Sweet Ruin (45 page)

“Did I ever agree to those terms?”

She blinked repeatedly, as if she’d been slapped. “Wow. I
am
as naïve as you accused. You schooled me, didn’t you?”

“I tried to back out, for just this reason. You manipulated me into it.”

“Maybe I did—the
first
round. But not the next twenty!” A gust of wind blew her hair over her pale face. She tossed it back. “What are you going to do about your poison? Your demon seal’s gone.”

He shoved up the sleeve of his shirt.

Her eyes widened at the contraceptive rune. “You really were planning on this.”

“I prepared for any eventuality.”

“Meliai better not claw your skin like I did
last night
.”

“Nymphs don’t have claws.”

In a disgusted tone, Josephine said, “And you would know.”

“The sooner I get done here, the sooner we can free Thad.” Rune hadn’t been able to save his own mother, but he could save his new brother. “Do you want him back or not?”

She looked stricken. “Of course I do.”

“I intend to protect both of you, and right now, we’re wasting time—more of it than you think. Each minute here equals several in the mortal world.”

Her lips parted wordlessly. Then she rallied to say, “I don’t want Thad to be in that house of horrors a second longer than he needs to be, but there’s got to be another way.”

“Do you think I
want
to do this tonight? Do you think I wouldn’t rather be back in our bed, anticipating the night with you?”

“
Our bed?
You say that like it’s sacred or something. You’ve taken me to this place because you intend to be in
her
bed.”

“Any other time, I would keep these parts of my life separate, out of respect for you.” He started toward the lantern-lit entrance. Over his shoulder, he said, “However, this counts as part of our mission to kill Nïx—which means you’re to stay with me.” To himself, he grated, “Yet another example of my mate getting her way.”

Less than two hours ago, Rune had been inside her. Less than one hour ago, Jo had been thinking about wedding rings.

She’d yearned for a relationship with him so badly that she’d ignored the countless warnings—while he’d had other intentions all along.

But if he was too stupid to realize how amazing things could be between them, why would she want to be with an idiot? Maybe she should accept his offer of help, closing off her feelings for him.

I’ll use him to get Thad back, then my brother and I will leave New Orleans together, leave Rune in the dust.
She could get another lover, but she couldn’t get another Thaddie.

Barely maintaining tangibility, she caught up with Rune.

He must’ve thought she’d signed on with this plan, because he took her hand in his, gripping it possessively. “We’ll get past this. With age, you’ll see things more realistically.”

She gaped down at their hands. How many times had she dreamed of walking like this with a guy, the other half of their whole, two souls linked in an unbreakable bond?

They
were
bound by fate, supposedly in an eternal union. She’d thought her dream had come true with Rune.

Now she felt like she was going to the gallows, dread making her queasy. The noisy laughter and blaring music coming from the tree seemed to mock her feelings.

No, no, Rune could talk about this open relationship all he wanted, but he’d been crazy jealous when he’d thought she had a mate. He’d been jealous of Desh.

Over the day, Rune had gazed down into her eyes as he’d rocked inside her, and she’d
felt
his love. They hadn’t just had sex; they’d made love.

When it came down to it tonight, he would balk. Surely he would. He had the last time with that other nymph!

They neared the huge arched entryway.
Any minute now, he’ll pull the plug on this
.

But he kept going, squiring her inside a loud barroom packed with partying immortals. Dozens of demons were here. Some of the other guys looked human, just bigger and more animalistic. Lykae?

She could pick out the gorgeous Dryads. They wore nothing but gauzy skirts, their bare chests painted with leaf images.

Rune had slept with all of them.

Except one.

When he entered, cheers broke out. As in the other covey, these creatures acted as if a rock star had come to visit.

He smiled at different females, greeting them.

Any minute now . . .
Meliai might not even be here. Or she could be screwing someone else. With more time, Rune would see reason.

“She’s here.” He jerked his chin toward a redheaded nymph at the bar.

Jo’s stomach dropped. Meliai was . . . off-the-charts. Flawless body. Waist-length red hair and porcelain skin. Pink cheeks glowing with health. Doe-brown eyes. They sparkled when she caught sight of Rune.

She was the most beautiful female Jo had ever seen. Even the tall, graceful fey at the ball couldn’t compare.

Rune had asked, “Do you think I
want
to do this?”

After looking at the half-dressed Meliai, she could honestly say, “Yes, Rune the Insatiable. Yes, I do.”

If he screwed the redhead, Jo was done forever. She was about to lose him, just when she’d found him. Her claws decided to dig into his hand.

“I’ll return with what we need as quickly as possible.” He tugged his hand away.

To her shame, she clung before letting go. “Wait! You expect me to just sit here?” With all the other women he’d previously enjoyed?

As Meliai sauntered over, he told Jo, “You must stay—because of the terms of
your
vow.”

Jo swiped at her forehead, her queasiness worsening. She might have to chance never drinking blood again.

Meliai smiled at Rune in welcome, seeming unconcerned he’d brought another woman with him. “How wonderful of you to visit.”

The nymph, with all her experience, was probably a much better lay than Jo. Would Rune arrive at the same conclusion? Nausea churned.
Too hot in here.
Jo was about to throw up blood, needed air.

Would Rune make Meliai scream?

Of course he would. He was supposed to fuck her “well.”

He wasted no time with the nymph, lowering his voice to say, “You can get me past the wraiths?”

Meliai looked him up and down as if he were a piece of meat. “I have the means.” Her throaty voice dripped with innuendo as she said, “And I just so happen to need something of yours very badly.”

FIFTY-NINE

J
osephine’s face was paper-white, her outline flickering.

Why couldn’t she understand how little swiving another would mean to him? He was a taken male; he was Josephine’s. Meliai was a grudging chore to be done with—

Josephine darted for the exit.

Fury welled inside him. He’d told her over and over this would happen. But she’d chosen to believe whatever she wanted to.

“I’ll return shortly,” he said to the nymph. “Be available.”

Meliai raised her brows. “I’ll only wait so long.”

He made his way past admirers, nodding absently at them as he followed the only female he wanted.

Outside in the windy night, she leaned against the trunk, facing away from him.

“What is wrong with you?” he snapped. “You got jealous before and destroyed all my things. Once more, you’re jealous, throwing a tantrum to get your way.” Giving no concern for what
he
wanted. “I won’t be manipulated again!”

She turned to him with her eyes glinting.

He bit out a curse. “Why this hang-up, Josephine? You got past how many I was with before you. Why does the timing of this matter so much?”

“The timing?” Her voice was strained. “Explain to me how this would work. After screwing someone else, you’d shower, then hop in bed with me? Would we laugh about funny things that happened at work? Would you call if you got tied up with a client?”

“It wouldn’t occur every night, and probably not often after the Accession.” Then a thought struck him. What would happen once the Møriør seized control of the Gaia realm? Rune’s means were particularly fruitful when rooting out dissension; his duties might ramp up even more.

The mere idea exhausted him.

“Not every night? Will you listen to yourself? You are talking about
being inside
other females. About taking their bodies with your own.”

“This is my job! You saw me with the four nymphs that first night. Did I look overwhelmed with passion? Or did I look bored?”
Like I’d rather be making arrows in my chair by the fire?
Would he never be free from this chore? “You remarked on my lack of reaction.”

Josephine’s tears spilled over—they were blood tears,
his
blood—and it was killing him. She was too young to be losing nourishment, and she couldn’t have fed enough during the many times he’d taken her today.

He wrapped his palm around her nape. “If you tell me Thaddeus will be fine for just a while longer, we’ll go home for tonight. Say it, Josephine.”

Her gaze darted. “We can figure out something else. If we work together. So I need you to stop thinking like this!”

His hand tightened on her neck. “Like this? This is
me
! You’ve told me you feel more than infatuation for me. Then aren’t you supposed to accept me as is? Why do you have to try to change me? What is so bloody wrong with how I am right now?”

“You’re trying to change me too! You’re making me give up something I feel like I’ll die without.”

Jo and Rune had traveled worlds together and had encountered creatures of all species. They’d seen wonders.

He’d never looked at anyone or anything with this much bafflement. “You’ve gotten what you wanted. I’m yours, and you’re mine. I plan to spend the rest of my life with you. Have children with you. You’re not alone anymore, Josephine. You have me. And you’ll have your brother—if I do what’s necessary.”

He was making promises to her, just like that groom. Except Jo’s actual groom was about to spend his wedding night with a nymph.

And Rune could act like he was nobly doing this for Thad, but he was also doing it for the Møriør, for his mission. He still needed to kill Nïx.

His eyes widened as he lit on an idea. “You can ghost inside me. We’ll both be present, and you’ll see how little I’m affected.”

“I’ve been kidding myself.” This male was never going to be faithful. He wasn’t going to balk tonight. She shoved his hand off her nape. “I told you I wanted monogamy. Not a threesome.”

“Monogamy?” He gave a bitter laugh. “There’s obviously no reasoning with you, because you’re too young to see the bigger picture. You like to keep things simple? Sometimes life isn’t simple.”

“It won’t bother you when your mate takes advantage of our open relationship? You got jealous of Desh, and I wasn’t even screwing him. Yet.”

Black forked out across Rune’s eyes. “I’m not a hypocrite, but there would be no
reason
for you to bed others. No
need
. That wouldn’t be like for like. You’d probably think random sex means something. I’m old enough—and experienced enough—to know it means less than nothing.”

“Experienced? You’re letting your past color the way you see this!”