Immortal Rider_ Lords of Deliverance Series_ - Larissa Ione [29]
God, how beautiful Arik had been when he came, his rugged features softened by both the late morning sun streaming through the windows and by ecstasy, his muscles locked up and defined with pulsing, bulging veins beneath glistening skin. Hot spurts of his semen had splashed on her belly, and though she would love to know what that felt like in her core, this truly was amazing. She’d made a man orgasm, and although she was one of the most powerful beings on th S bein e planet, what she’d done for Arik had given her more satisfaction than anything in her life.
She was intoxicated by what they’d done, her lips still tingling from his kisses, and she thought that had been the best part of the lovemaking. The affection she’d craved, that he’d shown her earlier when he’d kissed her palm, had flowed from the kiss like an electric current, energizing her and filling her belly with flutters.
Tentatively, she smoothed her fingers over his jaw. She wanted to express her regrets for what had happened to him. Wanted to tell him how amazing he was for surviving it.
All that came out was a croaked, “Arik.”
As if his name was a trigger, Arik exploded into action, scrambling off her and off the bed. “Shut up.” He stumbled backward, crashed into a dresser.
“It’s okay, Arik.” Limos sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the mattress. “You’re safe.”
“Safe?” he asked, incredulous. “Safe? I’m in hell, you stupid demon.”
Okay, so she’d expected him to be angry about what happened to him, but stupid demon? Awkwardly, she grabbed for her shirt. “Listen to me—”
“Who are you?”
She blinked. He didn’t recognize her? He’d just done the humpty all over her, and he hadn’t even known who was beneath him?
Humiliation seared her cheeks as she wiped his now-cold semen off her belly with a bed sheet and then jerked the shirt over her head. “It’s me, Limos.”
“Bullshit. Get out of my head.” His eyes were wild, he was panting, and through the heady fragrance of sex, she could smell his anger and confusion. “Get out now.”
She modulated her voice, trying to calm him. “Hey, what’s going on?”
He looked at her like she was the crazy one here. “You can’t trick me.” With a swipe of his arm, he knocked the vase of fresh flowers off her night stand. The glass shattered against the wall, and water and broken flowers spilled across the hardwood floor. “This shit isn’t real. I know I’m in my cell, and you’re really some hideous demon pretending to be… her.”
“Pretending to be me? Limos?”
“You can’t get me to say her name, so put a lid on this damned charade now.” He looked down at himself. “Jesus, I don’t even get clothes in this acid trip?”
Shit. He really did think demons had gotten in his head and were making him see things that weren’t real.
“Arik, try to remember.” She eased to her feet, doing her best not to startle him. He was like a wild animal, cornered and injured, dangerously unpredictable. “You were imprisoned for a month. I don’t know how you got out of your cell, but I found you at the Erta Ale hellmouth. You were unconscious. I brought you here, to Hawaii, and Eidolon and Shade h Sn a foealed you.”
“Shut up.” He grabbed his head with both hands, as though trying to keep it from rolling off his shoulders. “For God’s sake, shut up.”
Limos exhaled slowly, unsure how to handle this. Clearly, her presence was agitating him.
“I’m going to get you something to wear and eat, okay? Why don’t you clean up. Get comfortable. There are new toothbrushes and toothpastes and soaps in the bathroom.” She gestured to the patio door. “You can go out on the patio, but there will be guards below. You’re not a prisoner, but until you’re better, I can’t allow you to leave.”
He glared. “How does not being allowed to leave not make me a prisoner?”
“Because I said so.”
Oh, that was mature. Dammit, Arik had