“So soon?” That gave her no time to strategize, to figure out her plans. “I can’t—”
Ana. Elijah’s voice whispered through her mind. She clenched her fists, against a sudden burning of Elijah’s brands on her forearms, and she knew she had to find a way to get the knife for Frank. She didn’t know why, not yet, but she knew she had to go. Her certainty resonated in every fiber of her being. “I’ll come.”
Frank cupped the side of her face. “You were always the good girl, Ana.”
She lifted her chin. “I’m not doing this for you.”
One eyebrow went up above the tinted glasses. “And the games begin.” Then he turned and strode away, the shadowed woods swallowing him up as he faded into the darkness, until even the sound of his footsteps faded.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Lily moaned as her music finally quieted a long time later. Her body was still on fire, and it felt like any touch to her skin would trigger another orgasm, sending her into an endless spiral toward her death. Was it the bond, the effect of the blood ritual, or her magic? Or a deadly combination of all three? How could her magic have come on so strongly indoors, away from the earth, when neither she nor Gideon had called it? She was earth magic, not blood magic.
Her forearms were searing hot, and she could practically feel her skin melting as the brand burned into her skin. She shifted on the bed and lifted her arm so she could look at the cut from Gideon’s blade…and what she saw made her stomach turn. The outline of his throwing axe was complete, and much of the detail was filled in. The lines were bold and strong. “Dear God,” she whispered. “How many stages have we done?”
She’d thought two. He’d killed for her and the blood bond. But this was so much more. She pressed her arm to her chest, against the dried blood still covering her. Gideon. Can you hear me?
There was no answer, and she felt a sudden aching loss, followed by sheer panic. Since they were blood bonded, they should be able to communicate over any distance. Why wasn’t he answering? What if he was dead? She bolted upright in bed, her heart pounding. Gideon! Are you there?
A soothing warmth filled her, and she recognized Gideon’s reassurance as he filled her mind. I can hear you. You okay?
Lily’s throat thickened and she bowed her head with relief, pressing her palms to her eyes as her body shuddered. I thought you were dead. It ripped me apart. What’s going on? I shouldn’t feel like this unless we were fully bonded.
Given the fact that Quinn had to chain me up in the basement to keep me from going back in that bedroom, I don’t think I’m the one to ask.
That stopped her. You’re chained up?
I was. I seem to have regained my mind again. Now I’m in the kitchen eating half a turkey to try to ease the most massive case of blue balls known to my race.
She managed a small smile at his analogy. I’ll take that as a compliment for my irresistible sexuality.
You should. His frustration pulsed over their connection. You push me to places I’ve never been Lily. I don’t have control problems. Ever. This need I have for you isn’t simply the bond. I’ve seen bonded warriors before, and this isn’t it. Hell, I was afraid to go back into that bedroom to make sure you were okay.
That was probably smart. I wasn’t…ready yet.
There was a low moan. Shit, Lily. Just the thought of what you might have meant by that comment’s getting me hard again. What is it with you? Is it Satinka?
Lily wanted to smile at how frustrated he sounded. He was aggravated that he wasn’t in complete control. She’d studied Gideon enough to know that his tight rein on his emotions was his greatest pride and his best weapon. I don’t know. I’ll have to look into it.
Research?
She swung her feet off the bed, feeling comforted by his presence in her mind. For you, your axe is your weapon. For me, it’s my mind. It’s all I have. She walked across the room and realized the shower was still running. She stuck her hand in. Ice cold.
Shit, Lily. I won’t deny you’re brilliant, but you’re a hell of a lot more than your damn mind.
She looked down at the crusted blood on her body, and sighed. It would have to be a cold shower. You’re referring to my fantastic sexual allure? She stepped into the water and let out a yelp when the icy water hit, driving her breath away.
You’re a warrior, Lily. Like me. It took a warrior mentality to do that blood bond with me today. You survived Nate. You have strength, Lily. Real strength.
The genuine respect in his voice made her heart tighten. Thank you for saying that. I appreciate it. Sometimes I need to be reminded.
There was a pause, as if he’d shifted his attention somewhere else and she grabbed a washcloth and started scrubbing the blood off her, even as she started to shiver.
Then he was back. Quinn wants to know how long until you can come downstairs and look at the knife.
She hesitated. Is it safe for me to be around the Order?
I’ll make sure it is. He didn’t hesitate, and his words were honest and sure.
Lily smiled. As terrifying as the future implications of being his sheva were, it was an unbelievable gift to know that she could trust him entirely to keep her safe. She knew that only the sheva bond and Gideon’s immense personal strength had enabled him to walk out that door when her magic had been calling to him. His need to keep her safe had been stronger than her irresistible siren call. An impossibility, but so unbelievably beautiful. Gideon, the warrior who’d been her nightmare her whole life, had turned out to be her salvation. Ironic, but she was too smart to turn down the gift he offered her. Granted, if they bonded, all hell would break loose, but until then he was a gift.
I’m a gift? Sweetheart, you are going to be an easy woman to please if you think I’m a gift, but I really recommend you raise your standards. At least demand chocolate or diamonds. Take advantage of the sheva bond and milk me for all I’m worth. I have a shitload of money and I can’t say no to my woman.
She chuckled. Gideon, I wouldn’t even know what to do with diamonds. The way you make me feel is exactly what I need.
Damn, woman. That’s a lot of pressure. Diamonds would be easier for me to deliver.
She laughed then, and the laughter felt so foreign. When was the last time she’d laughed? She hadn’t thought she even remembered how to do it. How on earth did you just make me laugh?
I’m a god. You’re a lucky woman. Learn to deal with it. His affection warmed her, and she could almost see his answering smile.
She laughed again, and this time she felt the lightness dance through her spirit. Well, at least you’re humble.
Humility is for wimps.
She turned off the cold water and stepped out of the shower. A part of her wanted to spend an hour drying her hair, putting on makeup and making herself beautiful for him, the way she might have done in another life, a woman simply excited about a man.
Sweetheart, you’re the sexiest damn thing I’ve ever laid eyes upon and there’s not a damn thing you could do to make me want you more than I already do. When are you coming down here? I need to get some time with my girl.
She laughed. Don’t I get any privacy from you?
What? You want privacy from me? He sounded shocked, but she could tell he was teasing. Let me come up there right now and we can talk about that.
She wasn’t surprised by the sudden flush of desire that vibrated through her at the idea of Gideon walking into her bedroom again. If you come up here, we’ll never get down there. Leave me alone. I’ll be down in ten minutes.
I’ll be waiting. Just make sure you have clothes on and you’re not singing.
She smiled again, amazed that she had any smiles left in her body. I promise.
*
Lily paused in the hallway outside the living room. She could hear the murmur of male voices. The Order of the Blade was waiting for her. Men who had taken an oath to kill her on sight because she was Gideon’s sheva. Warriors who were ready to take her from Gideon. Cal
ydons who were at war in the battle that had resulted in her imprisonment for the last two years.
Suddenly, all Lily’s courage and strength deserted her. How could she summon up the energy to resume the battle? It had felt so good to flirt with Gideon, to wash her hair, to feel like a woman being excited about a new man. To be normal, or as close to normal as she could get.
She didn’t want to resume her life again. She really didn’t.
Lily leaned against the wall, and closed her eyes. I can’t do this.
“Yes, you can.” Gideon walked out of the living room, apparently having sensed her presence before she’d reached out to him.
He was wearing a clean pair of jeans, a gray tee shirt, and a different pair of boots. This pair was black, and worn. His hair was curling around the back of his neck, but there was a small mark on his skin where she’d cut him. There were angry red marks around both wrists…from the chains?
He followed her gaze to his wrists. “Yeah, it’s the chains. I was a little crazed for a few minutes. Thankfully, Dante had the foresight to install them a long time ago to contain Order members after their shevas are killed. We had to put Ian in them a few months ago after Elijah killed his sheva. I didn’t think we’d get to let him go, actually…”
Lily swallowed, searching his blue eyes that were so serious now. “God, Gideon. What are we getting ourselves into?”
“I have no idea, and no one else does either. This is virgin territory, but we all understand now why Satinka are so rare.”
“The Calydons killed us off.”
“Yeah. Not on purpose, but that doesn’t seem to matter.” He flexed his wrists. “I’m under control now. You ready to go in?”
She shook her head. “The males in there are my enemies. I’ve spent my life—”
“I was the only Order member who was your enemy.” He walked over to her and caught her wrist, his fingers just below the cut he’d made with his axe. “Just me.”
“No, not just you. Cade was my enemy. Anyone in the Order would have come to kill him if you hadn’t.” She looked at his hand where he held her, his fingers loose around her wrist. “If I hadn’t been your sheva, I would have been someone else’s. And now…now they want to kill me and—”
“This meeting in there isn’t about you. It’s about stopping Frank. That’s the only focus right now. Any fate of yours is periphery right now.”
She shivered. “Frank has to be stopped.”
“He does.” Gideon cocked his head. “Did I tell you we think he kidnapped a young Calydon? Nineteen years old? His name’s Drew Cartland.”
“Oh, God. You had to tell me that?” But she knew he did. It was too easy to forget the threat that Frank presented when she was behind these walls with Gideon by her side.
Frank was still out there, and he was still so dangerous. Far more dangerous than the bond building between Gideon and her. She took a deep breath, pulling herself together. Just a little longer, Lily. You can keep it together for a little longer.
She saw by the flicker of amusement on Gideon’s face that he’d heard her silent pep talk. “No privacy even for my own neurotic moments?”
“Not anymore.” There was a flicker of regret in his tone, but his face was heated, as if he was damned happy with how closely they were connected. “We’ve done almost half the stages. Trust has been completed by both of us. My half of the death stage was completed when I killed to save your life. We did the blood bond. We have only two and a half stages left: sex, transference and your half of the death stage.”
Lily knew all about those stages. The death stage would be satisfied if she killed to save Gideon’s life, or if she offered her life to save his. Transference occurred when his weapon recognized her as his mate and became hers to call from his arm, just as he could call it to life. And the final stage was sex. God. Sex with Gideon? Hello. How was she ever going to resist that?
Gideon’s fingers brushed over the silver lines in her skin. “You okay with where we are?”
Lily managed a nod. “I have to be. There’s no going back.”
“No, there isn’t.” His hand closed over her wrist, and he lifted her hand to press a kiss to her palm. “You ready?”
“Absolutely. Frank has to die.”
Gideon nodded and took her hand, then led her into Dante’s luxuriously decorated living room. After all her years of researching the Order, she recognized everyone immediately.
Quinn Masters was leaning against the empty fireplace. Ian was standing back against the wall, and he gave her a nod of recognition. He seemed to have recovered from the wounds he’d received after rescuing her, but his face was still haunted and bleak. There was a vast emptiness in his eyes, a gaping wound in his soul. Was it from the loss of his sheva as Gideon had said? She knew it was. She’d had the first hint of that loss when she’d woken up and Gideon wasn’t with her. How awful would she feel if and when it ended between Gideon and her?
Focus, sweetheart. No need to borrow trouble from the future. We’ve got enough to deal with right now. Gideon squeezed her hand lightly, drawing her focus back into the room.
The rest of the men were seated, sprawled across the black leather couches. They were all there. Kane Santiago with his scars. The irreverent Thano Savakis with his smile. Ryland Samuels, the loose cannon whose pacing was making the other men wary. A restless dark energy was swirling around him, even more than she would have expected given what she knew about him. Was he getting worse now that his mentor, Dante, was gone?
Gabe Watson and Zach Roderick were sitting next to each other on the couch by the window, both of them watching her intently. She could feel the hum of energy in the room, the readiness of each warrior to call forth his weapon and end her life if they thought she was too dangerous. Um…yeah…
The conversation ceased the minute she and Gideon stepped inside. Gideon felt the tension level skyrocket as the males watched him carefully, analyzing his reaction to see if he was sane, or if Lily was dragging him over the line to rogue yet.
They’d all seen Quinn haul his ass down to the dungeons, and they were right to be on guard.
Lily’s pulse was racing, and he felt her true fear at being confronted with the Order. Shit. He hadn’t really realized how much her past would affect her. I’m with you, Lily. You’re safe.
Her fingers tightened against his. Keep telling me that, please.
Quinn stood up. “Dr. Davenport.”
“Call me Lily.” She pulled her hand from Gideon’s and stepped forward, setting her hands on her hips as she surveyed the males in the room. He could see the tension in her shoulders, and knew she was trying to be stronger than she felt. But that was Lily. She was about strength, and it didn’t surprise him she would need to face the room without leaning on him.
“Lily,” Quinn agreed, his tone conversational, but his eyes sharp as he watched Lily and Gideon together. He nodded at the table. “What do you know about that, Lily?”
Lily followed his glance, and Gideon saw Nate’s knife on the table. Ian’s hand was resting on it. Her forehead furrowed. “That’s Nate’s knife.”
She walked over and crouched next to the table, studying it carefully. Gideon sensed the angst ease from Lily’s body as she inspected it. He smiled, realizing that Lily was indeed a scholar at heart, and her interest had been piqued by the knife. “How do you still have it?” she asked. “I thought Calydon weapons disappeared if they were outside the body for very long.”
“They only disappear if they aren’t touching a human body. We keep touching it periodically to make sure it doesn’t fade,” Quinn explained.
Ian lifted his hand from the weapon, leaving the knife behind as Grace and Ana walked in and sat on chairs at the back of the room. Quinn raised his brows at Grace, and she smiled back, making something inside Gideon flicker with envy at their easy camaraderie.
Ana said nothing, and she looked even more strung out than she had been since she’d first arrived. Lily frowned at An
a, then he felt Lily touch his mind. We have to talk about Ana. I think Frank is messing with her mind.
Gideon studied Ana more carefully. Still? Even though she’s here?
Lily nodded. I think she’s in danger.
We’ll put a guard on her.
“Can you read the writing on the knife?” Quinn asked.
Lily glanced at Gideon, then returned her attention to the knife. She picked it up and turned it over in her hands, her touch careful, as if it were an ancient artifact she was afraid of breaking.
“It’s a Calydon weapon,” Gideon said. “You can’t hurt it.”
The room fell quiet, waiting for Lily to finish inspecting it. “The designs etched on this are incredible. It looks like it was crafted with the finest of modern technology, yet I know it’s hundreds of years old.” Her eyes were bright with interest, fresh energy flowing back into her face.
Shit, you’re beautiful. Her eyes were brimming with intelligence, curiosity, and warmth that shocked him. Lily had been brought back to life by her interest in the knife, and Gideon loved the excitement sparkling on her face. It pissed him off to think that two years with Nate had robbed her of this kind of pleasure, replacing this passion with a shadowed fear.
Lily shot a sharp glance at him, then her face softened. That’s you talking, isn’t it? Not the bond. You think I’m beautiful all on your own.
Yeah, I do, he agreed. He didn’t know how he knew, but he did.
A small smile played at the corners of Lily’s mouth as she turned back to the knife. That one glimpse of her smile hit him hard, a symbol of the woman hidden beneath the stress and the trauma.
Lily chewed her lower lip as she studied the knife. “I’ve seen this language before. It’s really ancient. I think I have some texts on it at my office.” She passed her finger over it. “I think it describes a rite.” She tapped her fingernail on a word. “This word is often used to indicate a ritual sacrifice.”
Darkness Seduced (Primal Heat Trilogy #2) (Order of the Blade) Page 20