“You into causing pain?” She just couldn’t keep her mouth shut.
He grinned. “I do love to make the women squirm. I figure it’s fair payment for being stuck in this shithole, and the bosses don’t seem to mind.” He pulled the needle free and stuck a band-aid over the still bleeding wound.
“Who are your bosses?” She half-expected he wouldn’t answer, but it was worth a shot.
“Don’t really know. I was brought here against my will same as you, but the people in control soon learned I have a dark fetish. I give them what they want and in return, they look the other way and ignore what I do here. I only have to agree not to touch those that test positive.”
“Positive for what?”
His gaze fell to her breasts and he licked his lips. “The other women here whose results come back negative for any traces of demon DNA are mine to play with. I’m into the kinky shit and like to torture my girls before I fuck them.” He shrugged. “You’d make a nice addition to my collection.”
The acid in her gut rolled and pushed its way up her esophagus. Aimee swallowed. She didn’t want to continue the conversation but had a sick need to know. “What do you mean demon DNA?”
He jerked his head toward the beast still at the door. “His kind are looking for those genes so they can hopefully produce a hybrid race.
She kept her composure. “Why do you think any of us carry a demon gene?”
The jerk tossed his head back in a fit of laughter. “You are in need of a history lesson. While I’d love to spend more time here with you, I have other duties.” He shoved the vial in his coat pocket, picked up the tray and headed for the door. He stopped at the gate and turned his head to look at her. “I’ll pay you a visit later and give you all the gory details.” He stepped out, and the gate slammed shut behind him.
Aimee wanted to curl into a fetal position but refrained. Somehow, she needed to stay strong and figure out how to escape. She certainly had no desire to become the asshole’s plaything.
Chapter 11
Greydon tried to move, but his muscles rebelled, screaming in agony. He felt like a ten-ton boulder had fallen on him and wondered what the hell had happened. He brought his hand to his forehead and rubbed while taking several deep breaths. After a few minutes, he was able to sit up and look around. Things finally started to come back to him. The battle, flying, calling on the powers he still couldn’t control and then crashing to the ground. He remembered both of his brothers vanishing at some point during the fight. What he couldn’t recall was how the hell he ended up back in his underground hole. Was he now a warrior to Uuna, and how long had he been here?
He glanced down at his naked torso; his gaze moved to the area under his ribs where the faint markings had begun to appear as a young boy. Those tattoos were now thick, black lines, forming a pattern that began under his ribcage and swirled along his side and down to his hip. He closed his eyes and exhaled.
He had succeeded in his mission and had become a full-fledged warrior to his goddess. No longer did he have to fear turning into a Concosa. His focus could now be solely on his brothers, his people and trying to rebuild their lost civilization.
And Aimee.
Greydon knew the female shouldn’t occupy his thoughts. It was dangerous to even consider seeing her again, but realized he would seek her out. His gut told him there would be no way he could stay away. Maybe he simply needed to get the woman out of his system, and then he could focus on what was important. His gaze fell to the spot where he’d last seen Aimee, standing in only her undergarments with droplets of water running over her skin. His mind raced back to the Omagadona and the time when her lips wrapped around his cock.
“Son of a bitch. Why does this woman haunt me?” His life was already one complicated mess.
He planted his feet on the floor and rose out of bed, the aches in his body finally ebbed and he began to feel like himself again. With a towel in one hand and soap in the other, he headed for the pool, intending to wash off the grime and sweat from his battles. Once he had that job done, he would locate Fang and see what they could come up with for a plan on setting the others free. He would have to force himself to stay away from the woman who bewitched him, at least until he’d completed his mission.
Fang moved Bethany through a vortex he’d created between his world and hers. It allowed him to still track Aimee’s aura but not be seen.
“You doing okay?” He inquired. She looked a bit peaked.
She nodded. “I’m fine.”
“Just be warned that vomit clashes with my boots.”
She tossed him a scowl. “I’m not going to throw up.”
“Good, cuz you look pretty damn green, and I know this mode of travel can be unsettling to…well, ya know.”
“To us humans? You need to get over yourself.”
Fang came to an abrupt halt outside of Aimee’s apartment complex door and scrubbed his jaw.
“What? Something’s wrong.” Her voice laced with panic.
“Her aura is strongest here and the color changed.” Fang took three steps down the sidewalk and Bethany struggled to keep pace.
“Well this is where she lives so all you did was bring us right back to where we started,” she snapped, the agitation in her tone evident.
“I had to follow her trail from the last location where you saw her.” He stepped off the sidewalk. “The color of her aura changes to indicate she was afraid.”
Bethany moved in next to him. “Please, can you find her?” Panic again replaced her irritation.
“I’m afraid her trail ends here. My guess is they shoved her into a vehicle and fled. I can no longer see her.” Fang wasn’t prepared for the tears that burst forth and streamed down her cheek or the sheer terror that radiated off her.
“You said you could track her, and that you were the best. Don’t you dare stand here and tell me she’s gone.” Bethany fisted her hands and beat on his chest. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her while she sobbed into his shirt.
“Don’t give up, little one, there may still be a way to find her.” He only hoped Greydon had succeeded in his quest and then agreed to what he proposed. There was only one way to find out. He summoned a portal direct to his prince.
Greydon had just donned his jeans and was reaching for his shirt when Fang appeared with a sobbing girl in tow.
“Fang?” He gave his companion a suspicious look and wondered what the demon had done.
Fang tipped his head. “My prince. I must say your markings are a welcome sight.”
Greydon looked down at his still naked torso and had to admit he was pretty damn proud of them. “Remind me later to regale you with my battles.” He glanced at the girl. “And who may this be?”
“I’m afraid I have failed you. This is Bethany, Aimee’s friend, and she has been trying to help me locate her.”
Greydon felt the tick in his jaw as he tried to hide his panic, but he knew Fang saw it. “You’ve lost the girl?”
“She forgot to wear the charm, and now she’s gone missing.” Bethany had taken a step closer to him. “Can you find her?” She glanced back at Fang. “I assume that’s why we came here. Right?”
Fang nodded. “I’m sorry. I only left her briefly while I went back to the shitpile where I was held captive. I wanted to see if I could find the others. I knew you’d be upset about her disappearance, so I came here. You did drink from her, right?”
Greydon summoned his last bit of restraint and wrapped it around the pit of worry that now grew in his gut. “Can I assume that you had no luck in finding the others?” He grabbed his tee and pulled it over his head, trying to keep his breathing steady.
“The place was empty, but I did find Zander’s aura and followed it until the trail went cold. I do believe he escaped, my prince. As far as the girl, I followed her aura as well but came to a dead end. From the fear left in the last place I could see her, I’d say she was taken. Most likely in a vehicle since the signature ende
d on the street just a few feet from her front door.”
A growl echoed in the small underground room, and Greydon realized it had come from him. How the hell could everything go so wrong? Terror replaced the worry.
What if she’s dead? He needed to bury that thought deep or those close to him would never survive his wrath. Fang tossed him a nervous look, no doubt picking up Greydon’s turmoil.
“I did have a small amount of her blood, but I’m not sure it’s enough.” He ran his fingers through his hair and began to pace. “Not to mention what you’re asking of me has not been tried in centuries.” Fang’s unspoken question asked him to perform a blood bond, which meant Greydon would become tied to her.
Bethany looked between the two men. “What?”
“It’s an ancient technique our ancestors used long ago. At one point in time, mated couples would perform a blood bond. It was a way they could tie themselves together and always be able to find each other.” Fang explained.
“Oh. So you can do this and find her? But wouldn’t she have had to drink your blood as well?” Bethany wrinkled her nose.
“No, it can work one way.” Greydon pinched the bridge of his nose. “What you’re asking me to do…”
“Is save my friend. From what I understand, you abducted her and forced her to save your life.”
“I already saved her life from the Concosa,” he shot back and watched the girl purse her lips. “And you’re asking me to perform a ritual that I would save for the woman I love.” He curled his fingers into his palms when he realized the thought of making Aimee his mate excited him.
“Excuse us a moment,” Fang said then zapped Greydon and himself to the outskirts of their old home. “If you are going to pretend you don’t desire the human Aimee, then why did you ask me to protect her?”
“It seemed the right thing to do,” Greydon refused to look at his friend, knowing exactly where this conversation was headed.
“Bullshit. You want her and don’t try to lie about it.”
Greydon curled his lip. “Who are you to question me, or for that matter, to ask me to do this?”
Fang flashed a grin. “Because something tells me you would have handed me my ass if I’d let this go and never spoke a word of it. Why are you being so stubborn? Admit you want her.”
One thing about the Daldaras—not only were they excellent warriors, but they also had the exceptional ability to read emotions. Any demon could sense emotions, but Fang and his family were gifted beyond the norm. They were skilled at fighting because they could read their opponent so well.
“Damn you and your abilities. Did the Concosa take her?”
“No. Her captors were human, which almost worries me more,” Fang replied.
Greydon scrubbed his face. “We don’t know if this bonding will work.”
Fang narrowed his gaze. “You know damn well it will work. Once you admit you want this female, the sooner we can move on to other things. You are meant to fulfill the Oracle’s vision. Perhaps this is the first step in getting you back to Oshivana.”
“By bonding with a human?”
Fang shrugged. “I’m not a seer so I’ve no idea. But it seems to me that’s the way things are playing out. You certainly wouldn’t be the first king to take a wife that he didn’t love.”
“I’m not taking a wife,” Greydon hissed. “And when I do, it will be for love. I refuse to marry for convenience. It’s not fair to me or her.”
Fang put his hands up in defeat. “Whatever you say, but I see it this way. Your desire for her will damn you and us if you don’t address it. Worrying about her safety will eat you alive. At least with a bond, you can breath easier. I’ve seen Aimee and she’s nothing to sneeze at…so to speak. My gut tells me you will marry her in the near future.”
Greydon ground his teeth together. Fang was right. He did want the girl, and in the worst way, but marriage? He didn’t know her that well, but she had affected him deeply. The mere thought of her in harm’s way set him on edge.
“Fine. I’ll do it and figure out the rest later.”
The two flashed back to his room.
Bethany gave both demons a ‘what the hell’ look when they popped back into the room, but she remained quiet. The tension was already thick enough to slice with a blade.
Greydon strode to the bed, reached under it and pulled out an old wooden box. The gold inlay warmed against his skin when he placed his palm over the crest. The seal responded to his touch and the box sprung open.
Fang came up beside him and peered inside. “I’d forgotten how beautiful it was.”
Greydon nodded in agreement as he reached in, grasped the silver chain and pulled the pendant from the only home it had known for centuries. The blue glow from the Larimar stone was both beautiful and eerie.
“Wow, that’s gorgeous,” Bethany exclaimed as she joined them. “What is it?”
Fang threw Greydon a worried look. They both knew it was forbidden to tell the truth of their origins, but there didn’t seem much choice if they wanted to find Aimee.
“It’s a rare stone held only by the royal family. When my parents were murdered, I pulled this box from its hiding place and ran with it. It’s been here ever since.”
She furrowed her brow. “That still doesn’t tell me what it is.” She leaned in closer, looking mesmerized by the color that pulsed between aqua and a deep sapphire. “I swear I can feel a power coming off it.”
Greydon let out a slow breath. “You can.” He put the chain over his head and tucked it under his tee, letting the stone settle between his ribcage. The new markings on his torso responded and tingled against his skin, He clenched his jaw at the sensation.
“This stone will give the wearer access to our ancient home. There I can perform the ritual that will allow me to strengthen the blood bond and find Aimee.” The words seemed foreign to him. He hoped like hell this didn’t backfire and only strengthen the cravings he already fought against. If he caved, he would likely scare her to death.
“Oh. Okay, what are we waiting for?” Bethany tapped her foot with impatience.
Greydon placed one hand on Fang’s shoulder and the other on Bethany’s. He whispered the ancient chant, implanted in his DNA at birth. The stone began to vibrate against his chest. His tattoos, which marked him as a warrior to Uuna and now the rightful ruler to his ancient home, burned and crawled across his skin. The portal opened, sucked them in and sent them spiraling to a place he’d only heard of. He hadn’t planned on venturing to this unseen destination just yet, but if left to fate he would have never really been ready. Now he had no choice but to begin the battle to reclaim his peoples’ true home. Oshivana, or as the humans called it…Atlantis.
Chapter 12
Aimee had tried to rest, but sleep eluded her. Her body still ached from the ride in the trunk and her head pounded. A different guard had brought her a sandwich and a bottle of water, which she had managed to choke down even though her gut rolled. The last thing she wanted to do was eat. She’d tried to find out how many days had passed, since she had no concept of time after being dumped in her cell. He’d ignored her and tossed a set of scrubs at her. She almost laughed at the cuteness of the dark red pants and white top covered with red and pink hearts. But nothing about her current state was even remotely cute.
Several minutes after she changed, she began to pace the small cell. The same man who’d brought her the sandwich and scrubs showed up and unlocked her door.
“I need you to come with me.” He stood just outside the door, his hands shoved in his white lab coat pockets. A demon stepped up beside him. “Just in case you think to get cocky.” He jerked his head toward the ugly beast beside him.
Aimee was transfixed to the spot by sheer terror. “Why? What are you planning to do to me?”
The man stepped aside to unblock the entry. “Go get her, and if she resists break her arm,” he commanded, and the demon moved into the room. His figure, even more imposing in the tiny cell,
caused her to quake.
“No. I’ll go with no trouble.” She stepped toward the door and the demon moved to allow her access. Once in the hall, the beast slid in behind her and the man in the coat indicated to follow him. She complied without another word but continued to check out her environment for any way out.
The wide hall reminded her of a hospital with its white walls and polished floor. The bright lights caused her to squint and the smell of anesthetic burned her nose. They passed several empty cells identical to hers, and she wondered where the others were kept.
Eventually they entered a room that looked like an exam room. A tall woman with blonde hair, pulled back in a severe ponytail, stood waiting. Instead of a lab coat like the others, she wore plain green surgical scrubs. Aimee’s gaze caught the table with the familiar stirrups and she blanched.
“Wait outside the door.” The woman spoke to her escort in a cold monotone voice.
He nodded then looked at Aimee. “Don’t even think about giving the doctor any trouble, or I’ll have Goliath out there pin you down. He has no concept of the word gentle.” He spun and vacated the room, closing the door behind him and left her alone with the ice bitch.
“Strip and get up on the table. I’m sure you know the routine so don’t dawdle. I have lots to do today.” The woman’s attitude sent a cold blast through the room.
Aimee contemplated her fate for all of two seconds, but knew she must do exactly what she was told and try to survive. She pulled off her top, pushed her pants to the floor and stepped out of them. They had already taken the rest of her clothes, including her underwear, so she climbed up on the table and placed her feet in the cold metal.
“Why am I here?” She figured at this point, she had nothing to lose by asking.
“If you mean in this room, obviously it’s for an exam to make sure you’re good for childbearing. If you’re referring to here in general, it’s pretty much the same reason.” The snap of latex indicated the doctor was about to start the exam.
Taken By Desire: Demonic Desires Book 1 Page 8