Laying back against the gravel, rain pelted my face with relentless and accusatory drops. The only thing I was grateful for was the absence of my girl. I’d have thrown myself over the steep cliff and ended it all if she’d been harmed.
The rush of agony that accompanied that thought left me gasping for breath. My mind rebelled with the painful knowledge that I pushed my Ari away. I screamed at her, hurled accusations, and forced her to leave my side.
Why was I always such a stubborn ass?
Twice now I’d known love and lost it, watched helpless as it was ripped from my grasp. There was nothing I could do about my mother’s death. I would always miss her, and I needed to accept that some things were out of my control.
Not Ari. I’d messed that up all on my own.
My heart broke at the thought that I had given her everything and then yanked it cruelly away.
For the first time in my life, I closed my eyes and prayed.
“Please, God, if you can hear me. Give me one more chance with my Ari, please,” I begged, my head rolling to the side as my vision blurred.
“Please give me a second chance . . .”
11
Ari
I was lost.
Running until I could no longer take another step, I slipped down the side of a ravine and landed with a thud in the middle of an aqueduct. The muddy trench provided a slick downward spiral as my body rolled to a painful stop. A muffled groan escaped my lips as I lifted my head and winced. My left arm was pinned beneath me at an awkward angle while my shirt had practically been torn off during the descent. The tattered remnants were now bunched up around my bra. Something sharp had pierced my right side and was protruding from a puncture below my ribcage.
A thick wooden stick bobbed up and down as I breathed and rolled over, a funny gurgling sound coming from my lungs. Agony pierced every square inch of my body as my trembling fingers yanked out the offending piece of wood. Something thick and sticky trickled through my fingers as I fought a sudden wave of nausea. In the low light of the streetlamps I realized it was my own blood.
Dizzy, I turned to the side and spit out the blood that filled my mouth, gagging at the metallic taste. Fighting the urge to close my eyes and sleep, I blinked through the raindrops that began to increase steadily over the last few minutes. I was a muddy, bloody mess. Pressing into my side, I hoped to keep the blood loss minimal. Dying here wasn’t acceptable.
It wasn’t until I heard a familiar voice that I realized I was in big trouble.
“Not quite what you expected, is it honey?”
I jerked to the right and moaned, not caring if the witch showed up to gloat. She was the last person I wanted to see. Even now, my only desire was to reunite with Evan. If I could have just one more chance to explain. Maybe I could convince him I wasn’t a liar.
A wicked smile curved her lips as she sauntered forward. “Worried about your human lover?”
I didn’t bother replying as I inched my way backwards, avoiding her as she advanced.
“Funny thing, little daemon princess. Your precious Evan lies dying in a ditch.”
Nooooooo, I nearly screamed as the thought echoed in my head. “You lie.”
Ursal’s look of pleasure caused my gut to churn as she began to swirl her hand in a wide circle, gaining momentum as flashes of light pulsed around the edges. A violet mist rose from the ground and encompassed the circle until it appeared smooth as glass. A mirrored surface rippled and then stilled as I gazed through the mystical ball. Electric charges crackled and jumped sporadically, puffing as they disappeared.
I could see with perfect clarity.
Evan’s motorcycle was crashed into a tree as my gaze swept over the broken pieces of headlight, crushed metal, and dented gas tank. Debris led a trail to a body on the ground as rain bounced off the leather jacket, dark hair, and angular jaw of the man I loved. He was unconscious.
“Evan!” I screamed, trying to move but unable to go far as the blood trickled through my fingers and dripped faster.
Ursal cackled as she waved her hand and the image disappeared. In its stead were my brothers and father as they argued. The voices grew louder and more distinct as they begged my father to intervene and bring me home. His head fell forward into his strong hands as he denied their request. My heart stuttered as I realized he didn’t care if I was suffering or dead. My brothers shook their heads and fell silent.
I was on my own.
“See? There is nothing left for you anymore. No family. No lover. No one who cares whether you live or die.”
Crying out with the truth of that statement, I stopped trying to retreat. My human body was on the verge of collapse. I wouldn’t last much longer.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked, confused why she was making so much effort to ensure my misery.
A cruel smile edged her lips. “Your father lied to you about your origin. Your mother didn’t die when you were a child. She was a powerful being that rivaled the Dresh in her abilities.”
My mother? What did my mother have to do with anything? “You speak in riddles.”
“I will end you just as I destroyed her so many years ago.”
Rigid with shock, I blinked, horrified at her revelation. “That’s not true.”
“Oh, but it is. You see, your bloodline isn’t only daemon, princess. Your mother was a cambion.”
A cambion? Both human and daemon? No wonder I was always drawn to the surface world. I was half human!
“If that’s true, why did you destroy her? The Dresh don’t care about human matters.”
“She was a threat,” Ursal sneered, “a pathetic woman who wanted to unite the two races and create a treaty among our kind. She married your father to secure her high position and then when opposed, killed my sister!”
“I don’t believe you!” I shouted, fighting another wave of nausea.
“You are a fool, even more pathetic than your mother.”
“How can you be so cruel?” I demanded, trying to rise to my knees as I staggered, determined not to die at her hands. Lightheaded, I swayed for several seconds.
“I won’t have my rule challenged!” She roared. “I control the Dresh and the daemons. No one else!” Spittle flew from her mouth as she raged, droning on about how my mother was going to expose her corruption.
The horrific truth sank in more with every second that dragged by, my awareness coming full circle as I realized she meant to kill me. Right now. She would never admit to such atrocities unless she planned to erase any witnesses.
This was the end. My last minutes to live.
Tears filled my eyes as I thought of Evan. He was my only regret.
Ursal bolted forward and grabbed my arm. A swirling vortex consumed and encompassed my body until I stood in front of a cell door. The black iron bars opened as I was shoved inside.
I fell to the floor and landed in a murky puddle of slime. Something was hunched over inside and lumpy as it remained in the corner. By the rotten stench I could tell it was dead long before I arrived.
Ursal smiled as she waved her hand. In an instant I was healed. No pain. No blood seeping from my wounds. Full health had been restored in the amount of time it took for me to inhale a breath.
Furious, I slammed my hand against the bars. “You had this power all along. You could have given me humanity without ever using a draught!”
The smile that curved her lips was so devious, so cunning that I took a step back. “Yes, little daemon.” She moved close enough to touch the metal bars as I gulped, terrified of her power. “And I intend to make you suffer before this is all over.”
Falling to my knees, I buried my face in my hands and cried. When she returned, I would be tortured until she finally took my life.
“Ari?” Vraul appeared next to my side and pulled me into his chest. “What happened?”
Raising tearful eyes to his own, I gave a short version of the events since I drank that last draught. Vraul listened to every wor
d I said and when I got to the part where Evan didn’t believe me and kicked me out of his house, Vraul pulled away with a growl.
“I will end him.”
“No, Vraul, you don’t understand.” I finished the tale with Ursal and her betrayal.
Vraul was pacing the cell, snarling and grumbling under his breath. “This is unacceptable. Your father must be told.”
“No,” I stated coldly.
“He can intervene. Your brothers –”
“No, Vraul.”
He spun and I lifted my hands to his face, my fingers trembling. “I need you to save Evan. He’s dying. I don’t even know if he’s alive, but I need you to do this for me, please,” I begged.
Vraul placed his hands over my own. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“You must. I can’t live with the knowledge that he may die. Please, don’t fail me.”
He sighed, his voice full of emotion as he answered. “If you insist, I will.”
“Save him, Vraul. Please, it’s the last thing I’ll ever ask of you.” I kissed his cheek. “Hurry, I may be dead before you return.”
Stricken and panicked, Vraul left me in the cell to grant my last request.
12
Evan
“Human,” a deep voice demanded, “rise.”
My eyes flew open as I felt heat infusing my body. The waves of energy seeped down into every crevice in my body until my muscles jolted, once, twice, and then I was on my feet. Every ounce of pain was gone. No injuries. No blood.
I was fully healed.
Eyes wide in shock, I turned to the stranger who seemed more disgusted than happy I was on my feet. “Ari asked me to retrieve you. We need to hurry.”
“Wait, who are you?”
He mumbled under his breath and turned to me with a snarl. “You are not worthy of the princess. Why she loves you, I will never know.”
Princess?
“Dude, you’re delusional.”
He snorted and grabbed my arm, stepping into a swirling vortex of fire and flames that ignited my flesh in a burning cacophony of singeing agony. It only lasted a few seconds, but I groaned as we left the flames to enter a dark void. Stumbling, I nearly fell flat on my face.
“Humans,” he muttered, “so fragile. It’s revolting.”
“What are you?” I asked, realizing that I had probably lost my damn mind.
“A daemon.” He stood a little straighter. “The Daemon of Masochism.”
Arching a brow, I backed away. “Dude, I don’t play for both sides of the team.”
He narrowed his eyes and then a deep chuckle rumbled from his chest. “You humor me. I guess that’s good because I can’t stop thinking how I’d like to torture with all my tools.”
I decided not to reply to that. Opening my mouth to ask where Ari was, he beat me to it.
“We don’t have much time. Ari is located down the next row of cells.”
Cells? Why was my girl locked in jail cell? “What the hell?”
“Human, you are in Hell. Try to have a little respect for what you do not know.”
“No shit?” I asked, trying to peer into the cells we passed. Something long and hairy reached through the bars and tried to grab me as I sped up and walked next to the big daemon. “You have a name?”
“Vraul.”
“I’m Evan, Ari’s boyfriend.”
His eyes locked on mine, fury held within his gaze. “That remains to be seen. You must be worthy of her. She is everything.”
We stopped in front of a cell, but the door was already open. Vraul roared a deep cry that shook the rocky dark walls that surrounded us. Even the metal bars seemed to whine in response.
“What is it?”
“She’s gone. We must hurry to the arena.”
The arena? What was happening?
I didn’t have time for answers as we disappeared into another wall of fire and reappeared in a room filled with roman gladiator type clothing and weapons. Vraul grabbed various pieces of armor and began to clasp them around my body as I protested. Seconds later he thrust a shield and a curved blade into my hand.
“You are now thrax. Save your princess and restore her honor. Fight to the death. It’s the only way you leave the arena pits alive.”
I opened my mouth as a thousand questions ran through my mind. Only one thing was important. “Can I save her?”
“Yes, I believe so. Hurry, Evan. She doesn’t have long.”
When he transported me this time I wasn’t disoriented by the Hellfire. Taking a deep breath, I scanned the area as the metal gate in front of me opened. The lift reached the top and I knew it was time. Running through the opening as a sense of urgency propelled me forward, I tried to focus on my task. Gladiators were fighting all over the arena as wild beasts and animals joined in the bloodthirsty fight. Blood spurted as they hacked away at one another. All were eager to win their freedom.
At the exact opposite end from where I stood Ari’s honey blonde hair shone in the amber flicker of the flames that crawled up the walls and lit up the pit. Hellfire illuminated the epic fight between warriors as I bolted forward. My only objective was reaching Ari. I’d do what I had to in order to reach her side.
A brawny male jumped in front of me and swung his trident as I jumped backward and narrowly missed spilling my entrails upon the rocky ground. His net swung in a wide arc and I slashed through the material with my sword, catching him off guard. Without a second thought, I plunged the sword through his side and pulled it free, lunging forward as I ran faster toward Ari.
She was too far away to hear me.
The snarls and growls of the gladiators were drowned out by the roar of the crowd as they cheered on their favorites and chanted “death” to those they wished to see perish. I was stopped so many times I despaired that I would ever reach her. My girl was holding her own, brandishing a sleek set of blades as she spun, slicing through her attackers with quick and vicious movements.
The dual wield was sexy as hell and I felt pride surge within my chest.
“Ari!” I yelled, close enough to hope she heard me.
Her body stilled and then her head turned, her eyes meeting mine with a quickness that stole my breath. “Evan!”
We renewed our efforts, each of us locked in a desperate battle to reach the other.
Merely yards away I was shocked when a ferocious beast swiped through the air, the claws slicing into my armor and ripping the chest piece away. Thin strips of blood rose to the surface of my skin as I stared, shocked to see my blood trickling down my chest. Another claw shredded the side of my face as I fell to my knees, the crowd roaring and chanting for my death.
A horrified scream echoed throughout the arena as Ari’s blades swiped through the air, moving so fast I never saw the blades move but witnessed the dismemberment of the beast as it fell in a dozen pieces to the ground. A river of blood seemed to flow beside me as the bodies piled up.
“Evan!”
Ari was in front of me, tears falling freely down her pretty face as she cried, begging for mercy.
“You can’t die on me, not now. Please, Evan. I love you!”
My brain was fuzzy, but my heart was full. Pulling her close, I pressed my lips to hers and knew if my death occurred, I’d never regret my last seconds were spent in one final passionate kiss.
“I love you, my Ari. I never stopped,” I whispered, pain seizing my body as I groaned. “I never will.”
Ari
* * *
“What a lovely reunion.”
Ursal appeared in front of us as the arena darkened and the other spectators, gladiators, beasts, and dead disappeared. It was all an elaborate lie. My father sat with the High Court and watched the proceedings, his face a mask without emotion. Off to the right, grumbling against the atrocity of the last few minutes, my brothers stood unable to intervene.
“This Court has seen her elaborate ruse. The princess you all revere is nothing but a traitor. She gives up her legacy, her her
itage, and her bloodline for a pitiful human. She forsakes you all.”
Evan was next to my side, weakened but not dead. Ursal would keep him healthy long enough to exact her revenge. He reached for my hand and intertwined our fingers, gripping tight.
“Whatever happens, Ari, I’m here. Now and always.”
His whispered words were a knife to my heart. They sealed his doom. “Evan, you can’t stay here. Declare you will return to the surface world and leave me behind forever.”
“No,” he argued, “don’t ask me.”
“It doesn’t change how I feel but you can’t do this. You have to live. I need to know you’ll survive.”
“No,” he yelled, yanking me close. “I pledge my life, my love, my soul to you, Ari. Without you, I seek to exist. It doesn’t matter where I am, leaving you would kill me.”
My head fell as I gripped him with desperate hands. He would be sentenced by the Court, tried for crimes he never knew existed. He would be accused, found guilty, and executed for daring to love a daemon. “Please,” I choked, “don’t throw your life away.”
Tilting my chin up, Evan smiled. “I haven’t. Loving you has set me free.”
Fat tears rolled down my cheeks. I was too choked up to respond.
“I already told you, Ari,” he whispered as his gaze burned into mine, “I’d die to protect you and I’d die for you. You’re the only thing that matters.”
Ursal lifted a hand and we were separated, torn apart as she addressed the Court. “You hear by his own admission. The human must die. He’s been exposed to our world. The rules are explicit. No humans are allowed to know of our existence.”
She’d found her loophole, the brutal way she would torture me for all eternity.
“Furthermore, I seek to uphold the custom of the Dresh. The princess must be turned over into my custody for rehabilitation.”
Kingdom of Salt and Sirens Page 66
