'He's not going to touch you that way,' Reyes gnashed out. 'You have my word.'
There was something very odd about him, Maddox noted. His black eyes were edged with scarlet, a color- match to the scarlet butterfly tattooed on Maddox's back. Pain, it seemed, was working himself into a fit of violence. Over Danika?
The girl wasn't pacified by his words, but Aeron continued his approach anyway. Danika scrambled from one side of the room to the other, strange noises emerging from her throat. Small, raspy pants, as desperate and feral as Reyes's suddenly quickened breathing. Maddox felt certain that at any moment, Pain was going to leap at Wrath and attempt to claw it to death.
'Stop,' Ashlyn said.
Finally Aeron trapped the frantic woman in a corner.
She screamed as her arms and legs lashed out, trying to keep him at a distance. 'Don't touch me. Don't you dare touch me!'
'I'm not going to hurt you,' Aeron said calmly.
She kneed the sensitive flesh between his legs. He gasped, hunched a little, but gave no other reaction.
'Fuck you,' she snarled, a wildcat that wouldn't be tamed. 'I won't let you rape me. I'll die first.'
'No rape. But if I must, I
Far from subduing her, the threat merely enraged her further. She fought harder, slamming her elbow into Aeron's stomach, kicking him in the groin a second time. Obviously growing weary of her struggles, Aeron raised his fist.
Ashlyn stiffened, moaned. 'Stop this. I don't need the pills. I don't.'
'Do not hurt her,' Reyes growled.
Aeron didn't strike. Yet. He ran his tongue over his teeth. 'She made her choice.'
If he hit her and Ashlyn witnessed it, Maddox feared she would want to leave again, would once again insist he take her home. 'Calm down,' he told Danika. 'He only needs to accompany you into town.'
'Liar!' Snarling, she used her leg to boot Aeron in the stomach.
The warrior didn't budge. Disgust fell over his features, and he tightened the fist he still held in midair. 'I warned you.'
'Stop,' Ashlyn called hoarsely.
Maddox opened his mouth to utter his own command. He needn't have bothered. Reyes beat him to it. One second Reyes was on the far side of the room, the next he was at Aeron's side, gripping the man's wrist. The two glared at each other for a long, silent moment.
'No hitting,' Reyes said, and Maddox had never heard a more lethal tone.
A battle raged in Aeron's eyes before he lowered his arm. Had he lied? Was the gods' decree already taking root? Was he fighting the need to hurt Danika? 'Calm her down, then, or I
Reyes didn't move, just shifted the direction of his gaze. Tears poured from Danika's eyes, making the terror banked there glisten.
'Don't let him do this,' she whispered in that same broken tone Ashlyn had used. 'I helped you, just like you wanted. Don't let him do this,' she repeated.
As quickly as Reyes had leapt to her defense, Maddox half expected him to give in to her plea. He was mistaken.
'Stop fighting him,' Reyes commanded, showing no mercy. 'We need that medicine, and he is the only one who can take you to get it. You won't even scratch him because you can't afford to anger him. We clear?'
A look of betrayal passed over her face. 'Why can't he go into town alone? Why can't he buy the pills at the nearest drugstore?'
'Maddox,' Ashlyn said. 'I'm better. Swear. I don't—'
He squeezed her shoulder gently, but did not reply. Interrupting the trio would only increase the tension. Besides, he knew Ashlyn was lying. Pain still lingered in her eyes, glowing brightly.
'Aeron is taking you into the city,' Reyes continued. 'He will not rape you. You have my word.' A muscle ticked below his left eye. 'He would not know what to buy on his own—you must go.'
Silent, shaking, Danika studied his face through the watery shield of her lashes. Searching for truth? Or for comfort? Finally she nodded, a single, nearly imperceptible incline of her head. She straightened and took a wobbly step toward Aeron.
Without a word, Aeron grabbed her wrist and stalked to the room's only window. Its arching glass led onto a wide terrace. Danika did not protest, even as he unlatched the pane with his free hand, the glue Maddox had used earlier nothing to his superior strength. Cold air instantly blustered inside, virginal snowflakes swirling through the room. He released her wrist only to grip her waist and lift her onto the window ledge.
'Stop him,' Ashlyn rasped as Danika peeked over the rail and laughed bitterly, a little hysterically.
'What are you going to do?' the blonde demanded. 'Throw me? You're all liars, you know that? I hope every single one of you rots in hell.'
'We already are,' Reyes said flatly.
Aeron gripped Danika's shoulders as he joined her, then spun her so that she faced him. 'Hold on to me.'
Another bitter laugh. 'Why?'
'So you'll live.' Large wings suddenly sprang from hidden slits in his back. They were long and black and looked as soft as gossamer, but the ends were pointed, sharp as knives.
Ashlyn gasped in shock. 'I'm better. I swear I'm better.'
Maddox stroked her cheek, hoping to relax her. 'Shh. Everything will be fine.'
Danika's eyes widened unnaturally. 'Stop!' She tried to wrench herself from Aeron's grip, tried to race back inside the room, but he held tight. She reached for Reyes. 'I can't do this. I can't! Don't let him take me, Reyes. Please!'
Expression tormented, Reyes stepped toward her… stretched out his arms… scowled… dropped them to his sides.
'Reyes!'
'Go!' Reyes shouted.
Without another word, Aeron jumped, falling from view and taking Danika with him. She screamed, but that scream soon became a gasp, the gasp a moan. Then the two came into view again, soaring through the air, Aeron's wings flapping gracefully, rhythmically.
'Stop him,' Ashlyn breathed. 'Please.'
'I can't. I wouldn't even if I could. Do not worry for her. The wings of Wrath are strong, well able to hold Danika's slight weight.' He searched the room for Reyes, who paced from one corner to another. The man was gripping a dagger by the blade rather than the hilt and blood was dripping from his white-knuckled hand onto the floor.
'We need water and coffee,' Maddox told him, remembering Danika's instructions.
Reyes planted his feet and squeezed his eyelids closed, as if he fought for control. As if he teetered on the brink of a total meltdown. 'I should have taken her myself, but walking would have taken too long. Did you see how frightened she was?'
'I saw.' Maddox didn't know what else to say. Danika's fear was nothing to him when compared to Ashlyn's pain.
Reyes rubbed a hand over his jaw, smearing a trail of crimson on his skin. 'Water? Coffee, you said?'
'Yes.'
Seemingly grateful for the reprieve, Reyes strode from the room. Obviously Maddox wasn't the only one in the fortress who suddenly had woman troubles.
A short while later, Reyes returned with the desired items and set the tray on the edge of the bed. That done, he left again. Maddox doubted he'd return. Shaking his head in pity—if Reyes felt for Danika half of what Maddox felt for Ashlyn, he was destined for a world of hurt, and not the kind he craved—Maddox reached over Ashlyn and gripped the tepid glass of water. He slid one hand under her neck, tilted her head, and placed the rim of the glass at the seam of her lips with the other.
