Free Chains of Frost: The Bellum Sisters 1 by T. A. Grey, Regina Wamba

around the place.”
    “I thought the Commander showed
you around earlier today?” He cooled his smile into a flat line, though inside
he was laughing. Several emotions flitted over her face as if she was quickly
trying to come up with a lie.
    “Yes, well, he did take me around,
but he didn’t really let me stop to enjoy anything. I couldn’t sleep and
thought I would explore the castle.”
    Henry jerked his head to the
hallway. “Come on, out with you. If I leave you here knowingly, it’ll be my
arse on the line.”
    She stumbled out quickly and he
shut the door behind her. She was a pretty one, he thought looking at
her. Her hair was brown with just a hint of copper in it, and her gray eyes
sparkled from excitement.
    “Okay, I’ll just be going to
bed.”
    “Be sure you make it there.
You’re safe from the Commander and anyone else here, but…” he hesitated over
his words then said, “he isn’t the kindest of men.”
    Chloe nodded quickly and started
away. She turned back. “Wait. Do you know when the next new moon is?”
    His face pulled into a frown.
“Why?”
    “It’s important. It’s a…succubus
thing.” She might as well have said it’s a feminine matter. He literally took a
step back.
    “Two days.”
    “How sure are you?”
    He thought about it. “Very sure.”
    “Okay, thanks a lot. What’s your
name?”
    “Henry.” She poked out her hand
and he shook it.
    “Chloe,” she said. “Well,
goodnight, Henry. Thanks for the info.”
    “Stay out of trouble,” he warned
and a devilish grin broke out over her face.
    Henry waited until the succubus
disappeared up the stairs before he went down into the training room. He
flicked the fluorescent overhead lights on; the buzz of the lights already
soothed an ounce of tension from him. Opting for the punching bag, he went to
the corner of the room to tape up his hands. Working out always soothed him. He
wrapped the tape carefully around his bare hands for the perfect fit. He flexed
his taped hands to make sure the binding was not too tight or loose.
    He started slowly, with a one-two
rhythm. His muscles warmed in his arms and stomach and bent legs. He faked left
and right as he landed a rapid succession of blows to the bag. Soon he hit the bag
harder, cutting into it, pounding it with his fists with deeply satisfying strikes
that eased the thoughts on his mind while also setting them free.
    Yesterday, he’d kissed Nanu. His
right hook caught the bag and sent it soaring high into the air before it swung
back down. Beautiful, golden Nanu. He shouldn’t have. Fuck if he didn’t know
that, but some selfish part of him had been desperate to know how she tasted.
    Some part had even wondered that
maybe if he just got one taste, a sample, then he could move on from her. Stop
thinking about her every time he returned from a mission, every time he walked
the halls and wondered if he’d run into her, every time he lay his head against
his pillow at night.
    It hadn’t worked. If anything, it
was worse. She was like a drug he’d tasted and now craved with every fiber of
his being. He’d thought she’d invaded his thoughts before, now she had moved
in, unpacked and was sleeping there. Nanu with her sharp mind, steady hands,
and husky voice. Nanu and the way she looked at him with innocence and desire.
Nanu, the golden goddess he couldn’t have.
    He shoved all his anger and
energy into his punches, felt the distant slick of sweat beating down his face.
Each thud pounded, echoed in his ears until all thoughts of her were pushed
from his mind and all he saw was the red blur of the bag swinging with each of
his hits.
    A soft touch at his back had him
spinning around with a growl, his arm pulled back ready to throw. He stopped,
shaking with the force to stay his arm from finishing the punch.
    “What the hell are you doing
here?” he growled, his voice laden with hot anger.
    Nanu trembled and looked from him
to his fist as he slowly lowered it. When she