The Darkest Touch

by Gena Showalter

  She sank her teeth into his chest, and even through his shirt he felt the sting--loved it. His woman surrounded him. She was everywhere, all at once. Her taste lingered in his mouth. Her screams echoed in his ears. She was shouting his name, coming again, milking his length, arching against him, clawing at his back. And...and...his thoughts splintered.

  The pleasure burst inside him, filling him, consuming him. As he shuddered against her, his climax burning through him, he roared like the animal he'd become. Resplendent. Complete. Satisfied.

  Branded.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  AFTER KEELEY CHANGED into clean clothes--a pair of boxer shorts and a T-shirt of Torin's that boldly proclaimed "Maddox Punched Here" with spots of fake blood splattered everywhere--she crawled back into bed, muttered, "I owe you a thank-you this time," and sank into a deep, peaceful sleep without any coaxing from him. He watched her, utterly awed by her. He petted the golden waves strewn over his pillow, drank in the purity of her features. Her lips were parted, moist, even swollen from where she'd bitten them, and he wanted so badly to taste them.

  No one was more beautiful than his woman.

  The things she'd made him feel...let him do.

  Men liked to say a leopard couldn't change his spots and an old dog couldn't learn new tricks. Well, he'd just proven them wrong. She'd changed him, giving him what he'd once deemed unattainable. Not just sex, but unqualified acceptance. He was no longer Torin, but Keeley's man.

  He kissed the crown of her head. He'd never thought the loss of his virginity would garner anything but relief, and yet he was utterly undone. His first time had been with the loveliest, wittiest, sexiest, smartest and most powerful chick on the planet. One who'd taught him the true meaning of pleasure, ruining him for any other. Though his hunger was vast, it came with only one craving: Keeley. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, and every snack in between.

  And I can have her. Can be careful with her.

  I can satiate her.

  A commotion in the hall interrupted his thoughts. Banging, shaking. Voices.

  Keeley murmured under her breath.

  If anyone woke her up, there would be hell to pay.

  He waited until she'd settled before he gently eased from the bed, righted his pants and stalked to the door. Lucien and Anya stood in the hallway, passing what looked to be a basket of fruit back and forth.

  "Apologize," Lucien commanded.

  "Never!" she shouted.

  "Shut up!" Torin whisper-yelled.

  Both focused on him.

  "Not another word. Not another noise. Keeley is sleeping, and I will maim the person who wakes her up."

  Anya's eyes narrowed, but instead of screaming as Torin expected, she thrust the basket at him and quietly said, "For your female friend. Because Lucien is sorry I cut her hair."

  Lucien cleared his throat.

  "And I'm sorry, too," she said. Only to add, "Sorry I didn't cut more. But I won't do it again. Okay? All right? So you can totally tell her I was spanked properly." Her gaze raked over him, taking in his mussed hair, and she smiled. "I see the Red Queen got a spanking, too."

  Torin shut the door in their faces. Even the soft snicker annoyed him; Keeley would have absolute quiet, and that was that. He set the basket aside--not a fruit basket, after all. In it were sparkly hair barrettes, gilded brushes, silver combs, lace-covered rubber bands and a note that read, My bad. *A.

  Women.

  He padded to the side of the bed. The disturbance hadn't awakened Keeley, thank God.

  He spent the next few hours on noise patrol. Reyes came to the door to apologize to Keeley for something he'd said, but Torin sent him away. And any thump, creak or rustle he heard sent him striding out of the room to whisper-yell at the offender. His friends gave him strange looks, and he knew they thought the time away had addled his brain, but he didn't care.

  On the final return, William waited at the door for him. The male leaned against the wall, hands anchored behind his back.

  "Heard you've gone a little cray-cray today." William's grin was sardonic. As usual. "Expecting all your friends to play the quiet or die game."

  "Not expecting. Demanding."

  "Well, I'm playing gorgeous messenger. Probably the most gorgeous messenger ever born. Don't pretend you haven't noticed."

  Torin arched a brow. "Are you hitting on me, Willy?"

  "You wish. Just like everyone else who ever crosses my path. You've seen my ass, right?"

  "In need of ego stroking, I see."

  "I don't believe in hubris. But I believe in me...and my awesomeness."

  This could go on forever. "Just tell me what you came to say and get lost."

  William made a face, all I'd rather eat rocks than talk, but still he said, "Tell your petri dish my boys will sign up as her royal guard in exchange for her services during our war with the Phoenix."

  His fist was connecting with William's nose before he realized he'd even moved. Cartilage snapped. Blood poured. Willy calling Keeley a petri dish? Hell, no. It wasn't funny. Not even remotely. But it was true. Because that's exactly what Torin would make her if he wasn't always careful, wasn't it?

  William smiled again, and there was blood on his teeth. "I hope you didn't break a nail with that little love tap."

  Torin was about to respond when he got caught up on something else William had said. Royal guard. Reminded of the kingdom Keeley planned to "jump start," he cursed.

  Was she planning to move away?

  Not without me, she's not.

  "Will you be part of the war?" he asked. Because it was looking like Torin would be. He'd help Keeley any way he could. Perhaps even fight again, he thought, excitement building.

  "I'm in and out of it. There's a Sent One, Axel, who is determined to chat with me, and he's been following me. I'm determined not to chat with him, which means I can't stay in one location for long."

  Sent Ones. Winged warriors who lived in the skies. Slayers of demons and somehow the allies of the Lords. "Here's an idea. Why don't you just kill Axel?"

  "I have my reasons." William waved his hand through the air, dismissing the topic altogether. "Hades wants Keeleycael back. You know that, right?"

  A muscle twitched under Torin's eye. "I know. He can suck a pair of hairy balls. She's mine."

  William rolled his eyes. "Are you embarrassed? Because I'm embarrassed for you. She's mine," he mocked. "It's sad how whipped you are. How all of you are. Why don't you warriors gently remove your tampons and pretend to be men."

  Torin banged his chest like a gorilla. "Hey, stop me if you've heard this one...Gilly."

  Instant mood killer. A tension so sharp and thick even Torin could feel it radiated from the man.

  "I don't know what you're talking about," William said. "I'm her generous benefactor and she's my ungrateful dependent. I'm a...father figure." His voice snagged on the last two words, becoming nothing but a growl.

  Torin grinned at him. "Deny, deny, deny, is that it?"

  "Shut up."

  "Dude, I hope I'm best man at your wedding."

  *

  KEELEY AWOKE WITH a jolt, gasping and sitting up, thousands of thoughts seeming to bombard her at once. The forerunner? I'm in love with Torin.

  Her stomach bottomed out. She loved him?

  Oh...crap. She did. Despite the fact that any skin-to-skin contact made her sick. Despite the fact that he'd tried to leave her more than once. She wasn't simply bonded to him, drawing from his strength. She was totally enraptured by him. Under his spell. His willing captive.

  She scanned her surroundings, discovered she was still in his bedroom. He'd drawn a chair to the side of the bed. Noticing her wakefulness, he lifted a tray of food from the nightstand and placed it beside her.

  There were dark circles under his eyes, and he'd pulled a knit cap over his hair. To hide the tangles she'd caused? He looked tired but sexy. Stressed but relieved.

  "Did I sicken?" she asked, dread unfurling.

&
nbsp; "No," he said.

  She pushed out a sigh of relief.

  "I've been running in and out to yell at my friends. Eat," he said. "Build your strength."

  Still looking out for me.

  Love him so much.

  "Why did you yell at your friends?" she asked.

  "Because they annoyed me."

  "Cryptic answer." What didn't he want her to know?

  "And yet accurate."

  She popped a grape into her mouth, swallowed. The juice was cool and sweet, delicious.

  "I wish Danika was ready to help me find the other girl." The sooner they had Viola in their midst, and then Baden, and then the mystery boy, the sooner Keeley could go hunting for the box...the Morning Star. "But she's not--is she?"

  "Not yet. I spoke to Reyes just a little while ago. Danika is sleeping, and has roused only when he forced her so that he could feed her."

  Well, bummer.

  Keeley wrapped the sheets from neck to toe and settled into Torin's lap, twining her arms around him, careful not to brush against his skin. "I'll tell you a secret," she said. "As happy as I am about the thought of you being demon-free, I'm also afraid. What if you decide you want another woman?"

  Would he want to go on the sexual bender he'd never before experienced? Would Keeley even be a passing thought?

  Hate low self-esteem! Hate insecurities! Hate doubts!

  His arms twined around her, too. "That would never happen," he assured her, and his vehemence pleased her.

  "You say that now, but..."

  "Say it. Mean it with every fiber of my being. I'm lost for you, Keys, and don't want to be found. Can't imagine a moment without you--don't want to. You are my treasure, my addiction, not touch. You are my sickness, and I want nothing to do with a cure."

  The insecurities burned to ash.

  He cleared his throat, suddenly uneasy. But his hold was tight on her as he said, "By the way. William's kids are onboard with being your personal guard."

  "Really?" How wonderful!

  "Where are you hoping to rule this kingdom of yours?"

  "Well, right here. Obviously. I will be the Red Queen of the Lords of the Underworld and all of their mates. You may thank me," she couldn't help but add, teasing him...but also quite serious.

  A slow grin peeked beyond the dark clouds that had overtaken his expression. "I don't think you've ever had a better idea."

  "I know, right? But first things first." Her own grin snuck out. "I need a toothbrush and a shower, in that order. Make it happen."

  He stroked a gloved finger over her cheek. "Bossing me already?"

  "I'm your queen. That's what I'm supposed to do."

  Flashing her another smile, one so bright it shone all the way into her heart, he said, "And I'm just supposed to obey? No resistance?"

  "Oh, warrior. I hope you do resist." A husky edge entered her voice. Needy. "You'll earn a punishment."

  "Oh, yeah? What kind of punishment?"

  "You'll be forced to service me. Repeatedly."

  His gaze fell to her lips, lingered. "Did you like having sex with me?"

  Shivering, she said, "Like is too mild a word, Charming."

  "Even though we had no skin-to-skin contact?"

  "Even though."

  "It will be enough for you?"

  He wanted her, treasured her just as he'd said, and that would always be enough.

  "Toothbrush. Shower. Then I'll prove just how enough it can be." Donning a regal air, she clapped her hands. "Make it happen, warrior, and the Red Queen will make you happy you did."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  BADEN REMEMBERED THE black fog...and the hellish minions who had dragged him out of it. They'd carted him here, to some prison cell, while he was too winded to fight. He would have thought this was a spiritual realm rather than a natural one because 1) demons constantly passed by, and 2) they'd been able to touch him. But there were golden bands locked around his wrists, pulsing, pulsing, and he could touch things he shouldn't have been able to touch.

  If he had to guess who was responsible for his capture, he would say Lucifer. The gossip he'd picked up from the fiends...

  Lucifer, rounding up everything the Lords of the Underworld prized.

  Lucifer, allying with some kind of queen of shadows, a female who had forced a powerful Sent One to wed her.

  The Sent Ones would freak out when they discovered the truth. They were winged warriors tasked with killing demons, not aiding them.

  And lastly Lucifer, preparing to overtake Hades's throne--to kill the man he'd once considered a father.

  Baden could only guess he himself was to be a bargaining chip. Something to force the Lords to fight with Lucifer rather than against him. What Baden didn't understand, however, was the fact that Cronus and Rhea were trapped in the cell with him. The Lords would do nothing for the pair.

  But more important, where was Pandora?

  "This is an outrage!" Cronus shouted. "How dare I be treated this way. I am the king of the Titans."

  "Not anymore," Rhea spat at him. "You're the king of nothing."

  "Shut up, woman. Your opinion wasn't solicited."

  She shrugged, then checked her cuticles. "Wasn't stating my opinion. Was stating fact."

  The two continued to argue.

  Baden wanted a dagger. Hell, even a spoon would work. He just wanted to open their throats and cut out their voice boxes.

  The creak of a door sounded down the way.

  Baden rushed to the bars of his cell. Two demons were striding down the walkway, headed in his direction. Both were around five foot ten and stacked with muscle. Horns protruded from their scalps, and wings extended from their backs.

  He stuck out his hand to gain their attention, and two sets of glowing red eyes landed on him and narrowed.

  "The girl. Pandora. Did you bring her to this realm?"

  Both bared yellowed fangs and laughed gleefully.

  Dread twisted Baden's stomach. He'd take that to mean yes, yes they had. And she wasn't being treated well.

  The thought enraged him. He hated Pandora. Had rued the day he'd found himself stuck with her. But for centuries, she was all he'd had. His only companion. He couldn't abide the thought of her being tortured. Wouldn't stand for it.

  He grabbed the demon on the right, slamming the creature against the prison bars. The other one came to his buddy's rescue and punched Baden in the face. He held firm. Cronus and Rhea finally shut their mouths, realized the entire point of this endeavor, and rushed over to help him stealthily pat down the demons, hoping to discover the key to the cell.

  Baden didn't find one.

  When their majesties finally backed away, he released the creature and moved out of reach. His eye was swelling, even leaking blood into his mouth.

  "You're lucky we've been summoned. Otherwise," said the one he'd grabbed, "I would teach you a lesson you would never forget."

  Never heard that one before, he thought dryly.

  The pair strode off.

  "Tell me you found a key," Baden demanded.

  "I did not." Cronus.

  "Nor I." Rhea.

  Baden kicked one of the bars. Pain radiated up his leg, then throbbed through the rest of him, reminding him that the poison had not lessened its hold on him, and he wasn't at his best.

  Even still, there was only one way out of the cell.

  The demons had to open the door. Which meant he had to challenge them.

  "Hey," he shouted. Please. Hear me. "You're lucky you've been summoned. You could try to teach me all the lessons you want, but we both know I'd have you flat on your back and dead in a matter of seconds. Cowards!"

  Nothing. No response.

  He despaired.

  Until he heard a rush of footsteps and the two demons came back into view. Their eyes were narrowed, glowing brighter. Their fangs were bared, dripping saliva.

  "Get ready," he told his companions. He couldn't trust them. Knew they'd leave him behind without
a moment's thought if given the opportunity. "If you want the Lords to use the four artifacts to find and save you, you'll help me escape this cage."

  Hinges squeaked as the demons entered the cell.

  "Let's see what you can do," one of them said.

  Yes. Let's.

  *

  CAMEO WAS PROPPED against the headboard of her bed. Her friends had been in and out of her room for several days, welcoming her home, checking on her.

  Torin sat in a chair he'd pulled close, but out of reaching distance. She wanted so badly to curl up in his lap, to feel his arms wrap around her and offer comfort, but she didn't dare. Would never dare, for any reason. As miserable as her life was, touch and the connection with others was all she had. She couldn't give them up, become a carrier of disease. Not for any man, even this one.

  Also, there was a stranger in her room. A beautiful blonde who leaned against the closed door, arms crossed, watching everything through intelligent eyes the color of a morning sky.

  She wore a black gown with short laced sleeves that hung over her shoulders. The sculpted top conformed to her curves and plunged low in the center, the waist sheer--completely see-through. The ruffles on the skirt fell to knee level before puffing out in layers of tulle. She looked powerful and just as wicked.

  There was a strange tension between Torin and the woman. One that crackled. Made Cameo's skin itch for...something.

  No. Someone.

  Why can't I forget Lazarus? He's a liar. A cheat.

  But he's also captivating. Seductive.

  Apparently I'm not just Misery. I'm Fool.

  "I'd like some time alone with my friend," Cameo told the girl. If centuries of war hadn't taught her to be leery of strangers, the gorgeous male who'd teased her with slavery certainly had.

  Torin shook his head. "Sorry, Cam, but Keeley stays with me. Always."

  Such a proprietary tone. One she'd never before heard him use.

  Realization hit and hit hard, and Cameo gasped. "You two are together."

  He gave a stiff nod. His shoulders squared as if he prepared himself for a blow. As if Cameo would yell at him, tell him how wrong the relationship was.

  The girl--Keeley--left her post and settled atop Torin's lap with the grace of a ballerina, exactly as Cameo had wanted to do. He didn't push her away as he would have done to Cameo, but did make sure his skin was properly covered before cuddling her close.