Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) (16 page)

Agony tore through his soul. His mate lay motionless on the ground, her life force bleeding from her body, and it was his fault. He hadn’t been fast enough to keep her safe. Thinking he would defeat the enemy, he had taken what wasn’t his and left her weakened. Already her brilliant colors dimmed, evaporating in the night.

Cold fire consumed him, making even breathing obsolete. All he needed in that moment was vengeance. His steps didn’t falter even though every twitch of muscle sent pain screaming through every nerve ending. The beast had killed his mate, and now it would die.

The blue light emanating from him gave the clearing a sinister glow. He didn’t bother taking the dark energies from the air. The phoenix would use every bit of power it had to kill its rival, and then release anything it had left and follow its mate into the next life.

Ready to deliver the final blow, his gaze swept to Brienne. He expected it to be cold and lifeless, but it wasn’t. Orange, yellow and red energy vibrated within her, quickening and brightening. How was it possible? With the blow she took, she should have been dead.

Another louder, much deeper roar pierced the air, making Evan’s heart leap. He caught sight of Drake just moments before bright flashes of blue flame lit the clearing, slamming into the beast.

Reclaiming his life’s energy, Evan sprang into action. The creature roared, hurling Drake through the air to slam into the mountainside with one strong blast, sending rocks and pebbles skittering onto the clearing in the aftermath.

“Together on three.”
Evan wrestled for control over the phoenix.

“One. Two.”
Energy sizzled all around them.
“Three.”
All at once, bright orange balls crashed into the beast from not two but three sides.

The Ekasibe thrashed for only a moment, its roar echoing down the mountain, before blue flames engulfed it, turning it to ash.

Evan doubled over, hands on knees as he tried to catch his breath. Pain still singed every nerve ending, making it impossible for him to take a step toward Brienne. He took long, slow breaths, shaking the sluggishness off, then straightened, coming face to face with his furious Second.

Drake clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides. “You ever pull a stunt like that again, and your mate won’t be the only one you’ll contend with.”

Evan didn’t need to ask what Drake was talking about. Using his life’s energy as he had planned was tantamount to suicide, but in his moment of grief, he hadn’t cared.

What could he do, deny it? More than once during the battle, he had resigned himself to death. He had been ready to die. Seeing Brienne’s broken body on the cold, hard ground had been more than he could bear.

“Think she noticed?” He glanced at Brienne, who now stood with her back to them, her posture straight and tall. Without turning or looking back, she shot into the air, leaving them behind.

“She noticed.” Drake shook his head. “Good luck. You’re going to need it.”

Brienne flew through the night sky, the frigid wind whipping the hair from her braid. Hot tears streaked down her cheeks, blurring her vision, but it didn’t matter. She buried herself in a deep cloak, unwilling to lead the beasts to her, though this high, no Erritrol could reach her even if they found her. She had left the tall mountain behind, and so she flew, heedless of direction. Nothing would impede her travels at that altitude, and she was beyond caring where she went.

Paralyzed with fear, she would have had to lay there and watch, helpless as her mate chose to lose his life in order to kill the Ekasibe. She would never forget the brilliant blue light spilling from his body, his very life force manipulated to use as a weapon against the enemy. Had Drake not shown up in that moment, he would have given everything and she would have lost it all.

Pain sliced through her, making her breath catch in her throat, but nothing compared to the shredding of her heart. Each breath she took burned like acid in her lungs; every beat of her heart tightened the metal band strangling it with every pulse. He had chosen death and to leave her to grieve for him while he would have gone into the next life without her. Didn’t he know she would never survive without him?

Roaring to the heavens, she released the churning fury exploding through her. Goddess help her, she’d wanted to believe they could find a way to be together so desperately that she’d almost convinced herself of the possibility. She should have known better. She had left him three years ago, and he would never forgive her.

“Brienne. We need to talk.”
Evan’s calm tone made her grind her teeth so hard she thought they might crack.

“There’s nothing more to talk about. You made your decision back there.”
She forced a calmness into her words she was nowhere near feeling.

“You know that’s not true.”

Why couldn’t he just leave her alone?
It didn’t take a genius to figure out she needed to be away from him, and he was no idiot.
“You want to talk? Fine, we’ll talk.”

She started toward a small clearing in the forest. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked around. Light gave way to darkness, casting the area in perpetual dusk, not quite light, but not quite dark either. She had made it to the dark borders. It had been so long since she’d been home, and part of her wanted to keep going just to set down on Avalorian soil, but she needed to deal with Evan, and the sooner she did that, the sooner she could return to her pack.

Wiping at her tear-streaked cheeks, she braced herself for the conversation Evan was so desperate to have. She didn’t hear Evan land behind her, but he was there. She could do this. Steeling herself, she squared her shoulders and blinked back the moisture from her eyes before turning to look at him.

Of all the things she expected to see, his pain was not one of them. His skin was pale, and a fine sheen of sweat made his skin glisten in the pale light. How severe were his injuries?

Guilt tore through her. She had known he was following, but she hadn’t let up. Her pain and heartache had consumed her. Swallowing her pride, she took a small step closer. “Are you all right?”

“I will be.” His chin dropped to his chest, and his shoulders slumped for a moment before he stood tall again to look her in the eye. “You?”

The vise around her heart tightened again. Snorting, she shook her head and turned away. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her tears. “I will be.” She turned his words back on him, but her voice didn’t hold the same conviction. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she tried to gather the strength to let him go—again.

“I thought you were dead.” His mumbled words echoed her pain.

Her fingers trembled as she brushed the hair back from her face. Tears clung to her lashes. Had she heard him right?

Turning slowly, she looked into his eyes. “What did you say?” A lump the size of her fist lodged in her throat, making it difficult for her to breathe. As hard as she tried to hold them, silent tears trickled to dampen her cheeks again.

He took a step closer, holding his hand out, only to drop it again when she made no move to take it. “I thought you were dead. Back there, with the Ekasibe, when I called my life force forward, I thought you were dead.”

What was he telling her? Heart thudding in her chest, she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. He took another step closer. His heat enveloped her, warming her, taking some of her pain away.

“I knew the consequences of using my life energy. I knew it would kill me, but I didn’t care.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I thought you were dead and I chose to follow you into the next world.”

A small sob escaped her parted lips. “You would have left me here—alone.”

Reaching for her, he pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her. “I know. I’m sorry.” His voice muffled in her hair.

Brienne shoved away, taking a few steps back to look at him again. Uncertainty shone in his eyes, making her heart squeeze again. He wasn’t any more certain of anything than she was, but he wasn’t shying away from it, and damn it, she wouldn’t either.

Rushing back into his arms, she pressed her lips to his. He groaned, pulling her closer so that nothing but the clothes they wore separated them. When his tongue probed at her lips, she opened with a sigh, deepening the kiss.

Sliding her fingers beneath the hem of his shirt, she sought warm skin. His muscles bunched beneath her cool touch.
“I want this off.”
She tugged at his shirt, trying to lift it over his head even as they kissed.

His grin pressed against her lips. For a moment, she thought he would deny her request, but then he pulled away, tugging the shirt up and off before flinging it to the ground and pulling her into his arms again.

Rather than let him claim her lips, she nipped and licked his jaw, then kissed down the column of his neck. She hesitated when she reached the spot she sought at the base where his shoulder and neck connected.
“Don’t
ever
scare me like that again.”
Before he had a chance to respond, her teeth clamped down.

Throwing his head back, he allowed her bite. Not that she gave him much of a choice, but there was no resistance on his part, making her dragon purr as she staked her claim. The tender bruise would fade, but for her dragon, the bite was more than visual. Her scent, her very essence branded into him, warning all others away. He was hers to love and protect. Anyone trying to stand between them or harm him would deal with the dragon.

Every nerve in her body came alive at his nearness. More than anything, she wanted to explore his body. To find the secret places that pushed him to the edge of control. Licking the spot she had bitten, she continued down to his chest, nipping at his rippling flesh before reaching his tight nipple. Swirling her tongue around and over it, she teased him with light strokes before she nipped it.

The shudder running through him was the only warning she got. Her small squeak filled the silence as he pulled her up to plunder her mouth again.

His hands moved everywhere at once, pulling and tugging. The sound of material tearing registered in her mind seconds before he pulled his mouth down to her neck and, without warning, bit down hard. Her dragon accepted his claim with a triumphant roar, pushing her to complete the physical bond. The pain lancing through her lasted but a second, replaced by a deep burning heat throbbing in her core.

“You’re mine. I’ll never let you go.”
His garbled words caressed her mind, making her heart soar. It wasn’t a declaration of love, but a vow of commitment from one mate to the other, and for now, it was enough.

He leaned into her, bending her back. When his mouth released her shoulder, his gaze drifted down to feast on her naked breasts. Rather than be shy at the exposure, she relished the heated stare. He brought his head down close, waiting, mouth open, his warm breath teasing her sensitive flesh until she couldn’t take it anymore. Her nipple budded, tight and aching, desperate for his touch. When his tongue darted out to circle the hard tip, she arched into him, surrendering to his embrace.

Around and around, he teased without mercy, stopping only long enough to blow and make it pebble harder before repeating the treatment, driving her mad with his slow assault. Eyes closed, she moaned, the soft sound hissing between her teeth. Her whole body hummed in anticipation. If he didn’t do something soon, she would not survive.

“Do you like that, little spitfire?”
His husky voice slid into her mind, caressing her from the inside as he drove her body higher.

“Yes. More.”
Her voice, no longer her own, sounded breathless—sexy.

“Now, now, is that any way to ask for what you want?”
Even as he scolded her, he took the tortured nipple into his mouth, drawing it deep.

Her knees buckled as sweet pleasure stole over her.
“Yes, like that.”
Inside, her dragon drove her for more. The throbbing pulse at her core beat in time with her heart. Nothing would stop her from getting what was rightfully hers.
“I want to see you… all of you… please.”

When he didn’t respond right away, she thought he hadn’t heard her.
“Evan, please…”

“Let me savor this. I have dreamt of doing this to you for three years. Every night I dreamt of holding you, tasting you… making love to you.”

Heated pleasure coursed through her veins to pool low. Had he not been holding her up when he took the other nipple into his mouth, she would have fallen to the ground. Her fingers laced in the hair at the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

By the time he pulled his lips from her, every inch of Brienne’s body burned. She wanted him—needed him—so much, she couldn’t think. His hooded gaze devoured her, making her breath hitch in her throat. Gazing up at him, she brought her hands from his neck, caressing the red mark at its base before finding the hard expanse of his chest.

The soft hiss of his breath and tightening of his stomach when she slipped a finger beneath his waistband sent feminine power rushing in her veins. His dilated pupils, rapid breaths, and the quickened pulse at the base of his neck made her want to touch and taste so much more.

Without breaking his gaze, she slid the metal button free. The hard bulge beneath his zipper jumped. Licking her lips, she trailed her index finger down its length and just as slowly up again. His almost pained groan had her gaze shooting back up to his again, only to find his head thrown back and his eyes closed.