Dream Warrior by Sherrilyn Kenyon Read Free Book Online Page A

though she had to know she didn’t stand a chance against him. The fact that she was willing to fight anyway said a lot about her.
    Her form was slight, her face porcelain smooth with high cheekbones and a small widow’s peak. She looked so much like a Dream-Hunter he’d once known that he couldn’t help asking, “Leta?”
    She frowned at him. “My name is Delphine.”
    Delphine …
    She took a step back and again he was aware of exactly how frail she was in appearance. He could crush her and yet, even given her relationship with Zeus, he couldn’t bear the thought of harming her and damned if he knew why. Kindness wasn’t something he made a practice of. It was his nature to strike the first blow.
    As if sensing his thoughts, she put more room between them. “I won’t be your slave.”
    Her defiance amused him. “I don’t think you have much choice.”
    She lifted her chin defiantly. “I will fight you until one of us is dead.”
    He was consumed by an overwhelming urge to soothe her. It was something he hadn’t felt since he’d comforted his sister when they were younger—and he’d never felt that for another person.
    Until now.
    It made no sense that he’d want to reassure Zeus’s pet after what that bastard had done to him, and yet he couldn’t stand the thought of her being afraid of him. “I won’t hurt you.”
    Delphine wanted to believe that, but she was having a hard time, especially since the rawness of her new emotions was making her dizzy. They were sharp and so confusing. How did people cope with this? “Where am I?”
    â€œAzmodea.”
    Delphine cringed at the name, which translated into “furious demon.” This was where Noir and Azura made their home and where they gleefully tortured their unfortunate victims. She had no doubt that’s exactly what would become of her now that they’d taken her hostage, too.
    Her gaze fell to his sword on the highly polished dresser. “You would really fight at the side of such unrelenting evil?”
    His one eye flashed with the weight of his anger as he snarled at her. “You know nothing about me.”
    â€œThat’s not true. I know you were cursed by Zeus and that you’ve lived every day since completely alone.”
    He laughed bitterly. “Only when I was lucky.”
    She scowled. “What do you mean?”
    All the emotion left his face. Still raw hatred bled from his pores with a tangible heat so potent, she could swear it singed the air between them. “I owe you nothing. ”
    Delphine couldn’t breathe at the fury that glared at her from his one good eye. It was palpable and terrifying. “ I’ve never hurt you.”
    Faster than she could blink, he grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against the wall. Yet for the quickness and ferocity of his action, he didn’t hurt her. He merely held her neck in the large paw of his hand in a gentle grip while that one deep blue eye pierced her.
    Jericho wanted to snap her neck in two. His pent-up fury begged him to do it. Send her back to Zeus in pieces.
    But he couldn’t bring himself to kill her.
    Grinding his teeth, he released her. “Don’t push me.”
    She met his gaze unflinchingly. “I didn’t realize pushing you would involve me stating a simple fact.”
    He was appalled by her unending temerity that seemed to prevent her from being silent even when it was the prudent thing to do. “Have you no concept of self-preservation?”
    â€œHave you no concept of decent behavior?”
    That made him really want to hurt her because deep inside it cut him harshly. There had been a time when he’d been decent. Even courteous. But his past degradations had killed that long ago. No one had showed him mercy, so why should he ever give it to another?
    â€œNo, I don’t.”
    Delphine felt a whisper of wind