He ground his teeth as he pulled away from her. "What?"
She took his chin in her hand and turned his face toward hers, then she kissed him fiercely. "Don't you dare turn away from me."
He couldn't breathe as he felt her with every fiber of his being. Her bare bottom was wet against his groin, her skin cool against his.
But it was the warmth of her lips and breath that heated him.
The fire of her undaunted will. It burned through him, tearing away centuries of loneliness and pain.
" 'You know—my flower,'" he breathed. " 'I am responsible for her.' " He kissed her gently. " 'She doesn't even have four thorns to protect herself from harm.'"
Astrid listened as he quoted fromThe Little Prince . "Why do you love that book so?" she asked.
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"Because I want to hear the bells when I look up at the sky. I want to laugh, but I don't know how."
Her lips quivered in sadness. That was the lesson of the book. It was to remind people that it was okay to care and that once you let someone into your heart, you were never really alone. Even the most simple thing such as looking up at the sky could bring comfort to you, even when the one you loved was far away. "And if I taught you to laugh?"
"I would be tamed.
"
"Would you? Or would you be the sheep who has a muzzle with no strap and who eats the rose when he's not supposed to? I somehow think that even tamed, you would be beyond control.
"
Astrid felt the most remarkable thing then. Zarek's lips curled up beneath her hand.
"Are you smiling?
"
"I'm smiling, princess. But not broadly. No teeth.
"
"Or fangs?
"
"Or fangs.
"
She leaned forward and kissed him again. "I'll bet you're gorgeous when you smile.
"
He grunted at that, then helped her dress.
Astrid snuggled up to him once more so that she could hear the rhythm of his heart. She loved the sound of it, the feel of his strength beneath her.
Even though their lives were in danger, she felt oddly safe here.
With him.
Or so she thought.
In the stillness, she heard a strange scratching sound above them.
Zarek jerked up.
"What is it?" she whispered.
"Someone's upstairs in my cabin.
"
Horror consumed her. "You think it's Thanatos?
"
"Yes.
"
He moved her gently off him and stood her against the wall. Terrified, she remained perfectly still as she listened to his movements and to those above.
Zarek grabbed a grenade, then reconsidered. The last thing he wanted was to trap them underground.
He pulled on his spare set of silver claws that covered every finger of his left hand, and moved down the hallway back toward the trapdoor that was underneath his stove.
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) He heard light footsteps above him.
Then a curse.
Suddenly, there was silence again.
Zarek strained, desperate to hear who was up there and what they were doing.
A strange shiver went down his spine as the air behind him stirred.
He turned expecting to see Astrid.
It wasn't her.
Chapter 13
Standing behind him was an odd demonic woman with long blond hair, pointed ears, and large, batlike wings. She was cute in a very strange sort of way.
She stared at him without moving.
Zarek attacked.
Instead of fighting, she turned with a squeak and ran for the back of the cave.
Zarek followed her, intending to stop her before she reached Astrid, but he couldn't.
The demon ran straight for her and to his astonishment she rushed behind Astrid and put her between them. The demon's wings constricted and folded in around her body as if to protect her.
The demon placed a hand on Astrid's shoulder as she eyed him cautiously. "Tell him to leave me alone, Astrid. Else I'll have to barbecue him and makeakri angry at me. I don't want to makeakri angry.
"
Astrid covered the demon's hand with hers. "Simi? Is that you?
"
"Yes.C'est moi . The little demon with hornays.
"
Zarek lowered his claws. "You two know each other?
"
Astrid frowned as she faced him again. "Don't you know her?
"
"She's a demon. Why would I know her?
"
"Because she's Acheron's companion.
"
Completely stunned, Zarek gaped at the small creature who did have odd eyes much like Acheron's.
They were pale and glowing, but hers were rimmed with red. "Ash has a companion?
"
The demon snorted. She stood up and whispered loudly in Astrid's ear. "Dark-Hunters are cute, but very stupid.
"
He gave her a peeved glare as Astrid choked back a laugh.
"What are you doing here, Simi?" Astrid asked.
The demon looked around the tunnel and pouted in a way that reminded him of a small child. "Feeling
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) peckish. Is there any food? Something not too heavy. Maybe a cow or two?
"
"No, Simi," Astrid said. "No food.