Page 4 of God Touched

Arawan had never believed in fate or destiny. Looking down at the lavender-haired woman at his feet made him think he might have been wrong.

Arawan had been in Wales for weeks. He'd been slowly ridding the country of any of Morrigan's infernal creatures that he could find. The whole time, he'd had his spies searching forher. The woman who didn't seem to understand that dying twice in a week wasn't a good idea. Pissing him off was an even worse one. And yet…

Kill her. He knew he should end her once and for all. Let her shade fuck off and bother some other death deity. His hand gripped the onyx hilt of his sword tighter.

No. If she was going to an underworld, it was going to be his and no one else's.

"So, um, are you going to kill me or let me up because I'm sandy and wet and in no mood—" she began.

Arawan leaned down and pressed two fingers to her rain-soaked forehead. "Sleep."

"Don't you…"

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she was out. Arawan didn't know what to do with her, but he sure as fuck wouldn't let her go until he did.

Letting out a low whistle, a giant white hound the size of a pony bounded between the hills and down to greet him. Arawan sheathed his sword, picked the woman up, and placed her over the dog's back. He picked up her double-bladed ax, reluctant to leave any trace of her behind. He would send someone for her motorcycle.

Summoning a portal, Arawan and his hound stepped through and onto the grounds of his newest residence. It was hidden deep in the Snowdonia National Park, far enough to keep humans away from him.

The castle was made of onyx and bone, big enough to keep his court and some of his warriors. His power protected the grounds, and none of his lackeys could cross the boundary without him knowing.

The shades that served him couldn't even do that. His power there was absolute, the estate acting like a small extension of Annwn itself.

Arawan didn't want to have his bothersome court with him, but they had insisted on being able to visit. He had been asleep for centuries, and they were all nervous about his sudden return.

Good. They had been complacent for far too long.

He had been slowly getting them back under control. As much as he hated it, he needed them to keep his realm going while he had been hunting horde creatures andher.

No one was brave enough to comment on his sudden appearance or the human he was taking down to the dungeon. He gave swift instructions to two warriors to collect her gear from the beach and ensure no other creatures were lingering about.

Careful not to jostle her too much, Arawan lifted the hunter from the back of his hound and onto an oversized wooden chair. He clasped the manacles around her wrists but left her feet clear. He didn't want to hurt her; he just needed to ensure she didn't run away again. He needed answers about Aneirin, Vili, and Hafgan. About this strange new world he had returned to. About her. Especially about her.

Arawan wiped the rain from his face and swore. His spies hadn't been able to find any trace of her at all. He hadn't even planned on hunting that day, and yet, he had a sudden burning need to see the ocean.

Arawan had stepped through a portal, and there she fucking was; lavender braid flying, ax lifted high, and screaming like a banshee at three monsters.

This fucking woman. She was a mystery that he didn't have time to solve.

Arawan brushed the strangely colored hair back from her face. Frowning at the blood in her strands, he sent his power through her. It healed the cracks in her ribs and a minor head wound.

What had she been doing on that beach, fighting all alone?He had known from the night he had collected Morrigan that the woman was a warrior. He just knew nothing else.

Arawan touched her forehead. "Wake up, human."

The woman came to with a jerk, her arms and legs trying to hit out at him and discovering she was locked down.

"What thefuck?" she demanded angrily. Arawan hadn't heard anyone use such a furious tone on him…ever. "Where am I?"

"You are safe at my castle," he replied, studying every pinch of her eyebrows and snarl on her full lips. She pulled on her chains once to test them before leaning back into the chair and crossing her legs. Her expression went as haughty as a queen's, and Arawan couldn't help but like the shift in attitude.

"So you've taken me as a prisoner to your forbidding castle and shackled me to a chair. Is this the part where you tell me, 'Surrender to me, Imogen Ironwood,'" she said in a deep growly voice. She battered her eyelashes at him and added breathily, "And then you'll make all my sexual fantasies come true?"

Arawan raised a dark, confused brow. "Bold little thing, aren't you? I do hate to disappoint, but right now, I only need information from you."

He reached over and lifted her chin. Her eyes filled with some kind of brazen defiance he didn't understand but liked immensely. She was full of fire and venom, and he wanted to taste it.

"And if I was going to make all your sexual fantasies come true, darling, I wouldn't need your surrender…only your consent."

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