by G. K. DeRosa
Talon’s fingers tightened around mine, and my heart skipped a beat. A wave of heat warmed my insides, reaching every dark nook. “Talon, can you hear me?”
“Yes,” he muttered, his raspy voice accelerating my pulse. His eyelids fluttered, and I held my breath until my eyes met his. The typical silver smolder was absent, but even with their luminescence dulled, they were the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.
I wrapped my arms around his neck as hot tears pricked my eyes. “Thank the gods you’re okay.”
“I’m okay,” he muttered through clenched teeth. “Just be careful—”
I scrambled back realizing I’d been sprawled all over his fresh wounds. “Ack, sorry!”
The ghost of a smile tipped up the corner of his lip as he squeezed my hand. “Don’t ever be sorry for hugging me. I’ll endure the pain even if it kills me.” His thumb grazed my palm, moving in slow circles. His brow arched, and he stopped for a moment before continuing the tantalizing circular motion.
My skin tingled from his touch, and it was taking all my restraint to keep myself from jumping on top of him again.
Talon pushed himself up, and a slight groan escaped his clenched lips as he straightened. “How long have I been out?”
“I’m not sure. I just woke up too.” I glanced through the window on the door but couldn’t make out a guard in the hallway. “Where is everyone?”
“I guess no one considers us a threat in our condition.” He ran his free hand over his torso, skimming the bandages.
“I don’t know if I should be pleased or insulted.” I smirked. I trailed the movements of his fingers, slowly gliding over his wound. “That dagger had to have been spelled. There’s no way it should’ve caused this much damage, right?” I glanced from his chest to mine.
He nodded, anger darkening his features and a wave of rage assaulted my insides. “From the looks of it, the damned blade went right through me and nicked you.”
I massaged the odd swell of anger filling my chest and glanced beneath my shirt again. “More than just nicked.”
Talon blew out a breath and cursed. “I never should’ve let you go down there with me. If anything had happened to you…”
I pressed my finger to his lips and gave him a reassuring smile. “But I’m okay. You’re the one that almost got yourself killed to protect me. Again.”
“I told you. It takes a lot more than that to kill me. I’ve got a tough dragon hide, remember?”
My fingers danced lightly over his bandaged chest, and I smiled. “Oh, I remember.” Again, trickles of energy buzzed along my flesh everywhere we touched. What was up with that?
The click of a door opening spun my attention to the entryway. Talon bristled beside me until Fiona’s cheery face appeared through the crack. “Oh good, you’re both awake.” She walked in, scanning both of us, her lips twitching as if she were mentally cataloguing our physical states. She motioned me to move aside and took a closer look at Talon’s bandages. A twinge of jealousy flared as her fingers lingered over his torso.
I shook my head, chasing away the unexpected sensations. “How’s he doing?” I asked.
“He’ll be fine. His wound is healing nicely now that we discovered what the blade had been dipped in.”
“What was that?”
“Vasicus saliva. It keeps the wound from closing and acts as a blood thinner. Both of you lost a lot of blood. Much more than you should’ve from a typical knife wound. Luckily, Talon took the brunt of the hit, his size saved you both. It took us awhile to figure it out, but thanks to Hayden’s healing power we kept you alive long enough to discover the cause.”
A chill skittered up my spine. If Talon hadn’t stepped in front of that blade, I would likely be dead right now. I folded into the chair beside the bed again as Fiona continued Talon’s examination. When the healer finished, she finally turned to me. “And you? How are you feeling?”
“Good.” I rubbed at the bandage covering my chest.
“No pain?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“I’m glad to hear that. You’re both very fortunate. Now, no major exertion for the next few days until your bodies have fully healed. Got it?”
We both nodded.
“If you’re up to it, I have a couple guys waiting to see you. They’ve been lingering in the infirmary since last night. I told Hayden to take it easy after all the energy he’d expended healing you guys, but he didn’t last for more than a few hours under my watch.”
Poor Hayden. He must have used a lot of power if he’d ended up in the infirmary too.
Talon’s questioning gaze met mine, and I dipped my head. “Let them in,” he said. His voice seemed stronger than it had a few minutes ago. I was sure he was as curious as I was to discover what happened with Delacroix. I hoped the whole trip hadn’t been in vain.
Fiona waved from the doorway. “I’ll be back to check on you two later. If all remains the same, you’ll likely be discharged in the morning.”
“Thanks, Fiona,” I called out, but I was pretty sure it was lost in the bustle of Hayden, Dallas and Logan’s entrance.
The warden stomped straight toward me, a deep line furrowing his brow. “For the love of all the gods, Azara, you are going to send me to an early grave.”
I couldn’t help a smile from splitting my lips. Logan easily filled the fatherly role on the team, and despite his overprotectiveness being a little annoying, I couldn’t deny it made my heart full. “I’m okay, Logan. Thanks to Talon.”
He ticked his head at the dragon sprawled across the small bed. “Thank you again, Talon. I must say, choosing you to protect Azara is one decision I do not regret.”
The brooding dragon made a noncommittal sound, somewhere between a grunt and an um hmm.
“However, I do regret allowing you to remain at Darkblood each and every day. If I’d had to call your parents with bad news, I never would’ve forgiven myself.”
I shook my head and patted the big gargoyle on the shoulder. “It wasn’t your choice to make Logan, and you know that. I made the right decision staying, and I don’t regret it for an instant.” My eyes found Talon’s from over Logan’s shoulder, and a swirl of warmth heated my core.
I turned to Hayden and Dallas who stood patiently by Talon’s bed. “Now tell us what happened after that demon douche Drayax attacked us.”
Hayden’s lips were pinched, and dark circles lined his baby blue eyes. Fiona hadn’t been kidding about him needing rest. “The last thing we saw was Drayax and his second being removed from the chamber by a troop of narkins. We didn’t wait around much longer after that.”
“I hope we didn’t ruin the Underworld’s chance for peace.” I never thought Delacroix would be the one to bring about positive change in Lucifer’s territory, but maybe I’d underestimated the hellus demon.
“Like I told you before, it’s not your responsibility,” Talon growled. “Lucifer needs to stop placing the future of the Underworld on your shoulders. He’s the damn prince of hell. Let him deal with it.”
Logan nodded, but a glimmer of something unreadable darkened his irises. “I’m with Talon on this, Azara. You did your best. Now it’s time for the warlords to sort it out themselves.”
I chewed on my lower lip. Drayax’s assassination attempt aside, the whole night seemed too easy. A tiny pit of dread still remained in my gut. “Any new attacks in the human world since yesterday?”
“Nope.” Logan gave me a reassuring smile. “Relax, Azara. You deserve a little break. You’ve been through a lot since your arrival at Darkblood.”
No kidding. Sometimes I wished I would wake up to discover the past six months had been a terrible nightmare. But then I never would’ve met Talon. An invisible band tightened around my heart, and I drew in a mouthful of air to chase away the uneasy sensation. My eyes met his, the molten silver capturing me in its blazing depths. I sucked in a breath at the raw intensity. I couldn’t imagine my life without him, and I desperately hop
ed I never would.
Chapter Eleven
With my arm draped across Talon’s chest, I curled into his side, careful not to wiggle too much to aggravate his wounds. Which was practically impossible. Since waking in the infirmary after Drayax’s assassination attempt, I could barely keep my hands off him. Squeezing my fingers into tight fists, I watched the slow rise and fall of his chest. His steady breaths soothed the constant turmoil within, filling me with a sense of calm I wished could last forever.
We’d both fallen asleep after the guys left, but I’d awoken a little while ago, my restless mind keeping me from restful slumber. When I’d asked Logan about our status with the SIA, he’d avoided my question. Talon had bought us some time with Maxim, but the end of the month was quickly approaching. How much longer could I hide out here?
We’d bought Delacroix’s silence, hopefully, but what about the other dark lords? Now that they’d seen me with the Triad, it wouldn’t take long for someone to put the pieces together. I huffed out a breath and focused on Talon’s steady breathing once more. Zen. I needed some freakin’ Zen bad.
My fingers danced along his flesh, gently tugging on the dark hairs on his chest. I should’ve let him rest, I knew that, but I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts anymore. He stirred beneath my touch, his measured breaths accelerating. His pulse quickened, his heartbeats echoing against my ear and my own heart hurried to keep up with his.
My hand traveled up to his face and gently stroked the sexy scruff on his jaw. My fingers brushed over his supple lips, and a soft sigh escaped. His chest rose and fell more rapidly now, and my arm bounced up and down to the increased tempo.
Talon’s lids fluttered, and I lifted my head. His lips parted into a slow smile. “If it had been anyone else to wake me, I would’ve bitten their head off.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmured against the side of his bare chest.
“No, don’t be. I was having the most incredible dream…” He glanced down at me from beneath hooded lids, his dark lashes fanning over the shadowed patch of skin beneath his eyes.
I was a jerk. I should’ve let him rest. “Go back to sleep. I’ll just go back to my bed—” I rolled over to stand, but his arm wrapped around my waist in a vice grip and he pulled me closer.
“You didn’t let me finish,” he whispered, his warm breath ghosting over the shell of my ear. “I was dreaming about making love to you.”
My heart smacked against my ribs, and my mouth went dry. If Talon hadn’t been injured, I would’ve jumped him by now. Trying to keep my cool, I swallowed hard. “Oh yeah? And how was it?”
His arm tightened around my waist, and his rough fingers crept across my hip. “Mmm… better than I remembered it.” He shifted beside me and his leg brushed my apex, igniting a wave of sultry heat.
“So are we still waiting? I mean, after you’re all healed up and what not?” Did that sound desperate?
He chuckled. “Believe me, Azara, waiting isn’t easy for me either. I just want to get it right this time.”
“I know, I know. Too much danger, you want to woo me, blah, blah, blah.”
His whole chest rumbled this time as he laughed, before his lips twisted into a scowl. He reached for the bandage across his torso and winced.
“I’m sorry, are you okay? I’ve got to tone down the funny.”
“It’s fine.” He adjusted his position, his jaw clenched tight.
I am the worst girlfriend ever. Here I am thinking lusty thoughts and poor Talon is still in major pain.
“Girlfriend?” The humor in his voice sent heat seeping up my neck.
“Stop sneaking into my mind!” I shrieked.
“I can’t help it when we’re this close.” His eyes dipped down to my leg wrapped around his, my torso pressed into his side. “It’s like you’re shouting in my head.”
I’d noticed it too. Either my ESP was getting stronger or something else was going on.
His eyes suddenly widened, and his mouth curved into a capital O.
“What?”
His eyes drifted down to my chest. “How’s your wound?”
“Okay. A little sore sometimes, but not bad.”
“Can I see it?” His fingers tugged at the collar of my shirt before I answered. As he pulled the bandage up and inspected my chest, heat spread across my cheeks.
“So?” I finally asked.
“Take a look for yourself.”
I glanced under my shirt at my perfect skin, and my brows nearly hit my hairline. I didn’t have a mark on me anymore. Then why was I still sore?
“Kiss me.”
“Huh?” I sat up, completely confused now.
“Just do it. I want to try something.”
He didn’t have to ask me twice. Carefully, I hovered over him and gently brushed my lips against his. Sparks tingled across my skin at the delicate touch, my breath catching in my throat. I forced myself to pull back despite every single part of my body screaming not to. A swell of heat ignited my core as his hungry gaze settled on me.
It took me a second to realize the lusty sensations weren’t only mine. Just like the pain in my chest. “Wait… what are you saying?”
His eyes darted from my chest to his and back. “I think the blood bond is back.”
I sucked in a breath as memories of the intense emotions I’d felt when Talon had saved my life all those months ago flashed across my mind. “But how?”
“Fiona said we both lost a lot of blood…” Talon shook his head. “But it’s impossible, I’ve never heard of something like that happening.”
“So you’re saying that when the dagger went through you and hit me, some of your blood transferred into my body again?”
He shrugged. “I guess. Maybe since the bond was present before and given our relationship, it somehow triggered it.”
I couldn’t deny I’d felt something different since the moment I’d awoken, but I’d assumed it was the paralyzing fear of almost losing him.
“Do you feel it?” he asked, an uncharacteristic twinge of uncertainty in his voice.
“I feel so many things when I’m around you, Talon. I guess I didn’t notice it as much this time because a lot of the feelings that came with the blood bond the first time already exist between us. I can never keep my hands off you, you fill my every waking thought, and I can hear you in here.” I pointed at my temple then at my heart. “And here.”
A heart-stopping smile spread his lips, revealing that elusive dimple and reducing me to a puddle. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.” He snagged my chin and tugged me closer, fitting my mouth to his.
We kissed until my lips were bruised, my chin chapped, but I didn’t care. My heart was so full I thought it might burst and if it happened while in Talon’s arms, I’d be okay with that.
“I’m not sure I’m ready for gen pop,” I grumbled as I walked beside Talon toward cell Block One. The two days in the infirmary had been a nice reprieve from all the crazy. Not to mention having Talon all to myself and without him on high alert for my safety. I could already feel him bristling beside me the moment we left the infirmary’s cushy bubble.
Talon scanned a pair of black jumpsuited inmates as they passed, a snarl curling his lip. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone near you.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s exactly what I’m worried about.” Now that the blood bond was back, every twinge of jealousy, fury, annoyance seeped directly through the connection. I’d thought he was bad before but based on the swell of emotions I’d been feeling, he’d be ten times worse now.
He grunted and wrapped his fingers around my hand, tugging me forward. “Don’t give me a reason to react, and I won’t.”
Right… We weren’t getting anywhere with this conversation, so it was time for a change of topic. “What’s the plan for today?”
His brows furrowed as he scrutinized me, then his expression went slack. “Nothing, actually. No demon warlords to overthrow, no humans to save, no memories to unearth.
”
“Wow. I haven’t had a day off that wasn’t a result of a near death experience in forever.” We passed the atrium and the line of inmates at the commissary. A few shot us side-eye, but I’d gotten used to the stares. With my hand firmly entwined with Talon’s, we caused quite a stir.
He glanced down at me from the corner of his eye. “How about a training date?”
The white bandages crisscrossing his torso filled my mind, the occasional pang in my chest a constant reminder of what he’d endured for me. I shook my head. “Fiona said we had to take it easy for a few days. I don’t want you reopening any wounds. I think we’ve shared enough blood for now.”
We turned the corner down the quiet hall of Block One, and Talon yanked me into a little nook. He pressed me against the wall and brushed his lips over mine. My breath hitched at the gentle touch, and heat ignited low in my belly.
“I want to share every bit of me with you,” he muttered against my lips. “It’s never enough.” His mouth moved down my neck, his tongue trailing a scorching path.
“Talon!” I squealed. We were in the middle of the freakin’ hall. As much as I wanted him more than anything, we still hadn’t discussed the ramifications of the blood bond. Even GG had warned we could trigger the mate bond if we weren’t careful. And dragons mated for life. Yup, we definitely needed to have the talk.
Despite my insides cursing me, I placed my palms on his chest and gave him a little shove. He released me and his eyes met mine, a flash of confusion dimming the brilliance. “Why don’t we go back to our room and talk.”
“Are you breaking up with me already?” The ghost of a smile tipped up the corner of his lips.
I grinned back and wrapped my arms across my chest. “I didn’t know we were official.”
“Would you like me to make it official, Azara? Should I send you a note in class?”
“Haha, very funny.” I pulled my arm back to slug him in the chest, but luckily, I remembered his injury at the last minute and held back. “There are some things about the bond that I need clarification on.”