Her summation chilled him. Horrified him at what she had endured. To lose one’s mate like that, it would be as if a demon’s gamata died. A gamata was as close a bond as the Rajni bond of her Kind. It was like a soul being severed in two. “Words cannot express how sorry I am.”
Rathan knew Leo Taniss—Rand’s grandfather—was not well-liked. In fact, the male was hated by most of his family, including Rand. But to capture and torture two Dardaptoans was no easy feat. It shouldn’t have been possible.
“The tattoo...what does it mean?”
“Taniss Industries Specimen 211. Can’t you figure it out? He branded us like cattle.”
“Why 211?” Rathan’s horror grew. He was by no means a fool. He had seen much evil in his years. He understood what she was saying. He had been alive eleven thousand years. He knew the atrocities the Kinds had perpetuated upon each other. Nothing shocked him any longer.
“Because I was the 211th Dardaptoan held and tortured in his lab. My Rajni was number 210.”
“But why?” He sensed no falsehood in her words, but he was not a truth reader. That was his brother Lachial’s gift, not his.
“He drained us of nearly all our blood, then refused us more. To make a drug he’d invented. D-Palitren, used as a damned vaccine for humans for nearly fifty years now. He studied us like rats. He’d cut me, with a knife he’d dipped in something to make it scar, then stand there and watch me scream. Taking photos and videos. He’d watch Iavius try to get to me as I bled and bled. Then it was my Rajni’s turn. And I watched. I watched him until he was dead. I knew he was dead. And I knew I would be soon, too. I welcomed Death. Screamed for him to take me from this life and to the next, so I could be with Iavius. But Death never came for me.”
The flat voice she delivered her tale in chilled him the most. Rathan didn’t think. He scooped her into his lap and pulled the blanket tighter. He placed a kiss on her forehead. Rocked her. Tried to give what little comfort he actually could. “I’ll kill Leo Taniss for you, pet. This, I swear. And I will make him hurt as you have hurt. I will cut him and pull his bones out of his body one by one.”
He had never made such oaths lightly. But this…this was one he fully intended to carry out.
Rand would just have to get over it.
Her tears were hot against his skin as she turned her face into his neck. Rathan wrapped his arms around her and held her. He just held her as she grieved the male she had lost.
11
What was she doing? She wrapped her arms around the demon’s neck as she asked herself that question over and over again. He was strong and solid and so damned alive right there next to her.
She didn’t like him, could barely stand his arrogance and his entitled attitude, but damned if his arms didn’t feel like they belonged right where they were.
She couldn’t remember if anyone had held her since that day. Since she had been found and lost her babe hours later.
Aureliana, probably. Her best friend had stayed at her side for at least that first year after. Possibly her brother, who had been terrified he’d lose her. Who was still afraid of that.
Others? Maybe.
She couldn’t remember. Those days were the darkest of her life, and she would never have all the details. She didn’t want to.
She never wanted to relive those moments again.
“What did you plan to do with us?”
“Not harm you. Never harm you.” He shook his head emphatically. His hands tightened on her waist, and he pulled her closer. He buried his face in her hair and breathed her in. “Just keep you until we could lure them to us. That is all.”
“I see.” And she did. They were the bait, in a cycle that would never end. Males had been making war for her entire four centuries of life. It would never stop.
There was nothing healers abhorred more than war. But demons…demons were said to revel in it. And this demon that was holding her so closely was the king of them. “It’s because of the Taniss females; Joselyn and Emily and the other two.”
“Mallory and Michaela are Rand’s sisters; Mallory his twin. He is beside himself with fear for them, grief.”
“You are using me as bait. And then you plan to kill my brother.” It made sense. It was no different than what Cormac and the others had originally planned themselves. They’d taken Leo Taniss’s four eldest granddaughters, with the intent of killing them and leaving their bodies for their family to find.
It was only luck that had the four males involved realizing the four human females were their destined mates. They had almost killed them with their thoughtless actions.
Figured.
Here she’d found two more males just like her idiot brother and his friends. Using the females for their ultimate plan of war. Vengeance. Never once considering what was best for the females involved.
Damn it. When would it ever stop? All she had ever longed for was peace for her people. Safety. Yet war kept finding them.
Usually at some ancient male’s hands.
“If he is one of the four who took Rand’s family, then yes. That was our plan.”
“Even though my people have not killed, or harmed, the Taniss females in any way?”
“Even though. Have they harmed them?”
“No...”
“But there is something you are not saying.” His hands tightened on her arms, and he pulled her back slightly to stare at her. Kindara’s breath caught.
She’d betrayed her brother with this demon. She’d fed him so willingly. She probably would never get over the shame and guilt that brought.
She’d gone to bed with her brother’s enemy. That wouldn’t be easily forgotten or forgiven.
“The Taniss females have been converted into Dardaptoan, demon. They have all found Rajnis. They were converted by their males. Emily is the Rajni of our Dhar, our queen, even. They have not harmed them, I swear.”
“I see.” Anger boiled beneath his words.
She shivered. His arms tightened around her. Kindara fought the Dardaptoan instinct for self-preservation telling her to run as far away from this Incubi as she could get.
“So you can take me to my daughter now, then let us go.” Kindara heard the pleading in her voice again. “Those four females are perfectly…fine.”
Well, Joselyn wasn’t. Not yet. But Kindara’s new sister-in-law would be. Eventually. Kindara would see to that.
“I am taking you to her.” He shook her, chidingly. Demon fingers tangled in her hair. He tilted her neck back and brushed a kiss against her skin. She shivered at the kiss. “I have sworn that. But it will take time. Whether or not he lets you return to your people so quickly will be up to Rand. It is his vengeance we sought.”
“Even though his sisters and cousins were probably taken for our Kind’s vengeance? Leo Taniss has killed nearly two thousand of our people now: did you know that?” He shot her a look and shook his head slowly. Of course not. No one ever saw what their own side did in wars, did they? “Why should it matter that my brother took his granddaughter? Doesn’t that monster owe our Kind something? And it’s not like they killed them. They…adore them. Cormac worships my sister-in-law above all. He will adore Joselyn forever.”
“Cormac is your brother?” His hands were tight on her arms, and he turned her so he could look directly at her. He was testing her, as if he did not believe her.
“Joselyn is my sister-in-law.” Sweet Joselyn, who Kindara thought would be a perfect partner for her hard, harsh brother. The young, once-human female was strong of character and compassion. And was starting to love Kindara’s brother, as all mated pairs did. “I am not letting you take her from my brother. He loves her so much. I will not let him lose her.”
“We’ll see about that, kitten. The Joselyn I know would not wish to leave the research she has worked so diligently on behind for some Dardaptoan.”
“He speaks to her within her mind. No need for sign language between them. He’ll just randomly start laughing now, whenev
er they are together. I know she is saying things to him in his mind that are snarky. She is not frightened of him, not intimidated like so many others. You will not take her from him. I will not let you. Cormac needs her.” Her family was the most important part of her world. Jierra, Cormac…and now Joselyn. They were all she truly had in the world, besides Aureliana. She would never let her brother suffer the pain of losing his mate—even to Joselyn’s own family.
She’d kill the demon herself somehow before she would let that happen.
“If she does not wish to stay with your brother, I will bring the armies of the Incubi against him. I have made that vow to Rand, and I keep my vows.” His eyes burned through her when he shifted closer.
Then he was in her space even more.
Kindara’s breath caught. She could smell him, scent the male heat of him—and the blood beating beneath his pulse. Her mouth watered.
“Mostly.”
“Mostly? I thought a demon oath was unbreakable.” Her hand rose, to press against his demon heart. No. She was not about to feed him again.
She would not compound her betrayal of her brother. Not now that she knew who the demon truly was.
“I am the demon High King, and I rule because I am the strongest. Nothing is unbreakable for me.” His smile almost terrified her. At the hunger in it. He was hungry again. It was almost like he was starving for her. Kindara trembled again. Damn it. She didn’t want to feed him again. No matter what her body was telling her. “If I choose to keep you, female, nothing will stop me from doing just that. And I would keep you…for centuries. I doubt I will ever tire of you.”
Oh, three hells. His dark eyes were burning now, as he looked at her. Retreat…retreat was definitely her best option now. “I want my daughter. I need…”
“Shhh. You will be with her on the morrow. For tonight, we shall have one another. Do not fear me, female, for I will never harm you. That is a vow I make on my soul.” The demon pressed his lips to hers.
Kindara’s arms went around his neck and she kissed him back. Instinctively.
Her body was telling her that was exactly what she wanted to do. That he was what she was supposed to be doing right now. Her head, on the other hand, knew that to fall for anything a demon said was insane.
Crazy.
The worst thing she could do.
But...no one had to know what she was doing now. Just her. Just him.
Three hells, she was just going to stop fighting it. And for once in her life, just enjoy.
She pulled back from his kiss and pressed her mouth to his neck. She didn’t hesitate, didn’t think of the consequences.
Her fangs stabbed deep.
If he was going to feed from her, she was going to drink from him. It was a fair trade. The demonic bastard owed her for what he was trying to do to her family now.
He wasn’t the only one who was starving.
For the first time in thirty years, she felt real thirst. She was so thirsty she couldn’t fight it. She hadn’t felt thirst this deep since she had been carrying Iavius’s babe.
The demon was going to satisfy it.
12
His mate was still sleeping when Rand opened his eyes. He’d made a mistake. He’d rushed her, far more than she had deserved.
He winced as he recalled what had happened. He just stood and stared at her for the longest time. Then he had to turn away.
He hadn’t realized in time that she was a virgin. He just hoped he hadn’t scared her all that badly. Or traumatized her. She’d slipped back into her clothing minutes after they’d finished.
After he’d finished. He wasn’t entirely certain he’d satisfied her at all. He’d known how to handle women since the age of seventeen—never had he left a woman wanting. That he had failed his own mate their first time together wasn’t exactly something he was proud of. He would have to make it up to her.
Someday.
She’d slipped back into her clothing and climbed into the extra sleeping bag and stared at him. “Why did you abduct me?”
“You and your mother are our bait.”
“For what?” And then her eyes had widened, and she’d stiffened. “For my uncle. You’re after him, but I don’t know why. Or the dhar, because I’m his heir. Who…who are you? What is this really about?”
“Rand Taniss. I’m the alpha of the Taniss Pack.” He’d watched her eyes for some sign that she recognized him.
She’d most certainly recognized the name. His female had flinched and screamed. Her agonized no! was a sound he would never forget. She had begged the Goddess she worshiped for him to be a mistake. To make it so. To fix everything.
It had taken him hours to calm her enough for her to sleep. Hours. He had just held her in his arms until she’d slept.
She had been terrified of him. Long after he’d touched her.
Because he’d told her his damned name. Something about his very identity had hurt her deeply. So much so that she’d cried that her goddess had forsaken her.
What in the hell was he supposed to do about that?
He reached out and shook her awake. They would talk. Fix this.
She was shivering, the bedding nowhere near warm enough. The temperature of the cave was hovering around fifty-two degrees.
Fifty-two.
He cursed.
Fifty degrees was far too cold for a female of her Kind. Especially when sleeping.
He shouldn’t have been so stupid. She wasn’t just cold. She was sluggish. Hypothermic.
Rand ripped open his bedroll, then did the same to hers. The bedding would zip together. He did just that as quickly as possible, then wrapped Jierra in his arms. He pulled her against his chest and tightened his hold on her. One hand cupped the back of her head. Damn it, she was freezing against him. “It’s ok, sweetheart. I will have you warm in no time. Drink from me now; it’ll help warm you. Take from me now. Do it.”
A skinny arm snaked around his neck. Her tears landed on his shoulder. She fumbled, then her fangs sank tentatively into his neck. She barely took enough to keep her alive before she slept again.
Guilt had his anger rising. Anger at himself.
He never should have taken this girl. He could have killed her while he slept.
Finally, she stopped shivering against him and settled into a deeper sleep. She rolled, her back pressing to his chest. His arms settled around her like they’d held her a thousand nights before.
He held her as the remainder of the night passed. One hand rested over her small stomach where the pups they had created were resting.
She could have frozen to death tonight, their pups within her. He could have lost his family.
Through stupidity and anger.
He wondered if she realized just what they had done. And wondered just how he was ever supposed to let her go back to the Dardaptoans he so despised now.
He pressed a kiss on her gold-red hair. He would make it right.
Somehow.
13
The demon was dressed when she woke. Kindara was sore in places she hadn’t remembered could be sore.
He kept touching her whenever he could, whenever he got close.
He’d taken her twice more in the night. Neither time had she ever considered pushing him away. No. The exact opposite. She’d been the one to pull him closer—both times.
She had drunk from him after each time.
A part of her must have needed what had happened and damn the consequences. She’d needed that connection to someone, apparently. She’d definitely needed blood.
She just hoped demon blood wasn’t addictive.
That would seriously suck.
It took her some time to convince herself she had not been disloyal to Iavius. Her mate had been gone thirty years, four months, and twelve days.
A lifetime.
He would have gotten a kick out of knowing she’d been captured by a demon king—for the most part; he wouldn’t be too thrilled with her sleeping with a demon kin
g. Iavius had always been searching for adventures; dragging her into those adventures with him.
Life for him had been one continuous adventure.
It had combined well with her constant curiosity.
Neither one of them had had much common sense or self-preservation back then. They’d both been spoiled and reckless. High on their status among the royal families. Selfish. She’d been selfish, except when she healed.
She wasn’t proud of the female she had been back then.
Practically children, protected by Cormac, Cravic, and Nalik. His brother and hers had spent most of their time rescuing her and Iavius.
Until the one time they couldn’t.
The last time it had been her idea to go out that day. She’d wanted one more adventure before the babe had come.
They had taken Iavius’s brother and sister with them.
Only she and Nalik had survived.
Survived, but forever changed. She, a ghost of herself.
Nalik…there so much darkness in his soul it was terrifying.
“Come, pet—”
“My name is Kindara, not pet.” Pet was the most irritating pet name she had ever heard, even if he did utter it in that sexy Incubi way of his.
Three hells, maybe his blood was addictive. It would explain why she was feeling this way. Why she couldn’t get him out of her head.
He smiled at her, a sexy expression that had her stomach clenching and her body heating.
Damn him. It had to be a demon spell or lure. There was no other reason she would want him as much as she did. Kindara had better control of herself than that.
“I wish to pet you again. And again. Kitten, pet…angel. Maybe I will keep you. Would you like that? You are perfect for this demon.”
He paused in whatever he was doing and turned to her more fully.
He had no tunic on. All those perfect male muscles were right there on display in front of her.
Bound To The Demon Page 5
