Darkness Captured (11 page)

They darted toward a stoop, melting into the shadows as they watched one of the winged creatures with the head of a lion and a powerful eagle-like body swoop down, pluck a woman from a doorway, and disappear into the sky again.

Guntram shuddered at the screams that faded into the night.

Simon darted out again, Guntram on his heels, and they ran, turning a sharp corner and coming to a doorway. Simon rapped on the wooden door with three quick and one single heavy knocks in succession.

Footsteps scuffled on the other side, the door cracked, and a single eye peered outside. Then the door flew open, and Simon slid inside.

Guntram glanced once more around the alleyway and slipped in behind him, closing the door. The smell of offal from the street didn’t penetrate the room. Something he noted gratefully.

Simon and an old man embraced, and then held each other at arm’s length. The old man’s eyes teared up. “Good to see you, old friend.”

Simon’s smile was tight but genuine. “Ninshubur, we need a place to rest until tomorrow night.”

“You must stay with me. I can’t believe you’re here,” the old man said, his voice breaking. “I thought the knock was a trick my mind was playing.”

“It’s been a long, long time.”

“Longer for you, no doubt,” the old man said, grinning. Finally, he peered beyond Simon’s shoulder. “Come deeper inside. You must eat. Then I’ll let you rest. I can only offer pallets. My circumstances have fallen since last we met.”

Simon nodded. “Inanna has much to answer for.”

“I should never have aligned my fate with hers.”

“You’ve heard that she has returned.”

“There’s little else buzzing around the palace. Irkalla’s crowing. But please, sit. Then you must tell me everything.”

Guntram glanced around the room furnished only with two chairs, a table, and a shelf-like bed. At least everything looked clean. After the refuse in the streets, he felt as though the scents permeated his skin. He dragged the robe over his head and tossed it next to the door.

“Not here,” Ninshubur said, when Guntram would have taken one of the rough chairs. The old man led them through a doorway at the back of the room, and into an apartment. At the light of a candle, Guntram’s eyebrows rose.

Rich mosaic tiles decorated the floor with images of the sun, moon, and several constellations. The walls were painted a deep midnight blue. A sumptuous bed with the mussed covers thrown back betrayed where the old man had been when they knocked. An ornate table of dark wood with a tiled top stood in one corner. Chairs with upholstered seats surrounded it.

Ninshubur must have noticed Guntram’s bemusement at the contrast between his outer room and this chamber. “I smuggled in some of my furnishings before I was banished from court,” he said, rheumy eyes twinkling. “But I must keep up outward appearances or become a target for thieves. No one knows about this room.”

Guntram grunted and dropped into one of the comfortable chairs at the table. As the elderly man bustled about, serving them bread, cheese, and wine, Guntram fought the same restlessness that had plagued him for days. His fingers drummed the table.

“Relax, Guntram. There’s nothing more we can accomplish,” Simon assured him. “We’ll find her tomorrow night.”

“Will she be well?” he asked, wishing the time-traveling mage would share some of what he already knew.

“She hasn’t come to any lasting harm.”

Guntram’s gaze sharpened at the ambiguous response.

Simon cleared his throat. “It won’t be easy to extract her from her current circumstance.”

“But she has come to no … lasting harm. Has she been raped, then?” he asked quietly.

Simon’s tight smile didn’t calm his fears. Gabriella was a proud woman. To be taken by force would be worse for her than death. But he could tell Simon wouldn’t say any more.

Resigned to cool his heels again, he drank down the beverage Ninshubur set in front of him. The drink was sweet, like fermented honey. He drained it and slapped the cup on the table.

Ninshubur laughed. “You’ll have a headache come morning.”

“But I’ll sleep well.” He had a feeling he’d need all the rest he could get.

Gabriella stood on the balcony. Moonlight painted the barren landscape stretching as far as she could see in shades of silver and gray. Marduk had been gone for hours, and she’d chased Xalia away after she’d been bathed and dressed, and candles around the room had been lit. The demon girl gave her a major case of the willies despite the fact she seemed harmless and sincere in her wish to serve her. Gabriella hoped Marduk never invited her to join them in bed.

She’d pleaded exhaustion, wanting time alone to thoroughly explore the room, which she had to no avail. There was nothing she could use as a weapon and no hidden accesses. The pool’s drainage spout was too narrow for her hips to ever fit through, as was the pipe servicing a toilet. The only way out was through the door, which was locked, or out the window. But the drop was a long one to the desert floor, and besides, she didn’t think she’d find a way home there. Her escape route had to be somewhere inside this fortress. Perhaps through the mirror in the hall, if she could access it like Alex’s from this side before the hellhounds or the dinner guests ate her.

If there was another way out, she’d find it, but first she had to gain Marduk’s trust so that he’d let her out of this room. Then maybe she’d find an ally, someone she could bribe, but with what?

She shuddered, remembering what Marduk said about how valuable a live creature from the other realm was. Maybe she’d have to trade favors or blood for information. Unless Guntram found her first.

Closing her eyes, she prayed. Something she never did. She hadn’t needed prayers before, having always relied on her silent protector to keep her safe. But she prayed now, and not just for herself. Guntram would be out of his depth here. He might be a fearsome warrior, but he needed a sadistic sort of cleverness to maneuver here.

Still, thoughts of him wading into a fray on her behalf, his strong features tight and feral, warmed her heart. Again she wondered why she’d resisted her attraction to him. A man willing to lay down his life for a woman, a man willing to see her happy above his own self-interest was worth more than foolish pride.

And she knew without a doubt he’d be just as single-minded when seeing to her pleasure. His powerful body had always drawn her lustful gaze. He’d never been shy about letting her see his reaction to hers. Shifting from wolfskin to human form after darting through the forest when she’d tried to outrun her heats, he’d always followed, basking unashamed in moonlight.

His low, fierce growls as he’d narrowed his gaze when she’d sauntered naked among the males had been more than a warning for them to keep their distance. His turgid cock spoke volumes.

Once, she’d pushed him beyond his iron control.

“You shouldn’t tease them, Princess,” he’d said after chasing the others off.

Resting against the trunk of a pine tree, she’d raised her arms above her head, pretending to stretch, enjoying the way the crisp air spiked her nipples. “Why? I have you to protect me.”

His gaze swung toward hers. “You shouldn’t tease me.”

“Why are you so serious, Raven? They know I’ll never let them have me. It’s only a game we play, circling each other.”

“For you perhaps. But the stakes are high. One might get ambitious.”

She’d eyed him, sweeping his body, noting the tension in his shoulders and fisted hands. Then he’d faced her, and again, her breath caught at the strength of his arousal. He was right. She shouldn’t tease him. It had to be painful to restrain himself. After cutting out the other competing males, his nature demanded he cover her.

“You’ve never even asked me. Not once,” she said softly.

Guntram’s square jaw tightened. “I serve your pleasure, Princess.”

Even now, the memory of the heat in his glance seared. Guntram was faithful to her beyond his self-interest. He would come for her.

However, she couldn’t afford to wait. She needed to find her own escape. Needed to find someone to bribe.

And maybe Marduk was the least scary thing inside the fortress, and she’d have Jabba the Hut to try to seduce. Gabriella grimaced.

There was too much she didn’t know about this place, and she was hesitant to discover it on her own. His warning about finding “true hell” wouldn’t let go of her imagination, and she envisioned herself standing on glowing embers while demons stripped away her flesh.

It looked like the only way out of this room for now would be with her captor. The sooner she convinced him she’d accepted her fate, the better. Only she hoped like hell he’d provide her with something more substantial to wear should he take her somewhere.

The harem-girl getup Xalia had provided marked her as a sexual playmate. The thin linen skirt went only mid-thigh and was tied around her hips with gold braiding. More gold braid framed two peek-a-boo mesh cups, which constituted the bra. Two bows were the only things holding her clothing in place. Worse, she hadn’t been given any footwear. If she made a run for it, she’d have no choice but to do so in wolfskin.

The sound of a door closing drew her back into the room. Marduk stalked inside, his stiff posture radiating displeasure.

Her heart skipped a beat at his appearance. She wished he wasn’t so handsome and virile. He wore the same black clothing she’d always seen him in, but now she knew what it covered. Just the memory of watching his back and powerful buttocks stretching and undulating above hers was enough to make her wet.

His black expression gave her pause.

“Something’s happened?” she asked, not sure whether it was a good idea to draw his attention to her when he was in this mood or not. But the sooner she figured him out the better.

His gaze met hers, his scowl deepened. “You’re to appear in the great hall tomorrow night.”

She suppressed a shiver. Part of her was elated that at last she’d escape this room, but another part knew his tension had a reason. “That’s a bad thing?”

“Irkalla’s curious about you.”

“Again, I’m not seeing the problem. I’ll meet her and it’ll be over.”

“She wants to parade you in front of her sister. Inanna has been trying to ingratiate herself with the court.”

“And you think Inanna might try to make problems for me.”

His nod was curt.

“Can she take me from you?”

“Not without a battle. Not overtly, but they can play games with you.” His gaze softened. “I promised you that I’d see you came to no harm in my care.”

Gabriella did her best to suppress the thrill his comment gave her. Protectiveness in a lover, even when she didn’t intend to keep him, was a turn-on. “I’ll be careful not to incite her,” she said carefully.

He shook his head. “You don’t understand.”

Gabriella shrugged. “Then help me. Tell me what I face.”

“Irkalla rules the Dark One with seductive arts, which she wields like weapons. Her appetite is voracious. If she wants to draw you into the games, offer your service to the wrong mate …”

She remembered the varied forms of the demons in the hall, and her stomach churned. “They can have me?”

“I serve Irkalla. I enjoy favor because I please her.”

“You mean you have sex with her?”

“Most demons bow down to me,” he said, without acknowledging her question. “I have been given dominion over them. But those within the inner circle are immune to my special powers. I curry favor with the queen to keep my enemies in check.”

“So you’re as much enslaved as I am.”

“By choice. It makes living here less complicated.”

“All right, I’m still not understanding how being paraded into that circle will be dangerous for me. What sorts of things might I be asked to do?”

“Irkalla has a knack for finding one’s greatest pleasure and greatest fear. Let’s hope she takes a shine to you.” He glanced around. “You sent Xalia away?”

Gabriella knew the subject of her appearance in court had been dropped. Her gaze slid away from his. “I preferred to wait for your return … alone.”

Marduk held out his hand. This time she didn’t hesitate, striding forward to slip her hand inside his. His gaze slid down her body. “You look lovely.”

She couldn’t believe it when she started to preen. Dressed like a whore, and yet she felt no shame—only a fierce pleasure at the approval glittering in his eyes.
Fuck, I need to get out of here.

Scratching sounded at the door.

“Food has arrived.”

As soon as he spoke, her stomach growled. His lips twitched, and she lifted her shoulders.

It had been hours since she’d arrived, and she was starved. She let him lead her to one of the legless sofas as low tables were carried inside and set before them. A trail of servants, all appearing human—so, presumably the dead—filed in with small covered dishes. No cutlery or plates were set out, but the silver covers were whisked away and linen napkins draped over their laps before the servants left.

She was relieved to recognize most of the meats by their scent. Flat bread, vegetables, and flowers soaked in honey rounded out the meal. A silver chalice of wine and a beaker of water were set before them. Not understanding the etiquette, she waited for him to begin eating then followed his lead as he ate with his fingers, plucking slivers of meat from the trays. He ate casually, his gaze barely straying from hers as she began to feast.

His expression relaxed, and he smiled at her gasps of pleasure when she tried to the honeyed flowers. “Roses are your favorite.”

“I’ve drunk rosehip tea, but never eaten the blossoms. They’re yummy.”

“You enjoy your food.”

“Of course. Don’t tell me they have anorexics in hell.”

He shrugged. “I think an appetite for food follows an appetite for life.”

“You get a lot of chances to observe that here?” she said around a mouthful of food. “Life, I mean.”

“The dead who are favored enough to escape damnation make the motions. They eat, make love, but there’s no real joy in it.”