Wicked Wind (Solsti Prophecy #1) (18 page)

“State?”

He ran a hand through his thick hair, then stopped, frowning as he encountered demon goop. Wiping his hand on the grass, he said, “Sometimes, when I’m in the middle of a fight, I…shift somehow. I become consumed by rage, and all I can do is kill my opponent. I can’t snap out of it until the threat has passed. Or until I get killed.”

Her brow furrowed. “But it didn’t happen yesterday, when the Vipers attacked us.”

“It doesn’t always happen.”

“What was different about today?”
Please keep sharing with me.

“Ghazsul demons.” His tone was clipped.

She opened her mouth to ask what was so special about the Ghazsuls, but he stopped her with a firm hand on her arm. “It’s a long story.”

She studied him, aware that he considered the subject closed, at least for today.
Time to change the topic
. “When you’re like that, does it hurt?”

“No. Actually, I don’t feel much of anything except fury. All my senses lock down. I was able to hear you scream, though.”

“When you yelled, I couldn’t understand you.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever attempted to speak while I was in battle rage before. But I was compelled to tell you what to do. I knew there was a way you could help yourself.”

“So you can do more than kill, when you’re in that state. You can think through the threat, find any weaknesses.”

“Yeah, this time. I don’t remember thinking about anything before. But today, I knew I had to protect you.” He turned over her hand, tracing small circles on her palm. “You really weren’t afraid of me? The way I looked, the things I did?”

She shook her head. “No. No fear. Not of you, anyway. I was just a little confused. I didn’t know if, or when, you would go back to…to the regular you.” She took in his sensual mouth and his handsome face before raising her eyes.

“You’re amazing,” he said softly, and leaned down to brush his lips across hers. She reached a hand up and wrapped it around his nape, keeping his mouth right where she wanted it as she kissed him tenderly.

He’s worried that I think he’s some kind of monster.
But how could she? From the day they had met, his every word and action had been for the purpose of keeping her safe. She didn’t care if he had to take on a more demonic appearance now and then. He was still the same man who was fair and just, and who mattered to her more than she ever expected. If he needed to know how she felt, she had told him as well as she could with words.
And if he needed more convincing, she would show him with her body. 

Still kissing him, he let her push him down on his back in the grass.  God, the man could kiss.  Suddenly the most naughty thought popped unbidden into her head.  She sucked in a breath. 

“What?” He ran a hand down her uninjured arm.

Her cheeks burned.  “I just wondered…can you…I mean, would it be possible for you to…have sex while you’re in that state?”

He stared at her, eyebrows raised, before flipping her to her back and grinning wickedly.

“If there was a river or lake nearby, I’d toss you in and we’d find out.”

She covered her eyes with her hand.  He must think she was a complete pervert.  “I’m sorry.  That was inappropriate.” 

He sat up, reaching for her hand and bringing it to his lips.  “No, just a little surprising.  You’re full of those.  I like that about you.”  He kissed her knuckles and grinned.  “And to tell you the truth, I’ve never thought about it.  Females don’t usually stand around watching demon battles, waiting to jump the winner’s bones.” 

She blew out a breath.  “Well, good.”  She didn’t want anyone jumping his bones except her.  And now she was the one without words.  They simply stared at each other for a minute, then she murmured, “We’re both covered in muck.”

“You could use a bath.”

“So could you.”

A devilish grin spread across his face he pulled her up and gave her a swift kiss. “On to Rivkin.”

C
HAPTER
11

A
S
N
ICOLE
AND
Gunnar walked, the lush forest gave way to sparse pines on rolling hills. Although tempted to ask if they were almost there, she didn’t want to sound like a ten year old on a long car trip. The pines didn’t appear to harbor nymphs, but she checked around the boulder when they stopped to rest.

“So, what are wood nymphs like?” She gulped from her water bottle, not caring that it wasn’t cold.

“Small, good with a bow, and prone to tricks. They also enjoy sex, like all nymphs. And they don’t have a lot of inhibitions.”

No inhibitions?
“What will happen when we get there?”

“We’ll find out soon.” He grinned. “We’re almost there. And there’s nothing to worry about.”

Okay
. He said not to worry about Rosa, and he was right about that. How bad could a group of nymphs be?

After a slow steady climb toward the nymphs’ home, they crested a ridge. Trees grew thick at the base of the mountains. The creatures had chosen a perfect spot. They couldn’t be surprised from the rear of the territory, and a river snaked across the open terrain in front of it.
The sparkling water flowed between the nymph colony, and Nicole and Gunnar. The only access to the enclave was a wide wooden bridge stretching over it in an arc.

Nicole knew they would be seen well before they were even close to the bridge. “I hope they’re friendly,” she muttered under her breath.

“That won’t be a problem. You may actually find them to be too friendly.” His eyes roamed her body in admiration.

She shot him a sly grin
.
“I’ll take that over those Vipers any day.”

As they neared, a group emerged from the woods. They stopped on the bridge, one figure in front, the others behind in a defensive stance. Hands on swords, bows and arrows at the ready.

Gunnar strode forward, unconcerned with the display of weaponry. As he neared the foot of the bridge, the figure in front called, “Halt!”

Gunnar stopped and spread his arms. “We mean you no harm. We seek to discuss business.”

“What business would that be, demon?”

“I hear you have something I may find useful. In return, I can offer you protection.”

“Your name?”
“I’m Gunnar, of the Lash Watchers, and this my companion, Nicole.”

“Gunnar,” the leader said. “I’ve heard of you. The Lash have assisted us in the past. You are welcome here. I am Taszim, leader of Rivkin.” Taszim’s eyes narrowed as he took in their disheveled appearance and bloody clothes. “Are you injured?”

“We’re fine now.”

Nicole stood a few steps behind Gunnar, wary of the potential for all those arrows to fly at them. Now she moved next to him, getting a closer look at their newfound allies. Gunnar’s description proved to be accurate. As the tallest nymph, Taszim stood a few inches over five feet. The group was made up entirely of short muscular males with hair in varying shades of brown. Their delicate faces held no battle scars, and they dressed in close-fitting brown tunics and pants.

Taszim inclined his head when he saw her. “Welcome to Rivkin, my lady.” He gestured for them to approach, and the men behind him fell back to allow them to cross the bridge. As they walked toward the thick woods, Taszim said, “In the past, we sought you out, demon. I am most curious to hear what has brought you to us. But first, you will rest and eat.”

At that moment Nicole’s stomach rumbled. “Sorry,” she mumbled in embarrassment.

“Has the demon not allowed you to eat, my lovely?” Taszim genially took her arm. Even though he was several inches shorter than she, his presence was commanding. He didn’t seem to be put off at all by the fact that she had all kinds of nasty substances on her clothing. “I am confident that our kitchens will please you.” He barked an order to one of his men, who jogged ahead. As they drew closer to the enclave’s entrance, he named various trees along the path. Nicole was surprised to learn that this forest was full of many trees that were also found on Earth: copper beech, oak, maple, elm, and pine.

A figure emerged from the trees to glide gracefully toward them. Nicole couldn’t help but stare at one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen.

“Taszim!” the woman called. “Stop jabbering. Our guests are probably dying to sit down and have a drink.” Then she scrunched her little nose, looking up and down their bodies. “Shall I call our healer?”

She was tiny, not quite five feet tall, with huge green eyes and close-cropped dark chestnut hair. Her short haircut revealed ears with pointed tips, making her look like a genuine pixie. Like the men, she also wore a sleeveless brown tunic. Hers was fitted tightly, cut low in front, and her legs were bare. The fabric clung to her hourglass figure as she moved toward them, hips swaying, breasts bouncing.

Taszim stopped in front of her. “No, darling. They have already healed.” He turned to Nicole and Gunnar. “Allow me to introduce my lovely wife, Larissa. She is truly my better half.”

Did wood nymphs shake hands? Nicole opted for a simple nod of her head, saying, “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Nicole.”

Larissa pulled Nicole’s arm from Taszim’s and into her own. “You poor dear, travelling with this big creature and getting involved with something hideous along the way. You need to rest.” The nymph’s eyes raked over Gunnar’s body appreciatively.

Nicole felt a flicker of possession, then confusion. She didn’t have a claim on Gunnar. She remembered his words about the nymphs’ lack of inhibitions and wondered if the other females here would also look at him as if they wanted to devour him.

“Nicole and Gunnar will be staying with us tonight.” Taszim either didn’t notice his wife’s heated gaze, or he didn’t mind it.

“Oh heavens, you’re welcome to stay longer than that.” Larissa tugged Nicole against her side and started walking toward the trees. She was surprisingly strong for such a tiny thing. “You will have a bath, then some tea, then we will get you ready for our evening meal. I think we can find something to fit you. You are so wonderfully tall, you know. Just like a willow. And the color of your hair is so golden, like the sun! We’re all brunettes, you see. We’re fascinated by new things. Especially when they’re as lovely as you are.”

Larissa chattered on, pulling her toward a towering tree and climbing into what looked like the basket for a hot-air balloon. “Come, darling.”

Nicole glanced hesitantly over her shoulder at Gunnar, who walked a few steps behind with Taszim. His smile and wink put her at ease immediately. Clambering into the basket, she was startled when it began to move up.

“What–” Her eyes snapped to the edges of the basket, where sturdy vines stretched up into the canopy farther than she could see. She peeked over the side to see two males pulling the vines from the bottom. “Oh,” she said sheepishly. “This is amazing.”

The basket came to rest by a platform encircling a large wooden building, which could only be described as a tree house.
An enormous, breathtaking, fairy land tree house.
Intricate carvings on the doorframes mirrored the ones on the railing along the platform. This high up, the canopy was thick with intertwining branches, which allowed the structure to sprawl across several trees.

Larissa hopped out of the basket and, holding Nicole’s hand, led her along the platform to a doorway well away from the lift. She opened the door and Nicole barely cleared the frame as she entered, suppressing a grin.
Gunnar will spend his entire time here ducking his head
.

Her attention veered to the huge bed in the center of the room. It was made of wood, of course, and had four actual tree trunks serving as posts. The posts rose to meet a smooth wooden canopy carved with more intricate details. Hanging from the canopy were yards of alternating silk and chiffon in varying shades of green.

It looked like it could sleep six adults comfortably.
Maybe it had
. She pushed the errant thought from her mind. The wood nymphs could do whatever they wanted behind closed doors. As long as they didn’t do it with Gunnar, she amended. Nicole had the feeling that she was in over her head with the massive demon. Why did she care? She had only known him a few days.

She sighed, which Larissa misread. “Oh dear, is this room not to your liking? We have others, though they are smaller.”

“No, no, it’s perfect. It’s amazing,” Nicole assured her hostess. “I was just…lost in thought.”

“You must be exhausted, my lovely. You’ve been tramping all over creation with that enormous demon. Let me take care of you.” Larissa clapped her hands together and another petite, pretty brunette entered. She carried a tray of fruit and bread, as well as a pitcher of water. Another nymph behind her carried a basket with steaming, rolled up towels.

Larissa plucked one warm cotton bundle and handed it to Nicole, who gratefully wiped her hands, then repeated the process as Larissa gave her another towel for her face. Next, the nymph’s strong hands on her shoulders pressed Nicole down into a cozy armchair. Handing her an apple, she ordered, “Eat.” She settled on the ottoman in front of Nicole.

To her surprise, Larissa pulled Nicole’s feet onto her lap, removed her shoes, and began to lightly rub her tired toes. She was definitely the most touchy-feely hostess Nicole had ever had. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Nonsense. We are honored to have guests such as you and your Lash.”

Nicole recognized her cue to volunteer that Gunnar was, in fact, not hers. But she kept silent. Selfishly, she didn’t want these lovely little creatures to throw themselves at his feet. Or give him lap dances. Or whatever wood nymphs did when they wanted to seduce someone. They were all gorgeous, and they probably didn’t have to try very hard to get a man into their beds. She didn’t want him to even look at any of them.

Squaring her shoulders, she smiled at her diminutive hostess. “We’re grateful for your hospitality.”

Larissa smiled back at her and instructed the other nymph to bring water for a bath. That’s when Nicole noticed the large white enameled tub on the other side of the bed. Not one minute later, the female and several others returned carrying warm water to fill it. That seemed quaint, but the surprises weren’t over. Next, a green dress and slippers were brought in. And
dress
was a rather generous term for the garment. It looked like it would hit just above the knee on a nymph, which meant that it would barely cover Nicole’s butt.