Wicked Abyss (Immortals After Dark #17) - Kresley Cole Page 0,94

he selfishly keeping the curse a secret, he’d been taking out his frustration on her.

Yesterday, he’d asked what kind of tattoo she’d make him get once he marked her.

“No tattoos for you.” She kissed one of his glyphs. “I would never change a single inch of this skin.”

Body gone tense, he drew back, cursing his future.

She blinked at him. “Did I say something wrong?” When he didn’t answer, she muttered, “Moodiest male . . .”

“I wanted Calliope to feel more for me before I revealed that.” Sian believed her attachment grew, but he also suspected something was holding her back.

“No offense, demon, but she’s going to know soon.” Josephine tilted her head. “I can already see a difference from the last time we stopped by.”

Truly? Their previous visit had been only a couple of months before Calliope’s arrival here! “I will tell her soon.”

“I wouldn’t sweat it. She married you, so obviously looks”—the halfling gestured to him with a careless wave—“aren’t that important to her.”

Sian scowled. “She likes my looks.” Whenever Calliope gazed up at him from under her lashes, he could feel her attraction to him—and her growing possessiveness. The proprietary light in her eyes made him stand taller. Made his cock harder than stone.

To his surprise, she couldn’t keep her hands off him. The more she explored his body—and she adored exploring it—the more aroused she grew by his form. “But not for long.”

How much time do I have before she doesn’t even recognize me? Would he recognize himself? Even now the low hum along his spine, that engine inside him, roiled on.

“It doesn’t matter what you look like,” Rune said. “You’re still my brother. Win her over, and she’ll be just as loyal.”

“Easier said . . .”

“Has she told you anything about her life on Gaia?” Rune asked. “Her family?”

Sian capped the flask, then tossed it back. “She doesn’t like to talk about it. Probably because I forced her to abandon her fiancé.”

Rune and Josephine winced.

“Exactly.” Did that male still stand between them? Sian had finally brought up the subject.

“I know I took you from your intended. Abruptly. Tell me what I can do to help you put him in the past.”

“I might pine for the family I thought I’d have. But not him in particular.”

Sian had thought, I could give her a family. But they’d be dark fey. Considered abominations by most.

Then why did he feel like they would have young between them? “My spies found out nothing about her in Gaia. Next I will dispatch them to Sylvan.”

“Josie and I can dig into Calliope’s background there. My female’s interrogation techniques are improving every day.” She gave a queenly wave. “And my connections are still in place.”

“Even though Rune the Insatiable isn’t trading sex for secrets anymore,” Josephine said in a pointed tone. “Funny how that worked out, huh?”

Rune nodded easily. “I trade exclusively with phanpires now.” He turned to Sian. “We’ll begin at once. In any case, I’d be less worried about a fiancé and more worried about her reaction when the M?ri?r conquer Sylvan.”

As good a time as any. “About Sylvan . . . I vowed to her that as long as she is my wife, none in that kingdom will fall by a M?ri?r’s hand.”

The color of Rune’s irises shot from magenta to black. “The fuck?” He traced to his feet. “With zero warning—or discussion—you made vows for me?”

Josephine swung around and sat on the edge of the throne. “Demon, you’re in troubllllle.”

Striving for calm, Sian said, “Calliope kept attempting to escape me, endangering her life. So I bargained with her, giving her incentive to stay.”

“Your bargain includes the royals in Sylvan!” Rune traced in front of him, fists clenched like he was about to take a swing. Sian would welcome it. “You undermined my entire life’s goal. Everything I’ve worked for. I’ve craved revenge against that bloodline for millennia!”

Sian squared his shoulders. “This is what I had to do to secure my mate,” he said simply.

“And I want you to experience matehood, brother. I do. But you have to know N?x set you up like a bloody line of dominoes.” Sian nodded. “How do you know Calliope isn’t working with her? Was Saetth involved? He benefits most from your . . . arrangement.”

“Calliope had a job in Gaia for years, living as a human. She wasn’t immersed in the Lore whatsoever. But I do wager Saetth is in league with the Valkyrie.”

Rune’s lips parted, revealing his fangs. “And you still went ahead