Pride of the Lion hc-3

by N. J. Walters

  Araminta dragged out her wallet and searched through receipts. She really had to clean out her purse. It wasn’t here. The men were getting restless and anticipation filled the air. Where had she put the card?

  She’d tucked it in the side pocket for safekeeping. “Here it is.” She pulled out the vellum card. “Sabrina Wolfe. That’s her name.”

  “Where does she live?” Roric demanded.

  “New Orleans.” She glanced at the others. “I guess that means we’re going to Louisiana.”

  Hades looked away from the mirror and the cozy scene faded away. He hated those immortal warriors, but he hated the women even more. How dare those human women foil his plans? Not so human now though. They were all tinged with immortality that would only grow and strengthen as time went on.

  Leander hadn’t died after all. How…disappointing. Hades wanted to kill someone. Anyone.

  He stood and turned to the demon guarding his chamber door. Raising his hand, he released a yell of frustration and sent a bolt of lightning winging toward the unfortunate creature. It screeched and caught fire, burning to a crisp in seconds. It was poor compensation for Hades considering what he really wanted to do.

  But retaliation against the warriors and their women was impossible. He’d agreed to the terms of the Lady of the Beasts when they’d struck their bargain and now he was stuck. If he or any of his minions attacked any of the freed warriors or their women, it would rebound worse on him, killing him. Something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

  His blood boiled. It was rare anyone got the better of him in a bargain, and when it did happen it left him brooding for centuries. He couldn’t afford to be distracted right now. There were too many plans to make.

  As if summoned by his thoughts, Mordecai walked into the room. The serpent raised one eyebrow in question as he stepped over the remains of the guard demon. “Trouble?”

  Hades waved his hand. “It’s nothing.” He motioned to the mirror. “You did not kill the lion.”

  Mordecai looked supremely unconcerned. Hades wanted to shake the warrior’s confidence. He was too sure of himself. “You failed,” Hades pointed out.

  “No, I didn’t. I thought you wanted him alive to try to convince him to join you. He couldn’t do that if he was dead. The woman was disposable, the warrior was not.” Mordecai leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. “It was the Lady manipulating the time continuum that messed things up.”

  The warrior had a point, even though Hades would not admit it. “They know about the woman in New Orleans.”

  “It doesn’t matter. All the pieces are in place, ready when you are, my lord.” The warrior added the two final words at the end as an afterthought. Hades gritted his molars together. Once this battle was won, he’d make the insolent warrior pay.

  “What about the Lady?” Mordecai asked.

  Hades waved his hand in the air and the black glass in the mirror changed, the scene growing lighter. The Lady of the Beasts appeared. She was seated beneath a large redwood tree, peering up at the sky. “She doesn’t appear to be too concerned about her remaining warriors, does she?” Hades watched Mordecai and was disappointed when the warrior seemed impervious to his barb. “The goddess is of no import. I will waste no more time on her. The end is at hand.”

  Mordecai smiled, and it gave Hades pause. It was too much like the smiles he saw when he gazed at his own reflection. “Then all is as planned.”

  Hades mentally called several of his fiercest demons to him, suddenly not wanting to be alone with the warrior. Which was ridiculous. Hades was a god, Mordecai an immortal warrior—strong, yes, but nothing when compared to the strength of a god.

  “Yes. All is as planned. Let’s go.” Hades strode from the room. Mordecai glanced at the mirror in the corner and then followed.

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