Fashionably Dead Down Under(40)

“Never call her that again. Do you understand me?” Ethan’s voice could have cut ice.
“Yes,” she spat angrily, but her body still shook with shock and fear.
Ethan was the Hellquakes . . .
“Did Ethan cause all the Hellquakes?” I demanded. Did that mean every time Lust hit on him parts of Hell disappeared?
“Yes.”
“You win this round, pretty boy, but as your time runs out you’ll change your tune,” she told him and backed right into Bambi, who growled. Lust jumped away and paled considerably. “What are you filthy dogs doing here?”
Bambi continued to growl low in her throat and General George joined in on the chorus. Lust was furious, but kept her distance from my furry friends. Did they talk to her? It certainly didn’t seem like it.
“Are you spying on me?” Her demeanor was pure evil, but she still stayed as far as she could from the Hell Hounds. Interesting. Maybe the General had been right about listening and learning, not that I’d ever tell him.
“You don’t have to. I’d say I told you so, but . . . ” George’s voice danced in my head. Shit—we were still connected.
“Can’t she speak with you?” I asked, assuming all Demons or at least Satan’s family could talk to the animals.
“Absolutely not,” Bambi said indignantly. “She is not special. None of those girls are except for our Dixie.”#p#分页标题#e#
And apparently me. I’d mull that one over another time. “Can you get rid of her so I can help the man I love?”
“I’m on it,” Bambi said as she advanced menacingly on Lust. Bambi was one scary dog when she wanted to be. Her teeth were bared and her growl was vicious.
“Get away from me, you putrid beast,” Lust demanded.
Bambi didn’t listen. Not one little bit.
“Fine,” she hissed, realizing she was backed into a corner. “I’ll leave.” In a blast of glitter and smoke Lust disappeared.
The General laid my body at Ethan’s feet. His scent calmed me.
“Astrid, this will be uncomfortable,” George explained.
I tensed and waited. I was sure his idea of uncomfortable would be excruciating, but this time he was right. It burned as my coordination and control came back, but it wasn’t intolerable. Now standing in front of my mate, my blood lust and libido went haywire . . .
“Why can’t he see me?” I asked
“You’re cloaked.”
“But he can see through that.”
“Astrid, shockingly he maintains some of his Vampyric powers, but not all of them. He cannot see you.”
“And he grows weaker by the hour.”
I closed my eyes and willed my corporeal body back. His gasp and anguished cry made my heart leap to my throat.
“Astrid,” he whispered. “My Angel.”
“Oh my God, Ethan,” I said, running my hands gently over his body. He felt like home. “Why aren’t you healing?”
“The chains keep most of my magic in check. I can’t regenerate while I’m bound.”
“Then I suppose those sons of bitches have to go,” I muttered, reaching for the glowing nightmare that kept him immobile.
As my fingertips connected with the shimmering metal, a vicious shock rocked my body and I was thrown across the room.
“Astrid,” Ethan shouted and struggled to free himself.
“I’m good,” I gasped. “I’m okay.”
“Goddamnit,” he roared and dropped his head to his chest.
I stumbled to my feet and moved quickly back to him. “Look at me,” I said, gently raising his chin. “I’m really okay. Are these chains painful to you?” I examined them without touching.
“There’s a low level constant burn, but nothing like what it did to you. I don’t want you touching them again,” he said in a tone that expected no back talk. Clearly he’d forgotten who he was mated to . . .
“Your Highness.” I grinned cheekily, even though my body still hurt. “There is no way I am leaving you here like this so you can spank me once you’re free.”
“TMI,” George groaned inside my head.
“That’s what you get for listening to my thoughts.” I turned and glared at the General.
“My dear child those were not thoughts. You spoke aloud.”
“Whoops.” I shrugged in apology and turned back to my man.
“Are you talking to the Hounds or me?” Ethan asked, confused.
“The hounds. I stuck my hands in their mouths and the hairy bastards bit me and then we had the communication mojo going. Kind of weird, but apparently there was a fine chance of me dying on this level if I was visible. Of course then they knocked me out and I didn’t get to see any of the horrors. By the way,” I said turning to George. “What level is this?”