Lysander slashed one of his wrists. Blood instantly spilled from the wound, and he stretched out his arm, forcing each drop to fall into her mouth. Blood was not food for Harpies; it was medicine. Therefore her body could accept it. He’d never freely given his blood to another living being and wasn’t sure he liked the thought of something of his flowing inside this woman’s veins. In fact, the thought actually caused his heartbeat to start slamming against his ribs again. But there was no other way.
At first, she didn’t act as if she noticed. Then her tongue emerged, licking at the liquid before it could reach her lips. Then her eyes opened, amber irises bright, and she grabbed on to his arm, jerking it to her mouth. Her sharp teeth sank into his skin as she sucked.
Another odd sensation, he thought. Having a woman drink from him. There was heat and wetness and a sting, yet it was not unpleasant. It actually lanced a pang of…something unnameable straight to his stomach and between his legs.
“Drink all you need,” he told her. His body would not run out. Every drop was replaced the moment it left him.
Her gaze narrowed on him. The more she swallowed, the more fury he saw banked there. Soon her fingers were tightening around his wrist, her nails cutting deep. If she expected some sort of reaction from him, she would not get it. He’d been alive too long and endured far too many injuries to be affected by something so minor. Except for that pang between his legs…What was that?
Finally, though, she released him. He wasn’t sure if that gladdened him or filled him with disappointment.
Gladdened, of course, he told himself.
A trickle of red flowed from the corner of her mouth, and she licked it away. The sight of that pink tongue caused another lance to shoot through him.
Definitely disap—uh, gladdened.
“You bastard,” she growled through her panting. “You sick, torturing bastard.”
He moved out of striking distance. Not to protect himself, but to protect her. If she were to attack him, he would have to subdue her. And if he subdued her, he might hurt her. And accidentally brush against her. Blood…heating…
“It was never my intent to harm you,” he said. And now, even his voice was trembling. Odd.
“And that makes what you did okay?” She jerked to a sitting position, all that dark hair spilling around her shoulders. The pearl-like sheen was slowly returning to her skin. “You left me here, unable to eat. Dying!”
“I know.” Was that skin as soft as it looked? He gulped. “And I am sorry.” Her anger should have overjoyed him. As he’d hoped, she would no longer laugh up at him, her face lit with the force of her amusement. She would no longer race around him, petting him. Yes, he should have been overjoyed. Instead, the disappointment he’d just denied experiencing raced through him. Disappointment mixed with shame.
She was more a temptation than he had realized.
“You know?” she gasped out. “You know that I can only consume what I steal or earn and yet you failed to make arrangements for me?”
“Yes,” he admitted, hating himself for the first time in his existence.
“What’s more, you left me here. With no way home.”
His nod was stiff. “I have since made restitution by saving your life. But as I said, I am sorry.”
“Oh, well, you’re sorry,” she said, throwing up her arms. “That makes everything better. That makes almost dying acceptable.” She didn’t wait for his reply. She kicked her legs over the bed and stood. Her skin was at full glow now. “Now you listen up. First, you’re going to find a way to feed me. Then, you’re going to tell me how to get off this stupid cloud. Otherwise I will make your life a hell you’ve never experienced before. Actually, I will anyway. That way, you’ll never forget what happens when you mess with a Harpy.”
He believed her. Already she affected him more than anyone else ever had. That was hell enough. Proof: his mouth was actually watering to taste her, his hands itching to touch her. Rather than reveal these new developments, however, he said, “You are powerless here. How would you hurt me?”
“Powerless?” She laughed. “I don’t think so.” One step, two, she approached him.
He held his ground. He would not retreat. Not this time. Assert your authority. “You cannot leave unless I allow it. The cloud belongs to me and places my will above yours. Therefore, there is no exit for you. You would be wise to curry my favor.”
She sucked in a breath, paused. “So you still mean to keep me here forever? Even though I have a wedding to attend?” She sounded surprised.
“When did I ever give you the impression that I meant otherwise? Besides, I heard you tell your sister you didn’t want to go to that wedding.”
“No, I said I didn’t want to be a bridesmaid. But I love my baby sis, so I’ll do it. With a smile.” Bianka ran her tongue over her straight, white teeth. “But let’s talk about you. You like to eavesdrop, huh? That sounds a little demonic for a goody-goody angel.”
Over the years he’d been called far worse than demonic. The goody-goody, though…Was that how she saw him? Rather than as the righteous soldier he was? “In war, I do what I must to win.”
“Let me get this straight.” Her eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms over her middle. Stubbornness radiated from her. “We were at war before I even met you?”
“Correct.” A war he would win. But what would he do if he failed to set her on the right path? He would have to destroy her, of course, but for him to legally be allowed to destroy her, he reminded himself, she would first have to commit an unpardonable sin. Though she’d lived a long time, she had never crossed that line. Which meant she would have to be encouraged to do so. But how? Here, away from civilization—both mortal and immortal—she couldn’t free a demon from hell. She couldn’t slay an angel. Besides him, but that would never happen. He was stronger than she was.
She could blaspheme, he supposed, but he would never—never!—encourage someone to do that, no matter the reason. Not even to save himself.
The only other possibility was for her to convince an angel to fall. As she was his temptation, and as he was the only angel of her acquaintance, he was the only one she could convince. And he wouldn’t. Again, not for any reason. He loved his life, his Deity, and was proud of his work and all he had accomplished.
Perhaps he would simply leave Bianka here, alone for the rest of eternity. That way, she could live but would be unable to cause trouble. He would visit her every few weeks—perhaps months—but never remain long enough for her to corrupt him.
A sudden blow to the cheek sent his head whipping to the side. He frowned, straightened and rubbed the now-stinging spot. Bianka was exactly as she’d been before, standing in front of him. Only now she was smiling.
“You hit me,” he said, his astonishment clear.
“How sweet of you to notice.”
“Why did you do that?” To be honest, he should not have been surprised. Harpies were as violent by nature as their inhuman counterparts the demons. Why couldn’t she have looked like a demon, though? Why did she have to be so lovely? “I saved you, gave you my blood. I even explained why you could not leave, just as you asked. I did not have to do any of those things.”
“Do I really need to repeat your crimes?”
“No.” They were not crimes! But perhaps it was best to change the subject. “Allow me to feed you,” he said. He walked to the plate holding the hamburger and picked it up. The scent of spiced meat wafted to his nose, and his mouth curled in distaste.
Though he didn’t want to, though his stomach rolled, he took a bite. He wanted to gag, but managed to swallow. Normally he only ate fruits, nuts and vegetables. “This,” he said with much disgust, “is mine.” Careful not to touch her, he placed the food in her hands. “You are not to eat it.”
By staking the verbal claim, the meal did indeed become his. He watched understanding light her eyes.
“Oh, cool.” She didn’t hesitate to rip into the burger, every crumb gone in seconds. Next he sipped the chocolate shake. The sugar was almost obscene in his mouth, and he did gag. “Mine,” he repeated faintly, giving it to her, as well. “But next time, please request a healthier meal.”
She flipped him off as she gulped back the ice cream. “More.”
He bypassed the French fries. No way was he going to defile his body with one of those greasy abominations. He found an apple, a pear, but had to request a stalk of broccoli himself. After claiming them, he took a bite of each and handed them over. Much better.
Bianka devoured them. Well, except for the broccoli. That, she threw at him. “I’m a carnivore, moron.”
She hardly had to remind him when the unpleasant taste of the burger lingered on his tongue. Still, he chose to overlook her mockery. “All of the food produced in this home is mine. Mine and mine alone. You are to leave it alone.”
“That’d be great if I were actually staying,” she muttered while stuffing the fries in her mouth.
He sighed. She would accept her fate soon enough. She would have to.
The more she ate, the more radiant her skin became. Magnificent, he thought, reaching out before he could stop himself.
She grabbed his fingers and twisted just before contact. “Nope. I don’t like you, so you don’t get to handle the goods.”
He experienced a sharp pain, but merely blinked over at her. “My apologies,” he said stiffly. Thank the One True Deity she’d stopped him. No telling what he would have done to her had he actually touched her. Behaved like a slobbering human? He shuddered.
She shrugged and released him. “Now for my second order. Let me go home.” As she spoke, she assumed a battle stance. Legs braced apart, hands fisted at her sides.
He mirrored her movements, refusing to admit, even to himself, that her bravery heated his traitorous blood another degree. “You cannot hurt me, Harpy. Fighting me would be pointless.”