Bound To The Demon

by C. J. Brookes

  “You will not be parted from me, Kindara.”

  “Why not? You going to stop me? Bring a war against all the Dardaptoans over me? You can get your sex fix anywhere.”

  “You’d better believe it, pet. You’re not taking my spawn away from me.” He shot her a determined look as he cornered her near the door. He scooped her off her feet. He lifted her until they were eye-to-eye and her back rested against the heavy oak door. “I’m not letting you go anywhere. You’re mine now, pet. Best get used to it.”

  33

  The demon was insane.

  It took a moment for what he’d said to sink in. When it did, Kindara just stared at him. There was no way. “What? You need to say that again. Slowly.”

  “I said I won’t let you go and take our spawn with you.” There was an intensity in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. One that told her he meant every word he said.

  Fear settled in her stomach almost instantly. She’d gotten too complacent with him. Trusted him, probably far too much.

  She’d forgotten he was a deceptive, manipulative creature—the king of such creatures—somehow.

  She feared she was about to pay the price now.

  “Spawn? What the hell do you mean by spawn? Isn’t that like...” Oh, yes. She knew exactly what that was like. She’d written books on the Kinds, after all.

  Everyone knew demon babes were called spawn.

  “I didn’t use the protection spell. You’re carrying my spawn. I can’t let you leave. I have to know you and the spawn are cared for. By me.”

  “Why in the three hells didn’t you use…” Ok, she vaguely knew what he was talking about. Demons used magical means of birth control. Especially Incubi and Succubae. They had strict laws about spawning indiscriminately, and had a very powerful incantation that kept demon sperm from meeting egg. It was the easiest form of birth control in all of the Kinds. “No. No. No. This is crazy. It took two hundred years for Iavius and me to make a babe—after decades of trying.”

  “Pet…”

  She kicked him. He grunted and let her go. Kindara seized the opportunity to get out of his arms. And clear across the room. “I’m not your damned pet!”

  No. She was his damned spawn incubator.

  Fury filled her, and she hissed, took giant steps back. “How am I supposed to deal with this? I don’t want this!”

  “I’m not going to apologize. I didn’t do it deliberately.” Even as angry as she was, it was hard to miss the hurt on his face.

  He would just have to get over it.

  “Sounds like it to me. You’re too damned old to be so careless with something as simple as birth control.”

  She was too damned old to have never even asked. But Kindara wasn’t ready to think about that yet. Not yet.

  He flashed to her side, and she didn’t have time to escape his hands. He held her to face him, not letting her budge an inch this time. “Kindara—”

  “What? Do you think anything you say can make this better? If this is true, it changes everything. All of my plans, everything. What am I supposed to do now?” Tremors shook her. Her stomach clenched and unclenched with every ragged breath she took. “I can’t do this...”

  Every bit of terror rose, to drown out the anger.

  There couldn’t be a babe. There just couldn’t. She wouldn’t go through that again. To know a babe was growing within her and to know that she could possibly lose it like she’d lost the other would kill her. She stared at the demon, hating him with every bit of her soul.

  His face softened as if he’d read her mind, and he tried to pull her closer.

  Kindara bit him. She gave a strong jerk, ripping herself from his arms. “You will not touch me again!”

  Kindara darted out the door before he could stop her.

  He caught up with her on the second floor. “Kindara, damn it. Wait!”

  “Rot in the three hells.” She opened every door on the landing, obviously looking for her daughter. He almost told her to save her energy—Jierra was two floors down, with her wolf lover right across the hall where Rand could protect her in the night. “You’ll be lucky if my brother doesn’t kill you. If I don’t tell him to kill you for what you did.”

  “He can try. But he won’t succeed. I am millennia old. He’s a mere fledgling compared to me. And I command a legion of millions. Demons loyal to me.”

  “He’ll rip you to shreds.” The tears on her cheeks detracted from the venom of her words. Poor little creature; Rathan just wanted to hold her.

  “The father of your spawn? He’d do that?” That would cause her pain. Rathan would not let that happen. No matter what he had to do.

  “Why not? I’ve raised one babe without a father; Cormac is a wonderful uncle who loves Jierra immensely. He’ll help me. If there even is a babe.”

  “My spawn will not be raised by a demon killer. This is the heir to all Demon Kind. An entire realm awaits his birth. Has been waiting for my heir for thousands of years.” He crowded her against the wall, ignoring the hissing she made.

  “Too damned bad. If there’s a babe, it’s in my body and will be raised by my Kind. In my world.” She shoved at him, the attempt pitiful. “Not yours.”

  “Not if I don’t let you leave.” And he wouldn’t. This was his female now; his female, his spawn. His entire world.

  He would not lose her now. There was one way…one way to tie her to him completely. Underhanded of him, but…he was the king. He would have what he wanted.

  “You won’t be able to stop me. I’ve decided to take you to gamata, kitten. And as I am the king of all demons—you cannot deny me. I take your soul into mine, to hold and cherish for always.”

  The instant he spoke the words, it was done. The ancient laws stated it so.

  There was one law to protect his Kind that was used so very rarely it was almost forgotten about. A demon king could take a mate without the need for the three witnesses to make it legal.

  There was nothing she could do to escape him now.

  She shot him a look filled with such anger, Rathan took an immediate step back. And watched her storm away.

  Kindara would be back; he had just guaranteed it.

  34

  Kindara did her best to avoid him for the next few hours. Only the sound of helicopters flying over the mountain drew her to the front porch, her daughter in tow.

  Kindara clutched her daughter, and Rathan had no trouble seeing the effort she made to ignore him. She was pale and clung to her daughter as much as the girl clung to her.

  Hope was in their eyes, and it hurt him. She wanted to leave him.

  He was taking her and the spawn back to the demon world with him—where she would be protected and actually cared for much better than her male kin had here in Gaia.

  He had abducted her far too easily. She was vulnerable to that happening again. As the mother of his heir, she had to be protected. Every minute of every day.

  Rand had six of his wolves meet the helicopter on the pad when it landed. They were experienced Lupoiux fighters who could hold their own against Dardaptoan warriors. Rand kept his body between the intruders and his female, and Rathan attempted to do the same.

  Without a host of demon warriors surrounding her to protect her, she was an easy target. He did not take that lightly.

  He didn’t one hundred percent trust her own Kind with her safety now; not with her carrying a demon spawn.

  Once he had her in the demon world, he would assign his best guards—from some of his own brothers who he trusted completely—as soon as he possibly could.

  Kindara stepped around him as if he wasn’t there. When she did look at him, she looked right through him.

  The female was beyond angry.

  A tall, dark male Dardaptoan was the first to spot her. He strode to where she stood and scooped her up against his chest. He held her tightly.

  It was easy to see the mark of the Predatoi that surrounded this warrior.

  Demon hunter.<
br />
  Rathan flashed to his side, barely restraining himself from ripping the male’s arms off. “Do not touch her. No touching, ever.”

  “Back off, demon. This is my brother. I told you he’d come for me.” Despite the bite in her words, Rathan didn’t miss how she burrowed into the male’s arms for comfort. The bloodsucker rocked her lightly, fury in the eyes so like Kindara’s.

  Had this male not been her family, and now Joselyn’s…but he was. And Rathan would never do anything to hurt Kindara or Joselyn.

  “Kinney, did the bastards hurt you or Ji? Tell me now, because if they have, I’m sure Rydere won’t have any objections to me killing them both right now.”

  The brother was an imposing creature, nothing at all like Rathan’s female. He’d expected someone who at least favored her. Not this dark nightmare.

  “Not in the ways you’re meaning. But we’re ready to go home.” No one missed the desperation in her voice, and it cut through Rathan sharper than a blade. “Just take us home, Cormac.”

  “We have some...negotiating to do.” The brother set her aside and scooped the younger girl close. He rocked her when she clung to him. Then Kindara was in the hunter’s arms again. “Then we’re out of here. And the next time you convince me to let you go somewhere without a dozen guards, I’ll remind you of this. Never again. You should have known better. Should have waited.”

  “I don’t think you’ll have to remind me ever again.” Kindara rested her head against her brother’s shoulder.

  Rathan had never realized she was quite that small for one of her Kind.

  “Who came with you?”

  “Dhar Rydere, Aodhan, and their Rajnis as well as four guards and Barlaam. Just in case he was needed.”

  “You and Barlaam need to be with Joselyn. Not here. I’m ok.”

  “Joselyn and her cousin are well guarded. Thadd stuck with her today, too. She is doing well. You know I wouldn’t have left her otherwise.”

  Before anything else could be said, the rest of the Dardaptoan party arrived. Rathan was thrilled to see Rand’s twin and his oldest cousin Emily healthy and alive.

  Mallory walked beside an extremely tall, muscled male with hair the color of chestnut and a menacing air about him that said he’d seen much in his centuries of living. He was larger than the average Dardaptoan and probably topped out well over seven feet. Demons were often that size—not Dardaptoans. His possessive attitude was clear for all the males to see.

  He touched Mallory. Frequently. The male couldn’t keep his hands off of her.

  That surprised Rathan. And, he’d have to admit, pleased him. He’d thought she’d never allow a male near enough to her to trust.

  The Dardaptoan king—or Dhar—was only slightly shorter and towered over the tiny Emily. She was the smallest of all the Taniss females Rathan had met and barely made it to five feet. She possessed a will of iron.

  The king kept one hand around her waist as she led him toward the house.

  Rand ignored the Dardaptoans as he approached his own sister and pulled her close, before turning to Emily. The Taniss family was close; to have the four females missing had hurt Rand deeply. Terrified him.

  Rand took their safety seriously.

  A feminine squeal from behind Rathan had him jerking around to see Jade rushing out the door. He had almost forgotten her, so consumed with Kindara as he was.

  She was not staying where Rand had ordered her to stay. She didn’t stop until she’d thrown her arms around Mallory and Emily. “I thought you were dead! Where’s my sister? Where’s Mickey? Tell me what happened! Tell me!”

  Mallory and Emily reassured her that everyone was fine and they’d answer her questions soon.

  They did not know Jade already knew about the Kinds. Worry for the young girl with too much power within her once again struck him.

  Rathan would ask her father for permission to take Jade to the demon world soon. She needed training, and Serimok was the strongest seer in the demon world. He would be able to help Jade.

  But that was a problem for later.

  Rathan would see she was taken care of. He loved that kid. Jade was barely of age. They had time. He had his own spawn to prepare for to worry about Jason’s. It was far too cold for the females out here now.

  “Kindara, you and your daughter need to get inside. It is cold out here.”

  His female stiffened, shot him a look of Dardaptoan orange fury. It was the first she’d fully looked at him since running from him earlier. “I’ll wait until my brother and my dhar tell me what I should or shouldn’t do. I’m not your concern anymore. Or ever again.”

  Rathan took a step closer and bent down to whisper in her ear. Soon…the bonds between them would grow. She would feel it, just as he would. They were joined forever now. It was only a matter of time. She would hunger for him every minute of every day.

  As he would her.

  He was looking forward to it.

  A gamata bond was special. Many demons never entered into one, fearing the ties that would grow between them and their mates.

  “You know that isn’t true; do you really want me to get into what concern you are in front of all these people right now? You know I have no objection to stating my claim publicly. Is that how you want it?” He trailed a finger over the skin just below her ear. She shivered. “All I have to do is say one word…gamata.”

  “I want you to drop dead, then rot in the three hells.” She whispered the words after turning her head to look at him. He didn’t miss her look of confusion.

  “I can’t oblige on that one, pet. How would I take care of you and the...” He lowered his words meaningfully as he looked at her flat stomach. It would swell with his spawn soon. Demon offshoots were large and grew rapidly. Even before birth. “You must face it. You need me now.”

  “I don’t ever need someone like you. Once I’m out of here, I’m going to forget you even exist.”

  “Good thing for me that you won’t be leaving me, isn’t it?”

  35

  It was more socializing than negotiating. Most of that was Rathan’s doing. Had he not been with Rand, no doubt, things would have gone differently.

  It was easier than he had expected.

  Mostly because the Dardaptoan king’s brother was a healer Rathan had met before.

  Two hundred years ago, they had been dependent upon each other to survive a nasty ambush that had nearly left them both dead. Rathan had made unbreakable vows to the Dardaptoan healer—who was a close friend of Kindara’s.

  That…complicated things even more than the female Tanisses now being Dardaptoan.

  Rand could not have the vengeance he had so wanted. Not without a war erupting between Dardaptoans and all of Demon Kind.

  Mallory and Jade brought everyone sandwiches. He suspected it was Jade’s way of snooping on what was being said in the conference room. The girl hadn’t been invited to listen to what was going on.

  She’d found her way inside anyway.

  He tightened his arms around the female in his lap. There hadn’t been enough chairs for everyone; he’d pulled Kindara down to his lap without her protesting at all. As if she hadn’t even thought to.

  As if sitting on his lap was the most natural thing in the world.

  The bonds of gamata were already forming.

  He bit back a smile of satisfaction.

  Jade settled against the far wall. No one but Rathan realized she had not left after dealing out the sandwiches she’d carried in. He watched her briefly.

  Jade scratched her nose lightly. With the hand wearing the ring he’d given her when she’d graduated high school at seventeen. It was a focus ring. To be used to help a youth contain immense power as they matured. She’d needed it.

  Rathan wasn’t one hundred percent certain the girl was fully human. How that had happened, he hadn’t quite figured out yet.

  The ring had been given to him by the very Dardaptoan healer across the table. As a token of loyalty and ho
nor shared between them.

  Rathan had gifted the healer with his own mother’s ring as well.

  An unbreakable oath was a significant event. One he, as the demon king, did not enter lightly. Ever.

  That healer started to turn toward the girl. As if he felt the girl’s presence.

  Rathan spoke, to distract.

  Jade had just as much right as the others to know what was about to happen. Jade had been distraught when she’d found her sister and cousins missing; Rathan had consoled her on his own lap for hours while he tried to connect with Mallory mentally. He’d grown more and more concerned the longer he had been unable to find Mallory in the human world anywhere.

  Something else to add to the Dardaptoans’ lists of sins.

  “Can it. You two are on my list right now.” Mallory shot a glare at her brother—and Rathan. He just shot her a wink. “Kidnapping females? Really, Rand? Jierra was probably beyond terrified. How could you do that?”

  “Now’s not the time to snip at your brother, kitten.” The tallest Dardaptoan took Mallory’s hand and pulled it to his mouth. He brushed a kiss across her palm.

  She quieted, and that greatly surprised Rathan.

  Mallory was as fiery as her hair most days. No male told her to shush—not if he wanted to escape unscathed.

  Emily drummed her fingers against the table, drawing attention her direction. “Here’s what we were thinking. The new facility for Taniss Industries...instead of Aspen, we want it in Dardanos. Mallory will oversee it, along with Uncle Jason, if he’s willing. I want to expand the laboratory and research sections. The Dardaptoan people need medications, and that will take research. I would like Kindara to help with that—if she’s willing.”

  Kindara nodded. “Of course. In any way I can.”

  That wasn’t going to happen—not with her being queen of the demon world. She would be busy enough there.

  But he kept that to himself. Best not to ruffle too many feathers today. Not until he had everything arranged as he wanted it.