Mark smiled. “There’s one person who loves you with her whole heart. I’m not sure anyone needs more than that.”
The woman looked down at her child, and the slightest smile tilted her lips up.
Tristan shifted in the chair beside him.
“What’s wrong?”
His gaze flickered to the sky.
It took Mark a second to understand. Are we being followed?
Angels, he mouthed.
Tristan shrugged his massive shoulders, but his jaw was clenched.
Crap. “Text Daniel.”
Tristan pulled out his phone and started typing. He sent messages and received messages over the next few minutes. At last, he set down his phone.
“What’s happening?”
Tristan sighed, loudly. “They have a plan to draw the angels to them instead.”
“A safe plan, or a Daniel plan?”
“What do you think?” Tristan muttered.
Our reckless brother can’t be too crazy with Surcy with him. Right?
Unwillingly, he smiled. Surcy had never been one to sit home quietly. She hated Daniel’s crazy plans, but she was always right there at his side. Mark wondered what she was thinking now.
Two hours later, they pulled off the main road and began the slow drive up the bumpy road. The dark woods had tried to swallow the tiny road over the years, but magic had carved out this path and wouldn’t allow the woods to reclaim it. When they came to the end of the road, Mark turned off the engine, praying that Daniel’s plan to distract the angels had worked.
“Where are we?” the woman asked, her voice loud in the darkness.
“This is as far as we can go by car. We're hiking to the top of this mountain.”
Tristan got out first, and a crisp wind surged in through the open door, catching Mark by surprise. He inhaled sharply and all the scents of green life hit him in a flash. Mark had to fight back the dark memories threatening to tug him under.
I can’t think of the past now. Not with the present looming over us.
Once he was out of the car, Mark helped the woman out. Tristan lifted the sleeping child and cradled her in his arms. The girl snuggled against Tristan's chest without waking.
Mark took the lead as they started up the path. The shadows were deep in the woods at night, but demons thrived in the dark. He took the woman’s hand and led her carefully over tangled roots and small plants. The necklace around his neck grew heavier with each step they took. A full, stunning moon filled the sky, so big and bright it was nearly blue.
When he was a child, he would have tried to touch a moon like this. He would have tried to pull it from the sky. Against his will, his mind went to his father.
Don’t think of him. Not yet.
But when he was surrounded by nature, it was nearly impossible not to. Every breath he took renewed him. His senses reached out and touched the plants and animals around them. His head felt clearer than it had in months and strength flowed within his blood.
The ancient woods of my youth are powerful.
And yet, as much as he loved this place, his visit here would be short. No matter that he served an important cause, his exile would have no end.
He moved faster. More sure. But forced himself to slow for the tired woman. He wanted to outrun the overwhelming feelings building within him, but no matter the distance, he couldn’t.
“Do you wish for us to go the rest of the way without you?” Tristan asked, his voice soft.
Mark took a painful breath. “No. I’m fine.”
As they continued forward, the shadows darkened. The trees grew bigger and thicker, full branches stretching far into the sky. This was a place of ancient magic, a place untouched by humankind for far too many years.
“Are we nearly there?” the woman asked, sounding out of breath.
“There’s still a long way to go,” Mark told her honestly.
“Then,” she huffed. “I need to take a break.”
The last thing Mark wanted to do was take a break, but he steered her to some boulders and sat her down. Tristan stood beside her, still holding the tiny girl. His expression was impossible to read in the darkness.
A tingle spread over Mark’s skin and he stiffened. He didn't see anyone as he looked around, but he knew something in the darkness watched them. “Do you feel that?”
“What?” Tristan asked, sounding confused.
“I don’t think we’re alone.”
Tristan was quiet for a long minute. “I don’t sense angels.”
Mark moved closer to his brother and the woman. “I don’t think they’re angels.”
Out of the darkness, a hundred red eyes flashed to life. The unmistakable scent of rotted death washed over him. He knew the creatures they faced. The guardians of the woods usually only attacked enemies.
He hadn’t realized that his father had identified him as an enemy, but now that he knew the truth, they had no chance at making it out alive.
Chapter Twenty-One
S urcy teleported herself and Daniel to a wooded area just outside of town. They planned to take the opposite direction from where Mark and Tristan took the woman and child. Daniel grasped her arm, holding her steady on legs that shook.
“I told you not to take us too far.” He sounded angry. “You need to rest. This was just supposed to be a distraction.”
“I’m fine,” she grated out.
He grasped her arm more tightly. “Come on. Let’s start walking. We want to be a distraction, not end up in a fight.”
When she stumbled over a root, he swore and suddenly she was in his arms.
She gasped. “Put me down! I can walk!”
“The hell you can!”
She smacked his chest. “I’m an angel, not an infant!”
To her surprise, he laughed.
“What?” she said, trying to sound annoyed, even though the impact of his laugh was anything but annoying.
“Nothing.” But there was a smile in his voice.
“Tell me,” she demanded.
After a moment, he spoke. “It’s just… when you get mad, it reminds me of the old Surcy.”
She didn’t know what to say. “Was I mad at you a lot?”
He laughed again, the sound deep. It rumbled from his chest in a way that was far too comforting. “I think you liked putting me in my place just as much as I liked you doing it.”
“Or maybe you just drove me crazy?” she teased.
His dark gaze swung to hers, and his expression gentled. For a second she couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t look away. His eyes held so many emotions, so many unspoken words, that it was overwhelming.
Reaching up, she touched his face.
“Surcy, don’t." The words were wrenched out of him.
“Why?” she asked, needing to know.
“Because… I feel like I’m walking on a tightrope. Trying not to say too much. Trying not to do what I’m not allowed to. It’d take nothing at all to let go and take what I want, And I don’t think you can handle that. Not yet.
Fear made her drop her hand, and she didn’t imagine the disappointment in his face when she did. Leaning her head against his shoulder, she felt nothing but regret.
But why?
The last thing she needed was to make things between them even more complicated. So why do I want to complicate things? She told herself that it was because she wanted to feel human again. To experience things in a real way, like with the French toast. But deep inside she knew the truth. She was curious about the demons. She needed to know what made her give up everything for them.
And somehow I’m sure I could learn the truth in their arms.
She shivered as she sensed the angels in the sky above them. “They’re here.”
He nodded. “Good.”
They continued walking without speaking. Time stretched out in front of them but they didn't slow down. She imagined she was getting heavy in his arms, yet he never showed signs that she was.
“Where are we going?”
His grip tightened around her. “They’ll expect us to go right. There’s nothing this way except woods.”
“So, we’ll walk all night?”
“No. We’ll spend the night at the cabin.”
A cabin? A shiver went through her. All night?
“You’re cold,” he told her.
“A little,” she lied.
More time passed before he slowed and she opened her eyes to a tiny cabin tucked into a tangle of trees. He took the porch in two strides, and at the door, he set her down. She heard the jingle of keys and the sound of a lock turning. Inside the cabin, he closed and locked the door behind them. She felt strangely vulnerable when the heat of his body moved away. In the darkness, she stood frozen by the door, but listened as he moved about.
“Do you need help?”
“Better to let the demon who can see in the dark light the fire.”
She couldn’t argue with that. In an instant, sparks came to life in a tiny fireplace.
“I’d use my magic to bring fire,” he muttered. “But it’d also bring the damned angels.”
It took forever, but when the flames to grow enough to light the room in their orange light, Surcy felt a measure of relief.
The cabin was tiny, smaller than her room in their house. It had all the amenities crammed together: a small kitchen, a seating area in front of the fire, and a large bed in the back. She guessed that the door beside the bed led to a bathroom.
“This place is kind of homey,” she said, reaching out and touching the comfortable looking couch.
“You always loved this place.” Daniel stared at the fires, his expression distant.
She moved around the couch, coming closer to him. Drawn to him. Her hands ached to touch him again. To make him smile again. Or laugh. But she stopped short of touching him and sat down close to the fire.
As if he anticipated her needs, Daniel pulled a blanket from the couch and wrapped it around her. The warmth almost made her moan.
When she took a deep breath, it wasn’t just the scent of the wood burning that filled her nose, but the scents of the demons lingering on the blanket.
Why hadn’t I noticed their smell before?
They all smelled… masculine. Like sandalwood. And yet, she knew their scents weren’t identical. She was tempted to lean closer to Daniel, but made herself stay still.
“Do you think they’re all right?”
Daniel sighed. His arms rested on his knees, and his gaze had returned to the flames. “I hope so. But I don’t like sending them without me.”
“You should have woken me earlier. I would have gone.”
“Surcy,” his voice held a strange tension. “You’re not yourself. I don’t know what Caine did to you, but you need to rest, to eat, and to regain your strength.”
For some reason, she felt angry. “I’m not some fragile creature that the three of you have to protect.”
He looked at her, raising a brow. “We don’t have to do anything.”
Her heart thudded a little faster in her chest. “Next time just wake me.”
“You seem to be certain there will be a next time.”
She frowned and chewed her bottom lip. “Well, it sounds like this whole rescuing people thing is what we do.”
He stared at her.
“What?” she asked, annoyed.
“Nothing.”
“What?” She sat up straighter, waiting.
He shrugged. “I’m just wondering how long you’ll hang around us before your delicate angel sensibilities come into play. I’m thinking days, maybe weeks, and then you’ll find something a touch more refined to do to pass your time.”
She stood, dropping the blanket on the floor. “Why are you such an ass?”
He huffed. “I’m not an ass.”
“Yes, you are! I don’t have a memory. I’m trying to figure this out, and you’re acting like it was my choice to forget all of you.”
Like a graceful animal, he stood. Suddenly, she was aware of just how large he was. Too aware. He towered above her. Tristan might have been a giant of a man, but Daniel was easily a foot taller than her, and the muscles that tightened his body screamed power.
“You chose to return to Caine. All because you were stubborn. Because you wanted to see if there was even a shred of goodness in him. No matter how much we warned you. No matter how much we told you not to.” His voice rose with each word he spoke. “And then, you were just gone. Disappearing to a place we could never touch. Leaving us to wonder if you were dead, or being tortured to the point you wished you were.”
Surcy stepped back, more aware of him than ever. “That wasn’t—“
“Now you come back into our lives and just expect, what? What is it that you want, Surcy?”
She was shocked by his anger. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know!” he repeated, closing the distance between them, his eyes burning.
“No, I don’t!” She shoved at his chest, but failed to move him. “And I don’t think you do either!”
“Is that right?” he grated out.
“Yeah,” she challenged.
He moved closer. So close that when she exhaled her breasts touched his chest. “Well, unfortunately for you, I know exactly what I want.”
And then, he kissed her. His big hand wrapped around the back of her neck and held her in place while he devoured her as if there was nothing more he needed in life.
Her body awakened. She kissed him back, clinging to the front of his shirt, pressing herself against him as he controlled their kiss.
Their mouths battled for control, moving against each other as if they had done this a thousand times before. His tongue slipped into her mouth, and a shudder wracked her body. Her own tongue slid along his, and a deep groan slipped from his lips.
One of his hands grabbed her hip, drawing her against his erection. Instead of feeling panicked, heat uncoiled within her belly. Knowing she was turning him on made her breathless.
More.
She ached to touch more of him. To unbutton his shirt and stroke the hard muscles of his chest and the chiseled planes of his belly. To unzip his pants and pull his hard length free.
She needed to have him inside her. She ground against his erection, and was satisfied when he broke their kiss and swore.
His lips moved down her neck, leaving a hot trail of fire. She turned her head, giving him access to more of her throat. She was on fire, so hot she felt as if she was burning from the inside out.
Her inner-muscles clenched and she gasped, clasping the back of his neck as he tugged her sweater to one side to suck along her shoulder. Her nipples hardened into twin points as her breasts rubbed against his chest.
What would it feel like to have his hands on her breasts? Would he use those big hands of his to cup her? She imagined his thumbs brushing her nipples. And then, to her shock, she imagined his hot mouth closing over her eager nubs.
Her hips bucked against him and she knew they had crossed a barrier and wouldn't go back. Soon she would have this big, handsome demon inside her. And somehow, she knew she would have no regrets.
When his phone buzzed in his pocket, they both froze.
He raised his head and their gazes locked. Indecision warred within his eyes.
But he reached for his phone. Sliding the screen, he stared at the message.
“What is it?” she asked, out-of-breath.
He drew back from her, clearing his throat. “They’re in trouble.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
T ristan closed his eyes and let his magic wash over him. In an instant, he was made of stone once more.
“What the fuck do we do?” Mark asked, shoving his phone back into his pocket.
“What are those things?” the woman asked, springing from the boulder to grasp his brother’s arm.
Wordlessly, Tristan handed the girl to his brother. These creatures were Shadow Hounds, some of the most dangerous
beings in existence. Their bites were poisonous to the soul, ensuring that when a person died, they would be gone forever.
There was only one thing that could be done. Mark had to live. He was the only person who could find the other gods and goddesses. And the goddess and her child must live. Only one thing made sense.
“Take them and go.”
Mark stiffened. “No.”
“You know it’s the only way.”
The eyes moved in the dark, coming closer.
“You always say that,” Mark whispered.
“And I’m always right.”
His brother took a step back, clutching the sleeping girl to his chest. “Can they hurt you?”
“No.” Tristan spoke the lie with ease.
Mark nodded. “Then, I’ll take them and come back for you.”
Goodbye, my brother.
“Stay close,” Mark told the woman.
She nodded and they moved backwards.
Tristan stretched out his massive stone wings to their full spread and let loose the roar of a gargoyle, a sound that was ancient and harsh. Dark birds exploded from the trees all around them, filling the bright night sky. His distraction did the trick. All eyes were on him. Mark and the woman shuffled away unseen.
When the first creature stepped out of the shadows, Tristan stared at the dark wisp with two brilliant red eyes. Suddenly, he spotted a flash of sharp teeth forming in the insubstantial body. When it leapt at him, he easily knocked it back with his wings.
The creature whimpered like a dog, but Tristan had no time to relax because two more of the beasts came at him. He ducked, struck one with his wing and the other with his fist. Both flew back. One hit a trunk with a satisfying crunch.
But he already knew. There was no destroying these beings. All he could do was fight as long as possible.
He would fight until he took his last breath, and give Mark and the goddess the time they needed to reach the sanctuary.
As the Shadow Hounds renewed their attack, Tristan's thoughts shifted to his long life. He thought of his birth, when a frightened woman created him from stone. Her fear of the vampires that preyed upon her town drove her to make him, but it was her love for her family that brought him to life.
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