Jonas scowled, and suddenly a Djinn appeared next to them.
Alor, another of Remir’s battle brothers, stared down at him in shock. “Remir? By Dark’s breast, now they’re attacking us one by one?”
Jonas cut him off. “Hurry back to the keep. Tell the Storm Lords that Queen Ravyn is in danger. Don’t stop for anyone or anything. Go.”
Alor’s face darkened, but before he could disappear, a half dozen enemy Djinn surrounded them. A burst of energy shielded them from teleporting anywhere.
“So…sorry.” Tears spilled down Remir’s face. “Sor…cer…y.” He coughed again, blood pushing over his lips as he blindly reached for Jonas’s hand. “Bro…ther.”
Before his vision completely glazed over, Remir swore he saw forgiveness flash in Jonas’s face. The sound of battle tore him from the haze invading his mind and body, and unbearable pain struck him as his own personal hell became real.
He heard a bloodcurdling scream, felt the burn of his soul as it was ripped away by the demons crawling all over him, and belatedly realized the cries came from his own throat.
“Mother of Night,” someone prayed before Remir lost all feelings but those of abject terror.
Sin Garu’s punishment had not been the worst thing he’d ever felt. It didn’t come close to what the demons were doing to him as they carted him through the Between into their world.
One piece at a time.
Chapter 19
Lexa
Hours later, Arim finally let me up to take a shower, something I desperately needed.
He’d made a real mess between my thighs, over my ass, and all over my legs and belly. Hell, the only thing I hadn’t done yet was fellate him, but by the look on his face when he glanced at my mouth, I knew that act was not long in coming.
No pun intended.
Close to losing my sanity, I scrambled for the bathroom to see to my needs and for some much-needed privacy.
We’d spent so much time in bed together that only my stomach rumbling, and my need to be clean, had finally forced Arim to cease. I didn’t understand his never-ending libido — or mine — not to mention my willingness to accept all of him.
Those pieces of Darkness he allowed me to see only made me want him more. Granted, I had always been attracted to the Dark in things, but in Arim, the feel of his magic mesmerized me. His Light burned, but it was his innate Darkness that beckoned me to be one with him.
As if Tanselm could reach us even in Seattle, I felt that pull to commit myself fully to my lover, the Killer of Shadow. Bemused at the lust once again pooling at the thought of Arim’s fierce reputation and strength, I blushed for being a fool and stood under the spray of cool water soothing my sensitive skin.
How had he wormed his way beneath my emotional safeguards, getting me to the point where I now felt devotion instead of hostility? Even now, separated by a small distance, I felt the burning need to close the distance between us and touch him again.
“I missed you,” the focus of my thoughts said as he stepped into the shower with me. “Silly, I know, since I just came all over you.” He grinned without remorse. “But I’m trying to make up for lost time.”
That bothered me too. The raw anger I normally felt when reminded of what I’d been through thanks to our “misunderstanding” was fading. Arim normally enraged me. He didn’t make me crave his touch or intensify my need to feel his arms around me.
I sighed. “You’re confusing me.”
“I know. You want to hate me and be angry with me. But you can’t.” When I pulled back to look at his face with suspicion, he shrugged. “I’m not reading your mind. I’m feeling the same. For so long we’ve been at odds, Blue. And it’s taken its toll.” He shook his head. “I made major mistakes with you before. I won’t make them again. Pride bedamned. I love you. I’ve always loved you. Now that I’ve found you again, I won’t let you go.”
I stared at him in shock until he turned the knob on the shower, heating us up. I sputtered and turned the water cooler to a temperature better suited to a Dark Lord’s affinity for cold.
Arim just smiled, letting the cooler water slide off his cold-pebbled skin. “I’ll do whatever it takes to convince you. I love you, Blue.”
He looked so happy saying the words I’d longed forever to hear. But I couldn’t help the tendril of fear worming its way inside my heart. I looked away and tried to get a grip on my faltering composure.
“Shh.” To my consternation, the Light Bringer hugged me, offering comfort. “I know. You don’t believe me, and I don’t blame you. But I’m not going away. Not this time.” He kissed the top of my head, and I felt his arousal press against the small of my back. “Damn, sorry. Has a mind of its own.”
To my surprise, Arim ignored his erection and cleaned me carefully, giving me a killer scalp massage as he worked the shampoo through my hair. I eventually compromised on a warmer temperature, and we soaked in the healing spray of the shower.
Then we dried off with towels that soon disappeared.
