“Aw, how sweet. Another adorable nickname.” A Gothic ice queen, she glided to her feet and strolled to the bars, every movement a wonder of sensuality. Thin straps of metal crisscrossed over her chest, turning her T-shirt into a gown.
She’d reverted to predator mode. Having spotted prey, she’d roused enough energy to launch a final stand.
Frostberries perfumed the air, setting little fires in his lungs. Golden torchlight illuminated the stardust smeared over her skin, fueling his most possessive instincts.
You should try to resist, at least.
The other harpies stepped up to the bars between the cells for a closer look at the byplay. Commentary abounded.
“Uh-oh. He looks ticked.”
“Only because you’re staring at his face. Check out the package in his pants.”
“I sense a severe clubbing in T-bomb’s future.”
“If I’m going to stay here,” Taliyah said, empress of her audience, “I insist on redecorating. Maybe a couple of tasteful nudes.”
He glared at her. A lowly phantom had no right to tease the Astra Commander. “You won’t be staying here.”
She pouted with feigned disappointment. “Let me guess. You’ll be glued to my side forevermore.”
“I will.” He punctuated the words with a clipped nod.
“Why do you appear so glum about it? You’re getting uninterrupted time with the woman of your dreams. I’m the one who deserves to wail. I have to spend time with you.”
Disregard her words. Move on. “There will be new rules, of course.”
“Of course. I’ll give them the same respect as the others.” She reached through the bars slowly, giving him a chance to protest before she glided a claw around the unstained skin above his heart. “Will I get three squares a day?”
Though he didn’t understand the words themselves, he easily deciphered their meaning. He’d thought to keep her hungry and weak. Should he? She’d deteriorated in a matter of hours. How long did she have until her eyes turned milky, her mouth a suction cup?
Not even trying to mask his revulsion, he flashed into the duplicate realm, appearing in the cell with the imprisoned soldiers.
Roc grabbed the closest—a berserker whose jaw had yet to heal from repeated exposure to Roc’s fists. He carted the male into Taliyah’s cell.
She remained at the bars, her back to him.
“Your breakfast awaits,” he said as the male fought his hold. “Compliments of Erebus.”
She turned with sensual grace and eyed her meal. “Normally I’d ask what crimes he’s committed, but I remember seeing him in the throne room. He’s a soldier of yours. That’s crime enough.”
Roc pushed, and the berserker stumbled to his hands and knees before coming up in a rush, preparing for battle.
Taliyah moved at an incredible speed, even without use of her wings, restraining him against a wall with her shackled hands and forcing his head to tilt at an uncomfortable angle. She pressed her mouth against his throat, like a vampire tapping a vein. The berserker shouted and flailed—at first. He slowed...sagged, finally hanging motionless in her grip. Color drained from his flesh. Taliyah’s pinkened.
Roc could barely stomach watching a soulsucker in action...usually. Somehow, as she swayed in time to her swallows, she made the act a sensual dance. He...didn’t like it. His bride should not put her mouth on another male.
Jealousy shocked him. Singed him. Infuriated him! She’s a phantom. This doesn’t matter.
Still he fought the urge to stride over and slay the male. Roc breathed with purpose. Inhale, exhale. Slow. Slower. Better. Except it wasn’t better!
As he took a step forward, Taliyah released her meal. Nothing but an empty shell. The body fell to the floor with a hard thud, utterly drained and eternally dead.
The harpies withdrew, and Taliyah most definitely noticed, her posture growing rigid as she straightened.
She craned her head to meet Roc’s gaze, sending a jolt through him. As the shadows receded from her eyes and mouth, and the onyx vanished from her irises, she smiled, radiant.
In that moment, she embodied each of her species. The seducer, the warrior and the ice queen.
“Haven’t drained someone in so long, and oh, the power! I usually only take enough to stay strong.” She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and winked at him. “I don’t have to ask if you enjoyed the show. Your measuring log says plenty.”
Knew she’d gloat. “Come here.” Today he issued orders, and she obeyed him. He would settle for nothing less.
She didn’t come here. “Is this the part where we kiss and make up? Because—” Her brow wrinkled, and her smile dulled. She clutched her stomach, accusations flickering in her eyes. “Did you poison me, Commander?”
“Not on purpose.” Was this another trick?
In response, Taliyah hunched over and vomited a stream of bright light. The more she lost, the faster the shadows returned to her eye sockets. By the end, onyx swamped her irises once again.
No, no trick. Concern seized him.
If Erebus had predicted Roc’s actions, he’d known where Roc would source for his phantom bride’s food. Had the god purposely tainted the soldiers? Or was this something else?
He didn’t know anything anymore.
At her side once again, he removed the shackles, preparing to relocate her. Chafed red skin ringed both of her wrists, the sight...disturbing. “Has this ever happened to you before?”
“Never.”
Chest tight, he clasped her nape and flashed her to the master bathroom. “I’ll find you someone else to eat.” Another male who would feel the softness of her mouth.
Hot blood rushed to Roc’s muscles, stardust singeing his palms.
“Don’t worry, Roc.” She pushed at him. “I have no interest in you as food. I like my meals with a little less hypocrisy. Beggars can be choosers.”
A lie. The woman was starved. If he wanted her to eat from him, she would eat from him. But he didn’t, so the point was moot. “Explain how I’m a hypocrite.”
Shrug. “You judge me for eating souls, yet every five hundred years, you snuff one out.”
He huffed a breath. “Better a hypocrite than a phantom.” How did she remain so intelligent? So lucid?
“Are you kidding? There’s nothing worse than a hypocrite.”
Her disdain wouldn’t affect him.
It wouldn’t.
Appearing to stand by force of her will alone, she cast her gaze around the spacious enclosure. Planning her escape?