by Nina Croft
What the hell?
She tugged her hand free and stepped back.
He let his own hand fall to his side. “Let’s go, Belladonna.”
“Bella. I hate Belladonna. And what do you mean ‘let’s go’? Just like that?”
“Just like that. And please, call me Torr.”
She followed him out of the room, down the corridor to the reception area. A tall man in a silver-grey suit, with dark red hair stood at the desk, talking to a uniformed officer. He turned as they entered, nodded at Torr, and then his attention shifted to her, wandering over her slowly. Bella refused to back down. She caught his gaze and held it. One eyebrow rose, and he smiled.
“Are we good?” Torr asked.
The man nodded. “All sorted.” He picked up a bag from the counter and handed it to Bella. “Your things.”
She took it and glanced inside. Her handbag and the other stuff she’d had with her when she’d been arrested were in there. She looked at the officer. “I’m free to go?”
“Yes, Miss.”
She shook her head, but wasn’t about to argue. Instead, she glanced at Torr. “So, get me out of here.”
As she followed him out the door, she blinked a couple of times in the bright sunshine, breathing in the fresh air. Well, relatively fresh for the city. At least, better than inside. One day, she would live in the country and have real fresh air and no people around.
Torr and the red-headed man stopped by a sleek, black sports car. “So, what now?” she asked. “Are you going to tell me what this job is?”
“Later,” Torr said.
The red-headed man held out a hand. She looked at it for a moment then took it, half-expecting another jolt. But there was nothing. “I’m Cade.”
“Bella.”
“Cade, are you coming back with us?” Torr asked.
Cade shook his head. “I’m meeting Phoebe for lunch.” He smiled at Bella again. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy your time with us, Bella.”
She waited until he walked away then turned back to Torr.
“Come on,” he said, opening the car door and gesturing to her.
She didn’t budge. “Where are we going?”
“Back to my office, where I’ll explain everything.”
“Will it take long?”
“Yes.”
When she still didn’t move, his lips curved down in a frown. “Is this going to be a problem?”
“I have to go see my dog.”
“You have a dog?” he asked.
“Why shouldn’t I have a dog? What’s wrong with having a dog? And he’ll be worried. I didn’t come home last night, and I’ve never not come home before.”
He shrugged. “Get in. We’ll pick up your dog on the way. You can get anything else you want at the same time. You won’t need many clothes as we’ll be providing those, but you won’t be going back there again, so anything you want, get it now.”
“Why?”
“You’ll be staying at headquarters.”
“Headquarters?” She knew she was sounding like a parrot, but did normal people have headquarters?
“Get in the car, Bella.”
She pursed her lips. “Okay, I’ll get in the car. But don’t think just because I said I’d work for you that you’re the boss.”
***
Exasperating. Irritating. Devious.
It was hard to believe that his Soraya could be reborn as someone so totally different. Had she always been like this, and he just hadn’t seen it?
He thought back; it was over two thousand years ago and still so clear in his mind. She’d cared for everyone, taken their pain into herself…cared for him. He could see her sweet smile, her eyes as warm as the summer sky, her soft woman’s body that had driven him wild.
There was nothing soft about Belladonna Dixon. She was hard as nails.
“Are we going to sit here all day?”
Her words cut through his thoughts. He realized he was sitting, daydreaming in the underground parking garage beneath Stormlord Securities. She was in the passenger seat beside him, her horrible dog clutched in her lap. Her hands stroked its fur as she should have been stroking him. The animal caught his eye and snarled.
The only sign he’d seen of the old Soraya was the way she treated her dog, although the animal was hardly worthy of the name. Small and white with protruding brown eyes, which gazed at her with complete devotion and cast him looks of such vicious hatred, they were worthy of a hellhound.
He climbed out of the car and went around to open her door. She glanced up at him with surprise and got out. They didn’t talk as he took her up in the elevator to the guest suite, the dog still in her arms. She only put the mongrel down when they were safe inside with the door shut behind them.
“Hey, this place is nice.”
She wandered around, peering in doors; the little dog trotting behind her, sniffing. Finally, she came back and threw herself down on the cream leather sofa.
“I’ve wanted to do this for hours.” She pulled off first one boot then the second, tossing them on the floor. Then she wriggled her stocking-clad toes into the carpet.
Torr watched her, forcing his breaths to slow and deepen. He couldn’t do anything to scare her off at this point, but he ached with the need to feel her in his arms.
Reaching up, she tugged at her hair. The long blonde tresses came away in her hand. Shock flashed through him, until he realized she’d been wearing a wig. She grinned at him and tossed it to the dog, who took it in his mouth and shook it like a rat. “Never again,” she said.
Torr simply stared.
She had short, dark red hair, flattened by the wig, but she ran her hands through it, fluffing it up so it spiked at the front.
“That feels so good,” she murmured. “I didn’t want to take it off at the police station—they’d have been pissed about the mug shots—but it was itching like hell.”
She shrugged out of her jacket. Beneath it, she wore a fitted white shirt, which clung to her small breasts. “You know, I think I’m going to like it here.” She leaned back and stretched. “Hey, is there anything to eat in this place? I’m starving.”
He realized she had no clue of the effect she was having on him. That had to be a good thing though, because he was hot and hard as steel. He sucked in a breath and swung around. He had to get out of there. “There’s food in the kitchen. I’ll speak with you later.”
He paused at the door. He might have to get out of there, but that didn’t mean he wanted to. What reason could he give to stay? Did he have to give a reason? His cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket, glanced at the screen, and cursed softly.
Bella raised an eyebrow. “Something up?”
“Nothing important, I have to go.”
She shrugged. “I’m not keeping you.”
He looked at her one last time and turned away, shutting the door gently behind him.
***
Bella stared at the closed door. She’d thought he would tell her what the job was once they were at ‘headquarters’. Obviously, there was no rush.
She’d been thinking about heading out once she was left alone, vanishing into the city. She was pretty sure she could stay out of sight. If she could contact Justin, he’d get her some money and she could lie low for a while.
But this place was nice. Better than nice—it was fabulous. She’d probably stay just for the bathroom. She’d never seen anything like it, with its huge Jacuzzi tub and walk-in shower. No, she might stick around for a while.
“What do you think, Skip?”
The little dog jumped up beside her, leaned up, and licked her face. She pulled him onto her knee and hugged him tight, a sense of comfort filling her at the touch.
Still, she should contact Justin. She pulled her cell phone out of her bag and punched in his number. He didn’t pick up and voicemail kicked in.
“I’m out,” she said. “This guy made some sort of deal with the cops. And he’s offered me a jo
b. Not sure what yet, but I’ll see if there’s something in it for you. I’ll be in touch.”
As she switched the phone off and sat back, her stomach groaned. She hadn’t eaten in over twenty-four hours.
The kitchen was fantastic. Bella had never been particularly domesticated, but even she was impressed. And the fridge was well stocked, not only with food, though that was amazing—smoked salmon, rolls, pâté, and things she didn’t even recognize—but also with bottles of chardonnay and champagne.
Her past had taught her to be cautious, but it had also shown her to make the most of the good things when they came along. Who knew what the future held? But for tonight, at least, she wouldn’t be locked away in a tiny cell with only her nightmares for company.
Food, champagne, and a long, bubbly bath.
She was out of jail.
***
Three floors above her, Torr was in Hell. He swore softly.
She was in the bathroom, in the bath, no doubt naked, and he was a pervert for even knowing that. He’d switched on the monitor when he’d gotten up to his office. He couldn’t be with her, but he couldn’t resist watching her. He’d promised himself he would just check to make sure she was okay.
He’d flicked between cameras as she moved from room to room. Finally, when she disappeared into the bathroom, he forced himself to switch off the monitor.
Sinking into his chair, he rubbed his face.
How could he feel so euphoric and so terrified at the same time?
And on top of everything else, he had a summons from Lilith. Twice in two days. Could she be aware that he’d found Bella?
Lilith wasn’t allowed to interfere directly, but that wouldn’t stop her doing her best to meddle. He’d hoped to keep it from her until it was too late, but that had always been a vain hope. She had spies everywhere. Also, he’d expected Bella to take one look at him and realize she loved him straight away. It looked like it was going to take considerably longer than anticipated.
Still, he couldn’t ignore Lilith’s summons. While she held his soul, she had some power over him.
He closed his eyes and opened a portal between the worlds. Stepping through, he found himself deep in the Abyss. He was on the banks of a wide, slow-moving river, and he breathed in the cool, clean air. As usual, the light was dim, glowing orange as though in a perpetual twilight. The sand beneath his feet was black, but glittered with specks of jeweled colors. Lilith was seated on a boulder, her bare feet dangling in the water. She stood and sauntered over to him.
“What is it?” he asked.
“No ‘hello’?” she murmured. “Are you not going to kneel before your queen?” A pout formed on her full lips as she smoothed down her black silk skirt and tossed her loose hair over her shoulder. She appeared young, carefree, beautiful—all an act. He needed to get back to Bella. He didn’t have time to play Lilith’s games. Did she know? Her eyes gave nothing away except for a slightly malicious amusement.
“Cut the crap and tell me why I’m here.”
“Well, it appears we have a small problem.”
He sighed; one of the things he’d always hated about her was her insistence on playing games. “We do?”
“Well, to be more accurate, you have a problem. And unfortunately, it’s not particularly small.”
Torr gritted his teeth but didn’t say anything further. She would say whatever it was she had to say in her own good time. Pushing her would only slow down the process.
She smiled, a slight curl of her lips. “Someone has stolen your soul.”
Chapter 4
Torr’s gaze shot to her throat. The jewel was missing. Since the time he had handed Lilith his soul it had always hung around her neck. Now it was gone. Adrenaline flooded his bloodstream and his heart raced. He took a step toward her, his hands fisted at his side. “What in the Abyss have you done?”
She closed the space between them, trailed one hand down his chest, and a shudder rippled through him. “You’re looking extremely smart, today, Torrin. Is there anything you want to share with me?” Her fingers raked through his long hair and he had to lock his muscles to stop from pulling away. “I think you’ve even combed your hair. What’s going on?”
Shit, she knew.
Torr grabbed her hand, and shoved it away from him. “What have you done with my soul?” He tried to keep the panic from his voice, but knew he had failed when a slow smile curved her lips.
“I had to take it off. It really didn’t go with my outfit today. I left it on the side table in my bedroom. When I came back”—she lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug—“it was gone.”
Darkness surged through him. “You’ve done this on purpose.”
She gave a little moue. “Why would I do that? Are you sure there isn’t something you want to share with me?”
“Who has it?” This time he managed to keep his voice expressionless and she raised an eyebrow.
“How would I know?”
“Don’t play games with me.” His fingers wrapped around her throat, and he slammed her back against the rock wall behind her. “Who has my soul?”
She stared at him, the smile still on her face, and the darkness roared inside him. His wings broke free, and knew his eyes had changed when he saw the world through a blood-red haze.
“I love it when you get angry,” Lilith purred. Her eyes gleamed with desire, her tongue flicking out serpent-like to moisten her plump lower lip.
The scent of her arousal filled his nostrils and he dropped his hand from her in disgust and whirled away. At the edge of the river, he stood watching the sluggish flow of the black water as he fought for control. When he had some semblance of a hold on his temper, he turned back to her.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“Why would you think I want anything?”
“Don’t play with me.”
“You know what I want. I want you back. At my side. I helped you when you were down. I welcomed you to my realm and to my bed. I gave you access to my powers. Together we could have taken over the Earth, ruled over humans for eternity. Even Heaven might not have been beyond us. And you gave that up.” Her face was no longer amused or impassive; a rage that matched his own flared in her eyes. “Gave it up for what?”
“For love,” he replied, but she would never understand. He studied her, saw some emotion flicker in her eyes. “I did it for love,” he said again. “Love, and maybe a chance at redemption.”
“Redemption?” she sneered. “Go back to your human? You have a chance for greatness with me and you’d choose that? Well, you have five days and then you’ll be mine. So prepare yourself.”
She turned away.
Worry nagged at his mind. Was Lilith aware he had found Bella and this was a ruse to distract him? Or was she merely guessing. She couldn’t interfere directly, but she could make things difficult. He needed to get back to Bella. He would find out Lilith’s plans soon enough.
He opened the portal and was about to leave when she whirled around and threw him an insincere smile.
“I think Razul might have been around today. Maybe he has your soul.”
And she vanished.
Torr sank onto the seat in his office and stared at the screen. Bella lay curled up on the cream leather sofa, eyes closed, wearing a huge, black bathrobe, which covered her from neck to ankles and beyond.
Asleep, the sharp lines of her face were smoothed, and he could see his Soraya clearly in the curve of her high cheekbones, the softness of her lips. Pain pierced his heart.
How had it come to this?
All he had ever wanted was to keep her safe and by his side. To that end, he had risked his immortal soul and lost. Two thousand years ago, he and his brothers had stolen the Elixir of Life and given it to their mortal wives. As punishment, they had been cast into the Abyss. And his Soraya had been killed. He’d watched, powerless as they’d dragged her away, heard her calling his name as the angels tore him down.
He’d believed
her lost to him forever and all he’d craved was revenge. And Lilith had offered him the chance of revenge beyond his imagination. All she had asked in return was his soul in her keeping, and his body in her bed. He’d seen no need for his soul at that point and had given it without thought. And he’d gone to her bed because he hadn’t cared enough to resist her advances.
His brothers became the Storm Lords and he their leader, the Destroyer. In those first years, he had bathed in the fresh blood of humans, fed on their warm flesh, slaughtered without conscience, his whole existence passing in a red haze of fury.
Eventually, those who had betrayed him were long dead and gone, and his rage cooled, but nothing replaced it, and he had moved through his life without feeling, as though in a void. He’d been going to take over the world and rule with Lilith at his side, and he hadn’t given a shit.
Until the angels came to him.
By that point, they’d feared him; he was too powerful to defeat by force. So they had told him the truth, hoping to break his allegiance to Lilith.
His Soraya had died, but because she had taken the Elixir of Life, her soul and those of his brothers’ wives were tied to the earth, caught in an endless cycle of death and rebirth. For a thousand years, Soraya had lived, breathed, and known nothing of him.
Lilith had been incandescent with fury, but she couldn’t hold him completely. Finally, they had come to an arrangement and drawn up the Covenant in blood, which would bind both sides. They would have one thousand years to seek their wives, but if they failed to find them in that time, then they must return to her. Torr would again be at her side, and his brothers would marry Lilith’s daughters. Torr shuddered at the thought.
But it wasn’t so easy. Lilith had made another stipulation. If eternal love truly existed then Soraya would know him. He had five days after meeting her again for Soraya to come to him of her own free will, and declare her love. In that time, Torr was not allowed to tell her the truth or reveal what and who he was. If he spoke of this then Soraya would be lost to him forever.