Inferno-Kat 2 (17 page)

“Y
ou’re not eating.” Leucothea nodded toward the whole piece of bread Hades clenched in his hand.

“I’m not hungry.” He tossed the bread onto a low wooden table in Onyx’s hidden home away from home. They were hiding in a cramped, airless room with no doors. The only way out was through a grate in the ceiling.

They had escaped without incident after the guards had burst into the dark man’s lab. Onyx had placated the guards, and they had left without searching the room. That surprised Hades immensely. He still didn’t trust Onyx. There was definitely something sinister about him. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

“You need to eat, Hades.” Leucothea rose from where she sat, grabbed their pack, and walked to where he reclined on a shag white rug against the wall. She crouched next to him and took out the salve and bandages. “Take off your shirt.”

He complied without complaint, although he knew it didn’t make a difference anymore. No amount of cream or bandages was going to make him better. The damage inside his body was irreversible.

From the constant stabbing pain in his chest and the way it hurt when he took in a deep breath, he knew his broken ribs had punctured one of his lungs. The blood he spit up glaringly confirmed his suspicions. Only intensive medical treatment could cure him. And he didn’t see that happening anytime soon. Not in this place, not now.

He just prayed he would live to see Kat one last time before he faced the jury for all his sins. No doubt, that would be a long trial. The thought brought a wry smile to his face.

“Why are you smiling?” she asked while smearing the white salve over his still black-and-blue side.

“Because I’m ticklish.”

“Yeah, right.”

While she ran her finger along his last rib, Hades hacked violently. He covered his mouth, but what came up was too much to conceal this time. Not while she was there, so close to see. Before he could wipe away the blood, Leucothea grabbed his hand and stared down at the crimson glob.

“How long?” she accused.

He pulled his hand away and wiped the gore on his pants. “Since the beast’s attack.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Hades busied himself by rebandaging his ribs. He didn’t want to talk about this. There was no point. “Because it’s done. There’s nothing you can do.”

Before Leucothea could respond, the grate in the ceiling swung open, and Onyx jumped down into the room. He had a bag slung over his shoulder.

“Looks like you two have caused a stir.” He wandered to the big armchair in the corner and slumped into it. “Guards are everywhere searching the streets for two mysterious strangers.”

Hades stood and slipped his shirt back on. “Any chance of them finding us here?”

Onyx shook his head. “Nah, they aren’t that smart. I’ve had this place for three years now, and nobody’s been able to find it.”

“I need to know where Kat’s being held now. With guards running around, it will be all the more difficult to get to her.” He coughed again, doubling over in pain. More blood spewed from between his lips, landing on the floor in front of him.

Onyx leaned forward in his chair. “Looks like you need some medical attention.”

Hades glared at him. “I’m fine. All I need is to get out of here and find Kat.”

“By the looks of it, I’d say you won’t make it another ten feet without collapsing.”

“What, are you a doctor?” Hades sniffed.

“Yes, I am, actually.” Onyx reached for his bag and unzipped it. “Well, I was before I became this.” He ran a hand along his body to indicate his smooth, unnatural black skin. Digging in the bag, he came away with a vial full of a milky white liquid. “I have something here that might help you.”

Hades picked up his shotgun propped against the low table and checked the chamber for shells.

“I don’t need that kind of help. All you need to do is point me in the right direction, and I will do the rest.” He fed the gun a few rounds and pumped it. “You can even stay here if you like. All nice and cozy.”

“Hades, don’t be a fool. Onyx is right. You won’t last another day.”

“I don’t plan to stay here for another day.” He slung the weapon around his shoulder. Time was running out. He could feel it slipping through his fingers like sand. “Point me the right way. I’ll go get Kat and meet you back here. Then we’ll
all
get the fuck out of this city.”

“It’ll be better if you wait till dark. Less people up and around.”

“Day, night, how the fuck can you tell the difference down here?”

Onyx smiled. “Oh, I can tell. Trust me.”

“No, I don’t trust you.” Hades didn’t like the way Onyx had grinned. He was hiding something major, and Hades had a notion they were going to find out what that something was very soon.

And it wasn’t going to be pleasant. “This has been too convenient for my liking.” He took a step toward Onyx and lifted his gun. “Now we’re stuck in a room without a way out. I don’t like that one bit.”

Leucothea took a step in front of him, blocking his path to Onyx. “He’s trying to help us.”

“Is he?” Hades went to take another step forward, when suddenly the world started to spin.

Holding out his hand for balance, Hades stumbled sideways. His legs felt like rubber, and he could barely keep himself upright. Pain rippled over his body, causing his chest to convulse. He had to cough again. Hacking into his hand, he noticed the quantity of blood had increased and was a lot darker.

Onyx was up and trying to keep Hades from falling. Hades wanted to push the aid away, being the stubborn bastard he was, but even he knew when he was fighting a losing battle. He let the man sit him down in the big cozy armchair he had previously occupied.

His body felt hot. Like a raging fire. When had it gotten so hot in the room? He wiped a hand over his forehead where sweat had popped out on his skin. His flesh was blistering. Obviously he had acquired a fever. Not a good sign.

“You’re not going anywhere, I’m afraid,” Onyx stated as he uncapped the vial he was holding.

“Open your mouth.”

Hades panicked and tried to push out of the chair. The dark man was going to poison him. He was working with Satarah.

That was why he had directed them here, so they could be lulled into a false sense of security.

But he wouldn’t let it happen. They wouldn’t take him alive.

When he tried to stand, Onyx pushed him back. “Leucothea, you’ll need to sit on him so I can get this down his throat.”

Hades glanced at the little Neried. Shock lifted his brow. She was in on it. Of course. That was why she wanted to come with him. To capture him. She was so innocent looking, so naive, no one would suspect her treachery. Kat would be so disappointed.

Kat. He needed to get to her. He could hear her calling to him. She was screaming for him to help her.

“I’m coming, baby! Hang on!” he yelled, trying to scramble out of the chair and onto his feet.

“He’s delirious. Hold him down,” Onyx grunted as he pushed Hades’ powerful frame back into the seat.

Leucothea climbed into his lap and pushed back his shoulders. He was so weak he couldn’t fight back. They were going to win. The dark man leaned forward and grabbed his chin. Hades tried to yank his away head, but he found that the signals he sent to his brain weren’t registering. He was as vulnerable and weak as a newborn baby.

As Onyx lifted his chin, Leucothea slid her fingers into his mouth and pried apart his lips. The dark man poured the poison down his throat. He tried to spit it out, but Leucothea quickly clamped his lips shut and held his mouth closed. He swallowed the foul liquid. It was like acid going down his throat.

This was not how he wanted to go. Betrayed and poisoned by those he trusted.

His eyes became heavy, and his body felt like it was floating in saline water. Light and buoyant.

Was this what dying felt like? He’d always thought it would be like rushing through a dark tunnel. Much like riding a bike at night with the wind whipping against his face. He wondered whom he would meet on the other side. Probably all the people he’d killed in the past, lined up and waiting for another chance to fight him.

Everything became slow and heavy, like moving through molasses. Even Leucothea seemed to be stuck in slow motion as she leaned over and pressed her lips to his forehead. He wanted to tell her to keep her farewells. But his lips felt like they had been glued together.

I failed you, Kat
. Hades shut his eyes and let the sluggish moving waves of death pull him under.

“I love you….” he murmured and then fell into a deep sleep.

W
hen Kat tried to alter the position of her arm, pain poured through her like bubbling acid.

Shifting again, she desperately tried to get comfortable. As the pull on her arms and the throb on her shoulders could attest to, it would be damn near impossible to do so in her situation.

She had pissed off Baruch something fierce. And she didn’t think he’d ever let her forget it. As long as she was alive and in his possession, she was going to be paying for it. She’d survived many tortures, even once by Baruch, but she didn’t know if she possessed the strength to keep fighting. She was getting tired of being so strong, being so invulnerable.

Surrender was looking sweeter by the minute.

When he had stormed back into the room from the meeting with Satarah, it was quite clear that none of his fury had quieted. In fact, it seemed more extreme than it had been before. If that was possible.

Kat had expected him to pick up where he had left off. She had even been ready for him and launched an attack before he could even touch her. She’d gotten in a few good blows to his legs and groin prior to him rendering her unconscious with a solid punch to her temple.

When she awoke, she was still in Satarah’s bedchamber, but now she was mounted on the woman’s trophy wall, still naked, still bleeding from the numerous cuts and abrasions she had sustained. Arms stretched up and out, legs spread wide, Kat felt like a sacrificial lamb at the slaughter. Thankfully she didn’t have the black leather hood over her head. She didn’t think she could handle that.
Thank God for small favors
.

She didn’t know how long she’d been hanging unconscious, but it was long enough for her limbs, especially her arms, to start aching. She twisted once more to the left, thinking to relieve the excessive throb in her left arm. It didn’t help. Nothing helped. Soon her back would start to twinge and her hips to ache as her bones stretched and accommodated for the distressing position her body was forced into.

The only thing she was thankful for was that she was alone. No other body hung on the wall beside her, and no one was watching from the shadowed corners. No guards to keep an eye on her actions. Too bad for them.

Tilting her head back, she looked up at her bindings. There had to be a way to break them. They were leather with metal buckles. She’d broken out of worse. Twisting her wrists, she tested their hold. They were bound tight. She could barely move her hands.

Doing the same with her legs, she tested the restraints on her ankles. Strong and constricted.

Well, she knew it wasn’t going to be easy to escape. She’d been in worse situations. Hadn’t she?

Glancing around at her predicament, she thought that maybe this was the worse thing she’d ever gotten herself into. For a moment she wished she was back out on the deadly Wastelands, dehydrating, with nowhere to go but across the barren desert.

Even then, she still had hope. She still had fought with every bit of spirit she could muster. But, then she had had Hades by her side. Everything had seemed possible when he was near. Even the impossible.

Folding her thumbs into her palms and squishing her fingers together, Kat pulled on her hands.

Maybe she could slide them out. Even if most of her skin came off, she didn’t care. She’d be free.

But pulling didn’t help. It didn’t do anything but shoot burning pain down her arms. A thin trickle of blood ran down her right arm where she’d scraped her hand on the leather binding.

With an angry grunt, she tried the same with her legs. She didn’t know how getting a foot loose would help, but she’d do anything to fuck up Baruch’s plans of an easy torture. But yanking on her legs just caused her more agony.

With so many aches, bruises, cuts, and abrasions, Kat had no idea where one pain started and the other ended. Her whole body was alight with scorching anguish. How could she go on?

Hot, angry tears of frustration ran down her cheeks.

“Fuck you!” she screamed as she yanked on her hands and ankles at the same time until blood ran like crimson rivers down her arms and her feet to pool on the pristine marble floor.

Collapsing against the wall, her body shrieking at the torture she had just inflicted on it, Kat squeezed her eyes shut and sobbed in fury.

“It breaks my heart to see you like this, darling.”

Kat slowly opened her eyes and glared down at Satarah, who was looking up at her on the wall, a half smile on her pale oval face.

“You have got to be the strongest human being I have ever seen.” Satarah eyed her up and down and then glanced down at the blood congealing on the floor beneath Kat’s feet. She shook her head and almost looked concerned. “I have seen grown men, big brawny he-men, fall to their knees and cry like babies for less. Much, much less.”

Swallowing to clear her dry throat, Kat spoke. “If I wasn’t up here on this wall, I’d rip out your fucking throat with my bare hands.”

Satarah chuckled. “Yes, I know you would.” She cocked her head and smiled. “That’s why I’m going to say what I have to say now, while you’re still restrained.”

After their little tryst earlier, Kat had assumed the woman would’ve done something earlier to keep her from Baruch’s twisted hands. She hadn’t. Kat wanted nothing more than to fling out her leg and kick the lying, manipulative woman in the head. But she couldn’t move. Just the thought of moving sent jolts of pain radiating over her body, like a million pins sticking into a pincushion.

“It seems I have misjudged Baruch’s lust for power.” She paced in front of Kat. “He wants to take Inferno from me, and I won’t let that happen. I thought if he finally got what he wanted,”