Binding Ties The Sentinel Wars - Shannon K. Butcher Page 0,109
fight, and you didn’t even bring weapons.”
“Yes, I did,” she said. “You just can’t see them right now.”
“Then what are you waiting for? Kill the cunt.”
“I can’t.”
“Can’t?”
“Long story.”
The smell of demons assaulted his nose. He could hear their steps grow closer. They were in the room now.
“Might as well tell me now. We’re going to die down here.”
“Speak for yourself,” she said. “I just learned some new tricks, and I really want to live long enough to practice and get good at them.”
“Now works. You can practice now.”
The heavy bed was ripped away from the wall by a mass of demons. Treszka stood a few feet away, her hands on her hips.
She was carrying his young. At least that’s what she’d said. He didn’t want to believe her, but part of him must have, because he actually hesitated at the thought of killing her.
Then he remembered what she’d done to him. How she’d violated him. Hurt him. Left him bleeding, fevered and helpless, tied to her bed.
Just when he’d thought he was safe, she’d come back for more. She’d forced herself into his mind and made him burn for her. Made him beg.
Vomit crawled up his throat. Rage tingled across his skin.
“You think you can kill me?” she asked, a little smile playing about her lush mouth. She spread her arms. “Go ahead and try.”
Eric’s body tensed, preparing to charge, but that was as far as he could get. Whatever she’d done had cast a web of control over him, forcing his feet to stay planted where they were.
“We have a problem,” he told Lyka.
“Just one?”
“Are you sure you can’t kill her?” he asked.
“I’m sure.”
“Well, that sucks ass, because I can’t, either.”
Treszka laughed. “I’m done with both of them,” she told her demon guards. “Kill them.”
Chapter 41
Joseph slipped in behind the demons as they went in the cave. They were all too busy rushing to wherever they were going to pay him any attention. Even the ones who looked his way, nostrils flared at the scent of his blood, simply licked their lips and kept moving.
Whoever or whatever controlled them must have been more powerful than their constant hunger for Sentinel blood.
Lyka was in here. He could feel her presence nearby, growing stronger with every step. She was tired. Afraid. Without hope.
He’d let this happen. It was his job to ensure her safety, and here she was in a demon-infested cave, as far from safe as she could be.
I’m coming, love. Hold on.
He wanted nothing more than to rush to her side, but if doing so got him killed, he wasn’t going to be any help to her at all. It was better to be smart. Be careful. There was no way of knowing if one of the demons’ hunger would outweigh its obedience. But if it did, he’d be ready.
He followed the demons as they converged on a central location. He couldn’t quite see what it was—there were too many bodies in the way. But he could hear this strange, low hum spreading outward.
As it finally reached him, he realized that it was the demons making this noise.
She’s headed your way, Lyka whispered to his thoughts.
She who? His question reached her easily. She was no longer trying to keep him out. In fact, she seemed to welcome his presence, clinging to it like a lifeline.
Queen Bitch, Lyka answered.
He shifted his grip on his sword and amplified his vision. There was plenty of light in here for him to see, but a heightened attention to detail was definitely in order. When a man was on a mission to save the woman he loved, he needed every advantage he could get.
Love? Her shock rang through the question, making it clatter in his thoughts.
Now wasn’t the time for such confessions, but he was acutely aware that he might never have another chance to let her know how he felt. So rather than hold back, he opened himself up and let her feel what he did. He let her see the way he saw her—beautiful and brave, fierce and loyal, sexy and sweet. She was everything he could have ever hoped for in a mate, in a wife, and he felt like the luckiest man alive to be with her for whatever time they had together.
Something in her fluttered. Expanded. He felt her absorb his love and let it strengthen her. If you want more time with me, you’d better hurry. Eric and I are about out.