Bonds of Fire: The Bellum Sisters 2 (paranormal erotic romance) (34 page)

Lily wrapped a comforting arm around Willow’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, sis. I have a spell made up for you and a weapon. I enspelled it with magic. We’ll take care of that pesky demon.” She talked about it as if it were a little cockroach.

“Did that work for you, Chloe?”

Her sister hesitated. “Well...kind of.”

Willow’s stomach churned with unease. “Tell me.” She was beginning to sound like Lyonis giving out orders.

“When I was attacked at the castle, I didn’t have time to grab the spell. I had it memorized though and when I finally thawed out from fear I started chanting it.”

“And what did the demon do?”

“Laughed.” Chloe saw her sister’s crestfallen face and quickly added, “But not at first. It stumbled away.” She frowned, her eyes getting a faraway look to them. “It seemed like it was weakening it or hurting it in some way. When I finally axed its head off, I was still saying it.”

Gaping, Willow stared at her sister.

“What?” she said defensively.

“You axed the demon’s head off?”

Her sister grinned, her chin coming up. “Sure did.”

Willow couldn’t help it—she laughed. She’d never been more proud of her sister than she was in that moment.

“God I wish I could have seen that.”

Lily sighed. “If only we’d gotten it on tape. She’d be a YouTube sensation. Viral I tell ya.”

They all howled with laughter. When the chuckles finally stopped, Willow felt better than she had all day.

They spent the rest of the night until the early hours of the morning talking and laughing. Lily gave her the same enchanted spell she’d given Chloe. Go back whence you came, I unsummon thee demon! Apparently she’d had the same response Chloe’d had when she first heard it—it was the stupidest spell she’d ever heard.

Lily gave her a small dagger that she’d enchanted with white magic. “It should help to counteract the demon’s dark magic. Plus it’ll slice him up good.”

Willow frowned at the dagger. It wasn’t even as long as her arm but the hilt was made of leather and felt comfortable when she wrapped her hand around it.

“I feel a little odd sitting in my living room holding a dagger.” She set the blade down. The bolt of pain didn’t hit her until she realized what she said. My living room. It didn’t feel like her home now. It was strange, she realized, to think that she had thought of this as her home. Now, she looked around at the room and felt only pain and distance.

“One last thing,” Lily said, grabbing a clear bottle with a dark foggy grey liquid inside. “This is the potion. It too is enchanted to vanquish the demon. I even had a white witch friend of mine enchant it with me. It’s doubly powerful.”

Willow took the flask from her. It had a cork as a stopper and the liquid inside looked thick like motor oil.

She brought her nose to the cork to sniff the contents out of curiosity, but Lily jumped forward to snatch the bottle away.

“Trust me,” she said. “You don’t want to smell that.”

“Noted,” Willow said wryly.

When a knock sounded at the door, Willow answered it. A part of her hated herself for hoping it’d be him, but then why would he knock at his own house? A courtesy, maybe? She swung open the door but it was Tyrian.

He looked past her. “Ready?”

Chloe and Lily came forward and they exchanged hard, long hugs and kisses. Lily made her repeat the spell back to her then told her again how to use the potion and dagger. Toss the liquid on it; stab it.

Done. How simple.

Willow watched them go and had to bite her lip to keep it from wobbling. Another guard appeared and together they dissolved before her eyes. A hard lump was in her throat as she turned away and closed the door.

That night she went to bed alone. When she was still tossing at the crack of dawn, she finally gave up and went downstairs. How could she possibly sleep with his scent wrapped around the covers and pillows? It seemed not an inch of them hadn’t been dowsed in Lyonis’ smell.

Lyonis didn’t come back until late that night. By then Willow almost wished he hadn’t.

Chapter 33

Four hours after she boarded the Amtrak from Oklahoma to California, Lucinda had finally given up on caring about the stares she received. Okay, almost given up.

She couldn’t help it, the constant quick glances made her feel like a sore thumb. It reminded her of the time back when she was almost too young to remember and learning the ways of a
frimar
.

One night she’d snuck out and gotten drunk with a local vampire boy. When she’d discreetly, or not so discreetly, gone back home her mother had been waiting for her, suspicion written in the lines of her face. That was the first time she’d ever lied. She’d smiled and fibbed saying she’d gone for a walk, nothing else, even as she’d stumbled into the wall. She’d tried to act as natural as possible to hide her drunken state but still her mother watched her with knowing eyes.

She felt the same feeling now. Like she was trying to hide what she really was among the humans. It was like they knew something wasn’t right with her.

Her family prided her on her unique position in the clan. Not just anyone could be a
frimar
. One had to come from a special bloodline that allowed the female to give blood without requiring it to feed.

She sort of existed...just like she did while living with Master Tyrian. Lucinda smiled and mentally corrected herself. Tyrian was not her Master anymore. The smile quickly died.

Now she had no Master. Not even the warrior Draven. Her chest constricted and she looked out the window, blinking fast to keep the hot tears from falling. How silly she’d been. Even now her foolish heart wanted her to get off this train and go back.

She’d barely been his
frimar
for a month but already she’d felt herself growing, strengthening—something she’d never felt before. It was with this new strength she’d found in herself the ability to yell at Draven, to even complain. And now she wanted more.

Her mother had warned her of this sin. She stood on a treacherous slope. To open a few doors as she’d done, might lead to more and more until she was out of control.

Giddy excitement made her heart race. She peered down the hall to a couple facing her. The girl was young, human. She wore a provocative amount of makeup and a pair of shorts so short, Lucinda was sure her bottom showed when she walked. It was scandalous...wrong. Yet the girl had no qualms about it, in fact she embraced herself in a way Lucinda envied deeply.

The girl had a young man with her and the two hadn’t stopped kissing except to get some air since they’d taken off from the station. Lucinda envied this woman for another reason.

At least she’d tasted that kind of life. Just a taste though...when she wanted to gorge. She looked down at herself and for the first time in her whole life wished she wore a pair of those shorts and one of those little tight shirts.

Maybe even one like Chloe Bellum liked to wear with strange phrases on the front. Her favorite had been a white shirt with big black letters that said, “Goes to bitch in .01 seconds.” She hadn’t entirely understood the phrase until Chloe laughingly explained it to her.

What to do now? One thing Lucinda knew for sure was that she couldn’t stay with Draven, even if he made her feel good, different. Being with him, being able to relax around him, so unlike Tyrian en Kulev, made her want more. It might be a slippery slope but for once she wanted to slide down, fall. The thrill, the excitement, it was enough to make her put shopping on her to do list. And a pair of small shorts at the top.

A frown pulled at her lips. She had no money. But she did have old jewelry she’d collected over the years. Surely that would fetch a nice price. That’s what she’d do, she decided with a smile. Sell her jewelry and buy the shortest, tightest clothes she could find. Already the thought of the freedom, of doing things for herself, had her practically bouncing in her seat.

Not for the first time since she got on the train did she regret the letter she left for Draven. The warrior was a good man. He didn’t deserve how she left him. But her courage wasn’t as strong as she’d like...yet. She couldn’t make herself stay to face him. She’d taken the cowards way and left a note. She’d debated long and hard on how much she should say to him in that letter.

She’d desperately wanted to tell him thank you for everything. For showing her the pleasure of flesh, the taste of passion, for allowing her to be herself. To learn herself.

But now she wanted more and Draven’s hesitance would only slow her down. Lucinda blushed at her blatant selfishness, a small giggle escaping. She quickly covered it before the humans went back to casting her darted glances.

CRACK!

A hard thump sounded from the back of the train. A woman screamed. The couple kissing stopped to peer towards the sound; a sleeping man lifted his head to look as well. Lucinda looked towards the sound. It was loud as if a large tree had fallen on top of the train.

Suddenly there was an explosion of noise from the back of the train. Lucinda tensed in her seat with fear. She’d never ridden a train before but she was certain this wasn’t usual. The door to her compartment was closed with only a small window showing into the passenger car behind her.

More voices came, shouting, a male. The crash of a door being slammed open followed by complete silence save for the motion of the train.

A blur of a dark figure blocked the window. Lucinda plastered her back to the window, lifting her carrying satchel in front of her as if that’d protect her.

“It’s a terrorist!” someone yelled.

The passenger car door slid open with a crash. The dark figure came through, a towering mass radiating anger. Long silvery hair shining brightly in the fluorescent light.

“Draven,” she whispered in awe.

The warrior’s eyes locked on her without having to scan the rest of the passengers. He simply found her.

He was before her in a second, silent and so fast the passengers gasped at his speed. To them he disappeared and reappeared, to her, he was simply rushing.

He hauled her up by her arms, making her heart race in an entirely different way.

“You left me!” It was an accusation.

She blinked at his tone.

“Indeed.” She honestly had no idea what to say to that because a strange feeling like hope was about to burst in her chest.

“Everybody leave,” he said quietly, his gray eyes never leaving hers.

The passengers exchanged hesitant glances.

“Now!” he bellowed.

All of them snatched their bags and ran for the next passenger car. The door slammed shut with a loud finality leaving Lucinda only to hear the thundering of her heart and the heavy beat of his.

He grabbed her arms, pushing her back against the window she’d sat panicked against only minutes before. He leaned into her, surrounding her with heat that brought back a rush of memories, feelings.

“You left me.”

Lucinda’s breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him. She couldn’t slow her breathing and with each breath, her breasts pushed against his chest again and again. It was pure torture. Tightening things inside her that only he’d made her feel...or touched.

Their eyes locked, his intense with anger, hers shining with excitement.

“You came for me,” she said.

He cupped her jaw, cradling her gently. Right before his lips touched hers he whispered in a voice so raw with emotion, she shivered. “Couldn’t let you go.”

Then his lips found hers. His lips tasted like the sweetest ecstasy. He claimed her, pressed hard then thrust inside with a slick move that stole her breath away.

She had no idea how long they stood there kissing. Minutes, hours. All she felt was the rocking of the train and the possessive touch of his mouth moving over hers.

He pulled away, breathing hard. His hand cupped her cheek then slid to caress her neck in a languorous sweep. His lips followed that path.

His hot breath against her neck sent shivers across her body. He pressed his lips against the base of her throat then slowly she felt the wet press of his tongue, tasting her. The licks became stronger, firmer as he felt her rapid pulse.

The sharp press of his fang shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but it startled her nonetheless.

“You will feed from me. Right here?” she said breathlessly. Her hands threaded through his long white hair, holding him close.

He didn’t answer, only pulled her closer into his body. It was most indecent, nearly unheard of to feed in public. Around humans, nonetheless.

She wasn’t even sure if he’d do it. But then his fangs sank into her, her flesh giving way so easily.

She gasped, and he groaned. He drew long pulls from her and with each one her body coiled tighter, grew wetter until she was moaning, arching restlessly against him.

He pulled back for a moment. A dab of crimson coating his bottom lip.

“So beautiful.” The way he said it struck a chord with her. He didn’t say it as if it were a compliment, there was something else to his voice that she couldn’t quite pinpoint.