The Fallen King: The Bellum Sisters 4 (paranormal erotic romance)

by Grey, T. A.

  Conrad nodded grimly. “True enough. Mayhap if she’s shared at some point, it could give all the men a chance to relieve themselves.”

  In thought, the idea worked out wonderfully. However, in Aidan’s past a woman didn’t exactly like to be shared without her approval. The thought of force did not sit well with Aidan. He knew all about being forced to do things he didn’t like, and he wouldn’t do that to a lovely woman.

  “We don’t want to lose her favor, Conrad. We do that and she won’t accept any of us. No, we have to find a way around that.” He knew by looking at her that the thought of taking on more than one man at a time wouldn’t appeal to her. She had an innocent sexual allure to her. He wondered if she even realized it.

  Conrad sighed and took a seat beside Aidan. “I hadn’t thought of that. What will we do then?”

  Aidan thought on it for a long while. His gaze moved from the flames licking at the wood to the prone woman lying in front of the fireplace. “I think we’ll go ahead with the challenge. Whoever wins will keep her but in a few weeks’ time we’ll hold another challenge with the previous winner not participating. This will eventually allow everyone a chance to win her.”

  “What if she refuses to accommodate the winner?”

  Anger flared in Aidan. “Then we’ll make her.” He wouldn’t physically force her, but there were other ways. An idea struck him—maybe even pleasurable ways. A seduction. The pressure in his groin grew nearly unbearable.

  A commotion started around the great hall’s fire jerking Aidan out of his sultry thoughts. He went to his men. They wore expressions ranging from excited to wary. He didn’t blame them. Having a woman here could prove a change for either the better or the worse.

  One of his men, Drekk, caught him coming towards and nodded to the woman. “She’s waking, sir.”

  A flash of excitement flickered in Aidan. He couldn’t help it; he was just as excited as the rest of them. “Make room,” he ordered. His men parted around the woman and Aidan came through to see her eyelashes fluttering open.

  Greed filled him just looking upon her. What he would do to keep her for himself...

  The woman sat straight up, her gaze darting around the men hovering around her. She started breathing fast in fear, pushing a pair of gorgeous breasts up tight against the snug, strange shirt she wore.

  He stopped in front of her and her gaze flew to his. He watched recognition hit her eyes. Good, she remembered him from before.

  “Who are you?”

  She spoke strangely and he and his men looked at her in confusion. This wouldn’t do.

  Aidan turned to his men. “Get Gabrick here now.”

  No sooner than he made the order did Gabrick push his way through the crowd. The older demon had the greatest magical abilities among all of them. It was largely due in part to his abilities that they were able to keep their small castle invisible to the prying eyes of the world. They used to be out in the open, but in the past year idummi attacks had become more frequent. So, they’d pooled their magic and spells together to cast a protective spell over the castle. If all of them left for too long the spell would eventually fade and reveal their home.

  “Can you make it so we can understand her and her us, Gabrick?”

  The man nodded slowly, his eyes devouring the woman. A spark of possessiveness straightened Aidan’s spine, but he ignored it. It wouldn’t do getting revved up in front of his men over the woman, even though he planned to keep her for himself.

  “It sounds like a strange version of the English human’s spoke long ago. Let me see if this works.”

  Gabrick opened his palms and spoke a chant in Demonish. The spell weaved words of understanding, learning, and listening around his brain. Warmth surrounded Aidan and his men and then like a switch being thrown, the woman’s words rang clear.

  “What the hell is going on here? Who are you? Where’s Alrik?”

  All the men paused at the woman’s words. She had a soft, pretty voice. A woman’s voice. He could have groaned at the sound. Something that hadn’t gifted his ears in so long.

  Aidan took a step closer and once again captured the woman’s gaze. “You speak to the king by his first name? Just what are you to him?”

  The woman froze, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Tell me who you are first.”

  “Leave us,” Aidan ordered in Demonish. His men did so, but slowly. After they had some space, Aidan knelt down by the woman. “I am Aidan and these are my men. We are outcasts from the shahoulin kingdom.”

  “Are you their king?”

  “We have no king here.” The very thought made Aidan’s gut clench. Yes, he led his men but he was no king. His word wasn’t law here and they all wanted it that way. The rulers had ruined their lives. They chose a more democratic approach with Aidan acting as a tentative leader. At any time, they could overthrow him if they chose and he’d easily step aside.

  “What do you want with me?”

  Aidan looked away as an image of her body naked and what it would look like flashed in his mind. “That’s a harder question to answer. Why don’t we start simpler? Why are you with the king?”

  She smirked, the corner of her full mouth curving up. The sight transformed her face into something captivating. “He isn’t the king anymore.”

  Aidan nearly gave a double take. “What say you?”

  She shrugged. “He’s no longer the king. He said we were coming this way to find some rogue demons, I take it that’s you. He said we needed some supplies.”

  Aidan stood and stared off into the fire. The king wasn’t the king anymore and he thought to find help from those he’d marked as outcasts after wrongfully imprisoning them?

  “He’s mad,” Aidan muttered.

  “True enough.”

  Aidan felt a smile cover his lips. Not only was she beautiful but humorous and wise as well. She’d make a fine companion for him and his men.

  “Your name, woman.”

  She bit her lip as if unsure whether to tell or not. Eventually she sighed in defeat. “Abbigail.”

  He rolled the name around in his mouth. He liked the rounded sound of it, feminine. It fit her. “Abbigail, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Aidan.” Aidan and Abbigail. The sounds rang well together.

  He held his hand out to her and she hesitantly gave it to him. Her hand was soft compared to his own and much smaller. He hadn’t held a woman’s hand in so long he’d forgotten what it felt like, the slight weight and the soft texture. He ran his thumb over it and pressed a kiss to her fingers. Her eyes flashed with surprise while something dark and hungry stirred inside him. He’d wanted to wait until he announced the challenge, but now he knew he couldn’t wait. He needed her for himself, needed to see her flashing blue eyes at him, smiling up at him as he thrust between her soft thighs.

  Turning his back to her, he faced his men. In Demonish he spoke. “We will have a challenge for her.”

  The men tensed. Hesitance, eagerness, and hope flashed among their faces.

  “The winner will keep her but will not force her into any deeds she doesn’t wish to do. After three weeks, we will have another challenge. The previous winner will not be allowed to participate so that everyone will eventually have a chance to win. Every three weeks we will hold the challenge again.”

  Aidan studied his men finding half of them approving, almost eager, and the others angrier at his command.

  “What’s a challenge?” came a soft voice from behind him.

  Aidan froze. He turned back to her but words clogged his throat. He didn’t know what to say. He tried to recall his previous interactions with women and the only thing he could think was that she wouldn’t welcome this.

  “What’s going on here?” she asked again, her voice getting hard.

  Aidan ground his jaw. To hell with it. She was here and she’d have to deal with the consequences. “We are keeping you. The winner of the challenge will win you, Abbigail.”

  She gasped and started backin
g up, her gaze darting amongst the men as if they might jump at her at any moment. “No, you can’t do that.”

  “Yes, I can. I’m sorry but we have been too long without a woman. We will not let this chance slip by us.”

  “But, but I’ll tell you anything you need to know.”

  He didn’t say it aloud, but he thought it. You’ll tell us everything you know anyway, Abbigail. “And what do you know, Abbigail?”

  She hesitated and he could see her mind working as she thought about it. She crossed her arms across her chest. She had no idea, but half the men in the room groaned as the action pushed her breasts more fully into view.

  “Take me to see Alrik first.”

  Aidan stalked to her. She didn’t back down but she looked behind her as if she wanted to. He didn’t stop until they nearly touched. “Why would you want to see him?” Anger and jealousy burned inside him.

  “I-I need to talk to him,” she stuttered.

  “About what, Abbigail?”

  She started breathing faster. It was torture seeing those breasts rise and fall. If he but leaned down he could pull a breast into his mouth. His mouth watered at the idea. So entranced was he that he missed part of what she said.

  “...see if he’s okay.”

  Aidan stared her in the eyes as he contemplated it. Then he nodded. “Come with me.”

  His men stared at him as if he had lost his mind as he led Abbigail away. He only gave them a swift shake of his head. He had his ulterior motives.

  * * *

  Abby followed the big warrior with silvery skin and dark hair. He looked similar to the demons yet somehow different. He reminded her of a vampire. Tall, elegant in nature, but with a warlike ferocity hidden underneath a layer of control, such characteristics were typical amongst vampires. He didn’t have the bulk to his body as the others had and was slightly taller, though he was just as gorgeous to look at. Maybe even better. However, that didn’t make him trustworthy. She had Alrik as proof of that.

  Aidan led her down a stone stairwell. It rounded in a tight circle. The air became heavier and torches held by sconces on the wall lit the way down a long hallway at the end of the stairs. It was cold down here and one look at the metal bars lining either side of the hall and she knew it was a dungeon. Yet as she scanned the cages, she saw they were all empty. It was too early to tell if this bode well for her or not. Maybe they wouldn’t imprison her. They could do far worse to her than lock her in a cage, she reminded herself.

  At the end of the hall stood a heavy looking wooden door with a rounded metal hatch. She knew who was behind that even before Aidan opened the door.

  “Abbigail! Where is she!” came a roar.

  She’d recognize that voice anywhere. It made her heart jump and her feet walk faster. She reached the door before the man Aidan did. He eyed her strangely as if trying to figure her out. Well, she had news for him; she didn’t trust him either. Maybe this was just the break she’d been looking for. She’d just have to wait and see. But first, she had to see him to make sure that he was alive and well. It felt like a driving need inside her to make sure with her own eyes that he wasn’t injured.

  “I’ll kill you all!” His voice rang down the corridor.

  Aidan stopped by the door and waited until she met his eyes to speak. “Just what is he to you?”

  Her throat closed up. What was he? Friend, not so much. Lover, nope. Enemy, that was closer.

  “He-he’s just a friend okay. Let me see him, please.” She hated to beg but she’d do it if she had to.

  Watching her closely, Aidan grabbed the latch and pulled the door open. Abby all but ran inside. Her stomach dropped at what she saw.

  An even larger cage stood in this room as if that was its sole purpose. Alrik clung to the metal bars of the cage. Heavy metal shackles bound his wrists and ankles to a large metal loop on the wall behind him giving him only so much space to walk. Blood smudged the metal from where they’d dug into his wrists.

  Abby couldn’t hide her reaction, she ran to him. Her hands closed around his on the bars and for some reason tears welled in her eyes. “Alrik.”

  She closed her eyes to hide her growing weakness for him and listened to the sound of his heavy breathing.

  “What have they done to you?” he said. Anger, no, fury laced his words. He was seething. The look in his eyes was something she’d never seen before. He was not in control. He had gone past that point and had snapped. The look made her shiver and sent a bolt of fear into her belly even though she knew he wouldn’t hurt her.

  Abby looked up at his gorgeous face. Blood covered his lips making them bulge, and his left eye was so swollen the skin around it had turned a dark purple. “Did they beat you?” She couldn’t keep the sound of hysteria out of her voice.

  A tic pulsed at the line of his bearded jaw. “I’m fine. What have they done to you?”

  “Well, nothing really. Alrik, they said something about a challenge and I don’t know what they’re talking about.”

  She felt his hands curl tighter around the bars beneath her hands. His gaze darkened with fury and he pinned that lethal look at Aidan. “She is mine.”

  “That remains to be seen.”

  Abby turned sideways so she could watch them both.

  “She’s here with me right now. That shows you everything you need to know.”

  Aidan shrugged. “Shows she has a kind heart, that is all. The men will appreciate that all the more.”

  “Alrik, what’s a challenge?” What do I do? she wanted to say.

  Alrik pulled himself into the bars with a bicep curl then his dark gaze locked on hers. “They will fight over you. Whoever wins gets to keep you, use you however they want. They will take your body, Abbigail. These men are savages.”

  “Not without your wish, I assure you,” Aidan added hastily.

  Abby’s head started spinning. “What? Use me?” She knew what he meant but still trying to believe that it was happening to her was an entirely different thing.

  “Yes, Abby. Use you as a man does a woman. Let me out of here, Aidan, or I swear—”

  “You swear what? You’ll break through the bars? I doubt it. They’ve held stronger men than you.” Aidan stalked like a predator to the cage. “Let me ask you, king, how does it feel to be on the other side of the bars?”

  Alrik roared. Abby barely had time to move to the side before he lashed through the cage, his arms swiping hard for Aidan. Aidan ducked easily to the side, a satisfied smile on his lips. The chains didn’t let him reach far but if Aidan hadn’t moved he would have caught him.

  “It doesn’t feel good, does it?” taunted Aidan.

  Suddenly, Aidan grabbed her arm and started pulling her away. She fought it, digging her feet in. Spinning back around she grabbed onto the bars one last time. She met Alrik’s worried gaze. “What do I do?”

  “I will kill them all.”

  The way he said it, with such a dead finality, sent a chill down her spine. He meant it. He would find a way to get out of there and he would kill every last one of them.

  “I don’t want you to kill anyone.” His gaze flickered with surprise then he stared off beyond her shoulder at Aidan. “If anyone touches her, I’ll slaughter every one of you. There will be no mercy.” He didn’t say it in a threatening way but in a casual ‘this is how it’s going to be’ way. That made it scarier.

  Aidan didn’t give him a chance to say anything else; he latched onto her waist and pulled her kicking and screaming from the room. She screamed loud enough for the whole castle to hear, but no matter how loud or how hard she kicked, he didn’t let her go. She stared into Alrik’s eyes as the door slammed shut, blocking him out. She’d never felt this raw feeling before, like she was being peeled away from something so necessary to her.

  Aidan set her down and she whirled on him, enraged. Her hand shot out and caught his cheek with a hard slap. His head jerked to the side. She flinched at the cracking sound and took a step back as panic engu
lfed her.

  She’d just hit her captor. No way in her mind could this bode well for her. Aidan’s head slowly turned back to her. Something hot and earthy filled his eyes, startling her. When he stepped towards her, she flinched and threw her hands up in front of her face to catch a blow. But it never came. Something else did.

  Her hands were jerked down in a rough grip, and then her body thrust up against his. His mouth came down a second later and ravaged hers. She tried to process it, but her mind struggled to keep up with all that had happened. All she knew was that he was kissing her like a man dying for his last touch. It was hard and swift and when he pulled away, they were both panting.

  “I will win you at the challenge.”

  It was a promise if she’d ever heard one.

  She shook her head in denial but he only jerked her back upstairs. She followed him like a zombie, which worked for her because it gave her a minute to process all that had happened in such a short span of time.

  After they made it back upstairs, they forced her to sit at a table with food and drink shoved in front of her. She ate and drank like a zombie…little bites and sips. She just tuned out all the demons around her watching her with hungry eyes.

  Her mind ran over that kiss and all she could think was—he didn’t kiss like Alrik did.

  Chapter Twelve

  After picking at her food, Aidan and two other big men, one with golden blonde hair cut at his shoulders and another with dark red hair that fell down to his chest, showed her to her room. They locked her inside with a resounding click.

  While the thought of being locked inside a strange room scared her, it also gave her some courage to sleep. Just not a good sleep. She woke throughout the night, her gaze sweeping the room for strange men only to fall back asleep when she found none. It felt strange to sleep without Alrik near. Her gut churned with worry over him. Had they beaten him? How was he? A part of her actually wanted him to break down the bars and come grab her, just minus the slaughtering part.