“Move back, foolish female!” The man bellowed.
“Damn!” Inez leaped back.
Heart thumping, she swiped at her brow with her inner elbow and used care approaching this time. Rocks and dirt continued to tumble and slide as Inez peered over the edge. Leaning against one side of a dirt wall, green hair disheveled stood King Varyk. Long tears at the front of the green vest he wore revealed a chest covered in bloody scratches.
More than the glare he aimed up in her direction seemed off. Had he fallen into this pit? “Why don’t you port out?”
“Can’t,” he snarled.
Inez studied his mutinous expression. Flickering shadows played over his face, but he looked pale and shaky. Something was definitely wrong and worry trickled down her spine. “Why?”
***
Humiliation was a new feeling for Varyk and didn’t sit well. Being caught off guard by Larz and shot with a poison dart completed his utter mortification. Dazed and confused, it was easy for Larz to shove him and Varyk fell into the pit.
By the time he realized what occurred, the drug kicked in and he was stuck here. Disgust curled in his gut for his failure. Whatever Larz used was slowly sapping all of his strength.
Somehow the dose of poison was potent enough to block Varyk’s connection to the mantle, preventing his ability to summon help. He couldn’t teleport or shift into his Dracol form. For all intents and purposes, he was powerless. It wasn’t a state he often experienced nor did he appreciate it now.
The female watched from above, her long black hair trailing about her face. She grasped the rim of his prison and tipped her body forward. If she unbalanced, her fall might be worse than his. Fear sent his essence surging through his weakened body.
“Move before you fall.”
Typical of his brief contact with her, she ignored him. “King Varyk, do you need help?”
Gold eyes blinked down at him, awaiting his answer. He recognized her from Rylin’s home. A Black Dracol offering to rend him aid, and not any Black, but the one with the luscious lips and body gifted from the goddess. Surely this was someone’s sick idea of a joke. Varyk wanted to refuse her offer but another blast of the drug flowing through his system spiked and his back slid down the wall until his ass hit the ground with a thump.
“King Varyk! King Varyk, answer me!”
Did this female dare to command a King? His head lolled to the side and blackness encroached before he could correct her for her lack of respect.
“Varyk? I really need you to open those eyes. Glare at me if you like.”
Soft hands slapped at his cheeks. Varyk cracked his eyes open and squinted up at the face leaning over him. His hand flew up and gripped the delicate throat in a deadly clutch. “What are you doing here?”
Words gurgled as her eyes widened, then she reared back as far as his arm would allow and punched him in the face. The blow slammed into his cheek, setting off mini-explosions and Varyk fought the desire to hurl as his head spun. He released her on a groan and rolled to his side while muffling another sound of pain. Curse Larz. The drug was still in his system.
“Saving your worthless hide obviously. Try that again and my next hit will be a lot lower and a lot more painful.”
Ignoring her muttered growl, Varyk braced on his forearms and tried to port from the bottom of the hole with no luck. He reached deep for his inner Dracol in hopes of shifting to fly out and touched the same well of nothing. “Fuccckk!”
Varyk dragged in a lung full of air and pushed up from his prone position. He belatedly realized his head had been resting in Inez’s lap. And why did that stir him in an inexplicable way? He held no fondness for those associated with the Black.
“How did you end up down here with me?” Goddess of Fate, had she fallen? His breath quickened as he scanned her from head to toe. Relieved he saw no injuries though it was dark, Varyk relaxed slightly. She could be bleeding from a dozen places and he wouldn’t see.
He inhaled deeply testing the air for the scent of blood. The drug played with his enhanced senses, skewing his vision and hearing. Inez crouched beside him and pointed over his shoulder. Varyk turned, taking in the thick black rope hanging down the side of the wall opposite them.
“I climbed.”
How much time had he lost? When Varyk glanced back to face her, the smile stretching her wide mouth was all smugness and cocky superiority. Rare amusement tickled at him. “Smart.”
He shoved to his feet and tried to hide his lingering dizziness by resting a shoulder along the dirt wall. Inez stood and dangling from her hand was a satchel of some sort.
“Yes, I am. Smart,” she added at his questioning look. “Now to get out of here.”
She strolled toward the rope and gave it a firm pull. Varyk followed with wobbling steps and one palm on the wall for balance. Damp dirt cooled his palm. His steps shuffled forward and the world tilted. Varyk stopped and took a deep breath.
“Do you think you can manage, Varyk?”
At any other time Varyk would sneer at such a question, but right now he doubted if he could stand straight let alone climb with dexterity. Instead of admitting the flaw, he focused on one small detail. “It’s King Varyk.”
Inez’s chin tipped down and her brows arched up. “Seriously, not the time for formality.”
“I am never not the King of the Green.” The words held a bite to compensate for his weakness, but it had no effect on this female.
More steps brought him closer. Varyk’s gaze followed the line of the rope to the top as it disappeared over the edge. Maybe forty feet. A climb he could make easily from the time he was a young child, yet today he hesitated.
“Fine, but if we’re to work together to find who stole Rylin’s shell, we’re wasting time.”
Work together? Varyk didn’t work with anyone. Except she had a point. A child’s life remained in the balance. “Lead the way, female.”
“In-ez,” she gritted then grasped the rope with both hands and entwined her ankles as she scooted up.
She’d gained several feet before Varyk reached up to mimic her actions. He grunted with every breath, sweat popped out on his brow and his heart rate doubled. Half-way up Varyk realized he was in trouble. Inez hopped up and over the top, her shapely rear vanishing.
Moments later her face peeked back, hair sliding over one shoulder. “Hurry.”
Varyk’s fingers slipped, the muscles in his thighs quivered. He propped his forehead on his clenched fists and tried to get his breathing under control. As soon as he had this vile drug out of his system, he’d make sure Larz paid for this. Rip him apart with his bare hands.
“Varyk, what’s wrong?”
Without lifting his head, he sighed and gave her the truth. “You should go and leave me, female.”
“Inez!” she hissed.
Dizziness hit and Varyk slid down a few inches despite his hold. Skin on his fingers abraded and burned. “Go! Find the shell before your King declares war on my sect.”
If Larz harmed the little one, Rylin would attack and Varyk wouldn’t blame him.
“I can’t leave you. You were right earlier. I’m trespassing. If one of your males finds me, they won’t allow me to explain. I’d rather not die tonight. Plus, if one of yours is responsible, we need to stick together.”
Another slip and Varyk instinctively tried to port. Big mistake as he lost his hold completely and fell. Wind whipped his hair in a tangle about his face. When his body landed, air locked in his chest on impact and he wheezed.
“Varyk!!”
Scrambling above then a swish and the annoying female joined him. Footsteps crunched across the space. Her hand stroked his hair. “What is going on?”
Chills racked his frame, rendering him speechless. If Varyk thought he was in trouble before, he now realized it was much worse. If only he could focus long enough to figure out the attack going on inside his body.
Varyk dug deep and began the process of breaking down whatever Larz create
d strong enough to affect any of their sect because they were naturally immune to most poisons. It was the specialty of the Green and Varyk as king shouldn’t have weakened. But he had.
And now he needed to figure out the root and dismantle it. He let his eyes slide closed and concentrated.
Chapter 6
Inez placed her hand on Varyk’s brow and smoothed back the sweat dampened green hair. She needed his help finding whoever broke into Rylin’s home, but something was clearly wrong here. When Varyk had fallen from the rope she’d fought the urge to leap after him and endanger her own life. Dracol healed remarkably fast from many things, but they weren’t invulnerable by any stretch.
“Varyk, tell me how to help you.”
Warm breath teased her palm as she caressed his jaw and face. “Larz. His name is Larz and he’s one of mine.”
The person who stole the shell. Inez leaned over on her knees to hear Varyk better. He lay stretched out on the ground and night’s darkness kept her from a clear view of him. “How do we find him?”
“I will, not we.”
At least his arrogance hadn’t diminished. “Varyk, you need me.”
Distinct green smoke leaked from his mouth as his lips parted to speak. Inez veered back from the deadly vapors. Direct exposure and inhalation of the poison a Green released was dangerous. “It’s King Varyk and I don’t need anyone.”
How he managed to say that when it was clear he was far from alright Inez would never know. “Explain to me for once and all how you ended up here and why you can’t port, shift or climb out.”
He glared up at her. “Larz caught me distracted. He shot me with a poisoned dart and pushed me into this sinkhole.”
“Poison is the mainstay of the Green.” Which shouldn’t affect him at all. Especially as their King.
Instead of answering, Varyk’s body heaved off the ground, spine curved and a pain filled shout poured forth. Shit! Inez held him down with one hand to his chest and planted the other by his head.
“Varyk, how can I help? Please.”
“K-k-king Varyk.” He was shaking all over, body on the verge of collapse yet had the audacity to correct her.
“Fuck you!” Inez snapped, true fear filling her. She wasn’t used to feeling this way and couldn’t pin down the elusive reaction to seeing him injured.
Varyk’s head titled to the side and his amber stare brightened. “Yes. That’s what I need.”
Inez fell back on her haunches. Amazement had her hands drifting away from him. “What?”
“If I sleep with you, my Dracol will rise and help burn off the poison faster than I can absorb it.”
Shock silenced Inez. His meaning sunk in. “Let me get this straight. You want to have sex with me?”
“Need to.” The emphasis wasn’t lost on her. “Don’t have the strength to break down the poison on my own,” he gasped.
She’d heard of a lot since her First Fire, the time when most Dracol went through uncontrollable sexual exploration and craving. Males came up with all sorts of claims to convince a female to have sex with them. In fact, Inez bet Varyk commanded more than his share to his bed.
His dislike of the Black was well-known, but there wasn’t much anyone knew about him personally. His people didn’t gossip—not lightly, and not at all when it pertained to their King.
Inez could summarize in three short sentences what she did know about Varyk. He had a twin sister, an uncommon occurrence because no other living Dracol had shared a single shell. He assumed the mantle of leadership two years before Rylin. And he kept the names of his lovers secret.
She focused on his strained features. “What makes you think that will work?”
He arched a brow and his mouth twisted up.
Right.
She ignored the devastating half-grin. Sex brought out their deeper nature and the other half from within. Inez knew this from her own experiences. Digging in her pack, she pulled out a light stick. She slammed the end on the ground until its brightness flared from the tip then stuck it into the ground beside them. The flickering glow provided the dark hole with more light.
It also allowed her to see his face and read the look of torment. He was in pain and doing a good job of hiding it, but lines carved deep grooves into his cheeks. His skin didn’t have its robust tanned tone and the amber stare which mocked many held a sheen of weakness.
Sympathy pulled at her. Inez considered all the options. If he was telling the truth, there wasn’t many alternatives. In the past, she’d shared her bed for less noble reasons. She nibbled her bottom lip in consideration. It wasn’t like she didn’t find his arrogant self attractive.
Curiosity and desire won out. Inez began undoing the buttons of her shirt. This would be for her as well, but she’d bargain to get more from him. “If I do this, you will owe me a favor. Varyk.”
He tried to shift to his side, but she pushed him to stay on his back using a firm palm to the chest. With his build and strength, he should have been able to resist, but he flopped onto the ground, adding to her growing concern for him.
“What favor?” His body shivered and the arm he attempted to lift to undo his own vest trembled.
Inez tossed her top behind her then brushed his hands away and removed the torn green vest over his head. Heat seared her cheeks as she glided her hand down the fine planes of his chest to untie the laces holding the closure of his leathers together.
“W-what favor, Inez?”
Stubborn and determined. Apparently, he thought to take charge. Good luck because Inez was fairly certain in his condition she could have her way with him. She definitely planned to enjoy this.
A deep rumble rolled from her chest and the tips of her breasts pebbled. Desire rattled her limbs and Inez froze in the act of tugging the dark leathers down his hips. She needed to slow down. Lust was one thing but she couldn’t get carried away. Damn Varyk. He was too...everything.
Her gaze rove over the lean form spread out like a feast before her. His cock pressed insistently at the opening she’d created, thick and pulsing.
He was hurt. Poisoned. Was she really considering this? Inez pushed back on her heels and slanted her legs to the side as she sat on the ground to ponder what she’d been about to do.
In a surprising show of strength, Varyk grabbed her thigh and squeezed. Command blazed at her from his eyes. “Don’t back down now, Inez. Whatever favor you ask, I’ll agree. As long as it doesn’t go against my family and those I protect. I won’t allow you to harm them.”
Until she pledged to her lira, nothing actually forbade Inez from giving in to Varyk. Lovers came and went. Sex was a necessary function. The essence of all Dracol craved physical contact. This meant nothing. They were both getting what they wanted.
“The favor is open ended until I claim it.” She made a demand of her own.
Relief crashed over his features and his lids lowered on a sigh. They sprung open again, the light of triumph flaring from within. He released her thigh. “Done.”
Decision made, she stood and toed off her boots, her pants joining the other clothes on the ground. Complete skin to skin contact would probably work best. Now that she planned to do this, arousal unfurled like a new bloom in her belly. Moisture gathered between her thighs. Maybe she had a thing for tough males trying to do the right thing. There was no denying her sudden eagerness to fuck him.
Along with the slow fire growing, curiosity poked. Arrogant and commanding described Varyk easily but what did that mean about him as a lover? She guessed she’d find out.
Completely nude, Inez helped Varyk out of his boots and leathers. Her hands touched and stroked, noting the extreme heat emanating from his body in some concern.
When he was as naked as she, Inez stretched out atop his body, her legs straddling his upper thighs. Varyk groaned, his hands coming up to clasp her hips. “This does not mean—”
Inez leaned forward, pressing her fingers to his lips to stop the flow of words which would surely ki
ll her mood. “Let’s limit the talk to...appreciation, for lack of a better word. We both know why we’re doing this, but nothing says we can’t enjoy ourselves.”
***
Warm heat from the apex of her thighs sent Varyk’s hips surging up. He swallowed what he’d been about to say as his cock slid against silky skin and thumped. The body gliding over his was curved in all the right places. An aroma of sweet musk filled the air around them.
Of their own volition, his hands slid over her firm, plump ass then up the line of her back and down again to guide her in a rocking motion. Inez arched over him on a gasp, head dropping forward. Waves of long black hair teased his chest and shoulders, each strand a caress in itself.
Rarely did Varyk welcome females to his bed. On the few occasions he gave in to his urges, Varyk kept a part of himself distant. He satisfied them, then took his relief later in the privacy of his rooms.
It prevented anyone from getting close to him. If he cared for no one and showed no preference, then he didn’t risk his heart. Milana was the only exception to the rule. His love for his sister was without question and all knew to tread lightly around her or face his wrath and that of her lira.
Another seizure racked Varyk’s body. He gritted his teeth, claws springing to his fingertips. Inez winced and Varyk gaped in horror at his hands about her waist. He tried to pull back but couldn’t let go. His fingers refused to uncurl as the poison boiled in his blood.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” he chanted as his neck thrust back and his inner Dracol let out a loud screech. Rage, pain and fear pummeled at his senses.
Muscles and limbs heaved violently. Bones cracked, twisted then realigned. Agony ricochet within. Varyk’s breath came in rapid pants. Again and again his body attempted to shift to rid itself of the chemicals bubbling through his system.
“Varyk, I’m here.”
Soft hands planted over his, soothing, stroking. Lips touched the edge of his jaw, nibbling. The small bites brought him back and Varyk’s weight settled on the dirt once more as the spasm faded.
“All the fires!” He jerked his hands away and rammed his fists on the ground. Harming women was a line he never wished to cross.
Relentless Fire Page 4