She moved the finger that still wore the dark one the demons had put on her hand.
He frowned. “No, that’s impossible. You had a gold ring. It looked the same as Blake’s, and I...”
You’ve got to be kidding me. He risked my eternal soul to try to get rid of Blake, so he could move in on his fiancé? This sorcerer just keeps getting worse.
“Blake and Lily have their rings. I have mine. You must have gotten mixed up.”
“I didn’t,” he said, shaking his head.
She leaned in and gave him a hug. “Why don’t you go home and get some rest?” Pulling back from him, she put her hand behind her back and gave a reassuring smile. “The stress gets to us all sometimes.”
His gaze went to Ryder.
Does he recognize him? Shit. I didn’t think about that.
“But—“
“Get some sleep, and that’s an order.”
He hesitated a moment longer, then muttered, “yes, ma’am.” Turning, he walked out the door of the classroom.
She let out the breath she was holding.
Ryder, to her surprise, was glaring.
“What?” she asked, feeling uncertain.
“Is there something going on between you two?”
Her mouth dropped open. “Rorde? He’s a student!”
“You hugged him.”
“To get his badge!” she exclaimed, holding it up.
His scowl deepened. “I don’t like seeing other men touching you.”
“But you don’t mind your brothers touching me?”
He walked slowly toward her like a predator.
A chill ran up her spine. Here’s the sexy man beneath his casual boy-next-door surface. She licked her lips, unable to look away from him.
Stopping just inches from her, he seemed to radiate a maleness that had her transfixed. “I like watching my brothers with you. It turns me on. But I don’t want to see another man touching you.”
She nodded, mesmerized as he leaned forward and kissed her so intensely that when he pulled back, she had to hold onto him or fall.
He chuckled. “Come on. Let’s get this over and done with, so I can fill your sweet ass with cum again.”
Wow, that’s... hot.
Nodding, she clipped the badge onto his broad chest, facing it the wrong way so that no one would realize it didn’t belong to him. Heading back into the hall, they passed a few students who cast Ryder curious glances, but seemed unconcerned as they saw a teacher leading him down the hall.
At the elevator, she typed in the private floor below the regular school building and the sensors scanned over them before it started down. Ryder said nothing, his expression guarded.
Something strange fluttered in her stomach. They’re tricking you! Her brain yelled, but she pushed the thought aside. Elaina would take the risk for her.
“What are Alec and Kade doing right now?” she asked, as the elevator dinged open.
“Arranging our new lives,” Ryder said, a slight smile touching his lips.
They walked side-by-side down the empty hall. “How are they planning on doing that?”
“We’ve decided to run a business. To invest in some stocks. To make use of our... talents.”
Why does that make me nervous?
“What talents? And where did you get all this money?”
He raised a brow as they stopped at the door to the map of the realms, and beyond that to the room with the portal door. “Level 10 demons can be very, very convincing.”
She froze, her fingers hovering over the control panel. “Is that why I’ve taken you here even though every logical thought is telling me not to?”
His brow rose. “Sharen, if we were secretly trying to trick you, would I tell you about our ability right at this moment?”
The truth tumbled past her lips. “I don’t know.”
He sighed. “There’s nothing more we want from the demon realm. If you want to walk away right now and forget about Elaina and just enjoy our lives together, we can do it. I’ll go in a heartbeat.”
Her hand trembled as she typed in the code. God, I hope I’m not wrong.
When they moved past the rows of chairs to the computer screen, she pulled up the strange spinning map of red, yellow, and green shapes. At first she moved through them slowly, watching his face as his gaze slid over them. But then, he pushed her hand aside and started spinning through the shapes faster and faster.
“There!” he said, abruptly stopping the screen.
A large red shape stared back at them.
“It’s labeled red.” She took a deep breath. “That means someone went in and decided it was too dangerous to go back in.”
“Or your superiors labeled it that way so no one would ever find Elaina.”
It made logical sense, but still, her stomach turned.
Everything about this is wrong. And yet, when she pictured her best friend, snorting when she laughed too hard, or screaming at a scary point in a cheesy horror movie, she knew she could never live with herself if she walked away now.
She memorized the realm’s number, went to the portal room, and typed in her code. When she entered the next area, she immediately grabbed her white suit and went behind the screen to change. Stripping down, the last thing she expected was to see Ryder appearing beside her.
She stifled a small shriek, but his gaze was locked on her naked body. Instantly, she felt herself heating up.
“Turn around,” he commanded.
There wasn’t time. “No, someone could come in. What we’re doing is—”
“I need to fuck you. To touch you. It’s the only way I can possibly let you go.” He paused. “Please.”
She shivered at the raw need in his voice.
“Turn around,” he commanded again.
Her nipples pebbled as she slowly turned around.
“Put your hands on the wall.”
She obeyed.
The sound of his zipper going down had her wet, needy. She spread her legs further apart and waited.
But she didn’t have to wait long.
He moved behind her, positioning the tip of his cock at her womanhood. At first he simply slid in her wetness, coating himself. She tried to hold herself still, but her entire body trembled.
And then, she heard the door to the portal room open.
Stiffening, she tried to turn around, but Ryder pressed her back into place.
Two voices, the familiar ones of the guards, came. They were arguing about some football game they’d bet on as they slowly circled the room.
She had to bite back a shocked scream as Ryder slowly slid into her womanhood from behind. One of his hands moved around to cover her mouth, while the other one teased her clit. He thrust in and out of her, faster and faster. Absolutely silent.
The fear of getting caught should have stopped her enjoyment, but for some reason, she only felt her body responding faster. The guards were feet from them, just on the other side of her screen, when she felt her orgasm coming to its peak.
Clenching her teeth together, she willed herself not to make a sound as her inner-muscles squeezed his cock so hard she felt him swell and cum. He continued to ride her, his hot seed driving her over the edge.
She came, silently, her orgasm shattering inside her body. Leaving her tingling and completely satisfied.
Collapsing against the wall with him still buried inside her, she listened as the room to the portal opened once more and then closed.
“Ryder, that was—“
“Incredible?” he nibbled her earlobe. “I know. Now, get dressed. We can’t get caught.”
“ME get us caught?” She swatted at him as he laughed and moved back into the room.
Scowling even though the sex had been incredible, she dressed quickly. Putting on the plain white shoes, dropping her ring in the bin, and grabbing her weapon.
She turned and stared at the large black demon-stone. All she had to do was draw the doorway and write the realm name
at the top, and she’d be on her way. To a demon realm. Alone. That was labeled dangerous.
I need to shut my damn thoughts down before they drive me crazy! “I guess it’s now or never.”
“None of us would blame you if you decided not to do this,” Ryder said, his voice no louder than a whisper.
She straightened her shoulders. “Don’t worry. I got this.”
“I know you do, but you can’t blame me for trying.”
Picking up a piece of chalk, she wrote the sweeping numbers and letters of the portal name, then drew the massive doorway. A second later, the portal opened, revealing dark crashing waves in the center.
Taking a deep breath, she moved forward.
Ryder caught her arm.
She looked back at his tortured expression. He wishes he was powerful enough to go with me, and still be able to return to the Earth.
So do I.
“You’re really sure about this?”
The concern in his eyes, no, the pure love in his eyes, erased all her doubts in one perfect moment. “I’m sure. I’ll be back. Promise.”
His hand dropped, curling into a fist. “I’ll wait right here.”
Turning, she gripped her weapon tighter, and stepped into a dangerous realm.
Alone.
Chapter Ten
Sharen stumbled out into the heat of the demon-realm. The awful feeling of going between realms left her feeling shaken, but she couldn’t let it slow her down. Instead, she armed her weapon with a powerful magical spell that burned black ancient symbols into her blade.
A spell few Hunters knew existed.
Reading does have its benefits. She thought with a humorless smile.
The arm’s length weapon almost hummed with magic, as if awakening from a deep slumber. In the light of the three suns, the edge of her blade looked extra sharp, and the dark glow that radiated from it gave it a nightmarish quality. She gripped the long hilt and moved it, rotating her arm as she gave herself a moment to grow accustom to it.
Feeling slightly more confident, she inched away from the portal opening. Breaking such an important rule feels wrong. I’m leaving the safety of the exit. Cutting myself off from escape. Opening myself up for possession.
Her stomach twisted. But I won’t let that happen.
Taking a deep breath, she wrinkled her nose. Sulfur scented the air, so strong she could taste it. Something I never get used to. Her gaze swept over her surroundings, looking for any signs of danger, but all was quiet.
She inched further, staring at the endless land that stretched before her. Between the oppressive heat and the three suns, bright mirages appeared to shimmer in the distance. The landscape was white, like every demon realm, but with more caves than usual carved into the hills. The white-bulbous plants that grew in bulbous tangles gave everything an alien quality.
The caves could mean a number of demons live here. Normal protocol would be to proceed slowly and cautiously. To not attract attention until all possible dangers have been identified.
But this isn’t a normal situation. If I follow protocol, I’ll never find Elaina in time.
And I could become lost.
She shuddered at just the thought. Without a team to slowly spread out from the portal site, getting lost was a real and very frightening possibility. The only thing she could do to have any hope of finding her friend in a place that stretched out in all directions was absolutely reckless.
Please don’t let this get me killed.
“Elaina!” she shouted into the silence. “Elaina!”
Moving slowly further and further from the portal, yet always keeping it in sight, she shouted her friends name over and over. Nothing moved. Nothing reacted to her voice.
And so, she shouted louder and louder.
Soon, she would either discover her demons had told the truth and find Elaina, or she’d bring whatever demons had been deemed too dangerous to fight right at her. She was taking a leap of faith, and for some reason, she wasn’t half as terrified as she should have been.
When she’d married her ex, she’d felt like marrying him was a leap of faith. She’d told herself that love wasn’t logical, and so she’d pushed every instinct to the side and married him anyway.
This time, however, fear told her that the demons had lied. Logic told her this was a trap. But her instincts? They told her that there was something real between them and her. And so, she was taking another leap of faith with love.
She hoped she wasn’t going to come crashing down yet again.
Nearly thirty minutes had passed, at least that’s how much she estimated, when she saw something stir from a cave forty feet or so in front of her. The entirely white creature moved slowly and strangely, half dragging itself toward her. She pointed her weapon at it and held her breath, watching as it moved closer and closer.
This was not a demon.
But she had no idea what it could be.
As it got closer, she caught sight of two bright blue eyes. Heart racing, she felt hope grow within her. When it was about ten feet away, she realized that it was indeed her friend, dusted in white powder.
Sharen felt tears choke her throat as she raced to her friend, and pulled her into her arms.
Elaina sobbed. “I didn’t think you’d come. I didn’t think they could convince you to trust them.”
She pet her friend’s matted hair, not caring when she felt tears sliding down her cheeks. “I’m here now. But we have to hurry, I’ve already been here far longer than protocol allows.”
Elaina pulled back, her own tears had made paths down her pale cheeks. She was far thinner than Sharen had remembered, her cheeks hollow, and her white dusted clothes were tattered and hanging off her tiny frame.
“Let’s go,” she said.
Sharen pointed her weapon in front of them and wrapped an arm under her friend’s waist. Elaina leaned heavily onto her.
“The food here,” her friend explained between pants, “pretty sure it’s toxic to humans.”
As they moved closer and closer to the portal, Elaina seemed to move faster. A small smile even curled her lips. But then, when they were just feet from it, the portal vanished.
“What the—?” Sharen stared at the empty space in disbelief.
Why?
Her logical thoughts filled her head with a roar. You stupid, stupid woman! You were the only one who knew they were demons! Of course they tricked you into their realm and sealed you in here! Now, you’ll both die here, and they’re free.
“I can’t believe—“ The ground began to shake beneath her feet. Sharen looked at her friend’s horror-stricken face. “What’s that?”
Elaina spoke, her voice filled with terror. “The demons.”
Chapter Eleven
Ryder hid behind the changing screen in the portal room, trying to keep his breathing even. Sharen was trapped in the demon-realm. She could be in trouble. He needed to open the portal back up and make sure she could escape when she needed to.
But he couldn’t do anything with the two guards chatting casually just feet from him.
If they make me wait too long, I might just have to break their skulls.
He swallowed the growl that built in his chest. But panic was clawing under his skin. In life, all he’d ever wanted was to find a woman who could be his match. Things hadn’t been so easy. His unique relationship with his brothers meant that they’d have to find a woman who not only wanted one of them, but wanted all of them.
And they weren’t exactly easy to love.
They were demanding, harsh at times, and probably a bit too cocky. But with Sharen, he’d just known she was meant for them. He’d always wanted to believe in soul mates and love at first sight. But love after death seemed to be a hell of a lot different.
Their connection felt... like magic. Like something so powerful that none of them could fight it, even if they wanted to.
The guards continued yammering on, fighting about some game and about who owed wh
o money. Ryder’s stomach sank further.
He’d been in his mid-twenties when he died. The memory of bullets ripping through him had dominated his thoughts of what it meant to be human for so long. But with each level they climbed through the demon realms, more memories came back to him. Now, all he wanted was to taste the crispness of a breeze, to lie on his back in the ocean, to feel the rain on his face.
He didn’t want to be in Hunter-territory. He didn’t want to be near a portal leading to the horrible place he’d fought so hard to escape. But most of all, every part of his being screamed that he shouldn’t have let Sharen go.
What if she gets hurt? What if you lose her? The thoughts clawed viciously at his mind.
He could never forgive himself.
When the guards finally left, he leapt to his feet and hurried to the demon-stone. With his hand shaking, he picked up the Soul Chalk and wrote the name of the correct realm. In the doorway Sharen had drawn, the white and grey waves came swirling into life.
He dropped the chalk and drew back from the stone. Sweat beaded down his back. He hated this place. Hated to see the stone and feel the chalk. They made him think of pain. Of things he struggled to forget.
Come back, Sharen. Please, come back.
But then, a feeling came to him. A new and different kind of fear. It almost felt like... Sharen’s fear.
His heart pounded.
If he entered the portal, he would not be able to return through it. He wouldn’t have the power. It would shred him to pieces, killing him again. Making him return to the darkest, lowest pit of the demon-realms. And without his brothers, he might never get back to earth.
He’d never get to feel the rain. Never get to breathe in the scents of life, green and nourishing. He’d never get to surf, or swim in the ocean. And he’d lose his best friends. His family.
But if I don’t go through, and Sharen’s in trouble, could I really stand here and not save her?
He stood frozen, feeling his eyes sting.
Either way, he’d lose everything.
Chapter Twelve
Sharen turned and watched in horror as hundreds of demons came running over the hills toward them. She began to fire her weapon at random. Where she struck, a ball of fire blasted a deep black hole into the earth, taking out dozens of demons with every blast.
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