The Darkest Passion

CHAPTER EIGHT

OLIVIA AND LEGION circled each other. When the little demon had lunged, Olivia had jumped out of the way, and Legion had slammed into the wall. Now, Olivia studied her foe. She’d seen this type of being—a minion, also known as a demon servant—defeated before. All angels had, even those whose sole purpose was to bring peace and joy to the world. But of course, she’d never fought one herself.

Destroying them had never seemed like much of a battle for the warrior angels, though. Not really. They had merely stretched out their arms, their swords of fire appearing. Once those flames—which hadn’t been created in hell, but had instead sprung from her Deity’s mouth, his breath far hotter than the blazes all demons so loved—made contact with scales, the demons disintegrated. This, well, this would not be anything like that.

Kaia and Cameo were still on the ground, still writhing, their skin now a light shade of green. As an angel, Olivia would have been able to soothe them, taking their pain into herself and dispatching it. But trapped as she was in this feeble body, she could do nothing.

Nothing but watch. And fight.

If she hoped to survive, she needed that which she’d never experienced or embraced before: fury. That was what strengthened humans, after all. Wasn’t it? They seemed to expand, destroy, defeat when they hosted the emotion.

So…what made her angry? Her time in hell, definitely.

Though she would rather have plucked out her eyes, Olivia allowed the memory of her time in hell to play through her mind. The flames…the stink…those oozing, roving hands… Sickness churned in her stomach, fear and disgust blending with that first spark of fury. After that, instinct took over and her shock at Kaia’s and Cameo’s mistreatment joined the fray, numbing the fear. Only, thankfully, the fear.

“You die thisss day, angel.”

Her hands curled into fists. I’m strong. “You can never be with Aeron the way you desire, demon,” she said, knowing the truth in her voice had to be distasteful to a creature raised among liars. “I tell you this not to be cruel, but to—”

“Ssshut up. Ssshut up!” Legion swung out her arm, claws bared.

Olivia bowed her back, leaning out of reach. Without her wings to balance her, she stumbled and nearly fell to the floor.

“Aeron lovesss me. He told me ssso.”

Most of her fury drained, and there was nothing she could do about it. Compassion was hardwired inside her, as was the need to give happiness rather than heartbreak. They desired the same thing, she and Legion. “And it’s true. He loves you, but he doesn’t love you as a man loves a woman. He loves you as a father loves his daughter.”

“No.” A stomp of a foot. A hiss. “I’ll marry him one day.”

“If that were the case, I probably wouldn’t have given up my entire way of life to come here and save him. I wouldn’t have wanted to be with him.” She spoke as gently as she was able. Emotionally wounding the demon wasn’t her goal. For whatever reason, Aeron did like the…thing. But Olivia knew how demons operated and knew Legion would berate and undermine her unless she was made to understand. “Already I’ve slept in his bed, curled into his side.”

Legion didn’t accuse her of lying. How could she? Angels never had the need, and the little fiend knew it. Rather, she stopped and gaped at Olivia, her breathing choppy, shallow. More poison dripped down her fangs.

“You want what you cannot have. You envy, you crave. That’s your nature,” Olivia said, “and I understand that nature better than I ever did before because that is the very reason I am here. I envy, I crave. But what you don’t realize is that your leaving hell to be with Aeron has sentenced him to death. You are the reason I was sent to him. You are the reason I was ordered to kill him. You are the reason another assassin will be sent in my place.” She drew in a breath. “You are the reason he will die.”

“No. No! I’ll kill the next dirty angel just like I plan to kill you now.”

That was the only warning Olivia had. One moment Legion was in front of her, the next she was on top of her, and they were falling…down, down. Olivia took the brunt of the impact, her skull cracking on the ledge of the hearth and oxygen shoving from her lungs like a heat-seeking missile. Bright lights winked over her vision, but not enough to obscure the teeth descending toward her neck.

Lysander had begun training her for her new warrior duties the very day that golden down appeared in her wings, so Olivia knew to jam her palm into Legion’s chin and shove, grinding the demon’s teeth together painfully.

She’d never relished the thought of battling demons. Especially when Lysander told her that warriors had to distance themselves from their task completely, leaving only a hardened determination to take down their prey. Could she?

A shock of cold bloomed in her fingers and spread up her arms…into her chest…and that cold numbed more than fear this time, destroying what little remained of her fury, right along with the compassion and disgust.

Yes. She could, she realized. Shocking.

Do what you must, a voice whispered through her head. You are angel. She is demon. Let your instincts guide you. Let your faith flow through you.

For a moment, she thought Lysander was beside her. But then Legion growled, snapping her from her sense of relief, and it didn’t matter. Olivia was ready. Rather than using emotions she had no experience with, she allowed that which was natural to her, faith and love, to consume her, as the voice had instructed. This was true strength.

With a flick of her arm, she tossed Legion across the room. The demon slammed into the wall and slid to the floor. All the while, those red eyes remained narrowed on her.

Up. Now.

Olivia jumped up and pressed her back into the hearth. The new position limited her range of motion, but she needed something to balance her when—

Legion sprang at her.

Olivia ducked and once again the demon hit the wall. As she ricocheted backward, plaster dusted the air, filling Olivia’s nose and making her cough. Still, she didn’t hesitate to kick out her leg and propel Legion to her bottom. Faith—she could win this. Love—good against evil. The heel of Olivia’s foot must have somehow cut past those scales because crimson seeped from the demon’s breastbone.

“I will not allow you to hurt me, demon.”

“You won’t be able to ssstop me.”

Again Legion leapt up. Again she threw herself onto Olivia, clinging like a vine. Teeth snapped and nails clawed. Olivia punched left, right and forward, working one knee between them to preserve some distance, but barely managing to keep herself upright. Legion shifted her head from side to side to avoid impact, but she wasn’t always successful. A cheekbone cracked. Her nose broke.

Across the room, glass shattered. Then a dark winged figure was there, wild gaze searching…landing on the still-struggling women. Aeron. Their eyes met, and time suddenly seemed suspended. His lips were pulled back in a tight scowl, and his tattoos were so black they were like shadows on his skin.

A bubble of excitement burst through her and Olivia lost her focus. Her hand collided with the demon’s mouth, an area she’d been avoiding; Legion took full advantage and bit, those razor-sharp fangs cutting deep, thick poison dripping straight into her veins.

Olivia screamed. The burn, like acid and salt and fire…oh, Deity. Her hand was turning to ash, surely. But when she looked down, she saw the flesh was merely cut and bleeding, a little swollen.

“Olivia,” Aeron shouted, rushing to her.

Her knees gave out and she slid to the floor, no longer able to hold her own weight. She clutched her hand to her chest, breathing suddenly too difficult. The pain was just too intense, like having her wings ripped out all over again.

Before, during the fight, stars had winked over her eyes. Now she saw black spots and they were a thousand times worse. They grew and intertwined, ruining her sight and leaving her in a dark void of solitude and pain.

“What did you do to her?” Aeron snarled, cutting through the illusion of aloneness. And even though he was angry, she welcomed the intrusion.

“Pro-protecting myself,” Olivia managed to work past trembling lips.

“Not you,” he said, and this time his tone was gentle. Callused fingers smoothed over her brow, just as gentle, brushing her hair out of the way.

Despite the agony still blistering and sizzling in her hand, she offered him a weak smile. Aeron might not have wanted her to stay in the fortress, might even have run from her, but on some level he cared about her well-being. He’d bypassed Kaia and Cameo and come straight for Olivia.

Her newfound confidence had not been misplaced.

There was a shuffle of footsteps. Then, “Aeron, my Aeron. Ssshe’sss nothing. Leave her and—”

“The only one leaving her will be you. I told you to stay away from her, Legion. I told you not to hurt her.” Aeron’s hands fell away from Olivia and she moaned, bereft. “You disobeyed me.”

“But…but…”

“Go to my room. Now. We’ll talk about this later.”

Silence. Then a sob. “Aeron, pleassse.”

“Don’t argue with me. Go.” Clothing rustled. He must have turned away from her. “What did she do to you, Olivia?”

“H-hand,” she managed to work past chattering teeth. She still felt as if she was on fire, and yet, now she was as cold as ice. “Bite.”

Those strong, callused fingers returned to her, only this time, they circled her wrist and lifted her hand. Probably to inspect the injury, but that didn’t matter. The action increased the velocity of her blood-flow, which increased the intensity of the pain, and she whimpered.

“I’ll make it better,” he promised.

“Others were bitten first. Help them, then me.”

He didn’t reply. Instead, he fit his warm lips around her wound and began sucking. In this, he was not gentle. Her back arched and another scream ripped from her. She tried to jerk from his clasp but he held tight, sucking, sucking, and then spitting. Sucking, sucking, spitting.

Gradually, the pain ebbed. The burn cooled and the ice melted, and she slumped against the floor like a doll. Only then did Aeron stop.

“Now I’ll take care of the others,” he said, voice hoarse.

The black faded from her vision, and she watched fuzzily as he strode to Cameo and gave her the same treatment, sucking the poison from the wound in her neck and spitting it out. When the warrior woman finally stilled, sighing in relief, he turned his attentions to the Harpy.

As he was spitting out the last mouthful, the bedroom door burst open and two warriors rushed inside. Paris and William. The two searched the room, weapons drawn. Paris wielded some type of gun. William, two blades.

“What’s going on?” Paris demanded. “Torin texted us that you busted through Kaia’s window.”

“Great timing,” Aeron replied dryly.

“What?” William said, all innocence. “We did you a favor, taking our time. We thought you were playing kinky sex games.”

“I will…kill that…fucking bitch!” A scowling Kaia lumbered to her feet. “She bit me. She fucking bit me!”

“I’ll deal with her.” Aeron rose, as well. His expression was bleak but no less determined. “Not you.”

Kaia pointed a finger into his chest and lifted to her tiptoes, but that still didn’t place them nose to nose. “No, you’ll baby her like you always do.”

“I’ll deal with her,” he repeated firmly.

“Hold everything. I missed a four-way chick fight. Then I find out someone’s been nibbling.” William’s attention shifted to Olivia, who was still lying on the floor. “Please tell me our sweet little angel is the biter. It’ll make me want her ever so much more.”

Aeron growled low in his throat, closed the distance and crouched beside Olivia. “Get out of here, Willy. You’re not wanted or needed.”

“I beg to differ,” William huffed.

“Rather than allow Aeron to kill you, I’ll explain what happened on the way out.” Cameo scrubbed a hand down her face before holding out her arm expectantly.

William just arched a brow. A frowning Paris strode forward, clasped her hand and tugged her upright.

“Thanks,” she muttered with an irritated look to William.

He shrugged. “You’re not my type, so I don’t feel the need to help you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Every woman’s your type.”

That should have made everyone in the room laugh, but tragic as Cameo’s voice was, everyone cringed.

Aeron scooped Olivia up. Good thing. All energy had abandoned her. Her muscles were still trembling, reminding her of the aftershocks of an earthquake. Without a word to the others, who hadn’t left as planned, he carted her into the hall.

“Every time I stumble upon you, you’re injured,” Aeron said.

True, but she wasn’t going to ask him to stay away. “I suppose I should thank you for saving me.”

“You suppose, angel?” He snorted.

Fine. No supposing about it, but no way would she admit it. He’d called her angel. Again. Which meant he still saw her as she’d once been, not as she now was. He needed to realize she’d left her sweetness behind with her robe.

“With that attitude,” she said, “you’ll get no thanks from me. Ever.”

No response.

She fought a wave of disappointment. “So?” she prompted.

“So what?”

Impossible man. “Do you now assume I’m weak and easily breakable?”

Again, he gave no reply. Which meant that, yes, he did. She frowned. As much as he hated weakness, she would never be able to work her way into his bed—with him in it and naked, that is—if this kept up.

She’d have to find a way to prove how strong she really was.

The words faith and love once more drifted through her mind. She doubted he was ready for either one, however. And besides, she didn’t love him. Did she? She just didn’t know. What she felt for him was different from what she’d ever felt for anyone else, but she’d never loved anyone in the romantic sense.

All she really knew about that kind of love was that it meant being willing to die for the other person. As Ashlyn had for Maddox. As Anya almost had for Lucien. Was she ready to die for Aeron? No. She didn’t think so. She hadn’t offered such a compromise to the Council when she’d had the chance, something they might have considered. Sacrifice always earned a reward.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked, changing the subject. She was still too groggy to reason things out. More than that, Legion was in his bedroom and Olivia was not ready for another run-in. If that was where he was headed, then—

“My bedroom,” he said, and her stomach clenched.

Ugh. He was. “But—”

“Legion isn’t there. As always, she disobeyed me. I felt her leave this plane of existence.”

Olivia’s eyes widened in surprise. She’d known they were linked, but that was…wow. “You’re that connected to her?”

He nodded.

Maybe Legion was right. Maybe she was meant to be with Aeron. The thought was like another injection of acid in Olivia’s veins. She herself wanted to be more than Aeron’s acquaintance, more than his friend. She wanted to be his lover. That had never been clearer than now, this moment, as his strong arms banded around her and held her close. As his heart hammered against her ear and his warm breath trekked over her skin. But she wouldn’t share him with Legion, no matter how much she desired him.

You won’t have to. You’re a confident, aggressive woman now, and you go after what you want.

True.

“I’m sorry she hurt you,” Aeron said gruffly, surprising her. “She’s just a child, and I—”

“Wait. I’m going to stop you there.” Though she did like hearing him apologize. “Legion isn’t a child. She’s not much younger than you.”

For a moment, he just blinked down at her. “But she’s so innocent.”

Innocent? Now Olivia was the one to snort. “What kind of life have you led that you consider that little fiend innocent?”

His lips twitched as he pounded up a flight of stairs. Her weight didn’t seem to bother him. “It’s just…her lisp, I guess. And her joy at dressing up and playing princess.”

“She’s spent her life in hell, surrounded by evil, souls being tortured in every corner. Of course dressing up is fun to her, but that doesn’t mean her mind is childlike. She loves you, Aeron.” Or so she said. Would Legion die for him? “She wants you the way a woman wants a man.” There was no question of that.

He stopped in the middle of another hallway, one foot raised midair. He tilted his head until their gazes locked together, his violet irises wild. “You’re wrong. She loves me like a father.”

“No. She plans to marry you.”

“No.”

“Yes. You hear me and you know I speak true.”

A muscle in his jaw ticked. “If what you say is correct—”

“It is. Again, you hear the truth in my voice.”

Aeron gulped, shook his head as if to dislodge her claim. At least he didn’t try to deny it this time. “I’ll talk to her, tell her a romantic relationship isn’t possible. She’ll understand.”

Only a man could delude himself in such a way.

He kicked back into motion, silent now. At his door, he shouldered his way inside. Olivia tensed, but sure enough, Legion was nowhere to be seen. She sighed with relief as Aeron laid her atop the soft mattress.

“Aeron,” she said, not ready for him to leave and suspecting he intended to do so.

“Yes.” He remained in place, hovering over her, and smoothed a hand through her hair.

She almost purred as she leaned into the touch. “I didn’t mean it before. When I said I wouldn’t thank you. I truly am grateful for your aid.”

What are you doing? He’ll never see you as a potential lover if you constantly remind him of your angelic nature.

“Yeah, well.” Clearly uncomfortable, he coughed as he straightened. “Are you hurt anywhere else?” He didn’t wait for her reply, but cast his gaze over the length of her. Perhaps that was his first full glance at her new clothing, because his jaw suddenly dropped. “You…you’re…”

Perhaps her potential lover status wasn’t in jeopardy, after all. Confident. “Isn’t it pretty? Kaia helped me.” Aggressive. She smoothed her hands down her breasts, stomach and hips, wishing he were touching her instead. Goose bumps broke out over her skin. Oh, now that was a surprise. It felt good. Really, really good. She’d have to remember to touch herself like this again.

“Pretty,” he said thickly, hotly. “Yes.”

“What do you think of my makeup?” When his gaze lifted to her face, she traced a fingertip over her lips. “I hope Legion didn’t smear it.”

“It’s…nice.” Again, his voice was thick and hot.

Was that good or bad?

Did it matter? She wanted him; she’d decided to go after him. She would have him.

Licking her lips—and tasting coconut, hmm—she sat up, propping her weight on one elbow and reaching for Aeron with the other. She flattened her palm over his pounding heart. Part of her blushed at such boldness, screaming to pull back. The other part preened, shouting to rush onward.

To achieve great joy, she reminded herself, you often had to step out of your comfort zone.

So step out already. “You can kiss me if you want.” Please, please, let that be what he wants.

For a moment, he stopped breathing. At least, his chest stopped moving. A blaze erupted in his eyes, expanding his pupils, and his muscles twitched under her grip. “I shouldn’t. You shouldn’t. You’re an angel.”

“Fallen,” she reminded him. Again. “I could have died the other day. I could have died today. In both cases I would have died without knowing the taste of you. What a shame that would be, since it’s all I’ve ever really wanted.”

“I shouldn’t,” he repeated, leaning…leaning… Regrettably, he stopped himself just before contact.

She tried not to scream in frustration. How close had she come to finally getting her wish? “Tell me why.” So that she could obliterate each of the reasons.

“I don’t need the distraction.” At least he didn’t move away. “I don’t need a woman. I don’t need anything.”

There was no way to refute that. Never had a man been more unwavering about remaining alone. So, rather than argue, she simply said, “Well, I do need a distraction,” and slid her hand up to his neck. She wouldn’t step out of the zone this time; she would sprint.

Determined, she jerked him down.

He could have resisted. He could have stopped her. He didn’t. He allowed himself to fall on top of her. They remained like that for a long while, simply looking at each other, his body pinning her down, neither of them able to catch their breath.

“Aeron,” she finally rasped.

“Yes?”

“I don’t know what to do,” she admitted, all the longing she felt wafting from the words.

“I may be a fool, but I’ve got it from here,” he replied, and claimed her mouth with his own.