Blood Chained (Dark Siren Book 3) Read online

  And if Kali wanted a chance to ever see him again, she was going to have to kick this rogue’s ass.

  A tight smile found a way to her already swelling face as Kali lifted her chin and pushed to her feet. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, she reestablished a low guard and held the daggers at ready. The rogue paced a few feet away and stood stock-still, watching her.

  She would never be able to defeat it in a fair fight. Hand to hand wasn’t her strong point, but Kali did have a talent no rogue possessed—the ability to wield fire. Her skill had come a long way since last summer. Mastery over her abilities was far from perfect, and in such tight quarters, mistakes could be disastrous. But Kali didn’t see where she had any other choice.

  She waited for it to charge again, but the rogue remained motionless. She continued to wait, remembering that sometimes the best offense was a patient defense.

  Come on, mallet face. Your move.

  Time stretched on. So did the silence. Kali wasn’t sure how many minutes passed before the rogue finally advanced. She tried to stay relaxed. Tension only allowed an opponent to guess the next move. And Kali desperately needed surprise on her side.

  The rogue swung the short sword, forcing her to shift her stance slightly to make the next block. It was a good tactic. Fights were won or lost because of good or bad footing. The blitz that followed was certainly intended to knock Kali off her feet, but behind the second block, she raised a wall of fire and channeled it forward. Unable to withstand the blaze, the rogue retreated, but pounced again as soon as the flames died. From then on, Kali followed every punch, stab, and strike with fire. Bit by bit, she drove the enemy back.

  But the rogue’s surrender was too gradual. Kali couldn’t keep up the pace for much longer. The rogue seemed to know it too. No matter how many times she punished it with fire, and even with the smell of its own burned flesh and singed hair strong in the air, the rogue didn’t fatigue, didn’t falter.

  The creature’s movements possessed a certain grace about them. Powerful. Deadly. Fluid. Perfection. Had not the rogue been so determined to kill her, Kali would have wanted them both to walk away and end the fight. She didn’t want to die. And this rogue didn’t need to die. Because something so dangerously rare had a right to exist in the world.

  Intensely focused on the battle, Kali nearly missed a crucial block when a sharp cry of pain split the cavern atmosphere. The shout was followed by something heavy scuffing against hard-packed earth. Behind the rogue, Kali caught of a glimpse of what made the sound.

  Crapola.

  River was on fire.

  At some point in the struggle, the rogue had smartly and literally put Rhane’s brother in the line of fire. Too weak to put himself out, River needed Kali’s help. But one very large roadblock stood in her way.

  Though the mask concealed every aspect of the creature’s face, Kali could have sworn that it was smiling behind its camouflage. She made several attempts to dodge around it, but each time the rogue maneuvered to remain rooted in her path.

  In her past life, Kali could smother flames from a distance. Or at least, so she’d been told. But even after months and months of training, Kali still lacked the amount of control required to accomplish that sort of thing. She would have to extinguish the fire burning River’s clothing the old-fashioned way—if she could ever get close enough.

  With the rogue directly in front of River, she couldn’t risk throwing more fire to drive it away. That was probably a part of its plan too.

  River cried out again, but the sound was weaker. Kali could almost taste his misery at the back of her throat. Don’t panic. Figure it out.

  She studied the rogue, recalling to her mind everything she’d learned about its fighting style tonight. So far they’d danced together as equals, and as warriors. Maybe it was time to change that.

  Charging forward, she swung high, dovetailing the strikes of her daggers. The rogue fulfilled each block just as she thought it would. But when the gladius met her blade for the third time, Kali pounded a fourth blow home—below the belt home—driving the hilt of her dagger into its groin. The rogue dropped, and she hit it again, dead center on its temple. Leaping overhead as its form sank even lower, Kali threw a burst of fire at the stunned creature. The force of the flames knocked it back at least ten feet, and at last the rogue didn’t move.

  Kali hurried to River. Stabbing her weapons into the ground, she knelt next to him. Face down, his fingers and legs twitched beneath the blanket of fire turned orange by the fuel of his clothing, no longer a siren’s to command. Kali leveraged her weight to roll River onto his back and hurriedly scooped handfuls of dirt to cover any escaping flames.

  The sigh of relief was just across her lips when Kali was lifted off the ground and tossed through the air like scraps for a dog. She endured an awful landing, one her skull took the brunt of. A few moments passed before she recovered enough of her senses to realize her weapons were left next to River. The revelation jolted her to her feet, but the rogue was already on top of her. Grabbing her by the throat, it growled like a wild animal as it shoved her against the rocky wall.

  This is it. It’s over.

  Kali squeezed her eyes shut, but opened them again and met the rogue’s gaping stare with as much defiance she could muster despite suffering what was probably a third degree concussion at this point. To her surprise, the creature’s roar softened, dulling to almost a purr as its thumb pressed into the hollow of her neck. Then its large hand released her, letting one finger whisper against her cheek.

  The air left her lungs in a whoosh, leaving Kali breathless. Before she could utter a sound, the rogue was gone.

  Chapter 22

  No. It can’t be.

  Kali scrambled to her feet. Pausing to gather her weapons, she made sure River was still alive before sprinting down the passageway in search of the rogue. It was difficult to see in the dim straightaway, but from what she could tell, the cloaked figure was nowhere in sight. So she ran faster, urging her aching body beyond its limits.

  Without warning the passage changed directions. Kali slid through the ninety-degree turn and barely avoided body slamming the opposite wall. Fifty feet beyond the shift, the passage split again into two entirely different directions. There was no sign of the rogue, and she had a choice to make. Reaching the junction, Kali stopped. Her labored breaths were the only sound as she squinted into the murky tunnels, demanding her eyes to adjust.

  “Come on. Show yourself,” she whispered.

  A shadow moved, alerting her peripheral, but when she turned it had already disappeared. A glimpse was all Kali needed. She dashed to pursue it. Every time she thought herself hopelessly lost, a brief appearance from the rogue guided her in the right direction.

  Heart reaching into her throat, doubt threatened to overtake her legs. But Kali ran on. No matter how hard she pushed herself, it seemed she would never catch up. The rogue always remained just beyond reach. Tired, injured, and uncertain, her feet slowed, trailing to a stop. Her head continued to spin, and for an instant she wondered if she was actually still running. Leaning against the nearest wall, she rested, hoping the cool rock would numb some of her pain.

  “Kalista.”

  Recognizing the voice, Kali’s head snapped up. Adrenaline surged in her veins. New strength energized her limbs, and she started moving again. Her progress was slow, but she powered forward, refusing to fall when her feet stumbled, denying her body the respite it begged for.

  “Kalista.”

  She held on, letting sound guide her steps when sight could not. She wanted so badly for it to be real. But how could it? It was utterly possible that she was really back in the passageway, lying next to River, and this was all just a “go into the light” hallucination before death.

  Kali smiled. Well at least I’m dying happy.

  The smile faded just as quickly. There was third possibility. Maybe I am awake and this is really a trap.

  Trailing her fingertips along the wall,
she pressed onward, mustering every ounce of bravado from sorely depleted reserves. Up ahead and beyond the next flickering panel of light, the shadow stopped moving. She thought it watched her beneath the horrid disguise.

  “Is it you?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

  Instead of answering, the figure disappeared.

  “Wait!”

  Kali ran deeper into the passage. With dismay, she discovered yet another divergence. She was too slow. Too late. The figure was gone again.

  She spun around, searching desperately for some sign of what was lost. But there was none. Unsure of which way to go, she waited. Nothing. Muttering a curse, Kali picked a direction and started to run again. Abruptly jerked backward and nearly off of her feet by an irresistible force, she yelped in surprise. Her outcry was cut short by a warm hand against her mouth. Soft breathing followed, falling against her cheek in gentle waves. Her body relaxed on its own, giving in to the hard but familiar contours hidden beneath the dark leathers. Closing her eyes, she reached up. Her breath caught and held. The mask was gone. Her fingers found skin…real human skin.

  He whispered her name, and his hands fell to her waist, gripping her tighter. Then they loosened, allowing her to finally turn and see him. Savoring his scent, she drank in the sight. Kali could trace every line, every crease, and every angle of his face from memory. So even in the dimness she could see that something was very different about him. But then his lips folded into hers and she forgot to wonder.

  She sighed as his tongue slipped inside her mouth, caressing all the right paces. One hand slid beneath her shirt, radiating heat to her chilled skin. Her fingers drifted through his hair and pulled him closer, demanding more of his touch. Soon Kali had warmed all over. Muscles low in her abdomen tightened and she groaned, rolling her hips against his. Immediately, she heard his sharp intake of breath and felt his fingers dig roughly into her flesh. Then his entire body stiffened and he pulled away. His eyes were almost black as they burned into hers.

  “We have to go. It isn’t safe.” Without waiting for a reply, he pulled her away, leading her deeper into the catacombs.

  #

  Hearing her voice, feeling her heart beat next to him was a dream he never wanted to wake from. It felt so good to touch her, to kiss her again. But in that short embrace his need had leaped forward like a beast from hell. It had taken every ounce of will he possessed not take her right there on the dirt floor.

  But hunters were too close. The rogue pack—present in the catacombs at the Primes’ behest—would not have taken kindly to stumbling upon him half-naked and pinned between the supposed enemy’s beautiful legs. Rhane had been sent to retrieve The Siren’s Heart. Two attempts later, he wasn’t doing a very good job of it. In the bank’s sub-region, he hadn’t hesitated in killing to protect her. Covering up what he’d done had been easy enough. Kali had taken out most of the unit that came with him. But for any rogue to see them together now would be disastrous, especially since Warren was still within the clutches of the Primes.

  And yet…Rhane couldn’t let go.

  After days of exploring these nether regions, he’d seen enough of the Builders’ handiwork to understand they were creatures of habit. Just as they liked dark and twisting tunnels, they also had an affinity for hidden spaces. He only had to find one. Secret doorways were often marked by ancient script. He and Kalista were moving fast but not too fast for him to miss the faded lettering carved into smooth stone. Halting, Rhane pulled Kalista alongside him. In one quick movement, he withdrew a long dagger from its hilt. Her hand on his wrist stopped him.

  “Rhane…I’m sorry you found out that way. I should have told you.”

  The growl escaped before he could silence it. Long canines dug into his lips, snaring flesh and drawing blood as the wolf lunged to the surface. Closing his eyes, Rhane blocked out her pain and smothered his rage. As quickly as the changes had appeared, they were gone.

  He managed one word. “Don’t.”

  Rhane knew he should have tried to be more articulate. She needed that much from him. But he wasn’t strong enough. He’d nearly killed his brother and would have if Kalista had not intervened. He knew he owed a debt to River that was not yet repaid. Even before Jehsi had stepped in to save him, River had always been there. Throughout childhood, it was the kindness of his little brother that sustained him. The resulting bond between them could not easily be erased, even by betrayal.

  But hearing the argument from a high perch, pure instinct had taken over. The mind of Banewolf had seized control and Rhane could do nothing to stop it…until he saw Kalista. She always brought him back.

  “Rhane?” She looked afraid.

  “It’s okay. I’m sorry.” He had once known how to comfort her. Now the words were lost to him. “I’m sorry I didn’t protect you.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.”

  Frustration eased through in a soft growl. It hadn’t escaped Rhane that control of his emotions had lessened since his “execution.”

  “I don’t know that anymore.” Before she could say anything else, he slit his finger and smeared the blood across the seal. When the hidden portal shimmered, he stepped through and pulled her in behind him.

  The movement of air told him it was a small room. The smell of ignitable materials hinted a possible light source. His eyes automatically became the wolf’s, adjusting to see in darkness. A liquid filled trench came to about waist level and encircled the entire room. Rhane poked one finger into the substance and tasted it.

  “Kalista,” he called. When she found her place beside him, he took her hand and dipped it into the liquid. “Can you ignite this?”

  “Of course.” A heart beat later, there was light. Gray flames filled the trenches on all sides, illuminating the room in a soft glow more intimate than candlelight. “How’s that?”

  “It’s perfect,” he said, letting his eyes roam the length of her. Instinct was taking control again. He figured it had been almost a year since he’d had her. He had spent nearly as long in the Primes’ custody. He couldn’t remember what she liked but he would happily die learning again. Rhane took a step toward her and stopped. Would it be wrong to touch her without telling her the truth? He was essentially still the same person. She had obviously changed. Rhane struggled to reconcile his last memory of a troubled teenager, floundering to unite her supernatural life with her human one. And then there was the old Kalista, the loving warrior from the distance past. The young woman that stood before him now was an incredible mixture of the two.

  He knew he should talk to her. Maybe she could help fill in the gaps. But time was so limited. The others would come looking for him soon, if they weren’t already. And Rhane really couldn’t leave this place without touching her again.

  But then she moved, closing the gulf between them, bringing a firm resolution to his doubts. She pressed her lips to his, tickled her fingers through his hair. Her teeth nibbled his bottom lip, against his ear, across his neck, and up to his earlobe. Pretty much all the blood left his body, pooling to his groin. “I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered, and brushed her hand lightly across the swell of his pants.

  Rhane lost it.

  Muttering something unintelligible even to his own ears, he crushed her mouth against his. Both hands took on minds of their own, removing her clothing in seconds. She briefly wore a surprised expression, but then he was kissing her again. Her mouth, her face, her neck, her breasts, her stomach, her thighs. He kissed it all, healing her wounds, both recent and old, with every touch. And when her panties got in the way, he ripped them off without a thought. Caressing and stroking with both finger and tongue, he reduced her words of encouragement to single syllables, moans, and finally just pants of pleasure.

  Each time her nails raked across his skin, he nipped her flesh between his teeth, made her cry and writhe beneath his hands. Whenever her eyes opened, they were glowing light gray. Sweat beaded on her skin, secreting the sweetest aroma.

 
When the bulge in his pants became painful, he spared a second to tug them off. Slipping between her legs, he dominated the last piece of her. Rocking with every moan and whimper, he moved with her pleasure, coaxing every sound from her lips a woman could possibly make. She finally came apart beneath him, and the surrounding fires burned brighter with her release. Shuddering and shaking, Kalista whispered his name repeatedly, encouraging him to join her. But he held on until she broke again, drawing blood as she bit into his shoulder to muffle a scream. He felt his strength ebb as she drank deeply from his well of power. Only then did he allow his own liberation, ripping apart the earth with the wolf’s claws because he couldn’t hold the changes back any longer. Bracing against the ground, he rocked his hips against her until he was empty. His muscles trembled and finally gave in. Rolling to put her weight on top of him, he lay panting.

  It took awhile, but Kalista recovered, sitting up to meet his gaze with a sleepy smile and a satisfied sigh. “Wow.”

  Rhane chuckled. “Wow,” he echoed.