The Warlord Wants Forever Part 18

With one hand, Lothaire tossed away the length of bone. With the other, he lifted the remaining guard by the throat. "Which way to the execution chamber?"

Lothaire eased his grip just enough for the man to grit out, "R-right, then ... then second left. All the way to the end. But p-please-"

Snap. By the time the guard's body collapsed, Lothaire was already at his second left. By the time the guard's body collapsed, Lothaire was already at his second left.

He'd put Elizabeth from his mind, a.s.sured she'd be relatively relatively safe. After all, he didn't care about her mind, only about her body, the temple that housed his Bride. safe. After all, he didn't care about her mind, only about her body, the temple that housed his Bride.

My mate. The female meant only for him. And what a glorious, bloodthirsty female she was... The female meant only for him. And what a glorious, bloodthirsty female she was...

Did Saroya sense this execution? Was she desperately struggling to rise, to protect herself?

His black claws dug into his palms till blood flowed. Focus. Focus! Focus. Focus!

As he delved deeper into the building, Lothaire fought to distance his thoughts from his own recent imprisonment. The reason I'm late for my Bride's execution. The reason I'm late for my Bride's execution.

Weeks ago, when he'd learned of this date, he'd been on the verge of rescuing Saroya. Then he himself had been captured by the Order, a mortal army.

He'd escaped them ... but in time?

Beams from more flashlights shone ahead. Three guards in riot gear escorted out a handful of civilians.

"Is someone there?" one guard demanded.

Lothaire envisioned cutting a swath of blood and screams through the group. No, focus! No, focus! Though pleasurable, it would be selfish. Though pleasurable, it would be selfish.

To save time, Lothaire traced past them, disappearing and reappearing in an instant.

When he reached the viewing room, he teleported inside. Two young males had just burst through the door of the adjoining execution chamber to guard her, fumbling with Maglites and a.s.sault rifles.

Then, for the first time in five years, Lothaire's gaze fell upon Elizabeth. The last time he'd beheld her, she'd lain in the snow, her unusual gray eyes peering up at him with delightful fear.

Now she lay restrained, dressed in a dingy orange uniform. Her long, coffee-colored hair was pulled back severely from her face.

Again, she was terrified, her eyes darting blindly in the dark, but he felt no sympathy, only hatred.

This was all her doing! With Elizabeth's blessing, needles had been sunk into both of her inner arms- A transparent liquid already flowed down each tube.

His heart felt like it might explode. Too late? Too late?

With a roar, he traced inside, batting the two males away, launching them headfirst into opposite walls.

"Who's there?" Elizabeth cried when he laid shaking hands on her delicate arms to thread those needles out of her veins. "What's happening? Can't see!"

He leaned down to scent the fluid, nearly sinking to his knees with relief. Saline. No chemical odor, merely salt.w.a.ter.

To be certain, he sliced the line with one claw and dripped the liquid on his tongue.

Safe.

But if he'd been seconds later ...

As he ripped free the electrodes covering Elizabeth, he grated, "You've been a bad little mortal."

A sucked-in breath. Then she yelled, "Stop this, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d! You leave me be!"

Once he'd slashed through her bonds, he clamped his hand around her wrist and yanked her to her feet.

Before Lothaire traced her back to the safety of his home, he promised her, "Now, Elizabeth, you will pay."

When the ground suddenly reappeared beneath her, Ellie pitched forward. She knew that monster had ahold of her, would recognize Lothaire's voice anywhere.

That deep, accented timbre had haunted her dreams.

As nausea washed over her, she realized that she was no longer in the prison. Somehow he'd transported her into a fancy sitting room, some type of mansion.

Just as she regained her balance she felt her body lifted off the ground. "Ah! Stop, stop stop-"

"I warned you, mortal!" the demon bellowed as he hurled her away from him.

With a strangled cry, she landed sideways on a couch halfway across the room.

Get up! Dizziness ... Dizziness ... Keep him in sight, Ellie! Keep him in sight, Ellie! After a clearing shake of her head, she clambered to her feet. The red-eyed demon strode back and forth in front of her, vanis.h.i.+ng and reappearing as he paced. After a clearing shake of her head, she clambered to her feet. The red-eyed demon strode back and forth in front of her, vanis.h.i.+ng and reappearing as he paced.

He was bigger than she remembered, and this time he looked even more murderous. His fists were clenched, tendons straining in his neck. His irises glowed red, veins of blood forking out over the whites of his eyes.

His face was spattered with blood, his pale hair stained with it. Again he was clad all in black from his trench coat to his boots. b.l.o.o.d.y bullet holes riddled his s.h.i.+rt.

This can't be happening! Stolen from death row at a maximum-security prison? By Stolen from death row at a maximum-security prison? By him him.

"I promised you punishment!" He swung one long arm out to the side, bas.h.i.+ng a marble column.

Chunks of it landed on the plush carpet at her feet, the entire building seeming to rock. His strength was monstrous, just like everything about him.

"You disobey me at your peril."

She should be terrified of him. Instead, she felt a blistering rage boiling up inside of her her. Ellie had thought she'd finally be free, that she'd at last defeat Saroya. She'd been two minutes away from death, ready ready for it. But this devil had thwarted her yet again. for it. But this devil had thwarted her yet again.

He'd already taken away her freedom, ensuring she'd spent five years in a tiny, rank cell.

Five years despairing.

As she recalled that interminable span, she found herself screaming, "What do you want want from me? from me? What? What?" Out of the corner of her eye she spied a vase, s.n.a.t.c.hed it up. "Why can't you leave me the h.e.l.l alone?" She flung the heavy piece-it struck him in the chest and shattered shattered from the impact. from the impact.

As though she'd bashed it against a brick wall.

Even as she stared in disbelief, a heavy candleholder found its way into her grip. Two minutes. So d.a.m.ned close. Two minutes. So d.a.m.ned close. She lobbed it overhand. She lobbed it overhand.

He ... dematerialized dematerialized, and it flew through his hazy form.

She gave a shriek of fury. Another candleholder went flying, a paperweight, a lamp.

He just dodged the missiles.

Can't be happening! She was out of breath, desperate to hurt him, to punish She was out of breath, desperate to hurt him, to punish him him.

Eighteen hundred and twenty days without seasons, without snow or blooms, without friends or family. Her baby brother didn't remember her. While Josh had been steadily growing toward manhood without her in his life, Ellie's existence had been stagnant, punctuated only by bouts of evil.

She no longer felt like a ... person.

I'm not not a person, I'm Virginia DOC Inmate #8793347. I'm Saroya's host. a person, I'm Virginia DOC Inmate #8793347. I'm Saroya's host.

Because of him.

Ellie's gaze landed on a sword in a display cradle. She leapt for the weapon, yanking it free from its ornamental sheath.

The glimmering metal reflected light into her eyes. In that instant, clarity came.

She knew what she had to do.

Clutching the hilt in both hands, she turned on him. "I'm gonna gut you, demon!"

He drew back his lips so she could see his horrifying canines, then flicked two fingers at her. Come on, then... Come on, then...

Her eyes widened and she charged, sword poised to sink into his chest.

At the last moment-she turned it on herself.

"No!" he bellowed. Then somehow he was between her and the sword tip, wedged against her body. he bellowed. Then somehow he was between her and the sword tip, wedged against her body.

The blade slid into his lower back until it met bone.

She gasped, feeling his muscles tensing against her, sensing his escalating rage. The red of his irises bled over the whites of his eyes completely. He bared those fangs down at her. "This makes twice that you've defied me, suka suka."

With a snap of his wrist, he sent her flying to the floor.

Stunned. Flat on her back. Hysterical tears threatening.

She heard him removing the sword from his body, then tossing it away. Won't cry in front of him. Won't surrender to his b.i.t.c.h. Won't cry in front of him. Won't surrender to his b.i.t.c.h.

For courage, she recalled the years spent staring at cinder-block walls. Counting the blocks, the grout lines, seeing patterns and shapes. She'd called it the Cinder-Block Channel.

All block, all day. No interruptions. Ever.

Gritting her teeth, she twisted to her side, working to rise. Her hair had come loose, spilling over her face. She shoved a lock from her eyes.

"Stay-down," he ordered, towering over her.

His expression was savage, crazed. He was a fiend, an animal, still had blood sprayed on his face. How many had he murdered today?

"Go back to h.e.l.l, a.s.shole." Then she spat on his boots.

4

Lothaire s.n.a.t.c.hed her upper arms, yanking her against him, ignoring the pain from his new wound. She tried to end herself again. Almost succeeded ... She tried to end herself again. Almost succeeded ...

"Let me go!" She thrashed against his hold.

Elizabeth had nearly robbed him of his coveted Bride, had disobeyed his orders-twice-and had stabbed stabbed him. him.

Yet she she was furious with was furious with him him?

When she continued to flail, his grip tightened until a cry was wrenched from her lips, and she stilled.

Control yourself. He inhaled deeply. He inhaled deeply. Else forfeit your Bride. Else forfeit your Bride. He was far too strong to lose control when she was near. The rage ... madness ... He was far too strong to lose control when she was near. The rage ... madness ...

Inhale. Exhale. Saroya was in his keeping, safe for now. Disaster averted.

After long moments, he found his wrath ebbing, the haze dissipating somewhat. He eased his grip but kept her close to him. "Are you done?" he snapped.

Expression mulish, she muttered, "For a spell."

Challenging me still? Lothaire knew he balanced Lothaire knew he balanced on the very brink of insanity; now he realized this human might already be there. on the very brink of insanity; now he realized this human might already be there.

But in the wake of his anger, the pain of his injuries lessened, drowned out by an excruciating awareness of her. He gazed down into her striking eyes with bemus.e.m.e.nt.

The feeling was almost ... hypnotic.

She permeated all his senses. His Bride's body was giving off an unbearable heat as it trembled against him. Her rapid heartbeat was a siren's call to him, flaunting its coursing rush. A vein in her neck pulsed invitingly.

Pain? He felt none.

His gaze fell on the silky spill of her hair flowing loose past her shoulders. Dark brown waves made the color of those eyes stand out: smoky gray, framed with thick black lashes.

She'd grown prettier in the intervening years. Curvier. Her hips rounded enticingly, her high b.r.e.a.s.t.s straining against that threadbare top.

He rubbed his tongue over a fang as he recalled the first night he'd seen Saroya. She'd been in the woods at a makes.h.i.+ft altar, covered in blood beneath the light of the full moon.

One look at her, and his heart had awakened from its long slumber. Breath had filled his lungs. His shaft had stiffened with a swift heat, demanding its first release in millennia.

He hardened now, remembering how he'd licked her victim's blood from her sweet skin as he'd stroked himself. She'd stood pa.s.sive against him-a giving female, the softness to his strength-as he'd shuddered and spilled his seed upon the leaves...