Pride of the Lion hc-3

by N. J. Walters

  “Why me? I don’t understand. Why send me the dreams to write my books? Why get them published? Why get me to go to the writer’s conference? Why the elaborate setup?”

  Hades looked pleased, as though she was some kind of prize pupil and he the willing teacher. “Once again, intelligent questions, my dear.” He tugged on the cuffs of his shirt and aligned his suit jacket. “This pesky little detail called free will. I can influence, but I can’t make a person do something they don’t want to. Unless, of course, they sign over their soul to me in a contract.”

  “I didn’t do that.” She struggled to remember the terms of her contract with her agent. That only had to do with her books and not with her. Still, she couldn’t allow herself to relax.

  She longed to throw herself into Leander’s protective embrace. Even now, even knowing she’d been in league with his enemy, albeit unknowingly, he was beside her, ready to defend her.

  He truly was one of a kind. The world needed him if they were going to survive this bid for world domination by Hades. The sad truth was, she was expendable, while Leander was not.

  She might not have the muscles and power to fight Hades, but she did have something else—brains and common sense. If she could keep him talking long enough, keep him entertained, maybe the clock would run out on the curse and they would both be free. It was all she had to cling to.

  “No.” Hades tapped a finger against his jaw. “No, you didn’t do that. I couldn’t take the risk. If I tampered with your soul in any way, it might have kept you from being able to free the warrior. I needed you untainted until you set the lion free from captivity.”

  There was some satisfaction in that. Not much, but some. Depression hit her hard when she realized her entire publishing career was a sham. The devil himself had sold her books to a publishing company. It had nothing to do with the books she’d written from the stories he’d sent to her in dreams.

  Her aspiration of being a successful writer shattered, but she shook off that disappointment. She started to speak, knowing she had to keep Hades talking, but he held up his hand to silence her. “Enough. I know what your game is. You want to keep me talking until time runs out on the curse. Smart girl, but not smart enough. That’s not going to happen.”

  Hades turned to Leander. “Last chance, lion. If you join me I release the girl, free and unharmed for the rest of her life.”

  “Don’t do it.” Araminta grabbed Leander’s arm and shook him, or at least tried to. It was like trying to shake a mighty redwood. Leander wasn’t moving. “He’s either lying or he’s got a loophole.” She thought fast. She’d written about the other two warriors and knew how Hades thought. “He said for the rest of my life. I bet I’d have some sort of unfortunate accident right after you leave. Maybe get hit by lightning or a bus or something.”

  Hades laughed. “What an imagination you have.” His features tightened as he turned his attention to Leader. “Time is running out, lion. Tick tock.”

  She stepped in front of Leader and dug her fingers into his shoulders. “If you do it I’ll never forgive you. You need to fight to free yourself. The world needs you.”

  “How very tedious.” Hades was no longer amused. Araminta could feel the waves of anger emanating from the god.

  “How about this then. Leander, give me the girl and you can go free. You can find your fellow warriors and meet me again on the field of battle after I conquer this little planet. I may not be able to attack you ever again if you somehow break the curse, but that only holds as long as you leave me alone as well. Attack me after you are free and all bets are off.”

  Leander stirred and Araminta knew he was going to toss Hades’ offer back at him. There was no doubt in her mind that he would protect her, give his life for her. She loved him too much to let him do such a thing.

  “How about I go with you if you promise to leave Leander alone for as long as he lives. No matter what happens in the future,” she added as extra protection.

  “Yes, I’ll leave him alone forever.” She started to sigh with relief until Hades added, “Unless we meet again when I launch my takeover of the world. If he fights then, all bets are off.”

  She nibbled on her bottom lip. There was something wrong with his offer, but she didn’t have time to figure out what was bothering her, and it was better than the alternative—Leander’s death. And probably the best and only offer she was likely to get from the god. Time was running out.

  “Araminta, no.” Leander dragged her to his side and placed one large hand over her mouth to keep her from speaking. She tried to fight him, but his hold was unbreakable. She stomped her foot down on one of his and he didn’t even flinch.

  “This is boring and is getting us nowhere.” Mordecai stepped out from the shadows. Between one breath and the next, he attacked. Leander shoved Araminta aside and she fell, barely catching herself with her blistered hands and stopping her face from hitting the ground. While Leander’s attention was turned to her safety, Mordecai struck hard with his sword, stabbing Leander in the side and yanking his blade upward, opening up a huge wound. Blood poured down Leander’s side, painting his chest red in seconds.

  Leander let out a grunt of pain and slowly fell to his knees. As if in slow motion, he tilted to the side and fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Araminta screamed. What had she done? Her distraction had caused Leander’s death. She tightened her grip on her kitchen knife and ran at Mordecai, screaming in anguish as she struck. But he was a warrior and countered easily, shoving her aside. As he raised his sword, she caught a glimpse of black off to the side.

  “No, Percy.” But the cat wasn’t listening. He flew through the air, hissing and spitting, and landed on Mordecai’s arm, digging his claws into the warrior’s flesh just as he struck. Mordecai’s aim was deflected and he missed Araminta’s heart, but the sharp blade sank into her stomach. Mordecai swatted Percy aside, sending the cat flying. He disappeared into the underbrush and she prayed he was unhurt.

  Suspended upon his sword, Araminta couldn’t move. The world around her went still. Mordecai yanked out his blade and she fell to her knees, her legs unable to support her weight. The knife fell from her hands as she clutched her stomach. Warmth spilled onto her hands. In the distance, she heard a lion roaring.

  Cold, she was so very cold.

  “Araminta.” It took every ounce of strength she had, but she managed to turn her head toward the sound of Leander’s voice. It was better that way. She didn’t want to feel her life’s blood running out of her and onto the ground.

  Leander pulled himself along the ground, claws digging into the earth as he reached for her with his other hand. She toppled to the side, wanting to be near to him one last time. She reached out with one bloody hand but their fingers didn’t quite touch.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  His roar of anguish almost broke her heart. “Araminta,” he growled. “Don’t you give up. Stay with me.”

  She wanted to stay. Oh, how she wanted to. It would be so nice to have one entire day with him untainted by demons and curses, a day where they could be nothing more than a man and a woman.

  Okay, so he’d always be more and she’d always be human, but that was okay by her. All she wanted was one day to love him, to do ordinary things with him like cook dinner and maybe go to the park. Watch a movie on television or spend the day in bed.

  That would be good. Definitely spending the day in bed.

  She smiled as the world began to fade around her.

  Hades stood next to her shaking his head. “So much waste. I’ll have both your souls now.”

  Leander growled in protest and started to rise, ready to fight in spite of his debilitating injury. Hades sneered, manifested a sword and stabbed Leander in the stomach, pinning him to the ground with the blade.

  Terror hit her. That couldn’t happen. Not now. She wouldn’t allow it. She dragged herself along the ground, reaching for Leander’s hand. If only she could reach him, maybe she could
protect him.

  Her thoughts made no sense at all. What could she do?

  A dark pair of eyes watched her and Mordecai came into sharp focus. She could almost hear his voice in her head. And maybe she did. Reach for him. It was a command.

  Finding a store of strength she didn’t know she had, she reached out to him. Leander stretched toward her, arm extended, muscles trembling. Their fingertips touched and she smiled.

  Then the world exploded.

  Chapter Fifteen

  He had failed.

  Leander felt his life’s blood spilling onto the ground, but that didn’t bother him. It was the sight of Araminta’s blood that made him want to roar in anguish. He was immortal. As long as he still had his head, his body would rejuvenate given time. But there was still too much time left until midnight. Hades would soon own their souls if the curse was not broken, and both he and Araminta would be trapped in Hell forever.

  He’d failed the Lady of the Beasts and the shame of it almost broke him. It was his duty as her immortal warrior to defeat the curse and join his fellow warriors—Roric and Marko. Together with the Lady, they would free Arand—the wolf—and defeat Hades.

  But he had lost. He did not care about himself so much, but such a fate could not befall one with as pure a soul as Araminta. She’d tried to save him. She’d attacked Mordecai, an immortal warrior, with no more than a kitchen knife.

  His heart filled to bursting with love for her. He reached out for her, wanting to touch her, to save her.

  Mordecai had betrayed him. He’d betrayed them all.

  A voice whispered in his head. Reach for her. He stuck out his hand, reaching for her, muscles straining, pain ripping through his injured side. His fingertips were stained with blood.

  She whispered that she loved him and he cried out in anger and frustration. He could not lose her, would not lose her. But the light was slowly fading from her eyes. “Araminta,” he growled. “Don’t you give up,” he commanded. “Stay with me.”

  Hades manifested a sword, stood above him, staring down with his soulless eyes. The god raised the blade and thrust it downward, pinning him to the ground. Leander gritted his teeth to keep from yelling with the pain that burst through his gut. He wasn’t sure he had enough strength left to remove the sword.

  Araminta’s breath was labored, and when she coughed, blood tinged her lips. He ignored the sword. He ignored Hades and Mordecai. Nothing was as important as touching the woman he loved and letting her know she wasn’t alone.

  He reached out his hand, stretching beyond the pain, beyond the agony ripping at his belly. He would love her forever, beyond time and space. He prayed to the Lady for strength and pushed his body past his limits, smiling when he felt the slightest graze of Araminta’s fingertips against his.

  They had fought together and they would die together. He had failed her, but he would protect her soul in the Underworld.

  Love and a sense of peace enfolded him.

  The world exploded around them in a shower of light so bright he had to close his eyes against the sheer brilliance. Hades’ cursed and Mordecai roared in pain. Colors exploded behind Leander’s eyes, so many beautiful colors.

  In the distance, Leander thought he heard a clock chiming, but he couldn’t count off the hours. Energy, pure and potent, poured through his veins, and he knew what he had to do. Even though only the tips of their fingers were touching, he poured his life’s energy into Araminta, willing her to live.

  He managed to open his eyes and squint against the brilliant light that seemed to surround them. Her eyes were almost closed, their vibrant gray dulled as her life’s blood drained out of her.

  “No,” he gasped. “Araminta. You must live.”

  She tried to speak, but she was too weak to form words. He kept his gaze on her as he reached down with his free hand and grasped the sword pinning him to the ground. He took a deep breath, wrapped his hand around the blade—ignoring the way it cut into his fingers and made them bleed—and yanked.

  He ground his back teeth together to keep from yelling aloud as the blade moved a few inches. His lion writhed in agony within him. His blood poured down the blade of the sword. He disregarded the pain, shut out everything but his growing need to reach Araminta.

  He gritted his teeth, muscles in his neck cording as he pulled again. This time the sword slipped out. He tossed the weapon away and rolled onto his side. He was losing way too much blood, but he didn’t care.

  Araminta’s eyes were closed and he prayed he was not too late. He dragged his weakened body over to her and cupped her face in his blood-stained hands. She was limp, not responding to his touch.

  Frantically, he searched for a pulse in her neck. It was no more than a flutter, but it was there. He leaned over her, his breath mingling with her last gasp. “Come back to me. I love you.” Each word was ripped from his soul. A lone tear rolled down his cheek and splashed onto her lips.

  Leander pushed his life’s energy into Araminta, willing her wound to heal, all the while praying she hadn’t lost too much blood. He was capable of healing himself of injury, given enough time, but he ignored his wounds and concentrated solely on Araminta. Every fiber, every cell of his body strained toward the goal of healing her.

  Time lost all meaning as they lay on the cool hard ground, their blood soaking into the earth, a sacrifice of their love and commitment to one another.

  His eyes closed and he blinked them open. He could not remember ever being as weak as he was now. A normal sword would not have wounded him so deeply, but Mordecai’s sword was one of the seven forged by the Lady herself, given to her warriors when they were created. They were powerful weapons meant to protect one another, never to harm a brother-in-arms.

  Leander’s energy waned and he rolled back onto the ground beside Araminta, unable to hold himself on his side any longer. Araminta still hadn’t moved and worry tore at him. Had his efforts been enough? Even though every tiny movement was pure agony, he slid his arm beneath her and dragged her toward him until her head rested on his shoulder.

  There was nothing more he could do. He had no idea what had happened to Hades and Mordecai. With any luck they were both back in Hell where they belonged. But where were he and Araminta? Were they in Hell or was this some other place, an antechamber designed to resemble her backyard?

  He guessed it didn’t matter so long as they were together.

  Leander’s eyes slipped shut. His lion chuffed, offering comfort. He tightened his grip on Araminta, refusing to let her go as darkness overtook him.

  Hades swore in ten different languages as the brilliant light surrounded him, leaving him practically paralyzed. It was stronger than any he’d ever encountered, and he had little defense against it. The light was hot and seemed to burn straight to his core.

  Mordecai grabbed him by the arm and yanked him toward a portal that appeared behind them. The warrior dragged them both into the dark tunnel just as the backyard exploded in an ocean of color.

  Hades threw his hands over his face, but he was momentarily blinded. The light drilled into his eyes all the way to his brain, leaving him in utter agony. It was only by sheer will he stayed upright. He would not show any more weakness than necessary in front of the warrior. It wouldn’t do for the immortal being to get any ideas.

  “What the fuck happened?” Hades’ voice was powerful and authoritative, just the way he liked it. He lowered his hands as the soothing darkness enfolded him. Mordecai didn’t answer, but then again, he knew the warrior had to be feeling the effects of whatever that light was. The serpent also didn’t enjoy traveling through the portals, so he’d feel even more uncomfortable than Hades was. At least that gave him some pleasure.

  They stepped out into his chamber, and Hades strode to his chair and threw himself down onto it. He would never admit to anyone that his knees were weak and he was sick to his stomach. There was something about that light that was dangerous to him. “Well?” he raised an imperious brow.

&
nbsp; Mordecai shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I think that was the curse being broken.”

  “But time hadn’t run out.” They’d still had several hours, time he’d planned to use watching both the woman and the lion die before dragging their souls to his domain. He’d been cheated. He drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair as he pondered this new development.

  The warrior went to the long sideboard filled with food and drink and poured a goblet of wine. He walked to the throne and handed it to Hades. “I think the clock might have had some help.”

  “The Lady?”

  Mordecai nodded. “The light that struck felt very familiar. It’s possible the Lady was able to make time seem as though it was passing slowly when really it was moving faster.” He paused. “Much like when Luna used your power to catch Araminta in that waking dream.”

  “Hmm.” Hades sipped the wine and contemplated Mordecai’s explanation. “So the Lady is not as weak as she seemed.”

  “Not then, but it takes an enormous amount of energy to manipulate time. That’s if she was indeed responsible for what happened.”

  Mordecai strode to the wall and leaned against it, losing himself in the shadows. Hades didn’t care where the warrior stood as long as he knew where Mordecai was. He didn’t trust the warrior. Of course, he didn’t trust anyone so it was a moot point.

  He turned and stared into the mirror. It was dark. “Show me the Lady.” A vision of a dark meadow slowly came into focus. The goddess was lying in the dirt, naked and obviously exhausted. There was no way for him to know if she’d had a hand in this latest debacle or not. Either way, she was now powerless.

  “Show me the warrior and the girl,” Hades commanded. A pinprick of light appeared in the center of the mirror, expanding slowly outward. The warrior was lying on the ground with the girl lying half on top of him. Neither was moving. He couldn’t tell if they were dead. All he knew was he didn’t have their souls. Would never have them now.