Page 80 of A Bond So Deadly

I feel his presence the moment he slips into my dream.

“Knox?” I rasp as my mate appears before me. “Is it really you?” I know I’m probably delirious with pain and imagining him, but there’s something about the sheer relief in his expression when he looks at me that has my heart racing. My mate looks…shattered.

“Shade? Tell me where you are,” he says, his gaze running over me, desperate and assessing, like he’s hoping my dream state will give him an indication as to how I look in the real world. I’m glad he can’t see my broken body.

“You’re not a figment of my imagination, are you?” My voice cracks. “How did you find me?”

His hands run over my dream body, and I feel every touch. “I’ve been trying to reach you in your dreams since you were taken, but I’m guessing Professor Yevar has been blocking me.”

My brows lower. “Then how are you here?”

His hands cup my face. “You called me, mate. Now, you need to tell me where you are.”

I shake my head. “I can’t. If you come here, they’ll kill you.” I want more than anything for the guys to rescue me, but the idea of King Malgur slaughtering them has me paralyzed.

A dark smile curves Knox’s lips. “Let them try. Nothing is going to keep us from you, mate.”

Tears prick at my eyes. “You don’t understand. The Xalgrith king thinks he can use me against you. He wants me to be his weapon. And their army Knox… There must be over a hundred thousand warriors. Their numbers are so much bigger than what the shadow army has. I’m serious. You can’t come here.”

Knox rubs his thumbs along my cheeks. “And you can’t keep us away, so you may as well spare us a few battles and point us in the right direction.”

I lean into his touch, more tears forming. “Fine. We’re in a volcano. It’s surrounded by a lake of lava. I’m in a cell right now.”

Knox’s gaze hardens, but he nods. “Anything else you can tell me?”

I frown. “Not really. There’s open land far around the volcano, and the Xalgrith army is camped nearby. I don’t know the actual numbers, but like I said, there’s a lot of them. Where are you guys?”

“Don’t you worry about us. All you need to know is that we’re coming for you.”

I want so badly to believe that they’ll get me out of this, but images of the Xalgrith army fill my head, and I don’t know how they’ll get past that. More pain fills my stomach, and I cry out again.

“What’s happening, mate?” Knox asks me, his gaze filled with concern. “I will make the Xalgrith king pay for all he has done to you.”

I grip Knox like he’s the only thing keeping me upright. “No, this isn’t because of the king. I’ve been away from you all for too long.”

Knox goes still as he understands what I’m saying. “Then let me help you, my love. As much as I can.”

His power ripples in my dream, and a bedroom appears around us. It’s the same one I keep conjuring when I’m trying to escape my nightmares.

Knox carries me to the bed, and he gently places me on the mattress before moving between my legs. Our clothes disappear, and before the next wave of pain can hit me, he’s dropping his head between my thighs.

His tongue brings pure pleasure as he slides it up my center, and I whimper, so overwhelmed and relieved to be feeling something other than pain. “More,” I sob, my fingers diving into his hair.

He nips at my clit, sucking and licking until I’m bucking beneath him, and when he works a shadow inside me, fire and ice racing up my core, I fall over the edge, screaming his name.

I’ve barely stopped shuddering when he lifts himself and buries his cock inside me. I gasp as the pain in my stomach completely dulls, and all I feel is my mate stretching me. There’s an urgency to his thrusts, and despite the pleasure, worry makes my heart race.

“Knox,” I moan. “Where are you guys?”

He doesn’t stop thrusting, and his shadows lick along my skin like icy tendrils. “Don’t worry. We’re all right.”

I swear I see a flash of pain on his face as he says it, but it’s gone an instant later.

His fingers move to my clit as he pushes inside me, and I call out his name as I find another release.

He holds me until the orgasm ends, and he leans closer, pressing soft kisses to my lips. “Feel better?”

I nod and sniffle, blinking back tears.