To let him see me.
I’d break him in bed, but I still want it so bad.
His knees bend, feet pressing flat to the mattress. Head kicking back on the pillow, he arches into the next thrust, biting back another oath.
I nearly explode. My fingers don’t even make it inside me. Writhing on that seat, I come against my palm, feeling my clit throb like crazy.
Lex shoots up into a seated position, staring at his cock with honest-to-gods fear in his eyes. “What the . . . holy fuck that’s amazing. Shit!” His voice breaks as his erection seizes in his grip, pearly white cum lashing from his tip.
Out of breath, shaken up, I yank my hand from my cunt, ashamed at how wet my fingers are.
Lex scoffs, apparently just as ashamed, and stomps out of bed. Calling himself eight types of crazy, he rushes right into the bathroom.
Boy, I’m right there with you. What the hell is wrong with me?
I will my pants back on, staring at the empty bed, wondering what the fuck I’m going to do until extraction time.
Better question: what the fuck am I going to do afterwards when he’s brought into the fold?
“Sillizi.”
After not hearing her voice for days, the sound of it now isn’t exactly welcome. Nylicia, I’m on this mission for you—
“For the Brahmastra.”
You don’t just get to go incognito and pop back up when you feel like it!
“I do when I come with news: the new Goddess of Conquest is incoming.”
Conquest!
“Yup. Soleria is going to tear that place down.”
SOL?!
“Make sure you help Alexis make it out of there safe after he leads his coworkers to safety. Ignore Ianthen and his current state. I’m serious. You leave him there.”
What are you going on abo—
The monstrous, metallic groan of tearing metal.
Everything around us seems to shake.
Security systems engage, the blaring sound of the alarms engulfing the hallway outside.
Holy fuck. That’s Sol?
Alexis jumps into action, running from his desk to his closet. In mere moments, he’s suited-up in his M-Kon gear, helmet and Teret included.
It isn’t until he’s barreling out the door of his quarters that I snap into action.
Pounding his way down the hall, he yells and motions for everyone to run in the other direction, where the emergency exits out of the base are.
There’s so many people. Did Nylicia really want me to wait around until he saves all of them?
I see the end of the hallway, where it opens into another room. Alexis stops at the opening, waving others in his direction.
I slam to a halt next to him, my heart lurching in my chest.
The hallway leads to an amphitheater. One of those sick, surgical types. At the bottom, on the first-floor level, Ianthen’s on an operating table.
I gag, surprising myself. I’m no stranger to carnage, nor is this the first time I’m seeing one of my allies maimed like this, but the sight of his missing legs leaves me stunned.
Ianthen’s here.
They amputated his legs. The damage of that is more mental than physical due to his species. He’ll have his legs back by tomorrow. The strangling panic he must be experiencing won’t be going away as easily.
And I can’t even fucking do anything for him.
The last of the humans run down the hall, back the way Alexis and I came. Lex is also frozen next to me, staring down at Ianthen.
How can I leave him like that?
The oath I swore to Nylicia, that’s how.
Alexis shakes himself out of it and starts running towards the emergency exit. At the other end of this passageway is the opening that leads to the rest of the base, a city built in a man-made cavern in this volcano.
The base shakes with another hit. This time, the blast came from somewhere inside. Throwing one last look at Ianthen, I dematerialize in the direction Lex went. Reforming at the other end, I see him pumping those long legs down the road between the two-story buildings. Even as he rushes to his own safety, he doesn’t stop shouting for people to run in front of him.
I flash after him, running ten feet behind him, my eyes on the cavern above.
It is me or is it getting freaking hot in here?
My eyes widen. This volcano has only been dormant for a century. Is Sol slamming power straight into the core?
If so, shit’s about to get real ugly on this island. Even a small eruption can prove deadly for the inhabitants.
The next explosion that rocks the place sends us flying off our feet.
Impact. My body dents the cement. The Gnetica keeps me hidden, but there’s no hiding that hole. No time either.
The floor quakes once more. Everything trembles.
Including the buildings.
First thought: That’s definitely Sol’s temper.
Second: Fuck. She has Conquest inside her.
Third: Is that building tilting?
It is. Right under it? A shaken-up Alexis is sprawled on the ground.
Evesse’s brother will be crushed by that structure.
Can’t let that happen.
The building starts coming down.
Dropping the Gnetica, I dematerialize in front of Lex and jump into the air. The full weight of the building lands on my back. Crying out, I slam energy down through my feet, using the propulsion to keep myself steady.
Beneath me, Alexis Salazar is frozen, one arm held up in a defensive pose. He’s still wearing his helmet, but I can feel how he’s gaping up at me.
Seeing me.
“There we go. Mission Accomplished.”
I startle at Nylicia’s voice and my body jerks under the weight I’m holding. Kind of busy right now!
“We have what we came for. Deposit him near the exit and let’s go.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue—or my mind, as it were—to deny her. But why would I? I don’t care about him aside from the fact that I like his sister. He’s nothing but a mission. An objective.
And a male I want to fuck like some wild she demon from hell.
Either way, the oath to Nylicia will always come first. Until the mission is complete, and my payment has been received, that takes precedence. No matter what.
Gritting my teeth, I push upward with all my strength. Tendrils of dark smoke, not dissimilar from that dark energy they wield, trickle from my skin. I know that my eyes have flooded completely black. My long black hair whirls around my shoulders, framing my face.
Alexis lowers his arm and sits up higher to get a better look at me.
One more push of energy and I slam the building off me, letting it crash onto the other one next to it.
Hopefully no one was in there.
Lex’s attention is rapt on me and he doesn’t see the debris falling. A large object hits him in the head.
I curse under my breath as his head falls back on the floor, limp.
Knocked out.
“Fucking great.” Shielding myself with another Gnetica, I flash down to him, grab him, and dematerialize to the emergency exit.
I deposit him feet from it as other humans approach, all frantic to get out.
A group sees him collapsed and—just as I hoped—they team up together to drag his large frame outside. He’s one of the first thrown into a van that speeds down the roadway.
Nylicia, does that van make it far enough before the eruption?
“Yes . . .”
Then where the fuck are you? We need to talk.
“No we don’t. You need to follow that van and I need to see where they take him to next.”
I can’t even fight her on that command. Why? ‘Cause I was stupid enough to enter into that stupid agreement!
Scowling, I head in the direction the van went, hearing another roar from the volcano fill the air.
Chapter 31
Twenty-four hours later
- Medical Wing, Enzyria<
br />
IANTHEN
M y female is destined to become a queen.
Not just any queen—Zeniel’s thrown, the one Cilpera usurped for an eternity, will become hers.
That is, if what Nylicia claims comes to pass.
I’m here. I’m still alive. Shit, I was at that base a little under twelve hours.
Betting against her isn’t in my best interest right now.
The luminous exo-skin that was covering my legs is nearly gone. I watch as the last pieces peel off on their own, floating gently onto the bed where they disappear shortly after.
“A crystal leg that eventually becomes a real one. Remind me never to lose a limb.”
I stare at the source of that smartass comment out of the corner of my eye. “You’ve been decapitated twice, from what I’ve heard.”
“But I just reappear whole. That”—she points at my leg as another piece of exo-skin falls off—“that is just not right. No matter how pretty the sparkle coming off it is.”
“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be with Crius?” I haven’t spent that much time with the Queen of Ritrio, but something tells me she’s going to be just like all the other females in my life.
A pain in my ass.
Dimithinia drags her stare away from my legs. “Seriously, do not ever let me do that. It is disturbing.”
Disturbing is the fact that she sat there, watching my legs regenerate from a crystalline outline to flesh-and-blood.
I keep that comment to myself, turning to Cy. “Where’s Soleria?” Don’t get me wrong, I’m aware that she probably doesn’t want to see me, but I can’t stay away any longer.
I’ve given her a whole day while growing back my legs.
I’m done.
Cy glares at me from his leather chair. He’s been with me the entire time since we arrived yesterday. “Listen to me. Nylicia wants us out of here in the next eight hours. We must meet up with the mind Erencei in North Eren. An envoy of the peace Erencei will also be there to judge if Zeniel can be allowed in to their royal house for negotiations—”
“Just tell me you passed along the message of the Ethys to Nylicia.”
“I did.”
I throw off the covers draped over my lap. “Then all I care about is Soleria—”
“—annnnd you need to talk to Vedlyl about what’s going on with her anyway,” Cy finishes, rolling his eyes.
Dimithinia leans towards me. “Do you? Do you truly care only about her? Because your recent actions say otherwise.”
I meet her head on. “What is your problem, female?”
Her lips curl into a cold smile. “I was inside her heart as I restarted it for her. That is what.”
I don’t let her see it, of course, but my breath leaves me as the meaning of her statement hits home.
“You should know,” Cyake interrupts. “Soleria’s restaurant is up and running. Nylicia set up a temporary manager and bodyguard.”
“Who?”
“The Sesengt Seraphi is on guard duty. Eva has enough human knowledge to know how to run the place.”
“Who the fuck is Eva?”
“Um, hello? Ryth’s human ward? Remember her?”
My mind flashes to an image of a hyper little girl with black hair and stunning light gray eyes. “That’s impossible. He never, ever lets her out of his place.”
Cyake’s dimples make an appearance. “Oh, no. She’s of age now and, apparently, she’s flown the coop. I hear he’s on a rampage looking for her but she somehow managed to get a spell that keeps him five-hundred feet away. Her idea of a joke. I, for one, think it’s bloody brilliant. I can’t wait to see that motherfucker losing his shit!”
I shake my head at him.
Vedlyl arrives. “Before we discuss Soleria, we need to talk about you,” he tells me.
“You fucking lied to me! You told me I wasn’t mating or bonding to her!”
“Because I didn’t fucking see it. I apologize, but you’re the first of your kind to do it. Your body was never going to react in the typical ways, and R’mannevs on their own are already ninety-nine percent unpredictable in how the symptoms hit.” He calmly walks up to me, scanning my newly regrown legs.
“You were so fucking sure of yourself, Ved.”
“And that was my hubris.” Grabbing my wrist, he looks at the cuffs next. “For that, I apologize. Now I know there’s no way to predict anything when the next one hits.”
In the background, Cy cups the back of his head and hangs it between his knees. “I’m so fucked.”
Gods. I haven’t even asked him what’s going on with his situation. The last few days have been nothing but craziness—fuck, the last few weeks have been—but I’m a shitty best friend regardless. “Any word on Spari?”
Cyake sits up, appearing exhausted. “I sent feelers out to most dimensions last week. Early reports can only agree on one thing.”
“What’s that?” I ask as Vedlyl moves to my left arm and inspects that cuff as well.
Throughout our lives, I’ve spent most of my time looking into Cy’s jovial face. His wide, happy eyes. Those dimples flashing as some new, unique trouble brews in his mischievous mind.
The gravity of his stare now unnerves me. “Spari is a multiple reincarnate.”
“Most humans are.”
“And she remembers each life.”
“Fuck.”
“Yup.”
“How many, Cy?”
“Not sure yet.”
My sister flashes into the room next. One look at me and she’s running to hug me. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there. Nylicia told me you’d be alright, but I almost flipped when I felt what they were doing to you.”
Hence why I eventually slammed our connection closed until we arrived back here.
I wrap my arms around her. “It’s okay. Cy told me you stayed behind to help with clean up at Brownsville.”
She eases back, wincing. “And Mom. You don’t know what it cost me to keep her from barreling straight over here.”
Groaning, I rub a hand over my face. “Fuck. Ma. Ugggh.”
“Oh yeah.” My sister nods, movements heavy. “I promised her I would get you to her as soon as I found you two days ago. You’re going to have to show your face. Pronto.”
“That’s how you die, bro. You confess to your mother you lost your R’ma and how, and then she ends you.”
I whirl on Cy. “Are you saying that as Fate?!”
“No. Your momma is like my momma. I’ve known her my whole life. Don’t need to look into the future to predict that.”
Dick.
“Hi Dimi,” Ianythi greets next to me. “What are you doing here?”
“I am trying to better understand the foolishness that is your brother.”
What did I tell you? “Listen, pain in my ass. What gives you the right to annoy me like this?”
Her eyes move in my direction, even as she remains facing my sister. “I have been inside her heart. I told you. Vedlyl, you have been inside her heart as you told me. Tell him as well.”
“WHAT?”
Cyake curses under his breath.
“What the fuck does she mean you’ve been inside my female’s heart?”
Vedlyl takes a deep breath, obviously preparing himself for my wrath.
As well he fucking should!
I jump off the bed and my feet touch down on the ground. The new skin remains too sensitive. Pinpricks of sensation shoot up my legs; I barely notice them, my eyes tracking the blonde doctor in the room.
Cyake jumps in front of me. “Calm down. Relax.”
“Get out of my way, Cyake. I don’t care he’s your uncle.”
Dimithinia gasps, the only being in the room that wasn’t aware of that little hidden fact.
Massive arms held out to his sides, Cyake blocks my way. “Aside from the fact that my mom would annihilate you if you hurt her brother, he’s a fucking doctor. He’s the first being that saw Soleria after Zeniel brought her here.”
“Your female was on the verge of going comatose. Had she not been half-Erencei, I would’ve lost her before anything could be done,” Vedlyl says, arms crossed.
“So you connected with my female like that!”
“Evesse was trapped in there for three weeks over something that happened years ago. Would you have rathered I let Soleria slip into a dark, comatose state in which her heartbreak may have trapped her there indefinitely?”
No, damn it. No.
But the thought of any male connecting on such a level with my female is more than I can bare.
“Where’s Soleria?” I snap at no one in particular.
A split second later, I materialize all over the compound, too impatient to wait for anyone’s reply. It doesn’t take me long to locate her through my bond.
Taking form in one of the hallways, I summon a leather jacket and shrug into it.
At least my cuffs will be covered.
My mating mark I’m not so sure about. I can only hope. It first appeared while I was a wolf in Brownsville. It disappeared once I was captured, but Cyake told me earlier how huge it was covering my left side as a wolf.
Red, blue, white. Based on the dimensions of it while I was a wolf, I have no doubt it’ll cover me from jaw down to my ribcage.
Not ready for Sol to see that yet. She’s dealing with enough.
I walk down the hallway towards one of the massive arches leading outside. Even from here, I can pick up on the sound of the girl’s talking.
“Sol, you’re scaring us. Seriously. Stop this.”
No reply is forthcoming.
Ismini interjects next, “What’s going on, Sol? Why are you acting like this? Is this physical, mental . . . emotional?”
Try all three, Ismini.
I stop just outside the entryway and close my eyes. If Keiros had more control over his powers, I’d beg him to give me the chance to undo the last forty-eight hours.
Not that he’d let me that easily. Every event, no matter how small, ties into a thousand others. The eternal line of dominoes, waiting for one mistake to begin its eventual collapse.
And Soleria survived what happened to her. Don’t know what other possible outcome would’ve ended with her surviving her transition into immortality. All I know is that this one did, and I must work with that.
Blood Drenched Conquest (Ryze Book 3) Page 27
