. I responded poorly to my own panic, and I regret any harm I caused. I won’t apologize for my actions, but I will endeavor to be gentler in the future.”
He met her eyes, and Samantha felt the shift in their relationship. She hoped she wouldn’t regret it. Either way, she couldn’t deny the connection any longer.
“I don’t want gentle.” Samantha tried to turn away, to return to the fire, but Luc didn’t release her wrist and the motion made the hot mess in her back throb with agony. She wasn’t fast enough to stop him from seeing the flinch, and even if she had been, the hiss of pain would have given her away.
Luc immediately let her go, but only to grasp her shoulders and turn her fully away from him. The light touch of his magic on her back almost got lost in the sharp ache. “What have you done to yourself?”
“Why are you so sure I did it?”
He eased her to a sitting position on the ground and sat behind her with his legs bracketing hers. “The wound is new, and I didn’t cause it. That only leaves you.”
Samantha breathed shallowly while heat pushed into the angry muscles of her back. Luc’s magic sank deep while he massaged the stiffness away. “You’re forgetting the army of redcaps and the mana wyrm.”
“Not forgetting,” he murmured, working on the spot below her shoulder blade where the dagger had hit her. “Relax, love. This is a healing only.”
She honestly tried to relax, but his touch ignited a different fire. “There was a redcap, right before I ported us out. He’d found a weak spot in the shield and tossed a dagger through. That’s why I jumped on you when I did. You were busy with the sigil, so I—” Samantha tensed up at a sudden jolt that speared all the way through her, but then most of the soreness and agony melted away. She exhaled deeply and slumped down.
“You dove between me and the dagger, yes?”
Samantha tried not to moan as the tight pain disappeared under his graceful fingers. She’d done enough moaning for one night. “I thought I could get us out of there fast enough, but the hit landed. My shield protected me from the blade, but I wasn’t prepared for the concussion spell that went along with it.”
Luc continued to work in silence, his magic inside her, until she resembled a woman-shaped puddle of goo. The sense of Luc retreated, but his hands kept up their steady pressure.
“You can heal.” It wasn’t a question, for obvious reasons, but Samantha felt like they should discuss his very useful ability.
“I can heal.” He didn’t offer anything more, and his tone said he didn’t want to talk about it. Fair enough. “Since we’re to be stuck here for the foreseeable future, I propose a truce.”
“What kind of truce?”
“We stop assuming the worst of each other with the intention of merging our considerable skills to return to Terra.”
He’d put into words the feeling she’d had earlier. Mostly. “Not a truce. A partnership.”
She felt his hair brush her shoulder with his nod. “As you will. A partnership of trust. I’ll share what knowledge I have and you’ll do the same.”
Trust. Could she trust him? Considering her reaction not too long ago, she already did. Samantha could have stopped his magic at any time, but though his words had been cruel, his touch had been… satisfying. Words, she could forgive.
Would he forgive as easily when he found out what she’d hidden?
“Okay, but I’m still bound by my promises not to reveal the secrets of others.”
Another nod, this one
slower. He brushed stray locks of hair out of the way to press his lips to the exposed skin where her neck and shoulder met. “Agreed.” The word traveled in a scorching shiver down her chest to anchor near her heart.
Samantha recognized the magic of a bargain, but couldn’t puzzle out the boundaries of what she’d just accepted. The massive out-pouring of magic from that evening’s activities had finally caught up to her.
Languid warmth spread through her arms and legs. She couldn’t keep her eyes open as exhaustion took over. Samantha’s muscles relaxed, and she leaned back against Luc. His arms came around her, holding her upright.
“Sleep, love. I’ll keep watch.”
Samantha turned to her side and curled into him, snuggling closer to his heat. She’d give him one night, and in the morning, they’d discuss the limitations of their bargain.
LUC
She smelled like apples. It was the damnedest thing. They’d been in a major battle then slept outside by his campfire, but no hint of sweat or smoke. Fresh, sweet apples. Luc shifted her slightly on top of him. He’d lain down in the night, and Samantha had wrapped herself tighter around him, throwing a leg over his hips.
His hand lingered on her toned thigh after his adjustment. Luc assumed she’d distance herself from him at the first opportunity, and he didn’t want his obvious arousal to make it harder on her. He snickered at his joke and moved his hands to the relative safety of her back, careful to keep his touch light.
Even after his healing, she might still be tender. Samantha had hidden her injury well. If he’d known about it, he might not have been so quick in his accusations. As the night had passed without a squad of bounty hunters showing up to collect him, he’d regretted his outburst even more.
Not the wicked pleasure he’d given her. That had only been a matter of time. He’d made the mistake of approaching her in a heightened state and his control had snapped. Luc had dreamed of her since their last night together. Literally. He often woke in a sweat, painfully hard with her taste on his tongue.
The hurt and anger had burst past his walls and offered him the chance to finally take what he’d been craving. The drain from using large amounts of his magic hadn’t helped, but it was Samantha’s response that drew him over the edge.
She’d matched fire with fire, and despite his ill-advised words, she’d opened for him.
Luc spread his magic along her back, searching for more injuries, satisfied when he found none. She murmured something in her sleep and rubbed her nose against his tattered dress shirt. The scent of apples wafted by him again, and he breathed it in deep.
His clothes would never be the same. The suit was fine for a meeting with the woman who tormented him, but traveling in the clans’ realm required sturdier apparel. Luc had a change of clothes in his satchel, along with some useful tools and the two artifacts given to him by Seth.
Thankfully, his satchel remained safe by his side. He usually kept it in his pocket trod, as the others had begun calling it. A small tear between the realms accessible only by him. He’d thought it was a skill reserved only for his kind, but according to Oren, several members of his clan had the same ability. While Samantha had been discovering their location, he’d checked his resources and tested his magic. Strangely, only the pocket trod refused to work.
Samantha’s bag had also made the journey with them. She’d left it behind when she’d stalked into the woods, and he highly doubted she remembered she’d had it. Her readiness to run had made him suspicious last night, but now he’d gladly take advantage of her practical precautions. The granola bars he’d seen her stuff in there, for example.
They’d need a heartier meal soon. He’d used a lot of his energy in repelling the redcaps, and then drained most of what remained making Samantha moan his name. The memory had him shifting again, and this time Samantha frowned in her sleep. The hand she rested on his chest trailed down until she could slip through a gap in his shirt where he’d lost a couple of buttons. Skin against skin, she settled down again with her palm over his racing heart.
Luc shook his head and stared up past the branches at the pale blue sky. He tried to squelch the sense of possessive pleasure that came from her touch. What was he thinking, getting involved with a human?
A pretty diversion, yes, but she’d become more than that. Samantha had proved herself his equal in many ways, and he found himself constantly searching for excuses to engage her. Which made his wild jump to an evil plot against him ridiculous. She’d been right. If she’d wanted him here at the mercy of the elders, there were much simpler ways to achieve it.
What had she said last night? You’ve annoyed your way into being important to me. He grimaced, then couldn’t hold back his grin. A perfect summation of his feelings for her.
Too bad he couldn’t keep her.
6
LUC
The oracle’s warning about his death never moved far from his mind. Luc tried not to let the details control his life. After all, he hadn’t seen the vision. The oracle’s information could only be a guess at best, and trying to avoid her version of his imminent demise might very well lead to a different demise all together.
But one aspect he willingly cut out of his life. She’d said he’d be faced with a choice between himself and his love. Luc had scoffed at her. He could live without love, and he’d certainly never actively choose to forfeit his life for another. Because oracles did see glimpses of the future, he’d determined that the best path forward meant amassing power and avoiding romantic entanglements.
Thus far, he’d done a piss-poor job of avoiding Samantha and all her delightful entanglements.
As if she’d heard her name, Samantha yawned and blinked sleepy blue eyes up at him. A fierce protective urge raced through him, and Luc felt his determination from moments ago falter.
The haze cleared from her face, and she glanced down at his open shirt. Her brows drew together, and she snatched her hand back, sitting up to scoot a few feet away from him. Luc propped himself on his elbows, determined not to chase after her, no matter how bereft he felt.
“Good morning, love. Sleep well?”
Samantha looked everywhere except his face, eventually landing on her pack to the other side of him. “I slept fine. Thank you.”
“How’s your back faring?”
Her frown deepened as she slowly twisted one way and then the other. “Completely better. It’s not even stiff from sleeping on the ground all night.”
Luc almost made a comment about being stiff, but decided against it. She was already skittish. “Then I’m glad my ability proved useful.”
Her eyes finally met his as she pulled her lower lip between her teeth, worrying it then letting go. He’d noticed that minor trauma last night and healed it—nearly against his will. His magic pushed against his control, urging him to heal it again. Luc didn’t dare move.
Samantha tapped her fingers against her thigh a few times, nodded minutely, then stood. She walked around him and plopped back down on his other side next to her pack. “Our agreement last night was sealed with magic.” She dug a granola bar out of her pack and offered him half. “Did you do that?”
Luc allowed himself to sit up straight and accept her offer, but that dangerous need to haul her back on top of him hadn’t faded. “Not intentionally. Magic finds a way to get what it wants in the end.”
“Magic is a tool.” She didn’t sound as sure as the last time they’d had this conversation—the one that had ended with her teleporting him out of her house.
“Magic is a force that ends up manifesting differently in every creature. No two magic-users have the same abilities. We’ve come up with laws and rules and established norms, but the heart of it is that no one really knows the truth. Everything we think we know is a guess at best.” Her eyes narrowed, but Luc had no interest in arguing with her again. “Magic likes bargains, whether through sentient choice or simply power finding the easiest path, like lightning. Our intentions last night created a
path for the magic to travel, and it followed.”
“I don’t like being bound.”
“Then you should have been more careful with your intentions. What are your intentions now?”
Samantha finished her half of the granola bar while staring into the distance. Luc watched her while he ate his own breakfast and waited for her clever mind to sort through the data. He didn’t have to wait long.
She finger-combed her hair and pulled it back into a sleek ponytail. “We can’t just stay here in the middle of the woods next to a doorway.”
“I agree, but I admit my knowledge of this realm is somewhat lacking. What options do we have?”
“I’m working on that. Speaking of knowledge, when does our exchange start?”
He raised a brow. “Did you discover something new while sleeping?”
“No, but I have questions.”
“You answer mine, and I’ll answer yours.” Luc admitted he was being slightly petty, but her abrupt retreat out of his arms had stung.
She dusted the crumbs off her hands and smiled tightly. “I already agreed to answer your questions. With less pouting.”
Luc acknowledged her point with a nod. “Usually the ladies appreciate a good pout. Draws attention to the lips.” Her eyes flicked down, then over his shoulder, and he grinned. “What would you like to know?”
“You’re always so warm. It makes me… nevermind.” She shook her head and started again. “What are you?”
He desperately wanted to know what she’d been about to say, but the delicate pink flush creeping up her cheeks convinced him to save that line of questioning for later. “I’m an ifrit. We naturally run warmer than humans, and most of us have an affinity for fire magic. Sometimes, the fire has an affinity back.”
Samantha’s eyes jerked to his. “An ifrit? Like a demon?”
Luc shrugged. “Demons are a human construct based loosely on early meetings with my kind.”
