Don’t let him touch you.
What? You don’t own me.
Oh, but at the moment I do.
She mentally flipped him off. Again, he chuckled before making his move farther down the street, away from his mate and her prey so he could cross behind the demon. Though he was cloaked, he wasn’t sure if the demon would still sense him once he got closer. The rules in Hell were different for angels, and he wasn’t taking any chances while he figured them out. Once he was comfortable that he was far enough away, he crossed at an angle. Kelana had her succubus lust in full swing. It was so powerful, he saw it swirl into a life of its own. The guard had relaxed, and his full attention was on the woman in front of him. She leaned in and flirted. The demon responded by touching her cheek, and Lyzander’s fury boiled to the surface.
I fucking told you not to let him touch you. He didn’t wait for her to respond but stormed forward, calling forth his sword. Damn, I hope this works. Relief swept over him as the warmth of the blade handle slammed into his palm. Within seconds, he was upon them. Wielding his sword of death in one swing, the demon’s head left its body and hit the ground, rolling across the dirt and into the street. A passerby only glanced then continued with his business. The only thing anyone in this place cared about was their own head. As long as it stayed attached to their body, they looked the other way.
“Damn. That was impressive. A clean cut even,” Kelana commented as she stepped away from the corpse, which crumbled to the ground.
Lead the way out of here. I don’t dare show myself until we are a safe distance away. He held no desire to be discovered in this retched place. Freedom was on the horizon. So close, its essence sat on the tip of his tongue. Kelana swung around and headed away from him. He followed behind her, remaining cloaked and praying to the Maker that they both made it out safely.
* * *
To say her nerves were strung tight would be like saying she hated sex. Kelana only wanted to put as much distance as possible between herself and the small town outside Lulerain. They should have plenty of time before anyone started looking for the angel, but in Hell things were never as they seemed. The realm was in a constant flux. Gates and portals shifted all the time, making getting from one place to another a real sport.
She hated sports.
However, Kelana had grown up here. She had traveled this realm from one end to the other, and its nuances pulsed through her. When they’d finally put several miles behind them, Lyzander appeared beside her, causing her to jump.
“Shit! You scared me.” She brought her hand to her chest in mock pain. He smiled and she hated him and his sexy smirk.
“Did you forget about me?”
“You’ve been so quiet, that I...” Holy hell. She stopped in her tracks and stared. He tilted his head then a look of concern crossed his features.
“What?” He looked down at himself. “Did I forget to zip my fly or something?”
So, the angel had a sense of humor. She glanced away, embarrassed. “Your wings.” They stirred memories deep inside her that she would rather not think about at the moment. She pulled her shoulders back and faced him again. “They’re beautiful.”
No lie there. The raven feathers glistened a blueish-black under Hell’s two suns. The tips were a striking contrast of snow-white. Much different than those of the fallen angels she had seen. She had never stopped to think about what kind of angel Lyzander was. To her understanding, these were the wings of a warrior. Learning everything about the enemy had been her life’s mission. She would one day need that information when she went to exact her revenge. Warriors made up the armies of the Maker. They were the demon killers. The ones who had taken the life of the two she loved most. Tears stung her eyes and she blinked them back.
“You should put those away. They draw too much attention.” She stormed off and tried to ignore him, but his larger than life, sexy-ass self was hard to miss when he strode beside her. How dare he fill out a pair of jeans so nicely. Not to mention the black tee he had scrounged up somewhere. She knew what lay under his clothes, and the angel should be condemned to Hell for that alone. And those damn blue eyes that stared into her soul. Ugh!
“I sense there is more to my wings than the fact they draw attention,” he stated. “You became agitated when you saw them. Why?”
“Mind your own damn business,” she snarled and walked faster.
“Interesting.”
“What?” She glared at him. They had a long way to go before they could reach an area that had a portal to take them out of here.
“For someone who only hours ago mated with me, you think you can hide your feelings? My wings trouble you for two reasons.”
She came to an abrupt halt, spun to glare at him, and slammed her hands on her hips. “Do tell.”
“You find them sexy, which I like. However, what disturbs me is they also provoke fear. Why?”
“Let’s get one thing straight, angel. I don’t belong to you. This mating was to help us get you out of here. Nothing more. Now, unless you want to feel my wrath, I suggest you stay the fuck out of my head.” She turned, kicking up dust and practically ran toward their destination, but he was next to her in a heartbeat. He was like a burdock in fur, hard to get rid of.
He chuckled and she dug her nails into her palms. The man was infuriating.
“I might like your wrath. I can be kinky that way.”
“Sheesh, they must have really messed with your head while you were in there.” The words escaped before she could censor herself. Kelana gave a quick glance out of the corner of her eye and noted his features had gone stone cold.
“What would you know of how they treated me?”
Shit. This damn bond was messing with her head because she had a sudden rush of guilt. She really hadn’t meant to hurt him like that. If anyone understood dredging up nasty memories, it was her. Still, he was one of them. Shut up, Kelana. Maybe he’s not like the others. He wasn’t the one who killed your mother and grandmother.
Right, but he lopped off that demon’s head without flinching.
And you would have done the same.
Damn she hated when her conscience argued with her, and even more so when it was right. The man beside her was trouble. It was best she remembered that and used him for what she needed then get on with her life. “A few more miles and we’ll be to a place where we can camp out until morning.”
6
Lyzander started a fire while Kelana dug through her pack and pulled out some rations. Basically, water and protein bars. How exciting. He was more in the mood for a big, fat steak. Medium-rare with a side of cheeseburger and fries. Toss in an ice-cold beer and he would be set. When they had fed him in Lulerain––which was not often––it had been some disgusting gruel. Even a peanut butter protein bar was better than what he’d grown used to. Suddenly he had a burning question that needed answering. Kelana poked a stick at the small fire he’d started.
“Did they tell you how long I’ve been missing?” he asked.
She stopped and looked at him. “You don’t know?”
He shrugged as if it was nothing, but the question needed to be answered. “Not really. It felt like forever.”
She went back to poking the fire. “No, but time here runs different than in the human realm.”
He ripped open the wrapper and took a bite from his bar. Yeah, not even close to steak. It was more a relative to cardboard, but it was nourishment, so he finished it off in two more bites followed by half a bottle of water. After he tossed his wrapper into the fire, he steeled his shoulders. “How long has Ashley been in charge here?”
She glanced at him then again looked away. Seemed his new mate was having a difficult time keeping eye contact. “By Hell’s time two years, which equals one year of human time.”
“I see.” The heavens ran in sync with the human realm, so he had been gone for at least a year. He stared at the flickering flames, hardly noticing the uncomfortable ground beneath him becaus
e his anger surfaced again. He shoved it down. There wasn’t time for emotions. His mind needed to stay clear so he could reach his goal. Escape first then plot revenge. Aezyla would venture into the human realm no doubt, looking for him, and he would be ready to end her existence as was his duty. “We should get some rest.”
Kelana lay down on her side, facing away from him and tucking her arms under her head. “Tell me angel, do you kill all demons?”
He studied the shadows caressing her curved backside and had a sudden desire to slip in next to her and pull her to his chest while she slept. “If that were the case, you’d already be dead.”
She went stiff. “You’d kill your own mate?”
“Now, I didn’t say that. You asked if I kill all demons.” He lay on his back and stared at the sky. There were no stars in Hell. Only an inky stain that was void of a single speck of light. He despised this place.
“Okay. How do you determine what demons should die?”
Curious female. “Usually I am given orders to take out those who are not obeying the treaty, or are a threat to human or angel existence.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Or those who simply piss me off. Why so curious?” He looked over at her backside again.
She flipped over to stare at him. “Just wondering if I should sleep with one eye open.”
“Rest easy. Our bond will prevent me from harming you.”
“Aww, so you do care.” She yawned and moments later drifted into sleep. Lyzander opened his senses to scan the area several miles out. There were life signs, but they were not heading this way. He would remain awake, requiring little sleep. Besides, it only brought him nightmares he didn’t wish to revisit at the moment. He continued to watch Kelana sleep, noting how beautiful she was, and how badly he wanted to reach out and trace his fingers across her plump lips. She suddenly became restless. Her body twitched and her lids indicated REM.
His new mate was distressed.
He knew he shouldn’t invade her thoughts, but the bond between them grew stronger every minute they spent together, and he didn’t like that she was having nightmares. What demons did she fight in her sleep? Lucky for her, she had mated a warrior; he would slay them for her. He closed his eyes and concentrated on her while keeping his senses open to danger. The scene that opened before him was confusing, and it took him a moment to acclimate to seeing through her mind’s eye.
Blood flowed across the wooden floor and followed the cracks toward her. Kelana shook, her body nearly convulsing with fear as her grandmother pleaded to be spared.
“No, please. We are innocent.”
It was already too late for her mother. Her head had rolled and stopped at the couch.
The pleas went unheard as her grandmother’s fate was decided by these strangers who had invaded their home. Someone came to her hiding place under the bed, and she scooted further back.
“The child is not here. Perhaps she is with family.” Lyzander heard his own voice as he watched through her eyes; the man came within inches of where she hid. The men exited, but again the other stayed behind and whispered a warning to her.
Lyzander bolted upright. “Son of a bitch,” he whispered. Sweat trickled down his temple as the memory opened and replayed in his mind. Over twenty years ago, he and two of his underlings had been ordered by their leader to raid a home in the human realm where two succubus women lived. He clearly recalled the orders. “Kill the two women and the child. They murdered one of our own.” He stared at Kelana, still in her nightmare. She would be about the right age. The child at the time was around eight, and demons aged two years to every one human until they reached maturity and their immortality set in. That would put her in her fifties in demon years, but only in her late twenties in human years. Since she was a combination of both, he wasn’t sure how she aged, but her dream was as he remembered that night.
Lyzander had taken two of the younger warriors with him as part of a training mission. They had waited until late at night then entered the house. He had thought something was wrong when he walked into their small home and instantly detected an angel presence, but he shook it off. The slaughter had been easy until he had detected the child hiding under the bed.
The angel he sensed came from her.
Her father had been one of his own kind.
He shielded the child from detection and tried to block as much of the murder of her family as he could, but she had already seen too much. Questions arose as to who her father was, and he began to suspect it was his own commander. Refusing to snuff out the life of what he now considered an innocent child, and convinced the mission was a mistake, he planted memories of her death in the minds of the younglings with him and left her alive. Guilt riddled him for leaving her there, but he had no choice. If his commander, a hard-nosed elite angel, even suspected she lived, the man would hunt them all down. It was also why he never went in search of her. It would have risked her life all over again. All of Lyzander’s unanswered questions returned to haunt him.
This wasn’t good for Kelana. She was now bonded to him and if Lyzander took her home with him… Why the hell was he even thinking about that? Her father would sense his daughter immediately. Shit, she may not even be safe in the human realm if her father was near. Lyzander looked at the sleeping female again, and she was finally in a peaceful sleep. He had made a vow to himself that night that he would protect the girl. It was one he kept then—when he lied to his commander—and it was one he would keep today. He was a warrior and they never broke a vow.
* * *
Kelana stirred and forced herself awake. The fire was now embers, and the two suns started to lighten the skyline. She rubbed her eyes and tried to shove the nightmare deep into the recess of her memory. She glanced at Lyzander and found him staring at her.
“How did you sleep?” she asked, rising to her feet.
“I didn’t.” He also stood.
“You should have woken me. I could have taken a turn keeping watch for trouble.” Kelana tried to keep the anger out of her voice. Her hatred of angels was still fresh after last night’s nightmare.
“I don’t require much sleep. Besides, I was content to watch over you,” he replied.
What the hell did that mean, exactly? No one watched over her except for herself. Fear turned her blood ice-cold. They were connected but how much? Could he read her thoughts? See her dreams? She swallowed the pins and needles stuck in her throat.
“Were you in my head last night?”
He kicked dirt over the embers. “Why do you ask? Should I have been?”
His features gave no indication of his thoughts. She tried searching for a link that connected them and dove into his mind only to hit a brick wall. Dammit!
“Sorry, sweetheart. I’m far older than you. You want in my head, you’re gonna have to ask. Nicely.”
She squeezed her fists. I really want to throat punch you. He simply flashed a sexy smile. “Go ahead, and I’ll take great pleasure in putting you over my knee.”
Her mouth dropped open, and she immediately slammed it shut. “You have no idea how old I am.” She preferred to go back to his comment about her age.
He lifted a finely sculpted shoulder. “Not exactly, but I would guess you to be just old enough to have reached your immortality. Well, as immortal as a succubus can get. You still require sex to live, and by my estimation, you can go longer than a true blood. Your human side and perhaps even your angel side help temper that.”
Kelana flung the pack over her shoulders, irritated as hell. “You think you know so much. I could care less what resides in that blond skull of yours. Let’s be on our way so we can part ways.” She started to storm off, but he was beside her. The heat from his body licked her skin. God, she hated him even more for that.
“About that. I’ve decided I’ll not have my mate sleeping with other men. The bond stays.”
She stopped, spun, and glared daggers at him. “You do not own me, and I have no desire to be saddled with you.”<
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“Well as I see it, you have no say. I’ll be there when your desire becomes too much for you to handle. The bond we have now will wear on you, and you will soon be begging me to take you.”
Enough of this shit. Kelana pulled back and let loose a fist directly to his chin. Damn that smarted. She rubbed her knuckles and waited for retribution, but he only smiled. Bastard.
“Fortunately for you, we don’t have time to waste.” He grabbed her wrists and moved in closer. “But be warned, sugar. I will make sure you pay for that later when I withhold your orgasm.”
Kelana jerked and tried to kick him, but he held her away. “You’re an ass,” she yelled and squirmed, trying to free herself. Finally, he relented and tossed her to the ground where she landed on her backside with a hard thud.
“Stop acting like a two year old having a temper tantrum. Now, shall we?” He waved in the direction they were heading, one brow raised.
Kelana glared at him. “I should take your head for manhandling me.”
“You didn’t seem to mind the way I handled you earlier.”
Her face heated at the remembrance, and she became angry with herself then him. Again. “Seriously. Are all angels as cocky as you? Because if they are then that explains a lot.” She didn’t wait for a reply but started walking. Time was running out, and they needed to get out of here before anyone spotted them. As it was, she couldn’t believe they hadn’t run into anyone. Sure, this was not a well-traveled area because the portal at the other end was one that most avoided and for good reason. The damn thing had been known to randomly drop you into the middle of Lulerain. However, even knowing the risks, Kelana had decided to take a chance. They had a fifty-fifty chance of getting it right. “We are not far, so let’s stop arguing and get out of here.”
He kept pace with her but thankfully remained quiet.
* * *
Lyzander had no idea what had come over him. Well, not true. He knew perfectly well what had changed. The little girl beside him wasn’t so little anymore. She had stayed under the radar and managed to keep herself alive. He was impressed since that couldn’t have been an easy task. Demons would have scorned her for being part angel, though that might not have shown up until later in her life.
Bound By Darkness: Eternally Mated Novel Page 5