Hellbound Warrior: (Dark Warrior Alliance Book Five) by Brenda Trim, Tami Julka Page A

summoned. It didn’t work to think about it. He spotted it about thirty feet away, sinking in the sludge and felt power surge through his palms moments before the weapon was in his grasp.
    Rhys continued to fight the creatures, suffering not only a massive wound and broken ribs, but dozens of cuts covered his arms and face. He had weakened each time he was sliced with the claws or barbs, but he didn’t pass out which told him the venom wouldn’t incapacitate him. It did, however, blur his vision and deplete his strength.
    In a last ditch effort, Rhys stabbed the eye of a dagon stupid enough to get within arm’s reach. He glanced to the tree and saw Illianna nervously biting her fingernails as she watched the battle. Thank the Goddess for small favors, he thought, knowing his angel was out of harm’s way.
    “Alright, motherfuckers, let’s end this,” Rhys taunted the last three dagons standing on the battle field. Dante and Kellen looked like hell. They both had numerous injuries and Kellen’s leg was bleeding profusely.
    As a unit, the three of them charged, and within minutes, the last of the enemy was shriveling up in the muck. Panting and clutching his side, Rhys crossed to Illianna and lifted his hands to help her down.
    “No way. I’m not letting you try to catch me with your injuries. Move out of the way,” she ordered, waiting until he had moved before she jumped down.
    “I can’t believe you guys beat all those demons. I can see why they call you the best in the realm. Thank you for saving my life, again,” she said, looking around at the scene with a frown on her beautiful face.
    Needing contact with her, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, The surge of energy that contact gave him had his skin tingling and his muscles twitching.
    “I will always save you, Angel. There has to be more than this field of suffering in this circle, let’s go find it,” he murmured, changing the subject.
    One of her eyebrows rose as she glared at him imperiously, “You want to go seek out the demons of this realm? And, risk running into Beelzebub?”
    Dante chuckled then winced, clearly in pain, before joining the conversation, “Yes, we do. Unless you are going to feed the three of us?”
    Rhys couldn’t help the growl that escaped at the thought of his angel having sex with Dante and Kellen. Her eyes went wide and a look of panic, then anger, crossed her face.
    “I most definitely will not be having sex with you. I’ve been with enough demons to last the rest of my life,” Illianna huffed.
    Rhys leaned to whisper in her ear and lost what little breath he had from the pain. “You’ve been with the wrong demons. No one will matter before me,” he murmured, inhaling her scent. It was impossible to ignore the hint of arousal along with the way she trembled against his side. He would have his angel and soon, he vowed.

CHAPTER EIGHT

     
    It was impossible for Illianna to hide her response to Rhys. Like many incubi and cambions in hell, Rhys was very attractive, but it was only Rhys that had her heart racing, sweat dampening her palms and her core clenching in need. She only felt disgust and hatred for demons, she reminded her errant brain. This attraction and arousal wasn’t tolerable.
    Nevertheless, it was there and she found herself in a quandary over her reactions to Rhys. She had come to trust him to keep her safe and not harm her. Her instinct and experience told her that she was a fool for having any faith in him, but he hadn’t done anything except protect and save her life, more than once.
    Stepping over another carcass, she bit back the bile wanting to surge from her stomach. She wasn’t going to lose the first real food she’d eaten in a hundred years. Ugh, she shuddered, thinking the slimy creatures were a creepy combination of a sea creature and human. She wanted to close her eyes against the evidence of the violence she’d just witnessed, but she couldn’t shut them for fear of something