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  My love. His eyes flared hot, his wet lips parted and she saw the white glint of fangs.

  Her core contracted at the sight. He cupped her neck gently with one strong hand and slowly leaned down to her. He kissed her skin reverently, his tongue darting out to taste.

  “Lovely,” he breathed. Chloe flexed her hips against him, riding his cock, loving the way her core rubbed against his groin, heightening the pleasure even more.

  A sharp press teased along her skin and she stilled, her breath freezing so she could feel every moment of it. He sank in slowly, by centimeters until his lips pressed hotly against her neck. She felt the full drugging pool as sure as she felt his cock pumping in and out.

  Suddenly his grip on her tightened and became hard and thrilling. He swung them

  around, planting her back against the bed. His hips hammered into her, dragging through her sensitive tissues with mindless ecstasy. His hands curled in her hair as he drank and drank.

  Chloe scratched at his back, feeling trapped and utterly pleasured, and knew she drew blood. One hand reached down, cupped her ass, and lifted her into his thrusts. Her release came rushing. Her vision blanked and all she knew was that her body shuddered and he was groaning, his cock growing thicker inside her. Hot sprays jetted inside her, coating her walls and mixing with her own release.

  She didn’t want it to end. Wanted it never to stop. His thrusts slowed, her sheathe drawing every drop from him, and she felt him twitching inside her. His breath shuddered as he withdrew from her neck, his tongue darting out to lick the wounds he’d made.

  Her heart felt like a balloon filled so full it was about to pop. She tightened her hold around him and whispered, “I love you.”

  His body stiffened over hers. Chloe froze too as she realized what she’d done. He pulled back and she had to let go even as coldness settled in where his warmth had been. He stood at the edge of the bed, his expression inscrutable.

  “What did you say?” His voice was harsh and edged with anger. Chloe’s heart galloped in her chest, but she raised her chin. She’d just dug her bed and she’d lay in it too because she did love him.

  “I said I love you, Tyrian.” His eyes narrowed on her.

  “Words spoken in passion. You don’t mean them.” Who was he trying to convince?

  “No, Tyrian. I said it in the aftermath of passion if you’ll recall and I meant every word of it. I do, so much.”

  Jerking, he took several steps back. Chloe reeled forward, panic settling in.

  “Please, don’t be upset. It’s okay if you don’t feel the same. Maybe one day you will or maybe not. I can live with that.” I think. I hope. “You don’t need to worry, this changes nothing.”

  His hand slashed at the air. “This changes everything. ” Chloe shivered at his tone and for the first time since she met him, felt truly scared. He looked murderous, feral. He stalked to the dresser and pulled on clothes. Please say something her watery eyes pleaded with him.

  When he finally did speak, his voice was freezing cold and devoid of warmth in his eyes and body. “You’re going back to your old room immediately.”

  “You can’t mean—”

  “Stop it!” he whispered harshly. “You will do it or I will find you a new Protector.”

  Chloe reeled back as if slapped. “You can’t do that. I was left to you. You can’t.” He stood and marched for the door, every bit the commander in his steps.

  “I can do anything I want. I am Tyrian en Kulev, leader of the Atal Warriors and what I say is law in this castle. You will get out or I will have you thrown out, Ms. Bellum.”

  A harsh sob broke through her throat. He looked at her with complete indifference, then he opened the door and closed it quietly behind him.

  Chloe curled up on the bed as hot tears came, sobs pouring out.

  I shouldn’t have said anything.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  This was not the way Chloe Bellum pictured she’d die.

  She hadn’t seen Tyrian in three days—since the night he left her. She’d relegated herself to her former bedroom, which now felt colder than even Tyrian’s dismal bedroom. She’d had one conversation with Lily but then had sent her away. She couldn’t do it.

  She couldn’t pretend that everything was okay, because it wasn’t. Even Lucinda had

  stopped by to inquire over her health—she’d lied and said she was fine.

  This only made her feel worse. She hated lying. One lie lead to another to another... Her gut hurt to a near excruciating level. Was it because she was dying or because something bad was coming?

  She hoped it was the latter because dammit she didn’t want to die. She wanted to live in this ridiculous castle that had open windows and cold floors and sleep next to the vampire she loved.

  The lethargy she felt deep in her bones was overwhelming. She’d never felt anything like it. Did all beings feel differently when they died?

  When she was younger, she used to wonder in moments of morbid curiosity how she

  would die. She’d envisioned being murdered by demons, vampires, another succubus—all it would take was one lop of the head. She’d even pictured grand events, like would she survive a nuclear bomb? She seriously doubted any of the supernatural beings could. But who knew?

  Now she was in the middle of dying. She hadn’t been “fed” in three of the longest days of her entire life. This was not how she wanted to die.

  And now she was in a battle of the instincts. Her instinct to survive shouted at her to take any man, even a teensy weensy orgasm from him, or even a quick lay, and she’d be back to feeling well in an instant. But the thought of taking another was so appalling that she couldn’t bring herself to do it. And she’d fully thought it through during her recent bedridden days. She’d considered the different warriors who might help her and what she might possibly be able to stomach.

  None of it would work. She was in stupid, stupid love. Where was her damned demon?

  Was it done coming after her? The last she’d heard from Telal and Rayn the demon was amassing some sort of army from below the rift.

  “God, Lily, what did you get me into?” she muttered into her pillow.

  That’s it. She was going to do it. She’d been thinking about it all day. She had weighed her choices between dying and finding another. She really didn’t want to die. Dying at 29

  because she was too scared to ask some male she didn’t know for help was just embarrassing.

  What had her papa told her when she was young? Making out, giving or getting orgasms, or sex would work. Her cheeks burned hot with embarrassment. Geez, Papa could still embarrass her from the grave.

  Chloe sat up in bed and the room spun around her. She waited until it settled before she put her feet on the floor. Her legs trembled and she used the bed for support to lift her up.

  Chloe didn’t know how long it took her to find her bedroom door or to find her way

  down to the castle’s main floor but she was sure it was over an hour. At least that’s how it felt.

  She was panting with exhaustion. Her skin was clammy with sweat.

  She had to sit at the bottom stair and hang her head for a few minutes before she was able to finally move again. She looked everywhere, ready to find any warrior. Her eyes were wide, heart beating with fear. Was she already too late?

  Would she finally find some warrior to makeout with only to fall dead at his feet? A door opened at the end of the hall. She spotted thick, short hair.

  “Rayn!” She’d meant to scream but it came out as a hoarse croak. Bless the warrior

  though because he turned towards her, his face pulling into a deep frown. He was in front of her in a second.

  “What’s wrong, Chloe?”

  “Dying.” God, did that sound dramatic, but it was the truth.

  The warrior’s face paled. “Let me get the Commander. Stay here and I’ll be right back.”

  Shaking her head, Chloe said, “No. He won’t. Hates me. P
lease, kiss me.” Her heartbeat sounded abnormally loud in her ears and Rayn’s voice sounded faraway when he spoke as if he was still at the other end of the hallway. Tears filled her eyes. Please don’t let me be too late.

  “I can’t kiss you. You’re the Commander’s. You’re under his Protection. He’d kill me.”

  Chloe might have smiled bitterly if she could. Instead she fumbled forward a step and he caught her by the arms.

  “Hates me. Please, Rayn. Help me.” Her throat felt scratchy and tight like it’d been scrubbed with a bar of Lava and then buffed with some sandpaper for an added touch.

  Rayn looked over her with a grimace, probably taking note of how awful she looked. She hadn’t exactly had time to spruce herself up in the bathroom before she got here.

  Finally, he nodded. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around her waist. His frown

  deepened. “You’ve lost weight.”

  “Kiss me.”

  Shaking his head, he brought his lips down to hers. There was no instant healing in his kiss. But the room stopped feeling like she was in a kid’s Etch A Sketch being shaken all around.

  He kept his tongue safely secured in his mouth as she did hers. He slanted his head and kissed her a little more firmly and her knees stopped shaking. Thank God, progress.

  Her arms lifted, wrapped around his thick neck to hold him still. Her breaths came faster and she held him to her forcefully, her instinct to take as much out of him as she could. She had no other thought but of finally feeling whole.

  Suddenly, his mouth was no longer against hers. Chloe blinked in time to see Rayn in a crumbled, groaning heap at the bottom of the staircase. His legs twitched and then he was struggling to get up.

  Chloe turned and her heart squeezed tight.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” asked the source of her pain.

  She swallowed once and felt her throat close to working order again but not quite healed all the way yet. “Why, isn’t it Commander Tyrian en Kulev, leader of the Atal Warriors. You grace me with your incredible presence.” She tried to bow but ended up stumbling forward. He grabbed her to steady her then quickly withdrew his hands.

  “You didn’t answer my question,” he said icily.

  Rayn finally stood and wobbled up to them, favoring his right ankle. “She was dying. I kissed her. No tongue, I swear.” Chloe sensed the violence in Tyrian coming to a boil. She took an unsteady step towards him, putting Rayn behind her. Tyrian cocked a brow at her.

  “Don’t hurt him for what he did. He helped while you did nothing.”

  Chloe felt herself falling backward. She took a breath as air breezed around her, but then Tyrian caught her before she hit the ground, picking her up in his arms.

  “What have you done to yourself?” he asked angrily. Chloe felt him moving but

  struggled to make sense of the rooms now spinning around her. The kiss had helped, but she was three days starving. She needed more.

  “You did it. You threw me out.” Her heart broke. God it hurt to say it aloud. To put sound to the words that cut so deep. A soft cushion met her back. She stared up into the ice blue eyes that she’d grown to love.

  “Besides,” she added bitterly, “You told me to choose another warrior. I did your

  bidding.”

  Tyrian stalked away from her with a curse. “I know what I said, woman.” Finally, he came back to her and gave her no time to think before his mouth was on hers.

  Chloe twisted, turning her head away. “No.”

  “What do you mean no?”

  “I told you what I felt and you threw me out like I’m nothing to you. Why would I want your kiss now? When it’s angry and hard and uncaring?”

  His eyes darkened. “The way I kiss isn’t any different than it was before. Just let me help you.”

  “Now you want to help? I swear that if I could throw something at you right now I

  would. You’re a bastard who’s pushing away something that could make you so happy.” Don’t cry, Chloe.

  He growled, then was at her side, her face in his hands. “I’m sorry, dammit. I’m sorry I can’t be who you need. I wish things were different. I’m even sorrier I hurt you. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I—”

  His eyes clouded over and he looked so lost and confused that Chloe gave in once again, her arms wrapping around him. He didn’t even struggle. His arms came around her like it was the most natural thing in the world, pulling her close.

  “You are what I need,” she whispered fiercely. “I just wish you’d realize it, Ty. I love you.”

  “Chloe,” he said, his eyes wild, breathing hard. His eyes traced over her face, and then his mouth was on hers, tongue seeking.

  The kiss was raw passion. His taste flooded her senses. Chloe lost herself in it, in him.

  For timeless moments, the world consisted of only them and this one kiss.

  That is, until an explosion ripped the room apart. Chloe screamed as ear-piercing wails ripped through the air. Tyrian didn’t hesitate, but scooped her up and sprinted out of the room.

  Stone exploded, falling down from the ceiling and raining on the ground around them.

  Chloe had only a moment to look behind her to see screeching, flying demons storming into the castle.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chloe was handed off to Rayn.

  “Sound the alert, we’re under attack!” Those words took Chloe a few seconds to

  comprehend.

  “What?” she said dumbly.

  Tyrian turned to her, kissed her hard and quick. “Get into your room, barricade the door, and do not leave. The demon has finally come.”

  Rayn started dragging her towards the stairs and she fought against him. “Wait. How do you know that? Don’t leave!”

  The entire castle trembled, rocking everyone on their feet as if it was being torn out from below. Lily! Chloe thought frantically. I have to get to my sister.

  A voice, eerily familiar in its deep, rumbling roar growled from the outside the castle.

  “Klooooooooooooweeeeeeee!”

  All the blood left her face.

  “Go now!” Tyrian roared. Doors flung open and out poured dozens and dozens of armed Atal Warriors. They stormed through the front door with fierce, battle-ready expressions.

  Chloe went, half-dragged up the stairs by Rayn. He shoved her into her room and went to shut the door. “Wait! Get my sister and Lucinda, please! ” she begged.

  The warrior hesitated then finally nodded. “Lock up and stay away from the walls. I’ll be right back.” The door slammed shut and Chloe closed the lock with shaking fingers. She turned around and wished her room had a window. The castle shook again and Chloe wished she could see what was happening. Don’t let him get hurt, she prayed silently.

  A rapid knock sounded at the door. Chloe flung it open and grabbed a frantic Lily and Lucinda.

  “Stay here,” Rayn said and did his disappearing act. Chloe shut the door and threw the lock.

  “Oh my God, what’s happening?” Lily asked, for once sounding scared.

  “The demon’s here and I think he brought his army.” Horrible sounds echoed through the castle. The clash of metal and steel, the battle cries of warriors, the screech of demons. Chloe went to her nightstand and grabbed the piece of paper with the spell on it and the potion Lily’d made her.

  The outside wall suddenly shuddered.

  “What was that?” Lucinda asked in a high voice.

  Lily swallowed hard. “Get ready to run, ladies.” Lily threw the lock on the door waited like a marathoner for her queue.

  Chloe stomach clenched painfully. This was what she’d been waiting for. Part of her had known it was coming. It had just been a matter of time.

  The wall shuddered again and a blood-curling screech sounded from the other side of it.

  Whatever it was was trying to break through the wall. And it was working.

  Dust and stone debris spewed into the air and the
stone cracked. Pieces of rock fell to the ground until finally one single stone fell and moonlight spilled in through the hole. She actually hoped it was her demon. She wanted to say the spell, throw the potion on it, and be done with it.

  Before anyone got hurt.

  Sharp taloned fingers swung through the stone, scratching against the stone.

  “We need to get out of here, now.” Chloe said. She couldn’t risk Lily and Lucinda if this wasn’t her demon trying to break in. She’d meant for her voice to be firm but it came out as a stunned whisper as suddenly the entire wall crashed in, piles of stone and dusty debris filling the air.

  Oh, shit. A dozen flying idummi demons soared into the room.

  “Out now!” Chloe screamed and they all bolted for the door. Chloe made it last, had just gripped the doorframe and taken a step towards it when bony fingers gripped her arm.

  “Lily!” Lily turned back to her, fear drenching her features. She ran back, her arm outstretched. But then Chloe was snapped backwards, flying in the air in the arms of a demon.

  Chloe screamed from the top of her lungs, wind whipping sharply at her face, as she soared through the freezing night air and over the battle that raged below. Her hands opened as they swooped down like a diving bird and Chloe watched, in slow realization, as the potion and spell slipped from her fingers and fell into the crowd of fighters below.

  And that’s exactly what it was. Hundreds of winged, bony demons swinging metal back and forth against warriors. Her eyes searched frantically for Tyrian but she didn’t see him. Her eyes shot forward as the demon holding her slowed.

  Her heart raced as she was slowly carried towards the ground and closer to the grey, rotten demon waiting for her behind his army. The stench of it immediately filled her nostrils and left her gasping as her eyes watered at the retched stench.

  Chloe was dropped roughly to the snowy ground. She stood quickly and ran, but a group of demons grabbed her and sent her twirling back towards the demon. Her feet sunk into the deep snow, slowing her movements, wetting her jeans to her legs like cold hands.