The Darkest Night

'Don't stop,' Maddox said as Aeron backhanded him. A little more and the spirit might stay hidden for the rest of the day.

'Stop,' Lucien repeated. 'Now. Or tonight I'll take you into hell with Maddox.'

The punches instantly ceased. It was a threat Lucien could easily uphold.

Aeron was panting; Maddox was, too. He almost reached out, grabbed Aeron's wrist and forced the man to start again. He wanted, needed, more. He would take no chances. If he had to be beaten until he was too weak to do anything but crawl, he would let himself be beaten.

He would not hurt Ashlyn.

Not yet, at least.

Reluctantly Aeron pushed to his feet and offered Maddox a helping hand. He accepted with the same reluctance and was quickly hefted to a stand. Together, he and Aeron faced Lucien.

There was no emotion in Lucien's eyes as he perused them. Maddox worked a hand over his battered face, finding cuts that would have needed stitching were he human.

'Does someone want to tell me what was going on?'

'We were trying a new sparring technique,' Maddox said through swollen lips. For once the spirit remained quiet. He almost felt normal. The realization was so wonderfully stunning, he grinned.

'That's right. New sparring technique.' Aeron slung an arm over his shoulder. One of his eyes was sealed shut and his lower lip was shredded.

Within the hour, Maddox knew, both of them would be totally mended. Immortality had its advantages.

Would Violence return when his body healed?

Lucien opened his mouth to respond, but Maddox held up one bruised palm. 'I will hear no complaints from you. You left Ashlyn in the dungeon. You should thank the gods I'm not going for your throat.'

'We did what was needed to make her more acquiescent,' Lucien said, and there was not an apology in his tone.

Maddox stiffened, anger washing through him. A remarkably ordinary anger, though. One that didn't compel him to do terrible deeds. Miraculous. 'I asked you for two things. Only two: You failed on both counts.'

'You asked that she remain alive and you asked that she remain untouched. She is both of those things,' Lucien pointed out.

True, but she'd been scared and cold, and for some reason that knowledge cut him deeper than Aeron's fists. She was just so small, so delicate. 'I could not see to her needs. You should have.' He had always hated that he lost all ties to reality when midnight struck. He hated that he didn't know what happened here during those twilight hours, hated that he could not protect himself or those close to him.

For all he knew, the fortress could be attacked by Hunters, burned to the ground, everyone inside slaughtered. Ashlyn could betray him, leading those Hunters inside. But Ashlyn could also be beaten. Ashlyn could be ravaged or killed, and he would not know.

'Listen, right now your woman doesn't matter,' Lucien said. 'Much has happened since your latest death. The—'

A growl vibrated in his throat, his head, his ears, drowning out the warrior's voice. Doesn't matter? 'If she becomes sick…' The edges of his anger morphed into razor-sharp points, prodding at the spirit. Not subdued completely after all, he realized with an inward curse, even as his body tightened, gearing for war.

A dangerous haze shuttered over his eyes; his own, all his own, but the demon liked it. Kill him. He means to take what is ours. Yes, he needed to kill. His blood heated to a boil. His skin stretched over his bones.

'He's not listening,' Aeron said to Lucien. A muscle ticked below the man's eye, and he gave Maddox a rough shake before severing contact between them. 'Are you listening to me?'

'Yes,' Maddox gritted out.

'Just how long do you plan to keep the woman here?'

As long as possible, his mind answered of its own accord.

As long as needed, he corrected.

Keeping her in the fortress was dangerous. For her. For him. For the other Lords. He knew that, but he wasn't going to set her free. He had neither the will nor the desire. Nothing was more important than discovering the delights her body promised. Nothing. Would she be hot and wet for him? Would she purr his name? Beg for more?

Suddenly a fist connected with his nose, whipping his head to the side. Pain exploded in his temple, loosening fury's grip. Arousal, too. Maddox blinked in confusion and frowned over at Aeron. 'Why did you do that?'

'Your face was not your own, but Violence's.' Lucien shook his head, suddenly in front of him, his expression weary. 'You were about to erupt.'

'Get yourself under control, man.' Aeron expelled an exasperated sigh. 'You're like the Sword of Damocles, ready to drop at any moment and slice us all.'

'That's funny coming from you,' Maddox said dryly. He might charge swiftly into seemingly unprovoked bouts of violence, but Aeron had been known to charge into rampages, too, spreading his vengeance as far and wide as possible.

'Where's the girl now?' Lucien asked.

At first, Maddox did not answer. He didn't want them to know, for they might go to her. 'My room,' he finally said, his tone so dark they couldn't mistake his unspoken warning: Visit her and feel the sting of my demon.

'You left her alone in your room?' Aeron's exasperation reached a new high, and he threw his arms in the air. 'Why don't you give her a knife, tell us to line up and let her stab us one by one?'

'I locked her in. She cannot cause trouble.'

'She might have picked the lock.' Lucien massaged the back of his neck. 'She could be sneaking Hunters inside this very second.'

'No. I killed them.'

'There could be more.'

Lucien was right. Maddox knew Lucien was right. He ground his teeth together, and his battered jaw ached in protest. 'I will check and make sure she is where I left her and alone.' He spun on his heel.

'I'm coming with you.' Determined, Aeron flanked him.

Lucien followed suit.

Maddox kicked into motion. If Ashlyn had escaped, had brought Hunters into their midst, the warriors would demand her head.

He wasn't sure he could give it to them, no matter her crimes. In fact, every cell in his body shouted with the need to protect her. Me? A protector? His blood heated with it, burned.

When—if—the time came, would he be able to do what was necessary? Maddox didn't know the answer. He liked to think he would, but…

They rounded a corner, and their steps harmonized into a hard battle drum. Thump. Thump, thump, thump. Thump. From the corner of his eye, he saw Aeron shake his arms at his sides. Two small blades fell into his waiting hands.

The man hadn't lost himself to the demon during their fight, after all, Maddox realized. Otherwise, Maddox would be in tatters right now, his skin nothing more than a fond memory.

He experienced a twinge of guilt. Had Aeron fought him only to help him?

'No one touches the girl,' he said, his guilt increasing. He should be more loyal to his friends. 'No matter what we find, she is mine. Understood? I'll deal with her myself.'

There was a pregnant pause as each man weighed his response.

'Fine,' Lucien said on a sigh.

Still Aeron remained silent.

'It's my room. I can go in alone and leave you out here to—'

'Fine,' Aeron finally snapped. 'She's yours. Not that you'll do what you should. Hunters, though, will be executed on sight.'

'Agreed.' On both counts.