by Boone Brux
Like his brother Seth, Colin’s vaporous essence seeped from his body, passing through the Veil and the monstrous form disintegrated into ash.
The snap of twigs cracked behind him signaling Jade’s approach. He squared his shoulders before facing her.
She crept forward to where the demons had fallen and knelt. “Look at this.”
Tiny white flowers spread in a perfect circle, marking the spot. He stroked the petals, which opened to him, responding to his touch.
“They’re together and happy.” Jade placed her hand on his thigh. “I truly believe that.”
He nodded. The experience had awakened the Shield inside. To give all converted humans the same peace was a quest worthy of his life.
“Come, let’s find the camp site before it gets dark.” He took her hand and stood, pushing away the question of whether he would be able to give Esmeralda the same peace he’d given the brothers when the time came. “I could use a nice soak.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The horse slowed, and Jade groaned. Dull pain radiated up her calves and thighs. Her shoulders ached from the constant tension of holding the reins and pommel all day. Without looking, she suspected that the top layer of her skin had been rubbed raw on the inside of her legs. Whoever invented riding horses was a fool.
She sat atop the horse and stared at the ground. The prospect of reaching solid earth without falling from the saddle seemed like an impossible feat. Luc slid from his horse with the expertise of an experienced rider. She silently cursed him. When they’d agreed to undertake this mission, she hadn’t imagined that her equine experience would be her downfall.
Luc turned and propped his hands on his hips. “Are you getting down?”
“Yes.” Her head seemed to be the only body part willing to work. “Yes, I am.”
When she didn’t move, he crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to the side, narrowing his gaze. “Well?”
Maybe if she could slide from the saddle, she’d be able to make it to the ground and he’d be no wiser to the fact that she was so inexperienced. She tilted to the left, squeezing the pommel in a white-knuckled grip while trying to bring her left leg high enough to lift over the horse’s back. One minute she was balanced, naïvely believing she could perform the maneuver, and the next she was face down on the hard earth.
“Jade!”
Blades of grass tickled the inside of her nose and prickled against her throbbing cheek. The weight of her body trapped her arms beneath her, but she didn’t have the strength to push herself up. Luc’s hands wrapped around her upper arms and hauled her to her feet. Every muscle in Jade’s body protested against the movement, causing a throaty growl to erupt from her.
“Are you all right?”
Her knees buckled, but he held her up until she found her legs. “Yes, just a little stiff from riding.”
He released her and stepped away, watching her as if she could topple over any minute. She rubbed her cheek and turned toward her horse, praying he said nothing more about her ungraceful dismount.
It took all her effort to lift her arms and untie her bedroll from the saddle. Even her fingers hurt. When the bundle dropped to the ground, she groaned and stepped back. Luc still stared at her. There was no possible way her aching legs would support her if she crouched to pick up the blanket. Perhaps she could just bend at the waist a fraction.
Spasms rippled across her lower back in protest. An involuntary gasp escaped her and she straightened. Her gaze snapped to Luc. From the expression on his face, she hadn’t fooled him for a second.
Her shoulders relaxed. “Fine, maybe I’m not all right.”
He smiled and picked up her bedroll. “A bit sore?”
“Not a bit.” She scowled. “A lot.”
“I know just the thing.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her to a large, flat rock.
“Please don’t make me sit again.” The idea of putting any more pressure on her rear end made her want to cry.
“I’ve got something better.” He tossed her bedroll on top of the rock and turned to face her. “Take off your clothes.”
Jade blinked back her surprise. “Excuse me?”
He pointed to the hot pool. “You’ll probably heal naturally by morning, but the water will soothe your muscles and relax you.”
“I’m not taking off my clothes.” Heat crept up her cheeks. “Especially in front of you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He bent and grabbed one of her legs, lifting it off the ground. “We’re about to enter the Shadow World and face the Bane. We need to be at our best. Now is not the time for modesty.”
Jade grappled for something to hold on to. With nothing but Luc within range, she grabbed his waist. He yanked, tugging her boot off. Before she could protest, he removed her other boot. Now barefoot, he targeted the ties of her pants.
“Stop that.” She slapped at his hands. “I can undress myself.”
He raised his hands and stepped back. “Right, sorry.”
They stared at each other for several long seconds. Propriety warred with common sense. To enter the Shadow World injured in any way would be foolish, yet being naked around Luc Le Daun seemed equally imprudent.
“Turn around.” She held her arm out in front of her and circled her finger. “And don’t peek.”
A coy smile spread across his face but he pivoted and walked toward the pool. Jade’s mouth dropped open when he tossed his vest to the side and pulled his shirt over his head. All that smooth skin she remembered from her healing in the chapel rippled with his movements. He stopped at the edge of the water. Jade couldn’t tear her eyes away, and when he slid his pants over his hips, her stare grew wide and her mouth dry.
She should have looked away, squeezed her eyes shut, done something other than watch his hands glide over his muscular rear end and down his thighs. Sweet mother of the Forgotten Gods, the man had a body made for sin.
She turned away and stared at a nearby bush, but the image of his naked body lingered like an unwanted guest. If her powers had consisted of fire vision, the shrubbery would have erupted in flames.
The sound of slapping water let her know he had entered the pool. Not sure how she could ignore his advice to soak, Jade tugged her tunic over her head. She’d lost track of the number of times she’d bathed in this exact pool. His reasoning to heal was sound. It was her own tangled web of emotions that had her questioning not only his, but her motivations as well.
She removed her pants with as little movement as possible, but decided to leave the thin linen shirt on. Since there had been no reason to hide her identity, she hadn’t bound her breasts. Once wet, the shirt would be worthless in hiding her body. For now, the garment would be good enough to get her into the pool with her modesty intact.
It was a man’s shirt, something she had stolen from a laundry basket more than a year ago. Though she was grateful for its long hem that brushed her mid-thigh, the wide neck hung off her left shoulder and nearly exposed her breast. She turned toward the pool.
“Are you done yet?” Luc stood facing away from her, the water lapping just below the dip above the curve of his cheeks.
She swallowed and brushed a hand across her forehead. “Nearly.”
With no other reason to stall, she walked to the edge of the pool. He slowly turned and faced her. Bless the Sainted Ones, but the glimmering blue algae clung to him like a second skin, outlining his thighs. She cleared her throat and shifted her gaze to his face.
“I used to bathe here when I was a child,” she said, trying to make conversation. “Since it’s on the other side of the mountain from the main entrance of the Shadow World, it was fairly safe.”
“That’s good to know.” Luc sank into the water. “Hopefully we won’t be disturbed.”
She watched the blue algae glisten and swirl around him.
“Coming in?” He pushed off the bottom and glided toward her. “I promise you’ll feel better.”
“
Yes, just give me a chance to ease into it.”
“I find…” A few feet separated them. “The best way…” With little movement, he effortlessly cut through the water. Jade’s eyes raked his body. “To get in…” He stopped at the edge and peered up at her. “Is to jump.”
A warning flashed through her mind a second before his hand snaked out of the water and latched onto her foot. She shrieked, but her cry barely escaped her lungs before she found herself hauled off the bank and tossed into the water.
Bubbles erupted around her and her muffled scream was cut off when she instinctively inhaled. Her feet found the bottom and she pushed, launching out of the water in a cacophony of sputters and coughs. Her hands tangled in her thick mass of dripping hair when she attempted to push the strands from her face.
She continued to cough and Luc gave her a few hard pats on the back.
“Swallow some water?”
She shoved his hand away, coughed again, and spit out the remainder of the swallowed water, not caring how unladylike the action was. Her nostrils burned from the sulphury liquid she had snorted. She rubbed her knuckles against her eyes to clear her vision and glared at Luc.
“Thanks to you, jackass.”
He gave her a smile that was pure rogue. “You’re welcome.”
She scowled. “I wasn’t thanking you.”
His eyes blazed a trail down her throat and stopped at her breasts. His voice took on a seductive tone. “You’re welcome anyway.”
Her nipples tightened under his gaze. His expression darkened at her reaction to him. This time her propriety warred with curiosity. She liked the way his eyes revealed what he was thinking and the curious stirring he caused inside her. Besides Rell, he’d been in her life longer than anybody. But the situation between them had changed—no longer enemies, but allies.
A twinge of guilt poked at her. They were on a mission, in essence, to kill her sister, and here she was lusting for the one man she’d been trained to hate.
Exhaustion swamped her. She was tired of maneuvering through the menagerie of emotions that came with having Rell for a sister. For once she wanted to experience something wonderful with no thought to consequence or guilt.
Her expression must have cued Luc to her thoughts. “Turn around.”
Without argument she did as he said. Luc moved up behind her and wrapped an arm around her just below her breasts, lifting her. Every inch of her body pressed against his, leaving no doubt about his desire. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder, drinking in the feel of being taken care of.
He carried her to the edge of the pool and released his hold, but didn’t stop touching her. His hands slid down her arms, giving her goose bumps even though she was feeling anything but chilled. His fingers twined with hers, closing into fists. He slowly extended her arms, his chest pressing against her shoulders, and placed her hands against the rocky ledge. More shivers rippled down her neck from his warm breath brushing against her ear.
His voice was pitched low. “Hold on.”
Other than her fingers digging into the rocky edge, she didn’t move. She let him take the lead, deciding for once to not overthink things but instead trust him.
His erection and hips pressed against her backside, but she didn’t pull away. She focused on his fingers, which had begun a soft rotating motion on her shoulders, working out the stiffness and knots.
Jade melted under his touch. A delicate mewl she would have thought impossible for her to make eased from her lips. From the way Luc’s body responded, she knew he liked her reaction.
His massage moved along the tops of her arms and returned from underneath, paying special attention to her wrists, elbows, and upper arms. He spread his hands against her ribs. His fingers brushed the sides of her breasts while his thumbs dug into the muscles around her shoulder blades.
Saints help her, but she wanted him to touch her, wanted his fingers to stray a little closer to her breasts, to stroke her. She hung her head and gazed along her body. His sculpted hips protruded beyond hers and the tips of his fingers hovered enticingly close to where she desired them to be. But he didn’t take advantage of her vulnerability, even though she believed he felt it. Instead he continued his trek downward, keeping to his promise to help heal her.
His arm slid around her hips to hold her in place. With the heel of his hand, he pressed against her lower back, massaging the aching muscles with skill. She moaned and all the lustful thoughts melted from her mind. The abused area slowly relaxed, releasing the tension and letting her back elongate. She sagged in ecstasy, her face lowering to inches above the water. Never had anybody taken the time to heal her before.
Luc tightened his grip. “You like?”
She groaned again in answer and then gasped when he knelt in the water and began to massage her thighs. The urge to pull away nearly overwhelmed her when his fingers drew dangerously close to her private area. So far he’d done nothing to warrant her panic. That would have been her usual response. Escape before things went too far. That was the old Jade. Like she’d thought a hundred times since the night she’d tried to kill Luc, things were different now.
She gave herself completely over to him, and as she knew he would, he proved to be a man of honor. His hands worked their way down her thighs to her tender calves. When he was finished, he stood and helped her straighten. She slowly turned, keeping her eyes leveled on his chest.
“Thank you. That was amazing.”
“Do you feel better?”
She glanced at him. Did she feel better? “I think you’ve banished nearly every ache in my body.”
He smirked, as if he caught her innuendo, but he didn’t act on it. Instead, he raised his hands over his head and fell back in the water. Jade caught a brief glimpse of his erection before his lower body submerged. Respect for him grew. It must have taken a lot for Luc Le Daun, womanizer, to not act on his obvious urges.
Jade ducked into the water, hiding her body. Flaunting her near nakedness just seemed cruel. They floated in the pool for several minutes, unspeaking. The chirping of the night crickets infused the quiet with a peaceful cadence. Both she and Luc seemed unwilling to spoil the calm moment.
Neither of them knew what tomorrow held. They could be killed, turned, or accomplish what they had set out to do. Exhaustion stole her ability to be firm.
After several more minutes of blissful silence, Luc stood. “We should get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.”
She released a heavy sigh and straightened, crossing her hands over her chest, and walked to the ledge. A tingle from the water’s rejuvenating effects, or maybe it was the close proximity to a naked Luc, skittered across her skin. He grasped her waist and lifted her to sit on the edge of the pool. Their eyes met, her hands lingering on his shoulders. So badly she wanted to kiss him, but to allow herself that one indulgence would ratchet the stakes of their success.
She already cared too much and she knew his intimate caress would push her past the point of rational thought. If something happened to him in the Shadow World, she would forsake their plan to save him. No, she needed to keep what little distance was still left between them.
She lowered her hands. “Thank you.”
As if reading her signal, he stepped away, respecting her wishes. Even though every inch of his lower body had spent the last ten minutes bumped up against her, she kept her eyes averted. He’d had the sense and strength of will to rein in his desires, and she feared that the least provocation from her would initiate more intimate moments she didn’t think she’d be able to resist.
They both dressed and worked in silence, unsaddling the horses and setting up camp. When they’d eaten and cleaned up, Jade hunkered under her bedroll with her head resting against the root of a tree. Luc took first watch, but sat close. Things between them had changed tonight. They’d crossed into unknown territory. Because of Rell, Jade couldn’t be happy about the feelings Luc stirred inside her. Despite Rell, she couldn’t regre
t them either.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Morning mist blanketed the ground below the rise on which Luc stood. Pebbles crunched under his feet, the sound echoing against the small opening carved into the side of the mountain. The entrance sat fifteen feet above the ground and a thick covering of vines hid it from view. Unless a person knew where to look, they’d never know the door was there.
He pulled back the plants and eyed the opening. It was questionable whether he’d fit through the narrow passage. That was an obstacle Jade hadn’t considered. Her hand slapped the small ledge and she pulled herself the rest of the way onto the outcropping. Too engrossed in examining the entrance, Luc made no effort to help and she refused to ask. Though still a little sore from riding yesterday, she was able to scale the face of the mountain with ease. Pride had made it difficult enough for her to let him lead the way into the Shadow World. After all, this was her domain, but he had insisted.
Rocks skittered along the ledge and skipped into the dark hole. They both froze, waiting to see if the Bane lurked beyond sight, waiting for their prey. No sound or movement issued from the blackness. Luc let out a slow breath and looked at her. She smiled up at him with an apologetic grimace. To be stopped before they ever got started was the last thing they needed.
Jade hauled herself the rest of the way onto the rock shelf and dusted off the knees of her britches. She straightened. “It’s smaller than I remember.”
“Or I’m bigger.”
She nodded. “That’s probably it. You are rather…massive.”
He smirked and her stomach did a little flip. Even with his hair short, he was strikingly handsome—maybe more so.
“Ready?”
The mood grew serious and she took a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
He nodded. There were no words to comfort her in this deed they had to perform. The doorway’s span was only a few feet. Luc turned sideways and inched in. Once Jade entered the corridor, darkness surrounded them, her body blocking out the light. Stifling humidity invaded the small opening. Sweat beaded on her forehead, but there was little room to lift her hand and wipe it away. A solid black wall separated them and she felt, more than heard or saw, Luc in front of her. Not only his size, but his presence filled the space. Even though she’d been raised in the Shadow World, this was the first time she’d ever felt a sense of security upon entering the demon realm.
