Incendiary (The Premonition Series (Volume 4)) (81 page)

“You’re
kidding,
right?
” I breathe
in shallowly
, as my cheek
rests
against the pil
low
again
.

“I am na,”
comes
Brennus
’
reply
.
“Do dey na tell ye anyting?”
he asks with a frown.
His hand reaches behind my back. I feel him tug gently on the rope; it tightens it, causing my shoulders to pull back. The jewel silk
nightgown
slips lower, exposing more of my skin as it makes my breasts strain dangerously against the fabric.
It al
so pushes me forward so that I’m pressed against Brennus’
chest
. “
We’
ll need to get some of dis rope,
mo chroí
,
for da future.
”

“
Brennus!
Just pick me up an
d take me with you then,” I whisper
. “Someone can figure it out later.”

A wicked
smile reaches
his ey
es
as he shakes
his head slowly, “
Ye want
me help ta
escape da
a
i
nge
a
ls
?” he asks
.

“Is that t
oo dangerous a precedent to set
for you
?”
I counter
with my
eye
brow ar
ching, knowing that brashness is like an aphrodisiac to him.

“
Are ye
finally wi
lling ta let it all go,
mo chroí
?” he
asks
, whi
le his stone-white finger trace
s
my swollen lips, soothing them like ice.

“What?” I ask
shallowly. “My life?”

“Yer life,” he nods in agreement
.

I look
away fr
om his eyes
.
“Since I’ve met you, Brennus, my life
has no
t been mine,” I say with more honesty than I like
to admit to myself.
“Time with you is
visceral…whi
te-
knuckle moments that make me know that I’m alive
. I thin
k I have become addicted to the
rush of fear
and desire
you create
…
the
uncertainty that
I was
once
forced to
endure has now
become a
need
,
like those pill
s
that people keep in their medicine cabinets.”

“Ye’
re a ha
llion,” Brennus breathes
with a grin. “Anyting les
s den ye is tedious
ta me now—’
tis nap
-inducing
.
”

“You never sleep,” I point out
.

“See w
hah I mean, den?” he inquires
with a raised eyebrow.
“
Ye
’
re too ideal for yer own good.”

“And you’re
too vicious for yours
,” I reply
with no qualms
about what I say
because he
gi
ve
s another low laugh.
He tugs on the rope binding my hands again just enough so that I let out a low exhale of pain as my breasts press firmly against his chest. Feeling his body against mine is confusing, bring
ing
pleasure with pain.

Brennus sees my confusion and his smile grows a little.
“
Ye’re
beginning ta discern between da
essential a
nd da non
ess
ential moments of life,
mo chroí
,” Brennus replies
.
“
Ye’re na meant for a tepid existence, so maybe
’
tis time ta
leave da sand
box.”

“I would
,
but you said you
can’t untie the knot,” I reply
sarcastically.
He tugs harder on the rope and I grimace.
He nuzzles my skin above the fabric of my nightgown until I want to cry out.

“Ye’re resourceful,
”
Brennus murmurs against my skin, befo
re his eyes lift to meet mine, “
and ye are, after all, a prototype weap
on with a wicked aftertaste…I’
ve every confidence dat ye’ll find a way ta free yerself,” Brenn
u
s intones,
stroking the co
ntour of my cheek with the back
of his fingers.

He lets
go
of the
rope behind my back
; it slackens a little, creating space between our bodies again.
“What?” I ask
him
breathlessly
, like I have
n’t heard him correctly.
“You’re not going to
help me?”

“
I am na,” he agrees
softly.

“Why not?” I whisper-yell at him, and then look
anxiously
at the door to see if anyone i
s coming.

“Because
I know dat ye’
ll come ta me as soon as ye can—
I have whah ye want most in da
world:
yer
aingea
l
. He
is ta ye whah Finn was ta me: da
tie dat binds…
” he trails off, watching as my face turns
white.

“Is he still alive?” I ask
Brennus.

Brennus shrugs
non
committal, saying, “Ta find dat out, ye’ll have ta come ta me.”

“What difference does it make if I come to you?” I a
sk
in frustration.

“Da diffe
rence is that ye’ll na be alone.
I want ye ta bring someo
ne wi’ ye,” Brennus says
with his eyes fixed to mine.

“Who?” I croak
,
but I
already know the answer.

“Da o
ther,” he replies as his jaw clenches
.
His fingertip
moves over the silk as it
trails down between my breasts
to my abdomen, and then h
is hands shift
to my hips to rest there.

“Russell,
” I choke
.

B
rennus’ nostrils flare at his name as rage enters his eyes, but his voice i
s cold when he
says
, “He is da price,
mo chroí
, for yer disobe
dience…for Faolan and Declan
.
”

“
Russell didn
’
t mean to kill Faolan
. He was just trying to s
ave me
,
”
I try to explain
.
I struggle
against the ropes binding my wrists again in a desperate attempt to free myse
lf. “I can’t
bring you Russell
,” I pant
, “you have to ask me for something else.”

Brennus’
hands slip to my bottom as he pulls me to him again. I come to rest against his tall frame.
As I struggle, his hands tighten on me, holding me to him. When I wear out and still to catch my breath, he says,
“
’
Tis impossible ta
ch
ange me mind. Ye’ll bring him ta me or I’
ll kill yer
aingeal
.”

“I can
’t
give y
ou that kind of revenge
,” I whisper
, shaking my head weakly and
wanting t
o
sob my heart out
against his chest
, but I refuse
to give in to it.

“
’
T
is na entirely revenge
,” Brennus replies
as he pulls back
from me
enough so I can see his
calculating-look.
“Ye see
w
e’ll need him.
He’s strong and one day he’
ll be powerful
. He can control magic dat a
ffects
a
i
nge
a
ls
, jus like ye.”

“So?” I reply
,
feeling sick.

“
Russell will be one o’
us
—
he’
ll be me
sclábhaí
. I’
ll
groom him
,”
Brennus reasons
. “
We’l
l have many enemies
.
He’
ll be useful.
”

“I thought you wanted Russell
dead!
” I object because I’
m
unable
to stop myself.

“I did,” Brennus agrees
, “but
dis is a much better revenge. H
e loses his s
oul ta
Sheol and
he’ll be me slave for eternity.
”

“Russell will never agree. He’ll die first,
”
I state.

“He’ll agree,” Brennus says
without a hint of doubt. “He’ll do anyting for ye. He already agreed ta die in yer
place when I gave ye me blood.
”

Scrambling desperately for
ways to alter his plan, I ask
, “Wouldn’t it
be
better if you turn
me
first
and then we hunt
Russell
together
?”

Praying t
hat Brennus will agree, I think
that I might have a chance to save Reed without involving Russell at all.

Brennus sha
k
es
his head. “He would na submit if ye were
already
turned or I’
d take ye now and turn ye, regardless of yer binds. He has ta believe dat
’
tis da only way ta save ye
…and I want it ta come from ye.
”

“Why?
” I whisper-shout as my eyes open
wide.

“Because betrayal
cuts deep
,” Brennus
’
lips form a sensual smile
. “
’
Twill be like a death blow ta him for eternity.”

“I was so blind,” I murmur
. “
You’
re completely evil.”

“I am,” Brennus agrees
as his hands tighten on my bottom again
,
and he pulls me to him so that there is no doubting his desire for me.
“A
nd ye’re completely naïve
. Did ye believe dat I’
d na make ye suffer, as I’
ve suffered?
I know more about pain den ye can imagine and I intend ta teach ye everyting I know.”

“Then teach me
,” I gasp
from the pain I’ve already learned. “It’s all my fault.”

“
’
Tis,” Brennus agrees
. “
’
T
is all yer fault. But, I know from experience dat I can na stay angry wi’
ye for long—’
t
is me
weakness for ye. So,
da o
ther
will
be me
sclábhaí
and ye’ll be me queen
,
” Brennus pronounces with a determined
look. “Den, let our enemies
come
and dey’ll all fall.
”

“I won’
t kill for you,”
I whisper.

A ruefu
l smile grows on Brennus’
lips.
His mouth finds mine and as he
kisses me, I have
no way to stop him. I can’
t
bite him because he’
ll bleed. I
can’
t push him away
because my hands are tied
.
He’
s
controlling
all of the energy in the room;
I can’
t gather enough to light a candle.