The Darkest King

by Gena Showalter

  “The rest of the sentence!” A good one, too. “‘The lesson begins with a curse, and ends with a funeral...unless he performs one small task.’”

  Eagerness palpable, William said, “Keep going. Please.”

  Please. Had he ever pleaded with her before? That he did now, over this, something he wanted most in the world... Can’t let him down. But not sure I can resist those dark urges.

  “Are you hurt, sundae?” Concern laced his voice.

  “I need...need...to be alone.” Yes. The solution. “Okay?”

  He flinched, though it was barely perceptible. Had she not been watching intently, she would have missed it. Guilt flared. In her efforts to save him from harm, she’d hurt him.

  “Very well,” he said, his tone now devoid of emotion. “I’ll visit someone who enjoys my company.”

  She snagged his wrist to hold him in place, and he let her. Eyes watchful, he moved closer to her. Hoping she’d pleased him, she moved closer to him, too. They stared at each other, their breaths growing uneven.

  So she was getting turned-on only minutes after she’d planned to murder him? So what? Look at him. His body, sculpted with all those muscles. His tattoos, lickable. And the way he watched her right back, his eyes heating again, as if he’d just found his next meal.

  “You want me close,” he said, his eyes shimmering. “You want me gone. Tell me, Sunny. Why would I want more of this?”

  Ouch. “I knew my dual personality would get to you.” No need to mention the curse.

  He didn’t contradict her, which hurt way worse. “Did learning more about my past ruin me in your eyes? The things done to me. The things I did. Yes, I slept with married women in the past, nullifying their commitments. An action I regret. At the time, I considered the husbands fools for binding their futures to someone, anyone, and they deserved what they got. Over the past few years, I’ve encountered genuine examples of loving relationships. For the first time, I see possibilities.”

  Possibilities...with me? “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I made you think your past disgusted me. It doesn’t.” His life had shaped him. She liked who he’d become. A man, a warrior, who fought for what he believed in, with a heart more fragile than she’d ever realized.

  His gaze dropped, lingering on her lips. Her gaze lingered on his, too, those beautiful, soft lips capable of making her mindless with bliss. She shivered, her arousal deepening.

  Lightly pinching her chin between his fingers, he forced her gaze to lift. Something he must love to do. “You’re not sorry you asked me to leave?”

  Can’t tell him the full truth. He’d only panic. But again, she couldn’t lie. So, she shook her head and went with, “I was in a bad mood and feared I’d hurt you.” Truth. Kind of.

  “Don’t worry about hurting me. Worry about pleasuring me.” He licked his lips, as if he could already taste her. “I’m hungry. Ready to feast.”

  Resist. Take a moment to calm. “All right, but I’ll require a meal of my own.” The invitation left her lips unbidden.

  “I will gladly—” He released her suddenly, as if she’d burned him, and stood.

  Okay, what had she done wrong?

  Tone sharp enough to cut glass, he said, “Someone’s coming.”

  Really? How’d he know? She listened, but detected no odd noises. “Who?”

  A knock sounded at the door and she jolted. “William?” Axel called.

  Dawn remained on the bed; at the sound of the Sent One’s voice, her heads jerked up. She bared both sets of teeth. A vicious growl echoed through the stable.

  Sunny scrambled to unsteady legs, raced to the desk and returned the book to its case. Confused by the hound’s reaction, she strode over, hoping to comfort the little darling.

  “Enter,” William called. “I’ve disabled the magical blocks.”

  Hinges squeaked, the door opening. Axel stalked inside—

  Sunny did a double take. Whoa. Before, his aura had been as blurry as William’s. Now? It was solid black, with no hint of light.

  The kind of aura demons possessed.

  Unless Axel’s personality had undergone a drastic change in the past day, their guest was someone pretending to be Axel.

  A shape-shifter.

  Like Rathbone.

  Or... Sunny stiffened. The Great Deceiver. Lucifer.

  29

  “All the world is a stage. Immortals play the predators, humans play the prey. Go ahead, break a leg.”

  In a handful of seconds, William ran the emotional gamut. Worry for Sunny’s well-being. Fury over her dismissal. Determination to make her want to show him her unicorn form. Confusion about her moratorium on sex. Hatred for Lilith. Happy to see his brother. Pissed off that he couldn’t finish his argument with Sunny and have hours of makeup fellatio.

  How did not having sex with her feel so much better than having sex with someone, anyone, else? How could he crave more from her, more of her, never less?

  He was desperate to keep her and cut ties, a sentiment that magnified every time he glanced in her direction. She was the first woman, the first person, to make mincemeat of his iron control, and there’d never been a less inopportune time. So much at stake.

  “Hello, William,” Axel said.

  “Welcome,” William replied.

  “Thank you.” As Axel stepped into the stable, Dawn barked louder and louder. “I came to tell you Lucifer attacked a group of Sent Ones. I fear this was the first of many strikes. We must prepare.”

  Sunny jumped to her feet, her breasts bobbing beneath her shirt. The color had drained from her cheeks, his concern returning in a flash. Was she sick?

  She met William’s gaze and whisper-bellowed, “Your penis is cute.”

  His penis—William stiffened. She’d just uttered her safe word, which must mean Axel’s aura didn’t belong to Axel, but Lucifer. But she had to be wrong. William had taken magical precautions to prevent something like this.

  On the flip side, Dawn hadn’t barked the last time Axel visited.

  If William made an aggressive move and his little sundae had gotten this wrong, he might shatter the already fragile bond he’d managed to establish with Axel. But if she was right, and he did nothing, Lucifer could kill them both.

  Lifting his chin, he eyed the other male. Axel looked the same as before, zero differences. He’d have to find the truth another way.

  Protect Sunny at all costs. Safeguard the book, and the medallion.

  The order surprised him. All costs? Even his own life?

  No time to analyze or rationalize. If their guest was Lucifer, he’d either come to steal the book, enact a fact-finding mission—get in, learn William’s plans, get out—or to ambush and kill. Or maybe even try to drive a wedge between William and the real Axel? Lucifer fed off misery, like an emotional incubus.

  “I’m glad you came, Axel.” Excellent. His casual tone shouldn’t set off any alarm bells.

  The maybe/maybe-not Sent One watched as Sunny leashed the still-barking Dawn and led her to the bathroom, where she sealed the two-headed monstress inside, just in case a fight broke out.

  “Axel,” he snapped, testing the other man’s reaction. “You know the rules. No looking at the girl.”

  An amused blue gaze slide to William. “You’re right. My apologies. She’s a beautiful woman, and you’re a lucky man.” His voice was an exact match for Axel’s. Only, William had never given a “no look” order. “I’d like to discuss next steps, and how we’ll protect ourselves against Lucifer’s second attack, but I’m happy to come back later, if you need a moment to finish the discussion about your penis.”

  He bit his tongue, tasting blood. How many times had he looked at an enemy with amusement, certain he had victory in the bag? Countless. Should he attack? And what had happened to the real Axel?

  Shit
! Knowing Lucifer, Axel still lived, but only as collateral. He might be imprisoned, a blade poised at his throat. His life in exchange for Lucifer’s safe passage, just as Hades had taught them. Always have a contingency plan. Or, Axel might be out there, oblivious to Lucifer’s schemes.

  “Yes. Please stay.” Offering a sugary sweet smile, Sunny sidled up to William, rested her head on his shoulder and tucked her hand into his, secretly passing him a dagger. Good girl. “I might have a way to kill Lucifer. Maybe I should get your take first?”

  His chest puffed with pride. Smart girl, tempting the male with false information, without telling a single lie.

  “Do tell.” A flash of glee crossed fake Axel’s face. “I’m certain I can help.”

  She looked to William, as if seeking permission to proceed. But he knew his unicorn, knew she wanted a sign that he would cooperate with whatever plan she’d cooked up.

  As he peered into those gorgeous eyes, something swelled inside his chest. Time and time again this fierce female had proven herself capable of anything, but her safety came first. “You have plans with Pandora, remember? You go, and I’ll fill him in.” With his gaze, he told her, Do not cross me on this, woman.

  With her gaze, she replied, Silly Willy. You’ve already been crossed. “Did I forget to tell you Pandora and I delayed our plans?” She patted his cheek, smiled another sugary sweet smile and motioned to the kitchen. “Let’s talk at the table, shall we?”

  Damn her. At least she’d chosen the perfect spot. William had a semiautomatic mystically hidden beneath the tabletop.

  He escorted his unicorn there, never giving Lucifer his back, or revealing the blade concealed against his forearm. When he offered Sunny the corner chair, she shook her head and motioned for him to sit.

  Rather than argue, he bit his tongue and eased down. “So gallant,” he muttered.

  She remained behind him, her hands resting on his shoulders.

  Lucifer chuckled and eased into the seat across from William. “How domesticated you’ve become.”

  A dig meant to infuriate him? Too bad. He liked his arrangement with Sunny. But he didn’t want the bastard to know what she’d come to mean to him.

  He wagged his brows and flashed a lascivious grin. “You don’t know what you’re missing. My stable mistress might be a lowly witch with little magic—” to explain anything mystical she might do “—but she makes up for her many shortcomings with tons of head. Isn’t that right, snookums?”

  She shocked the shit out of him; she leaned down to kiss his cheek. “So right, boo boo bear. It’s all in the fingers. Massage a man’s scalp with enough pressure, and he’ll be putty in your hands.”

  Smart-ass. Do not smile.

  “Now, this head-massage-loving nymphomaniac is going to make hot cocoa. Who wants some?” She skipped to the kitchenette to prepare drinks. With poison? William had no idea what she planned, and the mystery intrigued him.

  Morning light streamed through the window, illuminating “Axel,” revealing hard, harsh eyes that did not belong to his brother. Sunny was right; he knew it beyond any doubt now.

  Somehow, William found the strength to evaluate his options and not strike. If Lucifer had Axel...

  Should he bargain? No way. He couldn’t trust Lucifer to keep his word. Battle? No. What if Sunny got caught in the crosshairs? Magic? Lucifer had his own, and it was stronger than William’s. The only option left? Trickery.

  “Go ahead and tell us your plan, sugar tush,” he told Sunny. “The suspense is killing us.”

  “Okay. Check it.” She puttered around, gathering the proper ingredients. “We all know Lucifer is a piece of garbage, right? Like, a real steaming pile of poo.”

  Had the male stiffened ever so slightly, a hint of malevolence flashing in his irises? Jubilant, William said, “Yes. Garbage.” With one hand, he clasped the semiautomatic under the table. With the other, he readied the knife. “We all know. Everyone knows.”

  Lucifer’s next smile sparkled a little less. “Everyone knows,” he parroted. “Oh. Before I forget. Lucifer told you the witch, Lilith, still lives. I’ve heard a rumor that he plans to use her against you somehow.”

  Ah. Here it was, the attempt to send William into a frenzy of panic. “I’m not worried,” he said, and Lucifer narrowed his eyes. “My codebreaker solved the mystery of the book. The curse is broken already.”

  Brittle smile. “How exciting.”

  Lucifer’s shock was headier than ambrosia.

  No footsteps sounded as Sunny returned to the table, two cups of cocoa in hand. She placed one in front of William, then moved around the table, headed for Lucifer.

  William stifled a denial, head, his muscles knotting with sudden, intense strain. He didn’t want his woman near the fucking devil.

  The other male noticed his upset, and he realized the truth—William knew his true identity. No more waiting, then. Time to strike.

  William hammered at the gun’s trigger. Boom, boom, boom!

  Lucifer had been in the process of standing, the bullets nailing his thigh. He grunted, but didn’t collapse.

  A smiling Sunny tossed the steaming chocolate in Lucifer’s face. As he roared with pain and rage, she revealed the blade hidden against her arm and stabbed him in the throat. Once, twice, thrice, her motions fast as lightning. No hesitation, just pure aggression.

  As a spray arced over the table from Lucifer’s jugular, she spun behind him and stabbed his brain stem. Lucifer gasped for breath and finally collapsed. She skidded to the floor and hacked at his neck to remove his head.

  When she finished, she laughed happily and held up the bloody blade like a gold medal. “I did it! I won!”

  William watched, held immobile by shock and awe. She truly had—familiar male laughter rang out. Though Lucifer’s headless body remained on the floor, a second, very alive Lucifer stepped out of thin air, coming up behind Sunny to place a knife at her throat.

  No, no, this can’t be happening. Panic crashed over William in icy waves, blood rushing from his head. A loud ring tolled in his ears. He’d thought Lucifer had shape-shifted into Axel, but he’d actually created an illusion of Axel and an illusion of invisibility over himself. No doubt he’d entered the home behind his illusion.

  William should have known better; he should have expected this.

  Just get to Sunny! Nearing a frantic state, he leaped up. His breaths came hard and fast. He used the table as a step stool, dropping down in front of Sunny. Her eyes were wide, her skin once again devoid of color. The stable grew deadly quiet, Dawn no longer barking. Why?

  “That’s close enough.” Lucifer released a gleeful laugh. “I must say, you gave a good effort, brother. Just not good enough.”

  Red dotted his vision, fury melding with a surge of protectiveness. Get to Sunny, damn it. He thinks to take her from me. No one takes her from me!

  Careful. Must stay calm. Must stall. William grated, “The same could be said for your disguise, asshole.”

  “Ah, yes. You did figure out my ruse faster than I assumed. What gave me away?”

  “Axel isn’t a piece of shit.”

  The laughter stopped. Lucifer grated, “Be a lamb and bring me your book, brother, nice and slow, or I kill your woman, nice and quick. And don’t bother trying to convince me your curse is broken. I recognize a lie when I hear one.”

  Give up his book? His only hope for a life worth living? A future with Sunny. No! But would he have a future with Sunny if she died? No, again. Shit! What other options did he have?

  “Ticktock,” Lucifer said. “Make a decision before I make it for you.”

  “William,” Sunny whispered. Her voice trembled, tears welling in her eyes, wetting her lashes. “I’m so sorry.”

  She cries? It wasn’t fear he saw in her irises, he realized, but disappointment. She cries because she thinks she di
sappointed me. A savage roar left William, shaking the stable.

  The little darling. He’d never been prouder of her.

  “Now, now, brother,” Lucifer said, smug. “She’s only a mistress, yes? When she’s dead, you can get a new one.”

  “You will not harm her!” he bellowed.

  “Oh, but I will. Gladly. You slaughtered a contingent of my demons. For that, you will lose your most treasured possession. The book, and perhaps the woman.” Lucifer pushed the tip of the blade deeper, a drop of shimmery blood trickling down the vulnerable column of her throat. “I’ll be applying more pressure every minute. Within two, I’ll reach her carotid.” He lowered his head to run her earlobe between his teeth, smiling when she jerked her head to the side. “I know why you keep her here.”

  His stomach flipped. Reveal nothing. “Do tell.”

  “She is your decoder, and a unicorn. So, I can kill her, then take her horn, or take the horn and leave her alive. The choice is yours, and time is running out.”

  The panic redoubled, choking him. Yet it was nearly overshadowed by his need to lash out, to kill, to bathe in this man’s blood. Sunny, without her magic...

  When she’d told him about other unicorns who’d lost their horns, her mournful tone had suggested they were better off dead. Now true fear etched her features, the mere possibility nearly breaking her.

  Sweat beaded on William’s brow. His heart hammered, racing faster. Growls reverberated low in his chest—so much for revealing nothing—he grated, “If you do it, if you harm her—”

  “You’ll make me pay?” Lucifer finished, faking a pout. “Not that. Anything but that.” He pushed the knife deeper. “Funny how you went from telling me I wouldn’t harm her to practically begging me to refrain. Tsk-tsk. So weak. And nearly too late. The clock will soon run out.” He grinned, smug. “Only one more minute to go.”

  “William,” she repeated, the tremors in her voice so much worse. “It’s okay. I’ll shift for him and give him the horn.”