Emblazed (28 page)

Jace held on to my arm to steady me as I placed both of my feet on to the surface.
“I think we’re good,” I commented as I began to walk across.

Other than sliding a bit, we made it across rather easily. Storming towards Hades,
I yelled, “Let her go! I’m here, just like you asked!”

Hades cackled menacingly in response before extending his hand and replying, “Take
my hand. Once you grab it, I will safely release your mother’s soul.”

Fuck!
I didn’t expect Hades to be smart about the exchange. I guess I was naïve to think
that he would just let my mother go when I arrived.

Jace squeezed my hand tighter as he spoke in my mind.
I’m not letting you go. I won’t lose you.

I have a plan. Trust me, okay?

Jace answered by pulling me into the warmth of his chest and clutching me to him.
Our mouths met in a flurry of desperate kisses as our tongues immediately sought one
another. I savored his taste as we kissed breathlessly, committing it to memory in
case things didn’t go as I planned. He grasped my face in his hands as our lips continued
to consume each other.

Hades cleared his throat before bellowing, “Now!”

I reluctantly broke our kiss, pulling my swollen lips away from Jace’s and leaning
my forehead against his. “I love you,” I breathed.

“Until my last heartbeat,” Jace replied.

I pulled away as tears stained my cheeks. As I turned, Kimber pleaded, “Don’t do it
Brie. We can fight him!”

I shook my head sadly, “I don’t want any of you to get hurt because of me. This is
between me and Hades.”

She began to protest again, but I stopped her as I wrapped my arms around her and
whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

I pivoted and made my way toward Hades’ outstretched hand, hoping my plan worked.
When I was about five feet away, I demanded, “Let her go first!”

Hades narrowed his eyes at me as I started to stretch my hand towards him, displaying
my intentions to follow through on my word. I stayed out of his reach, not wanting
to make the same mistake as when he had taken me to the Underworld from the High Council’s
Court.

“You know that if you don’t take my hand, I can still toss your mother in Tartarus,
even if I’m not holding her soul.”

“Then it shouldn’t be a problem to let her go now,” I countered.

We stared at one another for what seemed like minutes, when in reality, it was only
seconds. Hades finally tossed my mom like a rag doll to the side before he beckoned
me to come the rest of the way.

I took small, slow steps the remainder of the way, but instead of reaching out and
grabbing his hand, I sent a blast of Akasha towards him.

Hades scrambled out of the way, but not before my Akasha grazed his ribs. “You will
pay for that!” he howled in pain before directing his attention to my mom.

I rushed him, knocking him off balance as my body collided with his. Sounds of fighting
behind me filled my ears, and I knew the others were trying to come to my aid.

Hades and I were dangerously close to the edge of the pit to Tartarus when we both
regained our footing. As I righted myself, preparing to send another bolt of Akasha,
Hades appeared directly in front of me, grabbing me by the arms.

Searing pain radiated from where his fingers dug into my biceps as he spat, “I hope
you and your mother enjoy Tartarus.”

As he pushed me, I caught a glance at Jace out of the corner of my eye. He was fighting
Hades’ demons, but his eyes were locked on mine as I fell.

Until my last heartbeat
,
I told him through our bond.

Hades’ laugh directed my attention back to him.
Fuck him.
He would not get away with what he had done. I used my air to knock his ass off the
edge and into the pit with me. His expression was priceless as we fell towards the
depths below.

After Brielle stepped away from me and walked towards Hades, the demons surrounding
us moved to form a barrier between her and the rest of us. This plan was a bad idea,
and it felt too much like goodbye.

“Move the fuck out the way,” I snarled.

We all pushed at them, trying to break through the obstruction of demons, even though
Brielle had wanted us to stay put. I couldn’t stand by and do nothing when her life
was at stake. I kept my gaze on her as I struggled to get past them, but there were
too many. I threw punches and kicks, but when one demon fell, another took its place.

Through the throng of creatures, I could see Brielle and Hades fighting. Elemental
attacks flew past me as Zane, Kimber, and Kiera battled their own demons. I needed
to get to Brielle before something horrible happened!

Talons ripped my skin as I fought the demons, igniting some with my fire and knocking
out others with my fists. I had almost broken free of the circle enclosing me when
she fell.

The breath left me and I swear my heart stopped.
No. No. No!
I blinked several times in shock before our eyes locked and she said,
Until my last heartbeat
.

“No-o-o!” I roared. My rage and desperation intensified my assault, and fire exploded
from me in a wave, incinerating all the demons surrounding me to ash.

What the fuck was that?
I’d never done anything like that with my power before; it must have been linked
to my intense emotional response to Brielle falling, but I didn’t have time to analyze
it.

I took off for the pit, not even thinking twice as I dove in after Brielle. There
was no choice. My heart and soul were falling down into the abyss, and there was no
way I was living without Brielle. It was me and her against the world, including whatever
awaited us in Tartarus.

Of course, I have to thank my husband for his support throughout this next chapter
of my journey – he always shows his faith in me, which I can never be grateful enough
for.

To my beta readers: Nicki, Vanessa, Karinna, Nicole, Kimberly, and Gina – thank you
for continuing on with the series. Your feedback is still priceless to me. An extra
thank you to Nicki and Vanessa for letting me bug you at all hours of the day for
your help; Emblazed would not be what it is without you.

To Regina at Mae I Design: thank you so much for making my vision come to life on
my cover again. This cover is even better than the first, and I absolutely love what
you do.

To my editor, Catherine Stovall. You helped bring Emblazed to the next level, and
I can never thank you enough. You bring out the best in my writing and push me to
do more.

And last, but not least, you, the reader. It means so much to me that you’re taking
the time to continue with my story. You will always have a special place in my heart.