bedeviled & beyond 04 - bedeviled & belittled (16 page)

I wrapped myself around him, meeting him thrust for thrust as his long, lean body ravaged mine.

We mated like mindless animals, driven only by lust, by ravening need. The world with all its problems slid away as my Settling met his devil and made magic and fire. Smoke drifted upward as the satin sheets beneath us caught fire. We rolled among the flames, oblivious and immune to its ravages. Another orgasm rolled over me and my body pulled on Dialle’s. My sex milked his driving shaft hard.

Dialle followed me into release with a deep-throated growl, which morphed into my name on his swollen lips. As his erection jerked within my body in final release, his teeth clamped down on the daemon mark, breaking through my skin and sending me spiraling on a room-shattering scream back into orgasm.

A wall of light, power and flame shot away from us, creating a pulsating column that lit up the entire room and caused the very walls to shake. I threw back my head and screamed, the sound reverberating off the walls and adding to the power already shaking the foundations of the castle. As the power soaked us, saturating our pores, it became too much to handle. My mind shut down from an overload of sensation. The room grew dark around the edges and my body sank limp into the smoldering mattress beneath us.

The last thing I was aware of was Dialle’s soft kisses on my throat and face. And his voice, husky with emotion, whispering my name.

Something nibbled at the edges of my quickly fading consciousness, telling me that I’d just entered another layer of Hades. And I would soon be too deep within its fiery confines to escape its terrifying grip.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Back to Business

Her sensual stress is finally staunched, her Settling under wraps,

So now our Lady’s quest for truth, can be assuaged...perhaps.

“What was that all about, Dialle?”

He glanced at me, his dark eyes cold and unreadable again. “It was necessary. For both of us.”

I couldn’t argue with that. At least from my perspective. My body felt warm and liquid, free of the stress that had been riding it before. And my mind felt sharp again. But a cold band had wrapped itself around my heart. Dialle had pulled away from me in a significant way. And I wasn’t sure I could pull him back.

Or, at that moment, if I even wanted to.

Watching him move around the room, dressing and pulling together an impressive array of weapons, I decided it wasn’t the time or place to discuss our personal issues. There would be time enough for that when we’d beaten back Dialle the First.

If we managed to beat the crafty and morally bankrupt Royal back at all. He had age and experience on his son. But Dialle could be ruthless when he needed to be.

And he had me.

I climbed out of bed and started to dress. A moment later I heard the door open and turned in time to see Dialle’s fine ass retreating through the door. Gerch’s expressive red face turned in my direction and he gave me a little smile.

I shook my head and he shrugged.

“Try to stay out of trouble, Astra.” Dialle instructed me before the door slammed closed behind him.

“Yeah.” I responded to the empty room. “I’ll try.” Knowing full well that it was nearly impossible for me.

I straightened my clothing and headed for the door.

First task on the list was confronting Nerul. I needed to know if he was acting as a spy for Dialle the First. And I needed to know where my sister was, so I could get her out of there. And most importantly, having just had my Settling beaten temporarily back into submission, it was a good time to confront the evil but dangerously charming Royal.

Two stern faced guards turned to me as I exited Dialle’s rooms. I glanced at them before moving past. They fell into step behind me. I stopped, turning to confront them. “Where do you think you’re going?”

The bigger guard spoke first. I cranked my head upward to meet his dark eyes. Unlike many of the red, scaly types, his gaze was filled with intelligence. “We have been instructed to stay with you, as protection.”

I nodded, trying to keep my expression blank. It wasn’t something I was good at. I think my blank face must have looked more hostile than neutral because the smaller guard flinched, his thick, red fist sliding toward his sword.

Grinning meanly, I responded. “I don’t need a guard. You can stay here. I’ll be back shortly.”

The big one snorted. My smile dropped away as I turned to him. “You got something to say?” Expecting him to back down, I was shocked, and a little impressed, when he responded.

“Yes. You will not return. You are very crafty. King Dialle warned us about you. We will go with you wherever you go.”

I frowned at him. “Is that so?”

His craggy lips spread in a wide grin. I realized with a start that he was enjoying our exchange. “You’ll be wearing us like a cheap red suit until our King tells us different.”

The other guard cleared his throat but his dark eyes sparked with humor.

Gritting my teeth, I turned and stomped down the hallway, deciding that, if I couldn’t shake the guards I’d make use of them.

Of course, if I could shake them I would.

It didn’t take me long to realize I needed their help. I kept moving forward for a full minute after the realization, not wanting to ask them for help. It nearly killed me to stop, turn, and ask the question. “Where’s Nerul? I need to speak to him.”

The smaller guard rolled his rock-like lips. The big one didn’t bother to hide the smug smile that popped onto his face. “I will take you to him.”

I fell into step behind him while the other guard took up my flank. I felt like the meaty filling for a small, angry Astra sandwich.

And me without any weapons.

After several minutes of twisting and turning and climbing, I realized I would most likely never have found Nerul on my own. The realization only made me crankier.

Nearly an hour later we finally stopped in front of a wide, metal door covered in guards. As we’d approached down the hall Nerul’s well-appointed and well-trained guards straightened away from the wall and converged on the door, obscuring it in a double line of impeding devil.

My guards stopped several feet from Nerul’s soldiers and moved in front of me, blocking my view.

I tried to step around them but they kept shifting to stay in front of me. Resisting the urge to hop up and down to see over them, I pulled my power forward and shifted to a spot between the two muscular, red walls of devilry. “I need to speak to Nerul.”

Nerul’s guard stood unmoving and silent before me. I focused my attention on the center guard, whose body language told me was the leader.

Well, that, and the fact that he had shoulder bling as big as my head on each broad shoulder.

As he continued to glare silently at me I took a step forward, daring him to attack.

My guards stepped forward too, until they were flanking me. Two thick, metal-covered arms pressed in front of me until I felt squeezed and displeased. Turning sideways, I slipped through their restraining arms and glared at the bigger one.

I made a mental note to get their names. I couldn’t keep referring to them as big and less big. In the meantime, I decided to call them Frick and Frack.

“Tell Nerul I’m here.” I addressed shoulder bling. “He’s expecting me.” The guard’s dark eyes focused on me without emotion and he continued to hold to his spot before the door without moving. “Do it, or you’ll be answering to King Dialle!”

The guard finally blinked and slowly turned to the guard on his left, flicking his rock-like red chin upward. The guard turned and headed toward the door. It opened briefly behind them to allow the guard to enter Nerul’s quarters.

I stood with my hands loose at my sides and my legs spread in a warrior’s stance. I could feel the tension level building in my two guards with every second that ticked by. They knew, like I did, that if things went south we would be vastly outnumbered.

They weren’t taking into account the fact that I could pull on my and Dialle’s combined power through my daemon hickey and blast the hostile guards’ asses if necessary. That comforting thought made me relax a bit.

A moment later, the door behind Nerul’s guards opened again.

Without a sound, the line of guards split to reveal the soldier who’d entered the rooms, and shoulder bling caught his eye. They engaged in silent communication.

The result of the communication was that shoulder bling turned back to me and bowed slightly, indicating with a thick, red hand that I should enter. I eyed the double masses of Nerul’s guards and pulled my power forward, coating myself with a protective bubble before entering the gantlet.

As I’d hoped, Frick and Frack didn’t make it very far trying to follow me. Nerul’s guard closed behind me, cutting them off. Frick was
not
happy. “We will accompany, Mx. Phelps or she will not enter.”

The sound of metal skating through scabbards made me stop and turn. Frick and Frack had their swords drawn, and were surrounded by dozens of sword points, like a reverse porcupine.

I knew, if there was a fight, they didn’t have a chance unless I helped them. And I had no intention of helping them. “Stand down, boys.” I told them. “I’ll be fine. If I need you I’ll blast a hole in the door and scream.” I turned and marched through the door, fully aware that I was on my own and realizing that it had to be that way. I didn’t want any witnesses to what Nerul and I were about to discuss.

All I could hope for was that my cocky attitude would be enough to keep me safe. Unfortunately, in my past dealings with the crafty and light-heartedly evil King Nerul it hadn’t been. I wasn’t sure what was different this time. Except that I was more desperate.

It would have to be enough.

“Hello, lovely halfling.”

Nerul stood before me, his silky black hair loose and settled around his broad shoulders. His handsome face was clean shaven except for a goatee on his chin. That was new, and undeniably sexy. Nerul was wearing a black, silk robe and nothing else. Which, in my current condition, would have been bad enough, except it was worse. The robe hung open, tucked back on his hips, and he was waving at me without using his hands.

My Settling roared, sending sexual musk into the air. My temperature spiked and my nipples hardened. Just like that I was a sexual flare again.

So much for taking the edge off with Dialle.

“I see you’re underdressed as always, Nerul.”

His nostrils flared, scenting me, and his smile was predatory. “As you told my guards, I was expecting you.”

Nodding, I forced my eyes to drift from his waving package before I succumbed to my Settling and did something a lot of people would regret. I walked away, focusing my power on sensing him so that I’d know the first moment he made a move.

As long as he didn’t touch me I’d be all right.

I stood in front of a wall of windows not unlike the one in Dialle’s quarters, except it was much closer to Hell. It was only a couple of floors above ground level, and gave a close-up view of the arid, fiery environs where I found myself. Heat radiated outward from the glass and I realized the temperatures had to be extremely high to create waves of heat from the special glass.

So hot that everything wavered and pulsed behind it.

Nothing living moved among the glowing rocks and brown earth. Nothing moved at all except for the flickering of flame and dead, gray ash. The sky above was a dirty, gray-orange, made thick and opaque by the mixture of heat and cinders. There were no birds flying above, no dragons. There weren’t even any harpies or dark angels in the sky. Nothing could survive for long beyond the glass and stone walls of the habitations in Hades. Except for the occasional green dragon delivering goods from castle to castle, all movement was done through magical means.

It was the most depressing sight I’d ever encountered. And I suddenly wished to be gone from there more than anything else.

I sensed movement behind me and turned. Nerul dropped onto a nearby divan, sprawling negligently. Daring a glance, I saw that he was mostly decent and risked turning to address him face to face.

“I need to know why you’ve offered your services to Dialle.”

“I told you. I wish to back the winner.”

“The real reason.”

Nerul didn’t bother trying to hide his emotions from me. His dark eyes swirled with agitated color. It was up to me to figure out what he was agitated about. I doubted it was my pretty face or lush curves. Nerul was an extremely ambitious creature. He acted strictly based on potential for personal gain. And, while I knew he would gain some pleasure from taking me, it would not gain him much in the long run. “Spill it, Nerul. I know you have more than bragging rights at stake here.”

His lips spread in a slow, sensual smile that made me pull my power around me in a protective bubble. He laughed, sensing the power surge, and inclined his silken, dark head. “I have determined it is in my best interests to nurture the Second and oversee the defeat of the First.”

“Because?”

His gaze probed my face for several beats before he responded. When he did I realized he was being honest with me. Probably for the first time. “Second is younger. He has less experience as King. I believe my influence will be greater with him.”

I nodded. “In other words, you think you can defeat him more easily and take the crown.”

Nerul merely licked his lips, his eyes sparking.

“You’re forgetting something.”

His tongue touched his upper lip, lingering, as his dark gaze raked my body and his nostrils flared with interest. “What would that be, lovely halfling?”

“Me.”

For just a flicker in time, his eyes widened before he masked his surprise. “Yes. There is that. Together, you and Dialle the Second make a formidable team. And your lust...” His mouth opened and, for a moment he looked like he was having trouble breathing. “Your lust gives him strength. I would do much to gain that strength for my own.”

I realized suddenly that we were getting to the crux of things. He wanted the power he’d get from a sexual bond with me. “I would give you everything, lovely Astra, if only you would come to me.”