Guardian

by Unknown

  Not that he’d ever had a real life to begin with. He would have to start from scratch to even have a single decent memory to build from.

  My poor demon …

  All of a sudden, someone was at Jaden’s door.

  He stepped away from her as it opened. Prepared to fight, she held her breath, half afraid it was Noir or one of his other minions.

  It was Seth.

  She started to go to him, but there was an air of such rage and hostility around him that she was afraid he might hurt her if she did.

  His armor and lips coated in blood, he had several new wounds and bruises on his face. But as always, he didn’t seem to notice them. A tic beat a fierce rhythm in his jaw as his nostrils flared. He appeared to be one step away from going on a homicidal rampage.

  The last thing she wanted to do was be the one who pushed him into it.

  His icy glare went past her and straight to Jaden. “I’m being sent to guard the Nether Wall. Can you watch her until I return?”

  Jaden gaped at his disclosure. At first she thought it was because he was asking Jaden to keep her longer.

  It wasn’t.

  “Why are you being sent?” Jaden asked.

  He gave Jaden a droll stare. “Since when does Noir answer to me?”

  Jaden shook his head. “Who’s going to stand at your back?”

  Seth scowled at the question as if it baffled him. As if he thought Jaden was stupid for even asking it. “The same as always. No one.” Finally, he looked at her and his features softened ever so slightly, as if he took comfort from seeing her there.

  Then he returned his glare to Jaden. “Will you watch over her until I return?”

  Jaden nodded. “I will.”

  He inclined his head in gratitude before he withdrew and locked the door again.

  She turned back to Jaden as she tried to understand what was going on. “What’s the Nether Wall?”

  “It’s the boundary between our realm and Thorn’s.”

  “And why is that bad?”

  Jaden snorted. “It’s not if you don’t have a soul. But if you do … Thorn’s vultures flay you for it. Mentally and physically. Guarding that wall, especially alone, is one of the cruelest things to do to someone. It’s like hanging out a single piece of steak at a rabid dog festival.”

  While she had no doubt that he wasn’t exaggerating, she had a hard time believing it would be hard for Seth after everything else he’d been through. “Crueler than having your mouth bolted shut?”

  Jaden’s freaky gaze burned her with its sincere heat. “Yes. Physical pain eventually stops hurting. It’s the scars on the soul that never heal and never back off—those ride you with spurs. May the gods help him.”

  She knew the truth of that, which made her determined to help Seth any way she could. “Can you get me there?”

  “Ah, hell no. Are you out of your mind?”

  Maybe. Probably. It definitely wouldn’t be the first time she had a moronic thought, and unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the last. It was that kind of lunacy that had her here right now.

  But it didn’t change her conviction. “I can help him fight. Watch his back. You said it yourself, he doesn’t need to be out there alone.”

  Jaden shook his head in disbelief. “And you will get him punished beyond belief if anyone sees you. Don’t you understand, Lydia? By having you here without Noir’s knowledge, he has all but declared war on Noir. If Noir finds out what Seth has done…”

  “Why did he capture me, then?” Why put himself into more conflict with the god who hated him so?

  “That is his job. He’s supposed to capture anyone who comes here without an invitation. Then they are to be taken to Noir, who decides what to do with them.”

  She could just imagine what that demon did to anyone dumb enough to venture here.

  By keeping her safe and hidden, Seth risked his own neck.

  “Why would he take such a chance?”

  “I have no idea. Honestly, I wouldn’t have done it for anything. If I didn’t owe him so much, I’d be handing you over right now.” By the tone of his voice, she had no doubt he meant every word of it.

  Thank the gods, he wasn’t the one who’d found her, trying to help Solin escape.

  Now, Lydia tried to understand what had motivated Seth to such stupidity. Yet for her life, she couldn’t imagine why he’d risked his flesh for her—a nobody, an enemy—after all Noir had done to him.

  It made no sense.

  * * *

  Seth took his post at the gate and widened his stance into his fiercest Guardian’s pose. He dug the tip of his sword into the ground and rested his hands on the hilt. With any luck, the night predators would think twice about taking him on.

  Though if the past was any indicator, they wouldn’t give a shit. They would attack Noir himself. Anything for a drop of blood.

  Here, demon, demons. Fresh meat. Come get some.

  And all too soon, they would.

  From here, he could see the tiniest bit of outline from Thorn’s manor. It looked so harmless from a distance. But his one trip to it had tutored him well on Thorn’s brutality. The ancient demon lord wasn’t a bit kinder than Noir.

  Bloody effing bastard. It hadn’t been much of a fight, but Seth had done his best. Too young, too new to his powers, and drained from Noir’s cruelty, he’d run there, hoping to find a haven.

  What he’d found was a one-way trip back to Noir’s lap … and his fist. Apparently the two demon lords had made a pact that they wouldn’t keep runaways.

  Look on the bright side … At least Azura wouldn’t summon him while he was here, any more than Noir would. Given that lovely benefit, unlike Jaden, he didn’t mind this duty as much as some of the others he’d been forced to do.

  Yeah, it was emotionally grueling, but then so was life.

  Even now he could hear Noir in his head. “You pathetic wretch. You’re worthless. Stupid beyond stupid. Go stand at the Wall for a couple of nights. Maybe then you’ll learn how to fight.”

  All in all, he thought he’d done pretty well, given the fact they were outnumbered twenty to one, and he was still drained by Noir and Azura’s last feeding. Not to mention their latest round of Beat the Holy Shit Out of Him.

  But what did he know?

  And come tomorrow, he was sure Noir would beat him again for not having more information about the key he was supposed to find while protecting the Wall and doing everything else they wanted.

  Yeah …

  They’re not what you want to think about anyway.

  No, he wanted to think about glowing topaz eyes that danced with humor and sparkled with fiery spirit. Of soft, long black hair. Of moist lips that begged him for a kiss.

  Closing his eyes, he conjured an image of Lydia in his bed. Yeah, that was what he wanted to focus on. Much better than all the other crap he had to deal with. He could almost smell the warm scent of her skin. It actually banished the chill from the cold winds that blew against his armor, freezing him to the marrow of his bones.

  “Seth?”

  He opened his eyes as he heard the sound of her voice. Glancing around, he saw no trace of her.

  It’s not her. She didn’t know his name. Must be one of the predators screwing with him.

  “Can you hear me?”

  He realized it was inside his head. “Lydia?”

  “Yes. Jaden explained to me what you would be facing. I wanted to come and help, but I understand why I can’t. I don’t want to get you into trouble.”

  Those words touched him so deeply that it left him temporarily immobile. She doesn’t care for you. How could she?

  It was most likely true.

  It’s definitely true, you imbecile. Noir’s right. You are the dumbest idiot ever born.

  Only a rank moron would think for even a second that his captive cared for him.

  Even so, he wanted to hear her voice. Feel her next to him while he waited for attack. “How are you able to talk to me
?”

  “Don’t be mad, okay? Jaden restored enough of my powers that I could sit with you while you stand post.”

  He should be furious over that. Yet he wasn’t. He felt strangely grateful. “Are you really that bored?”

  “No. I just needed to make sure you were all right. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  Those words and the faked sincerity in her voice struck him like a blow. No one had ever said a kinder thing to him. Not in all of his life.

  But he knew better. “You don’t care about me. Be honest. We’re enemies, you and I.”

  “I’m not your enemy, Seth. I don’t like being your captive, and I have to say that I’m still a little peeved over that fact. But I understand why you did what you did. And it means a lot to me that you’re protecting me when you have no reason to.”

  A bad feeling went through him over those words. Why the hell did I put them together?

  “How much has Jaden told you about me?”

  “Probably enough that you’ll beat him for it. But I’m glad he did.”

  Seth let out a disgusted breath. He couldn’t stand for anyone to talk about him. Ever. It never boded well for his health. Physical or mental.

  Not wanting to think about it, he turned the topic. “You should probably rest.”

  “Not until you do.”

  Her comforting voice took him back in time. Back to when he’d lived with the jackals and had had a friend. When he’d been able to trust the lies other people told him.

  What he wouldn’t give to be that naive again.

  Don’t trust her. She’s using you to get free. If she weakens you, she knows you’ll do something stupid for her.

  All people were liars. He knew that with every part of himself.

  And yet …

  Seth wanted to believe in something again. He wanted to believe in someone.

  Most of all, he needed to believe in Lydia.

  “Tell me about your family, Lydia. What are they like?”

  “They were wonderful.”

  “Were?”

  “My mother died protecting me when I was a child.”

  He should have been so lucky. But he felt bad for her when it was obvious she’d loved her mother. “What happened?”

  “Zeus had us attacked. Everyone was slaughtered. But my mother used her powers to send me away before they found me. She tried to send me to my father, but they killed her before she could get me all the way there.”

  “And your father?” Please tell me he was better than mine.

  “He’s wonderful … Most times. He can be very stern and demanding. But he does it out of love for me.”

  Good. One less being he wanted to mutilate.

  Then he started to ask her about Solin, but stopped himself. There were some things he didn’t need to know and that was one of them. It was actually at the top of his list. He didn’t want to hear the love in her voice when she talked about another man when that man possessed the one thing Seth would sell his soul for.

  It was cruel.

  But she continued talking to him in that soothing voice of hers. “The hardest part was that I couldn’t really see my father growing up.”

  “Why?”

  “He has too many enemies who would kill me if they found me. So I’ve had to move around a lot. Never making too many friends for fear of them betraying me, whether by accident or intentionally.”

  “Like me.”

  “In some ways. It’s why I understand you, I think.”

  Interesting thought, that. He didn’t understand himself most days, so how could she?

  “Tell me more about your mother. What’s your fondest memory of her?”

  “She would read to me every night and then sing me a silly song to go to sleep to. After she’d leave, many times I’d get up and try to sneak out to play with my toys.”

  “Did she spank you for it?”

  “No. My parents never hit me. She’d tickle me back to bed and threaten to take away my dessert for a week. But she never did that either.”

  Seth felt the beginnings of a smile, but the moment he did, he felt an evil presence coming at him.

  Out of nowhere, a reaper attacked. They were taloned and winged demons who would rip apart any creature they found. Lucky him, that he’d been here for their pleasure.

  Seth cursed as it sank its claws into his shoulder. That’s what I get for not paying attention. He should never have been talking to her.

  “Seth?” The panic in her voice meant a lot to him, but he didn’t have time to chat right now.

  “I’m under attack, Lydia. I have to go.”

  “Seth!”

  He ignored her as more reapers came for him and he fought them back as best he could.

  But they weren’t the only ones rushing him …

  Oh yeah, this was going to really suck.

  * * *

  Lydia looked over to where Jaden sat on the stone floor, leaning against the wall by his fire. “He’s under attack. Are you sure we can’t help him?”

  Jaden sent her a mocking stare. “Sure. Let’s go get him pinned to Noir’s wall for a week, shall we? I’m quite certain it would thrill him to no end, and make us all feel better that you care so much.”

  “You don’t have to be so sarcastic.”

  “Can’t help it. I sucked sarcasm straight from my mother’s breast.”

  She ignored his even more sardonic reply. “Is there nothing we can do for him?”

  “We’re doing it.”

  Lydia hated what they were doing. It wasn’t in her to sit and not fight.

  Getting up, she started pacing—something she did until she was too tired to keep going. Only then did she sleep. But her dreams, probably restored by Jaden, too, tortured her with the things she’d learned about Seth.

  Most of all, they tortured her with thoughts of him standing guard alone and fighting against the monsters Jaden had described.

  Please be okay. Please.

  She woke up well past dawn, or at least what passed for dawn in this dismal realm. “Seth?” she tried again to contact him.

  He didn’t answer.

  She looked to where Jaden slept by the fire. I have to find him. He was in trouble, she could feel it.

  The only problem was she didn’t know where he was or how to get there.

  Suddenly, she heard a commotion out in the hallway. She went to the door and pressed her ear against it so that she might hear what was going on.

  Rumbling voices thundered, but she couldn’t make out their individual words.

  Not until one spoke with a clarity that made her sick.

  “Huzzah! The Guardian is dead!”

  CHAPTER 13

  Terrified, Lydia started to open the door to tear this place down until she found Seth, but Jaden grabbed her just before she committed suicide.

  “Don’t be stupid,” he snarled in her ear as he held her still with his hand on her upper arm. “They’ll tear you apart—and enjoy every minute of it. And what good would that do any of us? Believe me, I don’t want to scrape bloody chunks of you off the floor and ceiling. Or get your remains smeared on the bottom of my shoes.”

  She curled her lip in distaste at what he described. That was basically the last thing she wanted, too.

  Releasing her arm, he nudged her aside so that she’d be hidden by the door before he opened it.

  She bit her lip as he left her alone in his room. He was right. What she’d almost done would have been the worst sort of stupid.

  Thank the gods, he’d stopped her. But she couldn’t think straight after hearing that news. Seth couldn’t be dead.

  Tears choked her as an image of him lying in pieces haunted her.

  Why do I care?

  She had no idea. And yet there was no denying the pain crushing her chest at the thought of him …

  I have to know what happened.

  Putting her ear to the door, she tried as hard as she could, but she couldn’t hear anything
else outside. No clue about what had happened or what was going on. Come on … someone tell me something.

  Anything.

  Time ticked by so slowly that it nauseated her. She was about to go insane before Jaden finally returned. He manifested in the room, right in front of her.

  “Well?” she asked hopefully.

  He hesitated and her heart stopped beating as she braced herself for the worst. The longer he delayed, the more her pain built until she had no idea how she was able to hold back her sobs.

  “He’s not dead,” he said finally.

  For that mean pause alone, she could have kicked him as she let out one audible sob at the good news. The relief from those three words was staggering. And for that, she was so grateful, she could almost kiss him.

  Seth wasn’t dead.

  Oh thank you, gods, thank you!

  “Where is he?” she asked Jaden.

  He swallowed audibly. “I don’t think you want me to answer that.” The note in his voice returned her terror tenfold.

  What could have happened? Did Noir have him caged like they’d done to Solin? Her mind ran wild with horrific possibilities as she remembered all the images and stories Jaden had told her about this place and what went on here.

  “Jaden,” she chided. “C’mon. After everything else you’ve told me? I have to know where he is.”

  “It’s that bad, Lydia. You’re better off staying here for now.”

  Her heart pounding, she heard Noir cursing outside the door as he tried to open it. “Jaden! You worthless piece of shit, get out here. Now!”

  Jaden vanished.

  She pressed her ear to the door again, desperate for any nugget of a detail. She had to know something or she’d go mad.

  “You yelled?” Jaden sneered contemptuously in a tone she was surprised didn’t get him backhanded.

  “Can you get that bastard dog down?”

  “I can try. I’m not sure he’ll be in one piece when I do, though. Hope that’s okay with you?”

  Was he serious?

  What had they done to Seth now? She covered her mouth with her hand as horror for him consumed her.

  “You better succeed, maggot. I need his power. Do you understand? You let him die and you’ll take his place.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  This time, she heard the blow that sent Jaden slamming into the door that separated them.