Night of the Tiger (Hades' Carnival) (21 page)

“What the hell is going on?”

Aimee whirled around. Roric filled the doorway. He looked sexy and fierce, his unusual hair falling free around his shoulders. From what she’d seen so far these ancient warriors all looked damn good. She saw the two gleaming swords clasped tight in his hands and her heart skipped a beat. He’d come ready to defend her.

She tried to smile, but it felt like more of a grimace. Roric stepped to her side and the swords disappeared in a flash. What was most shocking to her was that she wasn’t surprised at all by their vanishing act. She’d already seen him do it once, and after everything she’d seen in the past twelve hours, a disappearing sword or two seemed almost tame.

“Aimee?” He strode forward, stopped in front of her and cupped her face with his hands. The action was reminiscent of how Mordecai had held her, except his grip had been impersonal and had left her feeling cold. Roric’s touch was warm and heated her insides.

“I’m fine.” She stepped away from him when all she wanted to do was fling herself into his strong arms and have him hold her. Time had run out. She had to be brave and smart. And that meant no more touching. They ended up having sex whenever they touched. As wonderful as it was, it had to stop. Neither of them could afford the distractions.

“Don’t lie to me.” His brows narrowed over his eyes and he pursed his lips. “I saw the circle closing. I can smell the brimstone.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Did you see who was in it?” Maybe he’d seen Mordecai. If he had, he’d be more likely to believe her.

He frowned and shook his head.

There went that hope. Bracing herself for the battle to come, she took a deep breath. “I had a visitor.”

Roric tried to ignore the clenching in his gut, but it was no use. Hades had sent one of his minions to tempt Aimee, possibly even to hurt her. Frustration filled him. He should have been here instead of waiting for her downstairs. He didn’t want to think about what could have happened to her. There was no point. It would only lead to doubts and that would simply weaken him.

From now on, he wouldn’t be able to let her out of his sight. Not until this was over once and for all. He was responsible for her safety. The weight of his responsibilities threatened to break him. How could he save Aimee and himself, free his fellow warriors and rescue his goddess? It was an impossible task.

He straightened his shoulders and strengthened his resolve. Nothing was impossible. He would not fail. Could not fail. There was too much depending on him.

Roric felt the slight trembling of her body and slid his hands over her shoulders and upper arms, offering silent comfort. She resisted when he pulled her closer, but he ignored her struggles, wanting no physical space between them.

He knew it would be better if they maintained some sort of distance between them. Still he couldn’t deny the twinge of regret that welled up inside him at the thought. He wanted to feel her soft hair against his chin, smell her sweet skin. He gave himself an inward shake. The time for pleasure was over. The time had come to fight.

The woman quivering in his arms was a reminder of his mission. Still, he didn’t like the idea that she’d been dragged into this war between the gods. It was fine for him to face demons from Hell. It was what he’d been created to do, what he’d been doing since the dawn of time. But Aimee…he wished things could be different, that he could walk away from her and know she’d be okay. But wishing for something didn’t change what was. He’d had thousands of years to come to grips with that notion.

“It’s all right,” he soothed as he stroked his hands up and down her back and arms. “You’re okay.” She was fine for now, but he was under no illusions that state would last much longer. Things were about to get tougher and much more frightening. Hades had been merely toying with them so far.

Aimee sighed and stepped away, wrapping her arms around herself. His arms felt bereft without her. Yet he let her go, not reaching for her as he longed to do.

“As I was finishing getting dressed after getting cleaned up, a man appeared out of nowhere.” She pointed to a spot just inside the door before tucking her hand away once again.

“A demon?” Roric strode to the area, hands stretched out, trying to feel the residual energy. Splaying his fingers wide, he ran his hands up and down the space in front of the wall. Nothing. He frowned and did it again. There should be some taint of evil there, but if it was there, it was masked. He couldn’t find it.

“No.”

He whirled back around. Aimee had moved to the end of the bed and was staring down at the sheets. “Who then?”

She shook her head, not answering. As he watched, she started to sit on the mattress, changed her mind and went to the window instead, staring out into the sunlight. “It looks like a beautiful day. I’d like to go out and feel the sunshine against my face.”

Roric was worried now. Had this creature done something to her? Something he couldn’t see? Not all injuries were physical. In some ways, physical injuries were easier to deal with than those of a mental or emotional nature. Crossing the space between them, he clasped her shoulders gently and turned her to face him. “I’ll take you outside,” he promised. He kept his tone low and unthreatening.

She patted his hand where it rested on her right shoulder. “I’m okay.” At his skeptical look, she shook her head and gave him a sad smile. “It’s just that you’re not going to believe what I have to tell you.”

“I will,” he promised. And he realized that he meant it. He trusted Aimee. The only others he’d trusted on such a gut level were the Lady herself and his fellow warriors—Marko, Arand, Leander, Phoenix, Mordecai and Stavros. “Tell me.”

She glanced out the window. A sense of sadness surrounded her. Roric wanted to make it disappear but knew that was impossible. Her life path was irrevocably tied to his now. There was no going back. Not for either of them.

“Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be able to change the past?” There was a note of wistfulness in her voice that touched a part of him he’d thought frozen by anger and time.

Hardening himself, he ignored the ache in his heart. As a result, his answer was brusque, almost cold. “No. There is no going back, only going forward.”

Turning away, she rested her forehead against the pane of glass and peered out the window. Roric looked over the top of her head, seeing what she was seeing. The mountains stood in the distance—majestic, unyielding, eternal. Below them was a sea of color. Autumn had spread its cloak over the land, coating it in brilliant yellows, reds and oranges mixed with the browns and greens of the forest. Even for an eternal warrior who’d lived for longer than mankind, it was awe-inspiring.

“I know you can’t go back.” She raised her hand and laid it flat against the pane of glass. “But do you ever think about it. About what if?”

He had no idea what point she was trying to make. He was a warrior. He dealt with what was, not what might be. “No. There is no point. It clouds the issue and makes you weak.”

Aimee sighed and her breath fogged slightly against the glass. “It makes you human.” She clenched her fingers into a fist. “I grew up playing in these mountains. My daddy would always be working out around the yard, chopping wood or fixing something in his shed. Momma would be in the kitchen cooking supper or baking a pie. I miss them.”

The pain in her voice nearly brought Roric to his knees. He could feel her sadness like a living, breathing entity. The connection he shared with Aimee was unlike anything he’d experienced in his long life. Not even with the Lady did he feel such a bond.

That thought brought him up short. That was blasphemy. He could not allow himself to be swayed from his duty.

“He offered to go back in time and stop the accident from happening.” She gazed out over the land. “All I had to do to make it happen was to betray you.”

Roric stiffened. This wasn’t good. The devil’s minions were tempting Aimee with what she most wanted. He was nothing to her. Just a man, an immortal being who’d turned her life upside down. “What did you tell him?”

She laughed, but it was a sad sound. Turning, she stared up at him, her green eyes dark with pain. “What do you think I said?” she countered.

He wanted to say with conviction that she’d declined, but he couldn’t be certain. Maybe she was telling him this to throw him off, only to betray him when the time was right. Roric decided he would be honest with her. He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up her hand, stopping him.

“No, don’t tell me. I can see the answer in your eyes. You expect me to betray you.”

He frowned. “I do trust you.” Deep in his gut he did. “But that doesn’t mean that the devil can’t tempt you. Stronger people than yourself have succumbed to the lure of false promises.”

A tinge of red flowed up her cheeks, driving away the paleness from her skin. Roric knew it was due to anger, but it was very similar to the flush her face took on during sex. His body responded immediately, muscles tightening, cock growing and thickening.

“Thank you very much,” she replied tartly. She shoved by him and strode toward the door. “I said no, if you’re interested,” she tossed over her shoulder as she left the room.

Roric followed her as she hurried down the stairs. Ignoring the scorched and blackened living area, she entered the kitchen and went straight to the back door. She flung it open and stepped out onto the covered back deck that ran the width of the house.

Aimee walked to the corner and leaned against a thick post. “Of course, I could be lying to you.” Her words were faint, but he heard them all the same.

He might be a fool, but he couldn’t leave things like this between them. The sun was bright, but the air was crisp. “You should have on a sweater or a coat,” he muttered.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You think I’m going to betray you to Hades himself, but you’re worried I’m not wearing a coat?”

Put like that, it did sound silly. Still, Roric didn’t back down. “I don’t want you getting ill.”

“Certainly not. I might not be as useful to you if that happened.”

“Stop it.” He grabbed her upper arms and yanked her to him. Not giving her a chance to refuse him, he lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her with all the pent-up frustration, anger and lust that coursed through his veins. He wanted her to respond to him,
needed
her to respond. He had to feel the pulse of her passion mixing with his.

Even though he’d just had her, he wanted her again. He plundered her mouth, using his tongue to taste every inch of the warm cavern. She tasted like mint and that vile coffee she loved so well. He softened the caress when her lips softened beneath his and her tongue stroked over his.

Shuddering, he ended the passionate kiss. The passion between them was real, not manufactured by a curse or spell or magic of any sort. Yet it was a powerful magic in and of itself.

Aimee’s lips were wet and plump, and her eyes had taken on a dazed look. Satisfaction filled him. This was truth. This wasn’t a lie, no matter what else might happen.

The sensual glow faded slowly from her face, and Aimee swore under her breath. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed. Roric simply locked his hands behind her back, keeping her exactly where he wanted her—close to him.

His entire body was vibrating, his penis erect, straining to be released. Roric had no plans to give in to the sexual demands of his body, but they made him feel alive. And that was a sensation to savor.

Aimee huffed and pushed again, but he didn’t relent. She glared at him. “What is it about you guys that makes you think you can take what you want?”

Everything inside Roric turned to ice. “What did the demon do to you?”

Her gaze narrowed. “I already told you, he wasn’t a demon. But he grabbed me and kissed me, like you just did.”

Jealousy snaked through Roric, a hot whip that flayed his skin from the inside out. Every muscle in his body coiled for action. He’d kill the other creature, even if he had to follow it to the depths of Hell. The creature had dared to touch his woman.

Roric knew his thoughts were totally irrational, but he didn’t care. There was no fighting the primal urges flowing through him. He could feel the tiger pacing within the confines of his mind, roaring with anger, drowning out all rational thought. The only thing that was certain was that whoever had touched Aimee had to die.

“Hey, are you okay?” Aimee had her hands pressed against his cheeks. He could see the concern in her eyes.

A low growl escaped from his throat. “Who is he? Did he give you a name?

She nodded and slowly lowered her hands back down by her sides. Her expression went blank. “He did.”

“Who?” His voice was little more than a guttural snarl. He’d run out of patience.

She swallowed hard but met his gaze unflinchingly. “He told me his name was Mordecai.”

Chapter Thirteen

Aimee didn’t know how he’d react to her unexpected bombshell. Roric’s eyes were wild, his muscular body coiled for action.

“No. It couldn’t be Mordecai.”

She stared at him in disbelief. Was he calling her a liar or was he just in denial? “Tall guy, black hair, black eyes.” And because he looked so skeptical, she couldn’t resist tossing in, “Handsome too.”