Marked by Hades (13 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

“You’re awfully quiet.” Pario cupped the nape of Yvonne’s neck.

“I’ve got nothing to say to you.” She pushed the demon away as they walked down a darkened hallway. It didn’t feel as though she was in Hades, though. No steaming granite reaching for the orange sky or smells of sulfur as Justin had described to her.

“I thought you’d be more appreciative that we were taking an outing today.”

Pario had kept her locked up in that bedroom doing unspeakable things to her body for five days. Her only refuge was when she retreated to the far ends of her mind to concentrate on Justin.

“Where are you taking me?”

“I figure it’s about time to bring you back, woman. The
real
you.” Pario steered her around the corner by the elbow.

Such a possessive prick, always holding on to her as if he owned her. Well, he did, basically. She’d been an even trade for Theo. For Justin.

A smaller demon approached. He had jet-black hair and was rail thin, but his eyes flared an evil, eerie black. “Pario.” The demon dipped his head.

The twerp stood a little more than a foot from them, just out of Yvonne’s reach. Would he fry if she touched him? Was it true that Pario had found a way around it? Or was her power gone? She hadn’t found one living thing in Pario’s room to test her powers.

“Is everything ready?” Pario asked.

Again the demon nodded, and he stepped out of their way. Yvonne snatched his hand before he could get too far.

A pained expression contorted his face, and a gurgle bubbled from his chest.

Then he was dust.

Pario yanked her to him. “Damn it.”

She saw the anger boiling. There’d be a price to pay for that, but it was worth it to know she still had her power.

That might allow her a chance to escape.

After she got her hands on the three Artifacts for the Gatekeepers.

Pario collared her neck and hurled her against the wall. It crumbled beneath the force with which the back of her head met the hard surface.

“You will not touch anyone. You hear me?”

She grinned as a dark humor rose in her chest. A grumble rolled through her stomach, and she laughed. The voice didn’t sound like hers, but she felt the tremble in her throat.

“But touching is what I do best. What I love to do most. You told me that.” She moved into his arousal. “My killing that demon turned you on, I see.”

Fangs slid from his upper lip. She’d seen those up close and personal these days she’d been sequestered with him. Each time they made her want to puke, but she bit it back.

Play the role
,
Yvonne
.

“Want me to do it again?” She glanced up the hallway. It was barren with dark, undecorated, gray walls. No people walking around. No sounds. Where the
hell
were they?

“The witch’s power must be great if Dyre is already coming back; we haven’t even gone in the room yet.”

“Where are we?”

He pressed a bruising kiss to her lips. “We’re visiting a powerful friend who will restore you to your true nature.”

Demon.

“For good.”

…

“Are you sure we shouldn’t bring Halena in for this? She’s a powerful sword to have,” Justin asked as he paced the plush carpet of the living room at the American compound.

“Once we have the location of the demon compound and confirm Yvonne is there, we’ll get Halena and a few friends together.”

The plasma TV showed an epic car chase from one of his favorite movies, but he couldn’t care less. “I’ve scanned the net, scoured any contact I’ve ever had in the demonic and human world, and found nothing.”

“I’ve been searching online, too,” Dasha said, pushing up from the couch. “No tracking device activity, either. It’s like they freaking vanished.”

“Halena’s on it as well.”

“Theo,” Justin said a little louder than he’d planned. “We need to hurry.” It killed him to imagine what Yvonne was suffering.

“We’re moving as fast as we can, brother.” Theo jerked. “Shit. A splice.”

That was the third one since they’d returned to America. All the distractions weren’t helping Justin’s temper one bit. If Halena would have come with them, she could handle some of these interruptions so he and Theo could focus on finding Yvonne.

“Let me come.” Justin stepped forward. “I need to kick some ass.”

“You do, indeed.”

A stabbing pain in his neck nearly floored him. He reached out for Theo to stay upright, and Theo grabbed his shoulders. “Justin?”

Slicing agony stole his breath. Thunder clapped deep in his mind, and a tidal wave of needles ripped his skin to shreds. His knees buckled, and the carpeted floor met them with a thud. A vise clamped around his lungs, only allowing air through in short gasps. Not nearly enough to stave off the blackness creeping in.

His heart exploded, burning as if torn from his chest cavity. His ears rang so loudly he knew it would be only seconds before his eardrums burst.

“Justin!” Sadie yelled. “Theo, what’s happening?”

White seared his vision. His neck pulsed wildly, then suddenly stopped. Nothing. Silence.

The pain was gone.

He leaned forward, palming the carpet, gasping for air as if a noose had suddenly been loosened.

“Justin?” Theo said.

Dasha’s warm hands grabbed his shoulders. “Oh, God.”

Justin looked up to find Sadie, Dasha, and Theo staring down at him. “What?”

Sadie looked at Theo, then back to Justin. “Your Ahavah Mark is gone.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Dyre, can you hear me?”

Dyre shivered. A chill deeper than she’d ever experienced racked her bones. She curved toward the deep, resonating voice that beckoned her from darkness. From the cold.

Warmth, she needed warmth.

A big hand scaled her shoulder, then her hip. No clothes. She wasn’t wearing anything, but she didn’t care. She grabbed on to the body close to her and held tight.

“Ready for more?” A growl hardened the man’s words. The voice sounded familiar.

Finally, the darkness faded, and Dyre narrowed her focus on the two black eyes staring down at her.

Pario.

His knees parted her legs, but she tensed. What was happening? How’d she get here? And where the hell was “here”?

“Ahhh, here she comes,” Pario said, licking his fangs. “Dyre?”

She pushed the massive demon off her and clutched sheets over her naked body. “What the hell?” Her world tilted, and she smacked her lips, searching for moisture. “Where—?”

Pario rolled off the bed and hiked up his leather pants. “Get up and get dressed.” He pointed to the bundle of her clothes—wait, leather? She never wore leather.

He stormed through the doorway, leaving it open. Through it, she saw a white-haired woman standing in another room.

Dyre threw on the foreign clothes, scanning her surroundings. Just a bed in the middle of the barren room and a dresser against the far wall. No windows or pictures. She wasn’t in Hades, she could tell by the lack of sulfur stench.

Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest, stealing her breath.
Relax, Dyre. You’ll figure this out.

“The punishment was significant. Cast by the highest of the archdemons,” the white-haired woman said as Dyre stepped through the doorway. “You dance with the devil himself by defying his punishment.”

Dyre froze.

“We needed Dyre back, Evania, if we have any hope of retrieving the rest of the Artifacts. Yvonne is useless to me. Dyre knows where Agares hid everything.” Pario pushed the old woman to the side and turned to face Dyre.

Pario. Yes. He was one of her lovers, and an amazing lover at that. She purred at the sight of his brilliant onyx eyes. Her body warmed again. Called to him.

“Dyre?”

Memories came down on her with the force of a tidal wave. Demons, torture, pain. She gasped at the memory of the minions cutting her. Removing her organs only to watch them grow back.

A roar streamed out of her mouth, singeing her throat. They would pay. They would all pay.

Pario grabbed her shoulder. “Dyre. Stay with me.”

“What…happened?” She glanced around now that the room had stopped spinning. The woman in white stood beside a door across the room, her jaw tight and hands clenched at her sides.

The room reeked of fear. Sour, acrid scents assaulted Dyre.

“We will all pay for this.” The old woman’s gray eyes darkened. “With our lives. Lucifer will—”

Dyre pushed off Pario and rammed into the old woman, pinning her to the wall. A darkness swelled deep within her chest. “
They
will pay for hurting me. The Council banished me.” She turned to Pario. “Where’s Agares?”

Pario looked at Evania, then at Dyre. “Dead. The Gatekeeper’s Mate, Sadie, killed him.”

More memories bombarded her, and she stumbled to the side. Everything was fractured. Bits and pieces of the last two centuries tumbled into her mind.

Yes. Dyre had helped Sadie escape. Agares had lied to Dyre. Used her when she’d done nothing but love him. No, it wasn’t love. She needed him. For what? For…power. He was going to bring her topside. To earth. Promised her freedom from Hades. Where she could roam freely, mingle with the humans. Find…someone to love.

“What’s wrong with her?” Pario asked Evania.

“Try processing two centuries of memories. It’s a little disconcerting, I’m sure.”

Another roar ripped through Dyre’s being, and it knocked her to her knees. “No. Agares.”

If he was gone, how would she get topside? Wait. Where was she? No steaming granite. No sulfur or orange sky.

“Where am I?”

“At our compound. I’ve cloaked our splice into earth.”

Hope sprang in her chest. She looked up and was met with Pario’s perfect face. She lunged at him and tackled his mouth. Teeth knocked.

He held tight, groping her as he’d always loved to do. She wanted to jump into him, feel him all over her, inside her, but something didn’t click. The warmth she’d felt seconds ago dissipated. Images of a blue-eyed stranger flashed on high speed through her mind.

She rolled off Pario and clutched her head. It felt as if it would split. A vision of Agares in his quarters claimed her conscious.

“Yvonne, you must follow through if I meet my end.”

“Anything to get topside.”

“I know, dear.”

“We have two of the Artifacts. The humans have yet to uncover the Ring of Episteme.”

“What’s it do?”

“Legend has it, the one who wears the ring can breach any creature’s mind. Hear thoughts, dreams, wishes. Has untold knowledge at his fingertips.”

“Lucifer.”

Agares caressed Dyre’s cheek. “Yes. Think of the knowledge we could gain if we could get into his mind. His heart’s desire.”

“Where his mate is hidden.”

He kissed her forehead and brushed her cheek with his. That was her favorite. The more contact the better. Her heart warmed. Only Agares showed such affection. Most of the other demons chided her for her silly ways.

“Where is the ring?”

“Essen. Deep caves on the outskirts of a small town.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve spliced to many sources with this.” He held up the Thata, then placed it in the golden trunk at the end of their bed. Oh, how she craved slipping beneath the covers with him, touching him all over. Cuddling.

Maybe he’d tell her of her human life again. She knew the story, had heard it hundreds of times, but vaguely remembered the transition.

“Wait. Where are the others?”

“In due time, Dyre.” He smiled. “Yvonne.”

She hugged him close, loving when he called her Yvonne. “Take me with you next time? I want to see earth.” Dyre knelt before Agares and held his hand. “Please, Master.”

He combed her hair back. “Soon. But first there is a task I trust to no one but you.”

“Anything.”

He grinned. “You’ll be greatly rewarded.”

“I won’t fail you.”

“I am going to test my theory and bring the Gatekeeper’s Mate here to our sanctuary. You must guard her for me.”

“Done.”

“You will rule by my side.”

The vision flashed to a female. Yes, the Gatekeeper’s Mate, Sadie. Wings. Power. Purity. It stung Dyre’s eyes but triggered a longing. A desire to be human again. To find love. The Shomrei spoke only of her Mate, Theophilus, and her need to get to him. Her love.

Dyre wanted that. Craved it.

Sadie tossed a book at Dyre. “Check out the last page there.”

Dyre flipped through the pages to find Agares’s deceit. He’d been cloaking Dyre with Sadie’s image as they made love. He had only ever wanted Sadie. To take her from Theophilus, to keep her as his own.

Anger raged through Dyre. Agares lied. He didn’t want her.

“Dyre!” Pario’s voice shattered the memory. “Son of Lucifer. Dyre!”

Her vision snapped into focus. Pario held on to her shoulders and shook her. Evania took her position beside the door again, her hands clutched at her chest, eyes wide. Fear wafted off her in tangible waves.

“Do you remember? Where are the Artifacts?”

Her lips tugged into a smile so wide it almost hurt. Hell yeah, she remembered, but she’d buy some time to plan a way to get free of him and claim what Agares had promised her.

And maybe get a little revenge on those demons that had tortured her so viciously.

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Die.” Justin stabbed the demon in the chest, wishing he could handle the Mavet dagger to send this filth to the underground for an eternity of pain.

Instead, he turned and swiped his blade across the neck. The head tilted to the side, and the creature vaporized to dust before it hit the ground.

A jab to his side drew his attention. Okay, it wasn’t a jab, it was a full-out stab by a dagger, but Justin didn’t feel much these days.

Only anger.

It’d been two months without Yvonne. No sign of her. No connection. No…nothing.

He clapped his hands over the demon’s ears and twisted. The sickening snap of the creature’s neck radiated through Justin’s fingers, and he smiled.

Theo buried the Mavet in the demon’s throat. “
Reverto ut Abyssus
.”

The creature’s ashes plumed, and Theo spun to Justin’s back. A circle of demons surrounded them. Some of them had escaped Hades, some hadn’t been there yet.

Didn’t matter, though, Justin would gladly fight them all.

“So young,” Theo said. “Some of these demons are but children.”

“Demons don’t discriminate.” But Theo was right. Some of these guys were only twelve or thirteen years old. How does this happen?

“We’re obviously getting close to the compound.” Theo advanced on three of the older ones. “These are mine.”

Justin pushed off Theo and kicked out the knee of one demon lunging, then spun and swiped the legs out from another. Damn, they didn’t even know martial arts. Two swift passes of the blade and heads rolled.

He snagged a younger demon by the ponytail and yanked him back. Snow fell around them, and the frigid Colorado air zipped through Justin’s thin coat. “Theo, you about done?”

A growl ripped through the falling snowflakes. After what felt like an eternity, Theo’s broad frame breached the blanket of snow. “Thanks for helping, brother.”

“I thought we were past you needing me to hold your hand through a vanquish,” Justin teased. “I got one here. Care to practice your torture techniques?”

The tiny demon flinched and snapped at Justin’s hand. “Hey, now, fledgling. We can strike a deal.”

The kid growled.

A twinge ran up the side of Justin’s body. The blade that’d gotten him sure went deep. At least it wasn’t poisoned. He’d caught a few of those over the past two months.

“Come on. We’ll take him to the compound,” Theo said, reaching for the two of them. “Got a nice, comfy torture room made specifically for you, boy.”

In a flash, they landed on the third subterranean story of the compound in Arizona.

“Justin.” Halena ran to him. “Shit.”

“How’d your splice go?” Theo asked Halena as he guided the demon to a cell, dodging a few snaps of the fangs.

“Sit down.” Halena guided Justin toward a chair in the corner of the room.

A chill settled over him, but when she clapped her hand on his side, a blast of pain roared through him. “Damn it, Halena!”

There was nothing gentle about her.

“
Branleur
. You’re so reckless. You’re going to get yourself killed.”

He didn’t care. Yvonne was gone, and he no longer bore the Ahavah Mark, so she was probably dead. And if he were being honest with himself, he wouldn’t mind joining her.

“You would leave Theo like that?”

Damn Gatekeeper mind-reading! “He has Sadie. He’s fine.”

Halena slapped his face with enough force that he smacked the side of the chair, his head swiveled so much.

“What the hell?”

“You selfish son of a bitch.” She stomped out of the room. “
Casse-toi!
”

“That woman is nuts.” He stretched his side. But she sure could heal fast.

Theo shook his head.

“What?”

“You’re a total idiot.”

“Look. I know she had a crush on me, but come on, she’ll get her Mate someday. Why muck that up?” Not that he’d even consider anything with that crazy French chick.

“She believes in Mates about as much as you do—
er
—did.” Theo’s head hung low. “I’m sorry.”

So was Justin. Sorry for letting his heart open to someone. For having a taste of what a Mate would be like, then having it ripped away. He never should have tried it. He’d known from the day he learned about Shomrei Mates that he wasn’t meant to have one. What he had with Yvonne was a ruse. A fluke.

Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that.

“Start working that idiot over already. I want some answers as to where those Artifacts are.”

Theo held Justin’s gaze for several long breaths before he turned toward the cell. “So it’s about the Artifacts now, not finding
her
.”

“She’s gone. Dead for all I know, Theo. The lack of a Mark on my neck is proof of that.”

So, hell yeah, it was about the Artifacts and demons. He’d kill each and every creature he found until he got his hands on those Artifacts. He owed Yvonne at least that for letting her go. Letting her walk straight into death.

Hell, he might even use one of the Artifacts to splice to Lucifer himself. Maybe even to The Great One, to get some freaking answers.

“I’ll work him over. Go chill out. Punch a bag or something. Your anger is working
me
over.”

That sounded good. Kicking the shit out of a bag was exactly what he needed.

Five minutes later, Justin barged through the gym doorway. Too bad Halena was there, pummeling the very bag he wanted.

“Isn’t it time you go home yet?” he snapped.

“When Theo thinks we’ve cleaned up America enough, I’ll be in the first splice home.” She didn’t take her concentration off the bag, but Justin could tell she kept him in her sights.

She always did.

“Fine.” He trained his focus on the punching bag hanging from the ceiling a few feet away.

They pounded their invisible demons for over twenty minutes in silence. Sweat dribbled down his face, and he went to give his bag a final punch when a hard shoulder met his side, cracking ribs.

“You’re an ass, you know that?” Halena rolled off him and hopped to her feet.

Justin did the same. “Bring it, bitch.”

She spun, then ducked and kicked out Justin’s knee. He fell to the ground but palmed the floor and kicked up his foot, catching her in the stomach.

Rebounding off the wall and into the air, she came down hard on his shoulder with her elbow, then grabbed his hand and, with a hard tug, flipped him over her shoulder.

Damn Gatekeepers were so fucking strong. Even the chicks.

The wind whooshed out of him as he landed on his back. In a flash, Halena straddled him, her hand to his neck.

“You better snap out of this funk before you get yourself killed. Or is that what you’re trying to do?”

“Maybe.” Justin resigned to her power, arms out to the side.

She didn’t let up on her grip. “And you’d leave Theophilus without a Companion. You’re the most selfish bastard I’ve ever met. You insult Shomrei and all we stand for.”

That stung, but he couldn’t deny it. He knew he’d lost his honor. First, he’d fallen in love with a freaking demon. Then gave her up to save his Gatekeeper. And now he was…alone.

“He’ll survive. He has Sadie.”

Tears spilled over Halena’s bottom eyelids and dropped onto Justin’s cheek. “But he won’t have you.”

She slapped his face and jumped off.

Seeing the tough woman cry rattled him. He didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t move. She showed him her back.

“Everyone thinks Gatekeepers are so strong. We are, physically, some of the strongest beings in existence besides the archangels, but we have our weaknesses, Justin.” She scrubbed her face with her hands. “Mates are one of them, as far as I’m concerned.”

He sat up, saying nothing.

“But mostly, it’s our Companions. We’re responsible for them, and if we’re not there to heal them, they die, leaving us alone.”

She’d been Companionless for centuries.

“I wasn’t there for mine,” she said, still not looking at him. “She’d been trying to save me, and how did I repay her? By letting her die.”

“Halena.”

“No. You’ll listen to me.” She whirled around. “I’ve never been the same since she left me. Since I’ve been without her. There’s a void. Not a romantic one, but a…sister.
My
sister. A part of me gone.”

That explained a lot about Halena.

“How’d she die?”

“I was taken. Since I’ve no Mate, I couldn’t be killed. But demons, they can play with the best of them. They drew out my Companion by hurting me. They know Companions will do about anything for their Gatekeepers, even if it means sacrificing themselves. Drucilla did exactly that. Went looking for me, and demons got her.”

“Why?”

“Because even the demons know that when a Gatekeeper loses her Companion, she’s never the same. Still physically strong, but mentally weaker. Not as organized, focused.”

But Halena seemed hyperfocused. No—more like disturbedly focused. Beyond the normal. Dysfunctional.

“I failed Drucilla. I will
not
let you fail Theo.” She charged him again. “Now shape up, or I’m going to kick your ass!”

She’d pretty much already done that, but he conceded. “I hear ya. Jeez.” He stood, seeing her in a different light. Losing her Companion so many years ago had deeply affected her, but she didn’t have a Mate as Theo did. He’d survive if he lost Justin. He’d be fine.

“Does Theo know about Drucilla?”

“Of course he does.” She shook out her hand. “
Merde
. You have an iron jaw.”

“You have your Mavet daggers; I have my iron jaw.”

She held his gaze for a long breath. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, but he wasn’t even close to being okay.

He’d never be okay again. While his focus changed to fighting demons and finding the Artifacts, he had a spark of hope that he’d find Yvonne on one of these raids. It was stupid, but for some reason, he couldn’t let it go.

Halena stepped closer. “J—would you ever…” She lasered him with a stare. “Consider me?”

He almost choked on his breath.

“Your Mark is gone.” She bit her lip. “I could take care of you. Be there for you like a Mate. So neither of us is alone anymore.”

“Halena.”

“Just think about it.” She smiled.

She really was pretty and loyal. Tough and honorable. She’d never betray him.

It didn’t work that way, though. One Mate only. Forever. Of course, he was the first case recorded of a Shomrei losing his Ahavah Mark, so maybe that meant he was supposed to consider another. He wasn’t sure what The Great One’s will was. All he knew was that he felt totally and completely lost, and the only thing that didn’t feel wrong was staying loyal to Yvonne.

Justin jabbed his fingers into his sweat-dampened hair, toying with Halena’s offer. This vulnerable side of her caught him by surprise.

“And when your Ahavah is marked? Then what?” Justin asked.

“I won’t be marked.”

“I thought that myself, too. Remember?” He paced away from the dominating Shomrei. Standing too close to her scrambled his thoughts into an unrecognizable mess.

“What if you’re my Ahavah?” she whispered.

Surely she had to be joking. Never in the history of Shomrei warriors had a Companion been a Gatekeeper’s Mate.

“Things are changing in our world. You never know.” She backed away. “Something to think about. If anything, we’d be comfort for each other until we’re marked for our Ahavahs.”

She pushed through the door and stole out of the room, leaving him more confused than he’d ever been.

Would he be marked again? Get a new Ahavah?

But would he ever want anyone the way he wanted Yvonne?