The Darkest Craving

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

The Realm of Blood and Shadows

JOSEPHINA TOOK IN as much of the fortress as possible as Kane dragged her down a hall and up a flight of stairs. “I almost can’t believe I’m in your home. I mean, I’m actually in your home. I’m living every Fae woman’s dream.”

The portraits on the walls caught her attention. Each contained a Lord of the Underworld in the buff, his manhood shielded by something feminine. A ribbon. A teddy bear. A scrap of lace. Then there were the portraits of the delicate blonde, the epitome of what Fae males found attractive. In one, she wore a ball gown. In another, a negligee. In yet another, black leather.

“She’s pretty,” Josephina said, trying not to compare herself to the beauty. “Does she belong to one of your friends?”

“No.”

The sharpness of his tone startled her. She studied the stiffness of his back, the jerkiness of his stride. “Kane? Is everything all right?”

He ignored her. He even ignored the people they passed.

“Kane, is that really you?” said a male with black hair and violet eyes. Josephina recognized the infamous keeper of Violence. He was close enough to touch.

A baby girl was cradled in his arms. Oh, sweet mercy, he had a child? Why had the scribes not delivered such a juicy tidbit?

Silent, Kane dragged her past the pair.

“So wonderful to meet you,” she called. “I’m Josephina, and I absolutely love—”

Kane jerked her around the corner.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were on your honeymoon,” said Strider, coming out of a bedroom.

“So lovely to see you again,” Josephina called.

A petite redheaded lovely moved to his side, and she elbowed him in the stomach.

“What’d I do now, baby doll?” Strider asked with a grimace.

“Honeymoon?” the redhead said with a stomp of her foot. “He got married and you didn’t think to tell me?”

“Hey, Paris and Torin wouldn’t happen to be here, would they?” Josephina asked Strider. “I might die of a heart attack, but it would be worth it—”

Kane pulled her in front of him, and slapped his hand over her mouth. “That’s enough out of you.”

He stopped her in front of a door. A bedroom, she realized when he got her inside. He released her and shut them both in. Awed, she drank in every nook and cranny. The chamber was spacious, with distressed walls of stone and a cracked marble floor. The furniture was antique, worn but chic. There were no pictures, though, no personal touches of any kind.

“I need to—” Kane scrubbed a hand down his face. “I...need to go,” he said, his gaze anywhere but on her.

She spun to face him. “You’re leaving me?”

“I’ll be back,” he rushed to add. “And I’ll introduce you to everyone. I’ll give you a tour. Whatever you want.”

“I want...you.”

She was no longer the passive girl he’d first met. She’d been through too much, had survived too much. They’d survived. She’d decided to stand up for her rights, and that hadn’t changed. She would fight for what she wanted, would even fight Kane himself. “What’s going on, Kane? What’s wrong with you? Tell me. Don’t push me aside. Not this time.”

“My head’s messed up,” he said in a tortured voice. “The weeks in hell...the demons...”

“I’m so sorry. I should have realized.” She closed the distance between them, placed her palms on his chest. His heart drummed fast and erratic. Being there had reminded him of all he’d endured, and yet still he’d come for her. Such a precious man. My man. “Let me help you. Please.”

“I... Yes. Okay.” He picked her up, carried her to the bed, and laid her across the mattress, then snuggled up beside her.

“Talk to me. Purge the poison.”

A moment passed. Then another.

Then, “I don’t know if you know this,” he said quietly, “but it’s possible for a woman to arouse a man’s body, even if he doesn’t want the woman herself. That’s how, when I was trapped in hell, countless minions were able to...do things to me. It was far worse than I led you to believe. It was one female after another, their hands and mouths everywhere, as they tried to steal my seed. They wanted to have my babies, and I was rarely left alone. All the while, Disaster laughed. He’s laughing now. He loves every second of my pain and humiliation.”

“Oh, Kane.” Her poor, poor Kane. “It’s not your humiliation, darling. It’s Disaster’s. It’s the minions’. They alone carry the shame.”

“I could have fought harder.”

“Could you really?” she asked. “When you’re already stronger than any man I know?”

“I’m not,” he said with a shake of his head.

“Yes, you are, and today proves it. Despite everything you endured, you still came back for me.”

Against her cheek, she felt his heart skip a beat. “I did, didn’t I? But...when I heard the demons closing in, I felt sick and cowardly. I should have faced them. I should have destroyed them. And one day I will. But today, I only wanted to flee.”

And it had embarrassed his warrior soul, she realized. “Oh, Kane. Cowardliness has nothing to do with feeling, and everything to do with action. You acted despite everything. You are brave and valiant and worthy, and you had more to think about than vengeance. You had a woman you were trying to protect. You knew what the minions were capable of, and I bet you wanted me as far away from them as you could get me. Am I right?”

Only the slightest hesitation before he admitted, “Yes.” Then he rolled onto his side and buried his head into the hollow of her neck. Something warm dripped onto her skin. A...tear? His arms wrapped around her and held on tight, and another droplet splashed, and then another and another. Soon, Kane was sobbing, great, gut-wrenching sobs, tremors racking his entire body.

Her heart breaking for him, Josephina cooed at him and ran her fingers through the silk of his hair. How long had these tears been trapped inside? How long had his inner wounds festered?

A few moments after he quieted, he rolled to the side, removing his weight from her, and sagged against the mattress. “I’m sorry,” he croaked.

“Why?”

“I just acted like a wom—uh, a child.”

“Tears aren’t childish, silly. And they’re not reserved for women, thank you very much. You were wronged, you were hurt and you suffered greatly. You’re allowed to react.”

His fingers dusted along the line of her jaw. “Your wisdom humbles me.”

“I am amazingly smart.”

He chuckled, only to go quiet a second later. “They didn’t succeed, you know. I didn’t leave any of the minions pregnant.”

She was glad. He wouldn’t have survived that kind of connection to the Underworld.

Josephina sat up without ever breaking contact, and peered down at him. Whatever she’d meant to say was superseded by, “No fair. When I cry, I look like a hag who’s just left a boxing match. You look as beautiful as always.”

He offered her a slow, lazy smile. “You think I’m beautiful?”

“I think I’ve told you I consider you the incarnation of beautiful.” She tugged his shirt over his head.

“No, you told me I’m sexy. There’s a difference. And not that I’m complaining, but...what are you doing?”

“Remember when I told you I wanted to smother all your bad memories with good? Well, we’re starting today. Now.” His boots were the next to go, followed by his pants and underwear, leaving him totally and completely naked.

Josephina perused him unabashedly. Actually, beautiful and sexy were words too mild for him. He had muscle stacked upon muscle, and flawless bronze skin, all topped off by the butterfly tattoo on his hip.

She traced the jagged edges of the wings. “The artwork catches my attention every time.”

“Evil sometimes comes in a very pretty package.”

Very true. “You want to be rid of it. Of him.”

“More than anything.”

“Then we’ll find a way to make it happen.” She pressed her lips against his, feeding him a soft, sweet kiss. “Together, we can do anything. Now, grip the headboard.”

“Tink...” he said.

“I won’t do anything you don’t like. I promise.”

“Whatever you do, trust me, I’ll like.”

Trembling, he stretched out his arms and did as she’d commanded, and when she next kissed him, he accepted her without reservation, meeting her thrust for gentle thrust, before pressing more firmly, taking more deeply, changing the tone of the kiss. There was passion, yes. There was always passion between them. But he also kissed her with something more heady than reverence, as if she were the most important part of his life. As if he would want and need her always. As if he couldn’t bear the thought of ever being without her.

Josephina took her time tasting and laving every inch of his body, learning how to please him as he offered instructions, telling her what he liked, and she obeyed, worshipping him, watching his face for any sign of uncertainty or distress. He never flinched or paled. He appeared undone. He appeared on edge with the force of his desire.

“I’m about to...Tink, you have to stop. I want to touch you, do things to you,” he croaked. “Want to have you.”

Not just want but needed, she realized. Before, he’d been bound, had lost all sense of control. He might never be able to fully relinquish power to her, and that was okay. She loved the way he mastered her body.

“I’m yours,” she said, “to do with as you please.”

He had a condom on in the next instant, and her waist gripped in the one after that. He lifted her, and filled her, and all she could do was dig her nails into his chest and hang on for the wildest ride of her life.

He was untamed, undisciplined. He was savage. He was also brutally sweet. Because, as much as he took, he gave back even more, touching her in all the right places, driving her need higher and higher. And when the pleasure hit its peak, she could only throw back her head, the tips of her hair brushing against his groin. He roared, arching his hips, surging that much deeper, propelling her to a whole new level of satisfaction.

Panting, she collapsed on his chest. His arms wrapped around her and held tightly.

“Don’t ever leave me,” he said, kissing her sweat-damp temple.

“Never,” she vowed.

“It’s wrong of me, I know it is, but I need you to stay with me.”

“Wrong of you how?”

He cleared his throat. “I...know a way.”

It took her a moment to realize he’d returned to their earlier conversation. “The starving thing?”

He nodded. “Things might get rocky for a while, and you’d probably be better off without me, but—”

Ah. That’s what he’d meant about asking her to stay being wrong of him. “I’m not going anywhere without you,” she said.

He closed his eyes, as if savoring her words. “No, you’re not going anywhere without me.”

KANE LEANED AGAINST the door frame and grinned as he watched Tink interact with the other women in the fortress. He’d introduced her to everyone just this morning, and she was already a part of the family.

She’d only asked for three autographs.

Everyone had been so busy hunting details about the Paring Rod, and what could have happened to Cameo and Viola, they’d forgotten to rest or eat. They’d needed a break, a distraction, and Tink was now providing both.

The women loved Tink and fawned over her, and sure, that could be because he’d threatened to murder anyone who hurt her feelings, but he didn’t think so. There was something so welcoming about her. She smiled, and amusement lit her entire face. She spoke, and the wisdom of multiple lifetimes poured from her lips. She included everyone in her conversation, and showed no partiality. They were all special to her.

“Tell us more about life in the Fae palace,” Ashlyn said while rocking her daughter to sleep.

He should leave. He had to talk to his friends about his deal with Taliyah—and they would probably want to wipe the floor with his face for offering up their fortress. It would be best to get that out of the way while Tink was distracted. He turned to walk away.

“Well,” Tink said. “I’m now the most envied woman in the land. I married the famed keeper of Disaster.”

He heard the pride in her voice, and couldn’t help but turn back to her. He saw it in her eyes, too, and his heart soared. His friends could wait.

Anya bounced Urban up and down and patted him on the back, struggling to get him to burp. “I want to hear more about Kane beating up your lecherous half brother. I bet that rocked your panties off! It would have mine, if I ever wore any.”

Haidee, Amun’s wife, shook her head; a mix of blond and pink hair danced over her shoulders. “You have to forgive her. She’s just a little crazy in the head.”

“Uh, try a lot crazy in the head,” Anya retorted, as if she were complimenting herself. In her mind, she probably was. “I should have been committed centuries ago. Oh, wait. I was!”

“Stop talking, Anarchy. Josephina was just about to tell us if Kane’s as much of an animal in bed as I think.” Gwen, Sabin’s wife, waved to Tink, a silent command to continue.

“I’m pretty sure I wasn’t going to talk about that,” Tink said, taken aback.

“Oh, yes, you totally were. And while you’re at it,” said Kaia, Strider’s consort, “I’m going to give you one of my galaxies’ famous makeovers. Strider told me your family treated you like a servant and I firmly believe the best way to get revenge—besides killing the stupid jerks with a blade...or a hammer...or a saw—is to kill the stupid jerks with jealousy.”

Sienna, Paris’s wife, snapped her fingers and a rack of dresses and a vanity piled high with makeup appeared. “Ta da! Let the makeover begin.”

“Neat trick,” Tink said, clapping.

Gilly, William’s teenage charge, leaned toward Tink, her expression earnest. “I hear you spent some time with William. Did you happen to notice the kind of women he...you know?”

“My poor ears,” Anya said. “They do not need to hear about Willy you-knowing.”

“You guys are weird,” Scarlet said. “I should kill you all in your sleep. That way, I’d stop stressing about missing friends—because I wouldn’t have any friends. It would be win/win.” She was the keeper of Nightmares, the wife of Gideon, and there was no one scarier. Most people ran from her at the first opportunity.

But not Tink. Tink patted her on top of the head. “Don’t go near Kane, or I’ll have to hurt you.”

“What about William?” Gilly prompted.

“She can go near him if she wants,” Tink said with a nod.

“No.” Gilly twisted the fabric of her T-shirt. “His women.”

“Can I go to my room now?” Legion, Aeron’s adopted daughter, interrupted. She was pale and withdrawn, and Kane hated the reason why. Like him, she’d spent a little time in hell.

Earlier today, he’d gone to her room to talk with her. She hadn’t responded when he’d knocked, so he’d gone in thinking to leave her a note. He’d found her huddled in the far corner, her knees drawn to her chest as she etched pictures on the wall. Pictures of Galen, once the second in command of the Hunters, now under Sienna’s control.

Galen, who’d once thought to enslave the girl.

“Legion,” he’d said, and she’d stiffened. She had the body of a porn star, and yet, at that moment, she appeared to be nothing more than a child.

With her back to him, she’d said, “I hate that name. I won’t answer to it.”

“What would you like me to call you?” He’d kept his tone gentle.

“Anything but that.”

“All right, then. I’ll call you Honey.”

“Whatever. I want to be left alone.”

His heart broke for her. “I’ll go. I just wanted you to know I’ve been where you are, and I’ve been through what you’ve been through, and if you ever want to talk about it with someone who understands, come find me. It doesn’t make you better, but...it helps.”

Now, in the present, Olivia, Aeron’s wife, wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Stay with us a little longer. Please.”

Legion—Honey—flinched at the contact, but nodded reluctantly.

“Well...” Tink scanned each expectant face, a gleam of awe dawning in those baby blues, as if she couldn’t quite believe they were talking to her—and actually liked her. So wise in so many ways, yet so innocent in so many others. “Let me tackle this one at a time. First, the Fae palace is huge and luxurious and filled with treasures, but the people kind of suck.”

Gwen and Kaia smiled and nodded.

“I think a treasure hunt is in our future,” Kaia said.

“Agreed,” Gwen replied.

“Second,” Tink continued, “I won’t divulge a single detail about what Kane and I do in the bedroom. Except to say that it’s awesome. I’m probably the most satisfied woman in the fortress, if not the world.”

“No way. I am!” Anya said.

“No, me!” Kaia replied.

“Third, a makeover would be nice. Thank you. Fourth, William...yes. He spent time with a beautiful but very cruel blonde. The queen, who is kind of like my stepmother. I’m sorry.”

Gilly nodded, the twinkle fading from her eyes. “A married woman,” she said. “He’s not the man I thought he was.”

Tink reached over and squeezed her hand, a gesture of comfort and understanding. When she realized she wasn’t wearing her gloves, she jerked her arm away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have touched—no, wait. I can. Kane made sure.”

He grinned—the pride was back.

Hate her! Hate them! Disaster banged against his skull, roaring, growling, threatening.

Beside him, a light bulb shorted out. At his feet, a crack formed in the marble.

Here we go, he thought, fighting a spear of dread. The hunger pains had begun.

Every eye darted to him. He ground his molars and nodded in acknowledgment.

A hard hand on his shoulder drew his attention to the male behind him. “You ready?”

Surprised, he said, “William. What are you doing here?”

“That’s the welcome I get after everything I’ve done for you? Thanks a lot, dude.”

Kane drew back a fist and let it fly, nailing the warrior in the nose. Blood instantly spurted. “No, that’s the thanks you get.”

William grinned, his warped sense of humor obviously coming out to play. “Better.”

“Next time you try and trick me, I won’t stop with one punch.”

“I’m sure.”

And now that that was settled... “Last I saw you, you were headed into a fight with the minions. What happened?”

“A slaughter, that’s what. Those females got what was coming to them, I assure you. And now, you owe me, like, big time.” He blew the ladies a kiss and started toward the library. He only looked back at Gilly once.

Kane followed him, and, taking a page from his playbook, threw one last glance at Tink. She smiled at him, so sweet and pretty, and he smiled back.

“I owe you nothing,” he said to William. He wasn’t sure whether to feel elated his enemy was dead, or ticked that vengeance would never be his.

He’d go with ticked.

“So, where’d you get my ring?” he asked, just to taunt the warrior.

Those electric blues narrowed to tiny slits. “You mean my ring.”

“That’s what I said. My ring.”

A pause. A stiff shrug. “Fine. Keep it. I stole it from a woman I bedded and killed. What? Why are you looking at me like that? Anyway. The ring’s probably cursed, luring you into a false sense of calm.”

Another light bulb shorted out, a spray of flames seeking Kane as if he wore a bull’s eye. He remained silent as he entered the room. William shut and locked the door, just in case the women decided to come looking for them. Kane swept his gaze over the men scattered throughout the room. Lucien, Sabin, Strider, Amun, Paris, Gideon, Aeron, Reyes, Maddox and Torin, who stood in the far corner. Weeks had passed since they’d all been together like this.

Together, they were a force to be reckoned with.

“So your girl’s in trouble, huh?” Strider said. “William told us about her father’s plans.”

“What can we do to help?” Sabin asked.

Help, he’d said. He wasn’t trying to take over, and didn’t plan to leave Kane behind. He understood Kane’s need to participate in his woman’s liberation. Some of the tension left him—

Until another light bulb shorted out.

“First, I have to be straight with you,” he said. “I need you out of the fortress, no questions asked, in a little less than three months.”

“What?”

“Why?”

“What’s going on?”

Yeah. No questions asked, he thought with a roll of his eyes. Whatever. “To find Tink, I made a bargain with someone. That person gets the fortress.”

“Who?” Sabin demanded.

“None of your business. Just do it.”

There was grumbling. Of course there was grumbling. But the warriors would have done the same thing for their women, and they knew it. There was no debate in the end—they would leave.

Next, Kane outlined his plan for the Fae king, and all of his friends nodded encouragingly. It was dangerous, and it required a huge sacrifice from every person in the fortress, but it was the fastest way to prove Tink’s worth to her father—and all of the Fae.

Then, and only then, would Tiberius understand Kane would never let her go. Hunting her would do no good. She would never again be a blood slave.

When he finished, Sabin stroked his chin and pondered. “Will it hurt?” the warrior asked.

“No,” Kane replied.

“Cause any lasting damage?” Reyes demanded.

“No.”

“You’re sure?” Lucien asked.

“I am.”

“Well, you have my agreement,” Strider said with a shrug. “Now, you just have to get Kaia’s.”

Kane nodded. He’d expected that. “I will.” He wouldn’t fail.

William placed his hand over his heart. “This plan is so devious, it’s almost as if I thought of it. I’m quite impressed.”

Kane flipped him off, just because. And even as the wall beside him rumbled and shook, as if preparing to collapse on him, he felt lighter than he had in weeks. He felt...free. Free of the past and the pain, the memories and the hate.

Last night, Tink had done something to him. She had soothed the beast inside, perhaps. Or maybe she had cauterized what remained of his wounds.

Now, he would do the same for her.

“We leave in the morning,” he said.