“It sounds like a strange version of the English human’s spoke long ago. Let me see if this works.”

Gabrick opened his palms and spoke a chant in Demonish. The spell weaved words of understanding, learning, and listening around his brain. Warmth surrounded Aidan and his men and then like a switch being thrown, the woman’s words rang clear.

“What the hell is going on here? Who are you? Where’s Alrik?”

All the men paused at the woman’s words. She had a soft, pretty voice. A woman’s voice. He could have groaned at the sound. Something that hadn’t gifted his ears in so long.

Aidan took a step closer and once again captured the woman’s gaze. “You speak to the king by his first name? Just what are you to him?”

The woman froze, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Tell me who you are first.”

“Leave us,” Aidan ordered in Demonish. His men did so, but slowly. After they had some space, Aidan knelt down by the woman. “I am Aidan and these are my men. We are outcasts from the shahoulin kingdom.”

“Are you their king?”

“We have no king here.” The very thought made Aidan’s gut clench. Yes, he led his men but he was no king. His word wasn’t law here and they all wanted it that way. The rulers had ruined their lives. They chose a more democratic approach with Aidan acting as a tentative leader. At any time, they could overthrow him if they chose and he’d easily step aside.

“What do you want with me?”

Aidan looked away as an image of her body naked and what it would look like flashed in his mind. “That’s a harder question to answer. Why don’t we start simpler? Why are you with the king?”

She smirked, the corner of her full mouth curving up. The sight transformed her face into something captivating. “He isn’t the king anymore.”

Aidan nearly gave a double take. “What say you?”

She shrugged. “He’s no longer the king. He said we were coming this way to find some rogue demons, I take it that’s you. He said we needed some supplies.”

Aidan stood and stared off into the fire. The king wasn’t the king anymore and he thought to find help from those he’d marked as outcasts after wrongfully imprisoning them?

“He’s mad,” Aidan muttered.

“True enough.”

Aidan felt a smile cover his lips. Not only was she beautiful but humorous and wise as well. She’d make a fine companion for him and his men.

“Your name, woman.”

She bit her lip as if unsure whether to tell or not. Eventually she sighed in defeat. “Abbigail.”

He rolled the name around in his mouth. He liked the rounded sound of it, feminine. It fit her. “Abbigail, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Aidan.” Aidan and Abbigail. The sounds rang well together.

He held his hand out to her and she hesitantly gave it to him. Her hand was soft compared to his own and much smaller. He hadn’t held a woman’s hand in so long he’d forgotten what it felt like, the slight weight and the soft texture. He ran his thumb over it and pressed a kiss to her fingers. Her eyes flashed with surprise while something dark and hungry stirred inside him. He’d wanted to wait until he announced the challenge, but now he knew he couldn’t wait. He needed her for himself, needed to see her flashing blue eyes at him, smiling up at him as he thrust between her soft thighs.

Turning his back to her, he faced his men. In Demonish he spoke. “We will have a challenge for her.”

The men tensed. Hesitance, eagerness, and hope flashed among their faces.

“The winner will keep her but will not force her into any deeds she doesn’t wish to do. After three weeks, we will have another challenge. The previous winner will not be allowed to participate so that everyone will eventually have a chance to win. Every three weeks we will hold the challenge again.”

Aidan studied his men finding half of them approving, almost eager, and the others angrier at his command.

“What’s a challenge?” came a soft voice from behind him.

Aidan froze. He turned back to her but words clogged his throat. He didn’t know what to say. He tried to recall his previous interactions with women and the only thing he could think was that she wouldn’t welcome this.

“What’s going on here?” she asked again, her voice getting hard.

Aidan ground his jaw. To hell with it. She was here and she’d have to deal with the consequences. “We are keeping you. The winner of the challenge will win you, Abbigail.”

She gasped and started backing up, her gaze darting amongst the men as if they might jump at her at any moment. “No, you can’t do that.”

“Yes, I can. I’m sorry but we have been too long without a woman. We will not let this chance slip by us.”

“But, but I’ll tell you anything you need to know.”

He didn’t say it aloud, but he thought it. You’ll tell us everything you know anyway, Abbigail. “And what do you know, Abbigail?”

She hesitated and he could see her mind working as she thought about it. She crossed her arms across her chest. She had no idea, but half the men in the room groaned as the action pushed her breasts more fully into view.

“Take me to see Alrik first.”

Aidan stalked to her. She didn’t back down but she looked behind her as if she wanted to. He didn’t stop until they nearly touched. “Why would you want to see him?” Anger and jealousy burned inside him.

“I-I need to talk to him,” she stuttered.

“About what, Abbigail?”

She started breathing faster. It was torture seeing those breasts rise and fall. If he but leaned down he could pull a breast into his mouth. His mouth watered at the idea. So entranced was he that he missed part of what she said.

“...see if he’s okay.”

Aidan stared her in the eyes as he contemplated it. Then he nodded. “Come with me.”

His men stared at him as if he had lost his mind as he led Abbigail away. He only gave them a swift shake of his head. He had his ulterior motives.

Abby followed the big warrior with silvery skin and dark hair. He looked similar to the demons yet somehow different. He reminded her of a vampire. Tall, elegant in nature, but with a warlike ferocity hidden underneath a layer of control, such characteristics were typical amongst vampires. He didn’t have the bulk to his body as the others had and was slightly taller, though he was just as gorgeous to look at. Maybe even better. However, that didn’t make him trustworthy. She had Alrik as proof of that.

Aidan led her down a stone stairwell. It rounded in a tight circle. The air became heavier and torches held by sconces on the wall lit the way down a long hallway at the end of the stairs. It was cold down here and one look at the metal bars lining either side of the hall and she knew it was a dungeon. Yet as she scanned the cages, she saw they were all empty. It was too early to tell if this bode well for her or not. Maybe they wouldn’t imprison her. They could do far worse to her than lock her in a cage, she reminded herself.

At the end of the hall stood a heavy looking wooden door with a rounded metal hatch. She knew who was behind that even before Aidan opened the door.

“Abbigail! Where is she!” came a roar.

She’d recognize that voice anywhere. It made her heart jump and her feet walk faster. She reached the door before the man Aidan did. He eyed her strangely as if trying to figure her out. Well, she had news for him; she didn’t trust him either. Maybe this was just the break she’d been looking for. She’d just have to wait and see. But first, she had to see him to make sure that he was alive and well. It felt like a driving need inside her to make sure with her own eyes that he wasn’t injured.

“I’ll kill you all!” His voice rang down the corridor.

Aidan stopped by the door and waited until she met his eyes to speak. “Just what is he to you?”

Her throat closed up. What was he? Friend, not so much. Lover, nope. Enemy, that was closer.