"Take me to Thorn." Dev hung up on Scorpio.
Fang placed his hand on his shoulder and teleported him from the hallway to the door outside of Thorn's office.
This time when Shara answered, her expression was impressed. "You're not dead."
"Not yet."
Shara withdrew from the steel and opened the door to admit them into the room, which seemed unearthly chilly given the fact that the fire burned even brighter in the fireplace than it had earlier.
Thorn was on his feet, waiting for them. Still impeccably groomed and dressed, his hands clasped behind his back. He glanced to the clock that was still ticking.
Dev's jaw dropped as he saw the time. No. It couldn't be.... One minute more and he'd have missed the deadline. "What the hell trick is that? It hasn't been twenty-four hours yet."
Thorn arched one perfect brow into the most arrogant and disdainful expression Dev had ever seen. "Oh? Did I fail to tell you about the time? It travels differently on the other side. You've missed an entire day here while you frolicked with some of my friends."
Anger erupted inside him. "You bastard!"
Thorn's eyes glowed vibrant red. "Don't push me, Bear. You have your belt and you've won. For now. Take your prize and be grateful I didn't change the rules on you." He turned his attention to Fang. "Get them home."
All of a sudden he and Fang were in a small room where Sam was pacing. The sight of her there...of her safe and sound and in corporeal form again.
Those feelings slammed into him so hard, he was amazed his legs didn't buckle. It was only now that he was with her that it hit him just how much he'd expected Thorn to keep her in spite of everything they'd done.
But now that she was with him again...
Her face lit up in a way no one's ever had before and it turned his emotions inside out. If he could have anything in the universe, it would be to always have her look at him like that. It was obvious she was as delighted to see him as he was to see her. She ran and launched herself at him.
Catching her leap, Dev staggered back as he held her close and inhaled the scent of her soft hair. The warm floral smell made him hard and aching. It was all he could do to not take her right here and now with Fang watching them.
But he would never shame her.
Sam knew she shouldn't be doing this. Especially after everything Thorn had told her about Dev's future if they stayed together.
She had to let him go.
Yet right now, she just wanted to feel him close to her. To have his arms soothe her fears and uncertainties. Gods, she'd forgotten just how good it felt to hold him like this.
"You okay, baby?" he breathed in her ear.
She laughed at that deep, precious voice that sent a shiver over her. "Yeah." It was only then she realized just how she'd wrapped him up in her body. Her legs were around his waist and he completely supported her weight. Heat stung her face at what she'd instinctively done, especially as she became aware of the sizable lump under his jeans that was pressing into her and making her wet.
Fang cleared his throat. "I think it's safe to say she's glad to see you, huh, Bear?"
Dev gave her a quick kiss to her cheek as she unwrapped her legs and slid to the ground in front of him even though that was the last thing she wanted to do. "I don't mind it in the least. Kind of nice to feel welcomed."
Fang cleared his throat. "Especially after what we just went through.... Everyone still have all their fingers and toes?"
Sam held up both hands and wiggled her fingers. "Think so."
"Good." Fang gestured to the door over his shoulder. "Let's all head home before Thorn changes his mind and decides to keep us here where time apparently has no meaning to anyone but him."
Sam couldn't agree more. Like Fang, she wouldn't be surprised in the least if Thorn stopped them.
Or sent another round of flying monkeys after them--just for shits and giggles.
Dev took a minute to secure her grandmother's girdle around her waist. Sam looked down at it. Originally designed to hold a sword, it looked like any thick belt with heavy embossing. She had a sword at home that was kept in the matching scabbard that would hook onto the girdle. Without that piece, no one would ever guess it to be of any real significance--that it was the prized belt of the Amazon nation that Hercules had crossed a sea to claim for a foreign princess. Never mind know that it was something people would kill to possess.
Including her own sister.
"You ready?" Dev asked.
She nodded even though it wasn't entirely true. Her earlier encounter with Thorn had been brief, but traumatizing. He was one scary SOB. And his warning about Dev stood loud and clear in her mind. If she stayed with him, he would die.
And she couldn't be responsible for his death. Not after she'd killed Ioel.