His Human Hellion (Ultimate Passage Book 2) (19 page)
Read His Human Hellion (Ultimate Passage Book 2) Online
Authors: Elle Thorne
Marissa
“I will.” B
ut only for that long.
After that she’d make a deal with the devil—or Saraz—to get home. Except the deal would never include her baby.
“How do you feel?” Hi
s eyes were so full of worry, his skin a concerned-blue color. He placed his lips on hers.
“Weak, but better.”
‘Are you ready to talk?’
Saraz, projecting into her mind.
She rose, ran fingers through her hair, straightened her clothing. She tu
rned to Finn. “Saraz is coming. We can discuss this later.” Not knowing how close Saraz would be she didn’t want to be talking about him while he was around. “Go with me.” She started for the entrance.
They’d just stepped out from behind the waterfall when Saraz appeared.
Saraz stopped, as if pausing take in the situation, then shrugged.
Marissa barged forward. “If this baby proves not to be the one from your prophecy, will you relinquish any claims and assist me in returning to
Earth?”
“What?” Finn looked at her. “What? No! What?”
“Trust me,” Marissa told him.
Saraz rubbed his jaw. “And if it is?”
“I’m confident about what Finn says.” She should have asked him in private if his claim that Alithera had wings was true. Of course it was. It had to be. Finn wouldn’t lie about that, not even to save their baby. Or would he? She would have. Then again, it’s not like she’d give Saraz her baby if Finn’s claim was false anyway. And if the baby was a winged girl . . . so many ifs. She was so confused.
“So if the baby does not fulfil the prophecy, I simply let you go? While the one I want is on
Earth?”
Ugh.
“Why would that be my problem?”
“Because you want something I can provide.”
Double ugh.
“What do you propose?”
Saraz pointed to Finn. “He goes, you and baby stay as collateral. He brings me my Alithera.”
“Not a chance.” Finn shook his head. “Absolutely not.”
“Exactly.” Marissa agreed. Why the hell would she want him to be alone with Alithera?
“Then?” Saraz cocked his brow. “So much for your proposal.”
“I’ll stay.” Norn stepped out from behind the cascading waterfall.
“No.” Finn interjected.
“Who are you?” Saraz asked.
“His father. Collateral. Incentive for Finn to return.”
“Maybe it won’t matter if you’re left behind?”
“It will because I will send my woman and my other son with them to Earth, to guarantee my intent.”
“
Par, no. Does Raiza know?”
“Don’t worry about that.”
“Are you up to trickery?” Saraz asked Norn.
“None. But this is the only solution, if the baby isn’t the one, and it won’t be. Finn does not lie.”
Saraz turned to Marissa. “You are quiet. What do you have to say?”
Still stunned
, she looked at Norn. “You are sure?”
“Completely.”
“Then I agree.”
“I will be present for the birth to verify nothing untoward happens.”
“Yes, but I will not stay with you.”
“I can check on progress occasionally.”
“Rarely.” Finn added.
“Until delivery approaches.”
“So be it.” Saraz turned, cape flowing, took a step, turned back, one question. This Alithera’s mother, what is her name?”
“Brasca.” Norn and Finn answered together.
Saraz slumped forward, a tiny bit, almost imperceptible, as if the answer meant something to him.
Marissa wondered why that mattered.
He turned and disappeared into the forest.
“We need to get Raiza and Feroz. We can make settlement at the
cave,” Norn stated.
“Don’t you mean my cell?” Finn laughed.
Marissa turned to him, ready to ask. He told her how he’d originally been captured by Barz and Corzine, suspected of being an enemy Asazi. She shook her head, who would believe this? She couldn’t tell anyone back home about what her life had become. She saddened. Hopefully she would get to return home.
They all
followed Norn back to get Raiza and Feroz. To keep from scaring Taya and Cinia by taking them into a full-fledged entire Kormic village, even if it was one that was composed of defectors who followed Raiza and Norn, and friendly to Asazi, Marissa, Finn, and the Asazi women waited outside the main village with Corzine while Barz and Norn went into to get Raiza and Feroz.
When Raiza appeared with a tiny boy who was a blend of Kormic and Asazi traits, Marissa tried not to stare.
What would her baby look like? She was particularly fascinated by Feroz’s wings. What would her baby’s wings be like? What if it was a winged girl? Evidently this was possible, since Alithera had wings. Thinking of Alithera brought a bad taste to Marissa’s mouth. She didn’t believe in prophecy. She told Finn so. “You don’t believe either, right?”
“I didn’t. Now I don’t know what to believe.”
“After seeing Saraz and hearing what he told you about how Asazi came to be and about all being banished, women cursed. . .” He shrugged. “So much seems to have an historical base. But then again it is asking me to believe in things I can’t see or touch.”
“What do you think will happen when Norn tells Raiza about his arrangement with Saraz?”
“I hope he tells her when I’m not around. I like Raiza, but I suspect she has a very strong will.”
“I don’t envy her this. Your father made a decision that should have been made jointly. Finn, don’t ever do that to me.”
“I promise.”
“Raiza’s brothers seem quite taken with Cinia and Taya.”
“How do you know? Or did you suddenly learn to speak Asazi or Kormic?”
She laughed. “Body language.”
“Are you playing matchmaker?”
“No.”
She sobered up. “I’m worried about the women Saraz has. Why do your people turn over a young woman from each province every year?”
“Tradition.” He sneered. “In service to our god, Saraz.”
“You don’t find it curious that the word Saraz means evil in Kormic?”
“I find it enlightening. How did you know?”
“Your father told me. It bothers me he offered himself as collateral.”
She took Finn’s hand and walked away from the fire, bringing him along. “Especially now that I’ve seen Feroz.
A child should have its father.”
Pain flickered in Finn’s eyes. She realized the nerve she’d touched on. “I’m sorry.”
“Maybe he’s trying to make up being out of my life. He doesn’t have to make up for anything. He did not choose to leave me, to be attacked by one of our own. A part of me wonders if he is sending them because he wants a better life for Feroz.”
“Could be. Wouldn’t you do the same for your child?”
Finn stopped walking, drew her closer, pressing her back and looked into her eyes. “Several times over the last few days I’d thought I’d lost you.”
“I thought the same.
In so many ways.”
“You will never lose me, Marissa Sanchez. Never. Unless you leave me.”
“As if I’d ever do that.”
He placed
his lips on hers, digging his hands against the tree, into the bark.
“What’s wrong?” S
he reached up, took his hands off the tree, massaging the tension away.
“I don’t want to disappoint you.”
“You never could.” She knew the lengths this man would go through for her, but what had happened with him and Alithera plagued her. And she wouldn’t deny she wanted to bury her TripTip blade in Alithera’s body.
Finn
Finn pushed away the overwhelming desire to couple with Marissa. A rage lurked in the back of her eyes, a rage like he’d seen on soldiers on the battlefield. And now he had agreed to bring Alithera back. Maybe that was for the best. If Alithera were Saraz’s captive, then Marissa might not get to fulfil her lust for Alithera’s blood.
He tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. “Stay positive. The baby is due in about six months. After that we go home.” One way or another. Though he didn’t know what another way could be.
“And you get six months with your father. That’s a blessing.”
Finn hoped that he didn’t do anything that would destroy his father’s chances to join them on
Earth. He would have to convince a reluctant Alithera to return to Kormia. And he’d have to do it without upsetting Marissa, who was definitely and understandably not fond of Alithera. He would have his hands full in a few months. He shoved his thoughts away and forced a smile to his face.
“You’re not fooling me you know. I can see something’s on your mind.”
“Marissa.” He kissed her lower lip. “Just because thoughts cross my mind doesn’t mean they remain, so do not be concerned.”
She read him far too well.
“So six months or so? Then after the baby, we can go home?”
“Yes, home.” And to see Kal, hopefully Kal was not having problems with Ali. Hopefully Finn would have no problems with Ali returning to Kormia.
But for now, Finn had six unexpected months with
Par. A gift, truly.
And even more important, he had six months with Marissa. Six drama-free, issue-free, Ali-free months with this beautiful hellion who felt the same way he did. He pressed against her, trapping her between his body and a very
unmoving tree.
“Finn.” Her voice was thick with desire, her arms crept under his wings, pulling him closer.
Maybe things would be good, for the next few months. He slipped his fingers under the hem of her top, skimming her ribcage, tracing the soft skin on her torso, teasing the side of her breast. “Would it be insensitive if I said I want you, all things considered?”
“Only if it would be insensitive if I said I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you again.” Her fingers trailed to his chest, down his abdomen, into the waistband of his pants, skimming his hardness.
“Here?” he barely choked the word out, lust making his voice box virtually useless.
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Next in the Ultimate Passage Series:
Midland Refugee — Fall 2014
Runaway Renegade — Winter 2014
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