ValiasVillain (9 page)

She was obviously repulsed by the thought of fucking Fin and
in that moment Valia wanted to leave her there to rot, but she tried to remind
herself the female was addicted to an Incubus and that had a lot to do with it.
And she hadn’t missed the way Fin gazed at the Sempire, the way his aura flared
as she’d approached him. No doubt, he wanted her. Big-time.

Debol laughed, sent her back to her corner and addressed
Kean again. “Very nice gifts indeed. They’ll be so much fun. How did you manage
to capture them? Surely not by yourself.”

“Araya helped.”

“She is loyal to you, yes?” At Kean’s nod, he continued.
“Then I would not be hiring you, I’d be hiring a team. A human-Incubus, a
Sempire
,
and a dog. Interesting. Interesting indeed.” He took a seat behind the desk and
propped his feet on it and nodded at the guard closest to Kean. The guard released
Kean from the shackles. “Please sit,” Debol motioned to the chair on the
opposite side of the desk. “But move the chair to the side and turn around.
We’re about to watch a show.” Debol told the guard who’d released Kean to
“bring him in”. Kiberry followed Kean and sat by his feet.

A few moments later, Valia gasped despite herself as the
guard returned with Rydin. His face sported black-and-blue marks, one of his
beautiful horns was chipped and his hands were chained behind his back. Rydin
looked directly at Valia the second he’d walked in the door as if he’d known
she was there. Guilt racked her, knowing his condition was her fault.

Rydin felt Valia’s presence before the guard had come for
him. He’d known the second she’d materialized in the demon realm, had been
absurdly excited, but concerned for her well-being too.
Silly female.
What the hell had she hoped to accomplish by coming here? Seeing her busted lip
infuriated him. If Debol had done that, he’d kill him. He didn’t know how or
when, but one day he’d make that motherfucker suffer.

The guard, holding the chains attached to his wrists, kicked
behind Rydin’s knees and he fell to the ground. He righted himself with some
effort and sat back on his heels. “What the fuck is going on Debol?”

“Tsk, tsk. A little more respect in your tone, please. You
are on my shitlist, you know.”

Rydin humphed. “No, I hadn’t noticed.”

Debol nodded at Rydin’s guard and he punched Rydin in the
side of the head. His head whipped to the side but he didn’t make a sound. Valia,
however, did. She yelled, “Stop,” and rushed forward, sinking to the ground
beside Rydin.

Rydin hissed, “Get away from me,” in a hushed tone, hoping
only she would hear. The hurt that crossed her face cut him, but it was better
this way. If Debol thought he was a weakness for her, he would exploit it. Why
had she been so upset at his condition anyway? And why the hell did she come
back here? She could be home, wrapped in her soft sheets and eating her fancy
fruits.

“What’s wrong?” Debol asked him. “Not happy to see your
girlfriend?”

“I have no girlfriend.” But damned if saying that didn’t
stick in his craw. If he ever did have one, she’d be like Valia. Sexy,
stubborn, defiant, insatiable.

“Bring her to me,” Debol told another guard who brought
Valia around to him. Rydin ground his teeth as Debol’s gaze brazenly appraised
her. “Yes, I think she’ll make a nice addition to my collection. Don’t you
think, Rydin? A
Sempire
to kneel on each side of my desk.”

Rydin knew Debol was taunting him, trying to bait him. He
got off on shit like this but if he showed concern over Valia, it would only be
worse for both of them. If only he didn’t have the damn contract bond
restricting him from kicking Debol’s ass, he’d kill the fucker, broken and
bruised as he might be. “Sure, why not,” he answered Debol casually.

Debol pulled Valia into his lap. Rydin decided he liked the
dog when it growled in Debol’s direction and the mixed breed had to put a hand
on the dog’s neck to keep him in place. Rydin barely held back a growl of his
own.

“Oh fuck no, Incubus,” she said and struggled against his
hold. Would she succumb to him? The thought of Valia being touched by Debol
almost made him lose it but he had to stay calm. He wanted nothing more than to
defend her, to keep her safe, but he couldn’t. Feeling helpless was not
something Rydin was used to and he didn’t like it one bit.

“What’s wrong,
Sempire
? Don’t want your boyfriend to
see you swoon over my Incubus scent? You know you can’t resist me for long.
Maybe we’ll give Rydin a break from the beatings. He let you go. Knowing what
would happen to him, he let you go. I think having him watch you suck my cock
will be far worse punishment, don’t you think?”

Valia slammed her head back and Rydin heard a crunch. She’d
broken his nose. So many times he’d wanted to break Debol’s nose and much
worse. He loved that Valia had done it, was proud of her, but feared for her.
Debol shoved Valia off his lap and covered his nose, muffled expletives flying.

“You will pay for that, bitch.”

Kean jumped up to get in front of Valia when Debol made a
move for her. Kean held up his hands. “Hey, let’s just calm down.”

“You gave her to me, mixed-breed Incubus, get out of my way
or I’ll dispose of you.”

Kean stood his ground. “We have no agreement yet so technically
she’s still mine.”

Debol’s bloody face was a mask of fury as he spit out,
“You’re hired, name your price and get the fuck out of my way.” He shoved Kean
aside, and a guard held him in place as Debol grabbed Valia.

The dog bit the guard holding the mixed breed and the guard
kicked it, sending it flying across the room.

Valia thrashed and struggled to get out of Debol’s hold but
the shackles thwarted her efforts. Rydin roared and jumped to his feet when
Debol struck her across the face and ripped open her shirt. It took all of the
guards in the room to hold him back.

Rydin took in her appearance again. Her busted lip was
healing but her ripped shirt and unzipped pants refueled his rage. Thinking of
her being defiled by that fucking Incubus boiled his blood. Being calm, acting
indifferent was no longer an option as Rydin’s skin prickled and burned, fury
engulfing him, driving his actions. This kind of rage hadn’t overtaken him in
many years. An animalistic roar emerged from deep within. His muscles corded
and bunched as he burst upward from the floor.

He smashed his head into the closest guard’s face. The
guard’s head swung so violently to the side his neck snapped and he crumpled to
the ground in a lifeless heap. Rydin turned and saw the former dog had turned
into a
Tengur
and charged the guard holding its master. The
Tengur
shredded the guard in seconds.

Kean jumped to action, fists flying at the guard closest to
Araya. Araya lifted her shackled arms high and jumped up to get the chain
around the guard’s neck while Kean continued pummeling him.

Another guard stuck a dagger into Rydin’s back. He whipped
around and drove his head into the guard’s stomach, his horns piercing the
guard’s flesh. They weren’t long enough to reach any vital organs but he kept
ramming them in until the guard dropped.

Valia yelled to the
Sempire
on the floor, “Get up and
help us! We’ll take you out of here.”

The
Sempire
watched, with wide eyes, the carnage
going on around her but didn’t budge. Valia ran to her but the remaining guard
grabbed her.

Debol had no means of escape, the exit blocked by Kean and
Araya who had their guard on the ground now and the
Tengur
backing them
up, snarling and snapping his teeth.

Rydin rammed his horns directly into the spine of the guard
who dared put his hands on Valia. “Thanks,” she said, breathless and winked at
him. Then she reached into her boot and pulled out a green-handled dagger of
her own. Damn thing came complete with what looked like diamonds and emeralds
set in the hilt. She headed toward Debol.

“No,” he said as she started toward Debol. “He’s mine.”

“But, I thought you couldn’t hurt him.”

Rydin rushed Debol but the kneeling
Sempire
screamed,
“No,” and jumped in front of him, protecting him.

“What the fuck, are you kidding me?” Valia exclaimed.

Rydin advanced and the
Sempire
spit and jumped on
him, clawing at him.

“I don’t wish to hurt you, female,” he grunted as she
pummeled him.

Valia grabbed the female’s arm and jerked her off Rydin.
“Thanks,” he mimicked her earlier response. The female was wild in her attempts
to break away from Valia but his female was a spitfire. She was handling
herself just fine even shackled at the wrists and Fin rushed over to help her.

“Rydin,” Debol said, sounding unconcerned, “you can’t hurt
me. All you’re doing is making it worse for yourself.”

“You touched her, put your filthy hands on her. You must
die.”

Shock shown on Debol’s face as Rydin slammed him against the
stone wall. Holy shit, he was actually able to do it. To hurt the bastard. He
kicked at Debol’s knees and the Incubus dropped to the stone floor.

“I’ll reduce your contract. Keep the
Sempire
. Just
go,” he said frantically.

“Reduce my contract? Killing you will eliminate my
contract.”

Four new guards burst through the door, completely ignoring
everyone but Rydin. Kiberry bit the foot off the guard Araya and Kean had been
struggling with, then sniffed the air wildly, his eyes bulging, an odd howling
noise erupted from him as he shot out of the room. She knew Kiberry could take
care of himself but she worried anyway, wondering what the hell he was doing
and what danger he might face.

Valia recognized one of guards from the front entrance. He
and the other three charged Rydin and before he had time to defend himself,
they stabbed and beat him. He swung and kicked at them, but in his weakened
state, he was no match for them. His huge form crumpled to the floor, his blood
pouring from gaping wounds.

Valia’s heart seized in her chest. She needed to help him,
save him but her feet seemed frozen in place. Anger and pain, his pain,
radiated through her as a raging sickness swamped her. Sparks of color suddenly
surrounded the guards as their auras became brighter and brighter, until she
could see every intricate detail, clearer to her than the blood running from
Rydin’s wounds. It was beautiful, blinding, somehow empowering.

Time slowed as the colors moved, shifted, weaved an
intricate pattern. Was she doing that? An electric chill skittered over her
skin, her nerve endings hypersensitive. The breath was ripped from her lungs in
a whoosh and then she felt it. Felt a connection to the guards, a power over
them. She focused her thoughts on stopping the brutality, stopping them from
hurting Rydin any more.

Suddenly, two of the guards stopped mid-swing and turned
their attention away from Rydin and to the other two guards. Valia pushed her
will on them, straining until she felt her head might explode. The guards began
pummeling the others—punching, beating, breaking—making quick work of
incapacitating them.

Rydin struggled to get to his feet and failed, his gorgeous
bloody body sagging against the wall, but at least he wasn’t being beaten any
longer. He would be okay. He had to be.

Debol tried to make a run for it but Kiberry chose that
moment to bound back into the room, blood coating his fur and dripping from his
pointy teeth, another
Tengur
, with purple tinged fur, right on his
heels. At first she thought the
Tengur
was going to attack Kiberry but
it was backing him up.

Debol wisely stopped and took a step backward.

Valia ran to Rydin’s side and almost puked at all the blood,
his beautiful body marred by stab wounds. He was
Ferox
but could he
survive that much blood loss?

She palmed her dagger and jammed it into Debol’s gut. Once,
twice, three times. Debol crumpled to the floor. She wanted to kill him but she
wouldn’t. She’d save that pleasure for Rydin. After all the years he’d had to
suffer this bastard’s bullshit, he deserved to be the one to end him. But if he
couldn’t because of the contract bond? She’d do it happily, slowly, as Rydin
watched. Maybe make him some popcorn to munch on as he enjoyed the show.

“Get these shackles off us,” she demanded of one of the
guards. He complied instantly. “And my family.” He did as she bid. “Now chain
him,” she motioned to Debol.

“What are you?” he shrieked, his voice high-pitched,
panicked. “How are you doing this?”

Rydin moaned and tried to pick himself up off the ground.
That snapped Valia out of her daze. She bent down next to him. “You gonna be
okay?”

He grunted. “I’ll be fine. Just need a minute. Or several
minutes.” He watched the guards string up Debol. “How did you do that?”

She felt her face flush. She knew
Sensus
demons had
power but she’d never done anything like that before. Most of the time she
could barely even read auras properly. But she’d been so furious, so upset at
the sight of Rydin being stabbed and beaten, that miniscule part of her, the
remnants from her father the
Sensus
demon, had taken over her body. And
she’d done to them what she’d done to Rydin those years ago. She’d bound their
auras to hers and forced them to bend to her will.

It wasn’t the time to tell him. She didn’t think there’d
ever be a good time. But right now he needed medical attention.

“You need to get out of here,” Rydin said through gritted
teeth. “Debol will have called more guards and assassins through the contract
bond. This place will be swarming with them any minute. You have to get out of
this realm.”

“Well you’re coming with. Gotta patch ya up. We’ll bring him
too and you can kill him later. It’ll be fun.”

“I can’t leave.”

“Why the hell not?”

“The bond—”

“Bond? You knocked him around, maybe you can flash outta
here too.”

“No clue how I was able to do that. Don’t have the strength
to port now anyway. My fate is sealed.”

“Bullshit. I’ll flash ya.”

Araya’s voice cut in, “We need to get out of here, Valia.”

Fin and Kean had the wild
Sempire
secured. Barely.

“No!” She screamed. “Please, my brother. We have to find
him.”

“Brother?” Araya, Fin, Kean and Valia all said in unison.

Rydin grunted, trying to stand. “He’s down the hall, third
door on the right. Name’s Baden.”

“Stay still,” Valia told him. “Your blood spurts when you
move. You’re gonna run out.” Then to one of the guards she said, “You, get the
brother.” He complied.

“I am
Ferox
. I am fine.” Rydin reached into Valia’s
boot and removed the dagger. “He must die now.”

Valia helped Rydin inch closer to Debol.

“Araya, Kean, Fin, get out of here. Kiberry, you too.”
Kiberry extended a wing and wrapped it protectively around the other
Tengur
.
Holy crap. Kiberry found himself a girlfriend. If the situation wasn’t so dire,
she’d take a minute to enjoy how precious that was. “She can go too, but you
gotta make sure she doesn’t kill anyone at home.”

“We’re not leaving you alone,” Araya said.

“I’m not alone. I have two guards and Rydin.”

They looked skeptical until the remaining guard spoke out.
“We’ll keep her safe. She freed us from his hold,” he motioned toward Debol.

Valia avoided Rydin’s gaze. She could feel his questioning
look scrutinizing her.

“Fine, if you’re not back in five minutes, we’ll be back.
Gotta get this one secured.”

“Hey dude, what’s your name?” Valia asked.

“Aidor.”

“Aidor, keep him still while Rydin finishes this.”

Debol wept and tried to crawl away but Aidor held him in
place.

Rydin pressed the dagger against his throat. “I’ve wanted to
do this for one hundred and thirty years.”

“Rydin, think of what you’re—”

Rydin didn’t give him time to finish. He slammed the dagger
into Debol’s throat, twisted, turned, ripped.
Gross
.

The other guard reappeared with the
Sempire
’s
brother.

“Get over here, let’s go.” She wrapped her arms around Rydin
and the two guards touched her shoulder as she flashed them all out of there.

* * * * *

Valia and Rydin appeared in her room. He’d been too weak
from the wounds and blood loss to stop her from flashing him here. No wonder
she’d thought his place was a dump, well beside the fact it was. Floor to
ceiling windows, silken green-and-gold drapes, a four-post king-sized bed and
insanely large flat screen television and stereo system. This room alone was
larger than his shack and the contents of the room probably cost more than he’d
made last year and possibly the year before.

“Come on. Lie on the bed,” she said. “Gotta clean you up.”

“I’ll bleed on your expensive sheets.”

“Pfft. Whatevs. I have more.”

He lay down and, damn, her bed was comfortable, the sheets
softer than the ones he’d bought because of her.

“Why’d you bring me here?” he asked as she jogged to the
opposite end of the room and disappeared behind a door. She reappeared a few
seconds later with several cloths in her hands.

She sat on the bed next to him and dabbed at his wounds,
wiping away the blood. Her gentle ministrations soothed him.

“You are gonna be okay, right? They fucked you up pretty
bad.”

He grunted. “I’ve had worse. I am—”

“Yeah, yeah, you are
Ferox
. Got it.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

She shrugged and threw the bloodied cloth to the floor,
picked up a fresh one and cleaned another wound. “I owed you one. Or two. Ya
know, for what happened thirty years ago.”

Guilt. He’d thought maybe she’d cared. But it was guilt.
That stung worse than any of his wounds. Why was he even thinking that way? It
must be the blood loss making him stupid.

“The bleeding’s mostly stopped,” she said. She went for his
zipper and he grabbed her hand.

“What are you doing, female?”

“I’m going to tear these pants from your body, free your
cock and suck it until you drown me with your delicious semen.”

The hungry look in her eyes instantly had his cock standing
at attention, uncomfortably so within the barrier of his pants.

Then, she laughed at him. He didn’t appreciate being laughed
at but the sound, light and feminine, caressed him, smoothed out some of his
rough edges.

“Silly male. I wouldn’t molest you when you’re helpless.”
Her face turned scarlet and her face fell. “I wouldn’t now anyway,” she
mumbled. “Anyhoo, your pants are super funky. All bloody and dirty.”

He didn’t like this guilty bullshit. It didn’t suit her. She
was upbeat, funny, spoiled… In that instant, he realized he didn’t blame her,
didn’t hold a grudge against her anymore. Somewhere along the way, his anger toward
her had dissipated.

“I liked your first explanation about why you were going for
my zipper better than the second,” he teased. Teasing didn’t come naturally to
him. There had been so little in his life, but he guessed it was good enough
because that feisty sparkle glinted in her eyes and a beautifully devious smile
lifted her lips.

He reached out and touched the barely there split on her
lip. It was almost completely healed. He growled, “Did Debol do this to you?”

“Nope. Araya did. I asked her to. Needed to look messed up
before going in there. Had to be in character, ya know?”

“What were you doing in the demon realm? I set you free.”
Damn he was tired and ached everywhere. Just keeping his eyes open was a
struggle.

“That’s why. It’s part of it anyway. You set me free. I
wanted to return the favor.”

That’s what he wanted to hear but didn’t think it was so.
She’d offered to kill Debol for him, but he hadn’t known at the time if she was
trying to butter him up so she could escape him.

Rydin’s eyelids were at half mast. He might be
Ferox,
but he needed to rest. His wounds had stopped bleeding, but there had been so
many and that much healing took a lot out of a body.

“What is it about you, Valia, that calls to me?” he asked,
his voice sleepy. “Why do I feel…connected to you?”

She had to tell him, but again, now didn’t seem the time.
She picked up another damp cloth and very carefully dabbed at the dried blood
on his face. The bruising and swelling had lessened but still looked terrible.
She hated seeing this big, beautiful, dangerous, demon in such bad condition.
She wanted him arrogant and fierce—she smiled to herself—bossing her around.

She forced her best smile and answered, “I’m awesome, what
can I say?”

Her heart thudded as his lips lifted at the corners. Even
bruised and beaten, he was the most desirable male she’d ever encountered.

She waited until he fell asleep and went to find her mother.

* * * * *

Valia found her mother, Kean, Araya, Darcy, and the two
guards she’d freed in the in the dining room. “Where’s my bro, Navine and her
bro?”

Araya answered, “Fin’s making her a cherry fruit smoothie.
Baden said cherries are her favorite.” Araya frowned. “She’s pretty
inconsolable right now.”

Valia hugged Araya and Kean. “Thanks for the help.”

Kean said, “That was some shitty plan you had there.”

She laughed. “It’s all good. We’re alive.”

“How’s Rydin?” Araya asked.

“Snoozing now. Hey, uh, got a few minutes for a chat, Mommy
Dear?” By the look on her mother’s face, she had her pissy-pants on. “I’m sure
you wanna bitch at me a little for ditching the guards.”

Talith nodded and rose from her chair and she and Valia made
their way into the theatre room.

After Talith berated her about how irresponsible and
dangerous her foray into the demon realm had been, Valia explained her dilemma
to her mother and had a long chat with her about her transition. Apparently a
Sensus
demon and a
Sempire
wasn’t a common pairing and made for a difficult
transition.

Talith had sent her guards out to find some compatible
demons for Valia. Some had come willingly, Rydin had not. Darcy had actually
found Rydin for Valia. Valia had been surprised by that. Darcy was a big ole
badass but so was Rydin and she couldn’t imagine him being taken down by one
demon. Talith refused to elaborate but apparently Darcy had some hidden
talents.

Her mother said Valia had chosen Rydin right away as if the
others weren’t even there.

When Valia explained about needing to seek out a
Sensus
demon willing to teach her so she could release Rydin from the aura binding,
her mother had suggested keeping him bound and learning to better control him.
Tempting, but she wouldn’t do that to him. Not again.

It had taken some convincing to get her mother to believe
Rydin wouldn’t harm her. She might be mistaken but she didn’t think he would.
He’d been so angry with her when he’d had her in the demon realm and she’d been
at his mercy, but he’d never harmed her. And when she’d weakened, he’d relented
and nourished her. No, he might hate her all over again, but he wouldn’t harm
her.

Valia went back to her room where Rydin snored lightly. He
looked so yummy lying in her bed. Hell, he looked yummy anywhere and in any
condition.

She wanted to sleep but decided to rinse the dirt off
herself first. She took a quick shower, threw on tank top and a flimsy cotton
skirt that said “juicy” on the ass and climbed in bed bedside Rydin, careful
not to wake him. Oh she’d love to wake him with her mouth on his cock, but she
wanted his wounds healed first.

She’d never had a male sleep in her bed before but she liked
it. Liked the warmth radiating from him, liked the closeness, liked the
completeness she felt with him so near. Of course, the latter was just because
of the aura binding and would be gone soon, but she’d enjoy it for now.

* * * * *

Valia awoke to the most awesome sensation, a warm and
skilled tongue swirling around her clit, thrusting in and out of her wet
depths. Her hips bucked of their own accord, pressing tight against his mouth.
He latched onto her clit, sucking hard, flicking the tip of his tongue across
her swollen nub. As the sensations consumed her body she grabbed a handful of
his hair, careful not to touch his chipped horn, and smashed his face into her
pussy. She cried out as he thrust a finger inside her. Her body was on the
edge, climax close.

As much as she loved what his mouth was doing to her, she
desperately wanted him inside her. Wanted to feel him fill her, stretch her as
the world shattered around them.

“Make love to me, Rydin.” Where had that come from?
Make
love
? Those words had never crossed her lips before, at least not in a
serious way. Luckily, he didn’t seem to mind or find it odd.

“Gladly,” he said. His dark gaze caught and held hers as he
quickly crawled up her body and rubbed the head of his cock against her
sensitive lips, sinking into her in one smooth thrust. The groan that escaped
him, his eyes rolling back, his contorted face, spoke volumes of his pleasure
and she loved it. Loved that being inside her gave him as much pleasure as it
gave her.

He thrust slowly, leaning down to capture her lips in a
breath-stealing kiss, his hips pistoning, building momentum as their tongues
thrashed together.

“Harder, more,” she breathed against his lips. He obliged,
slamming into her with a fierce need, her hips meeting his thrust for thrust.

“Like this?” he asked as he pounded harder, faster.

She nodded as her fingernails pierced the flesh on his back,
accentuating her answer.

“Come for me, Valia.” His strained face gave away how close
his own release was.

Pressure built and spread to dizzying heights before finally
bubbling over. The surge of pleasure overtaking her had her screaming his name
as her pussy spasmed, white flame bursting from deep inside, shattering her
body. Rydin followed, burying himself deep in her, roaring his pleasure,
filling her with what he’d sworn to deny her just days ago. The heat and
strength of his
Ferox
seed sent her over the edge again and she thought
she’d pass out from the pleasure.

He rested his forehead on hers, their sweat-covered bodies
gasping for normal breath. This delicious demon had spoiled her for other males
and she knew she’d have to have him again. Now that he was free from the demon
realm, that was a distinct possibility.

He moved to her side and pulled her up against him. The tenderness
she felt coming from this beast of a male ratcheted up some strange emotion.
She’d felt it with him before but still didn’t have a name for it.

“You showered,” she said. She’d noticed his wet hair when
he’d been feasting between her thighs.

“I woke up with a need for you but I didn’t want to get you
funky
.”

She laughed at his use of the word. It didn’t sound right
coming out of his mouth. She turned to face him and propped herself on one
elbow. “You’re still a little black and blue, but lookin’ much better.”

“I feel much better. Now tell me, what did you do to Debol’s
guards? What kind of magic was that?”

Valia’s gut twisted. It was time. She couldn’t put it off
any longer, but she damn sure wanted to. Breaking the serenity, the contentment
of the moment was the last thing on her mind, but it had to be done. Without
telling him an outright lie, there was no way to avoid it now that he’d asked.