Chapter Twelve
Purring
HELLFIRE SHIVERED FROM THE COLD and warily climbed under the covers. She quickly turned onto her side, trying to keep from coming into contact with Sami, and groaned.
Of course, the bed sags in the middle!
But as Sami’s heat seeped into her and his soft breathing reached her ears, she began to relax. Moments later, despite her worry about Nix, her hurt and anger with Sami, her eyelids slid closed as well.
A little while later, Hellfire roused enough to find herself cocooned in Sami’s arms. At first, she thought she must be dreaming, but his heartbeat at her back and his breath on her neck assured her she wasn’t. Remembering her own dream vision, the reason she couldn’t be with Sami and another sinister memory, her heart began to pound with fear. She pushed back the covers and started to pull away.
Shit, it’s freezing in here. The fire must have gone out.
Sami’s arms tightened around her and Hellfire froze as panic began to build. However, when he didn’t move and his breathing remained the same, she reminded herself that he wasn’t Deacon. Only a voice screamed inside her head that it didn’t matter. That no guy was to be trusted, ever!
She’d once thought she knew Deacon. She had thought she could trust her own judgement. She learned the hard way that she couldn’t. Still, she didn’t think Sami was going to kill her in her sleep. At least she hoped not. Telling herself to stop overreacting, Hellfire forced herself to relax. After all, all she had to do was scream, and there’d be people rushing in to see what was wrong.
After a moment, when the panic finally subsided, she hesitantly glanced back at Sami. He still slept, oblivious. Part of her wanted to move away, far away from him but another part wanted to snuggle closer. A new kind of heat began to fill her. Careful not to wake him, Hellfire turned and snuggled back into his arms, this time so that she was facing him. She tried to tell herself it was so she could keep an eye on him, just in case.
Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that lie.
Hellfire studied Sami. She marveled at how sweet and handsome he looked while sleeping. No sign of the pain she constantly caught glimpses of, or anything that should make her fear him. She longed to run her fingers over the dark blond whiskers covering his jaw and his lips. She remembered the feel of those lips on hers on her! Her eyes slowly closed as she reveled in the warmth of his arms.
This actually feels nice.
A little smile lit her lips as she drifted back to sleep, feeling safe and secure for the first time in over five years.
SAMI’S DRAGON WAS PURRING. Heat slithered through him and he moaned in his sleep. The heat turned to fire as it began to rush through his veins to every nerve ending in his body. His cock was stiff, and aching. Aching to be buried inside Goldy, no, not Goldy, someone else, someone he had been yearning for his whole life. Someone who made him feel alive, whole, someone who …
His eyes popped open. No. But yes, it was her—Hellfire. She was lying snuggled up in the circle of his arm, pressed up tight against him. Her head rested against his neck, her lips scorching his skin. Her hand felt like a firebrand, singeing him where it lay under his shirt on the bare skin of his chest.
How did she … when did she do that?
Then he became aware of her leg lying over his just inches away from … oh gods … his cock was now throbbing, and wanting, needing to be buried deep inside her sweet core.
Sami’s heart picked up speed as he became increasingly aware of his situation. As Hellfire slept, she mumbled and moaned, giving a little twitch here and there. Her lips caressed his skin, making him throb even harder. Desire for her raged like wildfire through him, and it didn’t matter that she wasn’t Goldy or even that Hellfire had once hurt him, rejected him. No, he just wanted her—and oh, so badly too. He bit back a groan and fought to keep very still—unmoving. He really didn’t want to wake her, but he needed to get away from her. He glanced at the tiny little shuttered window. Not a single ray of light shone through, meaning it was still a while before morning.
Shit.
She might be his soul mate, but he refused to give in to his cravings. He couldn’t do this and he couldn’t just lay here either. It was too painful. Ever so slowly, he tried to move away, attempting to ease out from under her but he didn’t get far.
“No,” Hellfire murmured and wrapped herself even more tightly around him.
Sami’s breathing caught and he froze. He began to breathe a sigh of relief when her hand moved out from under his shirt, until it landed on his aching cock, cupping the bulge in his jeans. This time he couldn’t hold back the groan. He closed his eyes as her hand slowly rubbed back and forth.
“Sami,” she whispered and his eyes flew open.
Glancing down at her as she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, he then saw she had settled down again, and realized she was still asleep.
Holy hell.
Or more accurately, Hellfire! She was driving him insane with need.
He tried to ease away again, beginning to feel desperate.
“No, don’t, please. Don’t kill my sister. Kill me instead, please,” she cried out, the words a whispered plea from between her lips.
Sami stilled. His breath hitched in his throat. Even though he knew she was only dreaming, the urge to protect her surged inside of him with fierce intensity. He wrapped the arm she lay in protectively around her, holding her close.
“Shh,” he whispered, wanting to reassure her.
Just the thought of someone wanting to hurt her, or her offering her life for her sister’s made him want to scream, rage at, and kill whoever it was that tormented her. Sami held still, his own needs forgotten as Hellfire settled down in his arms again, and began to breathe easier. He’d hold her like this for as long as she needed him to.
Although his dragon still wanted her, the beast within him seemed content as well, truly surprising Sami. Holding as still as he could for the next few hours while Hellfire slept, he watched and waited until the first pink rays of light forced their tentacles through the cracks in the shutters.
He knew the instant Hellfire came awake though. Her breathing changed and she tensed up ever so slightly. A moment later, she relaxed with a contented sigh. He expected her to move away from him but she didn’t. Instead, her lips tickled the sensitive skin of his neck in whisper-soft kisses. Something he definitely hadn’t expected. Sami’s heart picked up speed and he tensed up. He needed to move away from her—now. Then she realized where her hand was and with an appreciative moan, she rubbed the solid length of his cock through his jeans and glanced up at him with a heated light in her eyes.
“Hmm, hi … I’d ask how you are, but you feel pretty good.” She smirked up at him, making him moan.
Sami’s heart was roaring along with his dragon now. This wasn’t right though, he couldn’t do this. He’d make a promise to himself. He’d picked Goldy and even though she said she released him, he couldn’t betray her love or trust. He started to pull away.
Hellfire held onto him. “Don’t go…please.” Her heated request broke him. He stopped moving and swallowed as Hellfire, her leg still on top of his, rubbed her core against him. “I want you, Sami.”
“I—” He didn’t know what to say. He wanted her too, but he couldn’t have her. Besides, even if he could, he wasn’t willing to let her hurt him again.
She rubbed her core against him again and with a heated moan, her hand slipped inside his jeans, and caressed the length of his cock. Sami closed his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing. It was impossible. He wanted her too damn bad and her hand on him was about to make him come.
Oh, sweet demons!
Opening his eyes, he somehow managed to pull away a little. Hellfire glanced up at him and the heat burning in her eyes captivated him, and held him prisoner. And her lips …
Her lips were so close they were an alluring invitation to lean over and taste them. Just one nibble … lick. Oh gods, he couldn’t re
sist her.
Sami surged up and rolled Hellfire onto her back. Using his arms to support his weight, he lay on top of her. His cock pressed into the soft spot where he ached to be buried deep, and his lips met her surprised ones. Hellfire wrapped her legs around him as she accepted his tongue into her mouth. Sami moaned. She tasted every bit as intoxicating as the first time he had tasted her. Hellfire’s hands dove under his shirt and seared his skin as she pulled him closer with a wild moan.
Heat rushed through Sami, making it hard to stay in control but finally, a picture of Goldy’s smile filled his brain. Guilt quickly rushed in and he reared back.
No, don’t do this!
His heart beating erratically, he fought for control as he stared down into Hellfire’s glowing silver eyes.
“Don’t stop, please, take me. I need, I want you,” Hellfire said and Sami could see the passion flaming in her eyes.
“As much as I want to, I can’t, I’m sorry,” he said as he began to move away from her. His dragon was screaming inside him and his cock was practically weeping. Hurt filled her eyes and she glanced away rolling to her side of the bed and taking the blankets with her.
“Why do you affect me like this?” she whispered.
Sami didn’t think she meant for him to answer. With a last regretful look at her back, he grabbed his pack and walked out of the little room.
A minute later, Hellfire flew from the bedroom and across to the door where she shoved Brimstone out of the way and rushed outside to the outhouse.
“Well she’s in a hurry,” Brimstone griped as he turned and sat back on the couch. He eyeballed Sami as he yawned. “You better leave her alone.”
Sami stared at him a moment. The guy kept pushing Hellfire at him and now he was warning him to leave her alone? Was he nuts? “You know, you could have slept on the bed with her and left me the couch.”
Brimstone shook his head. “Yeah—no, that’s just sick. She’s my sister, man.”
Sami shook his head. “I wasn’t suggesting—”
Brimstone laughed. “Nah, I know. But still, I’m not sleeping in the same bed as my sister, too weird.” Then Brimstone narrowed his eyes on Sami. “But, I have good hearing and I know you have someone back home so until you forget about her, you leave my sister alone, hear me?”
“Yeah, no worries, I just want to find Nix and get back to Goldy,” Sami said then he frowned at Brimstone. “But, why do you keep pushing us together?”
Brimstone smirked. “She may be smaller than me, but she fights nasty. I learned a long time ago to keep my distance. It keeps the peace. Besides I don’t need my asshole rearranged.”
“TMI dude.” Sami shook his head as he thought about Brimstone’s words. “So, that’s it? You’re scared of her. That’s pathetic, she’s your sister,” Sami said and saw the door open. Hellfire, looking pale and shaky walked back in.
“Yup, I am and you should be too,” Brimstone said as he slipped out the door.
“Hey, are you okay?” Sami asked Hellfire as she curled up on the couch with her feet under her. She pulled the blanket Brimstone had used over her legs.
“I’m fine,” she said, not meeting his eyes.
Sami snorted.
Chapter Thirteen
Drakayeh
SAMI WENT OVER to the fireplace and added more logs to get the fire going again. He stared at the flames, deep in thought. Hellfire was normally really hot in body temperature so every time she touched him, he could feel the natural fire inside her. So, her feeling ill had him wondering if there was still that much infection in her that it was making her cold. Turning around, he studied her. She sat with her head back and eyes closed. Could she have contracted the Were disease as well? Or something else perhaps, when she was wounded?
After everyone took a turn in the outhouse, Drakayeh, still weak and healing, came out of his room to meet them. At seven-feet tall and bulky, he was every bit the giant Sami remembered, although his copper beard wasn’t as long as Sami remembered it.
“You’ve grown up, Samarias,” Drakayeh said, slapping him on the back. It surprised Sami that Drakayeh even remembered his name. After asking about Zander, Tierney, and Jax, Drakayeh smoothed his mustache and shook his head. “I’m sorry to hear about Zander. But he’s a tough old angel, he’ll recover.”
Sami frowned at the word angel. Most Supes that knew what they were would have called Zander a Fallen. Then he nodded, not mentioning the pain Zander seemed to be in. If Zander wanted others to know, he could tell them himself.
“And you say Tierney and Jaxsaron finally mated?” Drakayeh grinned. “That doesn’t surprise me one little bit. That girl was a little hellion even as a child.” Then he motioned to the old wood-burning cook stove. “Hinah left food for everyone in the oven.”
Sami smiled. “Will Hinah and Orion be joining us?”
Drakayeh shook his head. “No, Orion has a job to go to and Hinah left early this morning to fetch her daughter, Julie.”
They all helped themselves to orange biscuits, something that looked like ham, and eggs.
“These taste like chicken eggs,” Sami said, surprised.
Hellfire glanced at him curiously and Drakayeh chuckled.
“There aren’t any chickens in Tartaria,” Sami told Hellfire.
Brimstone raised an eyebrow as he continued to fill his mouth. “Really?”
Sami nodded. “There are other birds that lay eggs, but not chickens.”
Drakayeh smirked. “Well, there be chickens here now, boy.”
Sami frowned at him and Drakayeh nodded. “Yup, brought some chickens over from your world. We got us a little henhouse out back now.”
Then Drakayeh focused his attention on Hellfire and Brimstone. “Julie knows someone in the Ilyium’s inner circle who may have a lead to where they took your sister.”
Brimstone nodded and Hellfire put her fork down, looking suddenly pale again. “Thank you, we’re really worried about her.”
An hour later, Hinah arrived carrying a bundle of clothing in her arms. Behind her, another woman followed. Julie. At first glance, she looked like a younger version of Hinah until she pulled her hood back. Julie was the same height as Hinah, but her eyes were a very pale silvery blue and her hair was also blue. Her complexion was a little more tanned and not pale like her mothers. She didn’t look anything like Drakayeh or Orion either. Sami frowned, she did look familiar however, but he knew he’d never seen her before.
After introductions were made, Hinah nodded at the clothes she’d set on the table. “I brought these so you will fit in better,” she told them before going to check on Drakayeh who was sitting on the couch. Assuring herself that he was okay, she turned back to Sami, Hellfire, and Brimstone. “Julie has a friend who is one of them.”
“Them?” Hellfire repeated.
“He’s Ilyium,” Hinah said.
Julie, who had sat down at the table while they sorted out the soft leather clothes, shook her head at her mother’s unhappy tone. “Mother, I told you, Isoul is a good guy, he’s on our side.” Then Julie glanced at Hellfire and Brimstone. “Mother told me of your situation. I will talk to Isoul. He should either know or be able to find out where your sister is being held.”
“If he’s one of the Ilyium, why would he help us?” Hellfire asked suspiciously.
Julie smiled at her sadly. “Isoul’s secrets are not mine to tell. All I can say is that Isoul belongs to a special group and if I ask him, he will do this for me.” At her mother’s glare, Julie smirked. “I keep telling you. We are just good friends, Mother.”
“So you keep telling me, but I see how you look at him,” Hinah said.
Julie pursed her lips. “He has a partner, you know that.” With that, Julie got up to leave.
“I’ll go with you,” Hellfire said.
“I’m going too,” Brimstone added, jumping to his feet.
In the end, Sami, Brimstone, and Hellfire went with Julie to find her Ilyium friend.
“C
an we fly there?” Brimstone asked. He glanced at Sami then back at Julie. “One of us could carry you,” he suggested.
Hellfire, who must have suspected why her brother wanted to carry Julie, shook her head at him. “Yeah, and you’d drop like a stone, you’ve never carried anyone while flying before.”
Brimstone glared at her. “Shut up, I could do it.”
Julie smiled at him. “We could but it isn’t wise. While it is not uncommon to see dragons flying around, we wouldn’t want the wrong people seeing you or your sister,” she said pointedly.
Brimstone sighed in obvious disappointment.
It didn’t matter that Hellfire could turn invisible. Sami knew that her brother couldn’t. Without another word, Julie headed across the clearing and into the forest.
“Keep it in your pants,” Hellfire told Brimstone with a light smack to the back of his head as she turned to follow Julie.
Sami stifled a laugh when he saw Brimstone mouth the word bitch as he hurried to catch up. Fifteen minutes later, Brimstone, who was now walking behind Julie and in front of Hellfire and Sami, glanced up at the blue sky that still carried streaks of pink and orange, even though it was midday.
“So, when I asked Sami what kinds of people inhibited this planet, he just said lots of different kinds. Can you tell me?” Brimstone asked Julie as they emerged from the forest into another snowy clearing.
Julie glanced at him and smiled. “Well, he’s right. And they’re beings, not people. But I can tell you the main ones at least. First, there is our enemy—the Ilyium, mortal druid witches. Most of them hate anyone Supernatural.”
“Yeah, we have them in our world too,” Brimstone muttered.
“What do you mean by most?” Sami asked. “When I lived here, the Ilyium all hated all Supes.”
“Supes?” Julie said, glancing back at him with a confused look.
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