A Bond of Blood and Fire

by Tomlinson, Karen

  “She may have charmed you and awakened forbidden feelings, but make no mistake: you are mine. That half-blood filth belongs to Lord Firan now. The souls and ships he has pledged for the price of her body are far more important to Valentia than she will be after this battle is over. But don’t worry, if she lives through it, I will not take all her magic. I have agreed to leave Lord Firan enough to make use of.” She sucked in her bottom lip, as if savouring Hugo’s pain. “Did it make you angry seeing these men beat her bloody? Think how you will feel this time around if you give me cause to let Ream have her. Something tells me Lord Firan will still take the leftovers.” She chuckled. Soft. Venomous. Satisfied. “You see, heirs with magical blood in their veins are so important to him, just as mine will be to me when you break my curse on Winter Solstice.”

  Hugo could not think straight. The urge to rip her throat out nearly undid him.

  No. She can still kill everyone in this room.

  “I expect, commander, the next few weeks will be most unpleasant for you. After all, you are fae. You should have protected the female who has stolen your heart. I think she will hate you very much now. You, who was too late to stop me from selling her like the whore she is. You, who stood by and watched these males attack her. And you, who beat her when she was already broken and bleeding,” she tsked. “You really are a bastard, aren’t you?”

  Hugo’s gorge rose, burning his insides.

  Curling her lips at the turmoil in his eyes, she ran her fingers over his cheek. “Oh, Hugo, my poor, young love. You simply needed to remember that you are mine. Don’t forget again. The Lord Commander is itching to play games with you both. Go back to being that cold, powerful guard who I find so fascinating.” Inclining her head toward Diamond, the Queen’s bejewelled crown glinted. “It won’t matter to her anymore. You played such a brutal part in destroying her, I think she will seek comfort from someone else now, don’t you? I doubt Prince Oden will turn her down; after all, he has been there to comfort her before.”

  Hugo swallowed as the Queen leaned in and brushed her mouth lightly against his.

  “And Hugo? Do not try and escape your fate. Your blood and your body are mine.”

  Hugo loosed a big breath as the Queen and her guards left, though his reprieve was short-lived. The Lord of the Wetlands squatted on his haunches in front of Hugo.

  Eyes as deep blue as Hugo’s own glinted as the immortal lord glanced down at Diamond’s ruined face. “Now that will never do,” the lord said softly and reached out an elegant blue finger.

  Hugo held his temper in check as Lord Firan touched Diamond’s broken nose. It immediately cracked back into place. Hugo felt queasy with relief as Diamond moaned. At least she was conscious enough to feel pain.

  “There, that’s better. I don’t want my prize marred forever,” he said, wicked amusement shining in his eyes. Without hesitation, he laid those elegant blue hands on Diamond’s head, running his palms down the length of her body to her toes. A haze of magic emanated from him, flowing over her. The purple bruising peppering Diamond’s body lessened, and with shock, Hugo saw her damaged skin begin to knit together.

  Despite the relief and gratitude he felt at seeing her wounds heal, Hugo tensed. He balled his fists, a feral instinct making him want to break this lord’s immortal neck for assuming he could touch Diamond like that. She was not and never would be Firan’s prize.

  Smiling arrogantly, right into Hugo’s furious eyes, Lord Firan lifted Diamond’s broken, bleeding hand. His tongue flicked over her knuckles licking her blood. Shuddering with pleasure, he swallowed. “Hmm, pure as the driven snow.” His smile spread into a wide grin, showing small perfect teeth. “I wonder if she will remain so after being at the handsome prince’s beck and call.” He dropped his voice almost conspiratorially. “If I were you, commander, I would keep her away from the amorous prince or make her yours completely. After all, we both know you can.” The lord reached out a finger touching Hugo’s lips even as he bared his teeth. “If you understand me?” he grinned.

  Hugo wanted to wipe that satisfied and knowing smirk right off this male’s face. With that same finger Lord Firan scooped up more of Diamond’s blood from the side of her ravaged mouth and sucked it. Holding Hugo’s eyes, he swallowed.

  Hugo clamped down on his absolute white-hot rage. How did this arrogant prick know about Hugo’s ability to bite? Hugo’s whole body became fluid, ready to move, to kill. Challenge roared to life in his eyes, turning silver flecks to bright burning flame. He would not hide his magic, his power for destruction from this bastard.

  With narrowed eyes, Lord Firan cocked his head and waited, seeming more curious than concerned about what Hugo would do next.

  Hugo battled with his rage and instincts to kill this lord who dared touch Diamond. It will not help her or me to kill Firan—yet.

  Hugo dropped his eyes to the floor. He could wait.

  The Lord of The Wetlands gave a satisfied chuckle and put a hand on Hugo’s shoulder, patting him. His voice dripped with amusement as he stood tall. “Your self-control is admirable, commander. I know you want to kill me. But do not fret, my young friend, your secret is safe with me. Rest assured, when Miss Gillon returns here and becomes mine, I will take extra special care of her.”

  He grinned as he walked away.

  CHAPTER 27

  Hugo allowed himself to collapse, falling from his knees to sit next to Diamond. Shaking from head to toe, he took a ragged breath to calm his tumbling emotions. He made himself look at her. She was ravaged, swollen almost beyond recognition.

  Bile rose in his throat as he relived what had just happened. She had fought so hard and so skilfully. He was so incredibly proud of her—and so utterly appalled at himself. Hugo’s shoulders sagged, the face of another pretty young woman merging into Diamond’s as he closed his eyes.

  This beautiful, brave woman, who held his heart in her hands, would never trust him again. She would believe he had abandoned her for the Queen. He wouldn’t blame her in the least. Every little bit of mistrust and resentment would be deserved. Despair threatened to overwhelm Hugo and, for the first time in his life, he felt helpless tears burn his eyes.

  A horrible gurgling sound bubbled with each heaving breath Diamond took.

  “I am so sorry,” he whispered in her ear, his gut twisting as he rolled her sideways, letting the blood run from her mouth. It pooled under her cheek as she coughed and gagged, but at least the horrible noises eased.

  “I had to do what she said or everything would be lost. Your friends, this city. She would have destroyed you. I couldn’t let that happen…” His voice broke. Sickened, he tried not think about Rose.

  Urgent footsteps entered the room.

  Reese blanched as he beheld Kitty’s corpse. He sprinted across the blood-covered floor, the rest of the squadron close behind. Swearing at the top of his voice, he looked as though he wanted to slit Hugo’s throat. “Stay away from her, captain,” Hugo growled. Though Hugo didn’t blame him.

  To his credit Reese ignored Hugo and dropped to his knees next to Diamond. The rest of the squadron fanned out around them, standing close enough that cold, hard steel glinted in Hugo’s peripheral vision. Apparently their respect for him had just disintegrated. A growl rippled from his throat. He didn’t have time for this. They needed to go so he could take care of her. He had to try and put this right. “Reese. Stand back,” he ordered quietly.

  “Or what? You don’t get to decide what happens to her right now. Look at her!” Reese spat, meeting his eyes. “Why? Why do this to her when everyone here knows she means more to you than the Queen ever will?”

  “Because the Queen knows it too! Because if I hadn’t, the Queen would have destroyed her in far worse ways than I ever could, you ignorant fool!” bellowed Hugo, gesturing at Kitty.

  Tallo did not interfere, but he could not look at Hugo.

  Hugo understood their reaction. His stomach roiled in self-disgust. Forgiveness would never be deserved
. Blood rushed through his ears as his inadequacy and failure hit him. Diamond had called him pathetic all those weeks ago. How very right she was.

  Diamond stirred at his raised voice. They all froze as she whimpered his name. Immediately, and with infinite gentleness, he lifted her head into his lap and stroked her blood-matted hair out of her battered face.

  “Please. Hugo. Just. Leave. Me. Alone,” she rasped, tears running down her cheeks and mixing with her blood. Speaking brought on a bout of coughing.

  He watched helplessly as she curled into a foetal position. He was the cause of her agony; he had done this. An invisible hand gripped his heart and squeezed. Pain and despair like he had never imagined stole his breath. She didn’t want him near her. She would not forgive him. His hand stilled upon her head. When he didn’t move she repeated her words, louder this time.

  “She wants you to go,” said Tallo softly, placing a hand gently on Hugo’s shoulder. The older man’s eyes were full of pity and understanding. Hugo did not notice. He only felt his composure begin to crumble. He wanted to scream and shout and beg her forgiveness, but he was aware the whole squadron was watching him. They were ready to rip him apart if he didn’t leave, and he had no stomach for hurting any of them right now.

  Summoning all his willpower, Hugo shut down his heart, wrapping it in a cage of shadow that turned his eyes obsidian. Wiping all expression from his face, he placed Diamond’s head gently on the floor and stood. It was the hardest thing he had ever done to walk away from her.

  CHAPTER 28

  The next morning came far too soon for Diamond. She stayed still, listening to the sound of rain and wind lashing the loose window frames. Icy gusts howled, working their way in through cracks in the old stone walls, seeping between the fibres of her thin blankets. Diamond shivered, her muscles screaming in protest.

  Agony flashed behind her eyes as she turned on her side. She gasped. Such wretchedness only served to remind Diamond that yesterday had been real, that Kitty’s death was her fault and that Rose’s nightmare was only beginning. Diamond sobbed into her pillow. Tallo had gravely informed Diamond that Rose had been taken to the palace. Her impotence was a crushing, guilt-ridden weight on her heart. Diamond could do nothing to help her friend. Is this how Hugo felt when he had no choice but to comply with the Queen’s wishes?

  It took enormous effort to push herself upright and even more to fight the wave of nausea set off by her pounding head. Taking deep calming breaths, she waited for the room to stop spinning, then gingerly moved her legs off the bed until she could sit on the edge.

  The squadron was to leave with the rest of the army today, and she was to go with them. With a heavy heart Diamond surveyed her body. Her nightie was small enough that it did not hide the swellings and purple bruises that deformed her arms and legs. Surprisingly, her skin was not as damaged as she had expected.

  Tallo and Reese had helped her back to her room yesterday, both of them saying very little; but they had tried their very best to be gentle as they laid her on her bed and called the healer. After reassuring them she would be fine, they reluctantly left her to the healer’s ministrations. Bathed in spell-infused tonics, then covered in salve, she had allowed the healer to bandage her hands and check her for internal bleeding before crawling into bed to rest.

  She preferred to concentrate on the pain throbbing through her body rather than acknowledging the agony in her heart. Burning tears slipped from her eyes. She knew how Hugo felt; she now had a taste of the powerlessness he struggled with. But he had taken part in beating her unconscious.

  Another wave of nausea made the room spin wildly. Diamond breathed through it as she tried to sort through the sickening jumble of emotions that vied for supremacy. Cold and shaking, she put her hands over her face. What should she believe? That he truly felt something for her, that he would fight for her; or that he was willing to drop to his knees like a coward every time the Queen ordered it?

  As if he knew she was thinking about him, the door opened. Hugo loomed in the hallway, a huge silhouette against the yellow glow of the lamps. Diamond lowered her hands from her tear-stained face, unable to speak.

  Stepping inside, Hugo closed the door, leaning his back against it. His onyx hair hung loose around his shoulders, the deep blue streaks shimmering brightly. Haunted sapphire eyes moved from her toes, up over her bare legs and arms. His muscles clenched as he ground his jaw and raised his eyes to her face. Then his whole body slumped, making him look defeated in a way she had never seen before.Diamond hid her shock, biting down on the tears that threatened to overwhelm her at the sight of him. “I didn’t invite you in,” she forced out coldly. “You can close the door on your way out.”

  “Diamond, please,” he said softly, reaching out to her. Almost immediately he dropped his hand, recognising the disappointment and pain she allowed into her eyes.

  “Please what, Hugo? Swoon into your arms? Show you forgiveness for letting the Queen sell me like a piece of meat, or for standing by whilst I was beaten black and blue? Oh no, let me think. Of course! You want forgiveness for serving the Queen who slit my friend’s throat in front of me, who bit Rose and drank her blood!” Her voice shook with suppressed rage.

  “Diamond, please. I tried. She would have killed everyone you love. Please. Forgive me.” He sounded wretched, pleading.

  “No!” she yelled, her ire only fuelled by his desperate face. “She killed my friend! And you! Where were you? In her chambers, serving her? You were too late to stop any of it! Was that your plan, Hugo? Be so late you would not have to fight for me or for my friends?” Unfair, screamed her rational mind, but she was too angry with herself and with him to thrust those thoughts away. “No, I will not forgive you. What happens the next time you are ordered by that evil witch to do her bidding? Will you slit my throat as easily as that guard slit Kitty’s? Will you watch me bleed at your feet?” she raged bitterly, not caring who could hear.

  “No!” he spat. “By the goddess, Diamond, I had seconds to make a choice, and I made it. I don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks, but please, try and understand why I went to her when all I wanted to do was rip her apart. Her magic stopped me in my tracks! If I had fought for you, she would have broken you and me into pieces, bone by bone, and killed everyone you care about. There would have been no help from the guards. You saw what she has done to them, and those she hasn’t bitten crave the chance to exact revenge on me for receiving the Queen’s favour, for still being alive when they know I have magic!”

  He took a tentative step towards her, expelling a steadying breath.

  Their gaze met and locked, and that magical bond twanged in her core as if a chord had been pulled tight. Belligerently, she fought it and stared him down. She heard what he said, even understood it, but the mountain of rage and disappointment in her heart seemed insurmountable.

  “What happened to Rose?” she hissed, almost not wanting to know.

  He paled even further. “Ream has her in the dungeons,” he answered quietly.

  Diamond swallowed her nausea, trying not to think about the tortures her friend could be suffering even now.

  “Diamond, please. I had to back down. At least this way you have time to learn about your magic, to strengthen it. You can fight for your friends and the people of this valley. At least now you stand a chance of getting away.”

  “Shut up!” she hissed. Hurt spilled from her heart into her violet eyes. Ignoring her pain, she pushed herself off the bed, limping forward. Her glare flayed his soul. It was agony to breathe let alone talk. “Don’t justify Kitty’s death or Rose’s torture with my life! I would rather die than subject my friend to the suffering that will be hers. If by some miracle I live through this battle with Ragor, I will become Lord Firan’s property—or had you forgotten that? But what of you? You will not die, at least not until your Queen gets what she lusts after, and that isn’t too far away, is it?”

  She cocked her head to one side. Curling her top lip conte
mptuously Diamond looked him up and down, just like the Queen had done. Fresh resentment, coupled with raging jealousy, burned her heart.

  It did not matter what Hugo had done, she wanted to touch him again, to feel his hot skin under her fingers, to feel his arms hold her and his whispers tell her she would be safe. Instead, she swallowed those damning thoughts and bunched her fists, taunting him, “Or maybe, for all your protestations, that’s what you really want? Hmmm? Is this all some elaborate game? Am I your amusement, a bit of cheap entertainment until Winter Solstice arrives? Until you get to—” she never completed her sentence.

  Skin flushed with anger, eyes swirling with dangerous silver fire, Hugo stepped right up to her, baring his teeth savagely. “Stop it! Don’t you dare demean what I feel for you! I came here hoping you’d understand, even forgive me for what I had to do. Gods! I was so proud of you, fighting so hard, for so long. Hurting you so badly was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life—and believe me when I say I have committed many vile acts at the behest of that immortal bitch.” The fire died from his eyes only to be replaced with sorrow. Hugo looked at his Nexus, his venom bound soulmate, and dropped to his knees in front of her. “Diamond, I am begging for your forgiveness, for your understanding, but I would do it all again if it stopped her from killing you and everyone you care about,” his voice wavered as he looked up at her.

  Shock at seeing him on his knees left her speechless.

  “Diamond, please...” he implored as her silence continued.

  Unable to stop herself, her hand snapped out to strike him hard across his cheek. Her bandages muffled the power of her blow and did nothing to ease the pain and confusion in her heart. An expression of raging hurt and despair swamped his face and, for the first time since she had known him, Hugo dropped his eyes. Frustrated and angry, she pulled off her bandages.

  The Queen’s guard knelt in a state of misery as though waiting for her punishment.