Page 32 of Claimed
His sword hits my ward and the force behind it draws a grunt from my lips as I fight to keep it up.
Not something I have ever had to worry about before.
Shaking my head at myself, I peer at the woman as she slowly cracks her eyes. Less than a foot separates her full lips from mine. She stares at me before her eyes flick over my shoulder.
“Caine, move your ass, damn it.” Ruin’s voice is hard.
“Sorry, Cap,” I say, watching the woman. Her eyes whip back to me. “I can’t do that.”
“It wasn’t a request, Caine.”
I peer back at him. Outside of my ward, they are all staring at me. Their expressions tight. “Well aware, my fearless leader. But let me try something gentler first. If she doesn’t cooperate, Horan can mind strip whatever you want from her.”
The woman makes a sound of dissent.
“Then my advice is to answer my damn questions,” I murmur out of the corner of my mouth as I keep my eyes on Ruin. She doesn’t speak.
He watches me. “Fine. I’ll give you half an hour. Butyourclothes stay on.”
I raise a brow at that. “Why must you always ruin my fun, Ruin?”
“Because I don’t have time for you to fuck her senseless.”
The woman’s body heats against my chest and her scent spikes again before it is quickly choked off.
My head turns and I scour her cool expression.
Interesting.
“No interference,” I add.
Ruin scoffs. “Fine.”
Smiling, I rise upright and snap. Her chair lifts with magick. Keeping the warding in place, I walk back toward my now empty room.
She has no choice but to follow.
Inside, I situate her in the center of the floor before closing the door with a casual wave of my hand. The last thing I see as it closes is the team faced our direction.
I seal the panel with hellfire before turning around and dispelling the ward around her.
She glowers. “I won’t talk to you either. You should have let your sword carrying barbarian friend do whatever he was going to do.”
“Who said I wanted to talk to you?” My eyes roam over her in that sleek suit as I approach. Her flush heats my gut.
“You touch me, and I’ll fucking kill you.”
“Oh,” I croon, lips twitching despite the situation. “You are vicious.”
Her teeth bare and she leans forward as far as she can in her bindings. “You have no idea.”
I wave and crimson bands force her back into the seat. She gasps. My smile broadens. “See, pet? I don’t have to lay a finger on you.”
“Stop calling me that,” she demands. “I’m not your pet,demon.”
The reminder of my heritage takes some of my smile. “Caine.”
Her mouth twists. “What’s the matter, demon? Don’t like what you are?”
