“I realize it is early, and I apologize if I’ve disturbed you, but I promised Olivia—”
The tension melted from Kim’s lovely face as recognition flashed in her eyes. “Come in,” she welcomed. Stepping to the side, she closed the door behind him. Before he could say another word, she threw her arms around him. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am for everything you’ve done for my daughter. I…we…we didn’t know.”
He returned her embrace and then took a step back. Her smile reminded him of Olivia’s. “I’m glad she’s finally told you the truth. I love your daughter very much.”
“She loves you, too, Liam. She’s loved you so much, it broke her father’s and my heart to see her so miserable without you. Had we known the truth—”
He held up his hand, stopping her, and placed it on the woman’s shoulder. “There isn’t a need to apologize. You don’t owe me any explanations. You’ve always loved and cared for Olivia, and for that, I am eternally grateful. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to see her now.”
Kim nodded, moisture glistening in her eyes. “Oh, of course. She’s in her room.”
He headed for the stairs posthaste. Being away from Olivia for even this short time had been harder than he cared to admit. After so much time spent apart, he wanted nothing more than to just be with her. Taking the steps two at a time, he quickly reached the second floor and took a sharp right. Her bedroom door was closed. He paused a moment, uncertain if he wanted to chance waking her by knocking. She’d been utterly exhausted yesterday, the transition back had been every bit as taxing on her as he feared. Perhaps he should go back downstairs and wait for her, rather than risk arousing her so early.
He turned to leave, but his feet refused to obey. His desire to see her, to hold her, even as she slept, was nigh overwhelming. Carefully, so as not to disturb her, Liam opened the door and stepped inside. His heart stopped. A surge of dread jolted it back to life, sending it thundering in his chest as his gaze fell on the empty bed, covers haphazardly tossed aside. Olivia was gone.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Well, speak of the devil—or at least that’s what Liam looked like, striding across the park, eyes flashing amethyst fire. Unease melded with anticipation, his pulse quickening at the discovery Olivia was back, at the thought of seeing her again…
Before the surly angel could get within striking distance, he growled, “Where is she?” His malevolent stride quickly ate up the grassy ground, promising his wrath would be swift and merciless.
Haden stood from the park bench and tossed the remainder of his coffee onto the grass. Schooling his features to the apathetic mask he so often wore, Haden turned to face his rival. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Where is who?”
Even as he asked the question, a rush of dread struck his heart at the answer he knew was coming. Too late, he sought to steel himself against the urge to give a fuck, telling himself Olivia belonged to Liam. She was his problem, not Haden’s. But even as he tried to convince himself of the lie, his soul knew a dread he hadn’t felt in centuries.
“Who do you think?” Liam barked viciously.
Shit… “Do you think if I actually had Olivia, I’d be drinking coffee in the goddamn park?” Each word spewed from his mouth, louder than the last, until he yelled his contempt at the angel. “How in the fuck did you lose her?” He snarled the accusation, struggling unsuccessfully to temper his own rage.
“I didn’t lose her, asshole. She was with her parents for the night. When I returned for her this morning, she was gone. After all the shit you’ve pulled, do you honestly expect me to take you at your word?”
How was that possible? He’d spent the night staring at a burnt orange Charger parked in that prick’s driveway. The damn thing hadn’t moved, so how in the hell had he gotten to Olivia? Anxious to be rid of the angel so he could hunt the bastard down, Haden gave Liam a negligent shrug and drawled with feigned disinterest, “Well, as you can plainly see, I don’t have her, so I fail to see how this further concerns me.”
Haden turned to leave, but a heavy hand gripped his shoulder, stopping him. “I need your help.” The confession verily grated from the angel’s lips.
Haden gave pause, arching a brow in interest. “Really? And how’s that?” He could see the war raging in the angel, feel his seething contempt. How it must have burned his tongue like acid to admit his need of Haden. That he would come here and even confess such a thing bore witness to the angel’s devotion to the female, and the level of desperation he must be feeling at discovering Haden was not his biggest concern.
“You know I’m not bonded to Olivia anymore, so I can’t feel her emotions or sense her presence. But I know that you can. You’ve been hunting her longer than I care to consider. If you truly have not done this, then I need you to bring me to her.”
Haden would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy having the upper hand, even as his conscience railed at him to quit bantering with Liam and go find Olivia before it was too late—before she fell into Gahn’s hands.
“What is it to me? Why should I care if she lives or dies?” Haden challenged arrogantly, a breath away from bartering Olivia’s life for the stone. Liam would have no choice but to surrender to save her.
“Because you’re in love with her.”
Liam’s matter-of-fact reply came as an unexpected verbal kick to the balls, his breath stalling in his lungs.
“If it’s any consolation, I don’t think you want to be.”
It wasn’t.
“But you are. I think she fucks with your whole bad-ass, I-don’t-give-a-shit-about-anyone-or-anything persona you’ve got going on there. And that eats at you. Listen, you don’t want to lose her any more than I do, especially not to the Dark Court, and if she’s missing and you don’t have her, they most assuredly do.”
Haden wondered if Liam had any idea how spot-on he was about that. Did he have any clue that they were about to go head to head with one of the most powerful demons in existence? In truth, Olivia would be better off dead than in that bastard’s hands.
“Just for the record, this wouldn’t have happened if you’d given me that damn stone in the first place,” he grumbled.
“Yeah? And how’s that?”
“Because Gahn would be dead and not in possession of Olivia, which he most assuredly is by now. I guarantee if she’s still alive, it’s only to torture you.”
At his news, the angel’s scowl darkened to lethal. Still, he held his ground. “I can’t give you the stone, Haden. If you overthrew the Dark Court, the disruption of prophesy would be catastrophic.”
“I have no desire to interfere with your prophesy. You think that I don’t realize it’s that very prophesy that’s keeping me alive? Gahn’s life does not intersect with the Creator’s plan, and we’ll all be better off with him dead.”
The funny thing about hearing… it’s the last sense to go and the first to return. Footsteps echoed around Olivia’s head—the crunch of dirt beneath the booted heels of her attacker ground into the wood floor of where she lay prostrate, unable to move. Consciousness returned with a roar of outrage. She couldn’t believe Haden had done this to her—again!
A surge of adrenaline flooded her veins, fight or flight called to action—either one would do right about now. She forced her breathing to slow, despite her heart thundering inside her chest. Would he see the crash against her breasts through the thin cotton tank? Would he smell her fear? The frayed fibers of a rope bit sharply into her wrists, her fingers quickly growing numb from lack of circulation. She held back the yelp of pain as he secured the last of her bindings at her ankles.
Slowly, so as not to give away her consciousness, she drew a deep breath, waiting for the scent of black licorice to assault her. As seconds passed with no such confirmation, realization ushered in a surge of terror. Haden hadn’t done this to her.
She didn’t need her senses to tell her what she already knew in her heart. Haden wouldn’t handle her so ro
ugh, so carelessly, and he certainly wouldn’t have been so spineless as to sneak up and attack her, unaware. The confirmation came when the salty-sour sting of sweat assaulted her nostrils, the musty overlay of rotting leaves and stale air nearly taking her breath away.
The sound of pouring sand hit the floor beside her head, accompanying the footsteps slowly walking a circle around her. Panic would no longer allow her to feign unconsciousness. As her assailant passed her feet, Olivia opened her eyes and lifted her head as high as her restraints would allow. A startled gasp caught in her throat as a true measure of horror gripped her heart. At that moment, she knew with absolute certainty she was going to die.
“This is taking too long. We could get there a lot faster if we moved through dimensions,” Liam grumbled from behind the wheel of the Patriot as they flew down the winding back roads of the everglades. Had he ever felt more terrified, more impotent, than he did at this moment? Before Olivia, fear had always been a foreign concept to him. His love for her made him vulnerable, their severed connection made him weak—two faults a warrior worth his salt could not abide. If Olivia died, he’d never forgive himself.
Her life was literally in Haden’s hands. Just the thought of it made the knot of dread gripping his heart, squeeze with unmerciful force. That the one male he despised above all others was connected to her, burned his veins to ash. His dependency on the Nephilim to do what he’d once done with ease was nigh unbearable.
“I’m sure we could move faster, but that’s not how my gift works,” Haden snapped. “So quit complaining. You’re distracting me.” The determined scowl which had taken up permanent residence on Haden’s face darkened another degree.
“Are you sure we’re going the right direction?”
“Of course I’m sure. Answer me this, how is it that you can find me, but you can’t find your own female?”
“Because that’s not how my gift works. Instinct drives me to hunt the fallen. It’s what I was created for. If you’re right, and Gahn has Olivia, why would he go through the trouble of bringing her all the way out here?”
“Because he’s luring you in. You don’t think this is just about her, do you? Gahn is of a mind to kill two birds with one stone. Listen, I grew up knowing the infamy of your name. You’ve done some hardcore shit over the years that have seriously impacted the Dark Court. I’ve known of you longer than I care to remember. Even if Olivia wasn’t sighted, just the fact that you love her has made her a valuable target.”
A thought suddenly hit Liam that turned his blood to ice. How did Haden know Gahn had Olivia? What if they were working together? This could very well be a trap. Perhaps Gahn was using Haden to get possession of Immanuel’s Stone? He shuddered to imagine the damage that demon could do with such a weapon. Why should he believe Haden’s claim to loath the male who’d been, for all intent and purposes, his father?—because he claimed it to be true? This all could be an elaborate ruse by the Dark Court to hide behind the Nephilim. They’d know Liam couldn’t kill him because he was protected under the blood covering of Christ.
“Tell me, Haden, how do you know Gahn’s on Earth? Why are you so certain he has Olivia?”
Haden’s gaze swung on Liam, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes a moment before his top lip tugged into a sardonic grin. He could see the Nephilim tracking his train of thought. Feigning offense, he drawled, “You don’t trust me?”
“You’ve given me no reason to.”
“I beg to differ. I’m risking my life for Olivia, and not for the first time, I might add.”
“You gotta admit, with me out of the way, you’d have a clear shot at her.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Haden grumbled under his breath.
Liam snorted. “Don’t act like you haven’t thought about it.”
“I don’t use others to do my dirty work. If I want to kill you, I’ll do it myself.”
“Good luck. How’d that work for ya? I noticed you’ve still got a limp.”
“I wasn’t trying to kill you, smartass. You think Olivia would ever get over that? And by the way, I know Gahn is here because I saw the bastard. He’s using a human to get to her, imagine that. I’ve been watching the muscle-head douche bag troll around in his orange Charger, doin’ drive-by’s past Olivia’s house for the last two weeks. Perhaps if you spent more time doin’ your job than just doin’ her, you’d have a fucking clue as to what’s going on here. I’m only going to say this once, lest you doubt my intentions. I am allied to no one. I serve no master. That our goals have aligned is the only reason I’m here with you, and when this is over, I’ll be gone. Out of your life and out of Olivia’s. That fact alone should have you clamoring to give me the stone.”
“You’re wrong, Haden. You serve the master of your vengeance. You’re no freer than any of us. I have news for you—revenge is not going to give you the peace you seek. That can only be found in one place. And for the record, you and me, we’re far from finished. The High Court is demanding an audience with you. When this is over and Olivia is safe, you and I are taking a little road trip.”
Haden scoffed, “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“It’s either me or they’ll send a legion after you. You can’t run forever, Haden. Better you face the court now while you still have a shot at redemption than face them during the Final Judgment.”
Liam could not know if Haden’s impassive silence was reflection or concentration, for a moment later, the Neph tensed and pointed to a shack deep in the bayou, hidden behind towering Cyprus trees and thick, marshy undergrowth. “There. That shack. She’s in there.”
The shanty was barely visible from the road, and truth be told, had Haden not pointed it out, he’d have probably missed it. Parking the SUV, Liam quickly cut the engine. The urge to storm the unlivable hovel nearly overwhelmed him. His need to get to Olivia was the only driving thought in his mind. As he threw open the door and prepared to leap out, Haden grabbed his arm, staying his hell-on-wheels entrance.
“If you act in haste, Gahn will have the advantage. Let’s do this smart. You flank the left side and I’ll take the right. He won’t be expecting a united front—”
A united front? Those were the last two words Liam ever expected to come out of Haden’s mouth. Perhaps Olivia was right, and the bastard had a shot at redemption after all.
“And Liam, if your God is with you…pray. Gahn is more powerful than you think, and he wants you dead, even more than he wants Olivia.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
It wasn’t the grit of sand abrading her shoulder blades, nor sand circling her. The flickering flame of several dozen candles painted the cabin in an eerie light of dancing shadows. Well past dusk, the sparse light coming in from the west window did nothing to chase away the darkness hovering in the corner like an ominous cloud.
“What are you doing?” Olivia demanded as Pat completed the pentagram salt ring. Staked in the center like some sick virgin sacrifice, she tugged at her bindings, gritting her teeth against the pain lashing her wrists and ankles. She ignored the moisture gathering beneath her bonds as she thrashed in vain to break free.
“It’s no use fighting. The ropes are secure.”
“Why?” She swallowed past the lump of dread caught in her throat. “Why are you doing this?” she whispered, trying to keep the panic from fracturing her voice, hoping if she remained calm, she might somehow reason with him. But his emotionless face, his deadpan voice, all but told her she was wasting her time.
“Why? Because I don’t have a choice,” he snapped bitterly.
As the container of Morton ran empty, Pat pitched it into the corner of the one-room cabin. Stepping over the candles, he walked to the door and grabbed a white bottle. Popping the red cap, he began coating the floorboards. As he worked his way closer, the heady scent of accelerant stung her nose. Against her will, tears stung her eyes, panic climbing up her throat, choking off her air.
“Please… Don’t do this. You do have a choice, Pa
t. If you kill me, you’re as good as dead yourself.”
The jet stream of lighter fluid stopped and he turned to look at her, his top lip curling in a malicious sneer. “That’s exactly what your boyfriend said. I gotta admit, Olivia. I never figured him for your type.”
Her boyfriend? She knew he couldn’t have been talking about Liam. If he’d known she was in danger, he never would have left her, not even for the night. Who else could have known about Pat? Who would have warned him to stay away from her?
Haden…? Then again, the fact that Pat was still alive suggested most likely not.
“I’m not going to kill you, Olivia. Gahn wants that pleasure for himself. I don’t know what you did to piss him off, and frankly, I don’t want to know. But if I don’t do this, I’m as good as dead, anyway. So I think I’ll take my chances with your green-eyed monster over the black-eyed beast that’s been breathing down my neck for the last month.”
It was Haden!
A blossoming thread of hope that she just might survive after all, fueled her rage that this bastard would so easily trade her life to spare his own. “Coward,” she sneered, laughing a humorless “fuck you.” “I have news for you, Pat. If Haden came to see you, you’re dead, either way. The only thing left for you to decide is whether or not you want to meet your maker with my blood on your hands.”
For the first time, a shred of doubt crossed Pat’s face. His arrogant sneer fell in contemplation, his gaze flickering to the door as if he considered bolting right here and now.
“Don’t make a mistake you’re going to spend eternity paying for. Let me go,” she pleaded, struggling against her bonds.
Pat capped the lighter fluid and took a step toward Olivia. Perhaps he had a change of heart, maybe he’d intended to let her go. She’d never know. Suddenly, the shadows behind him began to stir. At first, she thought it no more than an optical illusion from the flickering light of the candles, but then it began to take shape, growing in form, slowly shaping in definition until the being evolved into a cloaked vision of pure terror.
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