too. Could he see the goose bumps now breaking over her skin?
“How did a girl like you manage such a feat?”
A girl like her. Did he sense her inferiority? She lifted her chin, saying, “An information exchange wasn’t part of our bargain.”
“For the last time, woman, there was no bargain.”
Tremors of dread rocked her, overshadowing … whatever he’d previously made her feel. “If you don’t do what you promised, I’ll … I’ll …”
“What?”
Suffer for the rest of my life. “What would it take to change your mind and make you do the right thing?”
His expression shuttered, hiding all of his thoughts. “What species are you?”
A question totally off topic, but okay, she could roll. Since the Fae were not a well-liked race, the men best known for their lack of honor in battle, as well as their insatiable need to sleep with anything that moved, and the women known for backstabbing and scandal—and okay, fine, their ability to sew a killer wardrobe—the knowledge might spur him into action.
“I’m half human, half Fae. See?” She pulled back the sides of her hair, drawing his attention to her ears and the points at the end.
His gaze locked on those points and narrowed. “Fae are descendants of Titans. Titans are children of fallen angels and humans. They are the current rulers of the lowest level of the skies.” He shot out each fact as if it were a bullet.
Can’t roll my eyes at a star. “Thank you for the history lesson.”
He frowned. “That makes you …”
Evil in his eyes? An enemy?
He shook his head, refusing to finish the thought. Then, his nose wrinkled, as if he’d just smelled something … not unpleasant, but not welcome, either. He inhaled sharply, and his frown deepened. “You look nothing like the girl who rescued me … girls who rescued me … no, just one,” he said with another shake of his head, as if he were trying to make sense of things that had happened. “Her face and hair kept changing, and I recall each countenance, yet what I see now I didn’t see then. But your scent …”
Was the same, yes. “I possessed the ability to switch my appearance.”
One of his brows arched. “Possessed. Past tense.”
Even in his compromised state, he’d caught her meaning. “Correct. I no longer have the ability.” The strength—and capabilities—she borrowed from others could remain with her for as little time as an hour to as long as a few weeks. She had no control over the time frame. What she’d taken from the Phoenix had faded yesterday.
“You’re lying. No one has an ability one day, but not the next.”
“I never lie—except for the few times I do, in fact, lie, but it’s never intentional, and I’m totally telling the truth right now.” She raised her right hand. “Promise.”
He pursed his lips. “How long have I been here?”
“Seven days.”
“Seven days,” he gasped out.
“Yes. We spent most of our time playing incompetent doctor and ungrateful patient.”
A dark scowl contorted his features, and oh, it was a scary thing to behold. The books hadn’t done him justice. “Seven days,” he repeated.
“I didn’t miscount, I assure you. I’ve been crossing off the seconds in the calendar in my heart.”
He gave her the stink eye. “You have a smart mouth, don’t you?”
She brightened. “You think so? Really?” It was the first compliment she’d received from someone other than herself since her mother had died, and she would cherish it. “Thank you. Would you say my mouth is extremely intelligent or just slightly above average?”
His jaw fell, as if he meant to reply, but no sound emerged from him. His eyelids were closing … opening … closing again, and his big body was swaying from side to side. He was about to go down, and if he hit the floor, she would never be able to lift him onto the bed.
Josephina surged forward, reaching for him with gloved hands. Though he teetered backward, he slapped her arms away, wanting no contact between them. Smart man. (As smart as he thought she was?) Down he fell, slamming into the carpet with a loud thud.
As she scrambled to her feet to rush to his side—and do what, she didn’t know—the motel door burst open, shards of wood raining in every direction. A tall, thickly muscled warrior with dark hair stood in the center of the gaping hole, his features bathed in shadows. Menace lanced from him. Maybe because he gripped two daggers—and they were already stained with blood.
Another warrior moved in behind him, this one blond, with … oh, someone save me. Guts hung from his hair.
Her father’s men had found her.
CHAPTER TWO
KANE BATTLED A tide of pain, humiliation and failure. He’d been created fully formed, a warrior to the depths of his core. Throughout the centuries, he had fought in countless wars. He had slain enemy after enemy, and had walked away with many a blood-drenched injury—but he’d walked with a smile. He’d fought, and he’d won, and others had suffered for coming after him. And yet, here he was, on the floor of a dirty motel, too weak to move, at the mercy of a beautiful, fragile female who’d seen him at his worst: chained, violated and carved open after yet another round of torture.
He wanted those images cut from her mind, even if he had to reach inside and remove them with a blade.
Then, he would cut them out of his own. The Hunters, blaming him for every disaster they’d ever faced. Their bomb. A trip into hell. A horde of demon minions attacking, killing the Hunters and secreting Kane away. Day after day of torment.
Shackles. The drip, drip of blood. Satisfied grins, bloodstained teeth. Hands, everywhere. Mouths, seeking. Tongues, licking.
A soundtrack played quietly in the background. Moans of pain—his. Moans of pleasure—none his own. The slap of flesh against flesh. The scrape of nails, digging deep. A bark of laughter.
Terrible scents filled his nose. Sulfur. Arousal. Dirt. Old copper. Sweat. The pungent sting of fear.
One brutal emotion after another bombarded him. Disgust, rage, feelings of utter violation. Sorrow, humiliation, sadness. Helplessness. Panic. More disgust.
He moaned, a tragic sound. Desperate to avoid a breakdown, he erected a brick wall around his screaming mind, blocking the worst of the emotions. Can’t deal right now. Just … can’t. He was free at least. He couldn’t forget that. Rescue had come.
No, not a rescue. Not at first. Warriors had stolen him from the minions, only to tie him down for their own special brand of torture.
Then, the girl had arrived, demanding he help
