Bound By Darkness: Eternally Mated Novel Page 16

  “Kill him. Take your revenge before he destroys us all.” Then he pushed into her mind. linked them together, and gave her everything he had. His darkness flowed through her.

  * * *

  A shot of adrenaline pumped through her veins, and her muscles reacted. Her mind cleared enough for instinct to kick in, and through the haze, she realized her arm moved. The point of the blade she held, touched her father’s chest. She drew in more of the darkness and shoved with all her might, driving the blade made from the fires of Hell straight through her father’s heart.

  Everything stopped and stood still for a brief moment before he toppled backward, shock in his eyes. Then he hit the ground. Slowly, the dust settled. The tremors ceased and the ink that had filled the sky began to flow away.

  Panting breaths escaped her lungs as she dropped the dagger to the ground, where it was pulled through the dirt by clawing fingers until it vanished from sight. Her muscles trembled and her knees gave way as she slowly sank downward, sitting on the heated ground of Hell. Kelana tried to focus on the carnage around her. Groans filtered into her ears as those she recognized as friends began to stir. Thankfully, it looked like everyone survived. She shook the cobwebs from her mind and tried to recall exactly what happened, and then a soft female voice reached her ears.

  “Oh shit.”

  Kelana turned and looked up at Ashley. “What? Are you okay?”

  “Zander,” Ashley replied and Kelana followed the other angel’s gaze.

  Standing over her was her mate, and when her gaze met his, she let out a sob. “No!” The beautiful blue eyes were gone, replaced with pure black. Not even his whites remained. He had gone rogue.

  He dropped to his knees in front of her and placed his hand on her cheek. “You live.” Even his voice was edged with darkness.

  “What have you gone and done?” Hot wetness dampened her cheeks. Time and time again, this man sacrificed himself for her. He didn’t belong here. Not in this dark, ugly realm. He was born of beauty and light, and she had pulled him into her world. She caught a glimpse of her wings. Their black feathers tipped in pearly white. Wings he used to have and she didn’t deserve. How had they both come to this point? She, born with demon blood, had finally begun to embrace her angelic side because of him, and he had turned to the darkness to save her.

  “I will not allow this,” she stated through her tears. “You will not give up any more for me. Dammit! Lyzander, come back to me. I want to look into those blue eyes again.”

  He shook his head. “I’m lost now but you are safe.” He kissed her gently on the lips. “I love you.” Then he pulled free, stood, and faded away.

  “No!” she screamed until her throat burned.

  20

  Lyzander walked. The pounding of his boots on the hard ground mirrored the thumping in his head. He tried to ignore the clawing talons that reached from nowhere and grabbed at him, beckoning him to complete what he started.

  His light dimmed further.

  When had his life taken such a turn? He knew the answer. It was when he sensed a small child hiding under a bed whose life had been altered forever. If he looked back hard enough, he realized, even then, he knew her angelic power was strong. She would grow up, and her mere existence would change everything in his world. He also had come to terms with the guilt of the slaying of her mother and grandmother. Had he known sooner and been able to save them, both of their fates would be different. She may have mated another one day and become a guardian. The thought of either happening only made him angry.

  Join us.

  Voices hissed in his mind and threatened everything he had ever been. There was still a pinprick of light in his soul. His mate was the only lifeline he had left, and he either had to grab it and pull himself from the murky depths of evil or cut it. Forever become part of the true malevolence that consumed this place.

  He dropped to his knees, closed his eyes, and tried to block out the darkness wrapped around him. Squeezing him and demanding he submit. Fists punched through the ground all around him and sank their talons into him.

  Come to us.

  “No.” But he was weak from his transformation and then the link to his mate. Kelana had nearly drained him, pulling power from his in order to kill her father. He couldn’t fight against the pull any longer. He sank into despair and allowed the darkness to slither over him.

  “Like fucking hell you will!”

  The voice was commanding yet soft. He pried open his eyes enough to see a sword hacking at the arms that reached for him and pulled him under. The darkness abated slightly, and then the most beautiful face in the universe came into view.

  “You promised yourself to me, and I am holding you to it.” Kelana gently pushed him until he was sitting. Her hands cupped his face and brushed warmth against his cold soul. “You are mine forever, angel. Don’t think you’re getting out of this mating that easily.”

  He swallowed the grit in his throat. “I’m no angel. The only light I have left is you.”

  She flashed him a smile that gave him hope. “Then take everything I have.” She pushed him to his back and crawled on top of him. Her mouth covered his, and her kiss was filled with desperation. She broke free long enough to stand and peel off her jeans, quickly followed by her tee. She stood over him naked except for her wings. The wings of the first female warrior. Her skin gave off the soft glow that spoke of divine power, and then she let loose her succubus as she knelt and jerked his pants down far enough to free his erection. It wasn’t long before she poised herself over him and slid her warm sex down his shaft. Her lusty gaze met his.

  “I’m light and dark, Lyzander. You can learn to control both. Take me. Take everything you need from me and come back to me.” She shifted, ground her hips, and he lost himself.

  He gripped her waist and rolled her to her back. Pulled out and thrust hard. He was desperate to feel pleasure and pain mixed together as she clawed his back.

  “I need you.”

  “Take me. I won’t break.” Her hips moved upward to meet his every thrust, and he pumped harder. Slamming into her, fearful he would hurt her yet unable to stop. He grabbed her lifeline and pulled himself closer to home.

  Her fingers danced across his chest, upward until they tangled in his hair, and she jerked him closer until their mouths fused together. Their tongues glided across each other, and he recognized the taste of purity. He kissed her so deeply, he was sure he would consume everything she was.

  It wasn’t enough. He hungered for more and reached between them to pinch her clit. She ignited under him. Her pleasure slid over him in small pricks of power that made his skin tingle.

  His cock grew harder, and the tip swelled seconds before his release hit him so hard he swore the ground shook beneath him. Still, he couldn’t stop. His hips seemed to thrust on their own, and again the love of his life slipped over the edge into bliss, pulling him with her. Their souls touched, and they soared into the sky together.

  He crumpled to her chest. Spent yet full of life. The darkness moved away and made room for Kelana’s light. She had managed to bring him back. He propped himself up and studied her. The biggest smile ever curved her swollen lips.

  “What?”

  “Your blue eyes are back. You are back here with me, and I love you.”

  “It’s because of you. You managed to save me.”

  Her smile grew even wider. “We seem to keep saving each other, don’t we?”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “I guess fate knew what she was doing after all.” He scanned himself for signs of evil. “I’m still a fallen angel. Now that I’ve allowed the darkness to take me once, it will always have its claws in me.”

  She shook her head. “I will teach you how to control them both. Remember, I’ve battled them all my life.” Her smile softened. “You are good, and I have no doubt one day you will return to the great warrior you once were.”

  A pang shot through him. He was disconnected from his brethren, fr
om his Maker, and he was no longer a protector of humanity. There was a hollow spot inside him, and he didn’t think it would ever fill back in.

  “Lyzander, do you trust me?”

  He cocked his head. “With my life.”

  “Then trust we will find a way. There is always a way back home, it’s only a matter of finding the right road.” She rubbed his back. “You taught me that.”

  “You’re such a smart woman. What now?”

  “Ashley has given me my own realm to rule here in Hell, and I need a strong man by my side.”

  “But you are a warrior now, you don’t belong here.” He started to move off her, but she held him tight.

  “I will serve both realms. After all, I still have a sword of my own to earn, and I need someone here to oversee things when I have to be away.”

  He supposed he could tend to business while his mate was saving humanity. “What of the others? Cade and Raze. Do you know what will happen to them?”

  She played with a strand of his hair and he enjoyed it. “Ashley gave them a very big job. They have become keepers in Lulerain. She has asked them to clean the place up. Find any who don’t belong there, and most importantly, figure out how demons are getting angels in.” She chewed her bottom lip. “I seem to recall the guys saying something about wanting your help. Sounds to me like there will be lots for you to do here.”

  He liked the sound of that. He could stay busy and still kick some ass. Lyzander rolled off her and helped her to her feet, pulling her into an embrace. He kissed her slowly and passionately before he broke off to nip her lip.

  “I love you, Kelana. Let’s go start our life together.”

  About the Author

  Award winning and bestselling author Valerie Twombly grew up watching Dark Shadows over her mother’s shoulder, and from there her love of the fanged creatures blossomed. Today, Valerie has decided to take her darker, sensual side and put it to paper. When she is not busy creating a world full of steamy, hot men and strong, seductive women, she juggles her time between a full-time job, hubby and her two German shepherd dogs, in Northern IL. Valerie is a member of Romance Writers of America and Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Romance Writers. She is also the founder of the Sexy Scribblers. A group of romance writers who get together and write free stories for their fans.

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  Also by Valerie Twombly

  An Angel’s Torment (Eternally Mated Prequel)

  Veiled In Darkness (Eternally Mated #2)

  Fall Into Darkness (Eternally Mated #1)

  Bound By Darkness (Eternally Mated Novel)

  Eternal Flame (Guardians #1)

  Fatal Desire (Guardians #2)

  Primal Hunger (Guardians #3)

  Divine Passion (Guardians #3.5)

  Amazon Heat (Demon Heat #1)

  Emerald Fire (Demon Heat #2)

  Spanish Nights, A Jinn’s Seduction

  Sultry Nights, A Jinn’s Seduction

  Taken By Desire (Demonic Desires #1)

  His Burning Desire (Sparks Of Desire)

  Passion Awakened (Beyond The Mist)