The Blood King Read Online Free Page A

left in years, that thought was bleak. "And the others?"
"Hmmm. Cormac's is uncertain." Theo hesitated before turning to the darker man. "I sense a great danger to yours, but I am unclear if the danger is you or someone else. But do you want to know if she’s your Rajni or not?"
"I know she is." Cormac's grin was anything but reassuring. His eyes blazed with possession when he looked at the blonde sheltered in her cousins' arms. "Have from the moment I first saw her."
 
 

 
 
Chapter Six
Emily tried to follow the creatures' conversation, but they spoke in a quick, garbled mix of English and something else.
Mal was equally attuned to the men. Mickey and Josey were clinging to one another, waiting as they always had, for their older cousins to take action. Emily didn't know what their next action was.
"We have to get out of here." Mal kept her words at a whisper.
"I know. But I think these beasts can actually smell us wherever we go. They can track us." Emily voiced only one of her suspicions. "And they aren't the only ones here. We've got to be careful."
"Rand will be coming." Mal spoke with utter confidence about her twin.
"Yes, but how long can we hold out here? I don't know what they want. He called me his slave, Mal." Emily stared at the creature who stood with obvious arrogance amidst his friends. They were all strong, powerful, menacing creatures, but he stood out from the rest. "I don't know what they intend to do next. Last night was horrible enough."
"I still hurt." Mal touched her abdomen gingerly. "I don't know if I can handle another dose of whatever it was."
Emily nodded. "If nothing else, I want to get Josey and Mickey away from here."
"Especially Josey. If we can get her and Mickey away from here they can lead Rand back."
"But how can we do that?" Emily asked as the one who'd called himself king looked at her, obvious lust and desire in his strange orange eyes. She began to shiver.
He wanted her and made no qualms about it.
****
Cormac smiled. "They are plotting."
"I know." Rydere looked at her, feeling his body stir at the sight of her feminine legs so barely covered. They were small, but shapely. He wanted to feel them wrapped around his hips, wanted her hands upon his chest while he made love to her. For hours. She was his Rajni, and that was his right. "It won't do them any good."
"So we are agreed then?" Aodhan watched his own woman, a half-smile on his face.
"Cormac will set guards to ensure their safety. Aodhan, there will be relatives searching for them. Theo and I will deal with tribal matters."
"And in the meantime, we have much to do with them." Theo nodded to the four fragile ex-humans. His expression was one of tenderness as he looked with almost unseeing eyes at the woman he'd claimed as his. She seemed unharmed. She was dressed in the white tunic of feminine royalty, with the wine sash that denoted Theo's family line. Rubies and diamonds encircled her unmarred throat, ones that had once belonged to Theo’s mother.
The rest wore bloodied, soiled clothing, or Rydere's own tunic. "We need to make them comfortable. Let them groom themselves, feed them. Reassure them that they will be safe...and happy here."
She'd be happy with him. He'd see to it.
****
Emily fought the urge to cringe and burrow into the back of the couch when the king approached her. He reached for her and strong hands guided her legs around his waist before she could begin to protest. One arm tightened around her back, his other hand ghosted over her spine as he lifted her. "Shh, my dove, it's time to go."
Go where? Back to his bedroom where he'd hurt her again? Drug her? Relieve the erection she could feel pressing against her? God, was he going to rape her, too?
****
Her fear was a metallic scent on the air, and Rydere fought the urge to chide her. Not the beginning he'd imagined when he'd thought about finding his Rajni.
She struggled the instant he carried her into the hallway. For one so small, it surprised him at the fury