Opening her eyes, she tried to hide her terror. “I can’t sense where they went, so what do we do now?”
“Bring me to Daniel and the goddess.”
She reached out and took his hand.
His large hand felt warm and comforting as he squeezed hers. “Everything will be okay. Mark is tougher than he appears.”
She hoped so, because she was beginning to realize something horrible. Caine and his angels didn’t seem to know how to be merciful. That wasn’t good, not when they’d taken the demon she was growing to care for.
Please be okay, Mark. Please. We’re coming as fast as we can!
Chapter Seven
Mark landed hard on the ground, coughing blood, and trying to calm his swimming head. One minute he’d been in the desert fighting, and now... what had happened?
We teleported.
Damn it! That can’t be good!
He sensed the angels looming over him and fought his panic. They’d taken him? But why?
How can I help the others if I’m not with them?
Gritting his teeth, he willed himself to be strong, but he felt awful. Not at all prepared to fight for his life against impossible odds. Wearily his gaze moved over the strange place they’d teleported into.
Am I in a temple?
He squinted against the bright light that filtered from high above him and peered into the darkness of the room. Moss crept along the ground and walls of the grey brick that made up the building, and the air was tinged with salt. But otherwise, he had no clues as to where he was. The large room was empty, and there were no sounds of civilization that he could hear.
So I’m near the ocean. Well, that doesn’t bode well for an escape attempt.
He shifted slightly and clenched his teeth together to stop himself from crying out. Warmth oozed from the wound on his chest and his arm. As a demon, he could heal from such injuries, but he’d need to rest.
Not fight five angels.
Looking up at them, he watched as Frink moved closer and knelt down in front of him. With his injuries he didn't even have the strength left to scoot away from Frink. He lay there, helpless.
Frink looked Mark up and down and then spat on the dirty stone floor beside him. “I expected more from a druid.”
Mark’s hand shook as he wiped the blood from his mouth. “Sorry to disappoint.”
Frink's smile chilled Mark to his core. “Where’s the necklace?”
Fuck. “Necklace?”
“The God Finder.”
Mark’s heart slammed against his rib cage and it took everything he had not to look down at the magical necklace he wore. The angels couldn’t see it, nor could Caine. How did they learn about it? And how did they know he had it?
Even while the questions swirled through his head, he knew it didn’t matter. All that mattered was making sure it didn’t end up in their hands. If they got it, he couldn’t find the Immortals and couldn’t save them. Everything they’d sacrificed would be for nothing.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, as calmly as he could manage.
Frink’s smile widened. “I bet we could get it by severing your head.”
A couple of the angels snickered behind him.
Mark's vision swayed. He’d lost too much blood. He needed to rest or he'd never heal.
“Like I said, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Frink’s soul-blade appeared in his hand. “This might surprise you, but I’m accustomed to getting what I want. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll tell me whatever I want to know.”
A shiver ran down his spine. “Do what you have to, but I don’t have the information you’re looking for.”
Frink raised a brow. “Either way, I’ll have some fun. Boys, let’s see how much damage we can do before we kill him.”
Mark closed his eyes. He’d already died once. He’d do it again if he had to in order to save the world.
Even if it was a slow, painful death.
Chapter Eight
Surcy and Tristan sat on the beach, watching the waves, with Daniel still passed out between them. The afternoon temperature was perfect. A slight breeze carried the scents of vegetation and salt water, and the waves crashing against the shore were almost soothing... if they weren’t sitting with a gravely injured man and trying to figure out what to do about the one who had been kidnapped.
“Tristan, we can't just do nothing!" Surcy said, turning to the gargoyle in frustration.
Tristan looked at her, and for a minute his cold mask slipped. “He’s my best friend and like a brother to me. We died around the same time. We were reborn together. It took us years of working together to climb up through the pits of the demon-realm. Without him, a piece of myself is gone. But, we don’t know where they took him, and we don’t know how to find him. We just have to trust that he can find his way back to us.”
Surcy took a deep breath. “No, that’s just not good enough.”
He raised a brow. “Then, what do you suggest we do?”
She picked up a handful of sand and threw it. “I don’t fucking know.”
When she looked at him again, he was smiling.
“What?”
“You’re swearing again. Like yourself before you were taken.”
She felt her cheeks heat. Probably because I’ve been having sex with Daniel. “I’m just so frustrated! I feel helpless, but we’re not. There has to be something we can do!”
The truth was she was also feeling guilty. She’d grown to care for Mark. He fascinated her. With his glasses and laid back attitude, he felt like a friend she could trust. But when she saw him with a towel wrapped around his waist, and water dripping down his chest. She felt... aroused as hell. He was a handsome, kind man. Even though she didn’t remember loving him, she could imagine that he was an easy man to love.
And I did love him before.
The idea made her feel antsy. The same way she felt when the demons looked at her as if she held their hearts in her hand, as if they were imagining a thousand moments with her that she didn’t remember.
Taking off her boots and socks, she stood and walked across the sand and into the water. Her clothes had finally dried from her earlier walk into the water, but she didn’t care. She just needed to escape for a minute, to clear her head.
Diving under the water, she felt every muscle in her body tense as she kicked further and further out into the sea. I’m swimming while those bastards have Mark. Her heart squeezed, and she clenched her teeth, trying not to scream her frustration.
She needed to save Mark, but how?
Taking a deep breath, she dove back under and swam in the clear water beneath the foam of the waves. And froze. A man stared at her. No, not a man, a merman. His hair was dark, his eyes piercing, and anger swirled around him.
The water surged from him to her, swirled around her, and dragged her through the water. Panic swelled in her chest. The need for air built and built.
He’s going to drown me!
And then his face was inches from hers. Leaning close, he pressed his lips against hers, and air filled her lungs. She breathed again, and although she should have breathed in water, nothing happened. She inhaled and exhaled normally. At the bottom of the sea.
This couldn't be happening.
Turning to the merman, she stared with unspoken questions.
But then, The Goddess of the Ocean swam through the waves. “Why have you returned?” she asked, power still swelling from her.
Surcy opened her mouth, and the words came out as if spoken above the water. “The angels stole Mark. We don’t know where he is, or how to get him back.”
The power of the goddess grew until the very water seemed to be charged with electricity. “They’re after The God Finder. Your druid friend will not last the night.”
And we can’t save him, unless...
Heart racing, she asked the question she feared. “Can you help us find him?”
After a moment, th
e goddess nodded. “You saved my life and freed me. I owe you a life debt.”
The water began to swirl around them. It moved faster and faster. A tornado of water rushed at them and then it pulled back. Surcy, the Goddess of the Ocean, and the glaring merman stared at one another, lying on the ocean floor in the myths of the swirling water tornado. The goddess reached down and plucked a seashell off of the sandy bottom. She held it to her lips, and wisps of blue magic moved from her to the seashell. When she was done, she offered it to Surcy.
Surcy crawled across the ground, took the seashell, and looked at the goddess in confusion.
“It will reveal its secrets to you, but be ready to act when it does.”
Tears stung her eyes for reasons she couldn’t explain. “Thank you.”
The goddess smiled. “Hold your breath.”
“My breath?”
The tornado of water came crashing down on her. She had a moment of panic as she was tumbled through the water at an impossible speed, and then she was dumped out onto the beach.
Breathing hard, she opened her hand and stared down at the shell.
Tristan was beside her in an instant. “Where were you?” He roared. “I couldn’t find you!”
She looked up at him. “The goddess gave me a gift.”
“A gift?”
She held out the shell.
He frowned. “You risked your life for that?”
She climbed to her feet, legs shaking, and hurried to Daniel’s side. “It’ll tell us how to find Mark, but first, we need to take Daniel home.”
Tristan said nothing, but he took Daniel’s limp hand, and then hers. They teleported, the world shimmering around them. When they arrived at their home, Tristan carried Daniel to his bed, while Surcy stripped off her sandy, wet clothes, changed, and pulled on new boots.
By the time she returned to the living room, Tristan was already waiting.
“Ready?”
He nodded.
Lifting the shell to her ear, she closed her eyes and waited.
Nothing happened.
She shook the shell, listened again, and still, nothing happened.
“It’s not working.”
Tristan frowned. “Mermaid gifts are never simple.”
She stared at the shell in her hand. “What can we do?”
He exhaled noisily, sounding annoyed. “I have an idea.”
Chapter Nine
Surcy and Tristan stood at the front of the small sailing boat that he had procured. She didn’t know where it came from, but she didn’t care. Mark’s life was at stake.
Tristan moved with certainty as he took them from the dock and sailed them out into the middle of the cove. There, he dropped anchor and went to stand at her side.
“Try listening to it now.”
“I tried the whole way,” she insisted, but she tried again.
Still nothing.
“Drop it in the sea.”
She whirled toward him. “If this doesn’t work, we’ve lost our only way of finding him.”
“Drop it,” he said, his tone unforgiving.
She felt sick as she stretched her hand out over the water. It took her a long second to open her fingers, but with a deep breath, she turned her hand over.
The shell dropped as if in slow motion, but when it hit the water, a wave boomed out. The waves rose, and suddenly, their ship was flying over the ocean like a child’s toy. She clung to the edge of the ship, but her fingers began to slip. Tristan was immediately there, pulling her against him, and holding onto the railing as if it was the easiest thing in the world.
The water struck them wildly, powerfully, and still, the gargoyle held her.
Time passed. Her face rested against his chest and she breathed in the earthy scent that belonged to the gargoyle. Her eyes closed. For a minute, with the water spinning around them and the boat soaring over the waves, she felt lost in a dream. In Tristan’s arms, nothing scared her. She felt safe and protected.
And this feels so natural.
How many times had his arms held her, times that she still didn’t remember? How many times had he protected her? He stayed with her, beside her, through each day, even though she couldn’t open up to him.
This big, strong man needed more from her. All three of her demons did. She’d thought she couldn’t give it to them when she wasn’t sure about their cause, the angels, or the true nature of demons. She had thought she couldn’t connect with them because she wasn’t sure who she was anymore, and because she didn’t remember her past.
But maybe, instead, she needed to focus on creating a new connection with them. New memories. New moments.
Lifting her head, she whispered his name.
He looked down at her. His dark hair was soaking wet. His skin glistened with water, and yet, his mismatched eyes latched onto hers as if there was nothing else in the world but them.
Reaching up, she touched his cheek. She wanted to kiss him, but she didn’t. She just clung to him and touched his face, memorizing every line.
“What do you ask of me?” he murmured, his voice barely audible above the rushing water.
“Just... just a chance to try again.”
His eyes widened, and very slowly, he nodded.
A slight smile teased his lips. “I would like that very much.”
When the waves calmed, they struck land. The ship pitched, and if it weren’t for Tristan’s strong grip, they would have gone flying into the water. Instead, they clung to each other, panting.
The ship righted itself. The waves calmed, and the ocean grew still around them.
They moved to the other side of the ship and stared at the little island. There was nothing on it except a lonely looking building made of dark stone.
“You think that’s where he is?”
Tristan nodded. “I think so.” Turning, she took a deep breath. It’s okay. You can handle this. “Will you fly us over to it?”
His gaze locked onto hers. “Are you sure? We can teleport.”
“I can handle it.” Lifting her hands, she wrapped them around his neck.
He transformed in an instant, his flesh turning to cold stone beneath her touch, and his stone wings sprouting from his back. When he lifted them into the air, she felt the wind on her face. Flashes of herself soaring through the air came to her, and she felt herself trembling. Memories came back, of her wings being torn from her back, of the wounds that ached for too long.
When they landed on the island, he put her down.
She stumbled away from him and threw up. Dropping to her knees, tears slid down her cheeks. She didn’t understand why she was reacting like this. It wasn’t like her life had been easy. It made no sense.
Tristan sat down on the sand beside her and stroked her back, avoiding her scars.
Wiping her mouth, she turned to him, feeling ashamed. “I’m sorry.”
He was quiet for a long moment. “In my previous life, I was a gargoyle created to defend my town. For many, many years, I came to life only when I was needed, but the time between attacks grew longer and longer, and I remained a creature of stone for too long. When I was needed again, I didn’t expect to die. I didn’t believe one of my kind could be killed.
I thought whatever I faced would be easy. I’d fought vampires, werewolves, cruel humans, armies... many, many battles. When I was reborn in the demon realm, I was afraid. I have never feared the dark like that before. But it was endless. And the screaming...” He paused, shaking his head. “That’s why I still don’t like the dark. There are times when I forget what it was like, and then something will remind me. I find my heart beating fast, and my skin dampened with sweat.”
She smiled at him. “So, you’re telling me this is perfectly normal?”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Or we are both unusual.”
Sighing, she looked back at the little building. “Well, I’d better pull myself together and find Mark.”
He stood and held out his hand.
>
She shook her head, knowing she needed a minute to clear her thoughts. Rising and going to the water, she washed her face and hands. That seemed to help. She still felt embarrassed, but a little better. Ready to kick some angel ass.
I feel the way I do after Daniel and I have sex. As if my emotions and senses aren’t as muted. I feel charged with energy. Almost overloaded.
Weird...
Clenching her hands, her focus returned. And something else. A feeling she hadn’t experienced much since becoming an angel... that she could remember. Rage rolled through her. These angels had stolen Mark. The goddess said he wouldn’t last the night.
How dare they!
“Come on,” she said, calling her soul-blade to her hand.
“Surcy?”
“I’m going to teach those fucking angels a lesson.”
Tristan pulled his blade from his back with a hiss. “This is a plan I like.”
As they started through the palm trees and plants, a horrible scream echoed through the air. Birds launched into the sky, and the very trees seemed to shake.
But the effect on the surroundings was nothing compared to what that sound did to Surcy. She recognized Mark’s voice. She’d know it anywhere, and his scream was one of horrible pain.
She started running. She didn’t care if she was going straight into danger. No one hurt her demon. No one!
Chapter Ten
Surcy and Tristan ran until they pushed through the growth that hid the building from view. When they drew closer, they slowed and crept to the front.
The door in the front of the building was partially ajar. She and Tristan stood on either side of the door, made eye contact and he nodded. She pushed the door all the way open and launched inside.
Inside, she discovered one big room, dark except for light that streamed from a skylight in the center. On the floor, bathed in the sun’s light, Mark lay bleeding. Surrounded by angels who towered over him.
The angels’ laughter came to her, and she saw red. Angels were supposed to protect the innocent from demons. That’s what she’d been told. So far, she’d seen things that made her question who was actually good and evil. Something inside her changed in that moment. She felt it, like puzzle pieces sliding into place.
Mates of the Realms: The Complete Collection: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Box Set Page 49
