Lucian ran his hand down her hair. “Believe me, akita, I share your frustration. There is nothing I want more than to stay here and make love to you and not worry about our safety. I will end this threat against us, and it will happen tonight. I created this Bale. I will end him.”
“Not alone.” She squeezed him tight. “Bale is looking for the three of us. He won’t make a move unless he knows exactly where we all are, otherwise he’ll think it’s a trap.”
“She has a point.”
Lucian shot a scowl at his cousin. “Nonetheless, we will proceed with caution. Actually, Amaryllis, your comment about cuffing you gave me an idea.”
“Excuse me—”
He placed a finger over her lips. “Not for you.”
However the heat in his eyes suggested it was only a matter of time before she found herself bound and in his control. The lascivious possibilities reawakened her wanton appetite, liquefying her center and raising her body heat twenty degrees.
Dhavin cleared his throat. “Your idea, cousin?”
“Right.” He blinked rapidly and took a step back but kept his arm around her shoulders. “There is a mineral in the Earth’s soil that has the ability to drain our powers.”
That got her attention. “Drain our powers? How?”
“If we’re exposed to this element, it starts to deplete our powers within seconds. It leaches our strength and leaves us weak and nauseous.”
“Sounds like you’ve had personal experience,” Dhavin noted.
“I have. Kristos discovered the element by accident when he went into a pit to rescue Brett. In its natural form, the effect happens fairly quickly, however when the molybdenite is re-formed into a chain, the thickness of the links affects how long it takes to drain us completely.”
Her intuition picked up a vibe she didn’t like. “How do you know so much about the side effects?”
“I’ve done some experimenting.”
“Some? How much?” A red flush graced his cheeks and his lips tightened. “You wrapped yourself in these chains, didn’t you? You drained your powers?”
He nodded.
“What did this mineral do to you? What can it do to us?”
“Prolonged exposure results in flulike symptoms. After about eight hours of exposure you will succumb to the darkness.”
“Meaning what?”
“I was unconscious for three days.”
“Lucian! You shouldn’t have risked your life that way.”
“Kristos wasn’t going to volunteer, and that exercise gave us powerful knowledge.”
“You could have died.”
“But I didn’t.”
“We’ll need another,” Dhavin interjected. “Someone who can hold on to this chain without draining their powers. Is there anyone we can trust with the knowledge of who we are? What about one of Brett’s deputies?”
“My friend, Jorges. If he’s up to the task,” Amaryllis suggested. “He’s my most trusted confidant, and he’s already met Bale. He’ll understand.”
“General?”
“I agree. Since Bale is having difficulty siphoning emotions, let’s make sure we project as many of our own as loudly as possible. In the confusion we can hide the presence of Amaryllis’ friend.”
“That’s it then.” She clapped her hands together. “We lure Bale to meet us, wrap him in this chain and end him.”
“In a rudimentary sense, yes. But it won’t be that simple. We must prepare for any possibility.”
“Then let’s not dally.” She stripped off Lucian’s shirt and handed it to him before reaching for her own. “We can strategize in the car.”
“We’ll strategize in the car,” Lucian corrected. “You will stay out of the way somewhere safe.”
She was smart enough to keep her mouth shut. Lucian may think her fragile, but before the night was over, he’d have no doubt she was as willing and able to fight for their future as he.
Chapter Nine
At five a.m. The Cavern was at its most quiet. The last patron had long gone home, the flashing lights were dark and a yawning silence replaced the pounding bass of dance music. Without the energy of a few hundred bodies engaging in their secret desires, one might think the vast interior would feel cold and vacant, yet the electric hum of heightened adrenaline filled every nook and cranny until the building pulsed like a living, breathing entity.
Amaryllis stood in the darkness under the stairs and ignored the sensation of fire ants crawling over her skin. Lucian was pissed at her and his family and doing a terrible job of controlling his anger. As if she wanted to spend her evening facing down a killer. Her husband’s unwillingness to put her in danger was understandable, however not even he could argue with Dhavin’s logic and Kristos’ support.
She resisted the urge to look up into the catwalk where Jorges waited with thirty pounds of molybdenite chain. Thankfully her friend had been incredibly open-minded about her origins and their current situation when she confided her secret upon their return to the city.
“You’re a real princess. From one of Saturn’s moons,” he had repeated slowly after she told him her entire story. “And the reason your hair is now black is because you’ve bound your emotions to this guy.” He pointed to Lucian. “The same man you wanted castrated three nights ago.”
She grinned as her husband shot her an affronted frown. “Yes.”
Jorges had looked at the quartet surrounding him then burst out laughing. He immediately groaned and pressed a hand to the bandage covering the stitches at his side. “Why am I not surprised? Oh this whole bonded-mate thing, yeah, shocked on that front, but you being a royal of a race of aliens, no, not surprised at all.”
And that was why she loved Jorges.
Did she hate involving him in such a dangerous scheme? To the point she was ready to vomit, but he was the unknown who might swing the battle in their favor. Even with the odds being three-to-one, they understood the prudence of being prepared for anything.
Kristos strode through the front door of the club with sword in hand. From under his cowl his pale-green eyes flashed with anticipation. “He’s coming.”
Amaryllis flattened her back against the wall. Just because Bale was coming didn’t mean it would be through the front door.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” a gravelly voice boomed across the hardwood floor, coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. “What a pleasure it is to be in your company again. For this little while anyway. Come on. Let’s not be shy. You were the ones to issue such a charming invitation. Step out where I can see you.”
“You first,” Lucian called out. “Or are you a coward?”
“This from a man who hides behind a woman,” came the scorn-filled remark before thick fingers slid around her throat.
Before she could gasp, she was dragged onto the middle of the dance floor. Despite the bruising pressure crushing her airway, she fought, not like a pampered princess but like a street brawler, kicking at his legs and digging her elbows into a solid wall of muscle. She reached behind her and dug her fingernails into the soft tissue of his face. The move freed her from Bale’s grip for all of two seconds. He caught her by the back of the shirt, spun her around and hauled her against his chest. Their eyes met and he froze with a soft gasp falling from his lips.
His gaze raced over her hair and face. His eyes glittered so blackly, her frightened reflection stared back at her.
“You’re mated,” Bale murmured. A crack formed in the barricade he held on his emotions and Amaryllis tasted the sourness of his jealousy. He lifted his hand and ran his fingers through her midnight tresses. The jealousy turned to wonder before his lips twisted into a bittersweet smile.
Amaryllis couldn’t breathe, but it wasn’t fear that stopped her lungs. The man before her was trapped in another time, in another place he missed so much, his sadness banded around her chest. The fist clutching her shirt slackened and his hand began a gentle massage along her spine. She had no delusions that it was af
fection for her that gentled his demeanor. Bale was lost in a memory so profound, it brought tears to her eyes.
“Tell me about her,” she asked softly.
Fire flickered in his eyes that he quickly banked. The black depths turned empty and soulless. “It’s a pity you don’t get to enjoy your bonding.”
“Why do you want me dead, Bale? What wrong have I caused you to come all this way to kill me?”
“It’s not personal, Princess. However, unless you’ve bonded with a human, it may be now. Where is your mate? Who’s the lucky man who gets to watch you die?”
“I’m here.” Lucian stepped into the light. “Let her go, Bale. Your fight is with me.”
“No,” she said. “His fight is with himself. I doubt Hamerkind offered you a fortune to come here. What are you really after, Bale?”
“Your mate owes me. His cowardice cost me everything.”
“Or was it yours?”
His hand came up and swung, but she didn’t flinch. A soft breeze caressed her cheek as Lucian stopped the open-palm slap mere millimeters from her face. She held Bale’s hot gaze and looked right into his soul.
Kristos came up behind Bale while Dhavin rushed from the right. At the sound of their footsteps, Bale roared and traced across the room. He withdrew a pistol from his waistband and fired to his right then his left as the Llanos dodged the bullets.
Amaryllis stood steady, fully confident that no harm would come to her at Bale’s hands.
The brothers on the other hand were completely fair game. Their images were nothing more than blurs of black and gray as they traced around Bale, who avoided their flying fists with a series of bends and twists.
Lucian charged with his sword raised and a battle cry on his lips. His swing caught the arm of Bale’s jacket, tearing the fabric as the sharp tip sliced toward his hand, catching the butt of the gun and knocking it out of Bale’s grasp. Kristos attacked from the opposite side, every punch aimed to drive Bale to the spot where Jorges could drop the molybdenite on his head.
Bale leapt into the air, flipping over Dhavin, who approached from the rear, and used him as a shield to block the deft swings from the Llanos’ swords.
Amaryllis was the eye in the center of the storm. A dead calm that built with each grunt and crack of fist against bone. With the clarity born of her station, she saw each man, not in their physical bodies that grappled head over feet in a mix of finely honed skills and moves born of desperation, but down to their spirit.
Dhavin fought for his princess. When Lucian was kicked back against the bar, Dhavin ensured he stayed between her and danger. He was ready to lay down his life, not because it was his job but because he was her friend.
Kristos battled for his wife and the life they built together.
Lucian also fought for his family and the mate who held his hearts, and the brother he felt deserved more happiness than he.
And Bale…
Bale fought because it was all he had. He fought demons born from the guilt over his past actions.
Four men who all fought for the same reason.
Love.
“Stop!” she shouted in a voice so powerful, the walls quaked.
The Llanos froze mid-swing. She took the second of opportunity and raced between them to tackle Bale to the floor.
“Now, Jorges!” She jumped off a dazed Bale moments before he was hit in the chest by a ball of thick-linked chain.
The brothers seized Bale’s flailing arms and legs while Dhavin wrapped the chain around his body.
“Brilliant move, Amaryllis,” Kristos wheezed, bracing his hands on his knees.
Lucian lifted his sword. The light glinted off the sharp blade. “This ends now.”
“No.” Amaryllis stepped up to their captive. She tilted her head to the right then to the left as she considered the comatose assassin. “Death is not what he needs.”
“Yes it is,” Lucian argued.
“No. It isn’t. Take him to my room.”
“Amaryllis, not more than two minutes ago this man tried to kill you.”
“No, he tried to kill you.” She held up an imperious hand. “This is The Cavern and all who come to The Cavern get what they need. Take him to my room.”
Kristos looked back and forth between them, clearly torn between his commander and his princess. She arched a brow at his hesitation. “Kristosllanos?”
He bowed at the waist. “Your Highness.” He bent and lifted a weak Bale in his arms as if he were a small babe.
Lucian stepped before her as she moved to follow. “Akita, that male made a threat against the throne. The punishment is death.”
“That male is running from his mistakes in the past. He needs compassion, not revenge, Lucian. You of all people should be able to empathize since you’re so much alike.”
He backed away with wide eyes and his skin paled. “We are nothing alike.”
“You both are running from the guilt of events you didn’t cause. You have to forgive yourself before you can move forward.”
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
Amaryllis turned toward her friend. “Dhavin?”
His chest rose with his indrawn breath. “I’m sorry.”
He turned and landed a roundhouse kick to Lucian’s chest that sent him soaring into the brick wall. Plaster rained from the ceiling and a crack ran up the concrete wall.
Dhavin retrieved a backup length of chain and secured it around Lucian who stared at them in disbelief.
“Why?”
She stood over him and settled her palm against his cheek. “You’re in The Cavern. Within these walls you will always receive what you need.”
* * * * *
Dhavin was a dead man, and his wife was going to get her ass paddled until it burned hotter than the sun.
The drugging effects of the molybdenite were finally wearing off, little good that did him. His eyes felt full of grit and his limbs ached as if he relocated Mt. Rainier rock by rock. Keeping him on his feet was a thick rope that snaked up each leg and around his torso, continuing up his arms to where he was secured to two floor-to-ceiling beams. The only part of him left exposed was his naked cock, which hung half erect from his pelvis. His vision blurred in and out until he focused on a trio of burning candles set on a low table across the room. A few blinks more brought the rest of the room into view. There were about a hundred candles in different sizes clustered around the space decorated solely for sinful activities. If he thought the cottage was a den of vice, it was vanilla compared to this place.
Rich, red drapes hung in elegant swags from the ceiling, cradling the warm mahogany furnishings in their velvet grasp. The elegant décor softened the harsh line of whips and floggers lining the wall and the bold lines of restraining chairs and Saint Andrew’s crosses.
Under different circumstances Lucian might have given free rein to the call of the seductive surroundings and willingly allowed Amaryllis to tie him up however she pleased. Now all he felt was the cold terror of uncertainty as it constricted around his chest tighter than the rope.
What devious plan was his princess conjuring? Clever girl chose his cage well. Once his strength returned, it would be no problem to yank the rope from its moorings, but then he would take the beams with it, bringing the roof down upon their heads. She didn’t want him to interfere with Bale’s punishment. Understood. But why restrain him in such a fashion?
A deep groan drew his attention to the right and his pulse jumped with the implications.
Naked men displayed spread-eagle appeared to be Amaryllis’ preferred choice of decoration, he noted as he spotted Bale. The other man was also suspended at the wrist between two beams, but he knelt on the ground with his knees spread far apart. A thin chain of molybdenite was wrapped around each arm from wrist to shoulder and again down each leg. Unlike Lucian, his cock was bound against his belly by a metal codpiece. A black scarf covered his eyes and his even breathing made it difficult for Lucian to tell
if he was unconscious or playing possum. Bale’s mind was quiet, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t plotting a hundred scenarios of escape.
The door opened and both men flinched at the sharp sound. Amaryllis entered. A vision of erotic perfection that made his mouth go dry and his head spin from the blood rushing to his bobbing cock. She wore a white gown in a gossamer fabric so sheer it highlighted her pink nipples. The gown was belted around her waist with a wide satin band that made her waist look tiny and her hips and bust round and sumptuous. With her dark hair and swirling lavender eyes, she was a goddess as she floated to stand before him.
She laid her hand against his cheek and brushed her thumb over his lips.
“What are you up to, my little witch?”
Her smile sent a chill down his spine. “Ensuring our freedom,” she whispered and swept away in a cloud of silken gauze.
Without the warmth of her touch, he shivered and snapped his teeth together to keep them from chattering. Each step she took toward Bale made Lucian’s hands tighten around the rope and his hearts beat so hard, they felt ready to leap out of his throat. The look she shot over her shoulder warned him not to make a sound or interrupt in any way.
When he opened his mouth, she lifted a finger. With a firm shake of her head she mouthed the word, “No.”
He bared his teeth but kept silent.
“Balellanos. How are you feeling?” she asked as she untied the sash covering his eyes.
A bitter taste filled Lucian’s mouth. In Bale’s weakened state his defenses were compromised. Visually he didn’t even blink, yet his disgust at Amaryllis’ use of his warrior name repulsed him so greatly, it reached across the room to slap Lucian in the face.
Amaryllis didn’t let his silence deter her. She continued to coo in a deep, sultry voice. “Earlier you wouldn’t answer my questions. Perhaps you’ll be more inclined to answer me now.”
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