Darkness Seduced (Primal Heat Trilogy #2) (Order of the Blade)

by Stephanie Rowe

  “I couldn’t reach him,” he told her. “He must be dead.”

  “When I was in the truck, when Frank’s men had me, Frank implied you were dead.” Lily looked over at him, and he saw the flash of pain in her eyes at the memory of what it had felt like to be disconnected from him. “I tried to contact you with my mind, but there was no response. Yet, it turned out you were after us and closing fast.”

  Gideon frowned as he walked into a den with a huge flat screen television hanging on one wall. “I was trying to reach you, too.”

  “So, despite the blood ritual, which should have allowed us to connect over any distance, we got nothing.” Lily ran over to a bookshelf and peered behind it, looking for a hidden door. “Frank must have done something to block our connection. Maybe the car itself was specially designed to block those kinds of communications between Calydons.”

  “Son of a bitch. You think?” Gideon walked over to the flat screen television and studied it. Frank didn’t seem like the type to kick back and watch television. His goals were too lofty to spend time doing something that unproductive. “And you think Elijah might be here? Now? But blocked, like you and I were?” Elijah, if you can hear me, I’m coming for you. Hang in there, buddy. You’re about to get your life back.

  “Maybe.”

  “Then it ends now.” Gideon backed up a few steps, then he charged the television and slammed his shoulder into it. Sparks flew, the sound of shattering wood filled the room and then he was through the wall, standing in a tunnel built of clay. Bingo. He fisted his hands, his mind going into the singular warrior focus. “I’m going to find him and bring him home.” His voice was colder than he’d intended and he realized he was falling into battle mode. Hell, it was about damned time he figured out how to be a warrior when he was with Lily.

  Lily hurried into the tunnel after him. “Gideon—”

  “What?” He started jogging through the passageway, his senses on high alert for any threat. Damn, it felt good to be focused. His mind was humming with intensity, his muscles were firing with adrenaline, and he could hear every sound as if it were magnified a thousand fold.

  “What do you want most? What’s the most important thing to you right now?”

  He glanced at her. “You’re thinking about our destiny? Now that we’ve bonded, we’re both destined to lose that which we care most about? Utter destruction and all that shit?” He heard the faint skitter of cockroach feet in the distance, quickly cataloguing it and dismissing it with the efficiency he hadn’t felt since he’d met Lily. It was as if completing the bond and knowing Lily was his forever had given him the freedom to accept it and let his connection to her weave seamlessly into his being. He could be both her mate and the warrior he needed to be. Feel and fight at the same damn time.

  Who the hell knew that could be possible? But it was. He was brimming with rage for Elijah’s fate. He was so connected to Lily that his heart was beating in synch with hers, he was one damned flood of emotion, and yet he was focused and intent in his mission. He felt like he could take down the damn world, which was good, because that’s about what it was going to take to keep Ezekiel locked down.

  Lily nodded. “Yes, what is Destiny going to try to destroy now that we’re bonded?”

  Gideon thought about it as they ran down the hall, their feet crunching over clay pebbles and grinding on centuries of dirt and grime. What mattered to him most right now? Stopping Frank from freeing Ezekiel, definitely. It was the culmination of his life’s goal. But finding a way to save Lily…shit. Gideon would never survive if something happened to her. And if Elijah was alive…the guy was his best friend. “It’s a tossup. You?”

  Her green eyes were heavy with emotion. “I have a number of things on my plate right now. A lot of things to lose.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” They fell silent as they ran, and he felt her rising tension, mirroring his own. “Quinn and Grace beat it,” he said. “They survived.”

  “For now.”

  “Now is enough for me.”

  She glanced at him and he saw the fierceness in her eyes. “I wish I’d had time to analyze what was different about them that made them survive.”

  “Screw analysis, Professor. This one’s got to come from the gut.”

  Lily raised her brows at him. “You’re telling me to do this from my heart? You’re the one who doesn’t believe in emotions.”

  “How I feel about you kept me from killing you, so yeah, I think our connection is our weapon.” It had to be. He might be a bastard, but he was a damned good warrior, and he knew a weapon when he saw one. “It’s us, Lily. You and I. We’re the key. Got it?” He tapped her heart. “Fight from here. That’s our chance.”

  Lily lifted her chin, her eyes flashing with determination. “I won’t give up on us,” she said. “I swear I’ll fight destiny. I don’t get defeated easily.”

  He grinned and ruffled her hair. Was it any wonder bonding with this amazing woman made him stronger? “And that’s why we’re going to make it—” Gideon felt a sudden shift in the air pressure and felt a rising threat. He called out his axes and grabbed Lily and pushed her behind him in one motion. Quinn? How’s the shit going down? I think I’m going to need you soon.

  There was no response, and Gideon realized Lily’s guess was right. They were cut off from communication with the surface.

  The loud crack of a weapon being called out echoed through the tunnel, and Gideon backed Lily up against the wall. It sounded like only one Calydon was approaching, and that would be easy for Gideon to dispatch.

  The approaching footsteps were loud and uneven, as if their assailant was dragging a leg behind him. “Stay there, Lily.”

  Gideon stepped out into the center of the passageway and raised both weapons, ready to face what came around the corner. But when he finally saw what it was, he knew he was in deep shit.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  “Elijah!” Gideon’s heart leapt with disbelief and joy when the man he’d thought was dead stumbled around the corner. It was Elijah, his blood brother, alive. He lowered his weapons instantly. “My God, man! You’re alive!”

  Then Gideon saw the state Elijah was in, and his soul broke for him. Elijah’s body was beaten and bloodied, his eyes were glazed with terror and pain, and his face was contorted in a mask of true insanity. He was stark naked, every inch of him carved raw, and dark blood was streaming from a set of fresh puncture wounds in his stomach, wounds that exactly matched the points of Elijah’s throwing star.

  Lily sucked in her breath. “Oh, God. He stabbed himself, exactly what you tried to do with your axe. You were living his experience.”

  Jesus. If what Gideon had experienced had truly been what Elijah was living, then Elijah’s scrambled mind was nothing more than a mass of terror and pain. There was no sanity left. Gideon strode down the passageway toward him. “Elijah! It’s me. Gideon.” Elijah, along with Quinn, was one of the only two opponents who might actually be able to take Gideon down in a one-on-one, and with Elijah insane the odds shifted in Elijah’s favor because Gideon would hesitate to deliver a killing blow to his friend. “Hey, man, I’m here for you.”

  A shudder shook Elijah’s body, and then he let out a scream of such inhuman terror and pain that Gideon paused. “Jesus, buddy. What did he do to you?”

  Elijah raised his throwing star and charged, emitting a shrieking howl of deadly intent and desperation. It was the kind of noise a creature makes when they know they are facing the battle of their lives: die brutally, or take your opponent down first. No in between.

  “I’m not going to kill you,” Gideon shouted as he threw his axe at Elijah’s thigh to disable him.

  Elijah blocked it with his throwing star and hurled his weapon so hard and so fast with the force of true desperation that Gideon couldn’t block it and it sank deep into his own leg. “Shit!” He yanked it out then dove to the dirt to dodge a throwing star slicing toward his head.

  Then Elijah was on top of him,
fists pounding, stabbing with his weapons, still screaming that god-awful noise. Gideon’s cheekbone shattered under the first blow and his head rang as the throwing star cut his neck. “Jesus!” He slammed his axe upwards against Elijah’s chest, using the flat of his blade to throw Elijah off balance before he could finish the deadly slice.

  Shit. Elijah was his best friend, but if Gideon didn’t start fighting for real, he’d be dead in a heartbeat. “Come on, Elijah,” he shouted. “Pull your shit together—”

  “Frank’s behind you,” Lily shouted suddenly, her terror sucker-punching Gideon in the gut.

  He lost his focus, and Elijah slammed his fist into Gideon’s face. Gideon swore and hurled his axe at Elijah. It slammed hard into Elijah’s side, a disabling blow, but not fatal. Blood spewed everywhere. Elijah rolled off him with a scream of agony that twisted in Gideon’s gut as his brain went numb against the pain in his head. “Hell man, I’m sorr—”

  Elijah slammed his throwing star into Gideon’s heart, with a final scream of defiance. Gideon jerked under the blow, gasping as he felt his heart stutter. He ripped the throwing star out of his chest and let his arm drop to the side as Elijah lay gasping beside him. Hot blood ran down his side under his arm, and he groaned, trying to press his palm over his chest to staunch the flow of blood. “Good to see you, too, my friend,” he gasped.

  Elijah rose up beside him, his face so bloodied he was unrecognizable, his eyes staring out from the mask of blood, so full of rage, terror and desperation. Of deadly, deadly intent.

  Gideon tightened his grip on his axe. “Don’t make me do it,” Gideon warned. “Don’t make me do it, Elijah—”

  But the bastard did, thrusting his throwing star down toward Gideon’s face in a death blow. Gideon had no choice but to defend himself, and he slammed his axe into the front of Elijah’s throat. The blows hit at the same time, and Elijah’s mouth opened in silent protest, his hands going to his neck as he fell on top of Gideon, his body hitting hard as agony burst through Gideon’s head and darkness consumed him.

  *

  Lily was shaking violently as Frank’s Calydons dragged her past Gideon and Elijah’s immobile bodies, both of them drenched in blood. “Gideon!”

  There was no movement from either warrior.

  The Calydons thrust Lily in front of Frank, who was wearing an all-black suit. His hair was slicked back and his shoes were polished. There were two spots of blood marring his perfect white shirt, residual from the fight. He smiled. “So nice of you to come.”

  “I won’t help you—”

  A Calydon slapped a piece of duct tape over her mouth, and she inhaled in panic when it went over her nose too. Frank’s eyes narrowed and he tugged the tape down from her nostrils as someone bound her wrists behind her back. “I’m tired of your attitude, Lily. We don’t have time for this. The ritual is starting now.” He snapped his fingers, and several more Calydons emerged from the tunnel behind him. “Deal with Elijah and make sure the other one’s dead—”

  Lily squealed in protest and tried to rip herself out of her captor’s grasp as a tall blonde Calydon called out a war hammer and walked over toward Gideon. She slammed her foot into her captor’s shin and lunged for Gideon, throwing herself across the two downed Order members before the war hammer could find its mark.

  “Bitch!” Her captor grabbed her to haul her off, then stopped when Frank held up his hand.

  “Everyone hold.” He walked over and grabbed her wrist, spinning her around so he could look at her arm. Gideon’s brand glowed silver on her skin. Frank raised his eyebrows at her, then snapped his fingers.

  The Calydon with the war hammer pried Gideon’s arm out from under Elijah’s body and held it up. Frank jerked Lily’s arm next to Gideon’s, and she saw that it was a full and complete match now. Every last design was a perfect.

  “I’ll be damned. You’re bonded.” Frank released her arm and her captor yanked her to her feet. Her entire front was covered with blood now, but part of it was Gideon’s, and it tingled where it touched her skin. Could she raise him with her magic?

  “Bring her mate with us,” Frank said. “See that he lives.”

  Lily nearly sagged with relief at his words, then stiffened when she realized Frank had noticed her response. He smiled, a thin smile that made her stomach turn. “Knock Lily out. I don’t want her bringing her dead boyfriend to life before we’re ready. And find Ana, for hell’s sake. I need her.”

  Pain exploded in her head and then there was nothing.

  *

  Lily woke up with a start, agony blistering through her shoulders. She peeled her eyes open to discover she was in the bottom of the pit she’d read about, lying on her side, bound hand and foot on a thick pile of rich, fertile dirt. Naked. She was surrounded by Calydon weapons, laid carefully on the ground around her in a precise circle. For a split second, her mind flashed to the past, to that moment when she’d woken up by the garbage dump with all those Calydons around her, but the familiar panic didn’t take hold. All she could think about was Gideon. Where was he?

  A young Calydon was facing her, trussed up the same as she was, also naked. His eyes were fixed on her face, and they were wide with terror, but also determination. “I’m Drew Cartland,” he whispered, the moment her gaze fastened on his. “Dante’s son.”

  “Lily Davenport.” She was relieved to discover the duct tape was off her mouth. Gideon? Can you hear me?

  The silence had her starting to panic, until she remembered that there was limited mental contact down here, and she lifted her head up to scan the area. They were surrounded by Calydons, and Frank was conferring with two of them. She caught sight of a slumped body off to the side, and her heart stuttered at the sight of the man she loved. He was still caked in blood, and he wasn’t moving. He was chained down with heavy links that she was sure had been proven strong enough to hold a Calydon, which was a good sign. That meant he was still alive. Tears filled her eyes and her vision blurred. He was alive.

  “Lily.” Frank turned toward her.

  She blinked several times to clear her eyes, then dragged her gaze off Gideon and looked at Frank. The look on his face was so evil, so anticipatory, that she couldn’t stop herself from shuddering.

  He walked over to her, stepping carefully over the weapons. He set Nate’s knife in front of her, so she could read the writing. “You will bring the music to life, empower Drew, and then you will invoke the rite. Do you understand?”

  “You can’t possibly think I’m going to—”

  Frank snapped his fingers and she stared in horror as the Calydon with the war hammer walked over to Gideon and held the weapon over Gideon’s head.

  “No, don’t—”

  She screamed as he slammed it into Gideon’s head. Blood spattered, and the sharp crack of bone splitting ripped through the air. “Don’t, God, don’t! I’ll do it!”

  “Don’t do it,” Drew hissed. “Do you have any idea—”

  She was shaking so hard she could barely think. “Shut up, Drew. God, shut the hell up! I know the risks, but I can’t let him die!” Gideon, please, please, please wake up. I love you, dammit! Don’t let him kill you!

  Frank nodded and stood up and used his foot to shove Drew toward her so they were skin to skin from shoulder to feet. “Begin.”

  There was no tingle from the touch of his Calydon skin, no response from her magic at all. Just revulsion from having another male pressed up against her breasts.

  “Gideon wouldn’t want you to free Ezekiel just to save him,” Drew said. “He’s Order. He’s supposed to sacrifice himself—”

  “Shut up!” Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and she didn’t care. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine the body pressed against hers belonged to Gideon. That the warm skin was his, alive and breathing.

  But it wasn’t. It was just empty flesh she didn’t care about, and her magic was silent

  “Hit Gideon again,” Frank snapped. “She’s stalling.”

&
nbsp; “No!” She shouted, her eyes snapping open. “Don’t! I’ll do it! I swear!”

  The war hammer stopped just short of Gideon’s skull, and she scrunched her eyes, trying to focus. She started to hum…and there was no magic. Nothing.

  “Don’t do it,” Drew whispered. “You’re betraying all he represents if you do it.”

  Lily shut him out and started to sing, the same melody Gideon had sung to her in the woods, an ancient song of seduction and power.

  And nothing happened.

  She jerked her eyes open, her heart pounding. “I swear to God, I’m trying. I really am. I don’t know why it’s not working. It worked with Gideon…” She and Frank both looked at Gideon, and then she knew. “Oh, God. It’ll only work with him now.”

  Frank narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

  “Because he’s my chosen one. He heard my bells. He’s the one my magic has been seeking, and now that it’s found him, no one else will do. I can’t do it without him. I swear I’m not lying—” She screamed, tears pouring from her eyes as the Calydon hit Gideon again. “I’m not lying! I can’t do it! I can’t! God, stop beating him. Stop!”

  Frank held up his hand and the war hammer disappeared into the Calydon’s arm. “Bring Gideon into the circle. Strip him first.”

  Lily barely stifled a cry as two Calydons sliced Gideon’s clothes off, their blades sinking deep into his skin as they cut through his jeans. Then they grabbed him and dragged him along the rock floor. His body was limp, his head lolling to the side as blood oozed out of it. God, how could he possibly survive that level of damage?

  They hoisted him over the circle of weapons so his feet didn’t dislodge them, then they dumped him on top of Drew and Lily.

  The tingle from his skin was instant, and her magic came alive as he sank onto her, his body so heavy and thick. And warm. The kind of warm that meant he was still alive. Her body shuddered with relief and for a moment she was too overwhelmed to do anything but press her face against his bloody cheek. “Gideon,” she whispered. “Don’t you dare give up.”