Whats going on? Are you...dead? Even uttering the question made him want to kill someone.
Im not dead. Im simply projecting my image into your mind.
Relief was like a gentle rain, dousing the budding rageand the overwhelming sorrow he didnt want to explore. Exactly how many abilities do you possess, woman? And what exactly did you do to me in that forest?
Theres no time for that. Im weakening, and must hurry.
Weakening? In a snap, the rage returned. Why?
Doesnt matter. Listen, Lord Kane. I know Im not your favorite person right now, and you probably dont trust me, but please believe me when I say youre in grave danger.
Him. Not her. Better. More danger than usual? And dont call me Lord Kane. I dont need a title. Not from her. Im just a man. Your man.
The thought hit him with the force of a tsunami, and he fisted his hands. His body was suddenly rock-hard, ready to prove the claim, to strip her and take her as hed longed to do in the forest. A temptation he found as exhilarating as it was frightening.
Cant touch her.
But if he could...
What would she do? How would she react?
How would he?
Would her skin be as soft as it appeared? Would her curves create the perfect cradle for him?
A few feet away, the lid to a trash bin flew open. As the wind picked up, debris propelled toward Kane, most assuredly courtesy of Disaster.
Tinker Bell stomped her foot. I cant concentrate when you look at me like that, she said.
Like what?
Like I dont know how to describe it. Its like you want to strangle me or something.
Or just wanted to get his hands on her. But he got what she was saying, knew his desire was tangled with darkness.
He nodded, ashamed of himself. Ill stop.
She licked her lips, and said, My people know youre looking for me, and now theyre hunting you.
Your Fae family or your human one?
Fae.
And thats who youre with right now? he asked, wanting to verify the information Taliyah had given him.
Yes. I dont know what youve heard about the race, but the Fae can be brutal, bloodthirsty and without a shred of compassion. Theyll haul you before the king and hell sentence you to death just for looking at me. No matter how star-struck he is by you!
He wasnt sure what the star-struck comment meant, and wasnt going to waste time finding out. Why would he want to kill me? The only viable answer slammed into him, and the patent stillness of a predator came over him. Are you his lover?
She gave another stomp of her foot. Would you be serious?
Answer me. The words were nothing more than a hiss.
Of course Im not his lover! What a disgusting prospect!
He relaxedand he had no desire to ponder why hed reacted so fervently to the thought of her with another man when he wouldnt be taking her for himself. Ive been hunted by brutal, bloodthirsty people before.
Yes, I know, but the Fae are gifted with special abilities. Like, say, causing you pain with only a word.
Like the pain she caused him? But then, shed never needed to speak for him to feel it. Can you do that?
No, but my brother can, she said.
You can project your image, as well as rip the demons out of people.
Her jaw dropped. So thats what happened. I took your demon?
You mean you didnt know?
She hooked several tendrils of hair behind her ear, the action feminine and sweet and somehow more erotic than a striptease from another woman, and if he didnt get his thoughts and his body under control right now, he would self-destruct.
I take abilities and strength for a few hours, maybe a few days or weeks, she said, but not...that. Never anything like that.
You can. You did. You must take weaknesses, too. And thats exactly what the demon was. Dont do it again, he stated flatly. Already her life was so miserable she wanted to die. How much worse would it be for her with Disaster hanging around? And what if she got stuck with the creature forever, rather than temporarily? Was that possible?
Kane didnt want her to risk it. This girl, she was...he didnt know what she was to him. He only knew he couldnt bear the thought of her suffering.
Her nose went into the air, making her look sullen and defiant and utterly adorable. Dont get any ideas about rescuing me. Ill do what I want, when I want.
Want me.
The ground cracked beneath his feet. He didnt care.
Can you control the ability? The words croaked from him.
I dont know, she admitted softly. Ive never gotten to test my limits with people I didnt want to borrow from. Her gaze lowered to his lips, and she shifted from one foot to the other.
Shes not thinking about kissing me. She cant be thinking about kissing me. You need skin-to-skin contact?
Yes.
Ill help you with that, too.
Her eyes brightened, the clouds rolling out to reveal endless oceans backed by glorious sunlight. The brightness didnt last long, however. She glowered, and the clouds returned. You cant help me, Kane, not without putting yourself in danger. So will you listen to me and either prepare for battle or run for your life?
No to both. Why would the king of the Fae want to kill me for looking at you?
She was desperate to argue; he could see it in those narrowed eyes. But she must have realized he was stubborn enough to wait all night for the answers, and just messed up enough to get physical with her the next time they were truly together.
No telling what would happen then.
He feels he must dispose of anyone who threatens to take me away from the kingdom.
Does he plan to have me brought into the kingdom or have me executed on sight wherever Im found?
The kingdom. He likes to watch.
Good. Im glad theyre coming.
Youre glad? she choked out.
Theyll do the work for me.
She sputtered for a moment before finally deciding on a verbal path. What work?
Finding you. I will, you know. A promise.
One that came with razor-sharp desire.
The crack in the ground widened, dropping Kane several feet.
I just told you not toargh! Kane, dont be foolish! Please.
The sound of pounding footsteps caught his attention. On alert, he palmed a dagger and looked around, but all he saw was more fog and trash. Then, three...no, five...no, eight bodies broke through, stopping a few feet away from him.
I found him, a hard male voice called.
If anyone could see Tinker Bell, they gave no indication.
But...this is Lord Kane, a warrior of the Underworld, someone else gasped.
Murmurs of awe arose. I cant believe this. I cant believe Im standing in the presence of Lord Kane.
Questions were thrown at him.
Will you tell us about the battle that took place in the skies? Our men werent able to attend, so details are sparse.
Did you really chop off a Hunters foot and stuff it in his mouth, just because he called Cameo an abomination?
Tinker Bell paled, backed away. Oh, Kane. They found you. Im sorry. She vanished.
CHAPTER NINE
BRUTAL? KANE THOUGHT. Bloodthirsty? Hardly.
Im sorry for the need for this, Lord Kane, but I must bind you, as ordered. The soldier appeared grief-stricken by the thought. Ill be slain if I refuse.
Do it, and dont even think about being gentle about it, snapped the tallest of the bunch. And you, he said to Kane. Wheres the other man? The one traveling with you.
Theres a good chance I killed him.
The guards nodded their agreement, as if they knew him and expected nothing less. All but the one whod asked the question. He had to be the leader. Nothing else would explain the great waves of entitlement bouncing off him. Ill call him Evil Overlord.
The shackles! Evil Overlord proclaimed, and the soldier raced to obey.
Kane hated being bound, would rather die than endure it again. And yet he allowed the Fae to cuff his hands behind his back without protest.
Hands...all over him...
Mouths...biting at him...
Nails...scraping at him...
As the memories took center stage, he felt as if thousands of tiny needles were being injected into his skin. A loud ring erupted in his ears, and his heart kicked into a dangerously fast rhythm. His lungs constricted, the tissues burning.
Breathe. Nice and slow. In. Out. Good. That was good. And this was necessary. He had to get to Tinker Bell, and this was the fastest way.
Evil Overlord stepped to the side and waved a hand through the air.
That was it, a wave, and yet a doorway from one realm to another appeared. At the edges of the opening was the red brick of the club, the trash bin and cardboard boxes. Through the narrow opening, Kane saw a darkened landscape with multiple torches lining a cobbled pathway. That pathway led to a wide, towering palace comprised of gold-veined marble and bright, sparkly diamonds.
The soldiers formed a circle around Kane and urged him to march forward. One second he was in the city of cowboys, the next the land of the Fae. The night was crisp and damp, the torches giving off little heat. The scent of a thousand floral perfumes saturated the air, and he gagged. Sweat beaded over his skin. More fireflies than hed ever seen in one place twirled and danced through the sky, creating what appeared to be a shower of glowing raindrops.
Playing his part, he snapped, Where am I? Who are you?
Silence, Lord Kane. Evil Overlord wasnt as tall as Kane, nor was he as muscled. None of them were. What were your plans toward Servant Josephina?
Servant? For some reason, that irritated him. Would you like me to be silent or give you the answer? Im happy to give both a try, but I dont think youll like the results.
The male scowled at him.
Disaster growled inside his mind. Leave this place.
Screw you.
Hate the girl, Josephina. Want to kill her.
You touch her, and Ill...
What? One of his daggers fell from his boot, and the demon laughed. You want to stay here? Fine. But youll do it without your weapons. Even as the creature spoke, another dagger fell away.
You guys seem to know a lot about me, considering weve never met, Kane said, ignoring the demon. His hands were weapons enough.
Evil Overlord smirked. We do. Youre Kane, a Lord of the Underworld. Disaster. Supposedly undefeatable. Wicked. The worst of the worst enemy to ever have.
And I touched him, said the guy behind him, his tone overjoyed. My wife wont be able to get enough of me tonight.
Then your wife is a fool. This man is nothing. A no one. Look at how easily we were able to subdue him.
Evil Overlord thought he had Kane beat, and thats what Kane had wanted, but hearing that sneer really irked him. How many times had he been left behind during the war with the Hunters because his friends couldnt risk the damage Disaster would cause? Countless.
Kane had always felt like the weak linkhad always been the weak linkand he was tired of it.
He jumped up, swinging his feet through the circle his arms provided, placing his arms in front of him. The moment he landed, he elbowed the leader in the face, breaking the guys nose. He threw the weight of his skull into the Fae next to him, knocking the warrior to the side. He kicked out a leg and nailed the male on his other side. As the soldiers stumbled for purchase, he reached out and grabbed the hair of the male in front of him, jerking backward.
The male hit the ground and Kane stomped on his face to get to the guy in front of the line, wrapping his bound hands around the guys neck and choking. Everything had happened so quickly, no one had realized what was going onuntil then. The others sprang into action, leaping at Kane, but he kicked out one leg and then the other, sending two warriors rearing backward. He spun the guy in the chokehold, knocking his body into the others and sending them flying backward.
Pain, he heard.
Just like that, the sharpest of pains tore through him. From the top of his head to the soles of his feet. His knees buckled, and he hit the ground with a heavy thud.
Tinker Bells brother? he wondered, remembering what shed said.
That all you got? he gritted.
That earned him a meet-and-greet with the hilt of Evil Overlords dagger.
Two soldiers grabbed him by the armpits and dragged him forward.
Lord Kane beat me up, one said with a grin. There was blood on his teeth. Did you see?
Best. Night. Ever.
Evil Overlorddefinitely Tinker Bells brotherglared at Kane through eyes a slightly darker shade of blue than his sisters. The king will order your death, despite who you are, and Ill take great pleasure in delivering it.
Now why would your king want to kill me, hmm?
Because you dared lust after the princesss blood slave.
Tinker Bell was a blood slave on top of being a servant? What exactly did that mean?
Kane was hauled up a wide set of ivory steps, the railing shaped like a winged dragon. At the top, the guards passed through open double doors of dark wood and twisted iron. And then, Kane was inside the palace. The spacious foyer had a floor of mosaic tiles and was surrounded by life-size statues. Velvet-lined walls were covered by paintings of elaborately dressed Fae.
There was another staircase, and past it, a long, narrow hallway. Chamber after chamber whizzed by. The guards entered the lastwhat had to be the throne room.
Other guards milled about, interspersed with young girls and older gentlemen. Every person present had white hair and blue eyes, and every one of those eyes landed on Kane. Jaws dropped. Both men and women gasped with a sound he hadnt heard since his weeks in hell. Rapture.
A few of the braver ladies approached him. Arms reached out. Fingers brushed against him.
Hands, roaming. Tongues, licking. Teeth, biting.
His stomach lurched, and he barely bit back a grunt of distress.
Mine, the demon said.
Die.
Yet another blade fell from his body.
He snapped his teeth in warning at the women, and they twittered with excitement.
Lord Kane almost bit me!
Youre so lucky.
Hes even more handsome than the scribes claimed.
Scribes?
Evil Overlord shoved past anyone foolish enough to get in his way and motioned for his comrades to do the same. They tugged Kane along for the ride, stopping in front of the crowd.
Kane studied the area, taking everything in. There were veins of gold running through the walls, the doors, and on the windows were fabrics that appeared to be woven from rose petals. The ceiling arched in the center, and vines teeming with golden flowers grew from the edges.
Below, there was a tiered dais covered in purple ivy, with the smallest throne situated on the highest level, and the three larger thrones centered on the next one down.
Evil Overlord abandoned his men to pound to the top of that dais. He turned with a graceful flourish and eased into the smallest throne, and it took a moment for Kane to compute the reason why the guy would be allowed to sit there.
He was the prince.
So...he couldnt be Tinker Bells brother. Could he?
Dude. This doesnt change my feelings for you. Kane flipped him off.
The male displayed a smug smile. He thought he had Kane by the short hairs.
He was wrong.
Kane dismissed him, catching sight of a male and two females sweeping into the room from a side door. They eased into the remaining thrones, and it didnt take a Jenius to know the king, queen and princess had just arrived.
The king was a brute of a man, and surprisingly young. The queen was small and delicate, but appeared to be a few years older than her husband. The princess had the quintessential Fae hair, all-white, with no hint of color, and those endless eyes of blue. Her small, fragile body was squeezed into a bold red gown. The bodice dipped low enough to reveal the tattoo between her breasts, ahe sucked in a breath.
A butterfly. A match to his.
She was...youve got to be kidding me. How?
She was possessed by one of Pandoras demons. But which one? And how had she come to acquire it?
He had a very bad feeling.
Before his possession, Kane had been a soldier in King Zeuss army, and hed locked many of the inmates of Tartarus away; hed butted heads with the rest. There was no way the princess had been inside the prison when the demons of Pandoras box had been unleashed, and the leftovers distributed among the inmates. So, how had she come to be possessed? And which demon afflicted her?
The same door the royal family had used was opened again, and this time a dark-haired girl was escorted inside. Part of Kane wanted to continue staring at the princess, trying to unravel the mystery of her, but the scent of rosemary and mint wafted to him and his body reacted as if hed just been stripped and caressed.
Only one female had that scentand that effect.
He returned his attention to the newcomer with laser focus. She was dirty, bruised and worn downand his heart almost stopped. She was Tinker Bell.
The urge to go to her consumed him, and he stepped forward. A guard caught him, stopping him from going any farther. He could have broken free of the hold, but didnt.
She was here. She was alive. Fighting now, before hed gathered all the necessary information, could get her hurt far more severely.
He took in the rest of her. Her hair was tangled around her arms, all the way to her waist. Grime streaked her reddened cheeks. An apron hung around her neck, and it was in the same shape as her gown. She kept her eyes downcast, fear radiating from her.
Someone would pay for this.
He had to lock his knees to prevent another surge forward. Had to grip his pants to stop himself from throwing punches.
When the males released her, she tumbled to the ground, unable to sustain her own weight, slight though it was. Her knees hit the floor, and as she whimpered in pain, she braced herself with her hands, causing the fabric of her gown to rise, revealing her wrists. Angry red welts marred her skin. Shed been chained.
Tinker Bell. Chained.
Someone would pay severely.
Forget information. He stepped toward the dais, going for the king. This time, he was whacked in the back of the head.
He heard a muttered, Im so sorry, Lord Kane.
Growling, he spun and slammed his joined hands into the culprits jaw. Bone snappedand not Kanes.
A yowl of agony split the air.
The rest of the regiment spurred into action. Bring it. He had enough violence pooling in his veins to take down a pack of rabid animals.
Enough! a voice thundered.
Everyone stilled and quieted.
Tell me whats going on.
Kanes gaze landed on the speaker. The king. Anger contorted features that promised to unleash death and destruction.
Whatever. Kane would get his information, after all.
The guard on his left bowed low. My liege, this is Kane, a Lord of the Underworld, and the host to Disaster. He was the one chasing Servant Josephina.
Behind him, wild murmurings arose. Tinker Bells gaze shot up, and landed on him. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head, mouthing, Run.
He popped his jaw. Im here, honey, and Im not going anywhere without you. Get used to it.
Excitement danced in the kings eyes. How weve longed to meet you, Lord Kane. To the guard, he said, Release our honored guest. Now.
The bonds were instantly cut away. Kane rubbed his wrists.
I must ask what you want with Servant Josephina, Lord Kane, the king continued more warily. She is a...special charge of ours.
Perhaps I wish to buy her. If she was a slave, she was for sale, special or not. And if he had to go that route to get her out of here and started on her new life, well, hed consider it a blessing.
We will give you anything you desireexcept her, the king said. I would never sell my own daughter.
The queen hmphed with disdain. Only a fool would want such an ugly, wretched female.
Kane scowled at her.
Disaster was quick with an agreement.
Wait. Back up. Tinker Bell was the kings daughter? A princess? But why was she dressed like, treated like
Blood. Slave. The words rolled through his mind, and more pieces of the puzzle finally slid into place, little tidbits of information hed picked up over the centuries drawing together. Tinker Bell was of royal blood, but only partway. Therefore, she qualified to bear the punishment meted out to those in her family.
Anytime the real princess had committed a crime, Josephina had been the one punished for it. She would have endured whippings, beatings, stonings and probably a thousand other things he couldnt bring himself to consider. Thats why shed ended up in hell.
Oh, Tinker Bell. Poor, sweet Tinker Bell. The very things hed endured during the worst weeks of his life, she had endured for a lifetime. No wonder she wanted to die.
Kanes jaw clenched, the only reason he was able to silence the spew of curses brewing at the back of his throat. No, the king would never let her go. Not for any price. Not for any reason.
I wont let her go for any price or any reason, either.
Oh, really? asked Disaster.
The Fae next to Kane tripped, falling into him, knocking him to the side. Im so sorry. I dont know what happened, the man babbled.
Kane straightened.
Hes so beautiful. More so than I ever imagined. And hes just like me! The princess clapped her hands, exclaiming, I want him, Daddy. Please? Please! Give him to me.
The king stiffened, only to relax a moment later. He eyed Kane with intrigue, the cogs in his brain clearly churning in a direction Kane wouldnt like. I do find the thought of our family being joined to that of Lord Kanes intriguing.
No. He didnt like it. In any other situation, the threat would have enraged him. A rampage would have ensued.
You will do us the great honor of wedding our daughter, Princess Synda, the king said, a statement rather than a question.
He liked that even less.
But okay. All right. Kane needed to stay in this realm long enough to plan an escape for Tinker Bell. If he agreed to a wedding, he might be allowed free run of the palace. If he didnt, he would have to fight the army every second of his stay.
Sure, he said with a nod. Fine. Whatever. Ill wed your daughter. He wasnt wedding anyone. But TinkJosephina cant be harmed while Im here.
More murmurs slithered through the room. He tried to make sense of the words, couldnt.
The king drummed his fingers against the shaft of his scepter. We would love nothing more than to accommodate your request, Lord Kane, but a crime was committed last night, and a price must be paid. Thats why Servant Josephina is here.
What crime?
Princess Synda was caught with the butchers son, a male far below her station. Worse, a human.
Then punish Princess Synda. Problem? Meet solution.
A shake of the kings head, firm and sure. Thats not how we do things around here, Lord Kane. Since the spawning of our race, blood slaves have helped ensure the well-being of the royal family.
I see. The blood slaves had also helped ensure the maliciousness of the royal family. And whats to be Josephinas punishment for Syndas crime?
Servant Josephina will be shunned for one month. Anyone who speaks to her will be killed.
Better than he could have hoped. Still, Kane squared his shoulders and braced his legs apart, preparing for battle. Well, then, weve got our first real problem. Im going to talk to her, and thats non-negotiable.
Crystal eyes narrowed. Very well, the king said after a few moments of thought, but you will be lashed for every word.
What? someone in the crowd gasped out.
No. Not Lord Kane! another cried.
No, Tinker Bell croaked.
Kane cut her a sharp glance. Silence.
She shook her head, dark hair wisping over her shoulders, saying, Dont do this.
Still looking out for him, even after hed failed her so miserably. His determination intensified. To the king, he said, I will never willingly submit to such a punishment. It would weaken him, and he needed every bit of strength he could summon. I doubt you can force me except for Evil Overload, and his ability, but then, Kane could remove his tongue and that problem would be settled, too and the men that try will pay a very dear price.
Behind him, a female fainted.
The princess flattened her hand over her heart and grinned. Hes so wonderfully fierce. How soon can the wedding be planned?
Excellent question. Well make sure its done by the end of the month. That gives us ten days. The king slammed his scepter into the marble floor so forcefully cracks formed in both. Now. Everyone will return to their duties. And you, he snarled at Kane. You will join me in my chambers.
CHAPTER TEN
JOSEPHINA SCRUBBED A rag back and forth over the already-clean upper staircase banister, surprised she hadnt dimmed...whatever the material was. It looked like starlight and clouds. A chandelier hovered just above her, the rotating streams of opals, sapphires and emeralds attached to nothing but air, casting rainbow flecks in every direction, even the floor many stories below.
I wish I could jump.
Stupid Kane. He should have killed her when hed had the chance. Now, she was going to make him wish he had. Yes. She liked that plan.
How dare he agree to wed Princess Synda?
Synda would lie to him, and cheat on him. The girls desire always burned white-hot, but died quickly. She would chew Kane up and spit him out, and there would be nothing left of him but bones. Bones Josephina had risked her life to save.
How could he want that girl? How could he not see beyond her pretty face?
Stupid, stupid, stupid man! Josephina stomped her foot. Anger was easier than hurt over yet another rejection.
The moment hed agreed to the wedding, something inside her had cracked. Dark emotions had spilled out. Shed nearly broken down and sobbed. Shed nearly shouted, Hes mine! All mine!
But he wasnt hers, and he never would be.
She, however, might become his.
Would Tiberius give her to Kane, thinking the warrior would punish her rather than his beautiful new wife when she misbehaved? Would Kane actually punish her? If he did...her nails scraped against the rag.
I wont just make him wish Id died. Ill make him wish he had.
Her chin trembled, and she sniffled.
I want to talk to you, Tinker Bell, a masculine voice announced.
Jolting out of her wrathful thoughts, Josephina realized Kane stood just beside her. There were two guards behind him, careful to look away from her, shunning her properly, all while keeping watch over their charge and listening unabashedly.
Kane had just spoken eight words to her. Meaning, hed just bought himself eight lashes of the whip. Josephina wanted him to suffer, but not that way.
Go away, she said, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand, just in case.
Give us some privacy, he said to the guards.
Anything for you, Lord Kane. The pair raced to the other side of the hallway.
You know youre not allowed to talk to me, she said. No one is.
You want me to waste a few words telling you I do what I want, when I want? Because I will. I dont mind.
Thirty-two lashes. All for nothing! Shut up, you stupid man.