by Sharon Kay
The crowd of well-dressed witches seated in a large side room jumped up in alarm. Some ducked for cover. Some ran for the front door.
All element of surprise was lost. Scorpio shot into the foyer as witches shrieked and fled the room. Two more Vespera guards left positions by the door and charged.
Brenin’s team members were already moving toward them as blue and orange flashes illuminated the foyer. At the opening to the gathering room, two mages hastily flung up a blue magical barrier similar to the one Zeebi had created in the woods.
But Hallon recited a spell of his own. In his hand lay a small stone, which he hurled at the barrier as he finished speaking. In seconds the stone grew exponentially, until it was the size of a boulder.
With an enormous crash, it smashed through both the blue barrier and a portion of the wall. Plaster and dust filled the foyer as the guards ducked to avoid being crushed. The remaining civilian witches darted out through the front door.
Scorpio left the guards to Hallon and the other Lash demons, and hurtled into the room, into dozens of rows of chairs that had been upended in the chaos. Elegantly carved wood crashed to the floor around his feet as he turned to the front of the room.
Scorpio’s fists clenched as he took in Tessa, dressed in a black gown, her arm gripped tightly by Damien. Wide blue eyes stared at him with a mix of relief and shock.
Wearing a suit, Damien had a maniacal grin on his face. “Come to give us your best wishes, demon?” He smirked. “We weren’t quite done. We were almost to the kiss, weren’t we, darling?” He yanked Tessa flush to his side.
She tried to free her arm. “Let me go. You’re hurting me.”
Scorpio growled and stalked toward them. “You heard her. Let her go, asshole.”
“I know you want her, demon. You think she’s yours, you think she cares about you.” Damien maintained his grip on Tessa and steered her toward one wall. “Well, she’s not yours. She’s mine. She chose me. Me!”
Behind them, Zeebi stood with a black-robed male. The officiant? She pulled him toward a corner of the room, reaching for something on the wall.
“Damien, stop.” Tessa squirmed.
Scorpio didn’t know if she meant stop the words or stop moving her like a piece of luggage. Either way, he was way beyond done with Damien’s bullshit. “Enough talking. Let her go or I’ll rip your heart out through your throat.”
Damien threw back his head and laughed. “Ah, yes. Because that’s what you do. You’re a killer. Mercenary. Monster. Nothing good will ever come of anything you do or try.”
Crack!
Tessa’s free hand connected with Damien’s jaw, clearly shocking the Vespera leader. He turned angry eyes on her and grabbed her fingers. “That’s no way to treat your groom, darling. Unless you like it rough. Then, I’ll give you everything you do to me and more.” With a sharp twist, he wrenched her arm into an unnatural angle behind her back and clamped his hand around her waist.
She shrieked, face contorted in pain.
Scorpio roared. In a blur of speed, he rushed at the male.
But Damien successfully pushed Tessa against the wall and, in a heartbeat, a four foot wide segment of wall opened, swiveled around, and whisked them out of sight.
With a thud, the wall closed back on itself.
“Fuck!” Scorpio pounded the plaster and ran his hand over it, searching.
An echoing thud made the room shake, and he spun around. Zeebi and the other male were gone.
Hallon rushed over and inspected the wall. “Goddamn it—that must be a new passage. I wouldn’t have caught it if he hadn’t done it right in front of us. Zeebi opened one, too. Here.” He pushed a tiny button, no bigger than a nail head, on the chair rail. “Go. We’ll follow you.” The wall suddenly spun, whirling Scorpio into complete darkness.
C
HAPTER 31
TESSA SLIPPED AND STUMBLED, BARELY staying upright in her heels and with Damien running down dark steps. His tight grip crushed her fingers. “Where are we going?” she demanded.
He didn’t answer, just pulled her full speed down, down further. Were they going to the dark lines? She was certain he had a way to get to them from inside the building. Probably more than one way. Would he force her to succumb to them? A shiver raced across her skin.
“Stop!” she yelled. “I’m done. Our arrangement is off!”
“Too late, witch.” He skidded to flat ground, making her knock into him. “I want you. So you’re mine. No going back.”
“I’m not a possession!” she shrieked, pushing his chest with her hand.
A menacing smile spread across his cold features. “That’s where you’re wrong, Tessa. You belong to me, like Zeebi does, like my guards do. Like every member of this coven.”
“I don’t want this,” she hissed.
“That’s too bad. It would be more enjoyable if you did. Though my enjoyment will only be heightened by your misery. Come.” He moved his hand to her arm and clenched hard, pulling her down a stone hallway.
She should be scared. He was despicable and terrifying. But Tessa only felt anger, indignation, and the need to stop Damien. It was all up to her now. Alone with him, she had her best chance of taking him down. No Zeebi, no guards.
But what could she do against a male of his power?
Disarm him. It may be her only chance. She had to try anything. Scorpio was here, and he didn’t know the depth of Damien’s ability. Yet he had come anyway, backed by more Watchers and her dad. Her heart wanted to fly, but a cage of fear locked it in place. Please don’t get hurt, she willed him. She didn’t know if she could handle it if he got hurt because of her.
Damien walked fast, but she dug her feet into the packed dirt of the floor. “Wait, Damien. I’m sorry.” She leaned back, using her weight to try to halt him.
It worked. He pulled up short, turning to face her, wary.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I do want this. You.” She caressed his bicep and shoulder, feeling for a holster under his clothes while she pasted on the most contrite look she could summon.
He yanked her flush against his chest and bent her backward. His head dipped to lick and nip the tops of her breasts, showcased by the dress’s neckline. He ground his hips into her, and this was one time she was grateful for the immense volume of fabric in her skirt because if he were hard, she couldn’t even feel it.
She ran her hands down his back and to his waist. Nothing except muscle. Damn it. He had to have a blade somewhere.
“That’s right, Tessa. You want me. I’ll make you feel things you didn’t know were possible.” One hand cupped her breast and she shuddered at his rough groping.
If he didn’t have a weapon on his upper body, it had to be on his lower half. Damn, that meant touching his thighs, which would bring her close to his sex—the last thing she wanted to touch. But she was running out of options, unless she wanted to get naked right then and there.
She dropped one hand to the outside of his thigh, raking her nails upward as if she wanted him closer—there! The press of metal reassured her, even though it belonged to her enemy and was probably dipped in dark magic. It was still of her element, which meant she had a chance to gain control of it.
He groaned. “Yeah, baby, that’s what you want, isn’t it?”
“Mmmm,” she murmured, unable to form words of agreement around her disgust.
He straightened. “We’re almost to my special room. It’s next to the ley lines. I can’t wait to show you.” He pulled her again down the hall, excitement in his voice. “That’s where we’ll consummate our marriage. You will be able to see and access the lines. You’ll love them.”
Consummate? Crap. Did he not know who was in his building right now? “Um, we might get interrupted, don’t you think?” She tried to sound like she was truly concerned.
“My guards can handle our unwelcome guests. And anyway, they can’t get into this room,” he said dismissively. “The lines loop around it, forming a p
erfect barrier.” He stopped suddenly. “Look.”
Tessa gasped. Before them was a wide wooden door. An eerie green light snaked along the baseboard before disappearing into the stone wall. As she stared, the light on the floor raised up, as if alive. It moved all the way to the top of the door and stopped.
”It’s allowing us in, see?” Damien’s voice was reverent. “The lines know their master. Come.” He opened the door and tugged her in.
She shivered as she passed under the powerful line. It seemed beautiful and almost decorative, but she knew better. “There are others?”
“Yes. Four total. You’ll see them soon.” He turned to one side. “Ah, Zeebi. You made it.”
Zeebi? Tessa gaped at her friend, who stood with the black-robed mage who had been performing the ceremony before Scorpio had stormed in. “How did you get here?”
“I’ll always come through for you,” Zeebi said softly, stepping toward Damien and ignoring Tessa.
To Tessa’s shock, Damien pulled Zeebi close for a kiss on the mouth. She responded eagerly, as if they’d done this before. Many times.
What the hell? Tessa’s stomach turned as realization sunk in, chilling her bones at the depth of her friend’s total change of personality.
Her heart grew leaden. Not with jealousy, but rather the awful bottomless feeling of recognizing things were very, very far from what she thought to be true.
Damien released Zeebi and pulled Tessa close. “I’m so lucky to have you two. Best friends. Strong metal-attuned witches. Beautiful girls.” He stroked a finger across Tessa’s jaw.
Tessa swallowed and peeked at Zeebi, who averted her eyes and gazed at Damien. No wonder Zeebi had sounded awestruck when she spoke about Damien. She must actually love him. Tessa could only stare in shock. How had her friend fallen so far, so fast?
Tessa glanced around the room, spotting a bed in one corner. Fire bulbs hovered along the ceiling. A stone table occupied one end of the room, with two chairs. It looked like it could double as an eating or work space.
“Finish, mage,” Damien said to the officiant. “Let’s get to the blood bond so my wife will truly be bound to me.” He turned to Tessa, his cold stare alight with possessive eagerness. “Then I’ll claim you properly.”
Tessa shivered. Oh gods, she was really going to have to go through with this, or at least play along for a short time. Once she got Damien’s pants off, she could get that knife—
“Like hell you will.” Scorpio’s bellow shook the room.
Tessa whirled as joy and hope flared to life. He’s here! He stood in the doorway like a warrior god, huge and strong and good. And hers.
“Scorpio,” she shouted. “It’s not safe—”
Tessa’s butt hit the ground before she even realized Damien had pushed her.
Scorpio moved so fast Tessa couldn’t track him. One minute he was at the threshold, and the next he was in front of Damien, fist pulled back and rage in his bright eyes.
Crack!
Damien stumbled and backed up as Scorpio’s hand slammed his jaw in a brutal punch. Blood bubbled and Damien let out a garbled curse, one hand clutching his face.
“Scorpio, be careful!” Tessa shrieked.
Scorpio flicked a glance to her. “You okay?”
“Yes, but—”
“I am tired of your bullshit, demon!” Damien roared, raising his hands. Blue fire crackled from them.
Scorpio hurled two fireballs of his own with such speed that all Tessa saw were orange streaks arching through the air. Though only several feet separated the males, the fireballs stopped midair and fell to the ground, where they rolled and extinguished themselves. With his eyes glowing gold, Scorpio advanced. His sharp jaw was set in fury. Muscles bunched and flexed as he stalked. Gods above, he was magnificent.
And Damien was dangerous beyond belief.
She couldn’t let Scorpio get hurt. Not because of her. She scrambled to her feet. “Stop. You have me already. Let him be.”
“That’s right. I have you.” He smirked. “Hear that, demon? You should have seen her kissing me, grabbing me on the way here. She can’t wait to feel me take her.”
Scorpio snarled savagely and threw a dagger. It stopped in midair, an inch from Damien’s forehead.
Damien laughed. “You can’t win. You can’t kill me, and you can’t have her. May as well crawl back into the hell hole you came fr—”
In a blur of muscle, Scorpio barrel-rolled into Damien, knocking him to the floor. The thud of flesh on flesh met Tessa’s ears as her warrior’s fists flew at Damien’s head. But a dark, menacing prickle hummed over her skin and she knew punches wouldn’t stop Damien. Not yet. “Be careful!” she yelled.
Spitting blood, Damien uttered a spell and started to raise his hands toward Scorpio. But her demon slammed his hand over the dark leader’s mouth. The green ley line at the door pulsed and dropped down to bar the entrance.
Tessa gasped as Damien grabbed the blade Scorpio had thrown earlier and sunk it into Scorpio’s side. Blood flowed, but her warrior didn’t make a sound. His hand stayed clamped over Damien’s mouth.
Rage inflamed her skin and she reached out with her power, easing the knife from Scorpio’s side. He shouldn’t have lingering damage, as long as no poison was involved and the source of injury was removed. She concentrated on the blade, turning it toward Damien—
And was knocked back with a shock wave from the mage. His hands extended toward her as the sensation of pressing thorns racked her arms and chest, then faded. A warning.
“Tessa, stop.” Zeebi ran to her. “His people will protect him, even from you. You’re outnumbered.”
The clang of metal on stone rang in her ears and she whirled to the doorway. In the hall, Brenin and the other Watchers tangled with Vespera mages. Blue and orange flashes lit the space. The ley line emitted its eerie emerald glow. Blood spattered across it and into the room, accompanied by a mix of words, many garbled and cut off before they could complete spells.
She wasn’t alone. But the ley line prevented anyone from getting in or out.
Damien’s fingers twitched. Magic crackled in the air around him.
Tessa darted toward them, desperate to redirect whatever Damien planned to do. But even with Scorpio on top of him, he merely flicked his fingers and Tessa stumbled as if tripped. Her shoes got caught in the feathers and satin of her skirt, and she crashed to the ground.
Damien grunted and clamped the same hand on Scorpio’s arm. Scorpio cursed and let go.
Tessa’s skin crawled with dread at the intent in Damien’s eyes. “Stop!”
A bolt of blue lightning shot from Damien’s hands. It connected with a sick sizzle to Scorpio’s chest. With a thud, his powerful body jerked backward and slumped. Damien hissed, slowly getting to his feet.
“No!” Tessa scrambled to kneel beside Scorpio. He was breathing. Thank the gods. Could she dare to hope for just unconsciousness? “Scorpio,” she whispered. “Please wake up.”
He lay motionless in her arms. She caressed his jaw and his short gold-streaked hair that she couldn’t imagine him without. That’s when she noticed it.
Starting at his temple, a thin line of black curled and snaked along his skin. It was shaky, like an unsteady hand had etched it. It was unnatural. And it was spreading.
His hands bore the same lines, starting at his fingers. As she stared, they curled up and around his wrists.
Oh gods. What had Damien done?
No, no, no. Scorpio came to rescue her, despite her efforts to argue that it was fruitless. Not that he’d listen, and deep down she knew that. She also knew he cared about her, that he respected her and only wanted the best for her.
The opposite of Damien.
In a few short weeks, Scorpio had overturned her world and everything she thought made sense. And she’d learned that life didn’t always fit into neat, orderly boxes. What was on the surface could be vastly different from what lay within.
Her warrior wore the
armor of a cold mercenary. But under the veneer was a noble man who burned with life and love, who adored his family. Who fought for justice.
All she could ever want in a mate.
C
HAPTER 33
“SCORPIO,” TESSA WHISPERED, KNEELING OVER his unconscious body. “I need to tell you something.”
Blue fire smashed into the wall nearest her. “Leave him. Come here. Or I’ll hit him again,” Damien growled.
Tessa tore her eyes from Scorpio to glare at Damien. “You’ve done enough! I’ve told you, you have me. You don’t need to hurt anyone else.”
“If I have you,” Damien said and sneered, “then come here to my side where you fucking belong.”
“You hurt people I care about,” Tessa protested. She slid her hands along Scorpio’s arm. His huge sinewy arm lay hidden behind her hip, and she fumbled with the blade holstered there. The male had weapons everywhere, she guessed, but this one was closest to her.
“I don’t care. Get over here.”
I don’t care. She knew that. Yet hearing his callous remark made her anger flare. “No.”
“Now you want to put up a fight, wife? Get. Over. Here.”
A cold breeze swirled around her, biting at her fingers and shoulders. Damien’s power. Of course, he wasn’t above using it on her. And it wasn’t just cold, it was subzero. Her body shook. “Ouch! Damien, s-stop!”
“It’ll get worse the longer you resist,” he hissed. “I’ll make things easy. Listen to me, and you won’t get hurt.”
Her fingers locked up, icy and useless as cold set in. She managed to set Scorpio’s knife on the ground under the enormous poof of satin that was her skirt. That made twice tonight that the awful wedding dress had actually been a benefit. “You’re h-hurting me. J-just let me make sure he’s okay.”
“It won’t matter in a few minutes.” Damien’s words were taunting. “He will die because of you. Are you happy?”
“No!” Tessa screamed. Furious indignation exploded in her soul. No more. Goddamn it, she would make Damien stop or she’d die trying. She summoned her power and reached out into the air with her hand, focused on Damien’s thigh. The knife lay under his woolen dress slacks, but it would respond to her. She would force it to.