Okay, now she could feel her cheeks heat. “Wow, can all demons do that?” Greydon had never told her about this tidbit.
“No. Grey sucks at it, but he can whip out some wicked sparks from his fingertips. Orien is telepathic and he likes to fuck with our heads.” He cast his gaze to the floor. “I never thought I’d grow to hate the quiet in my mind. I miss him.”
Her heart melted. “Something tells me you’ll find him.”
He looked back up then stood. “You find anything of use in there?” He nodded toward the book in her lap.
“I’m learning.”
“Good. We need to crown a king. I’m off in search of said crown.” He started for the door then stopped. “Just remember my brother has a lot on his mind, but he has chosen you.” He walked out.
Aimee scratched her head, unsure what he meant by that last part. Chosen her for what? Yes, he had picked her to help him, but that had been circumstantial. She seemed to need him to keep rescuing her. What was he supposed to do with her? She sighed and went back to her book. Later she told herself. I’ll ask him later.
Chapter 20
Aimee and Bethany had been summoned to the tower where Uuna remained fast asleep. Neither girl had any idea why, but when they arrived Fang, Zander and Greydon greeted them. Zander stepped forward.
“We are ready to declare my brother king. Then we must leave to go hunt,” Zander announced.
Aimee wondered why Greydon hadn’t bothered to tell her himself. Not like she didn’t know that he’d search the ends of the earth until he found every last one of his people. It was the one thing she loved about him. Yes, she’d finally admitted to herself that she was head over heels but dared not whisper a word to him. He had to fulfill his prophecy and she wasn’t part of it. As she stared at him, dressed only in black leather pants, her heart raced. His green eyes were pinned on her, yet he made no move toward her.
“I have all three of the objects. The scepter of course was here, the crown hidden in a secret chamber and the ring Fang found in a plain wooden box in one of the village homes.” Zander looked over at the other demon. “You really are like a damn bloodhound.”
Fang shrugged. “I have talent, what can I say?”
Aimee stifled a giggle. She’d grown fond of Fang and Zander was quickly warming her heart as well. She hated to part from them, but she didn’t belong in their world. “Does everyone know what they are to do?” She had given detailed instructions once she’d deciphered the book.
“Yep.” Zander handed Fang the ring. The sterling band covered in filigree had six claws that came together to hold a square-cut fire ruby. Even from where she stood, the stone looked like it held the fires of Hell inside it.
Next, he handed Aimee the scepter that had been in Uuna’s grip. Surprised at how light it felt, she’d somehow expected it to be much heavier.
“I’ll present the crown,” Zander said as he kept it tucked tight to his side. “Grey, take your seat.”
Greydon nodded and moved to sit in the throne closest to Uuna. His hands cupped the smooth yellow crystals that adorned the top of the armrests. Midnight-black hair fell over his intense green gaze, and she had never seen him look more dangerous or sexy.
Damn him.
Fang approached first and knelt at Greydon’s feet. He held the ring and Greydon stretched out his left hand. Fang placed the ring on the prince’s third finger. “I declare you king of Oshivana and all it encompasses. I vow to protect you and all those who serve you.” He rose, bowed then stepped back.
It was Aimee’s turn. She was so nervous but stepped forward and dropped to her knees. A glint in his eyes told her he remembered her being in the same position earlier.
She presented the scepter. “I declare you king of Oshivana and all it encompasses. I vow to protect you and all those who serve you.” He reached out and took the scepter, his fingers touched hers and fire shot through her. He leaned forward, his lips parted and she swallowed.
“Do you also vow to be faithful to only me? Always?” His voice was so low she was sure no one else heard. What does he mean? Of course, as her king, she would remain faithful to him. Why had he not asked Fang the same question? Suddenly she realized it must be because she was not a full-blooded demon.
“I’m waiting for your answer.”
“Yes,” she whispered. He seemed satisfied and settled into his chair. She stood, bowed and stepped back.
Last was Zander. He strode forward, the ever-confident brother of a king and a prince in his own right. He knelt and presented a bronze and copper masked crown. Greydon leaned forward and Zander slipped it on over his brother’s head. “I declare you king of Oshivana and all it encompasses. I vow to protect you and all those who serve you.” Zander stood and bowed.
Aimee and Fang came up beside Zander and the three knelt in unison. Aimee’s heart skipped a beat, looking at Greydon wearing the bronze mask. Three tall points, one on either side and one in the middle made up the crown portion. Surprised it was void of any embellishments or jewels, it looked more like something from the medieval age. Regardless, it suited him and naughty thoughts of him naked in bed except for this one adornment ran through her head.
Damn, I need to stop this.
“We, your three servants, declare you king of Oshivana. May the goddess Uuna always protect you,” Zander stated.
A cool wind whisked by and carried something that made her skin crawl. Unease settled over her, and she had no idea why.
Greydon jumped from his seat. “Our first order of business: we hunt for the others, day and night if we must. No stone will go unturned. Now, if everyone will give me a minute with Aimee before we leave.”
They all scurried from the room, and she could swear Zander chuckled to himself. She braced herself. He was king now. Everything became more real. He had a job to do, people were counting on him and as she peered over at Uuna…a goddess who needed his help. It was time to end this thing between them.
He pulled off his crown and set it and the scepter on this throne. “Please look after those when I leave.”
“Of course. Are you leaving soon?”
“Now.”
“We need to talk before you go.”
“You will continue to study the book and learn all you can while I’m away.”
She sighed. “Yes, of course, but…”
“There will be time later for discussion.” He pulled her to him and kissed her like he a man starved for affection. When he broke the kiss, he remained close. “Remember, you vowed to be faithful. No matter what happens, I will hold you to your word.” He disappeared.
She stood with hands on her hips. “What the hell does that mean?” She never got to break things off with him and knew it would be even harder to find the courage again after he returned. She contemplated simply leaving but wasn’t that stupid. The minute she stepped outside this sanctuary, the bad guy would be there to swoop down and snatch her. Again.
With a sigh, she picked up the crown and scepter then headed out of the room. She would grab Bethany to help her secure the items, and then they could do some more investigation of the grounds.
Several minutes later, she found Bethany wandering the courtyard.
“Hey, can you help me find a safe place to put these?”
Bethany whirled around. “Sure.” She reached for the scepter. “Probably best to take them inside.” She disappeared through the double doors.
A rumble shook the ground and a statue next to her wobbled on its pedestal. Unease crept over her again and she rushed inside. “Bethany?” she yelled.
“Over here.”
Relief came over Aimee when she spotted her friend on the other side of the room. She started toward her when a bright light shot through the air and headed straight for Bethany. She began to yell but before the words could leave her mouth, the light encircled her friend.
She was gone in a flash.
“Oh god no. Beth?” Aimee dropped the crown and ran across the vast
room. She stopped where her friend had stood. “Bethany?” she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Suddenly the ground shook again and she lost her balance, falling on her backside. She crawled, unable to get back to her feet. A loud groan echoed in the empty city and it sounded like someone in mourning.
Steel shutters blocked out the light as they closed over the large windows. Another closed off the side exit to the courtyard.
Aimee scrambled to her feet. Panic rode her as if the Three Huntsman themselves were on her heels; she headed for the large double doors. Her gut told her to get out fast.
As she cleared the doorway and ran across the courtyard, she grasped the pendant.
Fang!
She hoped like hell that the damn thing worked in an emergency as she headed for the gate, praying it was open. Thankfully, it was up, and she had a clear shot to the bridge. However, she quickly discovered that the city was sinking. The bridge was already a couple of feet higher than where she stood, so she had to jump. When her feet hit the bridge, she didn’t look back but ran with everything she had. When she was midway across, she was jolted off her feet. Everything rocked back and forth. She grabbed onto the rail and looked behind her.
“Oh my god!” The city was a quarter of the way under water.
Another crash jarred her body as the bridge began to crumble into the angry sea. She hung on and screamed. She’d managed to survive a demon encounter and a kidnapping only to have a lost city take her out.
Greydon had to admit something had changed him once he’d been crowned king. Power unlike he’d ever felt coursed through him, and he seemed to have a better grasp on it.
“So let me guess, you didn’t tell her how you felt before leaving. Did you?” Zander gave him an accusatory glare. That was one thing that hadn’t changed, but he would rectify it as soon as they got back. He would not take no from her. She was his and that was final. If he had to win her heart, then that was precisely what he’d do.
“No.”
Fang snorted. “You afraid of that little girl?”
“I’m not afraid of anything.” Except losing her. His gaze narrowed on his two companions. “Your time will come, and I will relish every damn second of it.” He pointed a finger at them. “Just you remember that.” He could only hope that Fang and Zander fell for a human female as well. When a demon decided to give his heart to another, there was never a question of the feeling being mutual. It just simply was. However, Aimee was human and she couldn’t sense what he felt for her. He would have to tell her.
The three of them had returned to Fang’s former prison to look for clues. Even though Fang had already come back and found nothing, Greydon wanted a look for himself. They were scouring the rat-infested prison when a powerful feeling of dread came over him. It caused him to stumble.
“My king, are you okay?” Fang asked.
He placed his hands on the wall to steady himself and swallowed down bile. His stomach lurched and he wanted to hurl—not a common symptom for a demon. “Something’s wrong.”
Zander came up beside him. “You don’t look so good.”
“I have this terrible feeling of doom,” he replied, his gut wrenching in pain.
Fang’s eyes widened. “Aimee’s calling for me.”
“Oh shit!” Greydon didn’t wait for the others. He shifted and teleported back to Oshivana. How could he have been so stupid not to realize he felt her distress?
When he ripped through the sky, with Fang and Zander hot on his tail, his heart nearly exploded with fear at the sight that welcomed him. The city had sunk over halfway into the sea and looked like she was still going down. He heard a woman scream and spotted Aimee on the bridge, hanging on for dear life.
He tucked in his wings and dived toward her. The bridge collapsed into the ocean and enormous waves licked at what remained above water. He couldn’t make it before the entire structure dropped into the violent sea. The bridge tilted and sections tumbled, causing Aimee to lose her grip and slide toward the turbulent water. Greydon summoned every ounce of strength, speed and demon magic he had at his disposal. Just as she lost her grip and began to fall, he swooped in and snatched her from mid-air. She clung to him, sobbing into his shoulder.
“I’ve got you. You’re safe now,” he whispered.
“Bethany’s gone,” she screamed.
He landed on top of the stone cliff that separated Oshivana from the outside world. “What do you mean gone?”
Fang landed beside him. “Was she still inside?” Panic riddled his voice.
“No. She simply vanished.”
Fang growled, “Not possible. I’m going in.”
“I’ll come with you. Grey, get Aimee to safety. We’ll handle the search,” Zander shouted over the thunderous noise.
Greydon nodded and watched his friend and brother disappear under the waves, before he teleported back to his tiny room underground. Once there, he wrapped Aimee in a blanket and pulled her into his lap. “Tell me what happened.”
She sniffled. “We were outside and Bethany went in ahead of me with the scepter. I came behind her with your crown. She was across the room when a bright flash of light came out of nowhere and headed right for her. Next thing I knew, she was gone.” She took a deep breath. “Before I could even think, these giant metal shutters closed off the windows and doors. The ground shook and I just knew I had to get out. By the time I got to the bridge, the city was already sinking.”
“I must admit, I have no idea why the city would sink like that. I thought it was protected.” He kissed the top of her head and let her weep into his chest. Every fiber of his being wanted to keep her glued to his side where he could protect her, but he knew that wasn’t reasonable.
She pulled back and looked up at him, eyes bloodshot and lines of worry etched on her beautiful face. “Once again you came to my rescue. I’m so glad the pendant worked.”
“So am I.” He would have to remember to thank Fang again for giving her such a sacred gift. Even though he’d felt something was off, he wondered if he would have realized it in time to save her.
Tears streamed down her cheeks again. “I’m such a mess. I can’t seem to stay out of trouble. I’ve lost my best friend and you’ve lost a city. I’m so sorry.”
His heart broke. He wanted to make everything better and rip apart the world if it would make her smile. “I don’t care about a damn city, I only care about you, and of course Bethany. I’m sure Fang and Zander will find her.”
As if his words had conjured them, they appeared in the room. Aimee tried to scurry from his lap, but he held her tight.
“You didn’t find her?” She bit her bottom lip.
Fang’s jaw ticked and he curled his hands in to fists. “No, but I detected Zolar’s signature. He took her, but for what reason?”
“How the hell did he get in?” Greydon asked and wondered if the god had sunk the city.
Zander was the only one who appeared calm. “While we scouted, we discovered that the city had an automatic mechanism. It seems that she put herself to sleep under the sea.”
Both Aimee and Greydon looked at each other then back at Zander who held his hand up. “Unfortunately, our childhood stories never told us that Oshivana runs on magic. Since everything’s automated it takes magic to keep the city going, and from what we learned, a city full of demons to make that happen. I guess it only had enough power to last a little while once opened back up. Uuna probably thought that when we came back, we would come in full force.”
Aimee gasped. “We did that? We sunk the city?”
“I’d like to tell you no, but…yes. Don’t fret; the city is safely under water without a drop inside. We can go back, but I’d not recommend it unless necessary. We should wait until we are ready to resurrect it,” Zander replied.
“What about Bethany? It’s my fault she’s gone. I gave her the scepter to carry, and I know that’s why Zolar took her. He wanted the one thing that could destroy him. Somehow, he must ha
ve known about it.” Aimee fidgeted and pushed herself off Greydon’s lap. This time he let her go.
“I will search the ends of the earth and beyond for her. Don’t worry, I’ll find her and kill the god myself,” Fang growled then vanished.
“I’ll leave you two alone. I’ll be back later.” Zander disappeared.
Aimee began to pace and bite her nails. “What now?”
“I have every confidence Fang will find her.”
“But what will Zolar do to her?” She paused mid-stride. “Will he kill her?”
He wanted to swear everything would be fine, but he couldn’t promise. “I’m not going to lie. I don’t really know.”
She picked up the pacing again. “I appreciate your honesty.”
He sighed and reached into his jean pocket. “I know this isn’t a good time, but I have a gift for you.”
She hardly glanced at him, just kept wearing a little path in the floor as she chewed her nail.
“Sweetheart. Come here.”
She stopped and looked at him. He patted a spot on the mattress next to him. “Come sit.”
She let out a long breath and moved in next to him.
“Look, one thing about Fang, he’s an excellent tracker. I’m sure Bethany’s aura is still strong enough for him to find her. Something also tells me he has more invested in this than friendship.”
She played with the pendant that settled between her breasts. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’d be willing to bet my life that Fang cares for Bethany.” She smiled and it warmed his heart.
“I was thinking the same thing myself.” She stared down at her feet. “I hope Fang’s a respectable guy.”
He laughed. “I’m not sure how to respond to that, but he’s as respectable as Fang can be.”
“You said you have a gift?”
He opened his hand. “Zander found this and knew I’d want it to give to you.”
Her eyes widened. “It’s beautiful, but I can’t accept that.”
“You can and you will.” He caressed the three silver chains that held a large pear-shaped Larimar stone set in a filigree of silver.
Taken By Desire: Demonic Desires Book 1 Page 15