ValiasVillain (4 page)

Was it possible she felt the same odd connection to him as
he did to her? He kept lying to himself about it, telling himself that it was
only the thrill of finally obtaining vengeance, but she seemed to feel
something too. He knew better than to trust her, she had to have an angle. “Are
you playing me,
Sempire
?”

“If you don’t start calling me Valia, I’m not gonna speak to
you anymore.” Her sultry lips formed a pout.

“Promise?”

She laughed. “No. I like talking to you.”

He smiled in spite of himself, but the smile was cut off by
a stabbing pain over his heart. Fuck. Debol was calling him. He stood abruptly,
practically knocking over his chair.

“I have to go,” he said.

Her gold eyes widened. “Go? Where?”

“The deranged Incubus is calling.”

She frowned and stood up. “The offer stands. Take me with
you and I’ll take him out.” She poked him in the chest again while gazing up at
him. “But you’ll have to feed me first. I’m not at full strength.”

So that was her game. Damn. He’d allowed himself to think
she might truly care about freeing him, that there might be something more to
her, that he wasn’t a total pushover for going easy on her, but she just saw it
as a way to get a feed.

“Nice try,
Sempire
,” he snarled. He strode to his
dresser and grabbed a black tank top from the top drawer, pulling it quickly
over his head. “I don’t know how long I’ll be so I won’t cuff you to anything,
but don’t go outside. It’s dangerous.”

“Why don’t you take the cuffs off my wrist so I can flash to
my home in the veil? I’ll come back. Just wanna pick up a few things.”

“Pick up a few things? I’m sorry you think I’m stupid.”

“Seriously. I’ll grab some decent sheets, some pineapple for
me, and I’ll even get my buddy Fin to cook you up a steak. A change of clothes,
my own clothes, would be nice too.”

“Not going to happen. I’ll return as soon as possible.” He
ported away from her and to the steps outside Debol’s home.

Rydin, again, experienced that sensation of loss and had to
fight the urge to return to Valia immediately. He tried to shrug it off as he
walked up the steps to Debol’s home, but he couldn’t shake it. Two guards met
him at the main entrance. They knew him well enough and knew he couldn’t hurt
Debol so didn’t give him any grief and opened the door for him.

Another guard met him inside and escorted him, without
speaking, through the columns to Debol’s office.

Debol sat behind a black, demon-wood desk. A female knelt on
the floor beside him, her eyes cast down. “Ah welcome,
Ferox
,” Debol
greeted him as he entered the room.

“Debol,” Rydin said. “I was surprised to hear from you so
soon.

“Tsk, tsk. You know you’re my favorite.”

“So, what’s the job?”

“All business,
Ferox
.” Debol sighed. “Please have a
seat. Let’s chat.”

Shit. This couldn’t be good.
Debol never just wanted
to chat but he sat because there wasn’t much else he could do.

“I heard a very interesting rumor.” He leaned forward,
rested his elbows on the desk and steepled his fingers. “One of my watchers—”

“Spies, you mean?”

“I prefer watcher, but spy works too.”

“So, what’s the rumor and how does it concern me?”

“Oh,” the lunatic giggled, “it definitely concerns you. I
hear you have a houseguest.”

Rydin tensed. Why the fuck would Debol care about his
private life? “Is that a problem?”

“Oh, no, no. Quite the contrary. I’d almost decided to quit
wasting watcher time on you. You never have anything interesting going on.
Anyhoo… Is it true?”

“Is what true?”

“Is your houseguest a
Sempire
?” The bastard sounded
giddy.

The female’s head snapped up, her eyes wide. Wait, her gold
eyes. Eyes like Valia’s. This female was a
Sempire
. Debol noticed and
backhanded her.

“Head bowed, Navine!” He barked at her and she obeyed but
not before Rydin saw the flash of hatred cross her face.

“Why does it matter what she is?” he asked cautiously.

“You know how much I enjoy
Sempires
. And they’re so
difficult to come by in the demon realm these days.”

Rydin inclined his head toward the kneeling female.
“Apparently, not too difficult.”

“One of my other contractees failed a task. That very night,
he found her and brought her to me as a bargaining chip. Ah, yes, that was a
delightful surprise.” His eyes went dreamy before he continued. “So, tell me,
is she the one? Is she the one who sealed you to me for another fifty years?”

Rydin felt his fists clench uncontrollably at his sides.
“Yes.”

“Oh, that’s fabulous! Just fabulous!” Debol clapped his
hands together. “I’d love to meet her and thank her for making sure you
remained within my control.”

“That’s not necessary considering she denies the event ever
took place.” Rydin hadn’t told Debol the entire story. He only told him he’d
been collared and held captive by a
Sempire
.

“Really? Interesting. Very interesting.”

“Debol, why am I here?”

“I have an offer for you. Either take this job,” he held up a
photograph, “or bring the
Sempire
to me.”

“She is mine,” Rydin gritted out.

“Yours?” Debol asked even more interested now.

Damn it. Why had he said that? “She took fifty years from
me. I’m entitled to revenge.” He corrected himself and hoped that explained
away the possessive statement.

“Yes. Agreed. How long do you expect your revenge to take?”

“Three days,” he answered and instantly regretted it.

“Hmm… And you won’t consider trading your revenge for, oh,
let’s say, ten years off your contract?”

What? That would leave him with only ten years before he
could be free. But he only had twenty left anyway. So, hell no it wasn’t worth
giving up his revenge. “No.”

“I find it interesting, very interesting indeed, that you
hesitated. I thought you’d jump at the chance to reduce your commitment to me,
but I suppose you’re correct. A pet
Sempire
is worth much more than ten
years.” Rydin saw the kneeling female’s shoulders tense. “You realize I can
simply demand you bring her to me.”

He reined in his anger as best he could and forced his voice
to a reasonable calm. “I do, but I would ask that you allow me my revenge.”

Debol leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as if
in deep thought. Finally, he said. “Go, do this job,” he handed Rydin the
photograph. “He’ll be at this address,” he tapped the writing on the back of
the photo, “sometime between noon and midnight this day. Bring him to me,
alive.”

Rydin blew out a mental breath of relief. He needed time to
think. He knew that even though Debol was giving him a slight reprieve, it
wouldn’t last.

“That’s the best timeline you can give me?” That could take
up his entire day with the
Sempire
.

Debol narrowed his eyes. “Yes, it is.”

Rydin attempted to keep the irritation from his voice after
studying the photo. “What is he?”

“He’s a mutt. A mixed-breed abomination. Nothing to worry
about.”

For the first time, he considered asking
why
. That
Sempire
was messing with his head.

“Fine,” he agreed as he rose to leave.

Debol stopped him and he tensed. “Take these.” He tossed Rydin
a pair of gold cuffs. “These will prevent teleporting and should subdue any
unique abilities he might have.”

Rydin caught the cuffs. “I thought he was nothing to worry
about.”

“Ah, well, the mixed-breeds are always a mystery.” He
shrugged.

Rydin left Debol’s and looked at his watch. Shit. It was
almost noon. He needed a hat to cover his horns for this assignment as he’d be
in a restaurant in the human realm. He ported home and found Valia sleeping on
his bed. He was surprised and almost disappointed he hadn’t caught her snooping
again. He was also surprised to realize he enjoyed her spirit.

He grabbed a pair of jeans and a black button-down shirt and
shrugged into them quickly. He then donned a plain black baseball cap.

He stood by the bed looking down at her. That ridiculously
red hair splayed on his pillow in glorious disarray, lips slightly parted
begging his to kiss them. He checked the time and readjusted his straining
dick. No time for that. He couldn’t risk missing his mark.

“Female,” he said in attempt to wake her. She didn’t budge.
“
Sempire
,” he said louder. Nothing. He bent down and whispered in her
ear, “Valia, wake up.”

Her eyes fluttered open and the corners of her lips turned
up when she met his gaze.

“Did you actually say my name?”

“Come,” he said and pulled her out of bed.

She grumbled. “I’m sleepy.”

He took her hand and pulled her along behind him to the
front door. “I have an assignment and I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone.” When
he realized her eyes were half closed, he said, “Valia, listen to me!”

She jumped. “Must you yell?”

“Not if you listen.” He picked up the small rod that looked
similar to a towel rod, and held it across the door and then took her hand and
placed it on the rod. “Do you feel the button?”

“Yes.”

“Slide it to the left.”

She did and the door was instantly covered in a silver glow
that extended in a thin line around the entire house.

“Ooh. Pretty,” she said.

“It’s a barrier. It will keep just about anything from
breaking through or porting in. Slide it to the right to disengage. As soon as
I leave, engage it and do not disengage it until I return.”

She pouted. “Your concern for my safety is sweet but why
leave?”

He gritted his teeth. “I have no choice. I’ll return as soon
as possible. There is more
cocinus
on the counter.”

She pressed her body to his and wrapped her arms around his
neck. “Stay,” she said.

Oh how he wanted to but there was no time. Damn Debol to
hell. “I cannot.”

“Take me with you.” Her wide gold eyes shone, pulling him
into their depths.

The fact that he considered her request for a second,
surprised the hell out of him. “No.”

She poked him in the chest and he readied himself to be
bitched out but she seemed to lose her fight. She just waved a hand at him and
walked away mumbling about his scratchy sheets. Not the reaction he expected
from his fiery
Sempire
. He didn’t have time to contemplate it as he had
to go.

“Valia, the door,” he reminded her.

She stopped and turned back. “Oh yeah,” she said. No
enthusiasm only resignation.

He didn’t like it. He pulled her in for a quick, demanding
kiss and when he pulled back he noticed her dilated pupils. He disengaged the
rod and handed it to her.

“Remember. Left engage, right disengage. Even I won’t be
able to port in with it engaged. Don’t let anyone in but me. It’s not safe.”

“Okay,” she said in a small voice.

Did she look pale? Dammit, he didn’t want to leave but he
did—had to. He ported to an alley behind the restaurant. A dirty man, obviously
drunk, dropped his beer can and stumbled backward in shock.

* * * * *

Valia engaged the nifty, glowy rod thing and made her way
back to the bed. Weakness was quickly overtaking her. She’d hoped to seduce
Rydin out of his semen soon, but now she had no idea when he’d be back.

No matter what he believed she’d done to him in the past,
his aura didn’t show the kind of malice that would lead him to actually kill
her. She was certain of it. She had to be certain of it or she’d panic.

Lying around wasn’t doing anything to ease her mind so she
forced herself off the bed and decided to snoop some more. If she couldn’t find
the handcuff keys, maybe she could find something to pick them with.

She rifled through the two drawers in the dresser she hadn’t
already dug through. Nothing but clothes. There was nothing helpful in the
bathroom either. She grabbed a knife and a fork from the kitchen and bent one
of the tines back and jammed it in the keyhole. She’d never learned to pick a
lock but how hard could it be?

She twisted it around inside the hole, took it out and
shoved it back in and wiggled it around. Nothing. Damn it. She continued the
process for thirty minutes before the tine snapped off the fork.

Okaaay. Time for the knife.

Four hours later, Valia was exhausted and had broken every
fork and knife in Rydin’s kitchen as well as stabbed her wrist several times.

She didn’t have the energy to mess with the cuts, instead
she fell onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep and dreamed.

Rydin strode into the room and stripped off his shirt
letting it fall to the floor, his muscles flexing. She’d never seen such a
gorgeous male. No one’s touch had ever enlivened her body as his did.

He joined her on the bed, kneeling over her, and kissed
her. Her soul burned for his touch.

“Sempire,” he whispered against her lips. “Take me to the
cell.”

“What cell?” she asked, confused.

He kissed her again and slid a hand between her legs. She
arched into his touch, encouraging him.

“You know the one. Close your eyes. Remember for me. Take
me to where we first met.”

Valia closed her eyes and when she opened them, they were
lying on a bed in the club where she’d first seen Rydin. Where he’d somehow
called to her.

“Concentrate.” His lips brushed against her ear and his
fingers worked magic between her legs. “Take me to the cell. The cell where we
first fucked. I want to experience it again, my sweet.

“We met last night.” She tried to focus, wanted to tell
him he was crazy, but his fingers were working her into a frenzy, fogging her
brain.

“No,” he whispered. “Think back. Open your mind and
remember.”

His voiced lulled her, compelled her. Valia’s mind raced.
Images, fuzzy at first, flickered behind her eyes. Pain exploded in her
temples. Then, there she was. In one of her mother’s porn cells sucking Rydin’s
cock, fucking him, riding his face. Colors swirled around them and melded
together, weaving an intricate pattern. What the hell was that? His aura. Her
aura. Oh shit. What had she done?

He’d been powerless to fight her with the collar around
his neck. He’d been powerless to resist her after she’d bound his aura. She
watched in horror as time after time she’d visited the cell and taken what she
wanted, what she needed, from him. He’d been hers to use as she’d pleased, and
pleased she’d been, but he’d been furious.

A maniacal giggle brought her out of her haze. Looming
over her was not Rydin but someone else. Her eyes blurred as her pupils dilated
as a warning signal sounded in her mind. Incubus.

She scrambled backward in the bed trying to escape him.

“Come to me,” he commanded.

The urge to obey tugged at her. Her hunger. Her need,
drew her to him even though she was repulsed at the same time.

“Come to me,” he urged.

Valia’s eyes flew open as she sat straight up in bed.

Oh my holy fucking shit balls.
She sucked in a deep
breath and tried to sort fact from fiction. The things she’d seen… The images
that had flashed before her… Were they real? They felt real. She knew they were
yet she only remembered them in the dreamlike reality.

Rydin was right. He had been locked in a cell and she had
taken advantage of him in the worst way. She’d used him—fed from him over and
over. She couldn’t comprehend it. She didn’t even know how she’d done it, but
now she knew what she’d done to him and it was worse than he thought

She’d bound his aura to hers. Something she hadn’t even
known she’d known how to do.
Unholy fuck
. No wonder she’d been drawn to
him in that club. She’d tied him to her, against his will, no less. Maybe
that’s why he hadn’t beaten her when she’d brutalized him in his home. Maybe
she’d manipulated his aura without even knowing it.