Hades hadn’t fully realized what he was agreeing to when he’d freed the Lady of the Beasts from her confinement in Hell. But agree, he had. That meant if the warriors survived the turn of a day they, and the women who released them from captivity, were free forever from Hades. Even gods were bound to rules, and once they gave their word it was law. If Hades reneged on his promise, it would backlash on him and almost certainly destroy him.
Marko took off through the woods after Kellsie, setting a fast pace. He could easily hear her crashing through the bushes. She was going for speed, not stealth. He increased his pace, worried that she might fall and injure herself in the darkness. Her night vision would not be nearly as good as his.
Concentrating, he willed a weapon to appear. His fingers tingled and then his broadsword appeared. He almost gave a yell of pleasure at the feel of the hilt in his hand. He gripped it tighter as he raced after Kellsie.
The wind whistled past him, drying the sweat on his body as fast as it appeared. He didn’t feel the chill, but he knew she would. Damn it, she would make herself ill doing this.
Not that he blamed her. She was a fitting mate for any warrior—strong and smart and brave. He realized now that she’d fallen on purpose while she was pacing. It was then she’d scooped up the stones and dirt from the floor.
A reluctant grin crossed his face as he picked up speed. His muscles were flexing and stretching. It felt so good to be in motion after years of being stationary. People thought of bears as slow, lumbering creatures, but they were capable of great speed when necessary. He leapt over a downed log and put on a push to get around to her front.
She was panting so hard she probably couldn’t even hear him passing her off to her left. His heart pounded from a combination of exertion and excitement. The animal part of his nature thrilled in the chase.
A low growl escaped him as he stepped into her path. Legs spread, he planted himself in her way.
She didn’t see him. At least not right away. She was coming fast and hard. Like a runaway locomotive, she was out of control, unable to stop. He knew the moment she finally saw him. Her breathing hitched and she emitted a small whimper of fear. But she didn’t give up. She veered off to the right and kept going.
It was time to end this before she got seriously hurt. Marko sent his sword back into the other realm and pounced, stretching his large body to the max as he leapt at her. He grabbed her around the waist and yanked her into his arms. He turned his body, taking the brunt of the impact as they hit the ground. He cradled her head against his chest for protection.
Marko grunted and bounced once before coming to a complete stop. They’d dug up quite a furrow of dirt with their landing. The smell of thick, rich loam teased his nostrils. His blood pounded in his ears but he could still hear Kellsie gasping for air. He loosened his arms but didn’t release her.
Her heart was racing. It beat in time with his. The night sky was alight with stars and he lay there on the ground totally at peace with Kellsie in his arms. He knew it wouldn’t last.
She began squirming and swearing at him. He raised one eyebrow as she got particularly inventive with her curse words. He reached down and pressed one finger over her lips. “Enough.”
She continued to struggle, her legs kicking his. He was holding her arms by her sides and knew that was the only reason she wasn’t punching him. She reared back suddenly and her head came forward. He jerked back just in time to keep from being head butted.
“Enough,” he said again. He rolled with her in his arms until she was on the bottom with him looming over her. Her legs widened as she tried to push away. He slid easily into the gap, letting her pelvis cradle his. She stilled the second she felt his erection rub against her mound.
Marko was sweating again, but it had nothing to do with exertion. Other needs were pressing down on him now. It had been so very long since he’d had a woman. Not that he would have been attracted to just any woman. He’d always been selective. It was his nature, both as a man and in his animal form.
But Kellsie was special and appealed to him on many levels. Physically, there was no denying her allure. Her hair was like spun sunshine, her eyes as blue as a summer’s sky. Her body was soft in all the right places, made to cradle a man during the long, cold nights of winter and every other night of the year.
She was mentally tough. She hadn’t cried or slunk away from him. No, she’d tried to reason with him. When that hadn’t worked she’d yelled. Then she’d tried to escape. She was stubborn and smart and that was exactly what she’d need to be if they were going to survive the next twenty-four hours.
They were getting a slight reprieve at the moment, and Marko didn’t know why. It could end at any moment, which is why he had to convince Kellsie he was telling her the truth.
She softened beneath him and he sank farther into the curve of her body. He propped himself on his elbows, taking most of his weight off her. “You must listen to me,” he pleaded urgently. “Time is short.”
“Mmm,” she hummed as she dragged a hand over his chest.
Marko lost his train of thought as her fingers tangled in his chest hair. He groaned when her thumb traced his nipple, making it hard.
“You’re so strong,” she crooned.
His mind whirled. He knew something was wrong, but couldn’t quite figure out what. She slid her hand lower, snaking down his abdomen and skimming his cock, which was rock hard and ready.
It was instinct that saved him. Her fingers grazed his balls and suddenly he knew what she was about to do. No way did she go from running from him to seducing him. Not unless it was a decoy.
He grabbed her wrist and squeezed just as her fingers tightened around his sac. He tightened his grip, desperately trying not to hurt her, but exerting enough pressure to make her release him.
Their gazes locked. Hers, frustrated and fearful. His, determined. She would give first.
Sweat beaded on her forehead and her lips compressed into a hard line. Pain and fear filled her gaze, causing regret to flash through him, but he didn’t release her. He couldn’t.
Finally, she gave a ragged cry and let go of his balls. He yanked her hand up and loosened his grip, hoping he hadn’t left a mark on her soft skin.
“I only wish you truly wanted to touch me.” Her eyes widened as he spoke and then half closed when he kissed her wrist. He was afraid she was going to have bruises. “Did I hurt you?”
“What does it matter?” She turned her head away from him. He felt it like a blow to his heart.
He levered himself off her but kept a grip on her, not willing to release her. He pulled her into his arms, needing her close. “Why won’t you believe me?”
She snorted. “Why would I? You really expect me to believe you’re some kind of ancient warrior. An immortal. Who was trapped on the carousel for thousands of years.”
“Yes.”
“Get real. We make movies. It’s all make-believe. Fiction, not fact.” She heaved a sigh of frustration. “Look, dude, carousels haven’t been around for five thousand years so how could you have been imprisoned on one?”
“We weren’t. Not at first. We were kept in caves, moved by Hades’ demons from time to time when humanity encroached on our location.”
She snorted. “Yeah, right. Then why the carousel?”
Marko tightened his grip on her, willing her to understand. “The Lady struck a deal with Hades, telling him how we could be released from our captivity in our animal form. One special woman would be able to free each of us, but Hades had to find her first. That was when he created the traveling carnival.”