Soul Unleashed (Key to the Cursed Book 4) (3 page)

Kit stood frozen, uncertain as to what just
happened. She had never seen Kamen so unraveled or aggressive for that matter.
Not that he didn’t have the potential to be. The male was a grenade with a bent
pin. He was the epitome of a stuffy control freak but underneath stirred
something quite dangerous. By the looks of it she had finally pulled the
trigger.

She stepped closer to the door. His powerful
essence remained planted on the other side. What would he do if she opened it?
Bend her over his knee and spank her? Her internal sarcasm only placed a
picture in her head that made her heart race. She traced the ornate carvings to
the handle. A tickle of excitement stirred in her belly. Her nastiness finally
got under his skin but had the complete opposite effect. He was not going away
but remained there like a god damn cow in the road. Even now, as furious as he
was with her, he stood unmoving on the other side of the door.

Did he think she would run again? Defy his orders?
A part of her wanted to yank the door open and cuss him out. Who was he to boss
her around?

The other part craved to grab him and kiss him.
Imagine those large hands pinning her hips to the mattress. Those were the
feelings she was trying to avoid but had been building over the last several
months. The very reason she was acting like a royal bitch.

She fisted her hand, remembering the reasons why.
She couldn’t falter.

It was for everyone’s safety.

“Katherine.”

Kit whipped around to confront the source of the
musical voice, regretting instantly she hadn’t opened the door. “What are you
doing
here
?”

“We have avoided each other long enough. It is
time we talked about your future.”

She glared at her mother with a level of hatred
greater than she reserved for her father. “We both know there is
no
future.”

The Mother Goddess looked away and fidgeted with the
gold belt of her gown, not unlike Lilly when she was nervous. In fact Lilly
might as well be their mother’s twin with flowing blonde hair and green eyes.
Kendra had inherited the full curls and small features. Kit would gladly trade
her nightmare of a gift for bigger boobs.

“I am doing everything in my power to not let that
happen.” Her mother walked towards her. “It is the very reason, you, Lilly and
Kendra exist.”

“Is that the only reason?” Kit asked, furious she
and her sisters were nothing more than a plan B for the end of the world. Not
to mention, their father.

“No.” Her mother stopped a few feet away. “You are
this world’s hope.”

“You are in denial,
Mother
.”

Mother Goddess sighed. “We will fail if you do not
transition.”

“Well, it’s not going to happen.” Kit stalked past
her mother to the bathroom. She yanked off her wet boots and uniform and threw
them in the corner. 

Her mother floated into the room and held out a
towel.

Kit ignored the offer in favor of new clothes from
the bureau. She struggled to pull her new leather pants over her damp skin.

“What did you see, Katherine?”

“What haven’t I?” Kit spat. She was barely twelve
when the visions first appeared. Relentless to the point Kit thought she was
schizophrenic. Her father never told them of their heritage, even when Kit
would run crying to her father about her disturbing visions. Day dreams, he
would call them. There was nothing dreamy about any of them. Horrifying, in
fact.

Blood. Carnage. Death.

“It pained me to see you suffering. I am sorry for
that.”

Kit choked out a laugh. “You’re sorry? Sorry, that
I had to relive my father’s death over and over.” Her first vision was her father’s
death and subsequent resurrection into a reven, an undead monster with a
craving for human flesh and blood. “I was twelve, damn it!” She slammed the bureau’s
door shut and pulled her top down.

“I know this is hard to understand, but your gifts
will aid the war.”

“Gift
s
?” Kit gasped. The one she had was
bad enough. It sickened her to think her mother had given her more than
nightmares. All the more reason
not
to transition into a demi-god. Lilly’s
gift of healing and Kendra’s gift of magic and touch only strengthened
after
their transition. Fear rippled through Kit, thinking of the horrible
possibilities.

“We are done talking.” Kit headed for the door,
knowing her mother would refuse to leave.

“What I did was to protect you?”

Kit paused with the door ajar. “Protect us?” She
growled and looked over her shoulder. “Have you not seen what this war has done
to us? I have a fucking snake imbedded in my back. Thousands have died under
the reven curse. Our father—” Kit’s voice broke.

Her mother held out her arms.

“No! You weren’t there to see him suffer. Become
something Lilly was forced to kill.” Kit couldn’t get the image of her father’s
red eyes and mottled gray skin out of her head. Or, the other humans he had
attacked and infected with the undead curse. Her father had been the first to
fall ill when he and Lilly opened the goddess Kepi’s tomb. Kit had seen it
coming, but her father refused to heed her warning.

“Katherine, please. Your father sacrificed himself
to save this world. You must not let his soul and the souls of the cursed
languish.”

“How do you expect me to do that, exactly?”

“Lead them home. Save their souls.”

Lead them? How the hell was she supposed to do
that? They were cursed. Doomed never to reach the afterlife. Kit couldn’t be
the one. “It is too late to save them.”

Kit slipped out into the hall, surprised to see it
empty of her sentry. Her bare feet gained traction on the rough stone floor as
she searched for a place to escape. She eyed the beach but thought better of
it. Backing away, she ran the other direction to the one door just as
unwelcoming.

Silence greeted her ears. Nothing moved on the other
side. Maybe he left on some errand for Asar. The sound of the door opening down
the hall had her grabbing for the handle. The room was pitch black. She turned
and carefully closed the door behind her. It took only a few moments for her
vision to adjust. Her mother’s aura crept across the floor beneath the gap of
the door. Kit back peddled across the room as the glow grew brighter.

Fearing her mother would barge in any moment, Kit
slid down against the wall and pulled her knees to her chest. The pressure to
conform to her mother’s wishes bore down upon her shoulders. The eclipse was
less than a month away. Time was running out.

Kit had to find a way to make this all stop.
Unlike her father who met his fate, she would give hers the finger. Gods
decreed fate—well, fuck them. The gods had done a pretty shitty job protecting
the human realm. Maybe it was time for humans to decide their own fate.

The glow receded and disappeared back into the
hallway. Kit blew out a breath. Escaping out the gates was looking better and
better, but even Kit knew that path was more treacherous than the one facing
her here in the palace. Someone or something had called her name from the deck
of that boat floating beyond the gates.

How did it fit into her vision? She had thirty
days to find out.

And, stop it.

A night of reflection in the chamber had given
Kamen the time to rebalance his energy. The ache in his chest and back had
dissipated to the point power flowed through his veins and muscles. He clenched
his hands. The rush of strength was worth all the pain he suffered the day
prior. He shifted the lock and jogged the staircase to the bathroom. Like a
million times before, he rolled the stone back into place.

The scent of roses floated in the air. He jerked
his head to stare out through the doorway. The scent was far too strong to be
out in the hall.

He stalked into the bedroom. With a wave of his
hand he ignited the torches on the wall. An extra blanket was tossed, not
folded, as was usual onto the chaise. The duvet cover was ruffled in the center
of his bed. He ran his palm over the still warm fabric. Lifting the pillow to
his nose, he inhaled a bouquet of sweet sunshine.

He straightened the covers, removing all the
wrinkles, and folded the blanket. He swept the room. Besides the bed,
everything was in its place. He could not fathom the reason for Kit’s visit or
the fact she had slept in his bed. Then again, her behavior was becoming more
erratic, not unlike his own. At least his head was clearer today. His control
solid, as if it never failed him. He was going to need it.

Kit would find a new way to test him. Her invasion
of his privacy was just the beginning of her games. He headed towards Asar’s office,
scanning Kit’s room as he passed. Empty. He slowed his walk and stared out over
the veranda’s wall to the beach. She would not dare, would she?

He shook his head and continued on his way. Asar’s
office door opened and Siya stepped out. Kamen stopped as the goddess sized him
up.

“They are not here.” She squared off.

Kamen stared past her shoulder into the office.
The gold chair sat empty. He scanned the palace. Warriors roved in groups of
six around the perimeter. Bomani was with Kendra in the archive. “Where have
they gone?”

“To the Nehebkau base to unpack a weapons’ shipment.”
Siya rubbed her swollen belly.

“Weapons? A shipment arrived today?”

“No, it arrived sometime yesterday. A day earlier
than expected. They rushed off this morning to get it unloaded.”

Kamen frowned, irritated they left without him.
Not to mention, Kit very well may
not
have been lying. “Thank you,” he
said, turning to leave.

“Kamen.” Siya grasped his forearm.

Tension coiled the minute her hand made contact.
Instinct and demon blood did not mix. “Careful,” he said as gently as possible.

She released her grasp but did not back away. “Listen,
we do not need to like each other, but I need to know where your loyalties lie.”

“Mine? What of yours?” He leveled his stare at
her, angered she would even question his constitution. He had millenniums of
service to Asar. Siya, daughter of Menthu, had less than thirty days.

“I have, unlike you, always served the Mother
Goddess,” she countered.

Despite her maternal state, she was just as lethal
and volatile. Bold and direct was her nature, not unlike his own. He and Siya had
more in common than he would like to admit. Control was always an issue for
both of them. The demons always wanted to be set free.

Kamen forced himself to relax. “I serve only Asar.
You need not worry.”

“Do I?” Her arms tightened around her belly.

Kamen narrowed his gaze upon her. True concern
laced her light green eyes. Her fear was not for herself or the Underworld, but
the growing child.

“I lost consciousness several times. Anything
could have happened during that time.” Siya cleared her throat and looked away.
Captured by her father she was tortured by Nebt. Siravants surrounded her and
fed off her misery. All tainted with the Dark Lord’s blood.

Other than Asar, no one dared ask Kamen to use his
gift outside of the chamber. It was too dangerous. Siya’s demon blood was one
thing. Shit, all the Underworlder’s were part demon, but Apep was evil in its
most potent form. Undiluted wickedness.

“I do not think it wise without Bomani here.”

“Bomani need not know.” Her eyes strayed to the
library doors at the far end of the hallway. “I fear what he would do if the
baby is—compromised.”

His nephew, Bomani, was a born guardian in the
most extreme form. Half god. Half dark warrior. Their child had prophetic
significance. The first of its kind, created by two half-bloods. A blending of
their worlds. Bomani would charge head long into trouble to enact his
vengeance.

Kamen glanced up and down the hall. It was
forbidden to touch a mated goddess. He swore under his breath and placed his
palm over her abdomen. He closed his eyes and focused on the blood flowing in
and around the baby. Siya’s demon blood resonated through his fingertips. He
found the rapidly pounding pulse. Siya’s power muted his ability to sense the
evil,
if
it was present.

The baby definitely shared its mother’s blood,
bitter, but absent of the stench of death.
For now.

Apep’s evil could be insidious, like cancer.
Starting small and then slowly spreading. Before the gods knew what had
happened, their souls were owned by the Dark Lord. Kamen’s thoughts strayed to
Nebt and her descent into darkness. She had betrayed the Underworld. Her
family. Her mate, Inpu. Kamen had been the one to pull the venom laced stakes
from Inpu’s arms and legs.

He pulled his hand away. “The baby shares your
blood. No other that I can sense.”

“Thank the gods. Although, I hoped it would be
spared of my curse.” Siya smiled weakly.

He nodded, understanding that more than he would
let on. He would go to great lengths to spare a child of his own curse by not
having any offspring. “If you will excuse me.” Asar had left without him and
did not ask him to watch over Kit.

“I am grateful Bomani did not give up on me, no
matter how hard I pushed him away.”

“That is good.” He turned to pass her, but she
stepped in his way.

“Sometimes when we fight our destiny, it comes
faster and darker than we want.”

“What are you saying exactly?”

“The fates will not be denied. Kit may think she
is determining her future, but the gods have already spoken for her.”

“And, what is that supposed to mean?”

“Something does not feel right. Apep is getting
closer.”

“Do you know something?”

“I wish I did, but Kit might.”

“Kit? What makes you think—”

“Kit has that same look on her face as her mother
whenever something bad is about to happen. My suggestion, do not let Kit out of
your sight.” The War Goddess turned and walked towards the library.

Kamen stared after her, stricken by the thought
Kit was in danger. Apep had made attempts on Lilly, Kendra and Siya.

And, then there was Set. His brother could not
refuse his mandate to battle Apep and deliver his precious cargo, just as Kamen
could not deny the beast. Yet, night after night, Set’s boat failed to arrive
at Aaru’s gates. The how and why had Kamen’s hackles on end, and then to find
Kit so close to the barrier between Aaru and Duat.

Unacceptable, all of it.

He dematerialized and reappeared in the shadows of
the Nehebkau warehouse. His skin blackened in the human realm as did every
Underworlder. A millennium’s old curse set by the Creation Pantheon as a
reminder the Underworld Pantheon did not belong among the living. Coldness
replaced the warmth. He was always careful to reveal himself so as not to scare
the humans. Despite several months in their presence, they still startled
easily when he appeared.

He followed Kit’s floral scent to a large lift
alongside one of the Nehebkau’s iron birds. Despite the over hundred huntresses
in the room, it took him less than a few seconds to target Kit. Long leather
clad legs stretched up to the round curve of her ass as she leaned over the
fifty caliber gun. Her snake marking dipped between two dimples before
disappearing below her belt line. She planted her foot against the lower rail
and pulled the wrench back.

Kamen had no use for the large flying machine.
Although, the aircraft’s weaponry packed a punch against the siravants,
effectively dropping the winged creatures from the sky. Apep’s minions were
something to be feared. In their true form, the siravants were lethal to a god
with a poisonous bite and talons to tear flesh. If the god survived the battle,
the poison would slowly settle in their soul, devouring them from the inside.
When they were not killing, the demons fed off the souls of the fallen. Worse
yet, they had the ability to possess gods and humans, infiltrating and
destroying from within.

He swept the hanger’s floor, looking for the one
that would make eye contact with him. Humans avoided his stare. Siravants had
no fear but for their master. Kit’s foul folly of expletives drew his gaze
upward. He dematerialized and reappeared next to her. He covered his hand
around the wrench she held and torqued the metal until the thick bolt seated in
place.

He slid his hand away, waiting for her rebuke as
to why he was here in her business. Her blue eyes raked over him but refused to
make eye contact. Instead of an offhanded comment, she handed him the wrench
and pointed at the five other bolts. “Do you mind?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned, her
irritation palpable in the small space between them. Instead of cussing him
out, she stewed. Not her usual manner, which sent a stab of guilt through his
chest. He had overstepped his bounds yesterday. His control was his
only
redeeming quality. For the first time, he lost it on many levels.

He was never good at words, let alone an apology. But
damn if he did not owe her one. He should have never touched her. He had forced
himself into the chamber fearful he would follow through with any one of the
numerous thoughts of Kit naked and spread out against her white sheets. To know
she had slept in his bed, threatened to undue his control once again or at
least leave him completely dumbfounded as to why.

Forcing those thoughts into a deep corner of his
mind, he gripped the wrench and tightened the last of the bolts. He permitted
himself to remain in close proximity to her long enough to complete the job.
Heat radiated off her body, burning his now cold skin. He was fully under the
spell of the Underworld’s ancient curse. Again, something he had no control
over. Sensing the shiver running down her body, he stepped away.

Regardless of the agony, he would fulfill his duty
to protect the Mother Goddess’ children. The only reason—the only acceptable
reason.

“Are you going to make me go back?” she asked,
wringing the grease laden red towel. Her knuckles whitened with each twist.

“That is not my decision,” Kamen replied. Unless
her life was directly threatened, he would do as assigned. He scanned the
warehouse and beyond but failed to sense his brother. Who had Asar left to
protect her? As part of the Nehebkau’s protection force, a platoon of warriors
were stationed throughout the warehouse. His gaze rested on a dark corner of
the room. Silver eyes flashed against the florescent lighting above.

Bakari
, Kamen sighed his relief. There were
few he would trust to protect Kit. The God of Death nodded and dematerialized.

Kamen turned his attention back to Kit. She stared
at him with those tortured blue eyes for a long moment. She threw the rag down
and walked down the steps, leaving him to stare after her and soak in her
lingering scent of roses.

Damn the gods.

He exhaled a breath and followed her. His eyes
swept the crowd of females, even among allies the enemy could be lurking.
Watching. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Kamen filtered through the
scents, looking for that distinct sour stench.

The women scurried out of his way. Their sins
tickled Kamen’s senses. Each of them had a past—the only ones desperate or crazy
enough signed up for initiation into the Nehebkau. Only
women
were
amenable to the spell that bound the powers of a snake to their soul. A second
chance for these wayward criminals. Or, a death sentence, considering what was
in store for all of them.

Lilly and Kit had been the first to undergo the
transformation to combat the revens. Immunity to the undead curse, strength, agility
and night vision were just a few of the perks,
if
the female survived
the initiation process. Kamen tracked the diamond patterned scales down Kit’s spine
beneath her small leather top. The snake chose the host. It had to be a
rattlesnake for Kit. She had sent him plenty of warnings to stay away. He was just
waiting for the moment she sank her teeth into him.

His cock twitched with the image in his head. Not
quite the response he should entertain. He forced his eyes away from the round
curve of her bottom swaying in front of him. Maybe his control was not as solid
has he thought. For the first time he was grateful for the Creation’s curse. It
provided a strong, more painful deterrent. Among all the women in this building
to arouse his libido, it had to be her. The only individual unintimidated,
correction—down right annoyed by his presence.

Despite what he was and the fear he instilled,
there were a few females who had been brave enough to seduce him. He shuddered
remembering the last attempt to have sex, millenniums ago. It had ended badly,
enough he took a vow of celibacy. Not by choice, but by the shear fact the
beast could not be control at high levels of carnal arousal. The thought alone
extinguished the ache in his groin and set a chill to his soul.

Ducking down into the narrow hallway, he trailed
his quarry. He hated being unaware of Asar’s location. The threat was too great
to leave his brother unprotected, but again Kamen’s orders were to stay at Kit’s
side. Kit entered the door to the right. He palmed the stick outline of a women
and followed her.