Such sweet words. But…he'd lived with his insecurities so long, they were a part of him. "How can I be? Look at me. I am a beast. A monster. Something to be feared and reviled."
"I am looking at you and you are something to be praised. You may not bear the appearance of other men, but you have strength and courage. Besides," she added, licking her lips, "animal magnetism is a very good thing."
Slowly he grinned. "All right. I will show you the rest of me."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Geryon removed his breast plate and tossed it aside, his too-corded chest with its scars, fur and over-large bones revealed. His hands shook as he then unwound the leather wrapped around his waist, slowly revealing his hardened shaft, his scarred and fur-lined thighs. He tensed, waiting for the inevitable gasp of horror, even though she'd assured him of his "animal magnetism."
"Beautiful," she said reverently. "A true warrior. My warrior." She reached up and ran her fingertips through that fur. "Soft."
Breath seeped from his parted lips, breath he had not realized he'd been holding until just then. "Kadence. Sweet Kadence," he rasped. What had he ever done to deserve her? If he hadn't fallen in love with her already, he would have fallen then.
As the hottest thrum of desire he'd ever experienced pounded through him, he kissed his way down her stomach, stopping only to dip his tongue inside her navel. She trembled. When he reached the apex of her thighs, he worshipped her, and the trembling became writhing.
"Amazing," she gasped, fisting his hair.
He wanted to devour her, possess her, but he held back, her taste like the sweetest ambrosia. Only when she came apart, screaming her pleasure, did he rise above her. He was proud and honored to have given her such ecstasy. But he was trembling now, his body on fire. Desperate. For her, only her.
Her legs wound around him, and she cupped his cheeks, staring deep into his eyes. "I need more of you."
He entered her an inch, one blessed inch. Stopped, gave her time to adjust. He'd go slowly if it killed him. Make it good for her, the best.
"Why do I not feel the need to master you?" she purred into his ear. She bit the lobe.
Sweet fire. "That's how it was, before?"
She nodded, arching her hips to take more of him. Another inch.
He had to cut off a groan. "Perhaps because my heart is so completely yours, there's nothing left to master."
"Oh, Geryon. Please." She stroked his horns, circling a fingertip over the hard points. "Take me all the way. Give me everything."
He could deny her nothing. Releasing his fierce grip on control, he pounded forward and she cried out. Not in pain, but in joy, he realized. Over and over he filled her, giving her all of him. Their wills intermingled so completely, it was impossible to tell who wanted what.
His nails raked the floor beside her head, his teeth even nipped her, but she loved it all, urging him on, begging for more. And when he spilled his seed inside her, her inner walls clutching him in her own surge of satisfaction, he shouted the words that had been building inside of him since the moment he'd met her. "I love you!"
To his surprise, she gave a shout of her own. "Oh, Geryon. I love you, too."
They quickly dressed. Kadence was still weak, but at least the pain had stopped.
"Are they still at the gate?" Geryon asked.
"Oh, yes. They're working it feverishly."
He kissed her lips, and she reveled in another taste of this man she so loved. "Whisk us there, lock them in place, and I will do the rest."
"I hope this works," she said, because she couldn't bear the thought of being parted from him.
"It will. It has to."
Otherwise, she feared they were both doomed.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
She flashed them as promised, and it took Geryon a moment to orient himself, inside a tavern one moment, in front of the wall the next. When he comprehended the carnage around him, he couldn't quite believe his eyes. The demons had worked so fervently, they had bled all over the stones—stones that had been shredded, almost paper thin. A hole was imminent.
Worse, the horde of Demon Lords was still there. They were huge, all of them at least seven foot, their bodies so wide that even Geryon, massive as he was, would not be able to stretch his arms wide enough to measure them. Skeletons were visible underneath the translucent skin. A few had wings, and all were grotesque in their evil. Red eyes, horned like Geryon and fingers like knives.
He must have made a noise, for one of the…things spotted them. Laughed a sound that raised every hair on his body. "Now," he shouted to Kadence.
She glared over at them—nothing. Pointed her hands at them—nothing. Groaned with the force of her will—but still nothing happened. The Lords did not freeze in place.
"I can't," she gasped out.
"What's wrong?" He glanced at her, even as he moved in front of her, keeping his arm around her waist. She had paled, and her trembling had returned. Had his arm not been around her, he knew she would have fallen. Had the bonding not worked, then? "Talk to me, sweetheart."
He watched the demons as they rallied together, watching him. Laughing. Imagining how they would kill him?
"I'm bound to you and the wall. I can feel your strength, its weakness, and it's tearing me apart," she cried. "I'm sorry. So sorry. All of this was for nothing, Geryon. Nothing!"
"Not nothing, never nothing. I have you." But for how long?
Slowly the demons stalked forward, predators locked on prey. Eerie delight radiated from them.
"You are the best thing that ever happened to me," Kadence said weakly, leaning her cheek against his back. "I do not care about my demise anymore, but I hate that I've placed you in grave danger."
No. No! "You will not die." But even as he said it, the wall, so badly damaged, began to crack, to crumble, a hole appearing. Widening.
Kadence's knees finally gave out, and he turned, roaring, easing her to the ground. I failed her. Damn this, I failed her!
"Kadence."
No response. No rising and falling of her chest, no moaning in pain. She was as still as death.
"Tell me how to help you, Kadence. Please."
Again, nothing.
Tears burned his eyes. He had not cried for the wife that left him, had not cried for the life he'd lost, but he cried for this woman. I need you. She would want him to stop the demons from leaving this realm, but Geryon couldn't bring himself to move from her side.
Something sharp scraped at his neck, and he jerked his head to the side. The Lords flew around them, cackling with glee. "Leave us," he growled.
Kill her.
Destroy her.
Maim her.
Too late. She's gone. More laughter.
One of them swooped down and raked a claw over her cheek, drawing blood before Geryon realized what was happening. The rest scented the lifeblood and attacked in a frenzy.
Geryon roared, throwing himself over her to take the brunt of their assault. Soon his back was in tatters, one of his horns chewed loose, a tendon severed. All the while he swung out his arm, hoping to slay as many as he could with his poison, but only one failed to dodge his blow.
On and on the laughter and abuse continued.
"I love you," Kadence whispered in his ear.
His muscled spasmed in shock and relief at the sound of her voice. She was still alive. "I love you. Stay with me. Don't leave me."
"I'm…sorry."
He never would have brought her into hell had he known this would happen. He would have spent his entire existence at the gate, fighting to protect it. Her. "Go," he screamed to the demons. "Leave this place. The mortal realm is yours."
As if the wall had merely been waiting for his permission, it finally toppled completely. Which meant—"No," he screamed. "I did not mean for you to collapse. I only meant for the demons to fly through." But it was too late, the damage was done.