Wicked Flames (Solsti Prophecy) (28 page)

Watcher? What does that mean?

“Yes. Proud to represent the females.” Ria smiled and squared her shoulders.

“You’re welcome to stay with us, even if your brother chooses to spend all his time working.” D’Mari released her hand and flicked expectant eyes to Gin.

“And this is Gin.” Mathias said.

“Gin.” D’Mari took her hand in his much larger one. He held it for a moment, assessing her with the calm strength of a man used to giving orders. Yet humor danced around the edge of his features, and she wasn’t afraid of him. “You travel in good company. Welcome to Tarsa.”

“Thank you,” she said in a small voice, glad that Mathias had kept the introduction simple. No need to announce what she was. That would raise questions that she didn’t want to address right now.
 

“Come.” D’Mari released Gin’s hand. “You all look weary. Let’s get you something to eat, then rest. Then,” he aimed a pointed look at Mathias, “I want to know what brings you here.”

Mathias rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s a long story, my friend. You sure you have enough rum?”

D’Mari laughed, and the melodic sound boomed around the trees. “Do we? You
have
been working too hard, if you have to ask.”

Mathias and Ria picked up their daggers, and the Tarsa demons escorted them through the thick vegetation. In a short walk, they reached a stone bridge over a narrow strip of land. Giant rocks with sharp edges were interspersed with smaller ones, the whole shape arching up in a graceful curve. Emerging from the tree line, Gin could see an island on the other side, full of lush greenery like the landscape they had just navigated.

A shimmering, calm body of water extended on each side, with the strip of land dividing it into two halves. She peered closer, and it seemed like the waters almost met across the land.

“Tis dawn. The tide is coming in. You don’t want to swim in our waters. We’ll take the bridge,” D’Mari said.

Gin sidled up next to Ria, curiosity outweighing her other, muddled, emotions. “Why don’t we want to swim here?”

“The water’s full of nasty creatures. They eat
anything
. Boats, metal, wood, you name it. And of course, anything with flesh. It’s called the Sangre Sea.”

“Eew.” Thank goodness for the bridge. She followed Ria onto the roughhewn stone. Towers loomed at the right and left side of the bridge. Tall narrow windows made dark slashes high on the walls, and two matching towers stood at the far side.

“Tarsa’s a peninsula but, obviously, it becomes an island part of the day.” Ria said.

“Have you been here before?” Gin asked.

Ria shook her head. “No, but I’m glad we ended up here.”

“Why?”

“Not only is it warm, but the Tarsa demons are vicious. No one messes with them. This is better than a safe house.”

“What are these safe houses you guys keep talking about?”

“It’s dangerous to be out at night on Torth. The nocturnal creatures are violent and travel in hordes. So if we’re stuck somewhere and need a place to stay, we have them scattered around the land. They’re hidden and warded so only we can find them.”

“What does warded mean?”

“Has a protective spell on it. That house you were tied up in was warded.”

Gin frowned. “How’d you get in?”

“We called headquarters. Talked to the resident spell expert.” Ria grinned.

“Oh.” Gin’s head felt ready to explode. Talk about information overload. Then again, she had asked the questions.

At the other side of the bridge the forest was even thicker, like a jungle. A wall of trees rose like a vibrant barrier, and a few Tarsa demons looked at them curiously from the shore. D’Mari greeted them but didn’t stop. He took them on a path through the trees to a large cleared space. Her stomach rumbled as the aroma of grilled meat drifted to her nose.

Three cooking fires were going, each in a circle in the ground. The bustle of activity halted when they approached, all the demons nodding respectfully at D’Mari.

“As you were.” He nodded back at them.

A tall beautiful, dark-skinned woman strode toward them. She wore her long hair in dozens of thin braids, and her eyes were an unusual tawny brown, almost amber-colored. Sunlight glinted off dozens of thin gold bangles on her arms and she wore a green sleeveless dress that hugged her curves. As she neared, Gin could see three piercings in each of her ears, and one in her nose. Diamonds.

“Welcome back, Mathias,” she said as she pulled him into a hug.
Hmm. How well does he know her?
Gin couldn’t believe the stab of jealousy that shot through her. She shook her head, trying to push away the irrational feeling.

“Look at you.” The woman patted his stomach and frowned. “Too skinny. We’re cooking for you now.”

“Its smells like heaven, Zinaya. You’re as stunning as always. D’Mari’s a lucky demon.” Mathias kissed her hand.

Oh
. Gin felt silly. Why did she even care?

“Yes, he’s lucky I chose him all those centuries ago.” She winked at D’Mari. “And who are your companions?”

“I’d like you to meet my sister, Ria, and our friend, Gin.”

Zinaya embraced Ria and then Gin. She pulled back to study her face, smoothing a lock of her hair. “Gin.” She tilted her head to one side, paused as if thinking, then nodded. “Yes. It is good that you are here. We are honored.”

“Thank you for having us.”
What was that all about?

“Come and sit.” Zinaya led them to a large wooden table near one of the fire pits. The legs were carved with images of different fish. She murmured something to another demon, and moments later two pitchers were placed on the table.

Mathias walked over to Gin, gently taking her elbow. “We need to talk.” He turned to Zinaya. “Could you excuse us for a minute?”

“Of course. The food will be ready soon.”

Mathias steered her away from the group, so they were out of earshot but could still see everyone.

Gin crossed her arms. “What?” She tried to glare, but fatigue crept up fast, dragging her down. She was furious, but so damn tired. Why couldn’t this wait until she was rested? Then she could give a good fight.

“I’m sorry for the way this all went down. And—”

She held up a hand to stop him, but he grasped it gently.

“No, Gin. Hear me out. I know you have a lot of questions, and I promise that Ria and I will do our best to answer them.” His hazel eyes pierced her with a look that was half command, half guilt. “But for right now, I need to be honest with D’Mari. About you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going to tell him you’re a Solsti.”

“What? No!” She clenched her teeth and yanked her hand away. “I don’t want this! Any of it! And how do you know?”

“Gin…” he tilted his head. “It’s not a secret. Not after your sisters mated Lash demons.”

“They told you. All of you.” The words came out dully. She should have known.

“Yes. And we can get into the
why
of it later today. Or tomorrow, or whenever you’re ready.”

“You’ve known since I met you.” Saying it out loud only increased the sting.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah.”

“I hate you,” she whispered the words, and part of her believed them. She hated being deceived. Her life had turned upside down since he walked into it.

A flicker of emotion danced in his eyes.
Hurt?
She didn’t care. He held her gaze, hands on his hips. “I don’t blame you.”

“I’m so mad at you, I could…” Her hands clenched into fists and she blew out a breath.

“Do it.” He spread his arms. “Whatever you want. Punch or kick, give me your worst.”

She eyed his broad chest, knowing too well the muscles rippling beneath his shirt. Hell, she couldn’t hurt someone like him. And if she couldn’t hurt him, the next best option was letting the world know how she felt. She raised her hand and slapped his face as hard as she could.

The smack of skin-on-skin echoed loudly, and several demons turned to stare. “You’re an ass,” she hissed.

He rubbed his cheek. “I deserved that. Look, I’ll only tell D’Mari and Zinaya, for now. They lead these people. They make decisions regarding the island’s safety, and they should know exactly who they’re extending a rare branch of hospitality to.”

“What if they don’t want me here?”

“They’ll be fine. Trust me.”

She snorted. “Famous last words.”

He raked a hand through his hair. “Okay, wrong thing to say. Put it this way. Ria and I are in charge of your safety per orders from Arawn, our boss.”

“So it’s all about your job?” She huffed out an incredulous breath and shook her head, trying to hide the hurt that welled at his words. Her heart pinched at the thought that she could be an assignment, nothing more. “Want a shovel? ‘Cause you’re only digging yourself deeper.”

“Goddamn it, Gin. It’s about more than the job.” He took a step toward her. She took one back. He stood, glowering with frustration. “I’m sorry about the attack in your parking lot. I’m sorry you got kidnapped. That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“And seducing me? Was
that
supposed to happen?” She poured sarcasm into her voice, hating him and yet hoping he could redeem himself.

“That part was up to me.” He leveled her with a piercing gaze. “Don’t tell me you didn’t want it as much as I did.”

Aaand, there’s the knife
. “I didn’t know
what you were
.” She spat out the last words and shook her head. “I’m done talking. I’m hungry and exhausted.” She stalked away from him and toward the food.

“Come Gin, you look parched,” Zinaya said, pouring clear liquid into a glass. She glanced behind Gin, no doubt at Mathias, but didn’t ask questions.
Thank goodness.
She handed the glass to Gin. “Water first. Then we’ll get to the rum, if you like.”

Gin gulped her water and set the glass down with a thunk. “Ready for rum.”

Zinaya chuckled. “There’s some on every table. Sit anywhere you like.”

“Thank you.” Gin looked around. She didn’t want to sit with Ria or Mathias, so she walked to a table of brawny men. She couldn’t remember if they were the guards who had brought them in. All she knew was they were all smiles, muscle, and loud laughter. “May I join you?” she asked.

“Of course,” said the nearest one, pulling out a chair for her. “We are honored. I’m Oberon.” He extended his hand.

She moved to shake it, but he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Sit here, by me.”

“Thank you.” She sat, and large platters of meat and vegetables were placed in front of her. “That smells delicious. What is it?”

“Shark. Caught today.” Oberon filled her glass. “And rum.”

Shark meat and rum for breakfast? Why not?
She forked a few slices onto her plate. “So, this is my first time visiting Tarsa.”
Or Torth, in general—but they don’t need to know that.
“Tell me about it.”

The meal progressed, and Gin’s back burned with the heat of Mathias’s stare. She didn’t have to turn around to know he watched her.
Let him watch
. She focused on the warriors’ stories about their peninsula, the waters around it, and how they had all prospered under Zinaya’s rule.

“Don’t she and D’Mari rule together, like equals?” Gin asked.

Oberon shook his head. “Zinaya is the leader by birth, as her mother was before her. She chose D’Mari in a mate run eight centuries ago.”

Eight centuries?
This place was mind-boggling. “What’s a mate run?”

Oberon proceeded to tell her of the ancient custom of a race held for the ruling family’s unmated daughter to choose a mate. “Many couples include it in their mating ceremony, usually as a formality. But not in their case.” He glanced to D’Mari, who was feeding Zinaya a small red fruit, and smiled. “And it worked out well.”

Gin followed his gaze. “I guess so,” she murmured. There was a tenderness between the two of them that captivated her. Maybe because she never envisioned that for herself. Being able to set fires was usually a bad characteristic for a girlfriend or wife. Her eyes moved to Mathias, talking to a burly fighter seated next to him. A pang of hurt flared deep in her belly.
Why’d the guy I just had the best sex of my life with have to—

A clink drew her attention back to the table. “More rum for our lovely guest,” Oberon said as he filled her glass for the second time. “This one is mango flavored.”

Gin took a sip. “It’s delicious. But no more. Your rum is more potent than what I’m used to.” A full belly, alcohol, and the aftermath of her adrenaline rush all combined into a storm of exhaustion. Her muscles felt like lead weights and she fought to suppress a yawn.

“Stay with us and we’ll get your tolerance up.” Oberon winked and rested his arm on the back of her chair. “Maybe at dinner you can tell us about your homeland. I’ll get Zinaya’s attention and she’ll tell you where she has sleeping arrangements set up.”

They both turned to Zinaya, who was deep in conversation with Mathias.
I hope they aren’t talking about me
. After a minute, she looked up and smiled at Gin. Mathias looked over at her, then at Oberon, and scowled.

Zinaya got up and walked over. “Ready for some rest?”

“Yes, thank you.” Gin drained her rum and stood up. “The food was delicious. And the men have told me a lot about Tarsa.”

“War stories, no doubt.” Zinaya folded her arms, bracelets clinking.

“Some history too.” Gin smiled at her new friends.

“Well, I’m glad you found this rowdy group entertaining, but you must be exhausted from your journey.”

“Oh.” Gin blinked. How much had Mathias told her? “I, uh…”

“Mathias didn’t give too many details.” Zinaya winked, her tone lighthearted and reassuring as she guessed the reason for Gin’s stammered words. “But if the three of you were out at night, seeking a place to stay, I’ll bet you’re tired.”

Gin nodded wearily. “You’re right.”

“This way.” Zinaya led her to a short path through a patch of trees to another open area. This space looked like a village, full of small wooden houses. They were tiny, with the planks placed vertically, and all had pointed roofs.

Zinaya walked to the end of a row and opened the door to the last house. The walls were painted a sandy beige, and a white chair rail circled the room. A queen sized bed piled with white linens and pillows took up most of the space, and there was a white wicker chair with a stack of neatly folded clothes. One door at the back opened to a bathroom.