Devour, A Paranormal Romance (Warm Delicacy Series, Book 3)

by Megan Duncan

  Ana started wailing like a child, crying out Luka’s name loud enough to pull him from his grave. Everyone looked around uncomfortably while she had her temper tantrum and was clueless what to do. It wasn’t like we could comfort her.

  She continued to cry out his name, over and over till it became a chant between her sobbing, and just when I’d had about enough the stone around my neck began to heat up. It got so hot my flesh started to sting where it touched me between my breasts. All I could think as the searing heat began to bite through my skin was to get it away from me, and without even thinking my hand reached for it, lifting it up out of my shirt before it cooked itself right into me.

  Just as I pulled it free of my blouse, Ana launched up like a jack rabbit, snatching it from my grasp before I even realized what happened. The chain snapped like a twig from around my neck. Before she could squeal her victory over retrieving the stone, Arrick hurled himself forward, tackling her to the ground. She didn’t even seem to care, and began laughing happily as he sat atop her, pinning her arms down with his massive hands.

  I wanted to grab the stone back, I wanted to pretend I’d never taken it out of my shirt and revealed the one secret I’d wanted to keep hidden, but it was too late. Titan thundered past me, shouldering me with his enormous width and knocking me to the side as he made his way into Ana’s cell. A growl howled out of his lungs as he pried the stone from Ana’s death grip. The sound of the bones in her fingers breaking resounded as loud as his growl before he finally wrenched it from her grip.

  He held it before him by the broken chain like he was dangling a dead rat by its tail. His eyes found mine and bore into me with such utter disgust that I gulped loudly, completely losing any ounce of rage-filled power I’d thought I’d had.

  “I told you not to bring those here,” my father stepped forward, shaking his head at me. I didn’t know what to say to him. Something told me “I’m sorry” wasn’t going to be enough this time.

  “I’ve never seen anyone act like that toward a stone before,” Arrick said, relinquishing Ana to Ronon’s deadly embrace. My eyes glanced hopefully to him, grateful that he’d changed the subject away from my guilt, although probably not intentionally.

  “Dear Goddess!” I exclaimed, forgetting how much everyone hated me at that moment. I leaned forward, plucking the stone from Titan’s hand and cupping it in my palm. My eyes followed the swirling darkness inside, looking almost identical to all the other stones, then I looked to Ana, and then back at the stone.

  “Ana?” She reluctantly pulled her eyes away from the stone in my hand and up to my face. “Is Luka’s soul inside this stone?”

  “Give him back to me!” She screamed in agony as if Ronon were branding her with a red hot iron, and I knew what I had always suspected was true. Luka’s soul was somehow trapped inside that dark stone. That’s why Ana came here.

  Chapter 17

  It was obvious no one wanted to believe it, but the evidence spoke for itself. Arguments ensued, most of them directed at me. Things were feeling like they were falling apart with everyone barking back and forth at one another. Titan was cussing me out, my father and Arrick were defending me despite the fact that they both agreed I had been completely wrong in bringing the stone, and Ronon was standing back holding onto Ana like she was a rebellious child.

  “Stop!” I shrieked at the top of my lungs making everyone grow silent and stare at me as if they’d forgotten I was even there. “We don’t have time to be fighting like this,” I said, pleadingly.

  “You let her bring that thing into my city!” Titan continued, pointing an accusing finger at me.

  Fine, if he wanted to continue complaining about something that couldn’t be changed that was his problem. Yes, I was disobeying my father’s demands that I lock them up, but if I had kept my promise we wouldn’t have leverage over Ana. And that’s what this stone was, leverage. I could make her talk now, and that’s what I intended to do.

  Ignoring Titan’s spittle launching tirade, I attempted to exit the cell. He gruffly snagged my arm, yanking me back to face him. “I’m not done with you!”

  Both my father and Arrick pushed Titan off me, but he didn’t seem the least bit uneasy about either of them looking like they were ready to tear his throat out for touching me.

  “That’s enough,” Ronon finally stepped in and pushed his father back with his free arm.

  “This isn’t over,” Titan huffed.

  “I don’t expect it to be,” I admitted and he seemed pleased with my reply. “I know I shouldn’t have brought this,” I held the necklace before him and he lurched back like it would electrocute him. “But because I did, we’ve been presented with a very unique opportunity.” Everyone turned to me wide-eyed like I’d gone completely bonkers, and Ana had resorted to blubbering.

  “What kind of opportunity?” Arrick and Ronon both asked in sync. I looked to Ana and then back to the rest of the group and realized that for my plan to work we’d have to have this conversation somewhere more private.

  “We should meet in your chambers,” my father said to Titan, catching on. Titan nodded his agreement and stomped out of the cell with my father, Arrick, and Ronon close at his heels. I hung back as Mikel stood at the door, ready to lock Ana back in her cell.

  “Get her cleaned up and bring her to my room.” He looked surprised by my order, but didn’t question it. “Don’t let her leave.”

  “She will not, princess. I swear on my oath.” He bowed his head, and entered Ana’s cell as I made my way out of the dungeon to Titan’s private chambers.

  The door was open, waiting for me to enter and I stepped through the narrow gap with a heavy intake of air. This was going to be a very difficult conversation, I just hoped I could convince them all to look past the mistake I’d made and realize the opportunity we had. If Ana wanted that stone badly enough to travel to the Titan region on her own, risking the threat of burning alive in the desert sun, then that had to mean she would tell us anything to get it back. I was praying that the anything would be where Baal had his stronghold. It was time we came “knocking” on his door.

  Ronon slammed the door closed behind me with a deafening thud, and I gulped loudly. Every face was expressionless, and I felt like I was on the chopping block. Even the two most important men in my life looked like executioners as I stepped hesitantly forward, wringing my hands together. They could forgive me, couldn’t they? I mean, what harm had I really caused? Sure, I definitely offended Titan, but no one had been hurt… well, no one except Ana, but I didn’t see anyone crying any tears for her well-being.

  “Explain yourself!” Titan bellowed.

  I looked around the room, first to Arrick and his face, surprisingly, softened. I’d thought he, most of all, would be upset, but I could feel his concern for me. Sadly, I could still sense how much I’d hurt him. He probably wasn’t even mad that I’d brought the damn necklace, certainly maybe because I hadn’t told him, but mostly he was upset because I’d shut him out. Even though it had only been for a moment, that didn’t make it any less painful and I had a sinking suspicion it would tear down everything we’d built together.

  Ronon, on the other hand, looked as disgusted with me as the blood whore had when I refused to feed from her. I suppose I’d hurt him a great deal too. We didn’t exactly get along, but he’d opened up to me and I was carrying around the one thing that was probably the most painful reminder of his mother’s death. The same undoubtedly went for Titan, but I didn’t have the guts to look into his monstrous gaze again.

  Lastly, my eyes retreated to my father, and the disappointment I saw there was heartbreaking. I refused to let the tears that were building in my eyes fall and took a deep centering breath. I felt bad, really bad, but I couldn’t let that distract me from what had to be done. Saving the world from Baal was more important than my feelings.

  “I went against my father’s wishes by bringing that stone with me to Titan,” I said, thinking that admitting my guilt was t
he best way to get them to listen to me. In my peripheral vision I could see Titan stir in his seat, but I kept my eyes on my father. “I swore to him I wouldn’t, and I broke that promise. I’m sorry.” I swallowed hard, waiting to see if my father would accept my apology. He stared at me for a long moment until his features relaxed and he gave me a small nod.

  “I regret the pain I’ve caused and I will say that I was wrong, but I cannot say that I am not glad I did.” I held my breath waiting for the wrath I knew would come.

  “How dare you!” It was Ronon’s venomous voice that assaulted me.

  “Please, I don’t mean that as an insult. I…”

  “And how could that be anything but?” He interrupted me, stepping forward with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword like he was ready to chop off my head.

  “Let her speak!” Arrick roared in a voice that scared even me. He closed the gap between us and rested his strong hand on my shoulder. If anyone was going to be chopping my head off, they’d have to go through him first. It was that tiny gesture that made it easier for me to breathe. At least he didn’t hate my guts completely.

  “This isn’t the first time Ana has come after me. I believe she wants this stone more than anything else in the world.”

  “What are you saying, child?” my father asked curiously. He was shifting his weight from side to side looking very uncomfortable with the situation.

  “I’m saying we can use it to get information from her.”

  “No,” Titan growled. “I will not allow that dark magic to be used in my region.” He slammed his fist against the armrest of his seat, baring his fangs at me.

  “I agree with Titan,” my father nodded.

  “That’s not what I meant. I don’t want to use its power,” I said with a sigh, getting a little frustrated. “Ana pretty much admitted that she believes Luka’s soul was used to make this stone. She’ll obviously do anything to get it back. She came all the way down here.”

  “You want to use it as a bargaining chip to get information from her,” Arrick said.

  “Yes.”

  “Claire, how can we believe anything she says is even true?” my father questioned, full of disbelief.

  “We can’t, but what other choice do we have? Where else can we turn to get information about Baal before his next attack?” No one said anything and I knew I had made my point. There was no other way.

  “And you truly believe she is going to reveal all her master’s secrets just so she could have that back?” Titan asked, sounding as doubtful as my father.

  “Yes. Wouldn’t you?” His eyes burned with rage for a moment, until it fizzled away leaving a glossy sheen of unshed tears. I’d struck a nerve, but I’d also made another good point. If Baal had successfully used Titan’s wife’s soul to create a stone he would have traveled to the ends of the earth to get it back. When a vampire found a true mate, it was forever. It didn’t matter if they were married for one hundred years, or together for only a decade.

  “I would,” Titan admitted. “How did her mate die? This Luka?”

  “I killed him,” I replied, not proud of the fact. Yes, I’d done it in self-defense but… that didn’t change the fact that I had killed a living, breathing being. Killing the dark vampires was different, they were grotesque monstrosities, but Luka looked like everyone else. Yes, he was a murderous asshole, but the memory of his dead eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling of my old bedroom would haunt me forever.

  Titan’s brows reached for the ceiling as he stroked his chin. I wished I could know what he was thinking, but I bit my tongue and remained silent. At least the hard part was over; I’d gotten them to listen to me.

  “What’s your plan?” Arrick whispered into my ear.

  “I’ve got to make her talk,” I said simply, trying to hide how elated I was that he was talking to me again. He followed me as I took a seat away from the others, allowing Titan and Ronon to discuss things privately. My father retreated to a window to stare out into the night sky and toil on our predicament.

  Arrick nodded his head, his eyes shifting back and forth between Ronon and Titan. I watched as he flexed his jaw muscle and I knew that meant he was stressed out. He always clenched his teeth when something was bothering him. That something was me, of course. I wanted to apologize, but would sorry really be enough for what I’d done?

  “Arrick…” His name escaped from my lips unexpectedly. I reached out to touch his hand, but he pulled it away. “I didn’t mean to…”

  His eyes met mine then and they were full of love, but that love was shrouded by a veil of sadness. We stared at each other for what felt like eons and I tried desperately to convey to him how sorry I was, and how much he meant to me. Just when I thought I’d gotten through to him he turned away from me, shaking his head and muttering things under his breath.

  “Do you have any idea how much that hurt? Blocking our bond is just as painful as severing it.”

  “I didn’t mean to hurt you. It wasn’t like a conscious decision or anything. I just felt everyone trying to stop me and I just wanted…”

  “Wanted to what, Claire?” he said, full of frustration.

  I wanted to tell him that I only wished for everything to be over, but all that came out was the blubbering of tears. Could there be a worse time to start crying? Even though I could feel he was still miffed at me, Arrick pulled me into his arms and began rubbing my back as I worked on fighting back the downpour.

  “Everything all right?” my father asked, strolling up to the table Arrick and I shared.

  “Yeah,” I lied, brushing away the tears on my face, as if it would hide the fact that I’d been crying.

  “I hope you know I’m not upset with you, Claire. I’m disappointed, but not angry. I could never be angry.”

  “But I deliberately disobeyed you.” I was glad he wasn’t angry, I didn’t want him to be, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have every right to be.

  “Yes, yes you did, but like you said; if you hadn’t then we wouldn’t have the opportunity that we do,” he said, taking a seat on the other side of me; opposite Arrick. “You see, Claire, sometimes it is the mistakes in life that open the door to possibility.”

  “I’d rather that door open, without another hitting me in the butt beforehand,” I said, resting my elbows on the table.

  “Well, once in a while everyone needs a swift kick in the…”

  “Don’t you dare finish that sentence!” I pointed my finger at Arrick, fighting to keep the smile off my lips but failing miserably. He lifted his hands up in surrender, and for the first time that night he smiled back at me.

  “We’ve made a decision,” Ronon announced with a booming voice. The three of us stood, and approached them. Every nerve in my body began to buzz, and I hoped they would agree to my plan. We had to work fast if we were going to stop Baal.

  Feeling my anxiety, Arrick laced his fingers in mine and I was never happier that he was my Blood Mate. He was strong, brave, and gorgeous, but most of all, he was forgiving.

  “I will allow you to use that vile piece of dark magic to make that vampire talk, but if I feel the tiniest spark of its power… I will kill you.” Titan locked his eyes onto mine without blinking and all I could do was gasp.

  “You won’t lay a finger on her,” Arrick replied, while my father growled as he tucked me behind his massive frame.

  “She broke our laws, and the punishment is death. My father is showing mercy by giving this traitor another chance,” Ronon spat.

  Arrick opened his mouth to begin his verbal assault, but I placed my hand on his shoulder to stop him. As much as I couldn’t believe it myself, I was going to agree to Titan’s demands. I wouldn’t use the stone. I only needed to dangle it before Ana and her secrets would come pouring out. It would be easy… or at least I hoped so.

  “Very well,” I said, trying my best to sound confident even though everything inside me was screaming in protest. Even the anger inside me that Ronon had guided me
to embrace now wanted to punch him in his chiseled, smug face.

  Arrick and my father’s faces were creased with worry as Titan and Ronon smiled their approval of my answer. A shudder ran up my spine when I noticed that Ronon’s face still held the same hungry gaze it always had when he looked at me. Something told me he enjoyed the thought of killing me as much as he enjoyed the thought of bedding me. Bile rose up in my stomach, and I pushed my body closer to Arrick, who answered my closeness with a strong arm sheltering me beside him.

  “Bring her in!” Titan ordered to his guards and they left the room soundlessly. “I’ve got some questions of my own for this Ana.”

  I shifted under Arrick’s protective arm nervously. My plan was to question Ana alone. She wouldn’t respond well to Titan’s threats. If anything, they’d likely be what kept her from telling me what I wanted. I mean, she was a minion of Baal; threats wouldn’t be anything new for her. As terrifying and obviously powerful as Titan was, I doubted that he could do anything worse to her than Baal had already done.

  The guards couldn’t have been gone for more than five minutes before they barged through the doors with Ana dangling from their bulging biceps. She still looked like a ragdoll, but Mikel had followed my orders and cleaned her up. Her blonde hair was a frizzy, wavy mess but there was no trace of blood or matted clumps. Her blistered skin was almost completely healed and she was no longer covered in dirt. She had even been given clean clothes and I prayed that that small bit of kindness had softened her up a bit.

  Ana was unceremoniously dragged to the center of the room and dropped on the cold stone floor before us. Titan and Ronon looked down at her like she was a disobedient dog who had just shit on their carpet. I tried my best to keep my face void of any kind of expression, and I could tell Arrick and my father were trying to do the same.

  I was surprised when Ana pulled herself up from the floor and tucked her knees against her chest. She didn’t look at us though, she stared at the ground, wrapping her arms around her legs and hugging them close to her.