Chapter 19

ChapterNineteen

He was in so far over his head. Greed had brought her to his own bedroom, by all the seven kingdoms! What stupid thought had made him bring her here?

He had quarters for when his women visited. He knew where to bring them, and it wasn’t his own private chambers. He made their skin soft with oils that he kept in that other room. He fed them the most exquisite of meals and indulged in every one of his senses with them. He could be greedy there, wanting all of their desire for himself.

But here? This was his sanctuary. It was his own place of safety where no one but himself and his guards came. And now she was in this space. Her golden hair spilling over his pillows and her scent already filling his sheets. He wouldn’t be able to sleep in that bed without smelling her for months on end.

And he liked that. He wanted to smell her, even when she was no longer within his grasp. That thought scared him more than anything else this far.

Greed didn’t want her for any reason other than her beauty and her addition to his collection. He couldn’t afford to want more. He wasn’t Lust, and he certainly didn’t have a personality that many people would want to stay around.

He was alone. For a reason. And that had to stay that way.

With an entire kingdom to run, Greed had more important things to do than look after a little human who had gotten herself in trouble. She could have stayed with the healers and he could have continued his work uncovering all the lying advisors who had made it seem as though their cities were doing well enough. Instead, here he was again. Checking in on Varya.

He shifted a strand of hair away from her face so it didn’t tickle her awake. She’d been sleeping a lot, but the healers insisted she had to. Her body was already healing very well on its own, and the potions they gave her would aid her own body’s abilities. That black eye was nearly gone, and most of the bruises all over her had paled to a sickly yellow. The cuts were all sealed, and he’d even taken her bandages off yesterday. But she was still so weak.

Years ago, even months ago, her weakness would have disgusted him. Humans were so fragile and so incapable of keeping up with him and his brothers. He enjoyed them for what they could provide and then tossed them aside. He always held himself back from truly enjoying their company, in case he broke one of them.

Some of his brothers had no such qualms. Gluttony and Sloth were the worst of the lot, but he tried not to think about them when he stared down at her lovely, pale face. It made his heart squeeze to see her like this. She wasn’t meant to be lying in a bed helpless. She must hate it as much as he did.

Still, she would not get up anytime soon, and he needed to be sure that his advisors were punished. If not only because they lied to him, but because they hadn’t warned him about the Horde.

And now he would hunt down every member who aligned with those fools, every person who had given them information, and every single madman who thought they’d get away with buying or selling to the Horde. He would tear them all into pieces for the small part they had played in her injuries.

Death was the only answer that would satisfy him now.

Stalking to the door of his bedroom, he silently slipped out of the room before he did something foolish. Like wake her and try to convince her to stay with him forever. She needed adventure as much as he did.

Right now, he was giving her a safe place to rest. That was all. A woman like her deserved more from a man than just a passing whim.

But the idea of another man touching what was his? Oh, it made his entire body ache.

“Greed?” Ivo stepped out of the shadows near the door, ever watchful. “She cannot stay here much longer.”

“She’ll stay as long as I wish,” he snarled. Anger bloomed in his chest already, wanting to pick a fight with yet another person who wished to take her away from him. “She has been injured. She’s healing.”

“I know that. But she is not healing fast enough.”

“I will not rush her.”

“Gluttony will be here in a week’s time. You know what will happen if your brother finds a pretty woman here.” Ivo flinched, showing emotion for the first time in a very long time. “You know how he likes blondes.”

“I do not know what my brother’s fetishes are,” he snarled, but then realized that Ivo knew more than he was letting on. “But do you know of them?”

“I do.”

“How?”

Ivo took a deep breath. “I try to keep up with all the rumors in all the kingdoms, Greed. If you need that information, then I have it to provide. Otherwise, I ignore most of what is said about you and your brothers.”

Curious. He hadn’t known that about Ivo. “Does Morag do the same?”

“No. She’s not all that interested in gossip or... listening.”

Greed looked at his guard with a little more interest. Here he had been thinking that Ivo was still struggling to get over his attachment to loyalty, only to realize that maybe his guard had already discovered more emotions. When had that happened?

Strangely, it felt as though pride swelled in his chest. Greed hated that feeling. It reminded him of his least favorite brother.

“So, you’ve been listening to the rumors around the kingdoms? And now you’re worried about what Gluttony will do when he sees Varya?”

Ivo perked up slightly, his eyes opening wider and his shoulders lifting higher. “Varya? Is that her name?”

Oh no. Had his guard developed a little crush?

Greed suddenly found himself upset. Ivo was a handsome man. He never would have put the spirit in anything but a handsome body, but he also didn’t want any competition for Varya’s attention. Ivo needed to keep his sights on someone else. Like that pretty little servant girl with the bright red hair who obviously needed to be around more often if Ivo was already excited to see Varya.

Gruffly, he replied, “Yes. That’s her name.”

“Ah, well. I thought to check in on her health and to inform you that Gluttony has already started sending his people ahead of himself.” Ivo tucked his hands behind his back, suddenly all business yet again. “I do not know if you wish us to house these servants. We can provide temporary homes for them all, but ten of them have already arrived. If your brother doesn’t arrive for another week, I assume...”

“That Gluttony will send even more.” Greed rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. “This is a punishment for both of us. Gluttony obviously needs one, but I have no idea why Wrath wishes to punish me. Send all of Gluttony’s servants back home. He knows he has to answer to me if he touches one of my servants, but his own, I have no control over. I cannot protect them while they are here and I will not hide any bodies for that moron who’s given himself a taste for human flesh.”

“Understood.”

“Perhaps...” Greed hesitated, wondering what Varya would have told him to do. She’d been the one to mention that his advisors were hiding information about the water. Maybe she would suggest... “Send them with food of their own. We have enough in the storeroom for them, don’t we?”

“We have plenty.”

“Good.” He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling awkward.

It wasn’t natural for him to suggest giving anyone anything. Already he regretted it. He wanted to tell Ivo to forget that he’d offered anyone anything. Gluttony had sent them ahead of him, and if they hadn’t packed for a good two weeks’ journey, then they could starve on their way back.

He didn’t care about others. He just cared that Varya would get angry with him. And all of that thought process was wrong, considering he’d only seen the woman a few times before this. Varya didn’t matter either. No one did. He only cared about what they could give him. Greed. That’s who he was. What could he get out of these newcomers if he sent them packing immediately?

“On second thought, why don’t we try to get information about Gluttony out of them before we send them on their way. I wish to know everything we can about my brother before—”

The door to his bedroom creaked open. Turning, he found himself frozen by the sight of her lovely face, tinged bright red with a blush, and all those lovely gold waves tumbling down to her shoulders. She’d wrapped a blanket around her naked body, but his blood heated because he knew what she wore underneath that green silk blanket.

Nothing. Nothing at all.

And he’d tried very hard not to look too much at her while she was sick. But he was a man, and those lovely pink tips of her breasts had made his mouth water. The lean muscles of her stomach and those strong thighs... Ah, it had only made him wonder at the view from between her legs now that he already knew how sweet she tasted.

Varya blushed an even darker red, almost as though she knew the thoughts running through his mind.

“I thought I heard voices,” she said, her own voice rough. “I didn’t know if something was wrong.”

“Everything is fine. Go back to bed.” He tried to say the words gently but sharp enough that she couldn’t argue with him.

He should have known this particular human had no problem ignoring him.

She leaned to look past him, her hair sliding past her shoulder and revealing all that lovely skin and swan-like neck to his gaze. “Oh! Ivo. I thought I heard you out here. How are you?”

His guard turned bright red as well. “I am fine, Varya. It is you we should all be worried about.”

Her expression amused, she glanced back at Greed. “Did you tell him my name?”

“Accidentally.”

“Well, that’s quite all right. I should have been more polite and told him myself.” Varya smiled at the both of them, and then added, “Your guard is quite kind, Greed. I was lucky to have such an attentive shadow while I was healing.”

Oh, he hated that. He hated every moment of her talking about another man with that smile on her lips. Greed didn’t want to share her attention with anyone, especially not his handsome guard, who couldn’t take his eyes off her.

No, this wouldn’t do. He refused to share his newest treasure and he wouldn’t watch as they made eyes at each other as though they were friends.

They weren’t.

He would tell them when they were allowed to be friends, and that was only after he was done with her. End of story. And he would not change his mind for anything or anyone.

“Get back in your room,” he snarled.

“I’ll do what I want, when I want,” she replied. “Ivo, could I be a bother and ask to see the healer again?”

Both he and his guard blinked. Greed felt all his rage sizzle out of existence as fear took its place. “Are you hurting? I thought we had found all your wounds, but if we have not treated them all—”

Varya interrupted him with a raised hand and a small chuckle. “No, I’m fine. I want them to look at my ribs one last time so I can make sure the bindings can be removed for good. I’ve healed much faster than normal here, and I don’t want to do anything before confirming with them that I’m allowed. I feel much better, Greed. Thank you for allowing me to heal here.”

Oh.

If that was all it was.

He preened at the sound of her thanks. He’d been the one to make sure she was healed, and the king who had deigned to keep his subject well cared for while she was injured. Who knew it would feel so good to help someone?

“Go on, then,” he told Ivo, narrowing his gaze at the man to let him know that he fully expected Ivo to take a long time. “I’ll get my patient back in bed.”

“Your patient?” Ivo replied with a lifted brow. “Since when did you become a healer?”

He was going to punch his guard right in that pretty face and then they’d see how women liked him. With a broken nose, Ivo might look too menacing for most women to even think twice about paying attention to. That would serve his guard right for eyeing what was his.

“Greed,” Varya said with another laugh. “Would you help me lie down?”

That was enough to direct his attention back to her. He’d help her lie down. He’d settle her back in his bed, where she belonged, and he would see to it that she never left those silken sheets again.

Backing her into his room, he shut the door behind them with a harsh click. She looked more like herself now that she was awake. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and her steps were sure and strong as she made her way to the small seating area in his room, not the bed. And she clearly needed no help from him.

“What game are you playing now?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at her.

“I didn’t want you to fight Ivo, that’s all.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s kind, and he doesn’t deserve your anger because you aren’t getting what you want.” She sat down primly on one of his thicker pillows, a long leg revealed from underneath the sheet. “You put your attention on silly things, Greed. Ivo is a wonderful guard and a good man.”

“Stop complimenting him,” he growled.

“And why should I? Everyone deserves compliments when they’re doing a good job.”

Something in him snapped. He could almost hear it cracking in half as he stalked across the room. Footsteps silent. He was at her side in an instant with his hand buried in her hair. He tilted her head up to look at him, and a ghost of something horrible moved across her face.

She didn’t like that. And he didn’t know why.

Greed crouched in front of her, then raked his claws through her hair instead. He paid close attention to her scalp, watching her eyes close in pleasure at his petting.

“You are mine,” he growled. “My thief that I found in the desert. The treasure I unearthed in that first cave. And my Varya that I licked and petted in a tomb. You hear me? Every part of you is special to me, and I dislike sharing your attention with anyone else.”

“I am no one’s but my own,” she whispered, but the words didn’t seem truthful.

Dragging her forward, he skated his lips over hers. Not a kiss. A claiming.

“Soon you will see,” he whispered against her mouth. She chased his movements, begging for his touch. “You are mine and I am yours, treasure. And I will let nothing stand between us.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough to feel your spell weave around me. I am enraptured by your adventurous spirit and hearty mind.” He kissed her then, branding her with his touch. “Soon there will be time to know each other better. For now, I wish you healed.”

She sagged as he released her, moving toward him like she couldn’t quite stop herself. She wanted to touch him, too.

He gave her a wicked grin as a knock echoed on his door. The healers would see to her. They would take care of his treasure, building her back to perfect health so that he could play with her once again.

Greed stood and made his way to the door, casting one last look at her. Rumpled and wrapped in his sheets.

And, ach, he could not wait to see her like that again.