Sweet Revenge (Dueling with the Devil) (22 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Salty droplets fell on her lips. Massive arms clutched her against a rock hard body. The scent of fir
e,
mus
k,
and sweat mixed in a uniquely male aphrodisiac. The rhythmic beating of his heart drummed in her ears. It had a calming effect. It soothed the nightmares awa
y,
the flashes of images plaguing her even when she wakes. Bell forced her mind elsewher
e,
deep into a space where nothing existe
d,
a lonely vacuum of darkness. Ther
e,
she found refuge.

His tears beckoned her from her safe haven. His pain wounded her more than enduring the grief of her brother’s death. Without looking at his fac
e,
she knew it was Xavier. The cold calculating killer wept for her. She wanted to quiet his sufferin
g,
but she struggled to find her voice. It remained caught in the toxic poison of her emotional overdose. Who knew something as trivial as feelings could create such mayhem?

She willed her arms to move with little avail. Each time she attempted to break from her self-induced solitary confinemen
t,
a stronger force lured her back. Images of her brother with blood running down his neck flashed through her mind. The pulsing energy of her power entering his body crawled over her skin. With each surge of curren
t,
she sensed the dimming light of her brother’s essence. Her newfound strength from bedding Xavie
r,
coupled with irrational fea
r,
made it difficult for Bell to control her actions. Actions that resulted in the death of her own brother.

Someone rapped lightly at the door. Another familiar scent wafted through the air. She knew that voice. The distant sounds of people wandering in and out drifted in her haze all day. It was like Grand Central around here.

“
How is she
?”
Marie questioned.

“
She won’t eat
.”
Xavier’s voice shook. He laid Bell down on the pillo
w,
sliding out of the bed.

Patting Xavier’s han
d,
Marie answere
d,
“
She will eat when she is ready
.
”

“
But look at her. She’s so pale. She doesn’t even know we’re here
.
”

“
No child. I’m sure she can sense us around her. She can feel your love. It’s helping her to heal
.
”

“
I don’t know how to love
.
”

“
Lucky for yo
u,
love doesn’t need our guidance. Most time
s,
it has a mind of its own
.”
Marie’s laugh was airy and hopeful.

“
You don’t have to tell me. I’m not really sure how I ended up here. A couple of weeks ag
o,
I wanted to kill her
.”
Xavier chuckled. Bell enjoyed the sound of his amusement. She wanted him happy.

“
You two are good together. Your strengths complement one another. She needs someone strong enough to keep her out
o
f
t
r
o
ub
l
e
.
You need the same
.
”

“
Basicall
y,
we babysit each other
.
”

“
Call it what you like
.
”

It was Bell’s turn to chuckl
e,
but nothing came out. Xavier’s strength gave her solace. He provided safety and serenity. No one else ever made her feel this way.

“
You think Natasha can help her
?”
Xavier asked.

“
I wish she could. Natasha heals physical ailments. Bell’s issues do not stem from injuries. She has to fortify her mind and spirit to come out of this
.
”

“
I don’t know how to help her with that
.
”

“
Stay with her. Continue to talk to her. Give her a reason to want to come back
.
”

“
I won’t leave her until she’s better
.
”

“
You might have to. They are planning to seek out Ziz
.
”

“
No. I won’t leave until she’s well
.
”

Bell allowed the words to sink in. Xavier’s resolve warmed her heart. She believed he would stay at her side. But there were more important matters than her madness. She needed to find the strength to make him leave.

“
I’ll leave you to tend to her. If you need anythin
g,
let me know. Your food is on the nightstand. Make sure you care for yoursel
f,
too
.
”

The door shut softly. Silence enveloped the room. The mattress dipped under the weight of Xavier’s body. The aroma of steak and potatoes teased Bell. Her stomach growled. It had been a while since she ate. She might have woken up sooner if they brought her Xavier’s plate instead of the bland soup. Bell pushed the corners of her mouth into a grin. The images hadn’t showed up since she realized she was with Xavier. Mayb
e,
she could find her way back to him.

A new presence filled the room. One Bell didn’t recognize. This one was bold. They didn’t even knock. She shivered at the loss of heat when Xavier rose again to greet the newcomer.

“
I would like to sit with her a while
.”
The familiar ring to the voice caught Bell’s attention.

Silence.

“
So
n,
I won’t allow anything to happen to her. She’ll be fine
.
”

“
Oka
y
,
”
Xavier responde
d,
his tone speculative.

As soon as Xavier lef
t,
emptiness surrounded her. The darkness whispered for her to surrende
r,
slink back to the security of nothingness. She fought to hold on. Xavier would be back for her. Bell needed to stay on this side to hold on for him. She opened her eye
s,
only to see Laurent burnt beyond revivin
g,
lying in the road. She shut out the pictur
e,
eyes tight. The pressure caused starbursts of lights to flash through her mind.

A male took Xavier’s spot on the bed. A heavy hand stroked
h
e
r
h
a
i
r
.
“
Oh little on
e,
the world has been rough on you
.”
The voice coaxed her to halt her escape.

“
I never meant to leave you alone. You and your brother were my pride and joy. But you two were ripped away from me too
s
o
o
n
.
I
ca
n
’
t
l
o
s
e
y
o
u
a
g
a
in
.
”

Her father. He was fre
e,
her
e,
next to her. His words were salve on her wounds. His touch mended the pain she denied for so long. He didn’t walk out on her and Laurent. He always loved them.

“
You’ve grown into such a beautiful female. And I hear you’re quite a handful
.”
Her father snickered
.“
That part hasn’t changed much. As a young demo
n,
you found trouble where there was none to be had. What has this life done to you
?
”

He stretched out beside her on the bed. His big body comforted Bell. It reminded her of when she was little and climbed in her parents’ bed. Her father always welcomed he
r,
held he
r,
and made her feel special until her mother made her leave. Children weren’t her forte. Bell and Laurent were heirs. Bargaining chips to gain their mother leverage. When her father lef
t,
so did most of the love in Bell’s life. At least until now.

“
I need you to come bac
k,
little one. You’re strong and feisty. Even as a chil
d,
your stubbornness was difficult to manage. You can do whatever you put your mind to
.
”

Light filtered through her mind. She inhaled deeply. What she wouldn’t do to be able to speak to her fathe
r,
to tell him she loved him. A buzz of energy hovered over her skin. She called to her inner demon for strength.

“
And if you don’t get bette
r,
you’ll drive that boy mad. It’s pitiful to see a full grown demon pine over a female. We need him strong to fight Ziz and Lucifer
.”
Her father pressed his lips to her head
.“
I love yo
u,
baby girl
.
”

Her father lef
t,
but she wasn’t alone more than a minute. Xavier must’ve waited outside the door. He came around to the other side of the bed and scooted in next to her. He rested his forehead on hers. His lips were satin against her skin. Energy vibrated with his touch. Her body responded with longing.

“
I’ll wait for you as long as I have to
.”
His whisper tickled
h
e
r
n
ec
k.

The heat in his hands warmed the coldness entrapping her body. His embrace secured her to this reality. He hummed a low melody. She remembered i
t,
the one her father sang to her as a child. His soothing tenor brought a smile to her lips. He was winning her over one note at a time.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Did she smile? He kept humming the son
g,
not wanting to let her go. His lips close to her ea
r,
the scent of her hair seeping into his lung
s,
he rocked her to the melodic tune. Her breathing regulated and her eyes blinked open. This wasn’t the first time she looked at hi
m,
but a glint of recognition shone in her gaze. Xavier tipped her face up to take in its full beauty. And she graced him with another dazzling flash of white.

“
Hey you
.”
He landed a quick peck on her nose
.“
I knew you’d come through
.
”

Her hand crawled up his chest and played with the stubble along his jawline. Still no word
s,
but color flushed her cheeks. Xavier adored the pink hue blushing her ivory complexion. She traced the curve of his bottom lip. He kissed the pad of her
f
i
ng
e
r
.

“
Are you hungry? You really need to eat something
.”
He stretched over he
r,
using his arms to protect her from his weight. He reached for the sou
p,
which was now cold
.“
I’ll have someone bring you some more soup
.
”

She shook her head.

“
You have to eat. Do you want something else
?
”

She glanced at his half eaten plate.

“
You want steak and potatoes
?
”

Bell nodded to confirm his suspicions.

“
That’s my kind of girl. Hold on
.”
Xavier made a quick call downstairs.

The food arrived quicker than he expected. Bell's father balanced a tray with a steak large enough to feed an army. He beamed when he saw Bell sit up in anticipation of her meal. It was odd to see the monstrous man melt because of his little girl. Something Xavier didn’t expect to experience for himsel
f,
but now wished he could.

“
She looks better
.”
Behemoth handed Xavier the food
.“
Yea
h,
but still not talking
.
”

“
I'll settle for what we can get. She'll get stronger
.
”

Bell pushed herself up on the pillows and held out her
h
a
n
d
s
.

Xavier laughed
.“
I guess you're trying to give us a hint
?”
He flipped the legs on the tra
y,
fitting it over Bell's lap. Behemoth took a chair in the corner and watched his daughter. Xavier cut the steak and held a piece up to her mouth. She took it eagerly.

Behemoth cleared his throat
.“
We're planning to go search
f
o
r
Z
i
z
t
o
m
o
r
r
o
w
.
”

“
I'm not sure Bell will be well enough to leave her by herself
.
”

“
She won't be alone. Marie and Isis are more than capable of taking care of her
.
”

Xavier hesitated. His heart weighed heavy in his chest. The thought of being away from her terrified him. She was just breaking through the mental barriers separating
them. He couldn't bear losing her again. She gave him a sweet grin as if to say it was okay. He was the only
one
who could show them the way to Ziz's lair. The terrain was treacherous to maneuver without guidance.

“
I guess there isn't much choice. I'll be ready to leave tomorrow
.
”

“
Don't worry about Bell. I know my little one. She'll be up and running by the time we return
.
”

“
Do you think he will side with us
?”
Xavier questioned.

“
I don't know. But with me and Leviathan togethe
r,
he might be more apt to listen
.
”

“
He's not sane. The loss of his female has driven him crazy
.
”

“
How many years has it been since he lost her
?
”

“
I don't know. A century maybe. The years and killings
b
e
g
i
n
to
b
l
ur
a
f
t
e
r
y
o
u'
v
e d
o
n
e
i
t
f
o
r
s
o
l
o
n
g
.
”

“
That is an occupational hazard. You must always remember who you cross. One day someone will come for you to avenge the deat
h,
especially when dealing with demons. We seldom share our emotion
s,
so when we d
o,
we pour all that we have into the relationship. There is nothing left to do once the connection is broken except exact your revenge and search for your beloved in the afterlife
.
”

Xavier never felt strongly about anyone before Bell. Therefor
e,
he didn't think about others having people who loved them. They were merely number
s,
emailed confirmation
s,
a new achievement to add to his resume. The deadlier the kil
l,
the better. It honed his skills. But if someone could love the notorious bounty Xavier hunte
d,
then the bonds had to be strong. He never thought about it from that perspective.

“
I haven't had much experience in those thing
s,
but I'm beginning to understand
.”
Xavier fed Bell the last piece of meat on her plat
e,
pleased she ate everything.

“
Most of us don't until it's too late. Don't waste your opportunity
.
”

Xavier had wasted enough of his life fighting for nothing. He wanted more. This time he battled for something tangible. And unlike Zi
z,
he was protectin
g,
not avenging. Xavier had more to lose. Allowing anything to happen to Bell wasn’t an
o
p
t
i
o
n
.

Behemoth halted beside the bed. Leaning ove
r,
he kissed her cheek. She hugged her father’s leg like a little girl. This was love. Xavier saw it in every part of their beings.

“
You take care of my gir
l
,
”
Behemoth called to Xavier as he left
.“
We leave early in the morning
.
”

Xavier moved the tray to the night table. He went to stan
d,
but Bell caught the edge of his shirt. Fear glistened in her p
o
w
e
r
f
u
l
,
b
l
u
e
g
aze
.

“
It’s oka
y,
babe. I’m not leaving yet
.”
He unfolded her fingers from where they clung to his shirttail.

He pulled the shirt over his head and kicked his boots off his feet. He unbuckled his jeans and slid them down his legs to the floor. Back at the be
d,
he crawled under the cover
s,
cradling Bell in his arms. She smiled up at hi
m,
and his heart was content. This was all he needed. All he would ever want. All he had to do was survive a battle with a crazed demon and defeat Lucifer in order to keep his newfound happiness.

He enveloped her into his body. Her temperature had risen. The pallor of death
n
o
l
o
n
g
e
r
clung to
her skin. She snuggled next to hi
m,
as she laid an ear to his beating heart. Her hands traced the line of his spine. Currents of desire washed over his skin. A warm sensation spurred in
his
abdomen. Her smallest action erupted his senses into a frenzy.

Xavier dropped a quick peck on her forehead
.“
We both need to save our energy. As much as I want to take yo
u,
this is not the time
.
”

A glint of mischief brightened her face. The hardened peaks of her luscious breasts rubbed against his flesh. Bell placed a small kiss between the
p
ec
s of his chest. Adrenaline shot through his body when her teeth sank into his nipple. Bell was trouble even in her mildest form. His cock pulse
d,
as blood instinctively rushed to answer the need building inside. He had to stop Bell.

He crawled on top of he
r,
caging her in with his torso and

a
r
m
s
.
“
Y
o
u
’
r
e
a
v
e
r
y
b
a
d
g
i
r
l
.
”
Her grin widened.

“
When we’re through with all thi
s,
I’ll have to punish you. But until the
n,
we sleep
.
”

She pouted like a petulant child.

“
Oh. That won’t work on me. I’ve listened to dozens plea for their lives. Your sad face has no effect on me
.
”

She poked her lip out mor
e,
causing him to chuckle.

“
You are going to be a lot of work
.”
He leaned down to sample the sweet rapture of her mouth. He wished he could venture furthe
r,
but he didn’t want to hurt her. He rolled off and backed her into him. He threw his arm over her small frame and bolted her against him.

“
Now slee
p
,
”
Xavier commanded.

He held her through the nigh
t,
waking periodically to check on her. At time
s,
he listened to the rhythmic patterns of her breathing to lure himself back to sleep. Silentl
y,
he prayed to a god who
had
long forgotten his kin
d,
leaving them in Lucifer’s keep. He asked for her safety. Asked for him to make Bell whole. And lastl
y,
he asked for forgiveness.