Gena Showalter: The Darkest Fire

Concern instantly rocked him. "What's wrong, sweet? Tell me."

"The demons…they're at the wall. They're…they're killing me."

Had Lucifer told the demons of her bond to the wall? Kadence wondered, pain slicing through her. Rather than come here to fight, they had gone there. Knowing she would weaken, die? Or, perhaps they had hoped to draw Geryon to them, leaving her here, alone and seemingly vulnerable to ambush. Or did they want her to come to them? So many alternatives.

The prince probably found the entire situation vastly amusing. He probably—a thought took root in her mind, nearly paralyzing her. If she were killed, he could have more than the agreed upon year on the earth, bartering for souls, causing untold havoc. He could have forever, if he so desired, and he could bring his demons with him, ruling his minions and humans.

He was a god, a brother to the sovereign. There was no guarantee he would be captured and sent back.

Of course, his betrayal of her hinged on whether or not he thought he could force his demons to obey him out in the open. Unless…was she the payment for their cooperation? If they didn't know she was bound to the wall, Lucifer could "kill" her when it fell to prevent her from chasing them. They'd be grateful to him, might in turn pledge their continued allegiance to him.

Oh, gods. The possibility sickened her, for if it was true she had unwittingly helped him every step of the way.

He desired the wall's protection, she reminded herself. At first, common sense piped up. That doesn't mean he desires it now.

For reasons that had nothing to do with her internal pain, she couldn't quite catch her breath. What kind of fool am I? She was so ashamed. So foolish.

"Kadence, speak to me. Tell me what's wrong," Geryon insisted. He popped to his knees and swung around, kneeling between her legs. One of his claws gently, tenderly brushed away the damp hair clinging to her brow.

Her gaze lifted to his. Seeing him with so much concern in his beautiful brown eyes, she could not regret the choices she'd made. No matter what happened, he would be free. This proud, strong man would finally be free.

"I…am…fine," she managed to gasp out. Gods, she felt shredded inside, as though her organs were being ripped to ribbons.

"No, you're not. But you will be." He scooped her into his arms and carried her to the back. To a room the owner must have used. He laid her on a thin pallet. "May I?" he asked, lifting the amethyst that housed his soul.

She had planned to present it to him once their mission was completed, a gift for his aid, but she nodded. Right now, there was a good chance she would not complete anything.

Slowly, carefully, he worked the stone from around her neck and placed it over his heart. His eyes closed. He was probably unsure what would happen. And at first, nothing did. Then, in gradual degrees, the jewel began to glow. A frown pulled at Geryon's lips, and he grunted. "Burns."

"I'll hold it for y—"

The glow exploded into a thousand pinpricks of light, and he roared, loud and long.

After the last echo sounded, everything quieted. The lights faded. Only the chain that had held the jewel remained in his hand.

His frown was lifting into a smile as his eyes opened. But when he studied his arms and then his body, the frown returned, deeper, more intense. "I should have…I did not…I had hoped to return to my former visage."

"Why?" She loved him, just as he was. Horns, fangs, claws and all. Wait—loved? Oh, yes. She loved him. She had considered it before, but had discarded the idea. Now, there could be no discarding. The emotion was there, undeniable as Death stared her in the face.

No man had ever been more perfectly suited for her. He was not disgusted by her nature, he reveled in it. He did not fear what she could do, but found pride in it. He delighted her, amused her, tempted her.

"It is my hope that…that…" He gulped. "If you bond with something else, something besides the wall, perhaps your ties to it will lessen and your strength will return. Perhaps the pain will ease."

Something else? "You?" she asked, suddenly breathless for reasons that had nothing to do with pain.

"Yes. Me."

Geryon looked away from her. "I know I'm ugly. I know the thought of being with me in such a manner is abhorrent, but I—"

"You aren't ugly," Kadence interjected, "and I do not like that you think so. I do not like when you demean yourself like that."

He blinked over at her, astonishment shining in his expression.

She continued, "The thought of being with you is welcome. I promise you."

Now his mouth opened and closed. "Welcome?"

"Yes. But I don't want you to bond with me simply to save me." She had once been too afraid to admit she craved his body, had pretended merely to be grateful to get a kiss. There would be no more pretending. "I want you to want to do this. Because I…I want you inside of me, becoming part of me, more than I want another tomorrow. I want to be your woman, now and always."

Before he could respond, another pain slicked through her, raining like poisoned hail and curling her into a ball. Another crack had just slithered through the wall; she saw it in her mind.

"Geryon?" she panted.

His gaze bore into her. "I once swore that were I ever lucky enough to regain my soul, I would never, for any reason, trade it again. I have just realized that I would willingly trade it for you, Kadence. So yes, I want to do this."

Geryon slowly divested Kadence of her robe, careful not to hurt her with his razor-sharp nails. She was already in pain and he doubted she could bear much more. Beautiful, precious woman. She deserved only pleasure.

For whatever reason, she desired him. Desired forever. Together. She had given him the thing he'd thought he valued most—his soul—but he had not known until he'd watched her curl into a ball that he valued her more. He'd longed to take her pain into himself. For her, anything. She cared not that he was a beast. She saw to the heart of him, and liked it.

When she was naked, he drank her in. Alabaster skin dusted with the sweetest hint of rose. Lush breasts, a curved waist, a navel his mouth watered to sample. Legs that stretched for miles. He bent and licked one of her nipples, laving his tongue around the delectable tip, his hands traveling all over her body.

The closer his fingers came to her core, the more she purred a deep sigh of satisfaction, her pain seeming to melt away. "The pleasure, it's replacing the pain," she said, confirming his thoughts.

Thank the gods. He moved his attention to her other nipple, sucking, allowing the tip of a fang to graze it ever so gently. "Still helping?" All the while his fingers teased just above her clitoris, not touching, only teasing.

"Still helping. But I want to see you," she said, giving his armor a pointed stare.

He lifted his head and peered into her eyes. "Are you sure? I could take you without removing a single piece of armor."

"I want all of you, Geryon." Her features were luminescent. "All."

"Whatever you desire, you shall have." He only hoped she did not change her mind when she saw him.

"Do not fear my reaction. You are beautiful to me."

Such sweet words. But…he'd lived with his insecurities so long, they were a part of him. "How can I be? Look at me. I am a beast. A monster. Something to be feared and reviled."

"I am looking at you and you are something to be praised. You may not bear the appearance of other men, but you have strength and courage. Besides," she added, licking her lips, "animal magnetism is a very good thing."

Slowly he grinned. "All right. I will show you the rest of me."