by Kresley Cole
"You have it. I understand why you behaved as you did."
"Then I want a chance to earn back your trust."
Not so easily done. He released her, turning to peer out the window. With his finger against the glass, he followed a stream of water outside. Amazing. Water everywhere, and glass even in this modest structure. "I thought things were a certain way. With us. They were not. Now I do not know."
"I care for you. That hasn't changed," she said. "If anything, my feelings have grown stronger."
"How much was ... real?"
He knew she'd understood what he was really asking when she answered, "Malkom, I've never known more pleasure with another man."
How badly he wanted to believe her. But he was inexperienced, and she could have feigned that pleasure, with him none the wiser. She could be lying right now.
"What do you want of me?" she asked.
"You are my female. Fate has bound you to me. So I need to protect you."
"And claim me?"
Lust shot through him, and he hardened with a swift heat.
"Or drink me?"
He hissed in a breath, his mind fixed on that last day they'd spent in the mine. Seared into his memory was that vision of her—fresh from her orgasm with beads of crimson slowly slipping past her nipple. His bite mark had been like a brand on her flesh. "And you would let me take your blood? When you would not before?" He tried to recall his taste of her tonight, but only saw a haze.
"Now I understand why you do it." She was just behind him. "It's to feel close to me, isn't it? I will never deny you that again."
Never deny them....
"Malkom, I would give anything to feel that close to you. I've needed you." When she laid her palm on his back, then her cheek, he stiffened. "Haven't you needed me?"
She wanted him, wanted him to possess her at last. So why did he feel such foreboding? Such fury?
Ignore it. Take her, bury yourself in her body. But she could deceive him again, as easily as before. Only this time, if he claimed her, she could be carrying his babe.
He'd rather not have a child than have one out in the world, vulnerable, without him there to guard it, providing for it. He wouldn't be like his own father, who'd left Malkom to the whims of a whore, to be bought and sold.
Though he might understand why Carrow had done as she had, he couldn't merely forget the pain of the last week, the mistrust of the last four centuries. "I spent these days hating you. I imagined doing things to you ..."
"That would make my skin crawl?" she finished.
He turned to face her. "Yes." He'd been anticipating them right when his collar had fallen off.
"What would you have done in my situation?"
"The same. But I also would not expect to be forgiven. I would not expect to be trusted," he said, thinking of another question he wanted her to answer. "Why did you come to Ash? Did you intend to rescue me from the Trothans only to hand me over to the mortals?"
"No. I would have come for you no matter what. I felt awful about hurting you—"
"Yet you decided to do worse to me?" He ran his hand through his hair, still unused to his regenerating horns. Another pain that I endured for her. "Do you know what the armorer said just before I killed him? He told me that I would lose you."
"I'm not lost, Malkom. I'm right here."
He exhaled. "And I am weary, witch. Go tend to your young and leave me be."
She drew back her head as though slapped. "Very well. But I will win back your trust. If it's the last thing I do." She returned to the back room. He heard the ropes tighten as she joined the girl in the bed.
He stared at the rain on the window for long moments, waiting for her to fall asleep. As usual, his eyes were greedy for the sight of her.
Once he heard her breathing was deep and even, he returned to watch them in slumber. Carrow had her arms wrapped tight around the little one.
The witch would do—had done—anything to protect that child.
When he'd been Ruby's age, he would've killed for someone to take an interest in his well-being, much less vow to protect him—no matter what the consequences.
I would have thought her an angel.
If Carrow had been the heartless female he'd supposed her to be, then she would never have taken that mission to lure Malkom here.
Maybe 'twas not over yet.
The knot in his gut remained. And maybe you are a fool.
In what looks like an abandoned city, the witch and her army face off against a horde of centaurs, fire demons, and Invidia.
She is confident of her abilities, knows that they'll have a victory—or go down in history.
"Wait for my signal!" she orders over her shoulder as she advances. Though flames light the night and explode all around her, she marches forward. She knows fear, yet she continues in the face of it.
Foolhardy witch. Even in sleep, Malkom began to sweat, heart racing for her.
In her hand, she pulls up concentrated magic. It sparks, but is cool to her, a welcome pressure above her palm.
"Now!" she screams, hurling the magic. An arc flares from her hand toward a distant structure. In a heartbeat's time, the blast renders the building to rubble.
But her enemies have focused on her. Fire demons trace around her, a dozen of them with flames ready. Before she can retreat, they strike, fire streaming toward her—
Malkom woke, shooting upright from his spot against the cabin's outer door.
He ran his hand over his face, gazing out into the stormy night. 'Twas only a dream. And obviously she'd recovered. So why was he filled with apprehension for her?
He had no one but himself to blame for witnessing that battle, had welcomed her memories. Though dreading the nightmares from his past, he'd sought dreams, needing to know more about her.
With his latest taste of her blood, he'd been rewarded with new memories, dozens of scenes. That battle in particular.
He leaned back against the door, piecing together what he'd learned. Carrow was a commander of the Wiccae, heading an entire contingent of witches. She was both reckless and victorious in war.
When fully powered, she was able to pitch building-crushing bombs from her hands.
And that is the life she wants to return to?
A life he wasn't a part of.
He glanced back in Carrow's direction. So close. Yet loneliness weighed on him, worse than any of his nights in that infernal mine.
Because now I know what I am missing....
Chapter 36
"Crow, are you awake?"
"Why do kids ask that when they know you're not?" She cracked open her bleary eyes. "No. Really."
"I'm hungry. And that demon's gone, so I can't get him to fetch me something."
"Ruby, he's not a dog." She rose from the net, wincing at her body's chorus of twinges. The floor was going to be freezing on her bare feet, and there was no enticing aroma of coffee to coax her out of bed. Still she rose. Have more than myself to look out for now.
Carrow had always been fiercely defensive of her coven, raring on the front line in any conflict. But looking out for Ruby was different, the need to do right by her even stronger. Because she's depending completely on me. "Was Malkom here when you woke up?"
"Nope."
"Oh. Well, let's see what we can find." She rooted through the feys' pack, finding only two energy bars and a few packs of energy gel.
Again, there were no multipurpose tools or weapons of any kind. But there was shampoo and soap aplenty. The feys were just as silly as she'd been when packing.
Carrow held up her find. "You wanna chocolate-chip energy bar or some energy gel?" She might have been worried that they'd run out of food, but she knew Malkom could catch more.
"The bar."
As Ruby ate the chocolate chips off the bar, Carrow peered out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Surprise—it was still raining!
Fern fronds climbed upward like trees, stretching as tall as she was. Li
chen seemed bent on covering every inch of rock, battling with fungi for dominance.
At the shore in the distance, all appeared harsh, scoured by wind. Here within the trees, fog subdued the scenery, muting it.
She realized Malkom wouldn't have to fear the sun here today, could travel comfortably under the cover. And in the interior, the forest was just as dense as here. So how far would he go? she mused as she began exploring the cabin.
First thing she noticed? Nonpoisonous spiders and centipedes filled the place to the rafters. Good thing witches like insects.
The sole closet contained a coil of rope, some life jackets, and a pile of decomposing blankets. At the bottom was a bucket and an old-timey wooden tub.
In the cooking area, she found a rickety stove, a couple of rusting food tins, and an assortment of mismatched pots and pans. Twine, clothespins, a whalebone comb, and a moldy deck of cards were in one drawer.
Another stroll to the window, another eager scan. No Malkom.
Carrow needed to talk with the demon so she could run her new plan by him. She thought they should get this place fortified, and then he could venture out to search for a way off this island, looking for allies, a boat, a severed hand, anything.
She suspected that Lanthe was still here. Though Thronos could fly, there was no way he could go a thousand miles over an ocean with a passenger, especially not when he was so broken, his wings twisted. If Malkom could rescue Lanthe, then they might be able to track down Fegley's hand.
Long shot? Absolutely. But Carrow didn't exactly have any short shots to choose from....
Still he hasn't returned. She needed something to take her mind off him, something to keep her occupied.
So she strung up a line of twine in front of the fire, using the clothespins to hang up Ruby's damp clothes.
Which took ten minutes. What to do now ... ? Her gaze fell on Ruby, hopping after a centipede on the floor.
"You need a bath, kiddo."
By dint of Herculean effort, muffled curses, and trial and error, Carrow procured water from a trough outside, warmed it on the stove, and filled the wooden tub.
"I'm kind of getting handy," Carrow said as she began washing Ruby's hair with the feys' shampoo. "Little House on the Prairie-esque, even. We're just like pioneers, except we don't have to wear bonnets, right?" Ruby gave a half smile.
I'll take it. The first smile she'd seen from her since their ordeal began. "Look at that. I almost forgot you had dimples." Carrow ran her forearm over her brow. "Come on, let's get you rinsed off."
After the bath, once Ruby had been fed, washed, and dressed, with her hair combed out, Carrow gave a mental hat tip to moms everywhere. She also felt a flare of alarm that Malkom still hadn't returned.
"What're we going to do now?" Ruby asked.
"Maybe check out the beach?"
"It's raining outside."
"No prob." Carrow helped her don the tall fey's rain jacket, but it swallowed her, looking more like a poncho. After rolling up the sleeves, Carrow said, "Let me see you rock the poncho. Who rocks the poncho?"
"I do!" Ruby put her hand on her hip and flipped her hair. Adorable.
"Come on, you," she said, grabbing Ruby's hand as they tromped outside into the fog. One side of the cape was wave-tossed, the other smooth. They headed for the windward shore.
The beach there was eerie to Carrow, forlorn even. Giant whalebones arced up from the rocky ground, while ragged seaweed lined the edge.
Carrow was used to Gulf Coast beaches, full of fun, sun, and sometimes drunken nudity. This is not my scene. She recognized this like a malamute plopped in a desert.
As if reading her mind, Ruby said, "I wanna go home."
"Me too. I'm going to talk to the demon about it when he gets back." She gazed around. Hours had passed, and still no sign of him. Maybe he'd just left them behind? Said to hell with her and her kid? No matter that she and Ruby were defenseless without him?
" Now what do we do?"
"I don't know, honey." Or maybe he'd been waylaid by a covey of nymphs? Fornicating with them in the rain. His magnificent body damp and flexing with strength. "I'm coming up with an idea as we speak," she lied.
"What if he doesn't come back?" Ruby asked.
Then they'd be totally and unequivocally hosed. Carrow could try to find Regin or Lanthe, but she would have to bring Ruby with her into the mountainous interior. Worse would be to leave Ruby here. What if I never made it back to her?
"I don't know. We'd probably be in a pickle." Last night Carrow had thought that she could get used to having a demon around to do things for them. Now she chafed at how dependent on him they'd become. For the thousandth time, she yanked at her torque. She needed her powers back now!
"Should I be nicer to him?"
"You should be nicer to him because he's a good guy." Carrow sighed. He was good, a bighearted, proud demon. She knew better than to believe he would abandon them or leave them unprotected while he bedded nymphs. Which meant ... he could be hurt. "Maybe he's at the cabin, waiting on us."
The demon wasn't at the cabin. Now her worry went into overdrive.
She'd just slipped Ruby the last energy bar to de-chip and anxiously dealt a hand of go fish when the door swung open. He was safe! She leapt to her feet, rushing toward him.
He glanced over his shoulder, then faced her with a frown. "What?"
You're safe. "I was worried. Where'd you go?" She blinked up at him, trying to listen to his reply. Safe. With us.
"Searching for a better place to stay." He was soaking wet, but the grim set to his lips had eased.
Carrow tilted her head. I think he likes it here. Thank goddess for that.
He edged away from her, putting down some supplies he'd collected—ropes and a shovel. Then he shook his hair out, like an animal, making Ruby giggle around a mouthful of chocolate chips.
Had he just given a half smile before his face grew stern again? "You will remain here," he said. "This is safest."
"Okay, whatever you think."
"But others might come. I'll set up traps, block off this branch of land."
"A peninsula," Carrow absently corrected, then wished she hadn't. "Um, it's a peninsula of land."
"You're gonna make traps?" Ruby asked with wide eyes. "Can I see?"
"Honey, I'm sure he'll be busy."
"The child can come with me."
"She doesn't have to go, Malkom. It could be dangerous."
He glowered. "I would never let her get hurt."
"I know that." She trusted him implicitly, especially after he'd gotten her safely back to Carrow last night, a miracle in itself. "I just—"
"We will be back in an hour or so." He motioned for Ruby, who ran to him so fast she almost forgot her rain jacket.
Carrow wasn't invited? Leaving the little lady back at the homestead? Bite your tongue. She forced a smile that made him frown again.
At the doorway, he paused and asked over his shoulder, "Do you need anything?"
You. Being loving again. "I'm good for now." When they left, she glanced around the cabin.
I wonder if I can fit in that tub.
Chapter 37
Information. He wanted it and thought the girl could give it to him—though he hadn't encountered a child in centuries and had no idea how to deal with one.
But how difficult could it be?
As he strode down a natural trail, she jogged to keep up, out of breath, yet still chattering. She reminded him of the witch in Oblivion, talking to herself as they'd hiked to his mine.
What doesn't remind me of the witch? He'd spent the morning fruitlessly searching for a more defensible position, all the while thinking about Carrow until he'd wondered if he could go mad from it.
In his dank mine, Malkom had stared at her for hours, trying to determine what she reflected on when her eyes had grown soft. He'd found it so damned exciting to be with her. Rewarding.
Now what he felt for her was so raw it frightened him.<
br />
"Find a place to sit," he told the girl. "I'm digging here." A pit trap would do nicely on this path.
If not for the concentrated number of immortal enemies, he'd have considered this island a good place to live. Mist cloaked the sun, and even if it emerged as it had the day of his capture, Malkom could keep beneath the cover of trees. The vast forest surrounding them teemed with animals, sluggish creatures that seemed to go out of their way to be seized. Even more jumped in the water, taunting him to catch them.
Already, he'd drunk more blood than he would have over several days in Oblivion....
The child sat on a root that grew above the ground. "Why're you digging there?"
"Good place for a trap. So others cannot get to the ... peninsula."
"Why?"
"Anyone who wants to come to the house will have to walk on either this path or one other."
"Why?"
Ignoring her questions, he began shoveling. "So tell me about Carrow—"
"You really can't swim? What's your job? You look like a fireman." Her eyes lit up. "Firemen have deaf dogs." She sighed. "I want a dog."
She must have caught her breath. Malkom tried to keep up with her words, growing more alarmed by her each second. "Ruby," he said, injecting a note of sternness into his tone. "I want you to answer some questions about Carrow. Does she have a man?"
"Like a boyfriend? Crow's got tons of boyfriends. They're always coming around the coven."
He clenched the shovel handle, just preventing himself from rendering it to dust. I will put their heads on pikes.
"Crow's one of the most beautiful witches we've got in our coven." Getting a sly look about her, Ruby said, "You think she's pretty, too."
"She is"— beyond compare—"appealing enough," he said. "Do others think well of her?" Or was she as hated as he'd been?
"Everybody loves her because she's fun. Everybody wants to be friends with her."
Malkom knew how much fun she was. He'd seen her disrobing for hundreds of males, was certain any one of them would want to befriend her.
He stabbed the shovel down. "How long have you known her?"
