Kiss of the Betrayer (A Bringer and the Bane Novel) (28 page)

Bubbles erupted around her and her muffled scream was cut off when she instinctively inhaled. Her feet found the bottom and she pushed, launching out of the water in a cacophony of sputters and coughs. Her hands tangled in her thick mass of dripping hair when she attempted to push the strands from her face.

She continued to cough and Luc gave her a few hard pats on the back.

“Swallow some water?”

She shoved his hand away, coughed again, and spit out the remainder of the swallowed water, not caring how unladylike the action was. Her nostrils burned from the sulphury liquid she had snorted. She rubbed her knuckles against her eyes to clear her vision and glared at Luc.

“Thanks to you, jackass.”

He gave her a smile that was pure rogue. “You’re welcome.”

She scowled. “I wasn’t thanking you.”

His eyes blazed a trail down her throat and stopped at her breasts. His voice took on a seductive tone. “You’re welcome anyway.”

Her nipples tightened under his gaze. His expression darkened at her reaction to him. This time her propriety warred with curiosity. She liked the way his eyes revealed what he was thinking and the curious stirring he caused inside her. Besides Rell, he’d been in her life longer than anybody. But the situation between them had changed—no longer enemies, but allies.

A twinge of guilt poked at her. They were on a mission, in essence, to kill her sister, and here she was lusting for the one man she’d been trained to hate.

Exhaustion swamped her. She was tired of maneuvering through the menagerie of emotions that came with having Rell for a sister. For once she wanted to experience something wonderful with no thought to consequence or guilt.

Her expression must have cued Luc to her thoughts. “Turn around.”

Without argument she did as he said. Luc moved up behind her and wrapped an arm around her just below her breasts, lifting her. Every inch of her body pressed against his, leaving no doubt about his desire. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder, drinking in the feel of being taken care of.

He carried her to the edge of the pool and released his hold, but didn’t stop touching her. His hands slid down her arms, giving her goose bumps even though she was feeling anything but chilled. His fingers twined with hers, closing into fists. He slowly extended her arms, his chest pressing against her shoulders, and placed her hands against the rocky ledge. More shivers rippled down her neck from his warm breath brushing against her ear.

His voice was pitched low. “Hold on.”

Other than her fingers digging into the rocky edge, she didn’t move. She let him take the lead, deciding for once to not overthink things but instead trust him.

His erection and hips pressed against her backside, but she didn’t pull away. She focused on his fingers, which had begun a soft rotating motion on her shoulders, working out the stiffness and knots.

Jade melted under his touch. A delicate mewl she would have thought impossible for her to make eased from her lips. From the way Luc’s body responded, she knew he liked her reaction.

His massage moved along the tops of her arms and returned from underneath, paying special attention to her wrists, elbows, and upper arms. He spread his hands against her ribs. His fingers brushed the sides of her breasts while his thumbs dug into the muscles around her shoulder blades.

Saints help her, but she wanted him to touch her, wanted his fingers to stray a little closer to her breasts, to stroke her. She hung her head and gazed along her body. His sculpted hips protruded beyond hers and the tips of his fingers hovered enticingly close to where she desired them to be. But he didn’t take advantage of her vulnerability, even though she believed he felt it. Instead he continued his trek downward, keeping to his promise to help heal her.

His arm slid around her hips to hold her in place. With the heel of his hand, he pressed against her lower back, massaging the aching muscles with skill. She moaned and all the lustful thoughts melted from her mind. The abused area slowly relaxed, releasing the tension and letting her back elongate. She sagged in ecstasy, her face lowering to inches above the water. Never had anybody taken the time to heal her before.

Luc tightened his grip. “You like?”

She groaned again in answer and then gasped when he knelt in the water and began to massage her thighs. The urge to pull away nearly overwhelmed her when his fingers drew dangerously close to her private area. So far he’d done nothing to warrant her panic. That would have been her usual response. Escape before things went too far. That was the old Jade. Like she’d thought a hundred times since the night she’d tried to kill Luc, things were different now.

She gave herself completely over to him, and as she knew he would, he proved to be a man of honor. His hands worked their way down her thighs to her tender calves. When he was finished, he stood and helped her straighten. She slowly turned, keeping her eyes leveled on his chest.

“Thank you. That was amazing.”

“Do you feel better?”

She glanced at him. Did she feel better? “I think you’ve banished
nearly
every ache in my body.”

He smirked, as if he caught her innuendo, but he didn’t act on it. Instead, he raised his hands over his head and fell back in the water. Jade caught a brief glimpse of his erection before his lower body submerged. Respect for him grew. It must have taken a lot for Luc Le Daun, womanizer, to not act on his obvious urges.

Jade ducked into the water, hiding her body. Flaunting her near nakedness just seemed cruel. They floated in the pool for several minutes, unspeaking. The chirping of the night crickets infused the quiet with a peaceful cadence. Both she and Luc seemed unwilling to spoil the calm moment.

Neither of them knew what tomorrow held. They could be killed, turned, or accomplish what they had set out to do. Exhaustion stole her ability to be firm.

After several more minutes of blissful silence, Luc stood. “We should get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.”

She released a heavy sigh and straightened, crossing her hands over her chest, and walked to the ledge. A tingle from the water’s rejuvenating effects, or maybe it was the close proximity to a naked Luc, skittered across her skin. He grasped her waist and lifted her to sit on the edge of the pool. Their eyes met, her hands lingering on his shoulders. So badly she wanted to kiss him, but to allow herself that one indulgence would ratchet the stakes of their success.

She already cared too much and she knew his intimate caress would push her past the point of rational thought. If something happened to him in the Shadow World, she would forsake their plan to save him. No, she needed to keep what little distance was still left between them.

She lowered her hands. “Thank you.”

As if reading her signal, he stepped away, respecting her wishes. Even though every inch of his lower body had spent the last ten minutes bumped up against her, she kept her eyes averted. He’d had the sense and strength of will to rein in his desires, and she feared that the least provocation from her would initiate more intimate moments she didn’t think she’d be able to resist.

They both dressed and worked in silence, unsaddling the horses and setting up camp. When they’d eaten and cleaned up, Jade hunkered under her bedroll with her head resting against the root of a tree. Luc took first watch, but sat close. Things between them had changed tonight. They’d crossed into unknown territory. Because of Rell, Jade couldn’t be happy about the feelings Luc stirred inside her. Despite Rell, she couldn’t regret them either.

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY

Morning mist blanketed the ground below the rise on which Luc stood. Pebbles crunched under his feet, the sound echoing against the small opening carved into the side of the mountain. The entrance sat fifteen feet above the ground and a thick covering of vines hid it from view. Unless a person knew where to look, they’d never know the door was there.

He pulled back the plants and eyed the opening. It was questionable whether he’d fit through the narrow passage. That was an obstacle Jade hadn’t considered. Her hand slapped the small ledge and she pulled herself the rest of the way onto the outcropping. Too engrossed in examining the entrance, Luc made no effort to help and she refused to ask. Though still a little sore from riding yesterday, she was able to scale the face of the mountain with ease. Pride had made it difficult enough for her to let him lead the way into the Shadow World. After all, this was her domain, but he had insisted.

Rocks skittered along the ledge and skipped into the dark hole. They both froze, waiting to see if the Bane lurked beyond sight, waiting for their prey. No sound or movement issued from the blackness. Luc let out a slow breath and looked at her. She smiled up at him with an apologetic grimace. To be stopped before they ever got started was the last thing they needed.

Jade hauled herself the rest of the way onto the rock shelf and dusted off the knees of her britches. She straightened. “It’s smaller than I remember.”

“Or I’m bigger.”

She nodded. “That’s probably it. You are rather…massive.”

He smirked and her stomach did a little flip. Even with his hair short, he was strikingly handsome—maybe more so.

“Ready?”

The mood grew serious and she took a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

He nodded. There were no words to comfort her in this deed they had to perform. The doorway’s span was only a few feet. Luc turned sideways and inched in. Once Jade entered the corridor, darkness surrounded them, her body blocking out the light. Stifling humidity invaded the small opening. Sweat beaded on her forehead, but there was little room to lift her hand and wipe it away. A solid black wall separated them and she felt, more than heard or saw, Luc in front of her. Not only his size, but his presence filled the space. Even though she’d been raised in the Shadow World, this was the first time she’d ever felt a sense of security upon entering the demon realm.

The passage curved and a pinprick of light glowed at the end. Luc eased toward it, his body outlined faintly by the distant light. She took extra care not to kick rocks and possibly alert any waiting demons. Rell could be there. After all, this was her home—her world. The prospect of releasing her soul in a place that had in essence been her prison seemed wrong. But believing Rell would agree to come with them so they could perform the deed among loved ones was an even more foolish idea.

To her surprise, Luc’s fingers brushed her hand. He latched on and squeezed. Despite her bravado, the anxiety of facing her sister tested her resolve. She intertwined her fingers with his and returned a reassuring squeeze.

They stopped just inside the shadowed doorway. The cavernous room yawned before them, empty. Moist heat coated her skin, making the clothes she wore cling.

Shadows cast along one side of his face when he looked at her. “Empty.”

His whisper filled the passage, too loud for the stealth they were attempting. With no reason to wait, they stepped into the cavern. The soft hiss from vents in the floor and the slow bubble of some of the pools created enough noise to hide somebody’s approach through the passage.

Jade entered behind him and stopped. He looked at her, as if gauging her reaction, probably wondering if being back in the Shadow World would be enough to make her abandon their mission. It wouldn’t. She surveyed the chamber, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. She loosened her fingers and pulled away. Luc didn’t resist. From here on out they needed to be ready for an attack.

He moved around a burbling pool. “I wonder where she is.”

His statement echoed Jade’s thoughts. Traveling deeper into the Shadow World was not what they had hoped for. Still, if Rell wasn’t here, they couldn’t afford to wait very long.

“You’re getting careless.” The demon’s voice drifted down to them.

They both spun and scanned the soaring ceiling. Perched on a high outcropping twenty feet above sat Rell. In her current pose, she reminded Jade of a distorted stone statue carved for the cathedrals of The Order of the Saints. The creatures were meant to keep evil out. Large wings opened and Rell launched herself from the ledge.

Tattered membrane flapped as she spiraled to the ground. Jade moved to stand in front of Luc, her right hand ready to retract the dagger from her boot when needed, her body tensed for attack. She watched her sister’s descent with the intensity of a shepherd dog watching its flock.

Luc stood a mere pace behind her, waiting. No matter what the cost, they would accomplish this disagreeable mission together.

Rell folded her wings and dropped the last few feet to the ground with a heavy thud. Holes speckled the membrane of her wings and Jade noticed that she favored her left side when she straightened. Guilt tempted Jade to relax her stance and give her sister solace, but she pushed her emotions down, burying them under duty.

“Come to free my poor tortured soul?”

Rell’s statement threw Jade off guard. An inkling of dread ran up her spine. Had she known all the time they would come? Had they walked into a trap? She opened her senses and searched for other demons, but inside the Shadow World their presence was too great to recognize one demon from a horde.

When Jade didn’t reply, Rell sneered and turned away to limp toward a large flat rock, as if their presence was of no concern. “As I suspected.”

Luc remained at Jade’s back, letting her take the lead. The gesture left her grateful and horrified. She knew he thought it best to get this over with, but as hard as she tried, she couldn’t separate all her feelings. There was so much she wanted to say. Things she needed to understand about why Rell had not told her about their mother. Things she wanted her sister to know. Would it matter? She doubted Rell would listen or try to comprehend them.

“I love you.” Jade’s soft profession fell flat.

“Ah, yes, love.” Rell circled behind the rock and stopped, propping her hands against the top. “That would be the reason you’re here? Because you love me so much?”