“So this happens a lot?”
“It’s not as bad as it seems.” A lie, but better that than the awful truth.
She didn’t look convinced, but didn’t call him on it. “How do you recharge? Is there something I can do to help?”
He grinned, tried to lighten the moment, play down the hell that was his truth. “It’s top secret angel business. Silas would cut off my allowance if I told you that.” She smiled in return, but he didn’t miss the concern in her beautiful eyes. He pulled her down and touched his lips to hers for no other reason than he had to. “Having you with me helps more than you’ll ever know.”
She looked tired, and he realized she’d been up all night looking after him. Pulling her down, he tucked her into his side and wrapped her in his arms, again reveling in the sensation of having her so close. It still amazed him her touch didn’t freak him out. He craved it.
“Sleep, Mia.”
Moments later, her breathing slowed and he knew she’d drifted off. But Zenon didn’t sleep. Instead he relayed every touch, every word she’d whispered to him, over and over in his mind, locking it in tight.
And for once he allowed himself to imagine what things might have been. How his life could have been different if he wasn’t a slave, if he’d been born different—if Mia could be his.
“Harder this time, Mia. Don’t hold back,” Zenon growled as he came at her again.
He grabbed her arm as if he were an attacker, this time from a different angle. Swinging out, she attempted a knife hand strike to the side of his neck, the move used to temporarily stun your attacker. He grunted and yanked her forward. Mia threw up her other hand, like she would if she were to use the heel of her palm to strike up and under his nose, but pulled back at the last minute.
Zenon growled again and swept her legs out from underneath her, laying her flat.
She hit the mat hard. “Oomph.” Mia gasped, worked at getting oxygen back into her lungs.
He held out a hand. “Up. Come on. Again.”
Okay, now he was just pissing her off. “I’ve had enough for today.”
He shook his head. “Up, Mia. Now. We’re going again.”
She tried to stare him down. “No.”
“You think a demon gives a shit you’re tired?” He was scowling down at her, but after three weeks of amazing orgasms and tender moments, he didn’t scare her anymore. Zenon was gentle, attentive—and filled with so much pain it tore her apart every time she saw that shadow creep across his face. But right then he was being a stubborn ass. She’d told him about the self-defense classes she’d started and how disappointed she was to be missing them. He’d had her training every day since, almost obsessively.
She shook her head. “I’ve had enough.” He reached down and grabbed her hand, attempting to yank her up off the floor. “I said no.”
“Get the fuck up now. You’ve had enough when I say so.”
Oh, that was it. She kicked out then, nailing him in the knee. It jarred back awkwardly and he sucked in a breath. Copying the move he’d used on her, she swung out and swept his leg out from under him.
His big body hit the mat. Hard.
“Shit.” She scrambled over to him. “Zenon? Are you all right? I’m sorry.” He was making a weird noise. Oh God, she’d really hurt him. “Should I get help? Are you all right?”
When he looked up at her, he was grinning so wide she was almost blinded by all those straight white teeth. The bastard was laughing.
“You think that’s funny?”
He nodded, holding his side while laughing so hard she thought he’d rupture something.
She smacked him on the shoulder. “Jerk.”
She spun around to make a pissy departure, but before she could take two steps, she was in the air, spun around then flat on her back. Zenon loomed over her. “You’re not going anywhere. I told you I haven’t finished with you yet.”
“Oh right, how could I forget? I’ve had enough when you say so.” She said the last part in a mock deep, growly voice.
“That’s right. Finally she gets it.” The grin was still firmly in place, and Mia had to work at not smiling in return.
“Okay, you have me where you want me, so now what?” Heat darkened his gaze. She’d grown to love that look. A lot.
“You need to be punished.”
“What do you have in mind?” She sounded breathless, needy, and she didn’t give a damn.
Sliding his hand up her shirt, he glided rough fingers over her stomach to the sensitive underside of her breast. “If I tell you, the surprise will be ruined.”
God, she loved this. This teasing, playful side. It had come out more and more over the last few days, and every time playful Zenon made an appearance she had the urge to hold her breath, afraid to break the spell. Reaching out a hand, he chuckled evilly as he used his powers to lock the door. The sound of it sliding into place filled the charged silence.
He continued to stroke her skin, making her squirm. “It’s a good thing I love surprises, then.”
The wicked glint in his eyes almost made her want to take those words back. Almost. “You have trouble with self-control and following instruction. Those things are important. So I’m going to teach you.”
That didn’t sound good. “What are you—”
He shook his head. “For the purposes of this lesson, you will not speak, Mia, not until I tell you to. You will not move unless I tell you to. Nod if you understand.”
Her blood rushed faster, her heart pounded harder. She’d learned fairly quickly that Zenon like to take control when they were in bed. She’d also learned that she loved it. She didn’t know why, but Zenon needed this, needed to feel as though he had full control, and she was happy to give it to him. He turned from a male who came across as unsure, almost shy at times, to something else entirely.
He pinched her nipple, not enough to hurt, but enough to make her gasp. She nodded.
“Good girl. Now lift your arms.” She did as he asked and he pulled up her shirt, but instead of removing it fully, tangled it around her wrists. “Is that all right, princess?”
She nodded again, and he grinned, a lopsided sexy grin that caused liquid heat to flood her sex. He’d also started calling her princess. She loved it. Her bra came off next, torn from her body without apology. He slipped off her sneakers, followed by her underwear and yoga pants. He slid them down her legs slowly, his dark gaze moving across her bare skin.
Now completely naked, she lay sprawled on the mat, waiting for what would come next.
“Bend your knees and open yourself for me.” His voice was harsh, rough, and she shivered. She did as he asked, heart pounding, anticipation flowing through her veins. He pulled his shirt over his head, revealing all that beautiful inked skin, all those vicious scars she knew marked him inside and out. “So fucking beautiful,” he rasped.
He knelt beside her and ran his index finger from the indent in her throat down between her breasts then across to circle a nipple. The touch was light, barely there, and she arched up, needing more. He took his hand away and she groaned.
“No moving, or I stop.” The serious note to his voice wasn’t very effective, not with the wicked tilt of those tempting lips.
Oh, he was enjoying this.
The throb between her thighs increased and she wanted desperately to squeeze her legs together to ease the ache. She stilled and he chuckled in that dark way that sent delicious shivers across her skin. He ignored all her naughty bits and instead ran his fingers over her arms, her stomach, across her hip. Finally, he bent down and kissed the smooth skin just below her belly button. “Sometimes I can’t believe you’re real and not something I dreamed up in my mind.”
His quietly spoken words stole her breath. How could he say that when he got nothing in return from her? He still hadn’t made love to her. He didn’t even take off his jeans when they slept together. His attention was always solely focused on her, what she needed, what she desired. And then he’
d say something like that and she knew there was so much more to this male. There were things that she would never know about him, things she wanted to know more than anything else in this whole world.
He leaned in and trailed soft kisses from her belly to the underside of her breast. She held her breath, letting it out on a moan when he closed his lips over her nipple and sucked gently. His hand skimmed her waist and moved down. He shifted, moving his thick, muscled thighs between her legs, holding her open while he ran a finger down her aching center.
“So wet, Mia. So hot.”
He kissed her deep and hungry, thrusting two fingers inside her, taking her in a deliciously rough way. When she was gasping and panting, he pressed his thumb against her clit. That was all she needed, and she flew apart beneath him. Her body bowed almost painfully, her hips moving of their own volition, dragging out her release. Her body gripped his fingers tight, holding him inside her.
When she came down and her breathing evened out, she opened her eyes. Zenon was watching her, and that dark heat was still there, as well as a possessive hunger she was growing to crave.
I love you.
The words bounced around her head, and she knew they were shining from her eyes like a beacon. Oh God, she loved him.
His lids fluttered closed, and he pulled from her body then pushed to his feet.
“Zenon?”
He paced back and forth a few times, his breath sawing in and out, then he roared, a sound so filled with rage and agony Mia felt it to her bones. She scrambled away until her back met padding, not sure what to do or what to say.
He pulled back a fist and slammed it into wall repeatedly in a frenzy of emotion that saturated the room.
Mia didn’t know what had set him off. Why would her loving him make him so angry? But then his grunts turned to sobs and she couldn’t bear it.
Scrambling off the floor, she came at him from the side so he knew it was her and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Stop, Zenon. Stop this.” He kept at it until blood smeared the wall in front of him, his knuckles raw and split. What the hell had he been through? Who did this to him? Tears tracked a heated path down her face. She squeezed his shoulder to get his attention. “Stop it, Zenon. Please, stop it.”
He spun away from her and thrust his hands in his hair, breathing hard, pacing the room again.
“Look at me. Please.”
He shook his head and let his chin drop so his hair fell forward, covering his face. That alone killed her. He hadn’t tried to hide from her since they’d been together. She knew what it meant, and the pain of it had the power to knock the wind from her lungs.
“What’s going on?”
He shook his head over and over. “I can’t…we can’t do this anymore. I was wrong to use you like this. It was a mistake. It should never have happened.”
“No.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “You don’t mean that.”
He lifted his head, eyes blank, distant. “I told you, I can’t be your prince, Mia.”
She flinched like he’d slapped her, and stumbled back a step. “Why are you doing this?”
“It’s time.”
That was all he said, all the explanation she got after three glorious weeks. Jesus, it hurt. But this pain wasn’t hers alone. His reaction proved that.
“If you need time…if you—”
“I don’t need time. It’s over.”
“That’s it? You’re throwing me away, just like that, like I meant nothing to you?”
He looked down again. “You said you’d only take what I could give. I don’t have anything left. This is…it’s too much.”
She hugged herself tighter. She got attached, she fell in love. That was her mistake.
“Did I ask too much of you? Did I do something wrong?” She had never felt more vulnerable in her entire life. She was standing there completely naked, all but begging him not to let her go, and right then she didn’t give a damn.
“No,” he choked. “You did nothing wrong. This is on me.”
“So that’s it?” She sounded desperate but she couldn’t make herself shut up.
“This had to end sometime.” Yeah, he’d seen it in her eyes, and now he was running scared. “I’ll have your things moved to another room.” There was no emotion in his voice. It was completely flat and chilled her to the bone. Goose bumps covered her skin and she tried to rub them away. She didn’t think she’d ever feel warm again.
“I’m sorry, Mia.”
Anger welled up inside her and she lashed out. “You want to close yourself off, throw me aside as soon as real emotion is involved, that’s your deal.” She bent down and gathered her clothes, shoving them on.
Then she unlocked the door and yanked it open. She didn’t turn back, couldn’t. Seconds later she was walking down the hall on autopilot, pain lancing her soul. She tried to shut it down, block it off, but there was no containing what was happening inside her. It pumped through her blood, ripped through her limbs. It went beyond pain, like something had been torn from her body, a vital part of her that she couldn’t live without. She headed straight for the elevators and punched in the floor that housed the demi-demons.
She had to find James. The sooner she got her powers unlocked and mastered, the sooner she could get out of this place and join her sister.
She needed to start that new life.
Chapter 15
Zenon flew above the compound, circling the building’s perimeter for the tenth time. Going in held no appeal. Every room in his apartment reminded him of Mia. Even the goddamned elevator made him think of her, of holding her in his arms.
It had been a week since he’d hurt her—the last thing he’d ever wanted to do. But seeing that look in her eyes, the way her whole face softened when she looked at him, he’d known in that one perfect moment just how badly he’d screwed this up.
She truly cared about him. What happened to him.
Everything he’d ever wanted had been staring back at him in her beautiful blue eyes.
And he’d lost it. He’d never felt so much rage in his entire life. Because he had to turn away from it, turn away from the female he wanted with every fiber of his being. So yeah, he was angry.
But what choice did he have? If he stayed and carried on with what they were doing, it would only hurt her more when he was gone.
When Zenon landed, he strode from the balcony into the control room, keeping his head down. Avoiding people had worked so far. He’d been giving his brothers a wide berth. The last thing he wanted was to talk. Talking led to questions, and right then he didn’t have the answers. None he was willing or able to give.
But as soon as he stepped over the threshold, he knew something was wrong. Low level electricity skittered across his skin, lifting the hair on his arms and the back of his neck. Something was way off. Rocco sat at one of the desks, his booted feet propped up on its surface, tapping away on the keyboard resting in his lap.
“What’s going on?”
Rocco looked up. “Well, I’m up to level twenty-seven on Angry Birds Star Wars. You?”
Zenon growled. “Can’t you feel it?”
Rocco dropped his feet to the floor and stood. “Feel what? What’s going on?”
“Where’s Mia?” He was already moving toward the door.
“In the training room, far as I know—”
Zenon was out the door and pounding down the hall toward the stairwell before Rocco finished his sentence. Shoving the door open, he jumped the rail to the lower level, then the next, and the next, and the next, until he hit the floor with the training rooms.
A weird kind of static buzzed through the air, its intensity rising with every second. He hissed, pleasure and pain assaulting every molecule in his body.
Shit.
When he reached the training room door, he could feel Mia inside. He didn’t hesitate and kicked the fucker in.
The sight that confronted him stole his breath. Mia stood in the middle of the room, her
long red hair flying around her face and shoulders. Eyes closed tight, tears streaked down her cheeks. Her hands were held out in front of her, glowing fiery orbs of energy flying from her fingers. They hit the opposite wall, leaving behind singed circles in the padding that smoldered around the edges.
James stood to the side, holding his arms up, looking freaked.
Zenon stepped farther into the room.
“Stay back, Zenon.” James’s voice sounded distant.
Like hell. His heart pounded as he felt a familiar need crawl up his spine, hitting him in the back of the skull. Stepping to the side, he put himself in the line of fire. The first one that hit knocked him to his knees. He grunted but staggered back to his feet and took another step toward Mia. Her eyes flew open and she tried to turn away, but Zenon called her power to him, and each ball she sent flying changed course midair and came at him, nailing him in the chest.
Oh fuck. So good, so fucking good.
He kept coming at her until he was standing beside her. “Stay back. I…I can’t stop,” she cried.
Grabbing her wrists, he forced her to face him and pressed her hands against his chest. The intensity of all that power moving through his body had his eyes rolling back in his head. Each hit jarred his body, sending pleasure-pain streaking through his nerve endings. Mia fought him, her screams echoing around the room, but he was too far gone to explain what was happening.
After the last hit he dropped to his knees at her feet. Rough hands grabbed at him, pulling him back up. Voices talked over the top of each other but he couldn’t make his jaw unclench enough to tell them he was okay. Finally, the last wave of energy pulsed through his system and he slumped against the big body at his back.
When he opened his eyes, he realized he was surrounded. Every knight stood watching him. Chaos was at his back, holding him up. Mia stood to the side, sobbing silently, her arms wrapped around herself.
Knight's Salvation (Knights of Hell Book 2) Page 17
