Page 134 of Chaos
No longer writhing beneath a sexy man on a beach, I was back in my bed, trapped in a nightmare created by my body. Pain was rolling through me in waves, making it hard to breathe, let alone think clearly.
Another scream tore from my throat, and Sin burst through the door, chest heaving, eyes wild.
“Merri? What—Oh fuck.”
Before he could even reach me, every muscle in my body seized, and my eyes rolled back in my head. Darkness took me then. Blissful nothingness that pulled me deep, deep, deep down where I was safe and nothing could ever hurt me again.
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
LILITH
My footsteps echoed in the corridor as Drystan and I walked toward my office. I knew what needed to happen, the calls I had to make, but I didn’t have to like it. Those horsemen had thus far let me down, and it was time to take matters into my own hands. I hated getting my hands dirty.
Okay, lies. I loved meddling. I just preferred utilizing others to do the heavy lifting for me.
“Lilypad, you look tense. What’s the matter?”
Drystan ran his fingers over the chain connecting us before he finally reached my wrist. I fought a shiver of desire, not wanting to let him know he’d elicited a response so easily.
“I think we need to reinstate the Council.”
He sneered. “Does that mean I’m going to have to tolerate more of my brethren running around?”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know what it is you have against Jensen and Finbar.”
“They dare to believe their Shadow Court holds a candle to the realm of nightmares.”
I gave our chain a tug. “It’s not your realm anymore, pet. You belong to me now.”
“It will always be my realm. An exiled king is still a king,” he muttered, pouting.
“You were never crowned, darling. You’re a prince at best, a fugitive at worst. The Wild Hunt considers you an enemy for a reason.”
“Not a legitimate one.”
“Does it really matter?”
“Not to them,” he said with a shudder and a haunted look in his eyes.
He’d only spoken about the horrors he’d experienced at their hands once, the night he’d come to me to strike a deal. My protection in exchange for his loyalty and servitude. Since then, I’d hidden him in plain sight, the chain between us muting his power and making him impossible for The Hunt to find. I was the only thing standing between him and annihilation. Sort of like Merri and this fucking apocalypse.
The migraine I’d only just managed to stave off came roaring back, and I whimpered, lifting a hand so I could squeeze the bridge of my nose.
“Dearest,” he murmured, his concern evident. Crombie wore his mask of petulant prince so perfectly no one but me knew the truth. He was far kinder and more compassionate than anyone would ever suspect.
“It’s just a headache. I will be fine.”
“Come, let’s get behind closed doors, and I will take care of you.”
I let out a disbelieving laugh. “How exactly will you do that?”
A waggle of his eyebrows piqued my interest. An orgasm just might do the trick, at least temporarily. I had a sneaking suspicion this headache had a great deal more to do with the state of the world rather than a lack of endorphins.
“Well, you can certainly try,” I murmured, allowing him to pull me into his body as he pushed open my office door.
The light was off, so the room was bathed in darkness when he pressed me up against the wall, mouth feverishly working the length of my neck.
