He’d spanked me, punishing me before his touch had gentled. It confused me, leaving me pissed off and turned on. I wasn’t even sure what the hell had just happened other than he’d called me out, and he’d summed me up so hard that he’d reached in and withdrawn the truth from my soul.
No one had ever left me speechless or confused. No one had ever turned me on like Torrin had while pissing me off. I was either on the edge of moon sickness or losing my shit. One or the other had to be happening here.
“Come on, fix your pants, or I will,” he demanded, lifting a brow while I just continued staring at him like he’d grown another head.
“I don’t enjoy being hurt,” I snapped because I wasn’t certain what else to say. I felt like I had to argue that point. Right? I mean, shouldn’t I be pissed that he’d spanked me and made me wet? It seemed oxymoronic, as though it shouldn’t happen together.
“Fine,” he chuckled while collecting his things without listening to my words.
“I don’t,” I argued obtusely, lifting onto my knees to fix my pants, finding my inner thighs drenched with arousal. Torrin’s eyes latched onto the moisture, his gaze slowly rising to lock with mine. A sinful smile curved his delicious lips, and I rolled my eyes, standing to pull up my pants. “My vagina was trying to vomit at what you did to me.”
What?
His lips twitched before he grabbed his pack, turning to look at me. “It must have been really sick to be that wet.”
“Horridly so.” I swallowed past the horrification over my word-vomit happening.
I followed him out of the inn, pulling the cloak I wore tightly around my body to hide the embarrassment that burned hotly, singeing my cheeks red. The others had saddled the horses and were waiting for us as we emerged from the doorway.
“I thought we’d need to send a search team in to retrieve you, two lovers,” Zane stated, narrowing his eyes on me, hidden within the heavy cloak.
“I was getting my cock sucked by the lips of an angel with the enthusiasm of a demon.”
I choked on air, turning to glare at him over my shoulder. Amo and Tabitha snorted, patting me on the back before Amo chuckled.
“That wasn’t the kitty you were supposed to get the cream into, Lexia.” She laughed, silencing it the moment I turned angry eyes on her. She lifted her hands into the air in mock surrender and shook her head. “I’m not judging. Not at all. You want to suck that dick, then you suck it really good!” she offered while the others laughed silently.
“Get mounted,” I muttered.
“That’s what you should do,” Tabitha chortled.
“You’re with me, Lexia,” Torrin growled, causing the women to turn and look at him. Amo sighed dreamily as her owl, Scout, landed on her shoulder. Meanwhile, Tabitha reached out, patting Torrin’s cock.
“Good boy, now aim lower so that her kitty gets some cream too,” she stated, smiling up at Torrin, even though he’d leveled a chilling look at her that would have sent grown men running.
“Now, woman,” he snapped, grabbing my arm to pull me with him while the others stared.
Chapter Eight
The Badlands were dried, dead vegetation and patches of swampland that spread between the mountain ranges. I’d gotten lost in my mind as worry for Landon and what Torrin had done to me, warred with my conscience and self-preservation. I didn’t even know Torrin, yet I’d been brazenly wanton with him. It was so far out of my comfort zone that I might as well have been someone else.
Torrin growled, and neighing started beside me. It pulled me from my thoughts, and I turned to stare at where Chivalry had nipped the male sitting behind me on his leg. He tossed his white mane into the air, prancing beside us while snorting.
“What the fuck is his problem?” Torrin demanded crossly. Sliding his arm around me, he bared his teeth at my horse. His sneered growl and grip around my waist caused Chivalry to lower his head again, snapping his teeth toward Torrin.
“He doesn’t like other men touching me. He also isn’t impressed that I’m riding with you instead of him,” I muttered, leaning over to nuzzle my irate, insanely-protective mount. “You’re still the only boy I want to ride,” I cooed, and he tossed his head, nodding as if he understood every word I spoke. “That’s my guy, Chivalry.”
“You named him Chivalry?” Torrin continued, and I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn’t see the gesture. His arm pulled me back, and he chuckled against my ear. “Considering what you enjoy, I don’t think he’s the one you want to mount, little girl.”
“Neither are you,” I replied, resting back against him to search the area we traveled with curiosity.
I hated the Badlands. The dead vegetation reeked, and the swamp released poisonous gasses that smelled like rotting eggs mixing with death. We’d stopped long enough to cover our mouths to avoid vomiting. Even the warlord and his men had wrapped scented clothes around their nose and mouth to prevent inhaling the Badlands’ toxic scent.
Massive cliffs marked each side of the flat land we traveled across. There were no trees to hide behind, nor bushes to relieve the need of my bladder. I could hear water rushing somewhere, which added to my urgency to ease my body’s needs.
I squirmed on the horse, adjusting myself against the man behind me. Torrin loosened his hold, turning to look over his shoulder. I felt him tense, and the moment he faced forward, he issued orders in their language and kicked his horse into a dead run.
“Hold on, Little Bird,” he warned, pushing his warhorse hard.
I didn’t bother turning to see if Chivalry kept up, knowing he would sense the danger and follow me to my grave if the need arose. I’d raised him from a foal, training with him for years to make certain he was ready for the world we would enter together. I’d weaned him from his mother, raised him for battle, and he’d follow me to my death to protect me.
I stared out over the land for anywhere to take cover. Slitting my gaze, I took in the nothingness before turning, peeking back to watch as ghastly women flew toward us. Their mouths were hanging open, taking air into their lungs to screech and wailing their screams. I spun in the saddle, staring toward the haze that we rushed toward, and frowned. A thick mist was forming in front of us, which generally signaled other creatures created from the darkness were near.
“Where the hell are you running toward?” I demanded worriedly, furrowing my brow. No sooner had I asked him than we leaped and lunged blindly toward the sound of rushing water hidden within the mist.
I sucked in air moments before shockingly cold water bit my flesh. Horses and men followed us into the water blindly. The raging water rushed us downstream, fighting to take us beneath the rapids. I kicked against the current, barely treading water through the icy chunks that flowed around us, trying to remain above the surface. My body was spun, and something slammed into my head, sending violet lights blinking into my vision.
The water sucked me down even though I kicked, fighting the current to get my head above the icy grasp that tightened around me. Something moved toward me beneath the surface, and I screamed, wincing in pain as a horse’s hoof met my head, causing a heaviness to take hold.
I sank weightlessly, unable to stay afloat or swim anymore. I watched a dark blur coming toward me, and wintery eyes held mine. Torrin’s arm wrapped around my waist securely as he pulled me toward the surface of the water, powerful thrusts of his legs against the water shot us upward.
We breached the surface, and I coughed violently, throwing up water. Torrin turned me in his arms, forcing my back against his chest while he took us toward the shore on the opposite side. He made the swim look easy, pulling me out of the water like a drowned fish to drop me on the river’s bank. I turned over, throwing up as my stomach rebelled.
My attention moved around the crowd, counting feminine forms that also were tossing their guts up. My eyes swung back to the river we’d escaped, and I frowned at the black, oily water filled with darkness.
“You fucking dunked us into poison?” I hissed accusingly.
“It was better than being sucked to death by evil bitches who feed on your fucking soul, wasn’t it?”
“I could have died!”
“But did you?” he shouted, and I blinked slowly, glaring at him.
My head whipped around at the sound of horses in distress. Chivalry was barely above the water, fighting to stay afloat. I jumped to my feet, rushing toward where he went under the surface. I didn’t hesitate at the shoreline, leaping into the icy, poisonous water to get him out. I kicked my legs, grabbing his mane as someone else broke through the water, wrapping arms around Chivalry to pull him up.
We broke the surface together, Torrin holding Chivalry, whose eyes were rolling wildly as he made panicked sounds of distress. Once we were on the shore again, I patted him down, gasping for air as the water’s oily substance clung to me. Men surrounded us, speaking to Torrin in their foreign language while I rubbed feeling back into Chivalry.
“They’ll take him to rest with the other horses,” Torrin announced, yanking me with him to where his men were building a fire and setting up tents.
I sat on a log beside Amo, who turned wide, terror-filled eyes toward me. Her long, caramel-colored hair was stuck to her body in clumps, and her vivid green eyes had grown pale with the chill. We all shook violently, which I wasn’t convinced was only from the icy plunge we’d taken. It was more likely the poison was sinking in through our flesh, inducing sickness.
We sat beside the small fire, unable to stop the trembling that was becoming more like convulsions as they finished the tents’ preparations and rolled out bedrolls. Everyone was soaked, and the longer we sat around, the worse the chill grew.
My attention moved to the opposite side of the bank, focusing on the wavering figures that paced the ground, unwilling to enter the water. It wasn’t because they couldn’t swim, because those evil whores could fly. So what prevented them from coming across?
“That’s interesting,” I said through chattering teeth.
“Yes, it’s almost as if they fear whatever is within the water,” Amo pointed out. “I for once agree with them; this sucks.”
We watched in silence as one banshee got close to the water’s edge, and something reached up and sucked her below the surface. I blinked slowly, sliding my eyes to Torrin, who glared at me with a cocky smile playing on his lips. I shivered violently, slowly meeting Amo’s and Tabitha’s horrified, wide eyes.
Creepers had been within the water, which meant Torrin and his men were somehow immune to their notice, or we’d all be dead right now. Either that or the creepers were afraid of the men and had scattered the moment we’d entered the murky depths.
Worse than that, it meant we couldn’t escape through the water alone. My lips pursed together tightly as I took in the scene. Slowly, I turned back to where the banshees had all slunk away from the edge, hissing and spitting as the slimy creatures that lived in the swamps of the Badlands crawled over the bank, sputtering and gasping while hunting their next meal.
The creepers reached the ghastly figures that let out ear-piercing screams, doing little to dispel their attackers. Creepers were immune to banshee screams, having no ears to hear their shrieks of terror that froze their victims in place while fear rushed through them. Banshees could also foretell death, but these were no longer among the living that had the ability.
A hand touched my shoulder, and I jumped, staring up at Torrin while my chest rose and fell from being startled. He smiled softly, his eyes heating while they slid to the outfit that hugged me like a second layer of skin from being soaked. My cloak had been swept downstream, which meant it was going to be a very chilly ride for the duration of the trip.
Turning toward Amo, my second-in-command, I clucked my tongue twice, and she nodded while I got to my feet. My focus returned to Torrin, who narrowed his eyes on me before looking down at where Amo studied him.
“The fire is to ward off the creepers, but it won’t do much to dispel the chill. I suggest you all find someone to bed down with tonight,” Torrin announced in a clipped tone, nodding toward the furthest tent. “You’re with me, Moonflower.”
My eyes darted back to Amo and the others, nodding with the orders I’d just given. Once we were inside the tent, I studied the fur bedroll. One bed, again. Frowning, I crumpled my brow while Torrin moved to his pack, pulling out a jug of whiskey. He placed two pewter cups onto the ground before he filled them full of the amber liquid.
“Drink and then get out of your wet clothes before the poison sinks further into your flesh. You’re going to need to drink this too.” He grunted, holding out a vial that had shimmering liquid in it. “You drank half the fucking river before I pulled you out.”
“What is it?” I questioned, and he canted his head to the side, glowering at me.
“It’s a tonic that expels the toxins through your skin. You’ll more than likely sweat it out, but this will ensure that nothing remains in your system to cause you issues. I don’t have time to deal with a sickly woman while we move deeper into the Darklands.”
Torrin stood, handing me the vial before he started removing his clothing. My eyes slid over the bronzed flesh as I pulled the stopper from the vial. Sniffing it, I recoiled from the pungent scent while turning up my lip. I groaned, scrunching up my nose before I placed it against my lips, taking a drink. I gagged and was grateful when Torrin handed me the whiskey. I gulped it down, frowning when I noticed he had stripped down to nothing.
“I have to pee,” I exclaimed.
He grunted softly, shaking his dark head before his eyes lifted to lock with mine. He grabbed a pair of lounge pants that hugged his powerful thighs tightly and nodded at the flap. I followed him to the far side of camp, where dead logs covered the ground.
I waited for him to turn around and away from me, and he smirked. “I’ve seen you naked, woman.” His arms crossed over his chest like he intended to continue watching me.
“So you have, but it’s the gentlemanly thing to do, turning around for a woman to relieve her needs in private.” I watched the challenge burning in his eyes before he allowed my request, giving me his back.
I squatted, quickly relieving my bladder that had been complaining for hours. Rising, I pulled my pants up and started toward Torrin, only to stop dead in my tracks. Chills raced up my spine, and my body stilled completely.
Torrin still faced away from me, not feeling the danger near to us. Tears gathered in my eyes, and everything within me screamed. My blood chilled to ice, and my heartbeat pounded in my ears as mist covered my skin, immediately freezing where it gathered. My eyes no longer blinked, and my hair hardened with the icy grasp of death.
“Bloody hell, woman,” Torrin snapped, turning to look at me where I was slowly freezing to death. “Wraiths,” he whispered, clucking his tongue loudly while his eyes slid over my shoulders, and he launched himself at me.
He took me to the ground, hard. My body rebelled from the pain his heat created against my frozen flesh. His mouth brushed against mine while he peered into my eyes, which continued to freeze. I was going to freeze to death! I couldn’t even scream or speak with the ice that filled my throat while my lips turned blue.
I could hear the feet and blades that drug across the ground as the dead moved toward us. Wraiths were one of the few creatures we couldn’t stand against to protect ourselves. They were newly dead beings, killed by nightwalkers, and raised from their graves by dark magic to hunt the living. They spread ice through the air in the form of a fine mist that clings to the skin of their victims. The wraiths freeze their prey in place, easily reaching them during their painfully slow death march, unhindered by their sightless eyes.
Their inhuman moans and howls filled the air while hundreds of feet barely lifted while they made their way toward our camp, driven by their sense of smell and our living scent.
Torrin covered every inch of me with his body. His hand
lifted, enveloping my mouth, and I realized I was moaning softly. My consciousness was slipping, fading to nothing as my blood thickened to frozen sludge in my veins. Torrin’s eyes filled with worry, and his dark head lifted before he pulled me up with him, rushing toward the tent.
The moment we entered, he stripped me down to my skin, shucking his lounge pants to fold us into the blankets. His enormous hands rubbed my body down as he studied my face with worry burning in his eyes. I whispered no words as the hissing of the monsters outside the tent grew closer to us. His hands warmed me, rubbing life back into my body.
It wasn’t enough. My eyes wouldn’t close, which meant I was going to die, staring at the hottest man I’d ever encountered. I wanted to laugh hysterically at the irony of it, knowing that upon death, I’d embarrass myself as all bodily fluids released. Thank the gods I’d just peed.
Torrin’s mouth lowered to mine, claiming it even though I wasn’t kissing him back. His fingers slid through my sex, and I almost groaned, but the air wasn’t filling my lungs. He pushed into my sex, and I blinked, frowning as my body started pumping blood while pleasure rushed through me. His eyes smiled, and I blinked past the icy layer that had grown over my mine.
“Breathe for me,” he whispered so softly that I wasn’t sure I hadn’t imagined the words. He stretched my body, and I arched, while his other hand lifted my head for him to claim my mouth in a hungry kiss.
Screaming sounded from outside, and he paused, lifting his head toward the tent flap. A single tear escaped me as a bright light burst through camp. Torrin’s eyes met mine, and I closed them against the grief as one of the moon-touched succumbed to death.
The sound of slurping and snarling exploded, and Torrin pulled me against his chest, drawing the blankets over our heads to hide our body heat from the predators. His fingers withdrew, and his lips brushed against my cheek. I took solace in his embrace, allowing his warmth to lull me to sleep.
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