have seen something in his face, because she said, “This is between Diel and me.” It took him a moment to realize she was talking to the monster. “You won’t get between us. This has to happen.” Diel blinked in shock as the monster stilled then moved back out of reach, unhappy but obeying her command.
“No one will know about it but us.” Noa pushed back her hair, her Brethren brand moving as she did so. “You know these grounds better than I do. You pick somewhere no one will find us, or hear us. But somewhere we can fight.”
Diel’s head raced. He was going to face her in battle. Excitement burst inside him, expelling some of his tiredness. “The folly,” he rasped. There was a folly on the grounds, near the lake. Gabriel had had it fashioned into a training ring. It was secure, perfect for fighting, and far away from anyone in the houses.
Noa nodded. “Midnight. Tomorrow night.” She got to her feet and moved to the ornate closet against the wall. She pulled on a black sweater, leggings and boots. Diel never took his eyes off her as she dressed, feeling a strange stretch in his chest. He felt his monster watching, fascinated by the pink-haired woman who had just thrown down the gauntlet without an ounce of fear in her bones.
She didn’t fear Diel. The monster felt a strange satisfaction at that.
Noa moved back to where he lay. “We’re going to get you up, and we’re taking you back to bed at your own home. No one will know of this.” Before he even had a chance to protest, Noa placed her arms under his and pulled. Diel pushed himself to his feet, the heat from the collar’s strike still burning the skin on his neck. He swayed, depleted, but Noa pressed herself to his front to steady him.
Diel hissed and struck out, wrapping his hand around her throat. Noa’s eyes met his. “Try it,” she taunted. “Try to fucking kill me, and see what happens to you.” Her neck felt slender under his large hand. He could feel the delicate nature of her bones beneath his palms. The skin on her neck was soft and unmarred by scars. And her pulse … it was steady, and so fucking alive.
For a moment he pictured it ceasing under his grip, and an ache formed in his chest. But his attention fell to her lips, chasing away that odd ache. He found himself leaning in; her sweet scent was like the most decadent of desserts, the pull toward her like a swift yank of the chain he’d worn as a child. But then he wrenched himself back. He was breathless and flushed, and he felt a droplet of sweat slip down his spine.
No!
She needed to die.
His monster’s attraction to her was fucking with his head.
Ripping his hand back, he saw his red finger marks on her skin. His dick twitched at the sight.
“Let’s go.” Noa led him from the room. As they hit the hallway, Dinah appeared at her door, her livid eyes fixed on Diel. She folded her arms over her chest as Noa passed by her without word.
Noa led him down the stairs. His feet were heavy with each step. She steered him to the tunnel and climbed inside with him. Wordlessly, she led him down the dark, damp hallways until they arrived at the manor house door. His muscles flexed with the need to just end her now, in the quiet secrecy of the tunnel, but something stopped him. Only it wasn’t the monster, who watched him from afar, following Noa’s instructions to leave the matter to her and Diel. It was something inside him. He pictured the folly tomorrow night. Her in her leather versus him. The blood, the pain, the fists and the screams.
He fought back the groan that clawed up his throat.
Unaware of his cock growing hard at those thoughts, Noa opened the door to Eden Manor. “Tomorrow night.” She shoved Diel through the door. Sudden movement from inside the manor caught his attention as he fell against the wall. Sela stood at the top of the stairs, waiting. His dark gaze snapped to Noa. Noa, who was still alive and breathing. Sela’s eyebrows drew down in confusion, then he descended the stairs without a word and pulled Diel into the main house. When Diel looked back, the door to the tunnel was shut and Noa was nowhere to be seen.