Hellbound Warrior: (Dark Warrior Alliance Book Five) (28 page)

Rhys had promised to protect her no matter what and she felt the same way about him, even if that meant risking her life. It was in her angelic blood, after all.

“You’re absolutely stunning,” Rhys murmured, wrapping his arms around her middle and pulling her up against his hard body.

By now, she had memorized every muscle along his gorgeous body and come to expect the erection that nudged at her soft stomach. Initially, she was appalled by his arousal, but had come to welcome, even yearn for, his desire.

Recalling the time she had tried to offer sex to an incubus in exchange for food had crushed her self-esteem. She hadn’t been in Lemuel’s clutches that long and was so hungry she was willing to give anything, even herself, for something to eat. The incubus had rejected and degraded her, spouting she wasn’t woman enough to feed his needs. After that humiliating experience, she tried to hide her womanhood any way possible. She was certain that was the reason Lemuel refused to provide her clothing.

The fact that Rhys had never once looked at her as if she were anything less than beautiful and desirable went a long way in healing those wounds.

She patted his chest, “Like I said, you need your eyes checked.”

He dipped his head and claimed her lips in a brief, but explosive kiss. The way he dominated and took what he wanted while still making her feel cherished took her breath away. She knew he was feeding off her sexual chi when they kissed or had sex, but she had never felt drained or sucked dry like she had in the past with other sex-demons. With Rhys, she was invigorated and energized.

He lifted his head and the rainbows glowing back at her melted her to a pool of molten lust. His eyes were his best feature, she could drown in them. “Twenty-twenty, baby. The Goddess couldn’t have chosen better for my mate. Illianna…you need to hear this…I lo—” she quickly pressed her fingers over his mouth, stopping the words from escaping.

She knew what he was going to say and she wasn’t ready to hear it. Didn’t know if she ever wanted to hear him declare his feelings for her. It would make leaving him so much harder. No one, aside from her parents and brothers, had ever loved her.

He narrowed his eyes at her and nodded his head in understanding. She imagined her panic was written all over her face. He released her and she immediately missed his warmth surrounding her. This close to the frozen lake below them, the Underworld was frigid. It was as if they were in the Antarctic with all that ice and snow.

“There must be thousands of Behemoth demons down there,” Dante announced grimly, bringing their attention back to the matter at hand.

Cautiously approaching the edge of the cliff, she peered over the side. Sure enough, there were thousands of the largest demons she’d ever seen. They had the palest grey skin. So pale she could see the veins beneath the surface. That was disturbing enough, but then you added the large black horns on top of their heads and bright red eyes, it was the stuff of nightmares.

“How are we going to get past them to reach Lucifer?” she asked quietly as she squatted on her feet.

“Good question. Thank the Goddess he’s still frozen in the middle of the lake,” Rhys observed. “Surely, Kadir has reached him by now. Why isn’t he free? Do you see Kadir anywhere?”

“I can’t pick Kadir out of that group. They all look like they could be his twin,” Dante admitted. He was right, she thought. It was an ocean of ugly look-a-likes.

“Back to Illianna’s point. How are we going to reach Lucifer? Do you think the witches included a bomb in their arsenal?” Rhys asked, rubbing his chin.

As she watched Lucifer beat his enormous black wings, Illianna was rethinking her decision to stay with these men. Once an archangel, Lucifer’s wings had been charred by his treachery against God and now only the barest hint of white could be seen at the base. It was a reminder what he was capable of and terrified her more than the thought of being recaptured by Lemuel.

“If he isn’t free yet, do we really need to go down there? Can’t we just leave now?” she hoped, hating that she was nothing but a coward when it came down to it.

She would have thought her imprisonment would have given her the ability to face anything. In her defense, pure evil permeated the air this close to the leader of Hell. It choked her, poisoning her angelic blood.

As if sensing her distress, Rhys ran his hands up and down her arms. “I can’t fail the Goddess when we are so close to the end. You can stay here out of sight while we go and retrieve the amulet. I know Kadir is down there with the necklace because I can feel the power of the Goddess. I can’t stop now,” Rhys professed.

“You’re right, it’s faint, but it’s there,” Dante confirmed.

Illianna didn’t want to go down there. Lucifer was the antithesis to her kind and she didn’t want to be in his presence. She could stay there while they did what they had to. They could grab the necklace then come back for her. She would probably just be in the way if she went with them.

“Well, well, well…what do we have here?” boomed a raspy voice, interrupting her silent contemplations.

Illianna turned from Rhys and her eyes bulged at the creature standing before her. He was well over seven feet tall, and, not only did he have the grey skin and black horns she’d seen from afar, he had rows of razor sharp teeth that would rend the flesh easily from her body. Black claws the size of swords tipped his hands and threatened to pierce the life of his enemies. She realized what set him apart from the others as her eyes snagged on long, flame-red hair that matched his menacing eyes. He was her worst nightmare.

“If it isn’t Lucy’s lap dog. How are you, Kadir?” Rhys drawled as if he didn’t have a care in the world. How could he be so calm when she was shaking in her boots? She looked closer and noted the clench of his jaw and his rigid posture, telling her he wasn’t as relaxed as he let on.

“Watch yourself, cambion. I have thousands at my beckon call who would love to tear you apart,” Kadir raged. Between one blink and the next, a good-looking demon and a dozen others that looked like Kadir joined him.

Her wings fluttered nervously as her heart pounded in her chest. She wished Rhys had an invisibility potion in that pack of his as her movements drew their attention.

“What do we have here?” the good-looking demon asked, crossing his arms over his well-toned chest.

“Back off, Azazel. The last female you pissed off killed your ugly ass and sent you back to your maker,” Rhys warned. Illianna wondered what Rhys was talking about. What woman had taken on this demon? He may be good looking, but Illianna knew he would rip her head off without a second thought.

“Azazel and Kadir kidnapped a Gerrick’s mate and tortured her for months. After she was rescued, she helped us find them and despite the control he had over her, she managed to cut his head off. It was fucking fantastic,” Rhys explained as if he’d read her mind. She questioned, for the umpteenth time, if what he’d said about the depth of the connection they shared was accurate.

Azazel lifted one side of his lip, revealing sharp, black teeth. That fast, he had gone from a handsome blonde-haired man with a congenial smile to a snarling demon with large teeth and red eyes. She imagined this was a better representation of his truer self.

“Shae did me a favor. I longed to return to my home where I am most powerful,” Azazel warned.

“Enough,” Kadir barked impatiently, “Lucifer is waiting.”

Several demons came forward and grabbed hold of them and Azazel stomped towards Rhys.

“This is for my arm, asshole,” the demon spit before he drew his fist, punching Rhys in the face. Blood poured from his nose and a cut on his lip, making Illianna cry out.

Before she could reach him, the world went topsy-turvy and she was transported. She closed her eyes against the whirling dizziness. Her souls felt as if they were being shredded while her body heated and froze at the same time. When the world stopped spinning, she cracked her eyes and noticed they were standing in the middle of a frozen lake. The cold slowed her blood to a sluggish pulse as her flesh stiffened and shivers wracked her body. Ice sheened her wings and fell in a tinkling shower with each full-body shudder.

Wind buffeted her as she turned in a circle. Thankfully, the wind wasn’t as strong as it had been in the Second Circle so movement was relatively easy, but the temperature was far colder and she wasn’t used to the iciness.

A moment later, Azazel appeared with a cursing Rhys and then Dante and Kellen arrived in the clutches of two other demons. She tried to take a step closer to Rhys, but was stopped by Kadir’s massive arm on her shoulder. He turned her toward the fallen angel in the center of the ice.

Lucifer was as magnificent as any angel in heaven, if you ignored the malevolence radiating off him. At one time he had possessed the pure white wings of an archangel, but they had been tainted with black when he betrayed God, falling from grace. They weren’t the pure black like the wings of the Angels of Retribution, but a combination of black, white and grey. Nothing heavenly remained of this creature.

She wondered why such a handsome man had created such hideous creatures like Kadir and the other demons. Lucifer had short black hair and a full beard. His masculine features were perfectly proportioned and his skin tone was bronzed. If you didn’t know who he was, his congenial smile would lull you into trusting him, but he was a true wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Clearly, he still longed to be in heaven because he still wore the traditional white toga of the heavenly. It fluttered in the wind provided by his flapping wings. Expecting to see him frozen waist deep in the lake, she was shocked to see it was only his feet that were encased. Obviously there was some type of power binding him to the ice. Otherwise, a male of his strength would easily break free.

“Rhys, how good of you and your friends to join us. And, just in time, too. I have need of you,” Lucifer explained nonchalantly as if they were long-lost friends.

Illianna’s heart stuttered at the idea of Rhys and the others leading her into a trap. Could they have set her up? She immediately dismissed the idea, concluding that this final circle was testing her faith in Rhys. There was no way Rhys could fake the emotions she’d glimpsed from him or the connection they shared. She may not want to accept his mate claim, but it was clear he wanted and cared for her. She wrapped her arms around her chest for warmth and protection as she allowed that knowledge and faith in him to seep in.

“I’m afraid you’re mistaken about our presence. We are here to reclaim the Goddess’ amulet. It doesn’t belong to you,” Rhys demanded. Illianna was surprised at Rhys’ grit and determination despite the fact that the odds were stacked against them.

The demons surrounding them became agitated and shuffled in a huge circle. The pounding of their hooves made the ground shake beneath their feet. Illianna worried they’d break through the ice and send them all into the frigid waters below. As it was, their movement reverberated through her bones.

Surreptitiously, she searched around for a way out of their predicament. While no one was focused on her, she inched in Rhys’ direction. His musky scent reached her through the crush of demon-stench and soothed some of her tension and worry. She relaxed for a brief moment until a voice that she hoped to never hear again echoed in her ear.

“Well, hello, Illianna. I told you we’d meet again. This time you won’t escape me, my pet,” Lemuel informed, his tone possessive and angry. She shivered as his breath hit her skin. It was as repulsive as his possessiveness and she cringed in disgust.

“I am not your pet,” she said through gritted teeth, taking a step away from him.

Lemuel came around to stand in front of her. He was handsome as ever in a three-piece suit with his multi-colored hair slicked back. His black eyes gleamed with malice, his sneer repulsive.

“So, you made it out of the River Styx. I guess the sullen were smarter than I thought,” Rhys observed, his disappointment clear in his voice.

“Of course he did,” Lucifer interjected. “When I heard that you were in the Underworld asking about me I plucked him from the waters to make sure I had your cooperation. You see, I need you to activate this amulet.”

That explained why Lucifer was still imprisoned and not roaming the earth raping and pillaging. Thank their Goddess for small favors, Illianna thought.

Rhys threw his head back and laughed heartily as his gaze narrowed to the Lord of the Underworld. Rhys had to have a death wish and Illianna had the urge to smack him. The goal was to escape Hell, not die there.

“Yeah, I’m not going to do shit for you. Figures the Goddess would foster in a fail-safe,” Rhys boasted.

Fury roared as Lucifer lifted his hand, sending a blast of energy at a nearby Behemoth demon. The beast turned to stone before exploding an instant later. Illianna crouched, throwing her arms around the back of her neck, ducking as shrapnel flew through the air. When the dust settled, she cautiously lifted her head, glancing around.

Rhys had taken a few steps closer to her and was only a few feet away now. He was close enough that his heat radiated along her side and she stood up. Lucifer’s eyes burned a bright red and she was shocked they were still alive as his anger lashed like razors across her skin.

“I will be free of this place and you will be the one to free me,” Lucifer went on, addressing Rhys. “I can end your father in a much slower manner, making sure he suffers for decades.”

“Would you please? If I’d known you would fulfill my lifelong wish I would have come sooner,” Rhys quipped. He may have sounded as if he was joking, but Illianna knew he was serious. Not that she blamed him. Lemuel was an awful person who deserved to suffer.

Lemuel stepped forward, joining the conversation. “Threatening me won’t work, Master. But, I have a suggestion,” Lemuel offered quickly.

Before Illianna knew what was happening, Kadir had her by the throat with his massive claws pressing into flesh.

“Use the angel to convince him,” Lemuel purred, smiling at her. “The Goddess Morrigan has given her to my son as his Fated Mate. Hurt her and you hurt him. Kill her and you eliminate part of my son’s soul. Trust me, he will do anything to save his love.”