“Us in . . .” she interjected quietly.
“Ana, you will stay out of this.” Anger bled through his words. Would the woman never listen? He turned from her and addressed the demon. “I want her out of here. Topside.”
Seth snorted. “You seem to want a lot for someone who’s my prisoner.”
“I don’t have time for games,” Declan growled, and flexed his fingers. He knew he wasn’t at full strength, but damn, he could still do some damage. Inflict pain.
“What’s in it for me?” The demon’s eyes lingered on Ana and Declan growled, not liking the way his eyes rested on the vampire.
“Don’t go there unless you want me to rip you a new one.”
Seth laughed. “Still so arrogant.” The laughter quickly died. “In case you haven’t noticed, sorcerer, you’re on my turf”—he gestured—“and I have dominion over all of it.”
“No shit,” Declan growled. He took another step until his tall frame effectively cut Ana from the demon’s view. “I’m here to make a deal, so can we get on with it?”
Seth exhaled slowly, as if he were bored, or would rather be elsewhere, but Declan knew better. The demon hated Lilith. Their animosity was legendary.
“For safe passage to District Three”—Declan nodded—“for the return of Ana topside, I will get you Nefertari’s stone.”
“Nice try, Declan, but I’m not going anywhere,” Ana piped up from behind him.
Declan clenched his jaw painfully. He was irritated, pissed off, but ignored the vampire. Instead he watched as Seth considered his words. He knew his bargain held interest. The necklace was the demon’s most coveted prize and Lilith had it. He’d had an obsession with the Nefertari for thousands of years.
Seth turned to him, his answer abrupt. “Done.”
Declan smiled and nodded.
“Except for the part where I return Ana topside.”
Declan’s smile turned into a growl. “I’m not negotiating.”
Seth shrugged. “I’ve already made a deal with your vampire. Sorry.” The demon waved his hand and the door flew open. He paused. “I’d work out your differences if I were you. District Three is unforgiving.” He nodded toward Declan. “I know it’s been, what, two years? Trust me, nothing’s changed.”
Seth stepped out into the hall. “You’ve got one hour so make the most of it. I will make the arrangements.”
The door closed, leaving them alone.
Declan paced. The anger, the hunger inside was nearly too much to bear with Ana so close. He couldn’t look at her. He didn’t know what he wanted to do more—fucking strangle her, kiss her silly, or grab her to his body, sink his fangs into her neck, and feed.
It scared him, this beast that now existed inside. A loss of control skittered along the edge of his mind, but he pushed it back. He needed to focus.
“Declan.” Her soft voice was hesitant and yet it set him off, unleashed the fury inside him.
“What the hell are you thinking?” He turned on her and took two strides until he was inches away. His mouth ached, but Declan held on, forced his fangs back. He would maintain control. He would figure this out.
A blush crept into her cheeks as she stared at him. Her eyes glittered and he could tell she was as angry as he. But there was something else there. He didn’t like it. Defiance.
“I’m not going anywhere other than”—she gestured toward the floor—“down below.”
Images assaulted him and he swore he could smell District Three. Pain had a scent all its own. It was sharp and left a bitter aftertaste.
“You have no idea what awaits us there.” Bitterness laced his words. “The most horrific things you’ve ever encountered cannot compare to Lilith’s domain.”
“A little refresher, Declan. I died. Sorry, but that was pretty awful.”
He shook his head. “That’s not the same thing and you know it.”
“What are you so afraid of?” she asked suddenly. “It’s not like we’ve never stared down the face of evil before. Hell, it’s the mainstay of our diet.”
He stepped away and closed his eyes. Did he have time to list them all?
Declan felt her hand upon his arm, winced as her fingers slowly caressed their way up to the shredded flesh underneath his left pectoral. Her touch burned through the fabric of his shirt.
“I know she did awful things to you.” Ana’s words were barely a whisper but he was in no mood for softness, for comfort.
He wrenched away from her touch. “You don’t know shit.”
“Seth told me”—she faltered and his frown deepened—“you were her property for months. He said she makes Lucifer’s work look like child’s play. I mean I . . . don’t know specifics but I’m sure it wasn’t pleasant.”
Declan stopped in his tracks. “Not pleasant?” He was incredulous. “That’s the fucking understatement of the year.” In that moment he wanted to shout, to cry out his anger and frustration. Yet he gritted his teeth and remained silent, tucked all emotion away.
“What did you promise Seth?” he asked instead. Pain lashed across his gut and he groaned, closed his eyes. Instantly crimson bled before his eyes. His fangs slid out and he hissed as his stomach muscles cramped.
She was there. Her body next to his, her hands upon his face. “Declan, you need to feed.”
“What did you promise Seth?” he spat out, unable to look at her for fear he’d eat her alive. His hands trembled. He tucked them into fists and hung on.
She stared at him intently. “It doesn’t matter. I did what I had to do and don’t look at me like that. It’s no different than what you did.”
He growled and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Every single thing you do matters to me. It always has, but now we’ve gone to the next level, you and I. There is no in between. No halfway for us. So yeah, if you’ve signed your soul over to the demon I need to know this shit.”
Declan broke away and took a step back. It was too much. The hunger, the fear, and the overwhelming need to protect. He looked at her, his heart in his eyes, “I don’t want you near her poison. Understand? I don’t . . .” He blew out a breath. “The things I did . . . we did . . .”
Declan snapped his mouth shut. His body was wound tight, every muscle corded into a band of pain.
Ana’s mouth trembled, just a bit, and she bit her lip. “It’s too late. What’s done can’t be taken back.” Her hand crept up to his cheek and something loosened inside. Like a balloon of pain and longing had burst. “For either one of us. I’m not interested in what you did, what you had to do to survive down there.”
She laid her head against his chest and slipped her arms around his body. Declan inhaled her scent and for a second let the balloon linger, slowly leaking from his body in a tight flow of pain.
He couldn’t fight it. He groaned, hugged her close. And let it go.
She nuzzled his flesh, her cheek gently rubbing against the damaged skin.
“I’m only interested in two things,” she whispered. “Getting those teenagers out of District Three, and you—that’s it. There is nothing else.”
He felt the rise and fall of her chest, heard the beat of her heart. “You need to feed,” she breathed against him. “I need to feed.” Her voice deepened.
Declan felt the scrape of her fangs against his skin and his hold tightened. The severity of his situation faded away. Seth. District Three. All of it.
He closed his eyes and everything was a wash of crimson—his thoughts, emotions, his wants and needs. Her blood had infected them all, had woven its way into his heart and soul until there was nothing else.
“Declan, look at me.”
His eyes flew open and the raw hunger that he saw in her face left him weak. His hand sank into the thick, silky tangle of hair at her nape as he gazed into her eyes.
“I love you.”
Those three simple words nearly did him in. In that moment he would have sold his soul ten times over in order to push back the clock, just so he could h
ear them again. And again. I love you.
“Ana.” He cupped her chin and bent until his lips were inches from hers. He opened his mouth wide and took her lips with a fierce need that made him tremble. Her mouth was soft beneath his, her tongue silky as it teased along his own, but it was the taste of her that inflamed his senses.
She tasted like home.
“Ana,” he whispered again into her mouth as his hands held her firmly in place. “I can’t remember a time when you weren’t the thing I wanted the most. It’s like I have no memory before you walked into the briefing room at Quantico.” Her eyes widened at his admission. “I knew my path had just been altered and even though you were involved with Diego I was willing to wait.” A half smile tugged at his mouth. “Christ, did you make me wait.” He brushed his lips across hers once more. “Now that you’re mine I refuse to let you put your life in danger. If anything happened to you . . .”
His face darkened, his voice was grim. “I saw you die once, stood by helplessly while my father ended you.” He shook his head. “I will not go through that again. Lilith makes my father look like a punk-ass Dr. Evil. He had nothing on her. She’s ruthless, conniving, lethal. She feeds on fucking children, for Christ sakes.”
“I don’t care.”
An exasperated grunt slipped from him. “You should care very much. This trip below won’t be a holiday. The chances of surviving are pretty goddamn slim but I have to try. She cannot be allowed to gather the mark of seven”—his voice was hoarse now—“or all will be lost.”
“There’s no way you can stop me, and besides”—her eyes glittered in a strange way, the blue depths shiny like iced diamonds—“you need me.” She angled her head slightly and he groaned as his eyes feasted on the expanse of smooth skin. “I can smell your hunger. You need to feed.”
Quiet fell between them. “I need to feed,” she whispered.
His fangs ached terribly and for a second, time stilled and the floor beneath his feet shifted. He would have fallen save for her strong arms around him.
“Do it, Declan.” Her hands were in his hair, guiding him toward ecstasy. His tongue flicked across her flesh, his teeth scraped along the hollow of her neck. The pain inside him was fierce. He crushed her tightly and sank his fangs into her skin.
Instantly his senses were flooded with an overwhelming surge of power. His cells were on fire, electrified with an insane energy, and one only she could provide. Declan took from her, pulling long draws of blood, and it was all sorts of darkness, power, and sex.
She shuddered against him, her slight body melted into his large frame, and he reacted fiercely. He was hard, his body filled with carnal need. Blood and sex.
Ana’s fingers crept up to his skull and she wrenched away from him, her chest heaving, her eyes gone fully black. “My turn,” she said hoarsely. Her fangs were fully distended, her hair was about her shoulders in a mad tangle of auburn.
She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever encountered and the emotions that pummeled him as she gathered him once more, and sank her fangs into his flesh, was indescribable.
His hand slid down to her ass. He held her tight against his erection and they moved together slowly, their bodies gyrating to a rhythm only they could hear.
Each draw of blood she took from him had his cock twitching hard and he groaned as she continued to feed. Awash in the knowledge that he sustained her. It was a powerful thought. Sobering.
Declan had no clue how long the two of them rocked together, oblivious to their surroundings and the path they’d be taking soon. It could have been minutes or hours.
A not so subtle cough ruined the euphoria and intensity of the moment. Reluctantly he loosened his hold, resting his forehead against hers as they evened out their emotions.
“Snack time’s over, kids. Your ride to Lilith’s Hell leaves in five minutes.”
Declan raised his head and nodded. He glanced down at Ana and knew there was no way to stop her. He shook his head. “Are you sure?”
She nodded but remained silent.
Declan stepped away, rolled his shoulders, and tossed a smile at the demon, Seth. “Let’s do this.”
Ana followed Seth from the room and he pushed down the cold lump of fear in his gut. Hell knew, he’d led a life most unexpected. One filled with extreme highs and lows. Was it about to end for real? He knew Lilith would fry him alive if she had the opportunity.
He just hoped he was able to get the teens to safety and his woman out before she did.
Chapter 26
The trip to District Three would take about an hour. Seth had arranged for Declan and Ana to replace the guards who escorted newbies sentenced below. They loaded up just outside the dunes and headed into the center of the largest one. A gaping hole opened allowing them entrance and then swallowed them.
The uniforms they’d been given rocked, the fabric was black, light, and form-fitting. Declan told her they were fireproof.
Ana could barely keep her eyes off Declan as he adjusted a pair of dark glasses. Hers were already in place, which was the only reason she could look and not get caught.
She tore her gaze away. The transport shuttle was an elderly piece of crap metal that shook something fierce as they began their descent. The cargo was a motley bunch, an eclectic group of souls that included both human and otherworld. Their fear was thick. The scent of it nearly overwhelming. They’d been aboard for nearly forty-five minutes and she felt the tension rising rapidly, the closer they came to their objective.
Declan stared out into the darkness, his face grim. She felt him pulling away and hated the distance between them.
She sighed as her gaze traveled to the front where a large glass partition allowed her to see outside the shuttle. They were in a tunnel, one that was similar to a mine shaft. There were overhead bulbs that glowed, the eerie light throwing macabre shadows against rough-hewn walls on either side.
It was hot. The kind of dry heat that burned harsh. Ana’s body self-regulated her temperature so she was able to adjust with no difficulty. The humans amongst the bunch, however, were already suffering miserably. She could only imagine what it would be like once they reached their final destination.
She exhaled, leaned against the steel at her back, and closed her eyes. She ached to touch Declan, to keep his body close to hers, but that was impossible. They were guards, not lovers, and it was imperative they keep their cover intact. The potion he’d ingested, the gift from Samael that had bled into her, would keep their scent masked.
It was up to them to do the rest.
She shook her head, a slight smile tugging at her mouth. Even though the circumstance she found herself in was extreme, it wasn’t unlike many a mission she’d run with Declan years before.
God, how she missed those days.
Slowly her eyes slid open. A jolt ran through her. Declan’s dark eyes were intense as they rested upon her, his glasses gone. They glittered strangely. Instantly her heart sped up and she fought to remain passive. There was much pain reflected in their depths but it was gone just as fast.
She opened her mouth, wanting to whisper some kind of comfort, but he nodded, a sharp jerking motion, and looked away. Ana bit her lip and concentrated on pushing her feelings aside. She needed to tap into the cold bitch that lay in wait, the one who’d do anything to survive and win.
The large weapon she carried was heavy and she adjusted it, her eyes resting on a woman who huddled in a shaking mess two rows back. How the hell she could be cold in this inferno was a mystery. She was filthy, her thin arms covered in needle marks. Her blood scent was sickly, filled with the chemical influence of several different types of illicits. She was young, that was obvious.
Ana wondered how she’d died. What had led her to a path that had taken her straight to Hell. She winced as the woman jerked, her body convulsing in an unnatural manner.
The woman moaned softly, clutched her belly, and then turned to retch. A large shifter sat beside her, his huge frame cr
ammed against the side of the shuttle. He swore loudly and slammed his fist into her face, breaking her nose, sending blood spurting everywhere.
The cry that fell from her mouth was pathetic. Ana took a step forward. It wasn’t her nature to stand by and watch the weak take such abuse. The shifter turned his attention to Ana and growled as his hand went around the woman’s neck. She struggled as he tightened his grip, yet his gaze remained focused on Ana. The bastard smiled, licked his lips.
She took a step forward, a snarl escaping as she took another. The large weapon she carried was quickly pulled into her arms and she pointed it at the shifter.
“Release her at once.”
Declan moved beside her and she was aware that all eyes were now focused on the two of them. She didn’t care.
“Do it now or I’ll blow your fucking head off.”
“You think I care?” the shifter rasped. “I’m already dead and would like nothing more than to escape the shithole I’m headed to.” He barred his teeth. “Do it,” he goaded.
Another moan slid from between the woman’s lips and her legs began to shake as he twisted harder.
“You think if she blows your head off”—Declan nodded toward Ana—“that will be your ticket out of District Three?” Declan’s gaze traveled the room as he spoke. “Sorry to burst your bubble, asshole, but that ain’t the case. You’ve been sentenced to District Three and that means Lilith has you by the balls for as long as she wants.” He aimed his weapon toward the shifter as well and snarled, “Head or no head. She’ll put you back together but you won’t be as pretty as you are now.”
The shifter growled, enraged, and threw the woman onto the floor as he leapt over her. His intent was clear. Ana did not hesitate. She planted a blast dead center of his forehead and felt nothing as his head exploded into a shower of blood, brains, and not much else.
Complete silence filled the shuttle and Ana stepped back, carefully avoiding the mess on the floor. She would have reached for the moaning woman but Declan stepped in front of her.
“Move,” he hissed, his voice low.
Wicked Road to Hell Page 23
