It did nothing more than slow the skin shifter down, and the creature bellowed in rage. Declan watched as his fingers elongated, the tips lengthening into razor-sharp claws. He waved his hands in the air.
“I’m sure you remember the pain these bring.”
Declan’s chest began to burn and the scars that had been embedded deep within his skin tingled painfully. Hell yeah, he remembered. After the bitch with the dagger was done with him and had torn his skin to shit, the skin shifter loved to run his long claws along Declan’s raw flesh. Sometimes he’d poke around inside, twisting and turning, while Lilith watched with her entourage.
The pain had been incredible and Declan was ashamed to admit that after months of abuse, he’d been broken. The darkness—Lilith—had been much too strong.
That was when he’d truly danced with the devil and it was only because of Bill that he’d not surrendered wholly. He was man enough to admit that if the little bastard hadn’t yanked his ass out of Hell, he’d still be Lilith’s bitch, tied up to the wall in the outer sanctum.
Engaging in all sorts of unspeakable acts.
He snarled and faced the skin shifter. “I remember everything, asshole.” A harsh smile swept over his face. “Like how pathetic you are. Always under Lilith’s skirts, begging for a piece of ass you’ll never get.”
“You will not speak of her in such a manner.” The shifter was livid and his words echoed into the air, falling like stones in the quiet. “She is our queen and respect is called for.”
Declan was nearly finished with his charm. “Respect is earned. You should know that. You’ve been groveling for, what, ten thousand years? And you’re still the douche who hides in the corner. Playing dress-up for Lilith when she commands,” he snarled, “wearing whatever face she desires, and watching her fuck anything and everything while your lust is never satiated.”
The skin shifter’s eyes bulged and for a moment the air around him shimmered. Declan chanted ancient words in his head but he stopped as the face and form in front of him changed. His father’s countenance disappeared and it was now Ana who stood before him, her tight, lithe form clad in sheer wisps of gauze.
“I watched you have sex with Lilith,” she purred, her legs moving slowly as she moved toward him. “I watched her feed from you as you screwed her in every way possible.”
Declan tried to ignore the words, tried to maintain his composure and work his charm, but it was difficult.
“I watched your face as you spread her legs and inhaled the darkness that clings to her like candy.” Laughter fell from the shifter’s lips and Declan gritted his teeth. “It’s like a drug, no?”
Don’t let him fuck with your mind.
Ana’s visage wavered and then she was gone. Nothing but silence and cool air filled the space where she’d been.
Declan exhaled a long, torturous breath and as quick as he blinked, Lilith stood before him. She was naked, her long blond hair falling about her perfect, alabaster skin in silken waves. Her blue eyes were iridescent. They shone like beacons, little pieces of the artificial sky from outside.
She opened her mouth and smiled widely, her teeth even and pearly white. Alarm rifled through Declan.
Her hands tweaked the tips of her rose-colored nipples and as they moved lower, down to the golden thatch between her legs, he noticed the necklace that swung between her breasts.
Bingo. Nefertari’s stone.
Small giggles fell from her lips. “Declan, I knew you’d come back to me.” Her face darkened, and for a second, her true self was revealed. It was ugly, vengeful, petulant. He knew this was no longer the skin shifter, but the real deal.
His eyes narrowed. The game had just changed.
She licked her lips as a slow grin crept over her features.
“I’ve been starving since you left.”
Chapter 30
The stone floor was damp and each cautious step Ana took echoed much too loudly. She tried to be careful but it was no use. At this rate she might as well scream and announce her entrance.
The steady drip of water mingled with the rapid breaths that fell from her mouth. Her senses had kicked into overdrive and an adrenaline rush fed her body. She glanced ahead and though her eyes usually had no trouble seeing in the dark, down here the thickness of it was nearly impenetrable.
The dagger was held loosely in her hands and her muscles screamed for action.
She heard muffled sounds from behind her, but they were distorted, and that made her nervous.
Her booted foot hit a rock or something like it and she cursed as it went flying, scraping across the floor as it rolled.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” she muttered, and stopped as a foreign scent rifled across the cool wet air. She inhaled sharply and gripped the dagger a little tighter. “Come to mama, you little piece of—”
Her words were cut off as two red eyes appeared a few feet from her. They were as high as her chest. A rumbling growl sounded and she was silent as a large hellhound slipped through the bands of gray mist.
Each breath it exhaled was like a ribbon of fire and buckets of spittle dripped in globs from the exposed teeth.
Which to be honest were impressive.
Ana stared at the damn thing and squared her shoulders. It was one hellhound and she was a vampire, a three-hundred-year-old vampire with a hate-on that could tear it apart.
A second growl joined the first and she swallowed heavily as two more sets of eyes joined the first.
Shit. Okay, must revaluate.
“Not fair, boys,” she said as she moved a few paces to the side. The wall was inches away, the hard surface slippery with the constant dripping water. It was then that she felt the subtle energy traces that signaled the presence of a human. Or two.
Excitement shot through her. She was close and needed to keep cool.
The first, the largest hellhound, turned its massive head and blew out one long, lingering breath. The heat of it wafted in the air and she wrinkled her nose as the constant rumble of their chests permeated the space in a wash of sound.
Her hand tightened on the shaft of the dagger and her eyes narrowed onto her prey. Take out the leader and the rest will follow.
Wise words.
She hissed and jackknifed her body into the air so that she ran horizontally up the wall and pushed off with a mighty kick. She flew through the air, her body spiraling so that she looked down at the beasts as she passed overhead. The large hellhound snapped its great jaws and she felt a tug as a chunk of her hair was ripped from her skull.
She flew by so quickly she was surprised the bastard managed to snag a piece, and hit hard, her feet sticking the landing like an Olympian. She whirled around and jabbed the dagger into the hellhound’s haunches. One quick shot to each leg.
She was away, barely avoiding the snap of the smaller bitch to the right as she jumped back. It would have charged, but the leader turned on it and sank its fangs into the smaller beast’s neck, tearing a huge gaping hole into its neck and tossing the animal to the side.
“You want me for yourself?” Ana shouted. Anarchy was a good thing in a situation such as this. Her fangs erupted and she relished the aggressive push that came with them.
The hellhound bellowed and charged. Ana stayed her ground, the dagger held tight, and when it hit, she sank the blade into its chest, forcing it deep as they crashed to the ground.
The beast’s jaw snapped in rapid succession like a jackhammer. Ana barely managed to avoid the danger as she yanked on the dagger. The damn thing weighed a ton and she felt her strength waning but held on.
Her left hand sank into the coarse hair at its neck and she pushed hard, giving herself a couple of inches’ grace from the deadly teeth that growled and snapped.
Pain ripped along her right side as its razor-sharp claws tore into her flesh. Her anger and steely determination gave her the boost of energy she needed and she heaved with all her might, bucking and kicking at the same time. With a grunt she f
lipped the three-hundred-pound animal onto its back and held the dagger aloft.
The smell of blood was in the air—hers—and it enraged her. Ana’s eyes were fully dilated, her fangs extended as she hissed at the hellhound.
“I’m going to carve your heart out and feed it to your friend.” She held on as the animal struggled to unseat her, and bared her teeth as she drove the blade through its chest walls. She heard the sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing.
Dark, putrid blood sprang from the wound like a geyser and Ana jumped back, pulling the dagger from the hellhound’s chest as she did so. She’d hit pay dirt.
It scrambled, trying to get to its feet, and she sliced into its side, grunting savagely as the dagger scraped along each and every rib. The hellhound cried out and with a final heave managed to find its footing.
“Tenacious bitch, aren’t you,” she muttered under her breath as the animal glared at her. Its eyes still glowed fiery red, but the rasping that fell from its lips signaled she’d injured the beast and had done a good job of it.
It stumbled forward a few feet and then collapsed inches from her, raspy moans and growls falling from its trembling mouth. Ana gave it the boots, her heel connecting once more as she silenced it.
Her chest was heaving but there was no time to rest. She ducked as the third hellhound flew at her. It had waited patiently, watching from the shadows. Ana cursed, dropped, and rolled. The pain in her side was becoming sharper and she knew she was losing blood.
She needed to get to the kids and get the hell out.
An eerie sound drifted through the thick air and startled her. Declan? She hesitated, and it cost her.
The hellhound was on her in an instant and though she twisted her body she couldn’t avoid the hit. Her right arm was caught between herself and the beast, the dagger was pinned tight. Useless.
The animal stared down at her and a cry of frustration erupted from her throat. The hellhound blew hot air against her cheek and she thrashed violently, trying to unseat the bastard and avoid the deadly canines that dripped poison.
A hot sting inched across her face as drops fell from its mouth to land on her cheek. She managed to wriggle her arm up an inch but as she twisted her neck back, Ana knew the chances of avoiding the dangerous teeth were slim. Her side ached and she was losing a lot of blood.
She lunged forward, one last desperate attempt at attack, and fell back as the hellhound was flung from her body like a rag doll. Ana rolled over and staggered to her feet, her gaze wild as she circled the room.
What the hell?
A vortex of wind filled with hail the size of footballs spun like a tornado, surrounding the hellhound and holding it prisoner. She watched in awe as the fury of the wind lifted the large animal and slammed it against the wall. The hellhound was stunned, a ball of fur and mangy growls against the wall, and then it went still.
She clutched her side, took a step, and stopped as a voice cut through the mist.
“We’re over here.” It was young, on the cusp of change. Definitely a teenaged male with the high-pitched cracks to prove it.
Ana ran toward the voice and as the cool mist evaporated she came to a halt.
They were safe, bound to the wall with iron chains, but safe. The young girl, Francesca’s sister, stared at her in fear, and beside her was the boy. He looked to be no older than thirteen or fourteen at the most, yet his eyes were hard, his hands trembled at his side. He was on the small side, with a thick crop of inky black hair and skin as pale as hers.
“Is it down?” he asked, his voice rough. “Hurt bad?”
Ana rushed to their side and assessed the situation. She looked down at the boy. “The hellhound?”
He nodded as quick, hard breaths escaped from between his lips.
“You did that?”
Again, a nod.
“Impressive,” she answered with a quick smile.
“It won’t stay down for long,” he answered quickly. “Nothing does down here.”
Ana looked at the bloody dagger in her hands and eyed the two teenagers. “I’m getting you out, so listen closely. You do as I say, no questions asked, all right?”
“How do we know we can trust you?” The boy’s eyes narrowed.
Ana paused, her gaze settling on the girl. Her large eyes were full of pain, confusion. “Francesca sent me and I promised her I’d bring you home.”
A single tear wove its way down the teenager’s face and she began to tremble.
“You’re a vampire,” the boy said.
Ana retracted her fangs. “We don’t have time for chitchat.” Ana glanced at the heavy iron chains that bound them. “Don’t move.”
She held the dagger tight and leapt forward, striking the iron as hard as she could. The force of the hit reverberated along her forearm and she barely managed to hold on to the dagger.
It didn’t do a thing.
“Dammit!”
“The key is over there.”
“What?” Ana looked at the boy, not impressed with the grin that now swept over his face.
“The key for the chain is on that table.” He nodded behind her.
Ana whirled around. Smart-ass.
She retrieved the key and seconds later freed the teenagers.
“I’m Daniel,” the boy said. “This is Alex but she doesn’t talk much.”
“Ana.” She glanced behind her, worry for Declan weighing her down. She felt a shift in the air.
“Oh crap,” Daniel muttered.
Ana turned to the boy. “What’s happening?” Alex was trembling, her slight form shivering madly, and she was unable to hold the sob that escaped her tight lips. This could not be good.
“She’s back.” Daniel’s eyes were wide, his lips thinned. “Lilith.”
Ana had a moment—a second of thought that said she was never getting her ass out of this hellhole. Her side ached and the need to feed was pinching hard. She’d lost a lot of blood. She could hear the hellhounds behind her stirring and that galvanized her into action.
“Let’s go.” She looked at both of them. “This is the only shot we’re going to get so you need to listen to me. Stay close and do exactly what I say.” She arched a brow. “We clear?”
Daniel nodded, his hand slipped into Alex’s. The girl flinched but didn’t pull away. Ana was worried about her. She seemed off, her mind in another place. She eyed Daniel. “You need to keep her in line. There’s no room for error.” Ana squared her shoulders and turned. “Let’s go.”
She felt the presence of Lilith. Her power was undeniable, her lust overwhelming.
And Lilith was gunning for her man.
They slid through the shadows, melting into the dullness of it as they headed toward Declan. Ana sensed him, could feel his anger, frustration.
Muffled voices wavered in the air and became clearer as the seconds ticked by. She was so intent upon them that she nearly stepped on a large, writhing lump of demon. If not for the whispered warning from Daniel she would have.
Without pause, Ana struck swiftly, slicing through bone and tissue. A guttural gasp escaped and then whatever the hell it was lay still.
Score another for the vampire.
She paused, her thoughts swirling madly. She knew she should take the teens out, get them back to the forest, but she couldn’t leave Declan.
She wouldn’t.
Ana turned and bent low so that her face was inches from Daniel. He held Alex’s hand tightly and though the girl was taller than him it was clear his courage was holding her up.
She shoved the dagger into his free hand, took a moment to gather her bearings as best she could, and whispered softly, “Wait by the door. It’s several feet to your left. If anything comes close, use this, all right? I can’t leave without Declan.”
Daniel blinked, a frown falling upon his face. “The sorcerer? He’s here?”
“You were expecting him?” A fresh dose of unease punched her in the gut and Ana clenched her teeth tightly.
> Daniel shook his head. “No, but Lilith talks about him a lot.” He glanced at Alex before his wide gaze rested upon hers again. “Like he’s her . . .”
Ana blanched at the teen’s words. “Her what?”
“Um, her . . . like boyfriend or something.” Daniel glanced away.
Hot anger ripped through her and she hissed at the ferocity of it. “Go now and hold tight to your position near the door.” She turned and peered through the swirling fog. “Can you make this thicker? Dense?”
“Sure.”
“Do it and wait for me.”
Exhilaration rushed through her. A cool wind swept along the ground and teased the fog into a heavy shroud that coated her fully.
Boyfriend? She tossed the notion aside. As fucking if.
“He’s mine,” she muttered.
Her booted feet crept silently upon the stone floor. She was wound as tight as a rattlesnake about to strike, yet her hands were loose, at the ready.
Carefully she crept toward the voices. One—Declan’s—was raised in anger, while the other—Lilith’s—was coy, smug. She saw soft light ahead, filtered through the dense fog.
She hoped with the cover afforded by Daniel, Lilith wouldn’t be aware of her presence. She took another step, her breath held in anticipation of the fight.
“There you are. I’ve been dying to meet the little bitch Declan pined for the entire time I had him.”
The voice was sickly sweet, plastic, and full of shit.
It was Lilith. Her cover was blown. The pretense was over as quickly as it had begun.
Ana slid from the darkness and stepped into the light.
Chapter 31
The woman was a whore.
Every inch of her naked flesh screamed wanton tramp. She hid it well, behind the mask of an angel, but Ana saw past it. The decay was there, beneath the surface, you just had to look.
Ana kept her face emotionless as she stared at the naked bitch; her own mask of sorts. Inside rage lingered, festered, and pulled at her until she was barely able to contain herself. She wanted to rip her nails across the perfect, creamy flesh and choke the life out of the witch.
Wicked Road to Hell Page 27
