Chains of Frost: The Bellum Sisters 1 (23 page)

Chloe’s eyes sprung open, their
color an eerie pale green from the poison. Her body started convulsing,
flailing. Water sloshed violently out of the tub.

“What’s wrong?” Tyrian asked.

Nanu shook her head. “I don’t
know. It might have reached her…”

Tyrian felt his heart stop
beating in his chest. Chloe start screaming, a horrendous, gut-piercing sound
that he hoped he’d never have to hear again. Then she leaned over the tub and
vomited. Relief surged through him with such incredible force, he felt
lightheaded. Somehow he still managed to put the bucket under her as hard,
wretched heaves came from her.

The last step of the process. She
would live. She would vomit every drop of poison from her body.

Nanu sighed with relief. “Thank
the Gods. We almost lost her.” Tyrian’s veins froze with anger and ice. He
stared at Nanu and her eyes widened a fraction.

“Commander Tyrian, I saved her,
not killed her. I am not the one who put her in danger.” Tyrian pulled back as
her words hit him. Henry came running into the room with Rayn and Draven behind
him.

“What happened?” Henry asked, his
gaze flicking over Nanu.

Nanu answered, for which Tyrian
was grateful because he wasn’t sure he could talk without screaming right now.
He still couldn’t understand why he was feeling this crazy. What kind of spell
was he under?

“She was poisoned by an
idummi.
We got it out, though. Barely.” Chloe gave one last long heave, then flopped
back into the tub with a splash.

Tyrian realized her nudity and
said, “Everyone out but Nanu.” The men obeyed immediately, with Tyrian
following.

“There’s been news since last
night,” Rayn said. The warrior’s short hair was sticking in thick spikes as if
he’d run his hand too many times through it.

“What?” Tyrian asked. He tried to
control his anger, his fear, and put it into the dispassionate place he always
did, but it didn’t work. He sounded angry and at the point of breaking, even to
his own ears.

“Telal Demuzi called early this
morning. He said he has some interesting news you’ll want to know about. It
didn’t sound good. I tried to get him to tell me, but he said he’d only deal
with you and not some…servant,” Rayn said with a twitch to his eye.

Draven clapped him on the back.
“Don’t take it seriously. Telal’s just a dick because his entire race and
family is forced to live under the rift.”

Henry turned to him. “Don’t tell
me you support freeing the demons to run amuck upstairs.”

Draven shrugged. “Listen, our
scientists have proven that only the
idummi
are the psychopaths. Like
Telal, most demons are family-oriented, honorable even. Plus, I may have been
young when The Great War started, but some of those rumors floating around might
have some merit to them.”

Tyrian couldn’t believe what he
was hearing. “Are you trying to insinuate that the war my father waged and
fought was over some simple matter of jealousy?” Tyrian was letting his anger
get to him.

“No, Commander. My apologies,”
Draven said, bowing his head.

“That’s not what it sounded like
to me,” Tyrian said. Nanu saved the warrior from any more lashing as she came
into the room. She had a small smile on her face that eased Tyrian’s nerves
markedly.

“She’s fine. We got all the
poison out. She’s loopy from the drugs and everything that’s happened. I’m
going to give her some pain meds to ease her. I suggest you take her to bed. She’ll
need plenty of rest after this.” Tyrian went into the bathroom and met Chloe’s
foggy eyes.

Her wrists and knees were wrapped
in gauze bandages and another was taped near her sternum. The sight shouldn’t
have bothered him. He’d seen far worse on, and off, the battlefield. Hell, he’d
had worse done to him, but none of that mattered.

Whatever this demon was she’d
summoned was powerful. It didn’t just want her dead either, but wanted her
brought to it. But that only brought even more absurd hypothesis to the table.
What on Earth would a demon want with a succubus? She had no powers, nothing
that could benefit the demon in any way he knew.

“Tyrian?” she asked hesitantly,
as she stood beside the tub. He grabbed a thick white robe off a hook and
wrapped it around her before lifting her into his arms.

“I’m here,” he said, his voice
gruff. Her arms came around his neck and he finally felt lighter, his head
clearer. Enchantress.

“I feel like shit,” she said
weakly. Tyrian choked on a laugh and she smiled up at him. “See, I knew you
could laugh. It had to be somewhere in there.” Tyrian cleared his throat and carried
her out of the bathroom.

“What do you want me to tell
Telal?” asked Rayn. Tyrian looked down at the frail woman in his arms.

“Tell him I’ll contact him as
soon as Chloe’s well.” Tyrian started out of the room but her voice stopped
him.

“Wait; I need Lily. Get my sister
for me, please? She knows a lot about this demon stuff,” Chloe said, her words
growing fainter as exhaustion crept over her.

Tyrian looked back at his men who
nodded to say they got it, then took her to his room. He didn’t even think about
it, but carried her right to the bed he rarely slept in and tucked her in. She
passed out before he even pulled the covers over her.

Tyrian watched her for a minute.
This feeling he had in his gut—it was one he’d once been familiar with and had
strived to never feel again. In just a matter of days, this succubus has
managed to unravel years of control that he’d built inside him. He would have
to distance himself from her. He couldn’t keep taking her body, or her vein,
for that matter. He almost laughed. More like letting her take him.

Every time he was around her,
every time she told him something about herself, he felt himself softening. It
was a dangerous road he travelled. After the incident at the hotel, she was no
longer safe with him.

And he was no longer safe around
her.

Tyrian left the bedroom and found
Lucinda standing nervously at her bedroom door. “How is she?” His
frimar
was
lovely. Her voice was soft and gentle; her gowns were simple and lovely. Yet
never had he felt a spark of lust for her in all the years she’d been with him.

“She will fully recover.”

Lucinda nodded, keeping her head
bowed. “It has been many days since you’ve taken from me. You will grow weak if
you don’t.”

Tyrian stilled and glanced back
at his closed bedroom door. He’d taken Chloe’s neck. He’d almost forgotten he’d
done it. He’d been so lost last night, that he hadn’t even thought about it,
had just pulled her head to the side and taken her.

He swallowed hard, his cock
threatening to swell at the thought. She’d tasted unlike anything he’d ever
had. Far from the thick richness of his
frimar
, she’d been light and
sweet like some drink from the gods. He hadn’t wanted to tear himself away, had
only forced himself to because of his need to protect her, to see to her
pleasure. His heart stuttered in his chest at the revelation.

Since when was he a man that saw
to a woman’s pleasure? This had to stop. Now.

Lucinda waited for him
expectantly. She was the perfect
frimar.
Quiet, amiable, understanding.
She never judged nor asked more from him. She only offered her vein when he
needed it.

Tyrian took a step toward her
then stopped. Shaking his head, he said, “I’m fine today. Thank you, Lucinda.”
He left her standing in the doorway and couldn’t believe what he’d just done.

Chapter Twenty

Willow spun around in a circle,
eyes searching the road behind her. Dark emptiness stared back at her.

“Where are you, you little devil?
I know you’re out there,” she mumbled. She picked up her pace and made for the
small German town she was near.

She knew that feeling which made
the hair stand up at the back of her neck. He was near. So close. Too soon. A
hot blush crept over her cheeks. She’d lost herself to him. Like some little
floozy, she’d given in to his touch. She shook her head. She couldn’t be any
less proud of herself.

Sure she’d bested him by getting
away and even left a snarky little note for him after he passed out, but that
didn’t make her feel better. Not when he’d bested her in the most basic of
ways—he’d made her want him. She licked her lips, remembering how he’d filled
her mouth. She could only pray that it was the new moon hormones that had her
body pulsing with need at the thought. Because if it wasn’t, she was royally
screwed.

That feeling of being watched
came over her again. Willow stopped and turned around quickly. Nothing. She
gritted her teeth and contemplated yelling at him to show himself. She knew he
was out there. Somewhere.

“Hiding like a coward,” she said
under her breath. She turned back and walked into the town, happy to see cars
driving by, people riding on their bicycles. There was safety in numbers. She
needed to find the local train station, bus station or something. She had to
lose him and hopefully for good this time. His senses were entirely too keen.
She still couldn’t believe he kept her favorite shirt like some kind of weird
souvenir. Bastard.

A man walked toward her on the
street. He was dressed nicely and wore a chic pair of black glasses. His gaze
met hers and he grinned before his eyes tracked down her body. Willow glared
and when his eyes met hers again he quickly looked away.
Yeah, that’s right,
she thought.
Look away.

“A friend of yours?” A deep voice
asked. Willow jerked around and practically snarled.

“Are you creeping on me now or
what? Why don’t you do us both a favor and go home?”

He smiled but it looked forced.
“I can’t. You know that, Willow. You left me.” He sounded surprised. She
crossed her arms at him and gave him her best glare.

“Yeah? At least I left a note.
Consider that a great token of my esteem.” This time his mouth curled with a
laugh. He reached into his pocket and took out the piece of paper she’d written
on.

“Ah, yes. ‘You can’t best the
champ, pup.’ I got a good laugh out of that one. Just another thing I like
about you, Willow.” Her heart fluttered and she ignored.

“Listen, this little reunion’s
been great, but I have to go now. I’m warning you, if you don’t leave me alone,
I’ll get you into big trouble.”

He tossed back his head and
laughed. “You over-estimate yourself, Willow. Besides, I smell your heat.” His
voice grew deeper. “It’s intoxicating. I didn’t have you last time. I like the
idea of you growing accustomed to my touch.” He stalked toward her, backing her
into the wall of a butcher’s shop.

People walked by chatting, cars
drove by, yet Willow felt like it was just the two of them alone in the world.
His elbows caged her in, his hips gently trapping hers.

“Next time, I’m taking you,
Willow. There will be no denying me. You need it as much as I need to be inside
you.” She shivered and his lips found the sensitive spot under her ear. “I know
you want it. You want to know what it feels like to have my cock dragging
through your tight flesh. And tight you are. I’ve felt the way you grip my
fingers. I’m ready to feel that sweetness around my cock. I’ve earned it.”

“No,” Willow panted, her heart
thundering, her body growing hot and languid. How did he manage to do this to
her? With just words.

“Yes. I’ll take my prize for
catching you right now, Willow. Your choice,” he breathed heavily. “We can
start this right on the open street with all these people to see you, or you
can let me take you somewhere more private. Decide.”

His hand reached behind her,
squeezing her bottom, which released another flood of heat inside her. It was
hard to think over the nips and kisses he was pressing along her shoulder,
pushing her shirt out of the way so he could taste her.

“I can’t. I can’t.” Her hands
latched onto his back, holding him close. His breath shuddered against her neck
and then he picked her up and was carrying her. Willow looked around as he took
her between the buildings.

“Yes, you can, and we are.” He
carried her into a small fenced-in garden behind the buildings.

“People will see,” she hissed,
struggling to get out of his arms. He held her tighter and placed her on the
ground, quickly lying on top of her before she could move.

“No they won’t. Not if we’re
quick.” His mouth pressed against hers as his hands molded her breasts. One
quickly reached down her stomach, past her shorts and touched her sex. He
growled approvingly. “As I thought. Drenched and ready for me.” Willow couldn’t
form words as fingers swirled her bud, tightening her body into a mass of
pleasure. His fingers dipped down to curve inside of her. Willow bit her lip to
keep from moaning but couldn’t stop the blush that burned her cheeks. She
shouldn’t be this turned on. Shouldn’t be this hot for him with so little
effort. It was embarrassing and, what was worse, as he thrust two fingers in
and out of her, she didn’t even care. The dazed fog he always seemed to create
came over her until her hands were clawing at his shoulders.