Free Absolution (Delroi Prophecy Book 4) by Loribelle Hunt Page A

stiffened, rolled his hips twice
more against her G-spot, and she felt the first warm jet of come as he pinched
her clit and tugged. For half a second she felt nothing at all. Then her world
exploded, breaking her into so many tiny pieces she didn’t know if she’d ever
be able to repair them. She collapsed to the bed, Xan’s heavy weight covering
her, and closed her eyes.
    Shifting to his side, he tucked her
close against him. He brushed the hair off her face, pressed his lips against
hers and hummed in satisfaction when she tried to snuggle closer. He pillowed
her head with one arm, but used his free hand to gently stroke up her side.
Once, twice, before she sensed his next intention. She grabbed his wrist before
he could cup her breast.
    “Don’t even think about.”
    “But it feels so good,” he whispered,
nuzzling her neck.
    “Any better and I won’t be able to
think for the rest of the day.”
    “Just the day?”
    She bit back a laugh, barely, but
sobered quickly. He noticed her change in mood right away, of course.
    “You’re worried about Tel going after
Zola.”
    “Yes. I think they’ll try during the
opening of the celebration.”
    He made no complaint about the
conversational shift. Didn’t ignore her fear for Zola or try to dismiss it.
    “We’ll protect her,” he promised.
    Her resistance melted a bit more and she
hoped like hell that was a promise they could keep.

 
    Chapter Seven

 
    A couple of days later the celebration
started, though Anna Leigh still had no idea where she stood. She and Xan were
inside the Keep with a special dispensation to be armed. She figured Zola had
something to do with that, but she wasn’t sure if it was a matter of family
loyalty or if she’d decided Anna Leigh was more dangerous left to her own
devices. The why didn’t really matter.
    “The
threat isn’t here,” Zola warned all the telepaths
searching for the Tel agents. “They’ll
strike against the civilians, outside the Keep walls.”
    Anna Leigh let fear rush through her
for just a moment, and then locked it away. She sensed Zola moving through the
crowd toward the exit. Her daughter would use herself as bait and there wasn’t
a damned thing she could do about it except try to get there first. Thankfully,
Xan knew the Keep well. He grabbed her hand and tugged in the opposite
direction.
    “We’ll
get out quicker this way.”
    “I
thought access was restricted to the Keep’s clan?”
    His slashing grin was predatory. “I’ll get us out, love. Don’t worry.”
    She hoped he wouldn’t have to compel a
warrior to open the way for them. She didn’t want anything to jeopardize the
relationship between the Keep and the Bana clan. Zola would need the safety of
both in the coming battle. Xan squeezed her hand.
    “It
won’t come to that.”
    The crowd began to thin and they
entered a different section of the Keep. There were warriors and almost as many
women milling around in the large space. Xan veered to one side, singling out
one particular group. They fell quiet when she and Xan joined them, then one
stepped forward with a smile.
    “Lord Bana. It is good to see you
returned well to Delroi.”
    “Thank you, Cassius. This is my der’lan , Anna Leigh,” he introduced her.
“We need to get into the city as quickly as possible.”
    Cassius’s gaze sharpened. “Trouble?”
    Before he could answer Cassius’s comm
beeped. As he read the message, he went from alert to badass.
    “Kaje?” Xan asked and she realized why
the young warrior looked familiar. He was one of Kaje Stian’s brothers.
    “Parker went into the city with Zola.
This way.”
    He led them through a series of short
corridors and halls, finally stopping in front of two large doors. He nodded at
the warriors keeping guard.
    “They’re with me,” he said, pointing
to her and Xan.
    One door opened enough for them to
pass through. She looked around the small courtyard for the exit but only saw
more doors. Xan knew where he was