Chapter 50 #3
I stormed past the living area, my ire only growing at the beauty of this place.
Their animated conversation slowly died when I entered the kitchen.
It was an odd meld of Onuna and Rashearim styles that somehow worked.
Imogen was removing various fruits and goods from a bag while Samkiel rested across the island, a soft smile on his face as she said something I didn’t care to hear.
How easy would it be to go back to that?
What they had was what he needed, what he deserved, not me, pain, or darkness.
His eyes met mine, and he slowly stood up, worry creasing his brow.
“You’re awake. How are you feeling? Does your head still hurt?”
“What is this? Where did you get it?” I waved the picture frame in the air, ignoring his question.
Imogen stopped placing fruit. She stilled, her body tensing, probably remembering what had happened the last time we’d met. Would she protect him as viciously as I had? Jealousy sliced through me, and I growled at the unwelcome reaction.
He lifted one finely formed brow and sipped whatever he was drinking before saying, “Novas.”
Imogen’s eyes shifted between us, and she took a step back.
“You went to Novas?”
“Yes. I searched for you everywhere.”
I lowered the frame before realizing what I was doing.
Everywhere.
The words rattled through my subconscious. He went back to that damned island looking for me. “You have to be kidding me. Is this supposed to make me feel something? Because it doesn’t,” I snapped.
“I merely wished for you to be comfortable and a picture—”
“A picture of my dead sister will not bring me comfort.”
He turned toward Imogen, who resembled more of a scared fawn in headlights than the warrior celestial I knew she was.
“Imogen, thank you for the food. I will be at the hall shortly. Please inform the others to be ready.”
She nodded and bowed, a smile making her beautiful face radiant. My lip curled. She was gone in a flash of blue light, leaving me alone again with Samkiel.
“Sorry to interrupt you and your girlfriend. Or should I say your wife? Betrothed? I can’t keep up with all the lies.”
A line in Samkiel’s jaw ticked. “She is my advisor because you killed my last one.”
“Sure, is that what they call it on Rashearim?”
Samkiel lifted his cup to hide his smile, but I saw it. “As I have said, Imogen is not my girlfriend, betrothed, or wife. You would know more about the failed betrothal if you spoke to me instead of my enemies.”
“I don’t care.” I slammed the picture on the countertop.
“You’re in a ripe mood. You must be feeling better,” Samkiel said. He placed his cup down and leaned forward, placing the remaining fruit in a basket.
“You know what I’m feeling?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
“Enlighten me,” he said, seemingly unconcerned with my ire, which just annoyed me more.
“Like I want to leave. Take me back,” I demanded.
“No.”
I sighed, throwing my hands up. “Gods, that’s still your favorite word!”
I stormed out of the kitchen and down a hall, thinking I’d find an exit, but I ended up in another large room.
This one contained a large desk piled with scrolls.
Paintings decorated the walls, and books neatly lined the shelves.
I slammed the door and turned back, stomping through this cursed palace, determined to find a way out.
I opened door after door, finding nothing but storage closets and spare rooms. One door opened onto an outside patio, but a high wall contained it.
A growl of frustration echoed from my throat, and I strode back toward the kitchen. Impatiently, I pushed a loose curl off my cheek and glared at Samkiel. He leaned against the long island, biting into a fruit with a stark green interior.
“Are you done?” he asked.
“Let me out of this godsdamned place,” I snapped, lunging forward and slamming my hands down on the counter.
“No.” He watched me and took another bite, his posture relaxed.
My eyes flicked to the doorway near the large fridge. A shadowed hall lay beyond. That was why I couldn’t find an exit. It was behind him. My gaze met his as he stopped mid-chew.
“Don’t.”
I ran.
I heard the fruit hit the counter and his heavy steps behind me a second after I raced out of the kitchen.
A flash of light lit up the dark hallway, and he was in front of me.
His arm shot out, trying to stop my escape.
I ducked under it and made it another inch before powerful arms grabbed me from behind and swung me around.
He pressed me against the wall and leaned his body in close, his large hands gripping my wrists and pinning them on either side of my head.
His breath washed over my cheek, his scent surrounding me.
I blew a strand of hair from my face and snarled up at him. “I will rip your throat out with my teeth if you don’t let me go.”
“I was right the first time I saw you. All teeth, claws, and fury. Definitely a riztoure beast.” He leaned closer. “Pure hellcat.”
I cursed him in Eorian.
Amusement filled his gaze, and he moved closer, his body fitting against mine as if we were made for each other. He tipped his head, exposing his throat, the corded muscle and bronzed skin a temptation. My mouth watered with a hunger I hadn’t felt in a while.
“Go ahead. Try.”
“What?” I asked, licking my lips.
“Come on. Do it. Don’t tease me by saying things you don’t mean.” He took a sidelong glance toward me. “That’s not you, Dianna.”
I struck as quickly as any viper, my mouth clamping on the strong column of his neck.
Teeth met skin, but my fangs did not descend.
I swirled my tongue against his throat and sucked, feeling his pulse quicken.
I arched against him, the throbbing heat between my thighs demanding more of him.
My headache evaporated, and another ache took its place—a hunger I refused to feed.
My mouth left his throat as I pulled back, licking my lips.
“Can’t do it, can you?” The same words he had said when we fought. Bastard. His voice was husky as if he also struggled with this burning need between us.
“Shut up,” I snapped, ignoring that the words came out breathlessly. “What did you do to me?”
Samkiel let me go and took a measured step back, anger replacing lust. “It’s quite insulting that you automatically assume I would ever do anything to hurt you. Especially something so heinous as stripping your powers.”
My throat and other parts of me went dry. “My powers are gone?”
“Possibly. In mortal terms, you burned yourself out.”
My hand fell to my chest. “Is that possible?”
“This is the first time I have seen it happen. I am still researching.”
My mind flashed to the books piled on the desk a few halls away. Had he been researching a way to heal me? To help me?
I turned inward, reaching deep, searching.
Samkiel was right. I felt no spark. The warmth I normally felt when I called upon the fire was absent.
I stared at him, the soft shine of moisture from my mouth still visible on his neck, along with a small discoloration where I’d bitten too hard.
A jolt of pleasure coursed through me as if a part of me liked seeing my mark on him.
I quickly extinguished that thought too.
“I want Roccurem.”
That was the wrong thing to say.
His powerful shoulders squared, and his expression turned grim. “No.”
“You can’t keep him from me.”
“He is not yours to keep . He is not a pet for you to order about. If you need help or have questions, I will help you,” Samkiel hissed at me.
“I don’t want you,” I spat.
Samkiel recoiled, pain flashing in his beautiful eyes, darkening them. “Regardless, you cannot have him. He is no longer available to fulfill your needs,” he said.
I may not have had teeth or claws as before, but I still had venom. I scoffed, folding my arms. “Is that what burns you? You think Reggie has been taking care of all my little naughty bits?”
That was also not the best thing to say.
The sky darkened, and the wind howled, giving voice to the rage he refused to release.
I felt his energy brush against me, and a part of me reveled in it.
The feel of his power wrapping around me did not incite fear but set my blood alight with need.
He was a god made of storms and war, and he was magnificent. And I hated it.
“You know, at first, I assumed you stole Roccurem for your own pleasure. You’d never touch Camilla after what she did, so logic dictated it was him.
I’ll admit that I was jealous. I am man enough to tell you how much that burned a hole in my gut to see you so casually replace me, but then I learned it wasn’t for that.
No. You just couldn’t stand being alone with your thoughts.
I get that. I am the same way. But I have learned, Dianna, that no one can pull you out of this until you are ready.
Until then, we are nothing but crutches, and that is not what you need to heal. ”
“I’m not asking for anyone’s help. Let alone yours,” I spat.
“Oh, trust me, I am very well aware,” he snapped. He didn’t back down. He never did. If anything, he liked every bit of fire I had and relished that he could make me burn brighter.
“My sister died, Samkiel. Don’t think that anything I did had to do with you.”
“This isn’t about her. I stood with you the entire time, Dianna. You knew that.”
I pushed from the wall. “You were only going to hold me back.”
“Yes, from yourself.” He shook his head at me, his arms wide and his expression unforgiving. “What has this gotten you? The revenge, the death, what has it done? It hasn’t brought her back. We both know that nothing will.”
My hand whipped out to slap him, but he caught my wrist. “I hate you.”
He stepped closer and leaned in until his nose was an inch from mine. “I. Don’t. Care.”